AtoZ Fitness Weekly Newsletter  Nov.15 2006 Edition
  • In this Nov.15th 2006 issue:

This Week's AtoZfitness Featured E-Books

Attention: Adults Who Often Feel Tired or Sleep Deprived...

Want To Learn A Sleep Secret That Not Only Doubles Your Energy, But Also Gives You 1 to 3 Extra
Free Hours Every Day — Starting
Your Very First Night!?! "
Click Here To Learn More About Power Sleeping
.

  
Please Click-Here if you wish to unsubscribe.


* HOT OFF THE PRESSES *

Download Your FREE Evaluation Version of
Fat Loss Revealed

What’s different about the FLR system is we have taken all the hard work out of it, laid everything out, we have created pre made diets you can download, online tools to keep you on track and motivated, a support forum, with advisors there to assist you with any questions, an online meal planner and much more. In short, we have taken all the time consuming elements and simplified them so you can just get on with the important part, looking after what you need to do which is just to follow the information.

Click-Here to get your copy or Click-Here to visit the Fat Loss Revealed website.!

 
  This Weeks AtoZfitness's Featured advertiser.

AtoZfitness newsletter Introduction

Hi there!

11.11. wow. Some date, huh? November 11, at 11 a.m. in 1918 in a railway wagon parked in Versailles, France – the Germans were forced into signing a treaty ending World War I. Of course, it was the – to them – unfairness of that treaty (taking land from them) which started WWII in 1936, but for today the interest is in the signature in Versailles on 11.11. 1918 at 11 a.m.

So, with the Germans in mind, what better to talk about than potatoes? A staple food in that country (and many others as well).

POTATOES MUST BE STORED CORRECTLY

You cannot store it just any place, even if you can use it for just about anything. Cool places are best suited for storage as the potato can develop poisonous substances when exposed to light and shocks. This substance is called
glycoalkaloids and may provoke tummy trouble such as diarrhea, throwing up, stomach pains, fever and head aches. More rarely it can provoke neurological changes such as balance problems and disturbed sight. These symptoms normally go away in time.mptoms normally go away in time.

We all react differently to these substances, the types of potatoes contain them in different quantities, and the combination with other foods comes into account as well. Very few people ever encounter any trouble when consuming potatoes.

The potatoes should be stored in a cool and dark place, that will keep them longer, but too cold and they turn sweet. The ideal temperature is 5-6 degrees Celsius.

Try buying your potatoes in stores, which keep them in paper bags, away from light.

Wow, now there’s a startling piece of information. How many of us keep our potatoes in a wire basket in the kitchen? I know I used to, and I’ve seen many do it. Guess we’ll have to rethink our storage - again. What will they come up with next?

This information will absolutely not stop me from having potatoes on a regular basis, and I have never had just the potato alone without some vegetable, salad and protein (fish, egg or meat), and never experienced any of the symptoms listed above.

Sarah, R.A. PT (UK)
 

 
  Nick Nilsson's Weekly Fitness Tips

Stop Wasting Your Protein Powder! How To Squeeze More Results Out Of Each Scoop Of Protein Powder You Take

By Nick Nilsson

Without knowing when and how to take your protein powder for best results, you could be flushing your gains directly down the toilet!

It doesn't matter what brand or type of protein powder you take...if you are taking it at the wrong time, you aren't getting as much out of it as you could be. In fact, if you take your protein powder at the wrong time, you may as well just dump it in the garbage!

Here is a list of the when, why and how of effective protein supplementation, ranked in order of importance.

1. Immediately After A Workout

If you only take protein powder once per day, this is the absolute best time to take it. Immediately after you finish your workout, your body needs raw materials to rebuild and recover with. If you don't supply the raw materials through eating, your body will break down muscle from elsewhere in your body in order to rebuild the damaged areas. This is very counterproductive as you can well imagine.

By taking in some protein (20 to 30 grams or so) within minutes after exercise, you provide your body with the raw materials it needs to recover without breaking down its own muscle tissue.

2. An Hour After A Workout

About an hour following a workout, your body has settled down from the excitement and is ready to really start rebuilding. The protein that you took in immediately following the workout has been metabolized and your body is looking for more. Another protein shake at this time is a good way to help speed recovery. Try to take in another 20 to 30 grams about an hour after working out.

3. First Thing In The Morning

Immediately upon waking, or as soon after that as you can manage, take a scoop of protein powder. Your body has just been through an (approximately) 8 hour fast and is hungry for nutrients. Feed your body!

Protein powder is more quickly assimilated than solid food and gets into your muscles faster. This protein shot gives your metabolism a boost, which can help with fat loss. Be sure to follow it with a good breakfast, of course.

4. Last Thing At Night

Prepare your body for the long overnight fast by giving it a little something to work with. A good combination for this purpose is to mix a scoop of whey protein in with a small glass of milk.

Whey is what's known as a "fast" protein, meaning that it's digested quickly, while milk protein (casein) is what's known as a "slow" protein, meaning it's digested relatively slowly. At night, you want your protein to be metabolized slowly so that your body gets a more even supply over the course of the night. By mixing "fast" and "slow" proteins, you get the benefits of the higher-quality whey with the slower digestion time of the milk.

5. In-between Meals

A quick protein shake can be a great snack in between meals. It helps keep your body supplied with protein all day long. This is especially useful if you tend to have long periods of time in-between meals. It could mean the difference between losing muscle and building or keeping muscle!

6. With Meals

Taking a protein supplement with meals is a handy way to increase the protein content of a meal. This is perfect for when you eat
a meal that is somewhat low in protein.

7. In The Middle Of The Night

This is a trick that bodybuilders sometimes use in order to keep their muscles supplied with protein throughout the night. Keep a pre-mixed protein shake right beside your bed. Although some trainers have been known to set alarms to wake up to drink it, I prefer to have it there waiting just in case I wake up, but I don't try to wake up on purpose. If I don't wake up, it's right there ready for me to drink first thing in the morning! This strategy is more targeted for muscle growth rather than fat loss.

WARNING!  Never drink a protein supplement immediately before working out!

Some people do this thinking that it will give them an energy boost or give them a head-start for post-workout recovery. Basically, all it does is sit in their stomach and bloat them up. Valuable blood that should be going to working muscles gets sent to the digestive system to try and digest it. The same warning goes for taking protein during a workout. Don't do it!

Taking protein powder is not going to make up for poor diet or a bad program but it can definitely help to support you in your training efforts. Take it at the right time and you'll get the most bang for your buck!

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available by clicking here!
 

If you have any questions about this training tip or any other fitness information, please feel free to contact us at
betteru@fitstep.com .

 
 
These health, fitness and training tips are sponsored by
“Fitness-eBooks.com” http://www.atozfitness.com/dt/t.php?id=129

Here you'll find powerful, innovative training eBooks to help
you achieve your goals as quickly as possible.

Click-Here to Learn 53 of the most powerful, innovative and groundbreaking exercises on the planet!
 

Click-Here to download Nick's 4 e-book sampler.
Learn targeted fat loss techniques, unique abdominal exercises, specific exercises and programs for building the glutes, and innovative training for the whole body.

You'll get free sample versions of FOUR training ebooks in this powerful bundle - it's PACKED with incredible information.

Click-Here to check out these combination offers Nick
has put together to save you MONEY !!!

 
 
  Weekly Featured Recipe by GHF:

Vegetable Soup with Rice

Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients:
  • 2 quarts plus 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2 zucchini, diced
  • 24 ounces canned Great Northern beans, undrained
  • 2-1/4 cups instant rice
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lowfat Parmesan cheese, grated
 
Directions:
  • Bring stock and carrots to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.
  • Stir in next 4 ingredients and cook 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
 
Nutritional Information:
  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 330
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg
  • Protein: 15 g
  • Carbs: 63 g
  • Fiber: 10 g
  • Sodium: 145 mg
 

                

Fit Tip of the Day
New research involving pregnant women indicates a link between caffeine consumption and harm to the fetus. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that drinking two cups of coffee (equivalent to 200 mg of caffeine) or more a day can lead to growth retardation or loss of the fetus. Hold the caffeine during pregnancy!
 

For more details on this offer, click here .

GHF's quarterly membership fee is only $59.99 less than the cost of one hour with a personal trainer, and provides you with your own fitness instructor, dietician, personal motivator, and 24-hour exercise and nutrition resource. In my opinion this is excellent value, and means it's affordable for almost everyone!  
For more details on this offer,
click here



 
 
  Featured Fitness Article:
Why Can’t I get Bigger Part 1

"I'm so frustrated! I cannot get any bigger and I'm not getting stronger!" Sound familiar? Maybe you've said it yourself. You go to the gym religiously, spend hour after hour doing bench presses for your chest, rows and pull downs for your back, barbell curls and triceps extensions for you arms yet nothing is happening. Or at least not what you were hoping for when you started bodybuilding.

Here's a true story: Some years ago I was approached by a gym buddy who asked me what my thoughts were on his training. His frustration was over the fact that in over 3 years of working out and lifting weights, his physique had changed only minimally and his lifts were not much better than when he had started.

I had been watching him and sometimes working out with him for a couple of years so I was aware of his training style: On chest days he would typically start off with some warm-up reps and then would get started on the flat bench. He would usually pyramid up from a starting weight where he would do 12-15 reps and typically would finish at about 4 reps on his sixth set!

Then, he'd usually go to the incline bench, grab the heaviest weight he could handle for 5 or 6 reps and would do another 4 sets with that. He would then go to an incline chair and do more incline dumbbell flyes. After this, he would further blast his poor chest muscles with pec deck, decline and sometimes cable flyes. By the time he was done with just his chest, he'd spent almost an hour and typically had done anywhere from 20 to 30 sets!

What this guy didn't need was advice, he needed a REST! He was so overworking his chest muscles that by the time he came back to work them the following session (sometimes only 4 days later); they could not possibly recuperate/recover from the blasting he had just given them. If this guy had been in his 20's he might have had a chance but the fact that he was in his early 40's only made things worse.

This story perfectly illustrates one of the main reasons why people have such a hard time building muscle: Overtraining.

Muscles grow by being subjected to stress. You lift a weight, stress the muscle and if all goes well, in time that muscle will grow to accommodate the stress being put on it. But the muscle does not grow while you are in the gym. That is when you are actually breaking down the muscle. The growth/repair comes when you give your body enough time to repair the muscle that has been worked thereby allowing it to grow. Overtraining occurs when the muscle is put under too much stress and the recovery time is not enough for it to repair itself.

Another example of a specific muscle being over trained is the biceps/triceps group. Too many times, I'll get to they gym, start my workout and see some guy doing biceps. Set after set after exhausting set. I'm done with my workout and they're still doing curls. It is unnecessary and counterproductive.
So What Is The Exact Number Of Sets I Should Do?

There is no set formula for any one person. What works for you might not work for me. What works for an 18 year old will almost certainly not work for a 50 year old! The truth is that it is trial and error. You will have to find the "sweet spot" in your training that allows you to stress your muscle fibers but also allows you to come back on your next session and blast them again. As a very general rule and depending on age and experience, hitting each muscle group twice a week should be something to shoot for. But if you are not making gains, take a look at both the number of sets you're doing and the frequency that you're working a group. Remember, sometimes less is more!

In Part 2 of this series, I'll touch on another reason why you might not be making any gains - Stagnant Training

Mike Berg has been a bodybuilding and fitness enthusiast and trainer for over 20 years. After leading an unhealthy lifestyle throughout his late teens and early 20's, Mike devoted himself to changing his lifestyle to one of fitness.

In 1998, Mike started MillenniumFitness.com, an online retailer supplying the bodybuilding community with bodybuilding supplements at prices that were finally affordable.
 
Now at 50 years old, Mike is still devoted to helping people achieve their fitness goals whether they are weight loss or bodybuilding.

For more great bodybuilding articles and fantastic prices on cutting edge supplements, visit his website at http://www.millenniumfitness.com 
 
If you would like to submit an article to our readers please contact submissions@atozfitness.com
  AtoZfitness Recommends Dr. John Berardi

Sarah and I just returned from a John Berardi seminar in Ottawa and Sarah will have more details on John's mind-blowing seminar next week in her introduction . In the meantime I wanted to share this great article Dr.berardi wrote.
Lewis

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs
by Dr.John Berardi
 

Take a look around the nutrition world. Confusing, isn’t it?

Conflicting advice is everywhere, and you’re stuck in the middle. You wonder whether anyone out there even knows what they’re talking about, or whether the experts will ever reach a consensus on anything. You start to wonder whether you’ll need a degree in nutritional biochemistry before you can lose that stubborn abdominal fat.

So what’s the deal? Why so much confusion? Why does one expert suggest that high protein is best for everyone, while another expert suggests high carb and yet another expert suggests high fat? Besides, what exactly do high protein, high carb, and high fat really mean? And why are other experts telling us that food choices should be based on our "metabolic type," our "blood type," or our "ancestry"?

One expert says to eat like a Neanderthal and another says eat like a Visigoth, or perhaps a Viking. But while searching for nutritional Valhalla, most people just get lost and eat like a Modern American—and end up looking more Sumo than Samurai.

These days, we have a cacophony of expertise: lots of confusing noise from the experts drowning out the signal of truth.

On the surface, it appears as if today’s nutrition technology is quite advanced. After all, we have at our disposal more nutrition information than ever before. More money is being spent on nutrition research than in any time in history. Every day, impressive strides are being made in the field. Dozens of nutrition experts are rising to prominence. Yet simultaneously we’re witnessing a steadily increasing rate of obesity, an increase in nutrition-related illness (Diabetes, CVD, and Syndrome X), and an increase in nutrition-related mortality.

Part of the problem is that much of the information hasn’t reached the people who need it. Part of the problem is that even when it does reach those people, they often don’t use it. And certainly, the problem is multifactorial—there are probably many more reasons than I can list here.

How much more information do we need?

But the curious thing is that many people try to solve the problem by seeking out more information. They know it all and still want more. If there’s one thing of which I am absolutely convinced, it’s that a lack of good nutrition information isn’t what prevents us from reaching our goals. We already know everything we need to know. Sometimes the real problem isn’t too little information but too much.

All the fundamental principles you need to achieve good health and optimal body composition are out there already, and have been for years. Unfortunately, with 500 experts for every fundamental principle, and very little money to be made from repeating other people’s ideas, experts must continually emphasize the small (and often relatively unimportant) differences between their diet/eating plans and the diet/eating plans of all the other experts out there.

In the world of advertising and marketing, this is called "differentiation." By highlighting the small distinctions and dimming out the large similarities between their program and all the others, they’re jostling for your next nutritional dollar.

Now, and let me be clear on this, I’m not accusing nutrition experts of quackery.

Yes, some programs are utter crap. Those are generally quite easy to pick out and don’t merit discussion here. But most experts do know what they are talking about, can get results, and wholeheartedly believe in what they’re doing. Many of the differences between them are theoretical and not practical, and on the fundamentals they generally agree completely.

It’s all good — sorta

In fact, many of the mainstream programs out there, if not most of them, will work. To what extent they work, and for how long, varies. As long as a program is internally consistent, follows a few basic nutritional tenets, and as long as you adhere to it consistently, without hesitation, and without mixing principles haphazardly taken from other programs, you’ll get some results. It’s that simple, and that hard (as you can see, results depend as much on psychology as on biochemistry).

But if you’re like most people, you’ll first survey all the most often discussed programs before deciding which to follow. And in this appraisal, you’ll get confused, lost, and then do the inevitable. That’s right, you’ll revert back to your old, ineffectual nutrition habits.

Instead of parsing out the similarities between all the successful plans out there, the common principles that affect positive, long-term change, you get thrown off the trail by the stench of the steaming piles of detail.

The Atkins program works for all patients under the direct care of the Atkins team—as long as patients follow it. The Zone program works for all patients under the direct care of the Sears team —as long as they follow it. The Pritkin Diet works for all patients under the care of the Pritkin team— as long as they follow it.

Yet, not all three plans are identical. How, then, can they all get impressive improvements in health and body composition? Well, either each team somehow magically draws the specific patient subpopulations most in need of their plan (doubtful) or each system possesses some basic fundamental principles that are more important than the ratios of protein to carbs to fats.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs

Here’s my take on it. I call these principles, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs," a shameless and possibly illegal play on Steven Covey’s book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." (Great book, by the way—you should read it sometime.)

These aren’t the newest techniques from the latest cutting-edge plan. Rather, they are simple, time-tested, no nonsense habits that you need to get into when designing a good eating program.

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.

2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal.

3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.

4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.

5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).

6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.

7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).
So what about calories, or macronutrient ratios, or any number of other things that I’ve covered in other articles? The short answer is that if you aren’t already practicing the above-mentioned habits, and by practicing them I mean putting them to use over 90% of the time (i.e., no more than 4 meals out of an average 42 meals per week violate any of those rules), everything else is pretty pointless.

Moreover, many people can achieve the health and the body composition they desire using the 7 habits alone. No kidding! In fact, with some of my clients I spend the first few months just supervising their adherence to these 7 rules—an effective but costly way to learn them.

If you’ve reached the 90% threshold, you may need a bit more individualization beyond the 7 habits. If so, search around on this site. Many of these little tricks can be found in my many articles published right here. But before looking for them, before assuming you’re ready for individualization; make sure you’ve truly mastered the 7 habits. Then, while keeping the 7 habits as the consistent foundation, tweak away.

Of course, if you want a complete guide to doing this yourself, I strongly recommend you pick up a copy of Precision Nutrition, where I'll show you in great detail exactly what to do.

For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out our complete system, Precision Nutrition. Containing 5 nutrition guides, two audio CDs, two DVDs, and our Gourmet Nutrition cookbook, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

And what's more, you get a free lifetime membership to our private, members-only website, where you can talk exercise and nutrition 24/7 with thousands of fellow members and the Precision Nutrition coaches. Find out more about Precision Nutrition.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off! Offer expires November 30th, 2006.

 

 
  Danny M. O’Dell, M.A. CSCS*D Explosivelyfit strength Training

Preparing to lift

Physical fitness isn’t just running until you drop into a heap of sweat and are unable to complain any longer to your friends about this or that ache or injury. If you are serious about your sport there is a specific path to take in your quest for greatness and that begins with developing your general preparation program. 

Building a strong base of physical fitness is absolutely essential for anyone aspiring to be better in their chosen athletic endeavor. This initial phase is devoted toward getting into superior shape and setting the tone for the next training cycle. This time is spent on activity other than the specialized sport unless the athlete has an identified need that must be addressed during this time.

Over all physical fitness is the goal. This includes all of the joints, ligaments and muscles in addition to the rest of the supporting structures especially those which have been acknowledged as being the weak areas of the body. High volume is king in this cycle with the emphasis being placed on many different exercises for the joints.

The repertoire of movements consist of bending, leaning, swinging and twisting first without, and then with, added external resistance using bands, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells and medicine balls. Performing such exercise patterns helps to augment the all important proprioceptive feedback for the athlete.

While engaged in these moves keep the heart rate in the upper percentage ranges, i.e. 80-85% THR as this will systematically increase the aerobic and cardiovascular capabilities. Add in jumping, hitting, running and throwing for the younger athlete and the program is nearly complete.

Nearly complete, but not quite as the strength portion needs to be included in the schedule to finish the general preparatory phase. Research and experience have clearly demonstrated that a stronger athlete is less susceptible to injury.

Initially, in this preparatory segment, bodyweight is used for the exercises of those who are just entering resistance training. For all others, the use of external resistance takes on a preeminent role. The program consisting of high repetitions is required to strengthen the joints, ligaments and tendons and is thus inserted into the program at this juncture.

Dividing the body into the upper, middle and lower torso will enable the athlete to devote the proper amount of time to strengthen each portion. Remember to do high repetitions for these exercises and high reps in this phase of your training means in the twenties to the fifties for two to four sets. And don’t be spending all day on these; just get in the gym do them and move on with your day. The sequence should be finished in less than an hour. Pick one or two exercises from each of the following, do the reps and sets and then move onto the next area of the torso.

A few of the most useful exercises for the upper torso include:

The head

Flexions and extensions along with circumduction movements.

The shoulders

      Military presses

      Behind the neck military presses

      Lat pull downs

      Front, side and rear raises

The chest

      Bench presses

      Decline bench presses

      Incline bench presses

      Bar dips

      Cable cross-overs

The upper back

      Barbell rows

      Chin ups

      Prone rows

Arms

      Bicep curls

      Concentration curls

      Pull ups

      Triceps extensions

      Triceps push downs

      Push ups

Forearms

      Wrist curls

      Wrist extensions

      Radial and ulna deviations

The middle torso

      Crunches

      Sit ups

      Sit ups with a twist

      Back extensions

      Back extensions with a twist

      Bridges with and without external weight

      Floor side bends

      Reverse sit ups

      Glute-ham sit ups

      Roman chair sit ups

      Hanging leg raises

      Twisting hanging leg raises

      High leg (to the bar) hanging leg raises

The lower body will benefit from these exercises performed in high volume fashion:

      Squats

      Overhead squats

      Lunges

      Leg presses

      Bench squats

      Dead lifts

      Good mornings

      Glute-ham raises

      Abductions and flexions of the hip joint

      Leg curls

      Calf raises

This preparation period should last at least three months with the ideal range being anywhere from one to four, depending on the athlete. At the terminal end point of the cycle a gradual shift of priorities begins to take place with a transition into the specialized training phase of the year. It is during this time that more specialized exercises are introduced in growing numbers into the schedule.

As could be expected, in the first month of the specialized program, there will be a certain amount of general preparation exercise carry over training before the full specialization discipline begins in earnest.

Placing these guidelines into the yearly training cycle will not necessarily make you a champion but it will most assuredly get your body closer to the ultimate goal you may have set for yourself.


About your strength coach

Danny M. O'Dell
Explosivelyfit strength Training

Author, nationally and internationally recognized fitness advocate and speaker, conditioning and strength coach..

His articles have been published in national and international magazines describing the benefits of becoming stronger, more powerful and living the healthy lifestyle. He writes for various online and print publications including The Washington Coach magazine, The Weightroom press magazine in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, Successful Coaching in London, England, FitForces.com and Atozfitness.com located in Montreal, Canada, Sportspecific.com, and the Outpost newspaper in northeastern Washington.

Danny focuses on developing the success of each of his students and trainees by motivating and encouraging them to believe in their individual abilities and by never giving up on their dreams and aspirations. The athletes he has trained have successfully competed at the state and international levels. They have accomplished record breaking lifts and returned home with many trophies awarded for their hard work, individual goal achievement and team success..

Danny is a national and internationally recognized fitness presenter. In addition, he is the author of the following training manuals: A Comprehensive Approach to Shoulder Training and Injury Resistance, Composite Training, Strength Training Secrets,The Ten Essentials, and The Ultimate Bench Press Manual and Wilderness Basics..

These are complemented by several smaller handbooks covering strength and fitness at home and in the gym: The Twenty Minute Dumbbell Routine, Workout at Home, Push up Power, and The little handbook of chin up progressions.

 

 
   Lynn Bode Workouts for you Fit Tips

Six Week Holiday Survival Plan: Stay Fit and Stress Free

Although the holiday season is meant for a time of rejoicing, relaxing and spending time with the ones we love, it more often than not ends up being a hectic time laden with stress. This stress often leads to abandonment of exercise routines, overeating and lack of sleep. And, all of these resulting issues actually cause more stress which can result in a vicious circle.

It doesn’t have to be that way! With a little planning and common sense, you can turn this holiday season around right now and truly enjoy the time while also taking care of yourself. Use the six-week holiday survival guide below to stay fit, healthy and stress free (or at least less stressful) during this year’s festivities.

Six Weeks Out

Start by marking down the dates you have specific commitments that can’t be altered (e.g. dinner with your Aunt and Uncle, office holiday party, etc).

Commit to a minimum of 60 minutes per week of cardio activity and 30 minutes per week of strength training. It doesn’t matter how long each session is only that you complete the total amount in each seven day period. So, you may do 10 minutes one day, 5 minutes the next and 20 minutes another day. These sessions should also be scheduled as appointments on your calendar. The 60 minutes is a minimum if you can fit in a little cardio every day that will be even better as it will help keep your metabolism revved up.

Promise to be realistic with your treat indulgences. A small piece of pie two or three times during the season and a few cookies here and there is perfectly fine. After all, if you are too strict with yourself you won’t have an enjoyable season and may ultimately indulge to an extreme. But, also don’t allow yourself a free-for-all on calories for six weeks or you’ll be starting the new year with the unwanted gift of extra pounds!

Make a list of everything you need to do to prepare for the holidays. Mark the items that you most look forward to doing. For some this may be decorating your house or getting gifts ready for charity (it can be anything – remember this is YOUR list).

Now get your calendar or online scheduler and mark the days that you will complete each of the above tasks (keeping in mind the days you already marked for commitments).

For the items that you didn’t mark (the ones you might actually dread), consider first if they are necessary to do. If so, then find ways to make them more enjoyable.  For example, if you despise going to a shopping mall, then purchase gifts online or make shopping more of an event – include a special lunch (alone or with someone) and maybe a manicure for yourself to break up the day.

Be sure to also include in your schedule simple holiday pleasures (baking with kids or other loved ones, checking out a holiday flick at the theatre, etc.)

Strive to get as much as is reasonable done before the three weeks out mark. This will help you decrease your last minute stresses and help you stay on track with your eating and fitness.

Less Than Three Weeks Out

Evaluate your fitness and eating progress for the past three weeks. Have you been able to stick to your 60 and 30 minute commitments? If so, give yourself a pat on the back and keep going strong! If not, ask yourself why not? What’s gotten in the way of your plan? And, is it really more important than taking care of yourself?

Have you been eating 5 meals per day, drinking enough water and limiting your indulgences? If you’ve been skipping meals and eating cookies every day, then it’s time to reevaluate your plan to determine how to get back on track with your time.

If despite your best efforts, you are feeling behind on your tasks then why not hire some help and consider it a gift to yourself. Think about how much your time is truly worth (remember, time is money) and contract out accordingly. For example, consider hiring a cleaning service to clean your house either for that upcoming party you are hosting or just for your sanity.

You might also consider using a gift wrapping service. Also, use the time management strategy of delegation, and assign some tasks to other family members.

Don’t forget to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep leads to stress and stress leads to overeating. Fast forward to January and all those hours of sleep you missed have now manifested as extra fat on your body!

One Week Out

This is not the time to rush around in a frenzy, lose sleep and get cranky with the ones you love because you’re stressed out. If you have a long list of to-dos left then it’s time to do some cutting.

Many of us do what we do during the holiday season just because we always have and think we have to stick to traditions. But, do you really need to make 100 chocolate balls? It’s time to drop some items from your list so that your holiday can actually be festive.

Don’t give up on your healthy eating and fitness plan during the last week. You’ve made it this far (hopefully) so don’t give up when your on the finish line. Stick to your 60 and 30 commitment and you’ll feel refreshed after the holiday rush has ended rather than feeling like you are ready to hibernate. If you haven’t met your weekly commitments don’t throw in the towel. Regroup and try to meet you goal during this last week.


 Workouts For You Fit Tipss
Bio:
Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For Youu, which provides men and women of all fitness levels with custom designed workout programs for their individual needs. As an early pioneer in online personal training, she has years of success helping people through the Internet.

  • TrainerForce venture, she brings her Internet experience and technology to personal trainers around the world to help them leverage the power of online training to help their clients..


  •  
      AtoZfitness Featured Advertiser
      Impact-Photography Featured Image

    Want MORE great images ? Motivate yourself all day long .

    Receive our FREE  screen saver which features 17 images of stunningly photogenic athletes and bodybuilders, taken by Impact Photography, which specializes in male physique photography.
    Each image is accompanied by an inspirational message to motivate athletes, bodybuilders and fitness buffs of all levels. The screen saver is suitable for business office and home viewing.
    The screen saver is free to anyone who visits http://www.atozfitness.com/
     
     
      Turbulence Training Weekly Fit-Tip:
    Question: I work with a client that is continually dealing with a lack of motivation with respect to training and her fat loss goals. Any help?

    Answer: Here are three motivational tips gleamed from experience and study:

    1. Set small, attainable goals in order that they will propel you into future success. For example, set a simple goal that you will avoid excess food at parties this weekend. And set another goal as simple as having a great workout tomorrow. A third example is setting a small goal of losing 1 pound of fat in the next 10 days without losing muscle mass. Set these small goals to get the ball rolling, and success will breed success.

    2. Tell everyone that you know that you are going to lose 5 pounds of fat.

    Telling everyone creates accountability. Most people have the integrity to see things through and don't want to let other people down on their promises.

    3. Enlist social support. The support can come from your spouse, sibling, parents, children, friend, neighbor, co-worker, personal trainer, or lifestyle coach. Research suggests that the best support comes from a health professional such as a doctor or nurse. Social support is the #1 factor for a woman's success in fitness programs. Don't try to go it alone. Get some support. It will make the journey more fun and more effective.

    Click-Here for details on the Turbulence Training program.

     
      Marina Bradford's Slim Club:

    Alcohol And Weight Loss

     A common concern for slimmers is “can I drink while I diet?"  We all know alcohol is fine in moderation but when it comes to losing weight - is moderation too much? Moderate drinking is defined as no more than two drinks a day for men and one a day for women.  But when you consider a single glass of beer or wine can contain at least 100 calories, a few drinks 3-4 nights a week could be adding 1,000 unforeseen calories to your diet. And beware of those sweet innocent looking alcoholic lemonades - which contain a whopping 200 calories per bottle.

    Alcohol unfortunately gives you calories without nutrition, and also may loosen your resolve to lose weight and make you eat without thinking. Also, alcohol is high in calories - 7 calories per gram. That’s almost as much as fat (9 calories per gram) and more than carbohydrates or protein (4 calories per gram).

    Don't sacrifice good nutrition for alcohol; it's not just that alcohol is high in calories, but it also acts as an appetite stimulant which makes you crave for fatty foods such as nuts, crisps, takeaway foods, etc.  Alcohol also slows down the metabolism, making our bodies sluggish and bloated, causing our body burn fat slower than usual.

    Alcohol has absolutely no benefit to the body at all and the wise slimmer will realise that the aim is not about weight loss alone, but focusing on feeling fitter, stronger and healthier.  Excessive alcohol can contribute to significant health problems! In the long term alcohol can lead to brain damage, damage to liver/kidneys, depression, high blood pressure and ulcers.  Whatever the 'recommended weekly allowance' is - your body will more than thank you for cutting it down or completely out of your agenda.

    On a weight loss and health point of view - we are better WITHOUT alcohol!!  Many studies have shown that those who gave up all alcohol - watched their weight dramatically drop.

    Reduce your alcohol consumption to 2-3 glasses / measures per week or cut it out completely for a few weeks - and you'll see a dramatic difference in your skin, your energy levels and especially in your weight.  Alcohol may make you feel good - but looking fitter and slimmer feel far better. That's a guarantee!



    Marina Bradford is from Newtownards in Northern Ireland and has been in the fitness industry for 13 years as a personal fitness trainer and weight loss/fitness consultant. She also teaches various styles of fitness class, such as aerobics, step, circuits, weight training and Tae-bo. Once a week she writes a fitness column called PEAK FORM for "The Newsletter" which is one of Northern Ireland's biggest newspaper publications. She also has a web site http://www.weighless.co.uk where more of her articles can be viewed under Weighless News.

     
     
      Nicole Kuhl Transformation from the inside out :

     

    READINESS TO CHANGE PART 4

             The fourth stage of behavior change is called the action stage.  During this action stage, you are practicing the new behavior on a regular basis.  In order to stay on track it is important to stay motivated.  One way to stay motivated is to use rewards.  Most people think rewards are silly or ineffective, but studies prove otherwise.  The Cooper Institute has conducted many studies on how people increase the amount of physical activity they get.  They found that the people who increased their use of rewards were more likely to be doing the recommended amount of exercise three years later than the people who did not use rewards. 

    It is important to find rewards that are meaningful to you.  If your reward doesn’t create enthusiasm, it probably isn’t going to be effective.  Rewards train your mind to view your behavior change in a positive way.  Some other behavioral strategies you can use to solidify your new behavior are to use reminders such as your date book, PDA, notes on the refrigerator, etc.  You can also incorporate an accountability partner.  According to the National Weight Control Registry, social support is reported to be one of the 7 factors that encourage permanent weight loss.   The key is to continually seek out strategies that keep you on track and excited about your journey to a new lifestyle. 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Nicole Kuhl -Transformation From The Inside Out
    Bio:Nicole Kuhl earned her B.S. in Health Education with a minor in Psychology.  She is a Health Fitness Specialist and an ACE group fitness instructor. 

    Nicole is also a certified weight management consultant and currently operates two weight management programs Master Weight Management and Conquer Weight Control.  Her mission is to help people bridge the gap between thought process and physique transformation. 

    By empowering people through nutrition education, weight loss physiology, and diet strategy, she believes anyone can achieve a desirable body composition.

      AtoZ Fitness Featured Advertiser
     

    What Makes Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle so exciting is that it Gives You The Power To...

    • Lose fat permanently. It's a fact - 95% of the people who go on conventional diets gain all the weight back and sometimes they end up fatter than when they started. Now you can learn how to be in the successful 5% group that keeps it off forever.

       

    • Lose body fat without wrecking your metabolism. If you've ever started a diet, then smashed into the dreaded "plateau," it's probably because you cannibalized your own muscle and slowed down your metabolism. Not only will this system teach you the only way to prevent your metabolism from crashing, you will also learn more than a dozen ways to fire up your "metabolic engine" and accelerate your body's natural rate of calorie-burning.

       

    • Lose fat without drugs. When you mention bodybuilders, some people think of steroids or fat burning drugs. It's sad but true - most pro bodybuilders take them. But the joke's on them. Drugs work, but the results are temporary and the side effects are nasty. The tiny handful of natural bodybuilders who have learned how to use training and nutrition science to alter body composition without drugs are the only people in the world who keep their fat loss and muscle gains permanently. Now you can learn these fat burning secrets from a natural bodybuilding champion who knows from real-world experience exactly how it's done.

       

    • Lose fat without supplements. 97% of all supplements are a total waste of money! You are being lied to and ripped off by crooked companies that don't give a rat's ass about your health and well-being. If you want to learn the ugly truth about the $13 billion per year supplement industry, and the $40 billion per year weight loss industry, then read every word of this report because it could save you thousands of your hard-earned dollars!

    Click-Here to find out all you need to
    know about losing fat permanently !

     

     
      AtoZ Pick Page Supporters:
     LIST YOUR SITE HERE
    Click-Here to order this spot for $50.00 plus receive hundreds of dollars in advertising bonuses. Bonuses include front page listing on www.Atozfitness.com the #4 ranked Google fitness site in the world. Also your site will appear first in your link portal category as well as on the front page of our link portal.

     House of Pain Ironwear
    HOUSE OF PAIN is proud to announce the arrival of our NEW design T-shirts, and also the "Waterproof T" performance training gear! ATTITUDE with a wicked action like nothing else! Also, more stuff for babes than ever before! We are changing all the time, visit www.houseofpain.com or call 1-888-463-7246. - Visit Homepage
     
     FitnessScape
    Fitness Equipment: Hardcore Exercise Equipment, Benches, Home Gyms, High Quality Treadmills, Ellipticals & Bikes, Yoga & Pilates. Everything needed to reach your fitness goals is here. Customer service is our #1Priority - Visit Homepage
     
      Creatine Supplements - Research on creatine and bodybuilding supplements

    Provides detailed research and information on creatine and other bodybuilding supplements. Want to know what forms of creatine work best - liquid, power or serum? Click here to find out. - Visit Homepage

     
      Health the Natural Way Using Barleygreen, Herbal Fiberblend!
    One year from today, every one of us will have a new body! The question arises: What kind of body will it be? Will this new body be weaker or stronger than the body we possess today? Learn how barleygreen and herbal fiberblend can create a new body for you! - Visit Homepage
     
     
      MILLENNIUM FITNESS - SUPPLEMENT YOUR TRAINING! 
    MILLENNIUM FITNESS - SUPPLEMENT YOUR TRAINING!
    Huge discounts on cutting edge supps to pack on freaky size or get ripped and shredded. We are #1 on Google and Yahoo for over 3 years!  -
    Visit Homepage
     
      Fitness BootCamps/Workouts
    The Insider Secrets for Becoming a Profitable and Respected Fitness Professional Through Fitness Boot Camp Group Training!

    Fitness Professionals
    :Now is the time for you to discover how to fully leverage you're time to dramatically increase your income while working less, having more freedom and control over your schedule, expanding your client base, and most importantly, getting your clients lasting results to their fitness goals! http://thefitnessbootcamp.com
     
     Ultimate Co-ed BodyWeight Fitness DVDs  
    "Free Samples of Top Selling Fitness DVDs and Fat-Loss Nutrition Plan"

    How serious are you about getting into top shape AND staying there forever?

    Start here with my Free E-book - 'The Blow-Torch Fat-Loss Diet' AND you can also try several Free exercises that I give you complete instructions for.

    Sign up for your Free subscription to my weekly e-newlsetter 'Secrets of a Trainer from Joey Atlas - The Wizard of Fitness.
     -
    Visit Homepage
     
      AtoZ Fitness and You:

    The fine print.....
    AtoZfitness.com respects your online privacy. If you do not wish to receive further mailings, please Click-Here to immediately be removed.  We are VERY ANTI-SPAM!  And we do not send this newsletter to people who do not wish to receive it any longer.

    Thank you.
    Lewis
    http://www.atozfitness.com/

    - If you are the author of an interesting fitness/health related article and would like to share it with thousands of people please see http://www.atozfitness.com/submit-article.htmlfor submission details. We are always looking for new content for our atoz visitors.

    Alternatively, if you like what you're seeing from atozfitness.com,please feel free to pass this message along to a friend who hasn't yet checked out the site. they can join this list by going to http://www.atozfitness.com/register.htm

    If you wish to sponsor this weekly newsletter please visit http://www.atozfitness.com/advertise/indexnf.htmlfor our sponsorship rate plan.

    ©AtoZfitness 2005

     
      Sponsor This Section.

    Contact sales@atozfitness.com with your request. 
     

    © Copyright 2005 Lewis S. Wolk All rights reserved .
    AFFILIATE PROGRAM MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR FITNESS RELATED WEBSITE

    Enterprise AtoZfitness- 125 Beechwood, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9A 1K7

     
         ©2005-06 atozfitness.com