Personal Trainer from Langhorne Explains How Lower Ab Exercises Can Be Misleading
June 5, 2009 by Jose Loni
Filed under Weight Loss
Is it possible to get six pack abs by doing lower ab exercises? The answer is no. Doing lower ab exercises will not get you six pack abs. To get well-defined abs, we need to focus on increasing our metabolism through our diet and increasing our exercise program.
Localized lower ab exercises will just not do it. Doing them can help our abdominal, hip and back muscles get stronger to support our body’s movements, but they will not help give us six pack abs.
Spot reducing does not work. Directly exercising on the problem area of the lower abs is not effective in burning fat at that spot. We need to do overall body exercises to affect our whole body to get rid of the excess stomach fat.
To get well-defined abs, we need to increase our metabolism. Through our diet, we need to make sure we eat quality foods that our body can easily burn. When our body is able to burn the food we eat, it will then burn the excess fat that we have for further energy production.
Lowering caloric intake by eating small meals 5-6 times throughout the day helps keep our energy up and our blood sugar stable. Energy is used to digest food so the frequent meals help burn even more calories.
Engaging in overall physical activity is a great metabolism booster. Our muscles are positively affected by resistance training, in particular, causing them to work harder and consume more energy. As a result, our body gets more efficient at locating and using up excess fat as fuel.
Interval training trains our body in an anaerobic manner, which makes the body build muscles that will be reactive and explosive. These types of muscles have a high metabolic rate and consume more energy. The increased metabolic activity of the muscles increases the body’s fat burning capacity and allows it to burn excess fat even several hours after the exercise session.
Doing lower ab exercises in isolation is simply not the answer to getting toned and visible abs. However, having a smart eating plan and regular physical activity can boost metabolism and send us on our way to achieving six pack abs.
Fat Loss – Langhorne Professionals Teach On Balancing Flexibility And Strength
June 3, 2009 by Dan Solaris
Filed under Weight Loss
There are a number of ways to get fit and lose weight- cardio exercises, dieting, resistance training, sports, or any combination of these. It’s just a matter of finding the right combo of exercises that fits a person’s schedule, physical capacity and preferences.
For fat loss, it’s a proven fact that any exercise combined with cardio sessions brings relatively faster results. Still, plenty of people get bored with conventional routines and find it a challenge to keep working-out consistently. The key to speedy fat loss is constant exercise, so going about it in a half-hearted manner will not yield significant results and cause further loss of motivation.
A lot of people are still unaware of the usefulness of Pilates for losing weight and getting lean. More than a few novice gym goers stop working-out because they find their programs too dull and tiring. Because Pilates workouts are done at a low intensity and are invigorating, they’re actually perfect for beginners who want to lose belly fat without dreading each session.
Pilates exercises can also be light enough to be able to help elderly fitness buffs and those with minor injuries stay in shape. After just a few sessions, one will notice a significant improvement in the body’s flexibility, posture and mental alertness.
Cardio combined with strength training is the most common exercise program prescribed for fast and effective fat loss. Incorporating Pilates sessions with these will improve fat-burning efficiency of your workouts even more.
Along with cardio exercise, resistance training through free weights or machines is needed in a good fat-loss exercise program because the extra muscle tissues help fight flab. Muscle development can lead to stiffness of however and this is where the stretches and joint-loosening moves in Pilates can come in handy.
Core-based exercises are the essentially what Pilates is about. Simultaneous effort of the muscles of the abdomen, the waist, lumbar region and buttocks allow faster calorie burn- leading to faster loss of weight due to a reduced body fat index.
Maintaining proper metabolism means conditioning the body to maximize expenditure of caloric energy. Toning-up muscle tissue through consistent limbering movements significantly raises the level of metabolism, making it easier to lose calories from body fat.
How To Get A Flat Stomach The Right Way
April 22, 2009 by Jose Loni
Filed under Weight Loss
The secret as to how to get a flat stomach the right way? Exercise. Daily physical activity, high intensity training, and training in bursts of energy are all what’s needed to get a flat stomach the right way. Engaging in these types of activities starves our muscles of oxygen, which kick starts our metabolism and fat burning ability into high gear.
The more we exercise, the more muscles we develop in our bodies. Muscles, by nature, require more fuel to function. Fuel sources include the food that we eat and excess body fat.
Regular exercise is always a way to begin and maintain how our body will react to exercise and the results we get from exercise. By keeping a regular schedule, our body will adapt to the exercise program by increasing its metabolic activity to be able to endure the training session.
An intensive workout is determined by training within our target heart rate zone. Training within that intensity will yield the best results because our body is made to work harder, allowing us to get a flat stomach faster.
Programs that incorporate interval training have been shown to increase the body’s metabolic activity and force the body to adapt to the intense training session. The body must generate so much force and exert so much energy, that the muscles demand more energy from the body. The result of which is the increased breakdown of excess fat in the body to provide fuel to the muscles used in the activity.
Resistance training while doing intervals has also shown to be highly effective in burning fat. Once again, train with resistance in quick intense bursts of activity and then allow the muscles to rest and recuperate. Repeat this cycle several times. The muscles will now require more fuel and nutrients to maintain the intense activity.
Basically, engaging in these types of workouts lead the muscles to go into something known as oxygen debt. This occurs when carbon dioxide and lactic acid builds up in the muscles. Now, our body has to work harder at supplying more oxygen to the muscles so it can clear away the lactic acid and other waste products that have built up. This nourishes and allows the muscles to recover.
Through regular exercise, training with increased intensity during our exercise programs, and incorporating interval training, our body will adapt to the metabolic changes that resulted from the increased training. As a result, the body becomes a very efficient fat burning machine that will give you a flat stomach.
How To Lose Belly Fat Fast – Energy System work
April 21, 2009 by Jose Loni
Filed under Weight Loss
Losing belly fat fast through exercise is the most effective way to get ripped abs. Utilizing exercises that cause oxygen deficiency can be achieved by having a regular scheduled exercise program, increasing exercise intensity and using interval training.
When the body is training in a decreased oxygen level, the oxygen debt that results causes the muscles to increase its metabolic activity. The increased levels of carbon dioxide and lactic acid cause the muscles to require oxygen, so the body will increase its metabolic activity and bring oxygen to nourish and repair muscle tissue as well as clear away carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
Having a regular routine of exercise is key to losing belly fat fast. Consistency, will allow the body to become more efficient at providing enough fuel to the increased muscle activity. The body will search for excess fat and break it down to provide more fuel for the increased muscle activity.
The increased metabolic activity of the muscles demand more oxygen to go to the muscles to provide oxygen and repair any damage. This activity has a residual effect and will cause the body to keep burning fat and repairing the body, for several hours after exercise.
Higher exercise intensity helps create the oxygen debt that occurs in the muscles. Heart rate monitoring is an effective way to train within the desired heart rate zone. By training within the target rate, we are better able to increase our metabolism and optimize our training sessions.
Interval training has been effective in really increasing the metabolism of the muscles. The short burst sets and the subsequent rest period force the muscles to increase its activity of bringing oxygen to the muscles and clearing the waste products and nourishing and repairing the muscles.
When we increase the physical demands on our muscles, we force our body to adapt by increasing its metabolism. The overall fat burning that occurs supplies energy and nutrients to the muscles, which results in losing belly fat and the body becomes more efficient
Through energy system work, we are better able to lose belly fat fast. The anaerobic training which is composed of a regular exercise schedule of activities that are higher intensity and incorporate interval training, have the fastest results in losing belly fat.
Fat Loss – Wise Tales vs. Wisdom
April 19, 2009 by Dan Solaris
Filed under Weight Loss
Companies specializing in health products are making huge profits these days. They sell anything from fat-burning pills to expensive exercise contraptions and people are snapping them up. With almost 65% of the populations in the countries of the West overweight, it’s no big surprise.
More and more people across the globe are becoming obese as the fast food culture reaches other shores. Drive thru burgers and dial-up pizzas are finding more fans and fattening countless bellies.
Overhyped fad diets are also gaining fast popularity because people that over-indulge in high-cholesterol food are looking for a quick solution to their unsightly midsections. The benefits that can be had from cutting back on calorie intake are usually temporary however and the pounds eventually find their way back.
Life these days require us to spend most of our waking hours in our office chair, behind the wheel or browsing the internet. These activities don’t actually require much energy and so the excess calories that we get from food eventually find their way into our love-handles and potbellies.
We only lose weight when we burn more calories than we take in each day. In that light, it’s ultimately better to do some form of regular exercise rather than trying to cut back on calories without working out. Depriving ourselves of proper meals can lead to nutrition imbalance not to mention painful ulcers and a low immune system.
Attempting to lose weight by dieting alone isn’t really smart because restricting the amount of food we eat makes us feel deprived. Self-deprivation can lead us to binge the next time we see a bucket of extra-crispy chicken or a plate of hot chili cheese fries.
Experts say it’s more effective to eat small portions whenever we get the munchies rather than stuffing ourselves every meal. Doing this can also keep our metabolism high and lets us burn calories more efficiently. It’s been discovered that our metabolic rate slows down considerably when our body senses a shortage of food.
Developing an active, healthy lifestyle by eating smartly and doing regular aerobic and muscle-building exercises regularly will raise our metabolism. More calories burned means more fat lost- making us look better, feel better and live better.
6 Pack Abs – Building A Stronger Core
April 18, 2009 by Dan Solaris
Filed under Weight Loss
The primary reason a lot of people decide to start working-our regularly is to lose weight and tighten their bellies. A less than solid stomach is a sign of lack of exercise and having a potbelly is one of the most potent confidence busters a person can get.
Only a small percentage of people who work-out regularly are happy with their figure however. Some actually give up exercising due to slow results. The most probable reason for this is they’re going about their workouts the wrong way.
In order to get fast results and keep having fun with your workouts, the right exercises have to be done. If your goal is a nice rippling set of 6 pack abs, core based exercises should be incorporated into your weekly workout schedule.
The most effective way of developing the muscles of the midsection and maintaining 6 pack abs is to focus on building a stronger core. Doing core based exercises through Pilates or by using an exercise ball gets more muscles working and this means more calories burned in a shorter period.
Most gym goers give too much focus on the upper and lower abdomen and limit their core exercises to crunches, sit-ups and leg raises. Neglecting the other core muscles like the lumbar and obliques will lead to undue strain on the spine and cause back-pain.
Strengthening the abdomen, lower back, and oblique muscles means stabilizing our body’s center, its foundation. A stronger core will give us better balance, flexibility and endurance. It will give extra support for our spine and hence give extra protection against injury.
For those trying to lose weight, doing core strengthening exercises to complement their aerobic and bodybuilding exercises will facilitate rapid calorie-burn and hence fat-loss. The only way to flatten a flabby gut is to concentrate on burning as much body fat as possible every work-out session. This not only means doing whatever is necessary to prevent the conversion of calories into body fat, by maximizing the amount of calories that we burn each time we exercise.
Exercising to get the 6 pack abs that countless folks yearn for is not easy of course. Recognizing the power of core exercises and incorporating these into conventional resistance training will make workouts more productive and fun.
Exercise Videos – Pros and Cons
April 18, 2009 by Jose Loni
Filed under Weight Loss
Exercise videos are here to stay. We like them because they make our lives easier, are inexpensive, and allow us the privacy to ease into a healthy lifestyle at our own pace. But what are pros for others become a major con for some especially those who need a more social environment to keep them going.
Well known personalities have helped popularize exercise videos over the years. There’s Jane Fonda, Suzanne Somers and the gregarious Richard Simmons.
Nowadays, there’s belly dancing, pilates, yoga, tae bo the list goes on. No doubt exercise videos have made their mark on us that’s why they are still around.
It is more motivating to exercise when there aren’t any obstacles to discourage us. That’s why exercise videos are better because they are very accessible. No technological issues to deal with. Just pop in and play the video anytime you’re ready.
Exercise videos are also better because they’re more interactive and dynamic. Exercise moves set to fun music by attractive trainers keep viewers’ interest high and inspire them to achieve their goals.
In addition, videos allow us to go at our own pace especially when there are certain moves we need more practice with. We’re shown how to do it correctly and we can also pause the video at any part and keep repeating the section if we need to.
Exercise videos have the benefit of being very visual with simple instructions. Therefore, it is easy to imitate the movements demonstrated. There is little to no confusion of how they should be done. This is not the case with e-books. Words can easily confuse especially when typos occur.
There are definitely benefits and consequences to exercise videos. Convenience, cost, self-image and social interaction are all factors that affect our choice, but whatever we decide to go with, the most important thing is to be aware of these factors so we can make the best choice for us.
Toned Abs & Compound Movements
April 17, 2009 by Dan Solaris
Filed under Weight Loss
An increasing number of people around the world are becoming obese because of the proliferation of fast food. The availability of delicious, calorie-loaded western food has in fact caused roughly 65% of people in North America and Western Europe to become obese.
Contrary to what most fitness amateurs think, doing sit-ups and crunches are not the solution to isolating belly fat. The human body is predisposed to store most body fat around the midsection and as such, this is the last place it’ll leave when exercise for weight-loss.
Leg-raises, sit-ups and crunches do develop and harden the muscles of the midsection, but they don’t do really isolate the subcutaneous layer of fat hiding that six pack from full-view. The only way to get flat toned abs is through exercises that burn all-around body fat in the shortest amount of time.
Studies have proven cardiovascular exercise that involves the whole body is most effective in losing excess body fat. The more muscles involved in movement, the more calories burned from stored fat. Eliminate enough body fat and that flabby belly disappears resulting in nicely toned abs.
Doing total body cardio exercises at high enough intensity not only results in fat-loss- they also condition the heart and lungs, putting more oxygen into the blood stream and lowering blood pressure. The metabolic rate also goes up and stays elevated even after working out. This means more calories burned throughout the day.
A higher metabolism means a better ability of the body to avoid storing body fat because this means more calories burned. The key to weight loss and toned abs is burning more calories than we consume in a day.
Another way to increase the body’s metabolic rate and get rid of surplus calories easier is by building muscle. Resistance training through free weights or other forms of resistance can help prevent fat gain because the more muscles we have, the more calories we can burn. Experts have discovered that muscle tissue eats up calories even while inactive. The more calories we burn while away from the gym means the less effort we have to make during our workouts.
Choosing cardio exercises that you won’t get bored with can spell success or failure in your quest for lean, nicely toned abs. The more repetitive and boring your workouts, the easier it will be for you to get bored with them. Boredom is the main reason why people don’t exercise consistently- prolonging the agony of having a flabby belly.
Toned Abs – More Beauty, Less Belly
April 17, 2009 by Jose Loni
Filed under Weight Loss
Having six-pack, well-toned abs is sexy. That’s why we aspire to get toned abs. It’s not easy but it’s doable. We have to use up the fat as fuel for our body, then keep using those fats efficiently and adjust our way of thinking in order to successfully attain sexy, toned, six-pack abs.
Most of our body fat is found directly beneath the skin and doing hundreds of crunches a day strengthens our abs but will not get rid of the fat in this area.
The older we get, the more fat is deposited in our stomach area. Females get more fat in the hip and thigh areas as well. On top of this, metabolism starts slowing down. No wonder we start getting the belly bulge.
One of the most effective ways to whittle that waistline is to engage in activities like biking, swimming, walking, hiking, aerobics and very active sports like basketball, tennis and other racquet sports. The key is to keep our heart rate up and in its training zone for a minimum of 20 minutes to train the heart muscle and effectively burn fat.
As we lose body fat beneath the skin, our skin becomes tighter. As we lose fat within the muscles, we will look less flabby and more toned. So the key thing is the cardio and five times a week gets you toned abs faster.
Getting our body to maximize fat burning capacity is the next thing to do. And we achieve this by developing muscles. Training the large muscle groups first, followed by the small muscle groups helps burn fat more continuously.
Last, but not the least, mental programming is the most important factor to success. The key here is inch loss. This isn’t a numbers game on a weighing scale. So getting into a piece of clothing now that was impossible to before means SUCCESS. And this confidence starts showing in just a few short weeks.
Follow these 3 tips faithfully – burn fat, make our body burn fat more effectively and program our mindset. In a few weeks’ time, toned abs, more beauty and less belly will become a part of the new you.
Fat Loss – Balancing Flexibility And Strength
April 17, 2009 by Dan Solaris
Filed under Weight Loss
There are a number of ways to get fit and lose weight- cardio exercises, dieting, resistance training, sports, or any combination of these. It’s just a matter of finding the right combo of exercises that fits a person’s schedule, physical capacity and preferences.
Most of us are aware that no fat-loss workout regimen would be complete without some form of cardio exercise thrown in. The challenge for most people is choosing the right mix that will keep them exercising consistently, prevent hitting a plateau and getting bored. Dull workouts lead to skipped workouts which in turn results in slow fat loss.
Folks that are looking for an effective fat-loss exercise program that won’t leave them gasping for breath for an hour will find Pilates the ideal choice. Most people that find workouts too difficult and tiring stop exercising after a month or so without getting closer to their goals. Remember that having fun is a big factor in working-our consistently.
Because the movements don’t take much effort to do, people of almost all ages and ailments can benefit from Pilates workouts. After consistent Pilates sessions, flexibility, balance and suppleness are improved significantly.
Cardio combined with strength training is the most common exercise program prescribed for fast and effective fat loss. Incorporating Pilates sessions with these will improve fat-burning efficiency of your workouts even more.
The slow, continuous stretching and limbering movements involved in Pilates strengthens the ligaments and connective tissue of our joints as well. Also, they are the perfect complement to joint and muscle stiffness brought about by weight-lifting exercises. Relaxed joints allow wider range of movement and stability.
The moves in Pilates exercises involve simultaneous action of all the core muscles- the upper and lower abdominals, the lumbar muscles, the obliques and even the buttocks. Since several muscles are being utilized at the same time, this means more calories burned in less time, ergo speedier weight loss.
A high metabolism is one the best weapons against body fat because it allows for more calories burned throughout the day. Regular stretching of muscle tissue lengthens and tones them up resulting in a longer, leaner physique, higher metabolic rate, and better results from fat loss efforts.







