The Top 10 Benefits of Kettlebells

Kettlebell training is accessible and practical for all. From the elite athlete looking for an edge, to the sedentary person looking to discover fitness for the first time. And everyone in between. All can benefit.

Top Fitness Trends
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s leading authority on fitness, included kettlebells among the top ten fitness trends for 2009:

“ The reason for the surge in kettlebell training is that it gets back to basic training that requires functional, whole body fitness. . . . a great way to get a whole body workout in a relatively short period of time. ”
—– Press Release, December 9, 2008

1. Combines "cardio" and “strength” trainingAs one of the best kettlebell coaches once said, “life doesn't respect the difference." Try sprinting to catch a train while carrying a heavy package or pushing a stroller, did all that "cardio" training you did in "step class" or on the recumbent bike really help that much? The continuous movments of the Kettlebell gives you a "resistive cardio" workout. This ensures that you burn the   maximum amount of calories, burn fat and improve lean muscle......... all in one!!!

2. You won’t bulk up.... Just slim down!Women get the svelte, lean, firm shape that enhances the best of the female body. Think Penelope Cruz, or Jennifer Lopez, both firm advocators of Kettlebell training!

3. Build a lean, muscular physiqueMen see that coveted wedge shape emerge as the training creates broad shoulders, defines abdominals, builds up their arms and pares down their waists. It's a lean look, more like Bruce Lee than Arnold

4. Develops core strength Kettlebells require you to engage the core in almost every lift. Being a real stickler of technique really pays divedends when using Kettlebells, as you start working all the deeper glute & core muscles that can often get neglected. This is why they have a reputation for strengthening backs and abs like nothing else before

5. Better posture— the real thingBecause of the increase in core strength and the postural muscles, KB’s strengthen you from head to toe. This is not only key to athletic performance, but for staying injury and pain free and having perfect posture

6. The solution for busy peopleBusy people want to get the most from their time, as opposed to wandering about the gym for hours on end. Kettlebells are the solution to trying to squeeze cardio, strength AND flexibility training in an already overbooked schedule. Because of the intensive nature, the workout duration must be kept short. Best of all, they are so small and portable, training can take place in your bedroom

7. Very different from dumbbells, barbells & every other bit of equipmentAnyone who has picked up a kettlebell has felt the difference. The off centered weight of a KB recruits more stabilizer muscles and works the targeted muscles through a wider range of motion. It’s because of the off-center design of the KB. Isolation exercises such as those done with dumbbells and barbells do not hit those stabilizing muscles to the same degree

8. Don’t confuse kettlebells with conventional weight training or bodybuilding.

We focus on (a) movements, not muscles, (b) whole-body, functional training, (c) strength as a function of mobility, (d) cardio and strength combined

9. Easy to learnMovements are simple and you can start using them right away. No matter how old or out-of-shape you are, everyone can do it and should be doing it

10. And most important.............. It’s fun! KB exercises and movements are simple, fun, unique and you can combine it with other exercise modalities. You can make it as fun as you want it to be. No more reason to be in a sweaty gym. Come along to our kettlebell classes here in Richmond and have the workout of your life. Save on gym membership fees and do your training where you love it the most

Exercise May Encourage Healthy Eating Via Brain Changes

Exercise may encourage healthy eating by changing parts of the brain that influence impulsive behaviour, according to a new review of the available literature by researchers from Spain and the US published in Obesity Reviews. The researchers conclude that in a society where we are surrounded by temptations and triggers that facilitate over-eating and excess, the part of the brain responsible for "inhibitory control" undergoes "relentless strain" (they note it has limited capacity anyway), and doing exercise on a regular basis enhances it.

"By enhancing the resources that facilitate 'top-down' inhibitory control, increased physical activity may help compensate and suppress the hedonic drive to over-eat," they report.

Obesity has been rising at an alarming rate in Spain in recent years, so much so that in some parts of Spain, the proportion of the population that is obese is higher than that in many parts of the United States, the country traditionally considered as having the highest obesity rates in the western world.

Also, in line with other countries in the Mediterranean, Spain has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in Europe.

Co-author Dr Miguel Alonso Alonso, a Spanish neurologist working at the Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the US, told the press on Wednesday that many studies suggest "physical exercise seems to encourage a healthy diet. In fact, when exercise is added to a weight-loss diet, treatment of obesity is more successful and the diet is adhered to in the long run".

However, in order better to inform and improve current approaches and treatments for obesity, he and his co-authors, from the US and Spain, thought it might be useful to bring together what these "somewhat disparate, yet interrelated lines of literature" may have to say about the neurological underpinning of the link between exercise and weight loss.

"Designing effective weight-loss interventions requires an understanding of how these behaviours are elicited, how they relate to each other and whether they are supported by common neurocognitive mechanisms," they write.

There is evidence that regular physical exercise changes the working and structure of the brain. From their review, the researchers conclude these changes seem to support the idea that regular exercise improves the results of tests that measure the state of the brain's executive functions, and increases in connections in the grey matter and prefrontal cortex.

One of the brain's executive functions is "inhibitory control" which helps us keep check on impulsiveness, or to suppress inadequate, excessive or inappropriate behaviour toward a goal.

The researchers conclude that regular practice of physical exercise, in time, produces a "potentiating effect" on the brain's executive functions, including the ability for inhibitory control, and this helps us "resist the many temptations that we are faced with everyday in a society where food, especially hypercaloric food, is more and more omnipresent".

Exercise also brings other benefits, such as making the brain more sensitive to physiological signs of fulness. This helps not only to control appetite, but it also modifies the "hedonic" response to food stimuli, say the researchers. Thus the benefits of exercise occur in the short term (these affect metabolism) and in the long term (these affect behaviour).

Alonso Alonso and colleagues suggest it is important that social policies help and encourage people to practise sport and engage in physical exercise, whether at school, in urban settings, or daily life, with the help of public transport, pedestrianized areas and sports centres.

Fend Off Colds with This Vitamin

Of all the powders and pills that promise immune-boosting powers, one might actually work: vitamin D. People with the greatest vitamin D levels in their blood were the least likely to suffer respiratory infections, says a recent study of nearly 7,000 adults in the British Journal of Nutrition

“Vitamin D is believed to have a powerful effect on the immune system, and there are many different mechanisms by which it can have effects on respiratory health,” says study author Elina Hypponen, Ph.D., of London’s UCL Institute of Child Health. “For example, vitamin D has properties that help fight viruses and bacteria in the body.”

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Each 10 nmol/L increase in vitamin D levels was associated with a 7 percent lower risk of reporting an infection in the 3 weeks prior to taking the study questionnaire. (Low vitamin D is defined as less than 50 nmol/L.) People with high vitamin D levels also scored better on measures of lung function than D-deficient folks.

It’s difficult to get all the vitamin D you need in the winter, since the sun isn’t strong enough to trigger D production in many northern regions. As a rule of thumb, vitamin D production happens as long as your shadow is shorter than your body during the middle of the day, Hypponen says. And while many foods have vitamin D, it’s hard to get enough unless you eat plenty of D-rich foods like salmon every single day.

"How come I'm not losing Weight?" - 10 Habits of Unsuccessful Dieters

What could be more frustrating than not seeing the scale drop despite days or weeks of doing everything right? After all that hard work—all the chocolate you didn't eat, all the willpower you maintained, all the time you logged at the gym—how could you not have lost any weight? It's enough to make even the most determined person throw in the towel.

Before you swear off exercise and declare yourself as someone who "will never lose weight," stop, take a deep breath, and remember this:  Weight-loss may seem simple (eat fewer calories than you burn), but often, there's a lot more going on than a simple calorie equation. Our bodies aren't calculators after all!

What's more likely is that you've made some innocent mistakes in your quest to lose weight. Don't feel bad about it—it's extremely common. These bad habits may be preventing you from getting the results you want. Instead of giving up, make some of the smart changes outlined below, and you'll see that scale drop in no time!

10 Habits of Unsuccessful Dieters

Bad Habit #1: Going "on a diet" in the first place.
Since when did the word "diet" refer to something good? The word itself implies restriction, limitation, and a short-lived effort to get some quick results and then return to a "normal" way of eating. In our experience we found that people who consider themselves to be "dieting" lose less weight and encounter more problems (such as plateaus, lack of motivation, mood swings and a huge food bender due to too much restriction) than people who are trying to lose weight by creating a lasting healthy lifestyle. Plus diets usually mean giving things up: favorite foods, dining out, desserts—even your social life. You don't have to be a psychology expert to know that when you tell yourself you can't have something, you usually want it more. This way of thinking could directly be sabotaging your efforts.
 

Smart Fix: Ditch the diets for good and focus on creating a healthy lifestyle based on nutritious food and small, realistic changes that you can live with for the long term.

Bad Habit #2: Overhauling your eating habits overnight.How many times have you gone crazy eating all the "bad" foods you know you shouldn't, only to promise to swear them off starting next week or next month or next year? How often have you decided to suddenly clean out your kitchen, throw away all the "junk" and then shop for only healthy food?

How's that working for you? No one can expect to change a lifetime of eating habits overnight—and no one should have to! To lose weight successfully and keep it off, you have to adopt a way of eating that you can stick with for the rest of your life.
        
      

Smart Fix: Eating healthy isn't about taking food away; it's about eating MORE of the things that are good for you. To be successful, you have to implement small and realistic changes to your diet. Next week, swap that 2% milk for 1%, and switch out your usual bread for a healthy whole-grain variety. Once you get used to that, you can set a small goal like eating one serving of fresh fruits or vegetables each day. The point is to start small with changes that fit into your lifestyle, and making permanent lifestyle changes, not to do temporary diets!

Bad Habit #3: Giving up certain foods altogether.We've already touched on the idea that labeling certain foods as diet no-no's can make you crave them even more. Whether you feel out of control when you're around certain foods or you've read about a certain diet plan that promises results if you were to just cut out wheat, gluten, carbs, sugar, or dairy, a lot of people think that to lose weight they have to give up specific things—including foods that they love.

A truly healthy diet that you can stick with forever will include all the foods you love. Unless you plan to give up ice cream or bread forever, then don't cut anything out temporarily. Generally, people can give up foods like that for a while and see some weight loss success (usually because they're eating fewer calories, not because anything about that specific food causes weight problems). But as soon as that food is let back into your life, the weight tends to come back with it.
 

Smart Fix: All things in moderation. Instead of focusing on the foods you can't have, set goals to eat more of the foods that you know are good for you. This is a much more positive way to think about your goals and get results. Plus, allowing yourself portion-controlled servings of the food you're thinking about banning will keep you happy and content, but also prevent crazed binges that can occur when you're feeling weak.

Bad Habit #4 Only caring about calories.
Calories are key to weight loss. In fact, balancing your calorie equation (what you eat and what you burn) is what results in successful weight management. However, there is more to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle than calories alone. Some foods that may be higher in calories per serving are actually healthier for you than foods that may be lower in calories (think a heart-healthy avocado vs. a processed 100-calorie pack of pretzels). So while calories count, nutrition matters, too.
 

Smart Fix: While tracking your calories, don't forget to look at other key nutrients like protein and healthy fats (both of which can keep you full) and key vitamins and minerals that are important for your overall health. Ideally, you want to use a little trial and error to balance not only your calorie equation, but make the kinds of choices that meet your protein, fat, carbohydrate and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) goals.

Bad Habit #5: Focusing on the scale.
You want to lose weight, so you weigh yourself, right? Yes…and no. Weight is an easy way to measure your progress, but it doesn't tell you the whole story. Even if the scale isn't budging, that does not mean that you're not making major progress toward losing weight and getting healthier. You can lose inches, get fitter, gain lean muscle mass, drop body fat, become better hydrated, look better and feel more energized without the pounds budging at all.
 

Smart Fix: Remember that the scale tells you only one thing: the total mass of all your body parts at a given moment. Don't put too much stock into it. Weigh yourself less frequently (about once every 1-2 weeks), and track all the other signs that amazing changes are happening in your body, such as, measurements of your arm, waist, hips and leg even if the scale doesn't move. This is the best way to stay motivated for the long haul.

Bad Habit #6: Only dieting and not exercising.
This may be one of the most common reasons your weight loss is stalling. Yes, you can lose weight through diet alone, but it will be a lot harder. You can only cut so many calories without feeling overly hungry, lethargic or miserable. Yet by exercising along with making dietary changes, you can eat more (and feel more satisfied) and still lose weight. Plus, you'll get all the amazing physical and mental benefits that come from exercising, including improved appearance, better muscle tone and a healthier body overall.
 

Smart Fix: Add exercise to your weight-loss plan. It doesn't have to be boring, strenuous, or time-consuming either. Even 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your results. For tons of fun, easy and effective workout ideas, check out our website: http://www.exclusivetrainingrichmond.com/  You're sure to find something that you enjoy!

Bad Habit #7: Trying to eat as little as possible.
If cutting calories is good for weight loss, then eating as little as possible is better, right? Wrong (especially if you're also trying to fuel your body for regular workouts). You need to eat a certain calorie level to function optimally and get all its essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Eating much less than that can cause serious problems in the long term and damage your metabolism, making weight loss even harder.
 

Smart Fix: Don't just guess how many calories you need, and don't eat what someone else eats either. Eating within that range (even at the very top of it) will help you reach your weight loss goal. There is no reason to go below it. Remember: You have to eat to lose!

Bad Habit #8: Giving up too easily.  
No person who ever lost weight successfully reached that goal because they were perfect all the time. Setbacks happen to everyone, even the most successful people. We've all had days where we made a poor food decision during a meal—or even for an entire day. We've all missed workouts, forgot the lunch we packed, or been too busy to cook a diet-friendly meal at home. But those who continue dropping the pounds pick themselves up, forgive themselves from their mistakes, learn from their slipups, and just keep right on going.
 

Smart Fix: Remember that perfection has no place in a weight loss plan. When you do make a mistake or feel like you're not making enough progress, don't give up. Change requires time and old habits die hard. When you feel yourself ready to give up, reach out for some support, and don't wait until next week or next month to get back on the wagon. For the first month use a "cheat day" as a treat. This will allow you your favourate indulgances without going over board.

Bad Habit #9: Confusing "healthy" with "low-calorie."
Research shows that when shoppers see "healthy" buzz words or claims on food packages (think: gluten-free, organic, all-natural, sugar-free, low-fat, etc.), they automatically assume the food is low in calories. This couldn't be further from the truth. Food manufacturers will plaster all sorts of enticing lingo onto their packages, knowing that you'll think exactly that. But none of these words really tell you much about the healthfulness of a product; and none of them actually have any affect on a food's calories.
 

Smart Fix: Read front-of-package labels with a discerning eye, and always turn over the package and look at the nutrition facts (and ingredients) to get a full picture of what a food is really like. This goes for restaurant menus, too. Don't let healthy-sounding words make you think a food is actually low in calories. Know your menu watch words or look up nutrition facts before you place your order.

Bad Habit #10: Unrealistic expectations.
These days with news stories, weight-loss advertisements and reality shows alike touting fast and extreme weight loss as the norm, it can be easy to think that you are capable of those kinds of results, too. But in truth, these are extreme and abnormal results that most people cannot expect to replicate. If you're expecting to drop a lot of weight fast—and to do so consistently—these unrealistic expectations could be setting you up for failure. There's nothing worse than expecting to lose 10 pounds in your first week, but to only lose one.
 

Smart Fix: Change your expectations and your mindset. If you expect to lose 10 pounds in one week, then losing 1 pound is a major letdown. But if you expect to lose 1 pound and you did, you feel successful and inspired to keep working toward your goals. Losing 1-2 pounds per week—even half a pound—is major progress that should be commended. This is a healthy and realistic rate of weight loss that you can expect if you're sticking to your nutrition and fitness goals.

How Fish Oils Help Balance Your Nutrition For Optimum Health

You may eat clean or you may eat junk food...but if you aren't eating fish then your diet is out of balance! Discover why fish oils are essential in your nutrition plan for optimal health!

The Standard Bad Diet

The bad/unhealthy diet that most people tend to follow can be lumped into two main areas: something that is fast and terrible for your body; or something that is fast and really terrible for your body.

I am not saying that there are not people out there who eat healthy, and I know that eating healthy is a hard thing to do. Not to mention, it is expensive at times when you compare it to fast foods and how cheap and easy they are.

For the people out there who eat a double cheese burger but add a "diet" coke to the meal, let me break your heart for a minute: that is not eating better. All you are trying to do is either fool the people around you, or you are trying to fool yourself that what you are doing is OK. Well it isn't, and trust me the people around you know it.

Omega Fatty Acids

What can help? Healthy fatty acids can. There are omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids that the body uses, but for the purpose of this article, I am only going to talk about the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Your diet should consist of a ratio of 1:1 for both omega-3 and omega-6. Most of the foods that Americans put into their bodies would probably be closer to a 10:1 up to 25:1 ratio of omega 6 to omega 3. This, just like anything else that you put into your body in excess, will cause problems.

Just like the old saying: "If you abuse it, you lose it. If you don't use it, you lose it".

When your body has an abundance of omega-6 fatty acids, it initiates either an anti-inflammatory or an inflammatory response in your body. A little bit of this is natural and has many uses when it is only in small amounts temporarily.

       Beneficial Inflammatory Response

The inflammatory process really gets a bad rap in this area, because it is really the healing process of an acute injury. Without inflammation tissue healing would not happen. When you sprain your ankle, the inflammatory response kicks in and causes swelling that helps to splint the joint and keep you from doing any more injury to your ankle. It is your body's way of putting a cast on the area.

The more the swelling continues the more tissue damage has occurred, and the injury will just take longer to heal. Weight lifting is another example of temporary and acute inflammatory process. It is this inflammatory process that builds muscle.

We should encourage this acute inflammatory process for it is this that heals the body and makes us stronger. This usually occurs within the first 72 hours.

Chronic Inflammatory Response  

What we want to avoid is the chronic inflammatory process, which is the process where there is no stoppage of the inflammation, and tissues and organs will eventually become damaged. The increase in omega-6 fatty acids can make problems with inflammation even worse.So right now you are probably eating foods that are high in omega-6 fatty acids, and your body is in a constant state of inflammation. Your body is trying to rebuild the muscles and tissues that are being damaged over and over again each time you eat. Your body will send a substance called fibrin to the area to rebuild and will not stop as long as there is a constant inflammatory process that goes on. It continues to lay down the fibrin until your muscles are not soft and pliable like they are supposed to be. They end up being stiff and sore. Your body will ache all over, and you will be constantly tired.

Why Equal Amounts Of Omega 3 & 6?

Remember the 1:1 relationship that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are supposed to have? The reason for this is that omega-3 fatty acids shuts off the over-rebuilding of the muscle and tissues via fibrin. [Thus a more normal healing process may be possible by limiting the amount omega-6 fatty acids consumed.] Please note: Omega-6 is an essential fatty acid. Trying to take it out of your diet entirely is not something that I would advise, and I am not sure just how you would do that anyway. The easiest thing is just to increase the intake of the other essential fatty acid: Omega 3. Fish oils contain those omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The American Heart Association's dietary guidelines recommend that healthy adults eat at least two servings of fish per week, particularly fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon.

Risks Of Fish Oil Consumption

Depending on your stage of life, consumers need to be aware of both the benefits and risks of eating fish. Children as well as pregnant and nursing women may be at increased risk of exposure to excessive mercury from fish, but these groups of people also are generally at a lower risk for [certain health problems]. For middle-aged and older men and postmenopausal women, the benefits of fish and fish oil supplements far outweigh the risks. The only negative thus far from consuming fish or fish oil supplementation is that the FDA has noted that high intakes (above the 1 to 3 grams per day) could cause excessive bleeding in some people. Current dietary intakes of fish oil in North America are well below those recommended by the American Heart Association. How About diabetes? The American Diabetes Association recommends two to three servings of fish per week, in order to obtain adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which correlates directly with the same recommendations set by the American Heart Association.

How To Find The Best Fish Oil Supplement 

Most of the product labels that you read are very misleading. So here is the easiest way to figure out what is the best for you. When looking at all of the different Fish Oil brands on the market today, forget the front of the label. Turn the bottle around and look at the ingredient listing on the back. Somewhere close to the bottom will be two lines: EPA and DHA. Add those two numbers together and find the bottle with the highest two number total and that is the one you need to choose. Forget if the front says 1000 mg and the total EPA/DHA only adds up to 650 mg. The 650 mg are all you are getting per serving size. I have seen some as low as 420 so you would have to take quite a few just to get the 1-3 grams you should have during a day.

Conclusion

As always, do as much research as you can about the health topics that concern you, but be careful about what you read on the internet. A safer bet is to just go talk to your health care provider.

There are some conditions that will prohibit you from taking fish oil supplementation. If you are on some blood thinners like Warfarin or Aspirin then you should not start taking fish oils without approval from your physician.

Hopefully, most of you that are reading this article already eat a healthy diet and really don't have any worries if you are taking in more omega-6 fatty acids than you need.

I am just trying to get to those people who are either starting out or who have a terrible diet. Start supplementing some omega-3 fatty acids into your diet or take a supplement.

Now, get up and go workout.

Great Tool to Help Set Realistic Weight Loss Goals

Many people grossly underestimate the time it is going to take them to reach their goal weight, which generally results in frustration, disappointment, and a fall from the diet wagon.

Sometimes a 1000 cal per day diet will NOT always = 1# weight loss... <-- this generic calculation fails to take into consideration the many differences seen in individuals (gender, age, race, starting weight, impact after prolonged dieting, etc).

I encourage you to check out the link, and take advantage of this funky timeline tool here: http://bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov/ which should give you an understanding of realistic timelines associated with weight loss.

Be sure to use the 'advanced tools' when doing so, as these allow you to enter things like your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) calculations and % carbs calories and bodyfat and what not. Also check out the visual stuff (easier to understand) - as it gives you lots of different options when assessing data (check out the different timeline graphs / tabulated data etc).

Even with that said - at the end of the day it is still just 'another prediction equation' that isn't always going to be accurate. There will always be people who fall outside of these results.
So remember to maintain some common sense!
1/ Use the sticky to roughly calculate your required calorie intake
2/ Be ACCURATE and HONEST with what you are doing
3/ Be PATIENT
4/ Watch your results - if you are not changing, change something!

Alan

Toned Tummy and Rock Hard Abs?? 3 Steps to get you there!!!

Whether you are after the elusive 6-pack, or just looking to lose a bit of extra luggage you're carrying around the mid-section,there are 3 "key" areas you need to focus on to achieve maximum abdominal development.

Strong abs not only help strengthen your lower back, but also improve upon your posture. Most lower back injuries occur, believe it or not, due to weak abs. Focus on these three areas and over time, you will see improved results.

Key # 1- Proper cardiovascular work
You can have the greatest, most muscular set of abs in the world, but if they are blanketed by a layer of body fat, who cares. In order to rid yourself of the extra body fat around your midsection, you need to incorporate effective cardio sessions into your fitness plan. You cannot spot-reduce the midsection by doing extra ab exercises like crunches or sit-ups. You first must burn off the body fat through proper cardio to properly define the area.

Abdominal training by itself will not do much. Cardio needs to be intense enough to do the trick. Three to four sessions a week of intense jogging, running, the Stairmaster, the elliptical, jumping rope, or biking should be enough to get the process in gear. Swimming, hiking, and taking aerobics classes are beneficial as well. Nothing beats jogging or running. It is the most intense, efficient, and effective method of burning calories. If running outside hurts your joints, try running inside on a treadmill or outside on a dirt path. It definitely is easier on the body.

Again, you NEED three to four intense cardio sessions a week to help create a calorie deficit and help rid the body of the fat that covers your abs.

Key # 2- Proper Nutrition
Do not sabotage your results in the gym by giving yourself a passport to pig out. Ridding the body of fat once and for all is accomplished by proper nutrition more so than incorporating cardio. At the end of the day, if you have consumed more calories than you have expended, you add body fat. So you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Nutrition is important because you can reduce the amount of calories you take in, therefore greatly having an effect on the amount which you have to expend through cardio. Eat five to six small, well-balanced meals spaced apart about every three to four hours. Try to keep something healthy on hand. If not, when you become real hungry, you will opt for something that isn't as good for you. When you become overly hungry, all rational thinking goes out the window. But it is important to get something in you. Not eating on time or at all is almost as bad as eating too much. Keep protein intake high (approximately 50% of daily calories), carbs moderate (40%), and fats minimal (10%).

Muscle fiber is made of tightly-wound protein molecules that is damaged during a workout, so you need more protein than the sedentary person to help that muscle tissue repair. Carbohydrates have an important role in the body, but do not base your meals on them. Try to avoid simple sugars like cane sugar, honey, fruit juices, syrups, and even a lot of fruit.

Drink at least a gallon of clean water each day as well. It will help in nutrient absorption and digestion and will help flush toxins from the body.

Bottom line, make sure you are supplying your body with well-balanced, healthy food every three to four hours.

Key # 3- Weight training the abdominals
Here is where most people go wrong in their attempt to develop their abs. I often ask those I train, "Would you train your biceps with sets of 50 reps with no weight?" Of course, they say "no."

How about your chest, 50 reps with no weight? Another no. I then ask, "Then why would you do that with your abs?"

Here's an important key. If you want proper ab development, you need to add resistance (weight) to your ab exercises. Abs are muscles just like biceps, triceps, pecs, glutes, whatever. You need resistance to properly strengthen and build them. The same goes for abdominals.

Here are some effective ab exercises to incorporate for proper ab stimulation.

Weighted crunches. Grab a dumbbell, either hold it in front of your face, or let it lie on your upper chest, under your chin, and perform regular crunches. You are now using your abs more to work against the leverage the dumbbell has created. Stick with a heavy enough weight where you can handle 10-15 reps, but no more. Remember, you need to create enough resistance where your abs are forced to work.

Cable Rope crunches-grab the tricep rope, kneel on your knees, and bend downwards, forcefully contracting your abs on the way down. It's basically a crunch, only, you are on your knees. But the contraction is the same. Don't swing with the hips, you are not using the abs very much if you do. Just a slight, 30 degree contraction until you feel the abs contract, hold for a couple seconds, then back up.

Weighted leg raises- Lie flat on your back, with your hands tucked under your bum. Wrap your feet around a small dumbbell, and perform leg raises. Start with your feet about 6 inches from the ground, then raise them about 12-16 inches from the ground and then back down slowly. These can be done on the end of a bench as well.

Seated ab machine- once again, do not swing all the way down, just far enough (30 degrees) to fully contract the abs, hold for a couple seconds, then back up. This is very similar to Cable rope crunches.

Stability Ball Crunches- working on the stability ball will incorporate balance into your abdominal work. They are effective at strengthening your core region, which are your deeper Transverse abs and lower back.

You lie down on a stability ball like you are going to perform a crunch. Position yourself on the ball so your lower back is resting on it. Keep your feet close together on the floor making your body less stable (helps incorporate more balance on your part) and place your hands behind your head or folded on your chest. Crunch your upper body towards your knees, exhaling as you contract your abs. Under muscular control, lower yourself back to the original position keeping full tension on the abs.

Regardless of what exercise you do, the key is to add weight/resistance. If not, you will never increase the amount of lean muscle tissue in the area. You only need to train your abs twice a week for maximum results. Once again, treat them like any other muscle group (which means you wouldn't train them more often). Combine this weight training with proper diet and intense cardio and that elusive six-pack is yours to be had!

Alan

Eggs: Good or Bad??

Eggs were pretty much my main source of nourishment during my dark days living in my first year in Halls when I was in University. Not that it was much of a punishment or inconvenience because I love eggs. I love the white, the yolk, the shell, the carton, everything. Though I only eat the yolk and white, I would sometimes think about eating the rest too since I literally had no money. That, and it literally takes about a minute to prepare and we only had a microwave in our kitchen!!

So you’re probably thinking: Okay, we get that they’re cheap and you love them. But they’re full of cholesterol, isn’t that bad for you?

Well, that certainly was the conventional wisdom, but since when was conventional wisdom always correct? Practically never. I recently read an article called “The Truth About Eggs”, and it perfectly explains the truth (or lack or truth) about cholesterol. Here’s a segment:

First, one has to understand that cholesterol is not necessarily bad. Humans need it to maintain cell walls, insulate nerve fibers and produced vitamin D, among other things. Second, there are two types of cholesterol: dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol . Both are important.
….

What is bad, however, is the amount of LDL (Low Density Lipo-proteins) blood cholesterol in the body. Too much of it can cause heart problems, but scientists are now discovering that consuming food rich in dietary cholesterol does not increase blood cholesterol. At least that is what some experts believe (they are somewhat disagreeing on the matter… as usual).

Evidence showing that eating a lot of dietary cholesterol doesn’t increase blood cholesterol was discovered during a statistical analysis conducted over 25 years by Dr. Wanda Howell and colleagues at the University of Arizona. The study revealed that people who consume two eggs each day with low-fat diets do not show signs of increased blood cholesterol levels.

So there you have it, conventional wisdom, busted. Not quite, but obviously we shouldn’t believe everything we’re told.

So, what’s in an egg? Just Fat and Protein? I used to think that. But you get a pretty big bang for your buck when you put down a £1 (ish) for a dozen.

Here’s what you’re buying:

Vitamins
A: good for the skin and growth.
D: strengthens bones by raising calcium absorption.
E: protects cells from oxidation.
B1: helps properly release energy from carbohydrates.
B2: helps release energy from protein and fat.
B6: promotes the metabolism of protein.
B12: an essential vitamin in the formation of nerve fibers and blood cells.

Minerals
Iron: essential in the creation of red blood cells.
Zinc: good for enzyme stability and essential in sexual maturation.
Calcium: most important mineral in the strengthening of bones and teeth.
Iodine: controls thyroid hormones.
Selenium: like vitamin E, it protects cells from oxidation.

What’s also true is that eggs contain the purest form of protein in whole-foods. Sure your 100 dollar tub of super protein may be better, but nothing’s going to be better than eggs if you want to go au naturel.

That’s a pretty damn good deal for a £1 per 1/2 dozen.

10 Tips to Stay Motivated

Everyone, at some point or another, loses motivations or lacks it, let's reminds ourselves anything is achieveable.

1.

Why? The one-worded question where all of this began. Whenever you lose focus or motivation, always bring yourself back to the very first time you asked this. Whatever reason you have, is great enough for you to keep going. Don't forget that.

2.

You feel you're setting yourself up for failure. You're wrong. You've tried multiple diets which have had short term effects, but in the long run you've only ended up back at square one. This time is different, tell yourself that. Let your past mistakes be nothing but learning guidelines, everytime you try something different you're finding out something new about yourself, don't be put off from previous failure - welcome it then destroy it.

3.
Stop focusing so much on the negatives. Bring out the positives and be proud of every achievement made, whether it be big or small the fact of the matter is everything you do affects your goal, so staying awake from the cheesecake, or dragging yourself to go for a run - it all pays off in the end.

4.
There's going to be times when you feel progress is going nowhere, that you're eating foods you hate and exercising for long periods of time; and for what? I'm sure this question has ran through many peoples' minds, whether its because they're diet is off or they're stuck at a plateau, it doesn't matter - don't give up! Just because your hitting a hard point doesn't mean you can't soar through it, sit back, evaluate, change. It might take someone 3 months to achieve they're ideal body whilst it might take someone else 3 years. If it's in your heart then it's worth it.

5.
Compare yourself against yourself, and no one else. You're not working with their body, you're working on yours, whilst it's good to have an idea of how you want to look, don't go competing with the fitness instructor at your gym. Compete against the person in the mirror because that's what important.

6.
Understand. This isn't going to be easy, infact by far frustrating but believe in yourself and you will go far. Set goals that are realistic, not ridiculous. Patience is a virtue, and no matter how many days you wake up feeling sluggish I can bet if you drag your ass to go for a run you'll feel a million times better and refreshed afterwards. This isn't a quick fix, this is something you should adapt into as a lifestyle.

7.
You're not alone. You have a huge support group, online or at home, there are plenty of other people trying to achieve the same goals as you, going through the same problems and dealing with the same experiences. Talking to someone always helps, there's a ton of useful information out there from a lot of well respected people. Don't be afraid to ask.

8.
Have fun. Look at what you're doing and enjoy it, everytime you exercise you're changing your body. If you're bored of the treadmill jump off and go on the bike, rowing machine, anything. There's endless ways to make working out fun, it doesn't always have to be as grim as some people make out.

9.
There's going to be people who won't support you, who'll try to convince you to binge drink out on a friday night or share half a pizza with them and to stop being so 'boring', and yes, it's hard to resist and have enough will power to say no, sometimes its a lonely road when you feel isolated in that manner, but that's what seperates you from them. You should still have a social life and enjoy yourself, have treats here and there, but don't feel forced into anything you don't want to do.

10.
Be proud of who you are and what you're doing, of these steps you're taking and sacrifices you're making to become a healthier person. Not only should you be amazed by yourself, but you should remember the people you're inspiring around you. You should think about how you're going to feel once you've achieved your goal/look, and how others are going to look at you when you have. It takes a considerable amount of will power and determination to achieve something great, and to think about when you get to post your 'before and after' photo's which in turn motivates and inspires others to push harder.

If you set your mind to it, you CAN do it!
Never give up
Alan

Why your scales could be lying to you!!

Urgh… what… oh… alarm clock… off… urgh… up… bathroom… scales… scales?… scales?!… AAAAAAARGH!!!!
Every morning was the same for me. And it wasn’t just limited to the morning. I might have weighed myself, twice, three times, four times in a day. That little number was everything. Whether it was a little number was everything. My day was entirely dictated by it. A lower number on the scale meant joy, elation- it meant food for breakfast. It meant that I was a good person, a worthwhile human being. But a higher number… well. Tears, anger, frustration. Black coffee for breakfast. And lunch, dinner. Maybe a raw carrot if the fat, ugly bitch couldn’t hold out any longer.
The scale number completely controlled my life. It was a powerful, painful and intensely destructive relationship that left me physically, mentally and emotionally abused.
Then one day, it stopped. The scale and I broke up.
Rather than letting the scale control my thoughts, my body, I took control. Since then, I’ve been able to grow- both mentally and physically.  But God almighty, did I have some intensive repair work to do.
Time after time, day after day, I hear similar stories, stories of lives that rest in the hands of the scale number. Are you one of those stories? Do you too need to escape this painful, frustrating existence and free yourself from the murky depths of scale-obsessed obscurity? And if not, are you developing a minor scale infatuation that could be dangerously headed that way?
Because I promise you, if you allow your attachment to the scale to get too deep, it will take over. Sever your ties now. And here’s why…

Scale weight is IRRELEVANT! It tells you little to NOTHING about your physical progress! The scale LIES!

What you’ve eaten, what you’ve had to drink, the time of day, the time of the month, the type of workouts you’ve been doing, hydration levels, stress levels… There are so many variables that can significantly distort the scale number. And even more importantly than that, when you take up a lifestyle change, the numbers don’t even represent the same body that they once did.
We’re going to talk about how to scrap the scales, and how, instead, to employ smart, measurable and accurate methods of monitoring progress.
Which brings me to the all important fundamentals of

Body Composition vs. Body Weight

If you plan on embarking on any sort of body transformation, it’s important you understand the fundamentals of body composition vs. body weight.
It is not the number on the scale that determines how much fat you are carrying; it is your body composition. By this, I am referring to the ratio of fat : fat-free mass. Fat-free mass includes bone, water, muscle, and tissues. Body fat is literally fat located within the body. Some fat is necessary for overall health; it helps protect internal organs, provides energy and regulates hormones.
We all know that when someone is overweight or obese, they have an excessive accumulation of body fat. But were you aware that someone at a ‘healthy’ weight can still be carrying excessive body fat? This is when body weight becomes an obsolete measure of health.
Let me make things a little clearer for you…
Take two women. Both of them are 5’8” and 150lbs.
Woman 1 has a good diet and exercise regime. She has a 26” waist and clear muscle definition.
Woman 2 eats an unbalanced diet and is quite sedentary. She has a 31” waist, bingo wings and love handles.
Despite these huge differences in physical appearance, both are at the exact same, ‘healthy’ weight for their height.  So what’s the difference?
The answer is simple: Body Composition.
Woman 2 has 35% body fat. Woman 1 has 20% body fat.
Woman 1 has a lower body fat % because she is carrying more muscle relative to her weight. Muscle is more dense than fat, so 5lbs of muscle is about three times smaller than 5lbs of fat.
Do you see now why achieving your dream body is about BODY COMPOSITION rather than body weight?
When you lose weight, and go about in the way that most of the diet industry recommends (i.e. fad diets and endless cardio) it can negatively change your body composition. Whilst the scale says you are losing weight, a high percentage of that is water and muscle. By wasting away fat-free mass, you are actually increasing your body fat percentage! This means more flab, a lowered metabolism and a harder time keeping the weight off!
All those ‘Lose 10 lbs in a Week’ promises are cons. Only 1-2lbs of that will be fat, if any, as the more you starve your body, the more it wants to hang on to fat for dear life! And once you start eating normally again, you gain all the weight back!
So… what is this ’body fat %’ I speak of, and how can you find out yours?
You’ll see the term ‘body fat %’ popping up a lot throughout my articles and eBooks. It simply refers to the percentage of your total weight that is comprised of fat. Conversely, ‘lean body mass’ describes the total weight that is made up of fat-free mass.
The standard body fat % recommendations are as follows:

Age	Males	Females
20-29	10-15%	18-22%
30-39	12-16%	20-24%
40-49	14-18%	21-25%
50+	15-19%	22-26%
Athletes	5-8%	12-18%
Essential Fat	3%	12%
Obesity	25%+	32%+

So, how do we crunch some numbers?

Body fat is very difficult to measure accurately, other than through a DEXA scan or hydrostatic testing (and even then, there’s still a margin for error). The most popular methods of measuring body fat are bioelectrical impedance (usually via a scale or hand-held device) and caliper testing. However, whilst these more common methods aren’t likely to give you a perfect calculation, they are something you can use to track trends. Providing you test body fat at roughly the same time of day each time (or in the case of caliper testing, get the same person to do it for you), you can get a good idea of whether your body fat % is decreasing. Monthly photographs and body measurements are also excellent ways to track progress.
We should track progress via body fat estimates, measurements and photographs, because scale weight is an inaccurate gauge of progress and can be discouraging. When you focus on losing fat, you can drop inches without losing much weight. This means that a few pounds loss could equal a whole dress size!

Now, to take that scale-shaped demon and destroy it…

Recommended scale killing methods include, but are not limited to:

• Taking to top floor of building and hurling out of window (ensure no unsuspecting passers-by are likely to meet with a falling-scale related injury/death)
• Attacking with sledge-hammer
• Burying in garden (bear in mind that this is NOT an eco-friendly option)
• Drowning in pond or alternative body of water (also fails on the eco-friendly front)
• Mummifying in duct tape

Please do ensure that no people, animals or plants are harmed in the killing of your scale.
So, I conclude… Don’t be that person who’s day is dictated by their scale weight. Don’t be the fool who trusts what the number indicates. Don’t base your perception of who you are as a person on an insignificant piece of data. If you’re going to collect numbers, collect numbers that mean something. If you’re going to obsessed with something, be obsessed with something real, something productive. Be obsessed with being a better you.
I’ll be eyeing the headlines for news of a wide-spread scale massacre. Don’t disappoint me.
Gemma

12 Steps to loose weight and KEEP it off

You've just lost weight and you don't want to see that number go back up on your scale. Although gaining the weight back might feel inevitable, it doesn’t have to be. In fact a recent analysis by the National Weight Control Registry found long-term weight maintenance is possible — if you follow these key behaviors. Below, 12 tricks from dietitians and successful dieters who were able to lose and weight and keep if off.

1. Build more lean muscle. Maintain, or even increase, your metabolism by continuing to build lean muscle. "Muscle has a higher metabolism than fat does," explains Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. If you don't yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.
2. Fight off hunger with more filling foods. A three-year University of Pittsburgh study of 284 women between the ages of 25 and 45 found that those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. "Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein," says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, of the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
3. Avoid temptation. The University of Pittsburgh study also found that women that best controlled their weight were good at resisting the temptation to binge on forbidden treats. This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments. There are many ways to avoid daily temptations, including planning ahead when eating out, eating out less, and banning your worst weaknesses from the house.
4. Count calories. Another hallmark of successful weight maintenance, according to the University of Pittsburgh study, is regularly counting calories. Use a journal such as My Calorie Counter to keep a running total throughout the day if that helps you keeps track of calorie consumption. In the weight-control survey, the women who were most successful at less than 1,800 calories a day and limited fat intake.
5. Plan your meals in advance. A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.
6. Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, but emphasize that the more you exercise, the better able you are to maintain a weight loss. Participants in the weight control survey walked for at least 60 minutes daily — or burned the same calories with other activities — so aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.
7. Measure your portions. According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, the biggest factors in success were measuring portions and fats, the most caloric foods, in particular. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants and immediately know how much to eat, and how much to take home in a doggie bag.
8. Weigh yourself daily. The same CDC study reported that people who weigh themselves once a day are twice as successful at keeping off lost weight as those who don't step on the scale as often. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you're on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.
9. Include dairy in your diet. According to a study of 338 adults, those who ate three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily were more likely to keep off the weight than those who ate one serving or less. For women in particular, this has the additional benefit of improving bone health.
10. Let your plate be your guide. When you can't count calories or measure portions accurately, Banes recommends using the "plate method" as a way to control the amount you're eating. A great tip for dieters, it works just as well for people on a maintenance plan. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains. If you go back for seconds, limit yourself to vegetables, fruit or low-fat dairy.
11. Watch less TV. In the National Weight Control Registry Survey, dieters who watched fewer than 10 hours of TV a week were more successful in maintaining weight loss than those who spent more time vegging out in front of the tube. And less TV time might have other benefits, too — an analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health found that too much TV can raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and death.
12. Eat breakfast. They call it the most important meal of the day for a reason. In the survey, women who regularly ate breakfast were more successful with long-term weight loss than those who skipped the first meal of the day. It’s best to eat similar healthy choices regularly (think oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit) and always start out with a good breakfast to avoid splurging or overeating on special occasions.

Now that you know the secrets to long-term weight-loss success, get started with your weight management program today!

Why Woman NEED to lift weights

Calling all you Lovely Ladies: Want to lose fat? Want to look good? Want to look defined? Then say Goodbye Treadmill, Hello Iron!
And no, I’m not talking about pressing pillowcases. The only things I’m concerned with flattening are my abs.
Weight lifting is riddled with stereotypes and misconceptions. Too many people are falling victim to this misinformation, and missing out on the many wondrous benefits of lifting big, heavy things.
.

I DON’T WANT TO GET ‘BULKY’

Well here’s the thing: you won’t.
Gaining large amounts of muscle takes years of intensive training. It also involves a hypercaloric diet (eating more than is expended). It is not something that can happen overnight.
With natural training and diet that is optimised for muscle gain, the maximum a male can expect is 0.5lbs muscle per month, and for a woman, it’s half this, at 0.25lbs per month.  This number decreases as an individual nears their genetic potential. More can be gained if steroids are being used, but even then, it takes years of hard work and specific nutrition to gain muscle.
It’s unlikely you will gain much, if any muscle, when eating in a caloric deficit.
Often, when someone thinks they are getting ‘bulky’, it’s simply a case of too much fat around the muscle. Shedding that fat comes down to diet, and diet alone.


THE T-WORD

Yes, I’m referring to ‘toning’. There’s nothing like the mention of ‘toning up’ to get my eyes rolling.
Scientifically, muscle tone actually refers to the degree of tension in a muscle, which is part of the way it functions. Whether or not you like the way you look, you already have muscle tone.
When people say they want “toned” muscles, they mean they want to see the shape of the muscle more so than they do now. You can’t change the shape of a muscle, but you can give definition to the shape.
Definition or ‘tone’ is created by:

1. Building or preserving muscle.
2. Lowering body fat.

Lowering body fat comes down to diet and being in a calorie deficit. We’ll be getting into that later. Building or preserving muscle however, is down to a good training routine of lifting heavy.
Very high reps (more than 12) do not encourage your body to make the muscle bigger, stronger or more defined. If you are doing high reps, the weight is too light to challenge your muscles. Sure, you may ‘feel the burn’, but that is not a sign of burning fat. You’re feeling the burn because of lactic acid building up inside the muscle.
Lifting a 5 lb dumbbell 30 times is doing nothing for the shape of your body. 100 lunges aren’t going to do the job either.
High reps don’t work because you are not encouraging the muscle to get bigger.  You are training yourself to be able to do more reps, but if you’re looking for ‘muscle tone’ you are wasting your time.

BUT I AM A LADY!

Men and women share the same basic muscular structure. Due to lack of testosterone, a woman doesn’t have the potential to get as strong or as muscular as a man. However, the muscles should be trained in exactly the same way.
That’s right- weights training for for women follows the same principles as weights training for men!
If you’re a woman and are still worried that lifting heavy things will make you look bulky, please re-read misconception #1!


THE SPOT REDUCTION MYTH

Get rid of your belly fat! Slim those thighs! Get Angelina’s arms!
Don’t pretend you haven’t fallen victim to these promises bodypart-specific perfection. I know I have. But the sad truth of the matter is, in reality, we can’t pick and choose where the fat comes off. Nice though it would be to hold on to our boob fat, whilst banishing our thunder thighs, it rarely works that way. Nature is the enemy.
Fat loss comes down to a good diet and a calorie deficit. Whether you create that deficit through extra training or through eating less is up to you, but in order to lose fat, that calorie equation needs to be in check, and your protein, carb and fat intake needs to be optimised. You may have heard the phrase ‘Abs are built in the kitchen’. Well it’s true- it’s all about diet, diet, diet!
Tricep kickbacks won’t melt off bingo wings, nor will the abductor machine slim your inner thighs. Your belly-fat isn’t going to take flight at the mention of ab crunches.
An effective training programme is one that works all of your major muscle groups. The major muscle groups are your legs, back, chest, shoulders, biceps and triceps.
The more muscles you employ in your workout, the more calories you’ll burn.
The larger the muscles you’re working are, the more calories you’ll burn.
The more muscles used in a specific exercise, the more calories that exercise will burn.
See where I’m going with this?
Achieving the body you want, means getting all those muscles moving!


BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SCARY MEATHEADS?

Believe me, everyone has come across this issue at some stage, but. I can say with confidence that once you breach the free-weights area, you’ll realise that your fears are unfounded. If the aforementioned "meatheads" aren’t lovingly engrossed in their own reflections, they’ll be too wrapped up taking it in turns to do half a bench press at six times their body weight. And the remainder of those in the free-weights section are generally normal, civilised human beings, who are in all likelihood, far less intimidating than the scantily clad cardio bunnies that you’ve already hardened yourself too. So gird your loins, knock back some Dutch courage (okay, maybe pass on the Dutch courage in this instance) and get yourself in there- you might just find that you don’t want to leave.


STILL NOT CONVINCED?

Here are some of the incredible benefits of lifting heavy (and if your not feeling convinced enough to even read this, just take the time to look at numbers 1, 4 and 21):

1. Fat loss
2. Muscle preservation
3. Improves body composition
4. Increases metabolism
5. Positively effects almost all of your 650+ muscles
6. Increases functional strength (for day-to-day activities)
7. Increases bone density (especially important for ladies over 35)
8. Improved insulin sensitivity
9. Increases energy
10. Improves posture
11. Improves balance and co-ordination
12. Improves digestion
13. Reduces risk of back injury
14. Increases HDL cholesterol (the good type!)
15. Improves immune system
16. Improves muscular endurance
17. Lowers blood pressure                               
18. Lowers resting heart rate
19. Relieves stress
20. Improves mood
21. Makes you look good naked!

So in summary… get off your the cross-trainer and into the squat rack! Your body will thank you for it!