Fitness Tip: Increase the number of meals you eat

- On average, you should be eating some form of protein and vegetable combination that is low in fat and high in fiber every 2 -3 hours of the day. Doing so will give you a big advantage over those who only eat the normal 3 meals (or less) each day. As long as you don''t change your total daily calorie intake, you will burn more fat, increase your metabolism, and have more energy and focus throughout your day.

3 Ways to Turn Fat into Muscle

Inside your body, at this very moment, there's a war going on: a battle between the cells that make up muscle and those that make up fat. You know which side you're rooting for. But here's the problem: In this war, fat will always have an unfair advantage. The New Rules of Lifting will help muscle win this battle. In fact, this book will help speed your fat loss while revving your metabolism, balancing your hormones, and quashing your appetite. To get you started, here are three secrets on how to win the battle of the bulge: Include Protein with Every Meal and Every Snack Muscle doesn't come simply from lifting weights or hauling groceries up the stairs. Eating protein triggers muscle growth. In fact, every time you eat at least 10 to 15 grams of protein, you trigger a burst of protein synthesis. Never Skip Breakfast When you wake up in the morning, your body is fuel-deprived. It's been 7 to 9 hours (or more) since you last ate. Your insulin levels have dropped, your protein stores are empty, and your muscles are desperate for nutrition. Your body needs food to restore its balance. Eat Before and After Your Workout In one study, subjects who ate a protein- and carbohydrate-rich snack right before and right after their workouts fueled their muscles twice as effectively as those who waited at least 5 hours to eat.

Fitness for Brides

The countdown begins as soon as you decide on the date of the wedding and start planning. The ceremony is 365 days away so you think to yourself, 'I have plenty of time to lose this weight'. It's true! You do have plenty of time. But, if you don't begin planning right away, you will find that each day that passes, it will be harder and harder to reach your goal. Think about it, you want to lose 20 lbs. in 365 days. Don't tell yourself it's easy and that you can do in the last eight weeks before the wedding. Your procrastination might have led you to even gain a few more pounds by that point with all of the stress of the planning you've been doing. Therefore, my first point is PLANNING. Set a realistic goal such as losing one pound of body fat every 1-2 weeks. This is very realistic. You can achieve this by creating a caloric deficit each day. You can do this by decreasing the number of calories taken in and by increasing the number of calories burned. If you eat 400 calories less and burn 300 calories more per day, you have just createda 700 calorie per day deficit. Over a 7 day period, that is 3500 calories which is equal to one pound of body fat. A 700 calorie per day deficit is not hard to achieve. Just have some Splenda and skim milk in your latte and that's probably good for 250 calories right there. 30 minutes at a moderate pace on the Elliptical Crosstrainer is good for another 300+ calories. My second point that will ensure your success is CREATING A LOG of your nutrition and exercise. This will create accountability and keep you on track. Whether you are working out with a Personal Trainer, or are taking on the fat-loss game alone, the journal is important. Not only does the journal open up your eyes to the quantities and food choices that you are making, it also makes you accountable to yourself or the Personal trainer that is helping you reach your fitness goals. You don't have to carry the journal under your arm all day long. What I recommend to all of my clients is to leave it on your nightstand next to your bed and spend 10 minutes recapping everything you ate that day. Once you're finished, take a look at the day and think to yourself how you'd like to do it differently the next day. Or, what could you change to improve your comsumption the next day. This is also a good time to plan where you're going to be and what food will be available where you are. That will help you make smart choices that day and not get caught up starving at the McDonald's drive-thru. Also, doing this at night before falling asleep, will actually help you relax as it will distract your mind from all other things that went on during the day. Additionally, it will put your subconscious mind to work throughout the night on how to improve your food intake the next day. Remember, start early and stick to your plan because you know thoselast couple of weeks prior to the wedding will be full of stress and last minute headaches that will demand your attention. If you're almost at your fitness goal by that point, you'll really wantto finish losing that last pound or two instead of just giving into the stress eating and anxiety.

Feed Your Muscles

Lifting weights makes your metabolism race as your body works to replenish energy and repair muscle tissue. "If you don't take in enough calories and protein, you won't have the resources you need to recover," says Durkin. He recommends consuming 300 to 500 additional calories on workout days, and skewing those calories toward protein, the building block of muscle. "Shoot for 1 gram per pound of body weight," says Durkin.

How often should you train your abs?

It seems I get asked that question
at least 5 times a day...and for
good reason

Because...EVERYONE WANTS ABS (and they
want the fastest way to develop them!)

Well...

My answer is always a 2 part one:

1.  You HAVE to tighten up your nutrition.

Six pack abs aren't made by slamming down
six packs of beer, watching sports on TV or
living on fried foods.  BUT, here's the important
thing...they aren't made following some kind of
starvation diet either!

Sprouts and carrots aren't going to cut it!

Remember, your abs ARE MUSCLES TOO and
they need protein, carbs and
calories to sustain them too.  So deprivation
diets are OUT! As in NEVER again.  Got it?

2.  You have to train your abs on every EXERCISE!!

Huh?  You may be thinking that I made a typo.
Nope.  EVERY EXERCISE!!

Get personal with your reps

Get personal with your reps - To get more one-on-one time, try exercising with your spouse or life partner. Not only does it keep both of you healthy and strong, but it can also bring you closer together. A shared workout is a great way to bond, and you will often find yourselves talking a lot more than if you had stayed home and watched TV.

Harness the power of visualization for fitness

Visualize how you look - Take a picture of your body and have it "morphed" at a photo shop. Want to see how you look 10, 20, 30 pounds lighter? Have the graphic artists edit the picture into an image you like, then take home copies of it and hang them everywhere. Harness the power of visualization

Pregnancy Fitness Tips

Pregnancy Fitness Tip: 
During the later half of pregnancy, your body releases a compound called relaxin. As the name implies, relaxin helps relax the ligaments in the pubic area and helps the cervix soften and enlarge in preparation for delivery. This can increase your chances for injury if you lift too heavily. 

After your third month of pregnancy, you should not perform any exercises that requires you to lie flat on your back, as this can also decrease blood flow to your uterus. If you are just starting out, here are some great exercises to try to help maintain your fitness during pregnancy:

-Prenatal Yoga – Either a class or video.
-Pilates
-Stationary Biking – you should avoid a traditional bike as you risk falling over and injuring your belly.
-Swimming
-Walking or light jogging

Don’t forget… before starting any exercise or fitness program it is vital you talk with your doctor to assess your health risks. Only begin a fitness program if it is safe for you and your baby! And remember, the focus should be on feeling good, not losing weight!
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Want to fit into those favorite jeans again?

Do you have a pair of jeans in the back of your closet that fit you nicely several years ago? Instead of giving up on them, keep them! Keep trying on those jeans to motivate you to eat right and exercise. It's the best way to understand where those extra pounds are going.

Fitness Tip: Have kids?

- Look at your children''s pictures as a reminder that you want to be able to share life with them, in good health and with plenty of energy. Exercising is one thing that you can control to help that happen. Make sure that you''re around to enjoy life with your kids by making exercise a priority.

Reward Yourself

Fitness Tip: Reward yourself - People tend to be hard on themselves when they fail to accomplish a goal, but also when they DO accomplish a goal. When was the last time you took a moment to reward yourself? Whenever you reach a milestone, have something special in mind, like a massage, new shoes or clothes, or a great day planned with a friend. Remember, food rewards can be great, as long as they don"t sabotage your weight loss and fitness goals.