Hire a Personal Trainer!

SHORT DESCRIPTION: Learn how one fitness fanatic who swore off personal trainers
before learned that a personal trainer could help her achieve fitness goals far
beyond what she had experienced before.

BODY OF ARTICLE: I have been working out at a gym since I was 13 and have kept
to a fairly steady routine ever since. Although a bit cardio heavy at times, I
felt that my workouts were consistent and effective. I scoffed at the thought
of paying someone to train me -- after all, I can motivate myself, right?

Two years ago, I decided that I wanted to build more muscle. I have the "long
and lean" look which is nice, but I wanted to actually see a bicep every once
in awhile! As I started down the muscle building path on my own, I finally came
to realize that it might be beneficial to have some guidance. I wanted to make
sure my form was perfect and that I was following an appropriate rep/set scheme
for my body type. In addition, I wanted someone to push me farther than I could
push myself and someone to help get those last reps in when my muscles were
near failure.

I found my trainer by doing a search on the Internet. Actually, I was looking
for someone to take boxing lessons from as well, and it worked out that my
trainer-to-be did both personal training and boxing lessons. Doing a search
online with the words "personal trainer" and your city name is quite effective.
You can also look in the phone book, the classified ads section of your local
newspaper, and, of course, your gym (although my trainer is actually at a
different gym than my "main" gym).

Don't get caught up in the package deals and purchase six or eight lessons
before even training once with a potential trainer. You want a trainer you can
get along with and who understands your fitness goals. If you are unhappy with
the results you are seeing or want to change focus, tell your trainer. If
they're worth keeping around, they will be happy to help.

In closing, here are the main benefits I have experienced from having a personal
trainer:

1. Even if I'm not feeling motivated on a particular day, my trainer will push
me anyway.
2. Although I know a lot about fitness, my trainer has been able to set up a
great workout routine for me that has been better than anything I have been
able to do myself. Plus, she keeps track of my progress and modifies my
workouts accordingly.
3. My form is always correct.
4. My trainer spots me on heavy lifts, allowing me to push myself further than I
would be able to safely do on my own.

I have found that having a personal trainer is well worth the money and has
helped me tremendously with my fitness goals, and I would highly recommend it
to anyone trying to take their workouts to the next level.

RESOURCE BOX: Located in the central Ohio area and looking for a personal
trainer or boxing trainer? Cardio Boxing and Training in Columbus can help you
meet your fitness goals. Visit http://www.CardioBoxingTraining.com or email
info@cardioboxingtraining.com.

About Ray Burton: Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women,The Calgary Sun and Crosstrainer.ca. For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: www.FatToFitBook.com.

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No More Weight Back Pain

SHORT DESCRIPTION: This article is a reminder for people not to overeat this
holiday because being overweight can lead to back pain and other health
problems. You should really try to motivate yourself this holiday season by
thinking about all the benefits that come from exercising and eating right.
Make a real commitment to a healthier lifestyle right now and your back will
thank you for it.

BODY OF ARTICLE: Another holiday season is upon us when we indulge ourselves
with holiday cheer and of course lots of great food. The food is everywhere
during this time of the year.

Eating Grandma's cookies and desserts almost becomes a second job. Add in a few
X-mas parties and pretty soon you are saying to yourself that your favorite pair
of jeans somehow shrunk.

But being overweight can lead to a lot more serious consequences besides a pair
of jeans that somehow "shrunk." Adding a few extra pounds can lead to back
pain and even more serious problems like heart and liver disease and diabetes
just to name a few.

But how can you accurately tell if your are overweight? One of the ways to
determine if you are overweight is by calculating your body mass index or
(BMI). Your body mass index is a value indicative of your body's fat content.
In order to calculate your BMI you need to divide your weight by the square of
your height. If you google "BMI calculator" you should have no problem
determining your Body Mass Index.

A BMI of anything greater than 25 might mean you are overweight. I say "might"
because this calculator does not take into account bone or muscle mass which
increases the BMI. For instance, I'm 6 feet tall and 192 pounds. My BMI is
about 26 which seems to indicate that I'm overweight. Now, I admit I could
probably lose a couple pounds but I'm not overweight.

Now, if you don't carry a lot of muscle mass or if you aren't big boned, then
you can probably use the BMI calculator as a close to accurate indicator of
being overweight or obese.

There was a time when I, myself, was overweight. I actually weighed over 200
pounds. I know for a fact that my back pain was the result of not exercising
and eating a lot of junk food.

As I changed my lifestyle and began eating healthier and exercising regularly, I
began to lose weight. Once this happened I noticed that my back pain diminished
in frequency and intensity.

But what are some things you can do to lose weight especially during the festive
holiday season? Or should the real question be...

How can YOU GET MOTIVATED to lose weight?

Motivation must come from inside you. One of the ways to stir up motivation
inside you is to get a better understanding of all the benefits regular
exercise and sound nutrition have to offer you.

For instance, you may already tell yourself to eat right and exercise to lose
weight. But instead, what if you say to yourself "I have to eat right and
exercise regularly to..."

1. Lose weight
2. End my back pain
3. Strengthen my heart
4. Reduce fat in my arteries
5. Keep my liver and kidneys healthy
6. Decrease my chances of Diabetes
7. Decrease my chances of getting Cancer
8. Live longer to enjoy my grandchildren
9. Feel physically and mentally stronger
10.Impress my friends and family
11.Feel great about myself
12.And on and on and on...

The more benefits you can think of for yourself personally, besides just "losing
weight," the more motivated you can become to actually do something about it.

My main motivation for going to the gym is not losing weight or building muscle.
It is ending my back pain and staying healthy. And you know what...I've gone
to the gym now enough that I actually enjoy it. In fact, I love it. I bet you
will too.

But being motivated is not enough. It does require a REAL SOLID commitment to
take action. I'm talking about eating carrot sticks instead of potato chips
and going to the gym instead of lying on the couch watching your favorite
movie. Those aren't exactly huge sacrifices for a lot of us but they are
sacrifices and they do involve change which most human beings naturally resist.

Once you change over to healthy lifestyle, you simply must fight the temptation
to quit because it is new to you or uncomfortable at first. The more you live
a health conscious lifestyle the easier it will get and the more lasting
benefits (like the ones numbered above) you will see and experience in your
life.

So this year enjoy yourself but make an effort not to overeat Grandma's cookies.
Make some time for a workout or even just a walk on a treadmill. The important
thing is to stay active. Get motivated and enjoy all the healthy benefits of
trimming down this holiday season. Your back will appreciate it and so will
your favorite pair of jeans.

RESOURCE BOX: Mike Saros is a former back pain sufferer and author of The No
More Back Pain newsletter found at http://www.BackReliefElite.com
He will instruct you how to end your own lower back pain at
http://www.SecretsToAPainFreeBack.com/Secrets_Discount.htm

About Ray Burton: Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women,The Calgary Sun and Crosstrainer.ca. For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: www.FatToFitBook.com.

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Enjoying Holiday Foods and Losing Weight

SHORT DESCRIPTION: With the holiday season here, people can have a good time,
yet still maintain their weight. This article shows how to indulge with the
holiday foods, yet not get fat or lose your figure.

BODY OF ARTICLE: Here it is the beginning of December and everyone is starting
to think of gifts, holiday parties, and all the wonderful food that can be
eaten this holiday season. Really, this 4-5 week euphoric glutton usually
begins on Thanksgiving. The following days after, the question that always is
asked is "did you eat a lot." This theme continues on throughout the holidays
and stops around New Year's. At that time, the individual remembers all the
times they took a bite out of another cookie saying, "I'll start my diet back
up again after New Years." I'm here to tell you that if you can stay focused
during these 4 weeks, you can enjoy the holiday treats plus, if you so desire,
still lose a little weight.

Now most people reading this are saying, "Yeah right." I'll have to be honest
though, I should have wrote this article in October so that if you haven't been
exercising you could have started then so by December your body would have been
totally adjusted to the routine. I will make a mental note for next year, but
for now let's make due with the time we have.

The first thing I want to say is that if you are currently not exercising then
this will be a lot tougher for you. If you still adhere to the majority of the
principles that I stress, you probably won't lose weight, but you won't gain
much either. I would definitely view that as positive. If you have been
working out, then the first thing that I urge would be to still maintain your
workouts throughout these four weeks. It is easy to get caught up in the
holidays, taking time off from work, visiting relatives, etc. If you can
maintain your workouts, you will be able to maintain your body's ability to
burn fat efficiently.

This next point I'm going to tell you is the big credo to remember this holiday
season. One day of eating holiday foods (i.e. cookies, eggnog, and other fun
stuff) will not make you fat. Eating several days, even many days of holiday
foods, yes might do something to your health, but one day here or there is not
going to ruin the many days you HAVE been exercising and eating right.

So with that in mind, here is what I suggest. Ideally, I would love for my
clients to eat 6 days properly and have one day be a cheat day. If you know of
a day coming up, which we always do, that you are having a party that you just
want to let loose at, then plan that as your cheat day. If there are several
parties throughout the week (which would mean you are Mr./Mrs. Popular), then
try to eat healthy the meals prior to the time of your party, but by all means
have a good time at that party. If you are eating right and continue to
exercise, your body will still be able to do its job and quite possibly, help
you lose weight, if that is what your goal is.

With that being said, the same credo can apply to exercising. The days that you
know you can get your workouts in, then do. If you are planning on partying one
night and anticipating not feeling the greatest the next day, then take the day
off. Your body isn't going to flab up for missing one day of exercising. In
fact, it might enjoy the break to rejuvenate you for the next workout. Fitting
in 2-4 workouts throughout the week, will definitely help keep your body where
it is and counter the affects of any holiday cheer you might experience.

The holidays are a fun time and you should thoroughly enjoy them. If you do a
little planning though, it doesn't have to be the train wreck you might be
anticipating. Continue to exercise when you can and eat appropriately when you
can (you aren't going to parties 24/7 are you?) and you will be in great shape
for the New Year to roll around and kick in those resolutions.

RESOURCE BOX: Adam Kessler is President of Fitness Planning Consultants, Inc.
located in Gahanna, Ohio. His free reports on weight loss and health
rejuvenation can be found at his website at
http://fitnessplanning.com .

About Ray Burton: Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women,The Calgary Sun and Crosstrainer.ca. For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: www.FatToFitBook.com.

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Summer Diet Success

SHORT DESCRIPTION: Discusses the keys to a successful diet or weight loss
program focusing on fast results in time for the summer.

BODY OF ARTICLE: Copyright (c) 2006 Richard Adams

Summer is the best season of all to lose weight. The weather means exercising
outdoors is fun and pleasant (and either cheap or free). There is also a wealth
of natural, healthy food around such as fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood just
waiting to help you eat yourself slim.

Combine these two factors with some self-discipline and you'll be well set up
for your summer diet.

So let's break this down into a simple 6 step plan which if followed virtually
guarantees you'll lose weight fast, effectively and safely.

1) Focus Is Everything

There is no point in starting a diet half-heartedly. You'll only get
half-hearted results. Which will make you even les likely to try again in the
future. So focus your mind, decide you are going to give 100% to this short
period of time to get the very best results possible.

Give total focus to every aspect whether it's exercising or preparing healthy,
nutritious meals.

Don't "cheat" by missing exercise sessions or buying takeaway. After your
vacation you can do what you like. Until then, every time you give in you
reduce your results.

2) Eat Six Meals A Day

Spread out your eating habits to consume 5 to 6 small meals a day. Doing so will
greatly increase your body's fat burning ability and will reduce the excess
calories flowing around your body which can be laid down as fat.

Each meal should consist of a portion of protein, one of carbs and some water to
drink. Try to eat several portions of fruit and vegetables during the day to
maximize your intake of vitamins and minerals.

Suitable protein sources include cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, seafood,
skimmed milk and protein drinks from the health food store.

Suitable carbohydrate sources include pasta, rice, jacket potatos, cereal,
fruit, vegetables and brown bread.

3) Cut Out "Treats"

Cut out the lattes, the sugar on your cereal, the hotdog at the football game.
Think 100% healthy.

Don't just cut out these "treats" that you think you've "earned" after a hard
days work.

Try making small changes that will get you healthier by allowing you to consume
less calories or burn off more. Don't snack between meals. Walk instead of
driving if possible. Take the stairs not the elevator and so on.

All these small changes will add up to make a very real difference to your life.

4) Aerobic Exercise

Aim to run, cycle or swim for 20-30 minutes 5 days a week, before breakfast.
Doing it before breakfast means you'll be burning fat rather than the energy in
the meal you just ate. Doing it each day gets you into a pattern, a cycle, that
becomes easy to stick to after a few weeks. Because when you make it easy, to
the point that you don't even have to think about it it becomes automatic.

5) Anaerobic Exercise

Muscle uses up a lot of energy to support. By adding some muscle to your body
you will naturally burn more energy even when at rest so try working out with
weights either at the gym or at home 2-3 evenings a week to increase your
results. The fat burning ability of the body is also greater after weights as
opposed to cardio exercise so you'll burn fat as well as putting on muscle.

6) Stay Motivated

Find ways to keep yourself going. Some people find it easy to start a diet, but
hard to keep going for weeks or months. Others find it hard to start, but that
it gets easier after a while. What type of person are you?! Try to work it out
and use online forums, exercise magazines and fitness-oriented friends to keep
you on track until your vacation.

Follow these 6 simple steps and you'll be losing weight in no time - quite
possibly a pound or two even in your first week.

RESOURCE BOX: Richard Adams is a keen advocate of healthy diet and weight loss
programs having experimented on himself with various programs over the years.
His latest site will teach you everything you need to know about Summer Diets
-> http://www.summerdiets.co.uk

About Ray Burton: Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women,The Calgary Sun and Crosstrainer.ca. For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: www.FatToFitBook.com.

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Long Walk to the Fishing Hole

SHORT DESCRIPTION: New studies show the benefits of physical activity and
omega-3s on keeping the elderly brain agile and away from Alzheimer's disease
or other dementias.

BODY OF ARTICLE: Copyright (c) 2006 The Brain Code LLC

I have previously written about the power of exercise and omega-3s to protect
the brain and improve function. Several more studies, released this week, added
support for methods to keep elderly brains fit and agile.

Exercise Improves Brain Function

The first, published in the Journal of Gerontology and highlighted in the Wall
Street Journal, demonstrates that a few hours of aerobic exercise a week helps
keep brains young. The study followed three groups of adults, aged 60-79. One
group performed aerobic training by walking around a gym for an hour a day,
three days a week. The second group performed non-aerobic training by
stretching and doing some resistance exercises. The third group did not
exercise.

The study found that after only three months, the aerobic exercise group (but
neither of the other groups) increased their grey matter in frontal brain
regions that control higher functions, like memory, multi-tasking, focus and
decision-making. The aerobic group also increased the volume of white matter
tracks that cross the brain and carry communication signals between the two
brain halves. The researchers likened the changes that occurred over the
three-month exercise period as equivalent to making the brain three years
younger!

Exercise Increases Independence

A second study published in the same issue of the Journal of Gerontology showed
that seniors enrolled in an exercise program improved their physical fitness
and independence level over those that were simply ‘educated' about healthy
living. After 6 – 12 months in the program, seniors that received physical
fitness training were able to walk longer distances at higher speeds than those
that just received information about exercise and nutrition. The study cited the
importance of increasing independence in senior citizens in an age where medical
science is extending the average life span of our population. Committing to
healthy lifestyle choices will help us live longer and not just die slower.

Omega-3s Decrease Dementia

Finally, a third study was the most recent in a string of evidence touting the
benefits of fish for brain health. This recent study actually looked at the
levels of DHA, an omega-3 fat obtained from fish, in the blood of about 900
seniors (average age of 76). They showed that seniors with higher levels of the
omega-3 fat in their blood had the lowest chance of dementia from Alzheimer's
disease or other reasons. In fact, the seniors in the top 25% of blood omega-3
content were about 50% less likely to succumb to the debilitating cognitive
disease. The average intake of fish in these top performers was about 3
servings per week or 180 mg of DHA per day, which can be obtained from
supplements.

These studies all sum up the importance of lifestyle choices on healthy brains
and bodies in the later years. So when you see your grandparents this holiday
season, plan a fishing trip. Dust off the poles and reels and take them for a
walk down to the creek. A little aerobic activity, some fresh air and a dose of
omega-3s will help them stay mentally and physically healthy.

RESOURCE BOX: Boost your Family's Brain Fitness in 30 days with Natural
Strategies used by an Expert Brain Scientist and Sports Coach. Learn how at
http://www.thebraincode.com

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About Ray Burton: Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women,The Calgary Sun and Crosstrainer.ca. For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: www.FatToFitBook.com.

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Juggle Your Calories

SHORT DESCRIPTION: If you have decided to lose weight and lose weight fast,
before you start on a diet or exercise routine, you need to know more about
calories. If you approach your weight loss program or diet without packing
yourself with information about calories, your diet plans will come to
naught...

BODY OF ARTICLE: If you have decided to lose weight and lose weight fast, before
you start on a diet or exercise routine, you need to know more about calories.
If you approach your weight loss program or diet without packing yourself with
information about calories, your diet plans will come to naught.

In layman's terms, a calorie is a unit of measurement of energy you obtain from
food. Foods may contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats or a combination of all
of them. So, it's obvious that you will derive your calories from
carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Hence, you have to understand these three sources of calories a little better
before you formulate your diet plans and begin your weight loss program:

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates – a mixture of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen – are
ranked as the top energy source for our bodies. They are generally classified
as "refined" or "unrefined" depending on how much they have been processed by
food manufacturers.

As far as diets go, carbohydrates are an essential part of any diet because they
are nutritious and contain vitamins, minerals, etc.

Proteins: Proteins are a group of organic molecules that are essential in our
diet for the growth and repair of tissues. Proteins are the basic building
blocks of all living cells.

Our body requires around 22 amino acids (amino acids constitute proteins), 13 of
which are manufactured by our body. The remaining 9 come from food and along
with them come the calories.

Proteins primarily come from meat and animal products such as beef, lamb, pork,
poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and milk products. Proteins also come from
other sources such as grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, but the quantum of
proteins from these sources is quite low.

Fats: Fats are the third of the three main classes of foods that impart calories
to the body. They are a source of energy and help the body use some vitamins and
keep the skin healthy. Fats can be saturated or unsaturated.

Well, by now it is clear that you derive your calories from proteins,
carbohydrates and fats. The trick is now to juggle these in such a way that
their intake contributes to your diet or weight loss program.

In many weight-training programs, you have to mainly focus on juggling your
intake of proteins and carbohydrates, leaving the fats aside and it is
important how you plan your meals if you want to establish a healthy diet.

Remember, that calories are fuel or energy for the body and you need to plan
your calorie intake if you want to succeed in your weight loss program. Think
of yourself as a vehicle that needs fuel to run – if you don't have fuel, you
can't move. If you have too much, that would be worse because it will settle in
your body and getting rid of it will be an issue!

RESOURCE BOX: You can get the FREE Special Report about "Wieight Loss Tips" at:
http://www.theweightlossguide.info/Gift/SpecialReport.pdf

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About Ray Burton: Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women,The Calgary Sun and Crosstrainer.ca. For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: www.FatToFitBook.com.

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