You'll look great!

Lifting weights will help your clothes fit better. If you don't lift weights you can say so long to

toned muscles. Research shows that between the ages of 30 and 50, you're likely to lose 10 percent of the total muscle on your body. And that percentage will double by the time you're 60! Worst yet, that lost muscle is likely to be replaced by fat over time. According to a study done by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists there found that even people who maintained their body weights for up to 38 years, lost 3 pounds of muscle and added 3 pounds of fat per decade. Not only does that make you look flabby, it increases your waist size. That's because 1 pound of fat takes up 18 percent more space on your body than 1 pound of muscle. So keep pushing those weights and you'll look great!

Burn Baby Burn!

Want to burn calories while sitting on the couch? Well, just have your self a good weight lifting session and that’s what will happen. Why you ask?

Your muscles need energy to repair and upgrade your muscle fiber after each resistance- training workout. For instance, a University of Wisconsin study found that when people performed a total-body workout comprised of just three big muscle exercises, their metabolisms were elevated for 39 hours afterward. The exercisers also burned a greater percentage of calories from fat during this time, compared with those who didn't lift.

But what about during your workout? After all, many experts say jogging burns more calories than weight training. Turns out, when scientists at the University of Southern Maine used an advanced method to estimate energy expenditure, they found that lifting burns as many as 71 percent more calories as originally thought. The researchers calculated that performing just one circuit of eight exercises-which takes about eight minutes-can expend 159 to 231 calories. That’s about the same number burned by running at a 6-minute-mile pace for the same duration.

The Weight Lifting Advantage

While using aerobic exercise to lose stomach fat is very important, weight training is much more valuable. Lifting weights will help you lose weight AND build muscle. Don't believe me? Read on.

According to an article in the Men’s Health Big Book of Exercise, Penn State University researchers put overweight people on a reduced calorie diet and divided them into three groups. One group didn’t exercise, another did aerobic exercise 3 days a week and the last group did both aerobic exercise and weight training 3 days a week. Each of the groups lost nearly the same amount of weight-around 21 pounds. The difference being those that lifted weights lost 6 more pounds of fat than those that didn’t. Why? Because the lifters’ weight loss was almost pure fat, while the other two groups lost just 15 pounds of fat and several pounds of muscle. That amounts to 40% greater fat loss. This isn’t a one time finding. According to the same article, research shows that 75% of non lifting dieters’ weight loss is from fat while 25% is from muscle. That 25% may reduce your scale weight but it doesn’t do a lot for your reflection in the mirror. It also makes you more likely to gain back the fat you lost. However, if you weight train as you diet, you’ll protect your hard-earned muscle and burn more fat instead. It’s like liposuction: The whole point is to remove unwanted fat, right? Ok. Then that’s exactly what you should demand from your workout.

Nutritional Guidelines

1. You will need to eat two 1 cup servings of Fruit per day. One with breakfast and one with mid morning snack (your choice of fruit)> But do not eat fruit after 2pm or 8 hours before bed.
2. You will need to eat two 1-cup servings of Carbs per day. One with breafast and one with lunch (your choice of carbs). But do not eat carbs after 3pm or 7 hours before bed.
3. You will need to eat 3 to 4 cups of veggies per day. One cup with lunch, one cup with mid day snack (if you feel you need to) and two cups with dinner>
4. You will need to eat small amounts of protein with each meal and your snack times between meals. Protein is 80% of your daily diet.
5. You will need to keep your calories at 1200 to no more than 1400 per day for Women and 1800 to 2000 per day for Men.
6. These basic guides will increaseyour RMR (resting metabolism rate). So your body can burn fat like its meant to.
7. You will need to drink 20 oz. of water per every 50lbs of body weight. (60 oz. minimum per day.)
8. You will need to take your multi-vitamins twice per day ( 1 at breakfast and 1 at dinner).

Cardiovascular Training Guidelines

1. Choose a low impact activity involving repetitive, fluid movement which incorporates the large muscle groups of the lower and/or upper body.
2. Warm Up: For approximately 5 minutes, warm up with light activity such as walking and light total body stretching.
3. Begin your cardiovascular activity slowly and gradually increase the intensity so that your heart rate begins to elevate to 60% of your maximum heart rate.
4. Work at an intensity of 60-80% of your maximum heart rate for a continuous period of time, anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes.
5. Warm Down: Gradually reduce the intensity so that the heart rate drops to approximately 50% of your maximum heart rate. Your warm down should last approximately 5 minutes.
6. Finish each session with a complete stretching session. Improvements in range of motion will be made if the muscles are stretched when the body is warm and the blood flow to the muscles stretched is high.
7. Be sure to drink 4-8 oz. of water 10-15 minutes before, during and after exercise.
8. When using a cardiovascular machine, always run in Manual Mode. There is no machine that understands your body better than your own heart. Allow the heart to guide the machine, not the other way around.

Computing Your Target Heart Rate

Theoretical Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - age

1. Maximum Heart Rate
2. Target Heart Rate
3. Low end (60%)
4. High end (80%)

Example: 40 year old

1. Maximum Heart Rate

220-40=180 BPM (Beats Per Minute)

2. Target Heart Rate

60%= 180 x .6 = 108 BPM

80%= 180 x .8 = 144 BPM

3. Warm Down Heart Rate

50%= 180 x .5 = 90 BPM

One last thing before you start

Before you begin to exercise here are some final points that need to be considered:

• Choose an exercise programme most suited to your needs-if you are a beginner do not attempt to join an advanced class.
• Always look at your own pace, monitoring yourself, 'listening' to your own body. Never compete with others; you are training to develop your own capabilities, not compare them with others..
• Control your breathing and never hold your breath. Exhale with effort.
• Check often to make sure you are performing the exercise or movement correctly.
• Do not eat 2hrs before exercising so that your digestive system doesn't have to compete with your working muscles for blood supply.
• Always drink water before, during and after exercise.
• Avoid exercises that place needless strain on your body because of awkward positions, excessive speed and bouncing in one spot.
• And last but certainly not least, Always respond to pain by stopping immediately.

Before you begin...

As a lifestyle consultant I am often asked by potential clients “how do I start an exercise regimen”. “Is there something special that I have to do”? These questions are mostly asked by clients who are concerned about health risks and injury. While I am very happy that these questions are asked by some, they really should be asked by all who are interested in starting an exercise program. It’s because of this lack of inquiry that trainers have come up with a set of questions that all clients must answer before they begin training. I thought it would be cool to share it with you.

Before you begin exercising, answer the following questions with a “yes” or “no”.
· Has your doctor ever told you that your blood pressure was too high?
· Has your doctor ever told you that you are predisposed to a heart or circulatory problem?
· Do you often feel faint, dizzy or suffer headaches?
· Do you ever feel a tightness or pain in the chest?
· Are you extremely underweight or overweight?
· Do you suffer from any metabolic disease, such as diabetes?
· Do you suffer from a breathing disorder, such as asthma?
· Do you have any bone or joint problem, such as arthritis?
· Are you taking any drugs or medication?
· Are you over 40, sedentary or a new comer to exercise?
· Are you pregnant, or have you been pregnant recently?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. If you did answer “yes”, don’t be discouraged. As I said before, anyone can exercise. For your own safety, if you have preexisting conditions, it’s best to let a doctor give you the thumbs up beforehand so your trainer will know how best to train you. On the other hand, all you “no” responders are good to go. These questions were designed with you in mind so your exercise experience can be the safest possible. Always keep in mind that you are exercising to grow fitter and more healthy-not to imperil your well-being.