3 Random Fitness and Nutrition Tips

...About onions, watermelons, and 5 minute workouts?

by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author - The Truth About Six Pack Abs & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

I just had a few sort of "random" workout and nutrition tips for you on my mind today, in no particular order...so here they are:

Tip #1. Onions = Amazing Superfood... Eat onions daily if possible.

Not only do I love onions, but I recently read a longevity study that surveyed a large amount of people who had lived over 100 years of age. One of the common threads they noticed from the survey of these amazing people that lived to ages exceeding 100 was that they ate a lot of onions.

Kind of weird huh... but not a surprise to me. In fact, onions are definitely an important super-food as they contain unique organosulphur compounds and potent antioxidants that are rare in other foods.

I've also read dozens of studies that correlated onions (and garlic too) with pretty impressive reductions in cancer risk.

I like to add onions to almost any meals I can think of... added to salads, in my morning eggs, in veggie mixtures with lunch or dinner, and more.

"An onion a day keeps the doctor away."
 

Tip #2. Mix up your workouts with "5-minute bodyweight exercise challenges"

This is a unique way to add some variety to your workouts and maybe even get a friend in a little competition with you.

You can throw one of these in at the end of a workout as a high intensity finish, or even just do at home on non-gym days.

Basically, all you do is choose 1 specific bodyweight exercise such as bodyweight squats, pushups, lunges, etc and try to do as many reps of that exercise as you can in exactly 5 minutes (timed).  I've also used dumbbell swings or kettlebell swings for these 5-minute drills and they work great.

This works best by trying to do 20 or 25 reps at a time and then taking short breathers of about 10 seconds before continuing on your next round of reps.

We've even made this a little competition between a couple people at my gym in the past where we all line up and get timed for 5 minutes and see who can do the most bodyweight squats or pushups or whatever it may be in that 5 minute time period.

From what I've seen, if you can do 100 or more pushups in 5 minutes, or 200 or more bodyweight squats in 5 minutes, those are pretty impressive numbers. I think my record was somewhere around 225 bodyweight squats in 5 minutes (which was an improvement on the 160 bw squats I got the first time I tried this 5-min challenge)

If you try dumbbell or kettlebell swings for 5-minutes, I've found that anything over about 130 swings is pretty good for 5-minutes.

Whatever exercise you choose, keep track of your numbers that you get, and try to improve on them each week.  By the way, if you're new to kettlebells, read this article.

Tip #3. Example of the Glycemic Index (GI) being fairly useless

In several of my newsletters in the past, I've given examples of how choosing your foods based on the glycemic index can be misleading and even useless in many cases.

Case in point...

Watermelon has one of the highest measured GI's of all foods (much higher than even cake and ice cream).  However, a normal serving of cake and ice cream may give you a whopping 600 to 800 calories, whereas a typical serving of watermelon may give you 50 to 70 calories max!  You'd have to eat a massive quantity of watermelon to rack up any significant grams of carbs.

Trust me... watermelon isn't making anyone fat... But cake and ice cream are!

The lesson... GI is almost useless when you're not considering "Glycemic Load", which also factors in the quantity of carbohydrates ingested in a typical serving.  Enjoy your juicy watermelon! It's a great source of the health protecting antioxidant lycopene too!

3 Easy Exercise Tips To Tone And Flatten Your Stomach

3 Easy Exercise Tips To Tone And Flatten Your Stomach

Now, Lori and I have previewed this, and you’ll have to ignore the waves crashing. (Yes, we made him make this for you while he was on vacation  )

If you listen closely, Our Personal friend and Colleague, Dr K  tells you how to do 3 metabolic stimulating exercises that will cause you to burn fat all day long if you perform them in the morning!

AND  it only takes a couple minutes! Doesn’t get much better than that 

To learn 3 more tips, click the link below:

3 Odd Tips To Lose Your Belly Fat NOW <=== click here

Home gym workouts can be the right solution for gym constraints

Many people across the world might be really concerned about how to stay healthy and fit. This is perhaps the main reason why most of them are enthusiastic about exercising. However, due to busy work schedule and exhausting routines, most of us may not get the time to go to gyms and perform exercises daily. Probably, the best solution to overcome this problem is to have a gym at home. This can be quite convenient as well as save fuel cost of driving to the gym.

Home gyms have become extremely popular and common sight in many households. However, there are just a few people who are able to devise a proper home gym workout program. This is due to the reason that unlike professional gyms, there is no physical trainer to make a proper workout plan. In most cases, people either stop exercising after sometime or they do it without a proper technique. Most of the time, they may be clueless of what they are doing and why they are doing. 

Whether weight loss or weight gain, a good home gym exercise routine can help those who might be confused of what exercises to carry out while exercising at home.

The most essential part of all exercises is to perform warm-up activities. These activities are crucial as the body gets into movement and accumulates the energy to perform the workout. Walking on the treadmill, skipping, and freehand exercises are some of the simple warm-up activities and form the initial step in the home gym workout program.

Those having a home gym are likely to have free weights, barbells, and dumbbells for their exercise. They can begin their workout with such instruments and follow a regular plan for their free weight exercises.

Push-ups and sit-ups are two other vital exercises that should form part of the home gym workout plan. There can be other exercises that can be performed independently. Unlike in professional gyms, there is no need to wait for the turn to complete an exercise. Moreover, individuals can avail convenience of doing exercise on any time of the day.

So, by now you must have got a good inspiration to make your own home gym exercise plan. However, it is always a good choice to consult with a physical trainer and discuss the physical limitations and lifestyle to make a proper workout plan for your home gym. 

Fitness gym right at home to enjoy full privacy when exercising

If you are just about to begin your fitness regime or any other good healthy habits, then you might come across different exciting products to get you started the correct way. Many of us start by working towards our fitness objectives by enrolling at gyms, which can be quite expensive. 

Maybe we go there for a few months before realizing that the gym environment is not so enjoyable, or maybe our hectic work schedule would not allow us to spare adequate time to really take benefit from our gym membership. Undesirably, for many of us, the gym memberships would not even last for a year. 

However, it means that we have to pay the membership fees even if we are not getting the desired results of participating in that fitness training program. Therefore, it makes no sense to enroll for a gym membership which is going to end up costing more than it’s worth. Why not set up a fitness gym right at home?

A home gym can be lot more fun and effectual than performing workouts in a fitness club. The major benefit of a home workout program is that you will not have to wait for using the fitness equipments and machines that you want to. In a fitness club, you will have to wait for your turn to use treadmills, stationary cycles, and other gym equipments, till they become available. Do you think you have ample time for that? Subsequently, if you opt for a home fitness gym, you will not have to wait for your turn. You will never have to wait to use the fitness equipments that you want to.

When exercising at home, it can be fun as you will be able to do it anytime as per your convenience. Moreover, you will not need driving to your fitness club, and workout in the comfort and privacy of your home. In a fitness club, there would be many members that are visiting at a specific time. You will have to wait for long till you get to use particular fitness equipment. However, if you have your own home gym, you are the sole user of your fitness equipments and machines. You can exercise as and when you feel like, maybe in the morning, or in the evening. You can also enjoy working out even on weekends. The best thing is that your home gym will be open even on holidays.

With wide range of fitness equipments and machines available in the market, it will not be difficult to find the equipments which are going to be perfect for your needs. If you are keen on cardiovascular machines, you can opt for a treadmill, stationary cycle or elliptical, that is designed to work well for your fitness goals. You will also find equipments that focus on flexibility, strength, endurance and overall health. No matter what your fitness objectives are, you will surely find the exercising equipment to get you there. 

However, it does not mean that setting your home gym would be expensive and time consuming. All that you need is a small room in your home to keep your fitness equipments, and then you will feel motivated to use them at every opportunity you get. 

Benefits of an effective home fitness program

Nowadays, people have become more health conscious, thanks to the media for spreading knowledge about health and fitness. Many people have become profusely interested in looking for and joining fitness programs.

Whether you have joined a gym or at home, following a fitness workout program has numerous benefits. Firstly, a fitness workout would allow you to lay down your fitness goals, and it comprises a detailed plan on how to achieve those objectives. For example, if you have set your aim to shed at least 5 kilos in just two months, the fitness program can guide you on the daily exercises that need to be done and the type of diet you should have to reach your fitness goal. 

An effective home fitness program should enable you to stay focused and encouraged on the task. The fitness training plan should teach you to abide by the program seriously without being distracted by anything whatsoever. Once you find that you are progressing with commendable success, it can be an indication of the effectiveness of the plan and this will motivate you to complete it.

A home fitness program to be successful should incorporate some major elements. It is always important to choose a program which is effective and worth the money and time invested, so that you can see yourself in excellent health after its completion. A good fitness program should be precise and have clearly defined goals. Thus, if your endeavor is to burn excess fat and reduce body weight, then focus on related workouts instead on muscle building exercises.

Depending on objectives that have been set, you should make a decision if you can workout at home or if you need to join a gym. Then, you would have to determine if you require a personal fitness trainer or not. Nevertheless, it is always advisable to take guidance from a fitness expert both while devising a fitness program and implementing it.

In the end, you should make sure that your fitness program suits your health conditions and fits easily in your schedule. If you set an extremely difficult goal to achieve, then you might not have adequate time for doing the whole set of workouts, and eventually lose interest to go ahead with your fitness program. However, if your targets are practical and modest, it can motivate you to work hard and stick to the routine. Thus, you should make your attempts to strike the right balance and then follow your fitness program so that you accomplish your targets without any difficulty.

Fitness training programs designed to suit health needs

A healthy body and a strong mind is the essence of a good personality. If we have a healthy body, our mind remains joyful and radiant. We are able to concentrate in our work and perform better. Thus, physical fitness is the key to help us look and feel energetic and do our best. A good fitness program allows us to do our work with full vigor and keeps us active to perform tasks and spend quality time with our family and friends. Fitness training is the foundation of good health and overall well being.

Nowadays, people are badly affected by urbanized lifestyle and poor eating habits, which can lead to health problems. Moreover, hectic work schedules, stress and environment pollution also affect our health. Quite often, we are unable to spare time to go to a gym, or take out some time to relax and meditate. However, if we are concerned about our health, we should take the foremost step for fitness training.

Earlier, the concept of personal fitness training was thought to be a necessity only for athletes and muscle builders. These days, the concept is growing with leaps and bounds in several homes. Personal fitness program focuses on providing personal attention to your fitness goals by assessing your fitness progress regularly and making changes in the process if required.

Personal fitness instructors are certified fitness professionals to guide and design a well-tailored workout chart to help you accomplish your specific fitness aim. They are just like tutors that present you with constant motivation and support to achieve a fit and healthy body. A personal fitness instructor by knowing about your health and medical problems can suggest specific exercises which are right for you.

Home fitness instructors pay visit to your home and provide training on how to achieve a healthy body and get into a better shape through fitness workouts. Voyaging with an ‘exercise routine’ with the help of a personal fitness expert can help you to get into good shape, guided with balanced diet, and loads of motivation to a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness training programs are perfect way to pursue the fitness goals with lot of enthusiasm, zeal and fun through yoga, martial arts or dance. Yoga training can help to increase vitality and energy and improve overall health. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety and achieve improved concentration and better posture. 

Fitness training programs designed to suit health needs

A healthy body and a strong mind is the essence of a good personality. If we have a healthy body, our mind remains joyful and radiant. We are able to concentrate in our work and perform better. 

Thus, physical fitness is the key to help us look and feel energetic and do our best. A good fitness program allows us to do our work with full vigor and keeps us active to perform tasks and spend quality time with our family and friends. Fitness training is the foundation of good health and overall well being.

Nowadays, people are badly affected by urbanized lifestyle and poor eating habits, which can lead to health problems. Moreover, hectic work schedules, stress and environment pollution also affect our health. Quite often, we are unable to spare time to go to a gym, or take out some time to relax and meditate. However, if we are concerned about our health, we should take the foremost step for fitness training.

Earlier, the concept of personal fitness training was thought to be a necessity only for athletes and muscle builders. These days, the concept is growing with leaps and bounds in several homes. Personal fitness program focuses on providing personal attention to your fitness goals by assessing your fitness progress regularly and making changes in the process if required.

Personal fitness instructors are certified fitness professionals to guide and design a well-tailored workout chart to help you accomplish your specific fitness aim. They are just like tutors that present you with constant motivation and support to achieve a fit and healthy body. A personal fitness instructor by knowing about your health and medical problems can suggest specific exercises which are right for you.

Home fitness instructors pay visit to your home and provide training on how to achieve a healthy body and get into a better shape through fitness workouts. Voyaging with an ‘exercise routine’ with the help of a personal fitness expert can help you to get into good shape, guided with balanced diet, and loads of motivation to a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness training programs are perfect way to pursue the fitness goals with lot of enthusiasm, zeal and fun through yoga, martial arts or dance. Yoga training can help to increase vitality and energy and improve overall health. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety and achieve improved concentration and better posture. 

Home fitness programs to transform from fat to fit this festive season

New Year is around the corner, and it is time to make new resolutions. Most people suffering from obesity may set their goals of losing weight but fall short of success as they lack persistent commitment. 

However, it is never too late to make a fresh attempt. This year, why not take the full benefit of making a steadfast resolution to attain the perfect shape that you always desired. Here are some tips that can make your home fitness program show a big difference without having to reiterate your pledge next season.

A fitness program can offer great results when we have set a measurable, achievable goal and select a realistic time period thereby making it easy to manage and conquer. Whatever the goals might be, they should be short and realistic. Nevertheless, you can possibly add another goal after you have attained the first one.

Goals that we view on paper, we can make it happen. This will help to remind you when you are losing sight of your goal.  Most people, who successfully reach their fitness goals, stick their goal sheet in places they can see clearly, such as the bathroom mirror, on the back of the door and even on office desk. Moreover, you can add it to your calendar to check every week, and make sure that you follow it consistently.

It can be a good idea to hire a personal fitness trainer who can motivate and suggest you exercises which are best for your specific body type. A professional trainer can devise a fitness program that would help you to shed your extra pounds. A fitness expert would take into account your eating habits, health issues, working conditions and limitations to design a custom tailored program that is perfect for you. This is the time when you should put your exercise regime on the priority list and take out time to relieve your stress and keep your body fit and healthy.