The other day I shared with you one of the biggest weight loss myths, regarding getting flat,exy, six pack abs.
Well today I'm going to share a few more, and then next week I'll tell you exactly what you need to do to get abs that will be the talk of the beach this summer.
Here are 3 more of the most common myths:
Myth#2- Do lots of abs work to preferentially burn off stomach fat
WRONG!
Spot reduction doesn’t work. You can’t just work the muscles of a certain area of your body and expect to have the fat in that region go away. Think about it: almost everyone does crunches but proportionately very few people perform total body workouts. So, with all of these crunches, we’d expect to see nothing but people with flat tummies and fat depots everywhere else on their body (arms, legs, etc.). But think of how many people you know and see on a regular basis whom have more than a few inches to lose in their midsection. See what I mean- spot reduction doesn’t work!
See, your body loses fat in a genetically pre-determined way when there is the appropriate caloric deficit AND hormonal environment created by proper eating and training. So your best bet is to focus on burning as many calories during your workouts as possible by engaging your whole body each and every training session (not just your abs). Compound, multi-joint movements like squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. (or better yet, total body exercises like squat to presses) burn a lot more calories than isolation movements like crunches and sit-ups. So be sure to focus on these movements first and then if you have time, you can do some extra core work to please the abs training Gods.
Myth#3- Crunches and Sit-ups are the best exercises for your absWRONG!
The scientific term for your six-pack muscles are your rectus abdominis. For years now, we have been conditioned to think that the best way to work your rectus abdominis is by doing endless crunches and sit-ups since these trunk flexion exercises make the muscles you want to see in the mirror “burn.” However, the true function of the rectus abdominis is to prevent hyperextension, not to flex forward over and over again. Anytime you brace your abs (think slight crunch before you get punched in the gut) and pull your navel into your spine you effectively stabilize your spine into a safe, neutral position. And the moment you relax your abs and lose that braced abs position, your back will begin to hyperextend putting you at greater risk for injury.
So, we focus on stabilization exercises in all three planes of movement (saggital- front to back, frontal- side to side, and transverse- rotational) by using pillar exercise variations (also know as planks). Besides training the true “anti-extension” function of your superficial ab muscles, these bridging/stabilization exercises also activate the key transverse abdominus muscles, or your deep abdominal stabilizers, that wrap around your spine and support your internal organs. Strengthening these inner ab muscles is the key to optimal posture and performance in addition to injury prevention, yet another benefit to performing pillars over primitive crunches and sit-ups that often cause unwanted neck and back pain.
Myth#4- Do lots of long-duration cardio to burn the fat covering your absWRONG!
Both scientific research and real world case studies show that aerobic training for fat loss alone doesn’t work. Total body resistance training is the true foundation of any solid fat loss plan. In addition, interval training, where you alternate between bouts of maximum effort and active recovery, is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. Please note that you can perform both resistance interval training and cardio interval training to combine the best of both worlds. More on this to come!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Abs Uncrunched-The Biggest Myths about Ripped Abs
Face it- we all want a flat, sexy midsection. But for many of us no amount of crunches or sit-ups seems to get the job done. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me the following questions:
“I do hundreds of crunches and sit-ups a day and I still have a flabby midsection. What gives?”
Well, before I reveal your six-pack abs blueprint, let’s first debunk some very important myths about how to get six-pack abs:
Myth#1- Weight loss is the key to seeing your absWRONG!
The key to seeing your abs is fat loss, not weight loss. Let me further explain: your body consists of fat mass and lean body mass (water, muscle, bone, organs, etc.). You want to minimize your fat mass and maximize your lean body mass to build a sexy metabolism: one that starves fat and builds muscle like clockwork. By improving body composition you will put yourself in the best position to rock that coveted six-pack.
So if you lose 17 lbs on the scale at the expense of losing some lean muscle mass in the process you will end up slowing your metabolism, decreasing performance, and losing that good looking muscle tone. But if you lose 17 lbs on the scale and you manage to keep or gain lean muscle mass you will increase performance, see more visible definition throughout your body, and lose primarily body fat.
The scale has far too many variables to account for that lead to frequent fluctuations such as hydration levels, sodium intake, and for women the menstrual cycle. I firmly believe one should NOT keep a scale at their home- it is such an anchor, particularly for women. Get off the scale and get over the numbers. The true goal is fat loss, not weight loss. Focus on clothing size reduction, digital before and after pictures, and of course the mirror for the most accurate progress tracking.
Stay tuned for Myth #2 in a couple of days.
Train Hard,
Coach
P.s Have you registered for the FREE 12-week challenge. Check it out at www.HollywoodBestBody.com
“I do hundreds of crunches and sit-ups a day and I still have a flabby midsection. What gives?”
Well, before I reveal your six-pack abs blueprint, let’s first debunk some very important myths about how to get six-pack abs:
Myth#1- Weight loss is the key to seeing your absWRONG!
The key to seeing your abs is fat loss, not weight loss. Let me further explain: your body consists of fat mass and lean body mass (water, muscle, bone, organs, etc.). You want to minimize your fat mass and maximize your lean body mass to build a sexy metabolism: one that starves fat and builds muscle like clockwork. By improving body composition you will put yourself in the best position to rock that coveted six-pack.
So if you lose 17 lbs on the scale at the expense of losing some lean muscle mass in the process you will end up slowing your metabolism, decreasing performance, and losing that good looking muscle tone. But if you lose 17 lbs on the scale and you manage to keep or gain lean muscle mass you will increase performance, see more visible definition throughout your body, and lose primarily body fat.
The scale has far too many variables to account for that lead to frequent fluctuations such as hydration levels, sodium intake, and for women the menstrual cycle. I firmly believe one should NOT keep a scale at their home- it is such an anchor, particularly for women. Get off the scale and get over the numbers. The true goal is fat loss, not weight loss. Focus on clothing size reduction, digital before and after pictures, and of course the mirror for the most accurate progress tracking.
Stay tuned for Myth #2 in a couple of days.
Train Hard,
Coach
P.s Have you registered for the FREE 12-week challenge. Check it out at www.HollywoodBestBody.com
Monday, March 23, 2009
This IS The Key To Rapid Fat Loss
Lately I've been boasting on Facebook about the kick a** workouts we've been doing at Synergize!
I don't brag or create these workouts to reveal my masochistic side ;) but rather because I understand that it takes Hard Core intensity to transform your body.
Period.
If it was easy, everyone would have their dream body right?
Synergize! ladies burn at least 500 calories during one of these workouts, and that doesn't include the hundreds of calories they are burning after their workout, and throughout the rest of their day.
PLEASE GET THIS:
The key to serious, jaw dropping body transformation results and rapid fat loss, is not how many calories you burn during your workout, but how many calories you continue to burn AFTER your workout.
The higher the intensity the MORE calories you burn AFTER your workout.
In fact studies show that your metabolism can stay elevated up to48 hours after a workout like the one you are about to see.
This is why walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes while reading a magazine or talking on your cell phone is alomost a complete waste of time.
Here's the bottom line:
If you want BIG TIME results you MUST give BIG TIME effort.
If you're walking on a treadmill while reading a amgazine and expect to see any
serious results, you are not only fooling yourself,
but you are wasting your time.
As the saying goes you reap what you sow.
Check out the video below and see how the Synergize! women 'sow', and when you're ready to get serious about changing your body, call or email me to schedule your FREE consultation and training session.
Train HARD,
Shondelle Solomon
954-924-4465
www.synergizeweightloss.com
www.fatblastercampforwomen.com
P.S. Our programs cater to ALL fitness levels and all ages (our oldest client is 73), so don't be intimidate dby the video or think this is NOT for you...in fact it's probably EXACTLY what you need!.
I don't brag or create these workouts to reveal my masochistic side ;) but rather because I understand that it takes Hard Core intensity to transform your body.
Period.
If it was easy, everyone would have their dream body right?
Synergize! ladies burn at least 500 calories during one of these workouts, and that doesn't include the hundreds of calories they are burning after their workout, and throughout the rest of their day.
PLEASE GET THIS:
The key to serious, jaw dropping body transformation results and rapid fat loss, is not how many calories you burn during your workout, but how many calories you continue to burn AFTER your workout.
The higher the intensity the MORE calories you burn AFTER your workout.
In fact studies show that your metabolism can stay elevated up to48 hours after a workout like the one you are about to see.
This is why walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes while reading a magazine or talking on your cell phone is alomost a complete waste of time.
Here's the bottom line:
If you want BIG TIME results you MUST give BIG TIME effort.
If you're walking on a treadmill while reading a amgazine and expect to see any
serious results, you are not only fooling yourself,
but you are wasting your time.
As the saying goes you reap what you sow.
Check out the video below and see how the Synergize! women 'sow', and when you're ready to get serious about changing your body, call or email me to schedule your FREE consultation and training session.
Train HARD,
Shondelle Solomon
954-924-4465
www.synergizeweightloss.com
www.fatblastercampforwomen.com
P.S. Our programs cater to ALL fitness levels and all ages (our oldest client is 73), so don't be intimidate dby the video or think this is NOT for you...in fact it's probably EXACTLY what you need!.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Why You Must Exercise in a Bad Economy
My Top 5 Reasons That It's More Important Now Than Ever Before to Exercise And Eat Right - A Bad economy is bad for your health...
At this point, you simply can�t ignore the current state of the economy. And while everyone is focused on how it�s affecting the financial bottom line, they are missing a much more important impact. Many of us right now are faced with some of the toughest challenges of our lives. As a business owner myself I know that that I�m having to work as hard as ever to take good care of clients while also making sure to keep my business healthy.
Now more than ever it is essential that people are exercising and eating right. This is for many reasons. Here are my Top 5 Reasons that now more than ever, people need to make sure they are eating right and exercising.
1. Mental and Emotional stress are at an all time high, and exercise is one of the best medicines for this ailment.
A landmark Gallup-Healthways poll was published this week. As reported by USA today writer, Marilyn Elias, it's one of the largest of its kind. It was performed nearly every day in 2008 and is still ongoing. The survey of more than 350,000 people is believed to be the largest, longest, and most thorough poll showing how emotional well-being shifts with economic changes.
The survey produces a so-called Emotional Health Index (EHI), which is a measure that weighs problems such as depression, worry and stress against the positive feelings a person experienced the day before the survey.
The results?
As reported in the USA today, A state's EHI correlated with high rates of death from ailments such as heart disease. States with a lot of open space or sunshine - Hawaii, Alaska, Wyoming - had some of the best emotional health even as the economy sank. Many poorer and Rust Belt states � West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky - were worst off.
It turns out that people's moods are ultra-sensitive to economic news...
2. Levels of depression have increased, and this means more drinking, smoking, and other unhealthful habits. Depression also discourages exercise. And once again, exercise is one of the all time greatest cures for mild depression.
3. People can't really afford to get sick and be unproductive right now. Job markets are tight and competitive, and it is essential that we are all maximizing productivity in our work. If you're not operating at full capacity, your productivity suffers, which hurts your bottom line, and ultimately may leave you looking for a new job that doesn't exist!
The Gallup survey shows that those of us in our prime earning years between the age of 30 and 55 are suffering the most from bad economic news and bad economic times. This means that once again for those of us who are busier than ever with our careers, raising families, and working hard to thrive, the challenge of maintaining our health is even greater. At the same time, the amount of time energy or space in our lives to exercise and plan meals is probably limited or almost non-existent.
4. Job markets are tight and health care costs are rising. Like it or not, or legal or not, if you're employer thinks you are a greater health risk to the company than other candidates competing for the same job, who do you think they will ultimately hire.
5. Taking just a little time for yourself every day to nourish the body with good healthy food, exercise, yoga, stretching, and stress management is a choice you can make every day to grant yourself a quick and healthy dose of positive energy. This will help not only help you feel better, but will also likely spill right over into your life so that your kids, your wife, your colleagues and everyone else around your can share in this wealth. Because exercise will not only help you fight stress, depression, anxiety, and all of the other ailments described above and that you might already be experiencing, but it will make you rich in spirit in a way that money can't!
At this point, you simply can�t ignore the current state of the economy. And while everyone is focused on how it�s affecting the financial bottom line, they are missing a much more important impact. Many of us right now are faced with some of the toughest challenges of our lives. As a business owner myself I know that that I�m having to work as hard as ever to take good care of clients while also making sure to keep my business healthy.
Now more than ever it is essential that people are exercising and eating right. This is for many reasons. Here are my Top 5 Reasons that now more than ever, people need to make sure they are eating right and exercising.
1. Mental and Emotional stress are at an all time high, and exercise is one of the best medicines for this ailment.
A landmark Gallup-Healthways poll was published this week. As reported by USA today writer, Marilyn Elias, it's one of the largest of its kind. It was performed nearly every day in 2008 and is still ongoing. The survey of more than 350,000 people is believed to be the largest, longest, and most thorough poll showing how emotional well-being shifts with economic changes.
The survey produces a so-called Emotional Health Index (EHI), which is a measure that weighs problems such as depression, worry and stress against the positive feelings a person experienced the day before the survey.
The results?
As reported in the USA today, A state's EHI correlated with high rates of death from ailments such as heart disease. States with a lot of open space or sunshine - Hawaii, Alaska, Wyoming - had some of the best emotional health even as the economy sank. Many poorer and Rust Belt states � West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky - were worst off.
It turns out that people's moods are ultra-sensitive to economic news...
2. Levels of depression have increased, and this means more drinking, smoking, and other unhealthful habits. Depression also discourages exercise. And once again, exercise is one of the all time greatest cures for mild depression.
3. People can't really afford to get sick and be unproductive right now. Job markets are tight and competitive, and it is essential that we are all maximizing productivity in our work. If you're not operating at full capacity, your productivity suffers, which hurts your bottom line, and ultimately may leave you looking for a new job that doesn't exist!
The Gallup survey shows that those of us in our prime earning years between the age of 30 and 55 are suffering the most from bad economic news and bad economic times. This means that once again for those of us who are busier than ever with our careers, raising families, and working hard to thrive, the challenge of maintaining our health is even greater. At the same time, the amount of time energy or space in our lives to exercise and plan meals is probably limited or almost non-existent.
4. Job markets are tight and health care costs are rising. Like it or not, or legal or not, if you're employer thinks you are a greater health risk to the company than other candidates competing for the same job, who do you think they will ultimately hire.
5. Taking just a little time for yourself every day to nourish the body with good healthy food, exercise, yoga, stretching, and stress management is a choice you can make every day to grant yourself a quick and healthy dose of positive energy. This will help not only help you feel better, but will also likely spill right over into your life so that your kids, your wife, your colleagues and everyone else around your can share in this wealth. Because exercise will not only help you fight stress, depression, anxiety, and all of the other ailments described above and that you might already be experiencing, but it will make you rich in spirit in a way that money can't!
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