Bend So Your Don’t Break - the Art of Stretching

Stretching is critical to anybody who exercises or plays any sport. When you see a muscle-bound guy, you probably assume that he can’t move as well as an average person. Well, you’re half right. Muscle-bound people are among the most and least fleible e on the planet. It all depends on whether they stretched as part of their muscle-building probram. Keep in mind that muscle is a highly pliable tissue, and, within the realm of human possibility, it will do pretty much what you tell it you want it to do.

For best results, stretch every day, before or after your workout or between sets. My favorite is between sets because it keeps you acive, and it keeps you opened up so you can use your full range of motion for the weight-training exercises you’re performing during that workout. Stretching during workouts tends to counterbalance the muscle group you’re working. For instance, when training your chest, a great stretch is opening your arms, grasping a post or weight rack, and stretching your pecs before you perform your next set.

You can also stretch for 5 to 15 minutes first thing in the morning or before bedtime. Keep in mind that stretching is exercise, too. If you do a lengthy stretch session right before your work-out, you may find that a weight-training session is more challenging because you’ve already taxed your muscles.

Here is a rundown on some of the various types of stretching you can include in your program.

(1) Static Stretching
This is the most common type of stretching that you see in the gym and among the safest and most effective. It’s the stretch-and-hold version. You move into a stretch and maintain it for 5 to 10 seconds, “sinking” into it and allowing your body to open up. For best results, perform at least three reps of static stretches –you’ll find that you go deeper with each successive stretch.

(2) Active Stretching (= Movement Stretching)
Half-way between static and ballistic stretching lies active stretching, where you move smoothly between one stretch and the next. You go through the same range of motion as you do for static stretching, but you don’t hold the stretch. Many underuse this form of stretching, but it can help open tight muscles. You often see athletes perform this type of stretch right before performance. Think of sprinters bending over to open their hamstrings or pulling their feet up behind them to open their quads.

(3) Ballistic Stretching
This type of stretching is one of the most effective, as well as one of the likeliest to cause injuries. By adding dynamic force to your movement, you are able to take your range of motion beyond you static stretch position, helping to increase flexibility. Gymnasts often use ballistic stretches. My advice is to attempt this type of stretching only under the guidance of a qualified trainer.

(4) Passive Stretching
You see this a lot at the gym – a trainer stretching out a client. Passive stretching is when you relax and allow someone else to stretch you out. I think this type of stretching is great at the end of the workout as a way to relax and get a quick jump on the recovery process.

(5) Yoga
Yoga has become enormously popular, and it’s not only a great stretch but also a good workout. You might be surprised by how challenging it can be, especially if you’re a little tight. (It’s even more beneficial for those who are tighter than most.) Yoga can be performed at home with a tape or in a studio or gym as part of a class. You can also mix and match some of your favorite poses or stretches to create your own personal stretching routine.

(6) Pilates
Similar to but slightly different form Yoga, Pilates emphasizes control in movement, teaching you how to use your full range of motion properly as you tone and elongate your body. Joseph Pilates originally designed his moves and programs for injured dancers. Over the past decade, it has ballooned into one of the most popular fitness trends.

Here’s a quick stretching routine that hits virtually the entire body using a combination of the technique outlined above.

A. Hamstrings (Passive)
Lie flat on your back and lift one leg skyward. Have your training partner gently move that straight leg in the direction of your chest, and hold for several seconds. Repeat seven or eight times. Do the same number of reps using the other leg.

B. Waist (Active)
Stand up straight with your feet planted shoulder-width apart. Twist your torso to the right and then to the left. (That equals one stretch.) Repeat 20 to 25 times.

C. Upper Back (Static)
Stand several feet away form a support you can grasp with both hands after leaning forward at the waist. Arch your back and hold that position for 10 to 20 seconds to stretch the upper half of your back.

D. Groin (Static)
Sit with your knees bent, so the soles of your feet are flush with each other. Use your elbows to press down gently on your knees until you feel a stretch spreading through your groin. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat five times, pressing your knees down a little farther each time, if possible.

E. Chest (Static)
Stand next to a support and raise one arm until it’s parallel to the floor and in the same plane as your shoulders. Shift one foot in front of the other and lean forward until you feel a nice stretch spreading across your chest. Hold this position for about 30 seconds, and then repeat using your other arm.

Can Sugar Substitutes Make You Fat?

When it comes to dieting, most of us are willing to resort to a trick or two to help us curb our appetite and eat less — drinking water to fill up when we're hungry, for example, or opting for artificial sweeteners instead of sugar to get the same satisfying sweetness without the offending calories. But new research suggests that the body is not so easily fooled, and that sugar substitutes are no key to weight loss — perhaps helping to explain why, despite a plethora of low-calorie food and drink, Americans are heavier than ever.

In a series of experiments, scientists at Purdue University compared weight gain and eating habits in rats whose diets were supplemented with sweetened food containing either zero-calorie saccharin or sugar. The report, published in Behavioral Neuroscience, presents some counterintuitive findings: Animals fed with artificially sweetened yogurt over a two-week period consumed more calories and gained more weight — mostly in the form of fat — than animals eating yogurt flavored with glucose, a natural, high-calorie sweetener. It's a continuation of work the Purdue group began in 2004, when they reported that animals consuming saccharin-sweetened liquids and snacks tended to eat more than animals fed high-calorie, sweetened foods. The new study, say the scientists, offers stronger evidence that how we eat may depend on automatic, conditioned responses to food that are beyond our control.

What they mean is that like Pavlov's dog, trained to salivate at the sound of a bell, animals are similarly trained to anticipate lots of calories when they taste something sweet — in nature, sweet foods are usually loaded with calories. When an animal eats a saccharin-flavored food with no calories, however — disrupting the sweetness and calorie link — the animal tends to eat more and gain more weight, the new study shows. The study was even able to document at the physiological level that animals given artificial sweeteners responded differently to their food than those eating high-calorie sweetened foods. The sugar-fed rats, for example, showed the expected uptick in core body temperature at mealtime, corresponding to their anticipation of a bolus of calories that they would need to start burning off — a sort of metabolic revving of the energy engines. The saccharin-fed animals, on the other hand, showed no such rise in temperature. "The animals that had the artificial sweetener appear to have a different anticipatory response," says Susan Swithers, a professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University and a co-author of the study. "They don't anticipate as many calories arriving." The net result is a more sluggish metabolism that stores, rather than burns, incoming excess calories.

Swithers stops short of saying that the animals in her study were compelled to overeat to compensate for phantom calories. But she says that the study does suggest artificial sweeteners somehow disrupt the body's ability to regulate incoming calories. "It's still a bit of a mystery why they are overeating, but we definitely have evidence that the animals getting artificially sweetened yogurt end up eating more calories than the ones getting calorically sweetened yogurt."

Though it's premature to generalize based on animal results that the same phenomena would hold true in people, Swithers says, she notes that other human studies have already shown a similar effect. A University of Texas Health Science Center survey in 2005 found that people who drink diet soft drinks may actually gain weight; in that study, for every can of diet soda people consumed each day, there was a 41% increased risk of being overweight. So even though her findings were in animals, says Swithers, they could lead to a better understanding of how the human body responds to food, and explain why eating low-calorie foods doesn't always lead to weight loss. "There is lots of evidence that we learn about the consequences about eating food," she says. "And we have physiological responses to food that are conditioned."

So does that mean you should ditch the artificial sweeteners and welcome sugar back into your life? Not exactly. Excess sugar in the diet can lead to diabetes and heart disease, even independent of its effect on weight. But it's worth remembering that when it comes to counting calories, it's not just the ones you eat that you have to worry about. The calories you give up matter too, and they may very well reappear in that extra helping of pasta or dessert that your body demands. Your body may actually be keeping better count than you are.

FAT Calories vs. CARB Calories - Which is Worse?

If you're one of millions of Americans trying to lose weight, you probably wish you had a more effective diet than the one you're on now. And if you're wondering whether Dean Ornish's low-fat diet will help you shed pounds better than Dr. Atkins' low-carb menu, the answer is simple: it doesn't matter.

Scientists know that on a molecular level, different types of starch and different types of fat have varying effects when they hit the body. But in terms of weight loss, low-fat diets and low-carb diets overall are equally effective (and, most of the time, neither will help you keep the weight off long-term), says Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. Here's why.

Q:Will eating a calorie of fat make you fatter than eating a calorie of carbohydrate?

A: From many kinds of studies conducted over years, we are quite confident now that a calorie from fat will cause a similar amount of weight gain as a calorie from carbohydrate. There are some interesting questions about whether eating carbohydrate calories versus fat calories will make you eat more calories, but based on what you put into your mouth, it's pretty clear that the source of the calories is really not important.

[Whether fats or carbohydrates are more filling] is one issue that's been raised — but it's been raised on both sides. The best way to get to the bottom line is to look at long-term studies where we randomize people to a high-fat/low-carb diet or to a low-fat/high-carb diet and follow them for at least a year or more. That kind of study takes into account the possibility that one kind of diet provides more satiety; so, over the long run you would see more weight loss on that diet. But those studies — half a dozen or more have been done — show quite clearly that the percentage of calories from fat has very little effect on long-term weight loss.


One possible footnote to this issue relates to some recent evidence on trans fats. We have seen in our studies that people who eat more trans fats seem to gain more weight, even when the total calories are the same. I was a little skeptical about that, in part because we're not quite sure we can measure calorie [intake] precisely enough. [It's hard for people to track their portion sizes to the gram, or even be sure of exactly what they're eating, especially if they ever eat out.] But in recent five-year feeding study in monkeys — they're animals so you can control their diets — the monkeys on the high-trans-fat diet gained more weight. They gained about 7% of their body weight over a five-year period, compared to the monkeys on a low-trans-fat diet, who gained about 1.5% of their body weight over five years.

So there may be something more complicated going on there. But there's not any good data [to explain why a calorie of trans fat should cause more weight gain than a calorie of something else]. It may be that on the high-trans-fat diet you're more likely to push those calories into your fat cells rather than your muscle cells — and muscles burn calories 24 hours a day. In the long run, that could make a difference in weight gain. But that's speculation. We're really not sure.

We've now looked at over 250,000 men and women for up to 30 years, and we [also] haven't seen that the percentage of calories from fat or from carbohydrates in your diet makes any difference in relation to heart attacks, various cancers or stroke. Having said that, the type of fat is very important, and so is the type of carbohydrate. So we find that trans fats, again, are particularly harmful with regard to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, unsaturated fats are actually beneficial in terms of reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It's the same with carbohydrates. The total amount is not important. But high intake of refined starch and sugar is related to a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, whereas high-fiber whole-grain carbohydrates are related to a lower risk. That's not too surprising, as we know that high intakes of sugar and refined starch have an adverse effect on blood glucose levels.

So the quality of the diet is really important, but just looking at fat versus carbohydrate misses where all the action is.

Pilates - the Secret to the LEAN Well-Toned Muscles

"Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing out many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure." Joseph H. Pilates

Finally, the value of Lean, Well-Toned, but not bulky, muscles is recognized by many people from competitive athletes to casual gym goers. PILATES is the one behind the trend, according to Steve Shipside.

(1) Joseph H.Pilates was NO ballerina.
After suffering, as a puny youth, from rickets, asthma, and rheumatic fever, Joseph Pilates developed his now famous technique in a concerted attempt to overcome his physical weaknesses. Joseph forged himself a new body in the process of a career as a gymnast, boxer, circus performer, and, eventually, physical educator.

His theories have been taken up and moved on by generations of practitioners, but certain characteristics and the basic principles remain unchanged. Without going through them all, the keys are concentration, precise control of movement, and an unerstanding of the role and technique of breathing and of the importance of building a strong physical core to anchor all other movements and exercise.

(2) What can I expect?
You will start with mat work and perhaps a large sausage of plastic form. Initially, a lot of work will focus on making you aware of specific parts of your body and in particular the muscles of your STOMACH and the bones that you sit on.

Simple movements come next such as rolling up into a sitting position or lifting legs and shoulder blades off the deck. These help you realize how different parts of the body work together - for example, how lying on your front and pulling your shoulder blades down should lift your chest slightly off the ground. the moves are all done slowly, with considerable emphasis on breathing correctly, and repetitions are very few in number. If that sounds easy, then think again. The degree of concentration, plus the effort of tensing muscles in unfamiliar ways, makes for surprisingly hard work. You, however, would have to be some kind of twisted genius to injure yourself during a PILATES session, so it suits all ages and levels of physical strength and flexibility.

It also promotes a general feeling of well-being due to measured breathing, gentle pace, and the sense of muscle control. That control is also the key to why it appeals so much to recovering athletes. If that's what draws you, then make sure you signal your injury to the instructor before launching into a class.

Among the benefits of PILATES are a greater attention to the deeper-lying muscles of the core, such as the tranasversus, which lies under the abs. For athletes, this core strength approach gives greater balance and power. Dancers appreciate the suppleness encouraged by moves, and there are those who swear that it improves posture so much that you can end up taller !!!

7 Perfect Breakfast Recipies in 5 Minutes- Part II

(Continued from Part I in the previous blog)

In the time you spend each morning calibrating your hair gel, you could be doing something more important, with a much better payoff: eating breakfast. Mom was right (and it's okay to admit it): Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Liz Ward reporting:

It keeps you slim: Breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight than breakfast skippers, and successful dieters are also more likely to be breakfast eaters.

It keeps you healthy: Eating breakfast may reduce your risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, and it strengthens your immune system so you're more resistant to common ailments like colds and the flu.

It keeps you sharp: Memory and concentration get a boost from breakfast. A study on children found that kids who eat breakfast score higher on tests and are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and hyperactivity. It should help you at the office, too.

Here are 4 more perfect breakfast recipies:

(4) Two PB-and-Banana Wraps With Milk
Prep time: 2 minutes

2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Eggo Special K waffles
1 medium banana
1/2 pint fat-free chocolate milk

Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter over each (briefly microwaved) waffle. Divide the banana between them and roll each to make wraps. Wash down with chocolate milk.

Benefits: Eggo's Special K waffles supply complex carbohydrates, which break down slowly in the body and stimulate the production of serotonin, a calming brain chemical. The banana is packed with potassium -- a heart protector.

Per meal: 570 calories, 23 g protein, 90 g carbohydrates, 16 g total fat, 7 g fiber

(5) The Santa Fe Burrito
Prep time: 4 minutes

2 eggs
1 c Santa Fe frozen mixed vegetables (black beans, peppers, and corn)
1 flour tortilla
1/2 c low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 c salsa

Mix the eggs and vegetables and spread the mixture on a plate coated with nonstick spray. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute, stir with a fork, and microwave again until the eggs are cooked and the vegetables warm. Pile onto a flour tortilla, top with shredded Cheddar cheese and salsa, fold, and eat.

Benefits: "Without protein, guys can lose muscle mass quickly," says William J. Evans, Ph.D., a professor of geriatrics, physiology, and nutrition at the University of Arkansas. This meal is packed with it.

Per meal: 530 calories, 36 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 18 g total fat, 6 g fiber

(6) Black-Cherry Smoothie and Peanut-Butter Oatmeal
Prep time: 4 minutes

1 c R.W. Knudsen black-cherry juice
1 c frozen strawberries
1 c frozen unsweetened cherries
2 Tbsp protein powder
2/3 c oatmeal
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 c fat-free milk

Blend the cherry juice, frozen fruit, and protein powder until smooth. Microwave the oatmeal according to the directions on the package. Stir in the peanut butter and milk.

Benefits: Men who ate at least one serving of whole-grain cereal (like oatmeal) a day had the lowest risk of dying of any cause, including heart disease, according to a 5-year study of 86,000 doctors. Cherries and strawberries are natural sources of salicylates -- the active ingredient in aspirin -- making them ideal for relieving stress-induced morning headaches.

Per meal: 600 calories, 27 g protein, 100 g carbohydrates, 11 g total fat, 10 g fiber

(7) Almond-Butter-and-Raisin Sandwich With Smoothie
Prep time: 1 minute

2 Tbsp almond butter
2 Eggo Special K waffles
1 Tbsp raisins
1 Stonyfield Farm smoothie

Spread the almond butter on the waffles. Sprinkle the raisins over one waffle and top with the other. Wash down with the smoothie.

Benefits: Whole-grain waffles help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and improve your body's processing of insulin and glucose, a benefit that can reduce your risk of becoming diabetic.

Per meal: 600 calories, 21 g protein, 86 g carbohydrates, 22 g total fat, 7 g fiber

7 Perfect Breakfast Recipies in 5 Minutes- Part I

We all know we should not miss breakfast. Some of us, however, might be doing it wrong. "Most men make the mistake of eating too little in the morning, and then get so hungry they go overboard and eat a giant meal later in the day," says Evelyn Tribole, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist in Irvine, California, and author of Stealth Health.

A typical "wrong" breakfast is just a couple of hundred calories, mostly in the form of simple carbohydrates that spike blood-sugar levels and leave the body starving for energy a couple of hours later.

Even a classic fiber-rich breakfast -- say a cup of raisin bran with blueberries and skim milk -- provides less than 300 calories and only about 10 grams of protein. An ideal breakfast needs to be much larger -- between 500 and 600 calories. And it needs to be packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, including at least 20 grams of protein and at least 5 grams of fiber. That will give your body a high-quality, long-lasting, steady supply of energy to help you through the morning.

Here's how to hit those numbers. Each of the following meals tastes great and can be made in minutes, Liz Ward reporting:

(1) Blueberry Smoothie With Toasted-Cheese Sandwich
Prep time: 4 minutes

2 slices whole-wheat bread
1/2 c Kashi Go Lean Crunch! cereal
1 c fat-free milk
1 c frozen blueberries
1 1-oz slice Cheddar cheese

Pop the bread into the toaster. Dump the cereal, milk, and berries into a blender and liquefy. Stick a slice of Cheddar between the warm slices of toast and nuke the sandwich in a microwave for 15 seconds. It tastes grilled -- but isn't.

Benefits: "The cheese and milk in this meal are essential for building and maintaining new muscle," says Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition at Georgia State University. "The whole grains in the bread and cereal will help lower cholesterol, and the minerals in the milk and cheese will help keep blood-pressure levels down."

Per meal: 509 calories, 26 grams (g) protein, 75 g carbohydrates, 14 g total fat, 12 g fiber


(2) Grab-and-Go Breakfast
Prep time: 1 minute

1 medium apple
1/2 pint fat-free milk
1 bran Vita muffin
1 pack Skippy Squeeze Stix peanut butter

Slice the apple, grab the milk, muffin, and peanut butter, and go. Squeeze the peanut butter out of its pack onto your apple slices as you eat.

Benefits: Vita muffins (vitalicious.com) contain 100 percent of your recommended intake of several important nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E. Foods high in monounsaturated fats -- like peanut butter -- may boost testosterone levels. This meal should help you burn energy more efficiently and lift more weight at the gym.

Per meal: 506 calories, 20 g protein, 87 g carbohydrates, 12 g total fat, 15 g fiber

(3) Minute Omelette with Toast
Prep time: 2 minutes

1 egg
3/4 c frozen spinach, thawed
1 slice Canadian bacon, diced
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 c Welch's grape juice

Stir together the egg, spinach, and Canadian bacon and pour onto a plate coated with nonstick spray. Microwave for 1 minute or until the egg is fully cooked. Toast the bread and eat it with the almond butter. Chase everything with grape juice.

Benefits: Monounsaturated fat in the almond spread will help prevent spikes and drops in blood sugar, which can leave you feeling tired or crabby. Grape juice gives you an antioxidant, called resveratrol, that not only helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels but also helps improve bloodflow to the heart.

Per meal: 540 calories, 25 g protein, 73 g carbohydrates, 19 g total fat, 8 g fiber

(More recipies in the next blog)

7 Worst Foods to Eat at the Movies

This summer is packed with newly-released Hollywood movies such as Wall-E, Hancock, Wanted, Kung Fu Panda, The Incredible Hulk, etc. After a long week of hard work on maintaining your body fit, you sure deserve a break and a reward to yourself with some guilt-free snacks at the movies. I, however, as always, at least bring you the facts so that you know what you are eating and don't get fooled by the commercialism.

According to Men's Health: At a movie theater, a lot of the stuff you carry away from the concession counter is a horror show in its own right. And it comes with a sequel: When you debut in your bathing suit this summer, everyone will know what you did last night at the movies — you overate, so now you overflow.

Not that I blame you, of course. I've been there, too. Engrossed by the big screen, too many of us fall victim to giant soda cups, popcorn buckets, and candy boxes, which are sneakily designed to keep the munchfest moving swiftly for the duration of the film.

One Cornell study showed just how thoughtless it can be. Researchers gave patrons different-sized popcorn buckets, and those with large buckets ate nearly twice as much as those with medium buckets. And get this: In some of the buckets, researchers traded out the fresh-popped corn for two-week-old kernels! Those moviegoers munched away so absentmindedly that they put away 34 percent more stale popcorn than those with medium buckets of fresh corn!


So before you plunk down your hard-earned cash for The Incredible Hulk, consider how you may come to resemble him if you mess up a lot at the concession stand. Here's where the real danger lies:

(1) Large Popcorn
1,283 calories
78 g fat (49 g saturated)
1,850 mg sodium

Yes, yes, it’s the custom; everyone at the theatre is eating popcorn. In fact, each American consumes more than 200 cups of popcorn a year, and it’s no surprise considering a movie theatre’s large bucket is 20 cups in itself! But snub the butter soak and you’ll save yourself from two-and-a-half day’s worth of saturated fat.

(2) Large Nachos with Cheese (40 chips, 4 oz.)
1,101 calories
59 g fat (18.5 g saturated)
1,580 mg sodium

This movie-time snack has more calories than two large orders of McDonald’s French fries. In fact, you’d still be saving fat and calories if you smuggled in two Quarter Pounders with Cheese instead!

(3) Snickers Popables (5 oz., 46 pieces)
692 calories
33 g fat (14.6 g saturated)
73 g sugars

The name's cute, but think about this: your chewy-nougat body in a bathing suit. The Snickers will be following you in two ways. The combined fat-load of these little popables is equal to two-and-a-half full-sized Snickers bars. So even if you split the bag, you’d still do better to down a real candy bar.

(4) Whoppers (5 oz. box)
676 calories
24 g fat (20.3 g saturated)
88 g sugars

How many malt balls does it take to run up a day’s worth of saturated fat? About 70, the number in a theatre-sized box of Whoppers. This candy's a long-standing classic, but so are fat-guy comedians. You want to join that jowly double bill?

(5) 44 oz. Cherry Coke
572 calories
0 g fat
154 g sugars

The theater owners say it's all about convenience: They give you the super large size cup, so you won't have to come back if you want seconds. Oh, and they can charge you twice as much up front while they're at it.

That’s why movie-theatre cups (and everything else in the theatre) have grown to such mammoth proportions. This beverage, for instance, has 50 percent more calories than a half-pound of ground beef, and every bit of it comes from —yikes! — high fructose corn syrup. (For other drinks that will lay waste to your waistline, check out this eye-popping report on America's worst drinks!)

(6) Large Soft Pretzel with 3 oz. Nacho Cheese
643 calories
14.5 g fat (3 g saturated, 4 g trans)
3,068 mg sodium

The pretzel weighs in at 5 ounces, and it holds nearly 100 calories in each ounce of soft bread. Top it with a massive load of warm, trans-fatty cheese sauce, and you’ve got the plot of a disease-of-the-week movie.

This "snack" packs more calories than a proper dinner, and well over a day’s worth of sodium. If you buy one of these salty dogs, don't eat it: Just throw it over your shoulder for good luck. (Do the same with these saltiest foods in America!)

(7) A cup of Haagen Dazs, Almond Hazelnut Swirl
640 calories
44 grams of fat (20 g saturated)
200 mg cholesterol

This innocent sounding everybody's favorite ice cream has three times more fat than a California Pizza Kitchen's Margherita slice.

Want to avoid other foods that are wrecking your waistline? Study up on the 20 Worst Foods in America. By maneuvering your way around these gut-bombing traps — or better yet, growing delicious food in your backyard — you’ll be well on your way to a lean, healthy and fit summer!

What is the Best CARDIO exercise? – Running, Bicycling, Elliptical, Swimming ?

There are many choices on Cardio exercises in the gym; but I will narrow down to 4 choices: (1) Running; (2) Bicycling; (3) Elliptical; & (4) Swimming. I will compare Pros and Cons of each choice.

(1) Running
a. Pros
No tools or machines are needed. It is very effective on calorie burning. A 30-minute slow running can burn 300 calories for a 135 lbs woman and a little more for a 175 lbs man. Especially, on the Treadmill, you can select different options such as speed, degree of the slope, and time.

b. Cons
The impact from the surface could create too much pressure on the joints, the knees,

(2) Bicycling
a. Pros
It is also good for effective calorie burning- 200 calories for 135 lbs woman and more for a heavier man. It works on Arms and Glutes as well.

b. Cons
The wrong posture could hurt the back- keep the back straight. Forget the Tour De France riders- they are professionals riding against time.
Good bikes can be costly- over $1,000. If you have a gym membership, be sure to take advantage of its stationary bikes.

(3) Elliptical Machine
a. Pros
It provides a total body workout. Especially, the ones with arm movements can be used as a simple warm-up exercise as well.
It burns about 200 calories for 30 minutes.

b. Cons
It might take a little while to get used to the different movements of the legs.

(4) Swimming
a. Pros
Swimming is an all-around body exercise. It works on your shoulders, back, quads, and abs. It is a very effective cardio exercise because it forces you to breathe at the right interval. You also learn how to coordinate the movements of your arms and legs.
Swimming is good for the people with joint problems, especially in the knees.
Recreational swimming can burn roughly 300 calories for 30 minutes.

b. Cons
Obviously, you need an indoor pool for cold weather.
If you do not know how to swim, start with a kickboard and a buoy.

I will post more blogs on swimming to help you learn how to swim as a beginner.

Meet Mr. Smith for Your Butt, Thighs, Hamstrings & Calves.

The machines in your gym can be intimidating; however, they can be great assets to your workout if you get to know them up close and personal :)

Have you ever wanted those rock-hard butt/glutes that Hollywood actors/actresses have? Here is the first step to acquiring the solid Lower Body - introducing the "SMITH Machine."

The Smith Machine looks like a huge barbell trapped in a machine, as in the photo - almost all gyms should have one. If you don't go to a gym, use dumbells or barbell at home.

Well, as you guessed, Mr. Smith invented it and called it after his name.

I like this Smith Machine particularly because (1) it helps maintain the correct form; (2) it is safer to use compared to squating with a free barbell because of the locking hook; (3) it creates less straint on the body than a free barbell; &
(4) Most of all, it trains your butt, quads, calves, and hamstrings.

Please note that you can move on to the Free Weight Squating (w/ a barbell) AFTER getting comfortable doing squats on the Smith Machine and then, it will increase the intensity; however, until then, let's learn how to use the "Smith Machine."


A. Squats
(1) Correct Form
If you use the Smith machine, try to keep your back straight. If you use a barbell or dumbells, slightly leaning forward is OK. Keep your feet shoulder wide.

(2) Reps
Do 5 sets, 7 reps each set. Take a few minutes of break after each set.
Increase gradually up to 10 sets.

B. Lunges
(1) Correct Form
Keep your back straight at all times. The front knee should not pass the toes (= should stay behind the toes), otherwise it creates too much straint on the knee. The back knee should almost touch the floor, an inch above. Remember: both front and back knees should form 90 degrees.

(2) Reps
Do 5 sets, 7 reps each set. Take a few minutes of breat after each set.
Increase gradually up to 10 sets.

On the first week, take it easy using very light weights, otherwise your legs will be sore.

Good luck and enjoy !

Meet Mr. Smith for Your Butt !!! - Squats & Lunges

This is a preview for how to work on your butt with the "Smith" machine.

The Smith machine looks like a barbell trapped in a machine, which is avaliable in almost every gym.

The Smith machine is excellent for beginners to get a rock-hard butt.
(continued on the next blog)

The "best" ABS workout ???

Well, I get that question a lot at the gym and from my friends.

Once and for all, here is what I found out from my experience and research.

I did the following for 12 months, probably 360 days out of 365. As a result, I got my current six pack with 2% body fat.

1. Warm up: Start with a regular sit ups, 50 non-stop, in a slow but controlled manner. You are NOT trying to do as fast as you can, but nice and slowly. Take a break for a minute before going to the next.

2. Upper abs: Do 30-degree angle sit ups. Lie down on your back, bend your knees 90 degrees. Lift your upper body only 30 degrees from the ground. Stop for three seconds. Then, down. Repeat this 10 times. That's one set. Do five sets with a break in between sets.

3. Lower abs: Do flutter kicks. Lie down on your back flat on the ground. Lift your feet 30 degrees up from the ground. Do flutter kicks. Do 20, that's one set. Do five sets with a break in between sets.

4. Obliques: Do bicycle sit ups. Just like regular sit ups, except that you touch the right knee with your left elbow, touch the left knee with the right elbow. 25 reps each set, 2 sets.

The total reps would be over 200. I do all of these in the gym, but if you are not accustomed to doing sit ups, you might want to start doing 1/4 of them a day and increase the number of reps. Otherwise, your abs will get sore and you might have to stop for a few days.

Unlike other muscles, you do NOT need to do this alternate days. You may and should do sit ups everyday.

You will see a noticeable difference in six months and a lot more in a year. I started doing sit ups right after high school and when I started, I did not have a big belly. So, it took me only a year to get a six pack. Depending on your current fitness level, it might take you longer, but you will get there. The key is patience and persistence.

Moreover, fitness is 70% diet and 30% exercise, which means that eating healthy is more important than doing thousands of sit-ups.

So, here is how to eat for the "abs."



First, eat 6 times a day, every three hours.
Some of healthy snacks are:
(1) A peanut butter sandwich, especially in the morning: don't worry- peanut butter has GOOD fat, the type the body needs. I add celery in it, which surprisingly tastes good.
(2) Fruits: I eat per day two apples, two bananas, two oranges, and other seasonal fruits. Fruits have low calories but are filling.
(3) Baby carrots: might be hard to eat first time, but tastes not bad if you get used to it.
(4) Power bars/ Granola bars: choose the ones with less than 5 grams of fat per serving.
(5) Soy milk: will take your hunger away and also has protein for muscle building.

The Abs Diet 6-Minute Meals for 6-Pack Abs: More Than 150 Great-Tasting Recipes to Melt Away Fat!

Second, Try NOT to eat a heavy dinner and follow the every 3-hour eating rule (see First above). Do not eat within 2 hours before going to bed except a small portion of light snacks listed above.

Last, do NOT miss breakfast.

While doing all of those above, if you can do cardio exercises, you will see the results sooner.

I will talk about cardio exercises in my next blog. It's time to go to eat :)

In the mean time, would you like to share your abs workout methods?