Fitness
This section will be dedicated to a work out plan. Typically a six-week plan will get you into the routine. Here is something to start with:
Workout routines are what exercises, how many sets, how many reps etc. that you do for each muscle. For example, 3 sets of the flat bench press, 3 sets on the incline bench press, and 2 sets of flat bench dumbbell flys is an example of one of the many chest weightlifting workout routines.
A workout split is a term given to how you split up your workout. What days you do what muscle on. For example, doing biceps back and legs on Monday, and doing triceps shoulders and chest on Thursday is a workout split. Here are some sample workout routines, the routine I use, and tips on making your own routine.
One rule when making weightlifting workout programs is to make sure to split it so that you aren't HYPERLINK "http://www.intense-workout.com/overtraining.html" over-training. Doing chest on Monday, triceps on Tuesday, then shoulders on Wednesday will over-train your triceps. Why? Because just about every chest and shoulder exercise works the triceps secondary. And almost every back exercise works the biceps secondary. So, you would need to do 1 of 3 things when making your workout routines and splits:
Work chest, triceps and shoulders on the same day, and biceps and back on the same day so that it's ok if the secondary muscles get worked that day, because you’re doing them anyway.
Separate those muscles that work a secondary muscle so that they are far enough apart not to over-train you. For example, do Chest Monday, triceps on Wednesdays, and shoulders Friday... and biceps Monday with chest, and back Wednesday or Friday.
This is personally what I prefer, and do myself. Do chest and triceps Monday, shoulders on Thursday, back and biceps together on Friday.
Sample Splits
Coming up with weightlifting workout routines and splits and programs isn't really rocket science, once you understand the basics you can create your own. But, here are a few sample split routines and programs off the top of my head I have either used at one time, or are commonly used by other people:
Monday - Chest/Triceps
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - Biceps/Back
Thursday - off
Friday - Shoulders/Legs
Saturday - off
Sunday - off
Monday - Chest/Biceps
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - Shoulders/Legs
Thursday - off
Friday - Back/Triceps
Saturday - off
Sunday - off
Monday - Chest/Back
Tuesday - Shoulders
Wednesday - off
Thursday - Biceps/Triceps
Friday - Legs
Saturday - off
Sunday - off
Diet and Nutrition
Below are examples of diets, do’s and don’ts and commonly asked questions.
10 Best Foods for Men
Men are different. And while that is hardly earth-shattering news, men's nutritional needs are quite a bit different then women's nutritional needs... and I found that to be quite interesting.
Foods for dudes run the gamut although you'll probably notice the protein foods are a little more pronounced for men then women. Did I mention that men are different?
Just as women need certain nutrients to protect themselves from osteoporosis, men need certain nutrients for prostate health. There are different foods that may help sex-specific health issues. That's great news when you're trying to eat healthy for life!
Guys are also susceptible to suffering high levels of stress more so than women because they have a tendency to keep stress inside. And like women, poor diet is a factor in heart disease, too. However on average, men show signs of heart disease 10 to 20 years earlier than women.
The good news? My Top 10 Healthy Foods for Men that will help all you men get healthier!
10. You Say Tomato...
Lycopene, the antioxidant plentiful in tomatoes, is especially good in the prevention of prostate cancer. Even better doses of lycopene are found in cooked tomatoes, such as tomato sauce. More lycopene equals more protection. So the eating of spaghetti and pizza should be encouraged in the name of good health. Extra sauce please!
9. Get Into The Swim of Seafood!
Seafood is high in protein and zinc. Zinc is important for immune function and (once again) prostate health. Research shows that if a man lives long enough, chances are he will develop prostate cancer. Keep that little piece of information tucked in the back of your head and you'll realize the importance of eating to improve prostate health all through life.
8. Bring on the Broccoli!
Boy, those cruciferous vegetables are healthy for everyone, aren't they? For men, broccoli is very helpful in the prevention of heart disease and cancer, the number one and number two killers for men over 35 years of age.
7. There's Something Fishy Here!
It may not sport a manly color, but that lovely pink salmon is filled to overflow with omega 3 fatty acids. Those fatty acids are effective in lowering the risk for prostate cancer. It's also helpful for heart health, too. Besides all that, salmon is on the women's list as well. Now you know what to order when you take that special someone out to dinner!
6. A Breath of Fresh Air!
If you really like garlic, make sure you share or you'll end up alone in your odiferous state! According to a study in Penn State's College of Health and Human Development, deodorized garlic capsules help bring down blood cholesterol levels of men. The guys' cholesterol levels dropped 7 percent over 5 months, but remained unchanged in men downing placebos. But instead of swallowing pills, why not eat garlic in the food you love with the one you love? Plus, garlic is also known for its aphrodisiac properties. What's not to like about garlic?
5. Sow Your Oats!
Oatmeal's got it goin' on for guys. Consider that it's full of fiber, chock full of B vitamins (for stress) and lots of zinc for the prostate, you need to stir the pot a little and get cool with the gruel. If a hot bowl of oatmeal isn't your thing, muffins can rescue your oatmeal from the reject list.
4. Rice is Nice!
But don't chow down on just any style rice -- make it brown rice. Not only is it high in fiber, but it also has a good sampling of B vitamins, magnesium, potassium and zinc: all the stuff guys need.
3. Toss the Greens!
This is the stuff you loved to hate as a kid, but gotta eat as an adult. The experts say a whopping 35 percent of cancer deaths may be attributed to diet. (In my opinion, it might even be more). Dark, leafy greens are nutrient rich foods that are just packed with nutrition: beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, and important minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Get over the fear of greens and toss some down.
2. Go Nuts for Fruit... and Nuts!
Eaten raw, nuts are a great source of vitamin E and adequate vitamin E helps with heart health. Nuts are also filling and satisfying. Try a little raw almond butter a piece of whole wheat bread with a half a banana sliced up on top. It's delicious! Bananas are a great portable fruit for everyone, men included, and they're a wonderful source for potassium, also important for heart health.
1. Take Water, Water Everywhere!
It is estimated that as many as three out of four of Americans are dehydrated! Water may not contain nutrition, but it is considered a nutrient because of the powerful effect it has on the body and bodily function. Don't forget to chug-a-lug at the water cooler!
10 Best Foods For Women
Nutritional needs are different for each sex and at every stage of life. Striking a nutritional balance in our stressed-out lives has never been more important -- especially for women who are the quintessential balancing act queens.
These are the people who, more often than not, somehow manage to get the kids off to school in the morning and figure out a carpool/work/after school activity schedule that would make air a traffic controller gasp. She's usually the one getting dinner on the table and taking the dog to the vet, too.
To keep in control, women need to eat right. And at Mr. Bad Food's request, I am here to help them do just that. So here you go, my best foods for women, starting with number 10:
10. Bean There, Done That
Beans should be included in everyone's diet -- they're nutritious, low in fat and are cheap to boot. Be a good bean counter and check out the fiber in beans. There's over 5 grams of fiber in one measly half-cup serving -- that's a whopping fourth of your daily allowance. Pretty good, huh? Even better when you consider that a fiber-rich diet is one of the first components to colon cancer prevention. And with more women dying of colon cancer than breast cancer every year, you've just gotta bring on the beans!
9. Kale to the Chief
Kale is an often-overlooked vegetable that is positively loaded with folate, an important B vitamin for women. Having a deficiency in folic acid during pregnancy may cause neural-tube defects in babies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend that women take in 400 micrograms of folate daily. That's more than twice the current RDA! Don't forget that kale is also an excellent source of vitamin C and calcium, too.
8. Beta Sight
Those orange squashes (and tubers) like pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potatoes are a gal's best friend. Beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, is just screaming to get out and work its antioxidant magic on your body. All you have to do is eat it! Beta-carotene is thought to help reduce the risk of breast cancer and is responsible for helping your body repair your skin.
7. Just the Flax, Ma'am
Flax seeds and flax seed oil have so much to offer women. For starters, flax is full of Omega 3 fatty acids (EFA's), which may help protect a woman from heart disease (the leading cause of premature death among women) and the pain of arthritis. The fiber in flax is due to lignans, an important type of fiber especially for women. Lignans are thought to be both an antioxidant and phytoestrogen and are currently being studied for their role in cancer prevention. Use care with flax. It would be preferable to grind your own seeds and sprinkle them on your cereal each morning. The EFA's are very fragile and grinding your own (in a clean coffee mill, just for this purpose) is the best way to utilize both the flax's fiber and oils.
6. Iron It Out
Women need to eat more iron-rich foods. Getting iron from food sources (as opposed to a supplement) is a better way to get the iron needed because the form of iron contained in food is much easier to absorb than in pill form. Lean red meats and dark poultry, as well as lentils, are a few of the best sources for iron.
5. Oh Boy, It's Soy!
Phytoestrogen-rich soybeans can help a woman significantly lower her bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL) cholesterol. Tofu is a great way to get soy protein. You can use it in place of ricotta cheese in lasagna. Use a firm tofu and pulse it in a food processor with a little dried basil and water (just to get the ricotta-like consistency). Hide the tofu container and don't tell the family. They will never know, I promise. (I am an avowed tofu hater, so you know I'm telling the truth here!)
4. Water, Water Everywhere
Hey, don't think you're getting gypped out of a food here. Water IS a nutrient and the fact is, we need it... and plenty of it. Water keeps the fat away, plain and simple. Water may be one of the best tools in the weight loss game. It suppresses the appetite and helps your body metabolize stored fat! Now can you see why water made it to the top ten? Bottoms up!
3. Broccoli Power!
I know it was on the kids' list, but aren't you glad it's on the gal's list, too? That means we can all eat together at the same table! Broccoli is a fabulous source of calcium and contains other important nutrients like potassium and a good smattering of B vitamins, too.
2. Chalk up the Calcium
Women really need to crank it up in the calcium department. The RDA is 800 milligrams a day, but some experts say that isn't enough and it should be more like 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day. When you take into consideration the epidemic of osteoporosis among older women, it might not be a bad idea to up your dairy product intake. My personal preference would be yogurt. You get the nutritional extra of beneficial bacteria for good colon health and it's a lot easier to digest than other dairy products.
1. Something's Fishy Here!
Weight-conscious women once turned down salmon in favor of white fish or sole. Now that we understand the value of Omega 3 EFA's, it's time to get serious with salmon. Salmon is also high in protein, low in cholesterol and contains quite a few B vitamins, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium. Don't swim upstream -- net yourself a good helping of salmon!
Sex and Relationships
This section will be dedicated to the bedroom, advice for both girls and guys, and general relationship advice. I would also like this section to have a Q&A section. Here is a start:
Nice Guys Get Lucky, Too
Lots of women love men who have a sensitive side. The trick is knowing when to show it.
By: Emma Taylor and Lorelei Sharkey
Men always ask us why women won't sleep with nice guys. We will. It's just that jerks have been able to perfect the first-impression package that catches our attention. And in our years as sex-advice columnists, it has become clear that you good guys can learn from the players. Just follow these steps to score like a jerk -- without becoming one yourself.
Be confident.
Without this, you might as well forget the next eight steps, 'cause you ain't getting laid. We don't care what kind of Jedi mind trick it takes -- a Raging Bull-style motivational speech in the bathroom mirror, or imagining her with a massive zit on her nose -- you should force your body to act confident.
Don't slouch; do nod and smile when she's talking; and put your beer on the bar between sips, rather than clutching it like a life preserver. Because if you don't believe in yourself as a sex machine, she never will.
But don't be arrogant.
If you lay it on too thick and make yourself the focus (or, worse, the hero) of every story you tell, you know what we'll think? That you're insecure and desperate, and have something to prove. We can spot a Napoleon complex within 60 seconds.
What we like instead is self-deprecation -- a guy who can laugh at himself. Make fun of yourself in the past tense. Everyone loves to bond about what dorks we were in high school. It proves that you can laugh at yourself while subtly conveying that you've become way cooler. One boyfriend of Lo's won her over by breaking out his hilariously hideous 1995 driver's-license photo. But be careful not to overdo the self-deprecation, lest you fail the next step.
Don't whine, complain, or bitch.
About anything -- it's seriously unsexy. If you can't get a bartender's attention, for example, don't sigh loudly and complain about the service -- laugh it off and ask her to give it a shot instead. And your problem at work? Don't care! We're drinking, here!
Stop being so considerate.
Nice guys hate to offend, so they add, "just kidding" after every sarcastic comment. It's the equivalent of smiley emoticons. You don't have to be so gushing and eager to please. Poke fun at her girly drink, her jukebox selections, and her brick of a joke. You know, the way you made fun of the girls you really liked when you were in sixth grade.
Best way to compliment her...
Compliment her.
But make it about something besides her appearance. She's heard a thousand guys tell her she has great skin, so it no longer even registers as a compliment -- she just assumes you're trying to get in her pants. But if you are genuinely listening to her (You are, right? Hello?) and you manage to observe something about her inner person, it will get you far, because it's rare.
You could be totally off base, but it doesn't matter: People are always fascinated by a near stranger's assessment of their character. It's kind of like reading a horoscope. If she makes you laugh, tell her she's funny. If she says something sweet, tell her she's kind. If she tells a great story, ask if you can steal it. Years ago, a guy in a bar told Em she had great style, and she's never forgotten it -- it's a million times better than "You look hot in that."
Touch her.
After you've developed a rapport, find a lighthearted excuse for a little skin-to-skin contact -- like a gentle shoulder punch when she makes you laugh, an elbow touch as you click on some shared delight, or a cozy duet at a karaoke bar. Or drag her onto the dance floor to something like Kings of Leon or upbeat Sinatra, so you can swing around together like a poor man's Fred and Ginger. But don't grope or gaze deeply into her eyes while putting your hand on her knee -- she'll think you read some cheesy book on how to hook up (written by a man).
Recruit a wingwoman.
Wingmen are for beer ads. Wingwomen are for closing the deal. When a woman sees a guy with cool female friends, she assumes (a) he's a laugh to be around; (b) he genuinely likes women, rather than just their body parts; (c) he's not desperate; and (d) he'll probably still respect her in the morning. Moreover, wingwomen -- especially cute ones -- create an air of friendly competition.
Your college gal pals make great wingwomen, because you've known them long enough for the relationship to be obviously platonic. Or, if one of your guy friends has a cool girlfriend, invite them both out: Most women in relationships are chronic match-makers. Confide in her that you need her help -- she'll be flattered. Then let her work her magic.
Buy her a drink.
But let her buy the next round. It blurs the lines between pickup artist and pickupee. Let her do a little of the work so she'll relax into being seduced. If you don't, it'll make her more judgmental (and more likely to give you the Heisman). If you insist that she not pay for anything, she'll see you as an old-fashioned control freak who thinks that women who put out on the first date aren't "girlfriend material."
Best and worst compliments to say to her...
Make her laugh.
If she's cracking up, she's too busy having a good time to wonder about your motives (not the case if you insist on super smooth, seriously seductive pickup lines). Sharing a laugh makes her feel you two are "connecting." In fact, it's a far better indicator that she'll go home with you than sharing a kiss. But please, no knock-knock jokes or movie quotes -- you have to be witty and irreverent.
Funny stories are always good -- Em's fiancé cracked her up the first time they met by recounting how his neighbor’s pet monkey chased him down after making monkey faces at it. And a cloak of humor can disguise your intentions just enough: Ask her jokingly if she'd like to come up and see your etchings. After all, the truth is often spoken in jest.
Compliments That Work -- or Don't
Nice guys give nice compliments. Jerks are transparent and predictable. We asked 700 women to rate the following compliments on a scale of "gag" to "melt."
1. "You're so cool." Gag
2. "I like what you said earlier." Melt
3. "You're easy to talk to." Melt
4. "Why don't you have a boyfriend?" Gag
5. "Did anyone ever tell you you look like [this celebrity]?" Gag
6. "I love your smile." Melt
7. "You're amazing." Melt
8. "You can really hold your liquor." Gag
9. "That's a pretty necklace." Gag
10. "You look terrific." Melt
Emma Taylor and Lorelei Sharkey wrote The Big Bang: Nerve's Guide to the New Sexual Universe. Seek their advice at HYPERLINK "http://emandlo.com/" \t "_blank" emandlo.com.
Top Ten Fitness Facts and Myths
This section will have a list of top ten facts about training. Here is my list:
1. Lifting lighter weights will make your muscles more defined and toned. FALSE!
Muscle responds to overload. If you lift heavier weight with sufficient intensity, you will create more microscopic tears in the muscle. When the muscle recuperates, it will become tighter and stronger.
However, your supplemental nutrition must support your workouts. Reduced body fat is what creates the “lean and tight” look, not high reps (15 plus reps). Reduced body fat is a result of efficient weight training, proper amounts of cardiovascular exercise and nutrition that places one in somewhat of a calorie deficit (less than maintenance). That’s how you get defined and toned!
2. A lot of cardio is the most efficient way to lose body fat. FALSE!
Excessive cardio will strip muscle and body fat. This is definitely not the most efficient method to lose body fat. Once you begin stripping muscle tissue, your body becomes less efficient at burning body fat. Muscle is metabolically active, which simply means it stimulates the metabolism.
For each pound of muscle you put on your body, you will burn up to 50 additional calories per day. If you strip muscle tissue, all you accomplish is sabotaging your efforts to efficiently reduce body fat. The PROPER amount of cardio to accomplish your goal is what’s necessary!
3. A woman will get muscles as big as guy if she lifts heavier weight. FALSE!
This myth never seems to die. A woman has approximately one third of the testosterone of a man. Unless she is on anabolic steroids, growth hormone or other enhancing drugs, a woman will never achieve the muscular size of a man. However, she can get a degree of muscularity that makes her lean, toned and tight.
4. Calories are the only thing that counts when trying to lose body fat or gain lean muscle. FALSE!
Ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats are also important. The key in losing body fat and getting lean is controlling and manipulating insulin levels. In simple terms, when we consume excessive calories or excessive amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates at one meal, the body’s blood sugar rises. When this happens, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin to lower the blood sugar levels.
One of the many drawbacks of this happening excessively is, along with putting you at risk for diabetes, the body also holds onto stored body fat! A balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats works most efficiently in losing fat and gaining lean tissue. However, this too becomes tricky, because each of us tends to respond best to certain dietary programs. You may experience great success with our Atkins plan, or The Zone, possibly our own eDiets nutrition program. Some of our members have experienced good success with one program only to change programs and experience even greater success due to the ratio change!
5. Muscle weighs more than fat. FALSE!
If I place one pound of muscle on a scale and one pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh one pound. The difference is in total volume! One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of a baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl JELL-O.
6. There is one perfect workout routine. FALSE!
There is no “best and only way” to workout. I receive a multitude of questions concerning what is the best cardio machine, the best exercise tape, the best routine to work the butt and so on. In reality, it’s all good if it works for you, but you don’t want to stay with any of it for too long. The body will adapt to any exercise routine in 4-6 weeks and the mind will experience boredom if you stay with the same routine for too long of a time. Vary volume of sets, time between sets, reps, exercises, cardio, dance tapes, videos, etc. Manipulate your routine every 3-4 weeks and view CHANGE as the key constant that will lead you to success.
7. The best way to lose fat is to eat very few calories. FALSE!
Always consider your body from the inside out. Your body’s main objective is to survive. It doesn’t care if you want to lose body fat. In fact, it would prefer to increase fat in case of famine. Internally, the body has no idea that it’s the year 2003. It could still be 10,000 years ago for all it cares. Survival is its number one objective.
If you eat very little (less than 1,200 calories), the body perceives an emergency and will accommodate you by holding onto stored body fat. As well it should, because it has no idea when it will be fed again. If you’re an eDiets member, you know exactly what I’m talking about and are enjoying your fat loss without starving yourself.
8. The best way to reduce the hips, glutes or abs is to perform exercise to isolate the area. FALSE!
It is physiologically impossible to spot reduce. You can’t lose only in one area of the body because body fat comes off all over the body. Typically, the first place you tend to gain is the last place you lose. Doesn’t Mother Nature have a wonderful sense of humor? Again, the route to success for those stubborn hips is resistance exercise, cardio and supplemental nutrition.
9. The best way to lose fat is to eat a lot of calories. FALSE!
Just as you don’t want to eat too little, you don’t want to eat too much. Duhh! I know this is a no-brainer, but the big message in the nutrition and personal training world today is that most people need to eat more to stimulate the metabolism. The truth is you need the CORRECT AMOUNT of total calories to lose body fat, not simply more food!
10. The infomercial that has that cool looking, easy-to-use abdominal machine will help me to get a flat stomach. FALSE!
If you only knew how much those late-night infomercials frustrate me! The infomercials barely mention nutrition when attempting to sell their miracle ab machine of the month. Nutrition is a huge component of attaining a flatter stomach! Why do you think eDiets has a plethora of nutrition programs to get you to your goal? Because it works! The key to a flatter stomach is proper nutrition, resistance exercise to increase muscle tissue and cardiovascular exercise to burn additional calories. Sensing a theme here? Its all about balance and consistency.
I hope you find these points helpful. Now that you have some newly found knowledge just remember to bite your tongue when someone spouts out a fitness fallacy. With tact and patience, share your knowledge and help spread the word.