50 snacks for under 100 calories

50 snacks for under 100 calories

Guilt-free snacking

Celery sticks just don't hit the spot, but these properly tasty low-calorie snacks will do the job

Health hit

1 1 large apple and 5 almonds - 97 calories

2 1 small banana - 90 calories

3 280g Brussels sprouts - 100 calories

4 2 medium peaches - 76 calories

5 Punnet of blueberries and 1tbsp fat-free Greek yoghurt - 90 calories

6 14 almonds - 98 calories

7 6 figs - 96 calories

8 200g fruit salad - 82 calories

9 1 pot of strawberry fromage frais and 6 cherries - 99 calories

10 5 dried apricots - 95 calories

11 4 dates - 96 calories

12 1 small sweet potato - 100 calories

Once guilty pleasure

13 1 McVitie’s chocolate digestive - 83 calories

14 2 Jaffa Cakes - 90 calories

15 1 iced fairy cake - 94 calories

16 2 Cadbury’s Roses - 100 calories

17 2 squares of 85 per cent cocoa dark chocolate - 88 calories

18 1 bag of ready salted French Fries - 97 calories

19 10 Pringles - 100 calories

20 1 meringue nest with 6 strawberries - 100 calories

21 1 mini gingerbread man - 80 calories

22 1 Bendicks Bittermint - 80 calories

23 25 Jelly Belly jelly beans - 100 calories

24 Half a pint of lager and 7 peanuts - 99 calories

Instant hit

25 1 Kellogg’s Fruit ’n Fibre cereal bar - 95 calories

26 1 mini pitta bread with reduced-fat cottage cheese - 97 calories

27 1 slice of breaded ham and 1tsp English mustard - 71 calories

28 1 oatcake with 1tsp low-fat smooth peanut butter - 96 calories

29 1 toasted crumpet and 1tsp low-fat grated cheese - 92 calories

30 1 fishfinger with 4tbsp reduced-sugar and salt baked beans - 91 calories

31 1 Asda tortilla wrap - 97 calories

32 33 frozen grapes - 99 calories

33 30g low-fat Edam cheese and 5 sticks of celery - 99 calories

34 1tsp cream cheese on 1 plain Ryvita with 1 medium tomato - 100 calories

35 25g natural cottage cheese and 1 medium peach - 91 calories

Easy to make

36 1 rasher of grilled bacon and a dollop of ketchup - 87 calories

37 1 slice of brown toast and Marmite - 100 calories

38 28g serving of porridge oats - 100 calories

39 1 hard-boiled egg - 78 calories

40 5 roasted chestnuts - 100 calories

41 1 Dairylea slice and 1 rice cake - 99 calories

42 2 cream crackers with 1tbsp reduced-fat coleslaw - 100 calories

43 2 multigrain Ryvitas with Marmite - 83 calories

44 1 carrot with 28g tzatziki - 97 calories

45 1 sliced boiled potato with 1tbsp fresh salsa - 91 calories

46 4 breadsticks with tzatziki - 100 calories

47 28g Solgar Whey To Go protein shake - 100 calories

48 2 slices of Parma ham with 6 thin slices of melon - 80 calories

49 Heinz Weight Watchers Chicken Soup - 88 calories

50 1 Müller Light cherry yoghurt - 96 calories

Some other articles based on fat loss

a) 1200 calorie diet

Meal Plan 1

TOTAL CALORIES ~1200

Breakfast

* 1 Cup Fruit Juice

* 1/2 Cup Oatmeal

* 1 Cup Low-Fat Yogurt

* Black Coffee or Herbal Tea

Snack

* Smoothie

(1 Cup Berries blended with 1 Cup Trim (1%) Milk and Ice Cubes).

Lunch

* 2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

* 1/2 Cup Tuna (in water only)

* Salad (Tomato, Cucumber, Lettuce) with 1 teaspoon mayonnaise + 1/2 tbsp olive oil.

Dinner

* 3.5 oz (~100g) chicken breast (skinless boneless) - cook in griller.

* 1 Cup Broccoli

* 1/2 Cup Brown Rice

Meal Plan 2

TOTAL CALORIES ~1200

Breakfast

* 2 Slices Whole Wheat Toast with 1 tsp Butter

* 1/2 Cup Canned Fruit Cocktail (Fruit Salad) - in natural juice only

* 8 oz (1 cup) Trim (1%) Milk

Snack

* 1 Medium-Sized Banana

Lunch

* 6 Crackers with Low-Fat Cottage Cheese.

* Handful Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Brazil nuts)

* 1 Medium Fruit (Apple, Peach, Plum, Pear, etc)

Dinner

* Medium Baked Potato

* 3 oz (~85g) Sirloin Steak

* 1/2 Cup Mushrooms

* 1/4 Cup Onions

* 1 Teaspoon olive or canola oil (cooking)

* 1 Cup Mixed Vegetables

Breakfast

1 large hard boiled egg - 90 calories

2 slices wholemeal toast with thin smear butter - 200 cals

Large slice melon - 47 calories

8 oz. non fat milk, protein fortified, with added Vitamin A (101 cal)

1/2 cup of strawberries

Lunch

Egg and Lettuce Sandwich

Cottage Cheese with chives reduced fat 100g - 80 calories

Baked potato with baked beans - 300 cals

French bread Pizza 150 grams - 300 cals

Mixed Salad Large portion - 80 calories

Apple - 49 cals

Dinner

1 Chicken Breast with vegetables and rice

Lasagne frozen 250g - 317 calories

Pasta Salad made with a little olive oil & a little sauce to flavour - 200 - 300 calories ( 250 average )

50g Tinned Tuna in water - 50 cals

b) Adding of muscle

7:00 AM - One cup of oatmeal, 8 to 10 egg whites, one scoop of protein powder and 1 tablespoon of raisins. Have with one or two toasts with light butter. One glass of orange or apple juice.

9:45 AM - One meal replacement drink. Try using Prolab’s Lean Mass Matrix.

12:30 PM - 4 to 5 ounces of chicken breast (one large breast), with 1 cup of brown rice and one cup of mixed veggies. Green Giant mixed veggies is acceptable.

3:45 PM - One meal replacement drink.

5:30 PM - One 5 ounce sirloin steak with one potato and 1 cup of steamed broccoli.

6:30 PM - One creatine drink such as Dymatize Xpand

7:00 PM - Weight train for one hour

8:10 PM - Post workout drink such with 50 grams protein and 80 grams quick acting carbs

9:30 PM - One small serving of oatmeal with six egg whites and ½ scoop of protein powder.

10:30 PM - Bed time.

Or

7:00 AM - 3/4 cup bowl of oatmeal (raw) cooked with 2 cups of milk, mixed with 7 egg whites and 2 tablespoons of raisins. Had two toasts with some light butter and one cup of orange juice. One multi vitamin from Animal Nutrition.

9:30 AM - One protein drink

12:00 AM - One medium sized chicken breast with 1 cup of mixed veggies and 3/4 cup of brown rice

2:20 PM - One banana with 1 cup of milk. 1/4 cup of brazillian nuts (I love them!).

4:30 PM - Whatever my mom was cooking up. I couldn’t get out of this one but I did request some foods that I knew were great for building mass and that she enjoyed cooking.

6:00 PM - Weight trained for 1 hour;

7:15 PM - Weight gain shake - I think it was a Beverly Nutrition’s brand. (There was no creatine available at this time);

9:30 PM - Fruit salad with one cup of milk and some nuts.

10:30 PM - Bed.

c) abs diet

Monday

Breakfast

One tall glass (8 to 12 ounces) Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie; make extra for later

Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie (number of Powerfoods: 5)

1 cup 1% milk

2 tablespoons low-fat vanilla yogurt

¾ cup instant oatmeal, nuked in water

2 teaspoons peanut butter

2 teaspoons chocolate whey powder

6 ice cubes, crushed

Makes 2 8-ounce servings

Per serving: 220 calories, 12 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 118 mg sodium

Snack #1

2 teaspoons peanut butter, raw vegetables (as much as you want)

Lunch

Turkey or roast beef sandwich on whole-grain bread, 1 cup 1% or fat-free milk, 1 apple

Snack #2

1 ounce almonds, 1½ cups berries

Dinner

Mas Macho Meatballs (number of Powerfoods: 3)

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

½ cup crushed saltine crackers

1 large onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or whey powder

1 jar (16 ounces) tomato sauce

4 whole-wheat hoagie rolls

½ cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Mix the beef, crackers, onion, garlic, and flaxseed or whey powder into golf ball-size meatballs.

2. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the meatballs until browned all the way around. Drain the fat from the skillet, and add the tomato sauce.

3. While the mixture is warming, use a fork to scoop out some of the bread in the rolls to form shallow trenches. Spoon the meatballs and sauce into each trench, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, and top with the top half of the roll.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 569 calories, 38 g protein, 65 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat (6 g saturated), 10 g fiber, 1,341 mg sodium

Snack #3

8 to 12 ounces Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie

Tuesday

Breakfast

Eggs Beneficial Sandwich (number of Powerfoods: 5)

1 large whole egg

3 large egg whites

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

2 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted

1 slice Canadian bacon

1 tomato, sliced, or 1 green bell pepper, sliced

½ cup orange juice

1. Scramble the whole egg and egg whites in a bowl. Add ground flaxseed to the mixture.

2. Fry in a nonstick skillet spritzed with vegetable oil spray, and dump onto the toast.

3. Add bacon and tomatoes, peppers, or other vegetables of your choice.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 399 calories, 31 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat (3 g saturated), 6 g fiber, 900 mg sodium

Snack #1

2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1 bowl oatmeal or high-fiber cereal

Lunch

The I-Am-Not-Eating-Salad Salad (number of Powerfoods: 4)

2 ounces grilled chicken

1 cup romaine lettuce

1 tomato, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

3 tablespoons Italian 94% fat-free Italian dressing or

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1. Chop the chicken into small pieces.

2. Mix all the ingredients together, and store in the fridge. Eat on multigrain bread or by itself.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 248 calories, 16 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 10 g

Snack #2

3 slices deli turkey, 1 large orange

Dinner

Bodacious Brazilian Chicken (number of Powerfoods: 2)

1 lemon

1 lime

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate

1½ cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 teaspoon hot pepper salsa

½ cup chunky salsa

1. Grate the zest of the lemon and lime into a resealable bag. Squeeze the juice from both fruits into the bag, and throw out the pulp and the seeds.

2. Mix in everything else except the chicken and salsa.

3. Drop in the chicken, reseal the bag, and refrigrate for a few hours.

4. Grill the chicken, turning and basting with marinade a few times, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the center is no longer pink. Serve with salsa.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 205 calories, 29 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat (3 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 726 mg sodium

Snack #3

1 ounce almonds, 4 ounces cantaloupe

Wednesday

Breakfast

One tall glass (8 to 12 ounces) Strawberry Field Marshall Smoothie, make extra for later

Strawberry Field Marshall Smoothie (number of Powerfoods: 5)

½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup 1% milk

2 teaspoons peanut butter

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 teaspoons whey powder

6 ice cubes, crushed

Makes 2 8-ounce servings

Per serving: 186 calories, 11 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 151 mg sodium

Snack #1

1 ounce almonds, 1 ounce raisins

Lunch

Guac and Roll (number of Powerfoods: 4)

1 can (6 ounces) light oil-packed tuna

2/3 cup guacamole

¼ cup chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon light mayonnaise

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

2 6-inch whole-wheat hoagie rolls

1. Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl and blend thoroughly with a fork.

2. Split the rolls in half, and fill each half with ¼ cup of the mixture.

Makes 2 servings

Per serving: 606 calories, 36 g protein, 58 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat (5 g saturated), 13 g fiber, 942 mg sodium

Snack #2

1 stick string cheese, raw vegetables (as much as you want)

Dinner

Chile-Peppered Steak (number of Powerfoods: 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup chopped broccoli

2 jalapeño peppers, sliced

2 cayenne peppers, sliced

12 ounces lean sirloin steak, sliced thin

¼ cup Hunan stir-fry sauce

4 cups cooked brown rice

1. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Toss in the carrots and broccoli, and cook until tender.

2. Add the peppers and beef, and continue cooking until meat is done.

3. Add sauce, and serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 485 calories, 32 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 6 g fiber, 224 mg sodium

Snack #3

8 to 12 ounces Strawberry Field Marshall Smoothie

Thursday

Breakfast

1 slice whole-grain bread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 medium orange, 1 cup All-Bran cereal with 1 cup 1% or fat-free milk, 1 cup berries

Snack #1

8 ounces low-fat yogurt, 1 can low-sodium V8 juice

Lunch

Guilt-Free BLT (number of Powerfoods: 3)

¾ tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise

1 whole-wheat tortilla

2 slices turkey bacon, cooked

2 ounces roasted turkey breast, diced

2 slices tomato

2 leaves lettuce

1. Smear the mayo on the tortilla.

2. Line the middle of the tortilla with the bacon and top with turkey breast, tomato, and lettuce.

3. Roll it tightly into a tube.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 206 calories, 17 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 1,270 mg sodium

Snack #2

3 slices deli roast beef, 1 large orange

Dinner

Philadelphia Fryers (number of Powerfoods: 3)

1 medium onion, sliced

1 small red bell pepper, sliced

1 small green bell pepper, sliced

2/3 cup medium or hot salsa

4 multigrain hoagie rolls

¾ pound roast beef, thinly sliced

½ cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the onion and peppers until tender. Add the salsa and heat until warm.

2. Construct the sandwiches with the buns, roast beef, onions, peppers, and cheese, then warm them in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on high, until the cheese starts to melt.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Per sandwich: 558 calories, 35 g protein, 40 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat (12.5 g saturated), 4 g fiber, 653 mg sodium

Snack #3

2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1 cup low-fat ice cream

Friday

Breakfast

One tall glass (8 to 12 ounces) Banana Split Smoothie; make extra for later

Banana Split Smoothie (number of Powerfoods: 3)

1 banana

½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1/8 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

½ cup 1% milk

2 teaspoons whey powder

6 ice cubes, crushed

Makes 2 8-ounce servings

Per serving: 171 calories, 8 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 2 g fiber,

Snack #1

1 ounce almonds, 4 ounces cantaloupe

Lunch

Hot Tuna (number of Powerfoods: 4)

½ cup chopped celery

1 onion, chopped

½ cup shredded, reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

½ cup reduced-fat cottage cheese

1 can (6 ounces) water-packed tuna, drained and flaked

¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 whole-wheat English muffins, split in half

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large nonstick skillet over low heat, cook the celery and onion until softened. Add the cheeses, tuna, mayo, and lemon juice to the skillet, and cook the mixture just long enough to warm it up.

2. Spread one-sixth of the mixture on each English muffin half. Put the muffin halves on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes.

Makes 2 servings

Per serving: 628 calories, 50 g protein, 54 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat (6 g saturated), 8 g fiber, 1,300 mg sodium

Snack #2

3 slices deli roast beef, 1 large orange

Dinner

Chili Con Turkey (number of Powerfoods: 4)

1 pound ground turkey

1 can (14 ounces) Mexican-style diced tomatoes

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 ounces) whole-kernel sweet corn, drained

1 package (1 ½ ounces) dried chili mix

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

¼ cup water

1 cup cooked rice

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown the turkey.

2. Add everything else but the rice, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 407 calories, 30 g protein, 52 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat (3 g saturated), 9 g fiber, 1,578 mg sodium

Snack #3

8 to 12 ounces Banana Split Smoothie

Saturday

Breakfast

One tall glass (8 to 12 ounces) Halle Berries Smoothie; make extra for later

Halle Berries Smoothie (number of Powerfoods: 4)

¾ cup instant oatmeal, nuked in water or fat-free milk

¾ cup fat-free milk

¾ cup mixed frozen blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries

2 teaspoons whey powder

3 ice cubes, crushed

Makes 2 8-ounce servings

Per serving: 144 calories, 7 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 4 g fiber, 109 mg sodium

Snack #1

1 bowl high-fiber cereal, 1 cup low-fat yogurt

Lunch

Leftover Chili Con Turkey

Snack #2

2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1 or 2 slices whole-grain bread

Dinner

Cheat meal! Have whatever you've been craving this week: beer and wings, beer and pizza, beer and bratwurst -- anything you can dream of.

Snack #3

8 to 12 ounces Halle Berries Smoothie

Sunday

Breakfast

The I-Haven't-Had-My-Coffee-Yet Sandwich (number of Powerfoods: 3)

1 ½ teaspoons low-fat cream cheese

1 whole-wheat pita, halved to make 2 pockets

2 slices turkey or ham

Lettuce or green vegetable

1. Spread cream cheese in the pockets of the pita.

2. Stuff with meat and vegetables.

3. Put in mouth. Chew and swallow.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 225 calories, 10 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 6 g fiber, 430 mg sodium

Snack #1

2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1 can low-sodium V8 juice

Brunch (Relax -- it's Sunday)

2 scrambled eggs, 2 slices whole-grain toast, 1 banana, 1 cup 1% or fat-free milk

Snack #2

3 slices deli roast beef, 1 slice fat-free cheese

Dinner

BBQ King (number of Powerfoods: 5)

5 ounces smoked turkey kielbasa, diced

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (3 ounces) sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (16 ounces) baked beans

1 can (8 ounces) navy beans, drained

1 can (14 ½ ounces) puréed tomatoes

¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

¾ tablespoon ground flaxseed

¾ tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Put the kielbasa in a 2-quart baking dish, and bake until browned (about 5 minutes). Drain the fat and set the dish aside.

2. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion, mushrooms, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish, then add the beans and tomatoes, plus salt and pepper to taste.

3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges bubble.

4. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and flaxseed with the oil. Sprinkle over the sausage mixture, and broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat until the top is golden (about 3 minutes).

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 348 calories, 20 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 8.5 g fat (2 g saturated), 13 g fiber, 1,463 mg sodium

Snack #3

1 ounce almonds, 1 cup low-fat ice cream

d) diet from men's health

BREAKFAST

Pick one:

- Bowl of cereal

- Bowl of oatmeal

- 3 scrambled eggs

Add

- 1 piece of fruit

- Breakfast beverage

Want to eat out?

LUNCH

Pick one:

- Turkey sandwich

- Tuna sandwich

- PB&J sandwich

Add

- 1 piece of fruit

- Handful of almonds

- Water

Rather microwave?

Want to eat out?

DINNER

Pick one:

- Seared steak

- Chicken breast

Add

- 1 heaping portion

green vegetable

- 1 glass wine or beer

Don’t want to cook?

At 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., pick one of these snacks:

- Stonyfield fruit-flavored yogurt

- 2 sticks low-fat string cheese

Bowl of cereal: 1.5 cups (2 servings) Shredded Wheat or Wheaties with 6 oz. 1 percent milk

Bowl of oatmeal: 1 cup instant oatmeal, unsweetened, with 20 blueberries

Piece of fruit: A medium apple, banana, or orange

Breakfast beverage: An 8 oz. glass of unsweetened orange juice, 1 percent milk, or a pint of coffee (that's a grande) with 1 sugar and 1 individual packet of cream. (Save yourself 27 calories by substituting calorie-free sweetener and a drop of skim milk.)

Turkey sandwich: 3 deli slices of turkey breast on whole-wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Tuna sandwich: 1 can tuna, drained, mixed with 3 tsp. Dijon mustard on whole-wheat bread

PB&J sandwich: Peanut butter and easy-on-the-jelly on whole-wheat bread

Handful of almonds: 24-28 nuts

Heaping portion of green vegetable: An individual frozen package or normal-sized can of peas, green beans, or spinach

1 glass wine or beer: A 6 oz. glass of wine or a bottle of beer. Don't go nuts, here: Extra calories from alcohol can ruin your weight-loss plans

Seared steak: 1 medium New York strip steak, seared (click here to learn how)

Chicken breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled (George Foreman or otherwise) with 1 tsp. BBQ sauce

e) Lose ten pounds by Craig Ballantyne

It's entirely possible to lose that much in a month, but it's going to take increased visits to the gym and major discipline in your diet. To lose 10 pounds in four weeks, you'll need to create a calorie deficit of about 500 calories a day. That means reducing your food intake by 20 percent and burning off the rest with exercise. Here's your plan.

At the gym: Aim for three weekly exercise sessions, split between 20 minutes of strength training and 20 minutes of cardio. Your strength sessions should involve at least four exercises divided into supersets, which simply means running pairs of exercises back-to-back. Begin with dumbbell chest presses and body-weight split squats, doing four supersets of eight reps per exercise with one minute's rest between supersets. Next, pair dumbbell rows with decline push-ups. Same sets and reps as the previous superset. Finish off with a 20-minute interval workout of your favorite cardio exercise (e.g., running, cycling, rowing): a five-minute warm-up, 10 minutes of alternating between 30 seconds of intense effort and 90 seconds of active rest (at a cooldown pace), and a five-minute cooldown. Short bursts of intense activity boost metabolism for up to 30 hours after you work out and increase the production of fat-burning hormones.

In the kitchen: Calculate how many calories you eat each day (you can use nutritiondata.com to add up the caloric value of what you eat) and then reduce that by 20 percent—probably about 400 to 500 calories. Trust me, you won't starve. Just decrease your intake of processed foods, which tend to cause swings in blood sugar, triggering feelings of hunger, and bulk up on unprocessed foods such as eggs, spinach, oatmeal, and lean meat. The fiber in the produce and the protein in the meat will help keep you fuller longer. Log your food and workouts at fitday.com, a free Web site that tracks your progress. For added insurance, challenge a buddy to lose 10 pounds too. Research shows that the support and accountability provided by a training partner boosts exercise adherence and weight-loss success.

Breakfast

* 1 scrambled egg (1tsp margarine) Cooked in Pam

* 1 slice bacon

* 3 slices tomato

* Coffee

* Orange Juice

Morning Snack

* Carrots with Low Fat Ranch Dip

Lunch

* Tuna Salad w/ Low Fat Mayo

* Lettuce

* Cherry Tomatoes

* 5 whole wheat crackers

* Water with Lemon Slice

Afternoon Snack

* Apple

Dinner

* Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Marinated in Low Fat Italian Dressing Baked

* Green Beans

* Broccoli/Cauliflower/Carrot Medley

* Low Fat Cheese Sauce

* Whole Wheat Roll

Night Time Snack

* 1 cup Grapes

Some other articles based on fat loss

Some other fat loss guide taken from a number of diff sources

This is taken frm the website www.iwantsixpackabs.com...

a) Steps to boost metabolism

How To Boost Your Metabolism Using Interval Training

I have observed hundreds of people in the gym that strictly perform 30-60 minutes of cardio, 3 5x per week, for at least a year resulting in the same old physique. If this sounds like your type of program, you will find out why you did not achieve the results that you are looking for.

I know many fitness trainers that put their client on 6-7 hours of cardio training per week for several months. When the clients are frustrated with the lack of results, the only thing that the trainers do is encourage their clients to just stick with the program or to do more hours.

So what is the solution? Is it to do more cardio? Of course not! Doing extra cardio will not help you. You will be surprised to know that 6-7 hours will NOT help increase your metabolism. In fact, it can actually slow down your metabolism.

Confused? There are a lot of misconceptions about aerobic training. Most people believe that aerobic training is the magic solution to weight loss. There is a dark side to aerobic training that most people are not aware of. It is NOT the solution to weight loss. Forget about the long, slow, boring cardio workout. It is not going to get you the six pack abs that you are looking for.

I will try to explain to you why people believe that steady state aerobic (i.e. jogging for 30-60 minutes) is the solution to fat loss.

Let? go back to a real life example. If you compare the best marathoners (people who can run for several hours) and the best sprinters (under one minute), who do you think is leaner? If you said the sprinter, you are absolutely right.

The first time that you attempt aerobic training, you might be able to last for only 5 minutes. As you get better and better, you increase your minutes. 5 minutes eventually turns into 10 minutes. 10 minutes eventually turns to 20 minutes. Eventually you can do 60 minutes, 5-6 times per week. Will you get the lean sculpted body that you want? Will you lose weight? Well? Just keep reading.

As you get better and better, your heart and lungs get stronger and stronger allowing you to do longer distances. HOWEVER, as you do more and more aerobic training, as you get stronger, your body becomes better at utilizing your body fat (meaning you are burning less body fat). What it means is that if it takes you 30 minutes to burn 300 calories, as you get stronger, it will take 45 minutes to burn the same amount of calories. Is there fun adding more minutes to your cardio just to burn the same amount of calories that you use to burn?

Eventually, as you do more and more aerobic to burn the extra calories, your body will start tapping into your muscles for energy. Eventually, your body can literally break down your muscle tissue to meet the energy demand. Your muscle tissue can be converted to glucose (blood sugar) to supply your aerobic training. What does that mean? You are making a smaller, less efficient fat burning machine; therefore, a weaker metabolism. .

Remember, steady aerobic training does NOT build muscle, but doing too much can actually make you lose muscle.

If steady state aerobic training does not work, what is the solution then?

The answer??br>

Interval Training (Anaerobic training)

Interval training is far more superior to boosting your metabolism than it is to do steady state aerobic training. Steady state aerobic does not increase your metabolism at all. It is true that you are burning calories while you are actually performing the aerobics. However, once you are done with your session, your metabolism returns to normal.

However, interval training (consisting of moderate to high intensity cardio) will burn more calories per minute, and will elevate your metabolism for hours and hours. The right amount of resistance training combined with an intense interval training session can keep your metabolism up for at least 24 hours and in some cases, up to 42 hours. Imagine what that can do to your body if you are burning high amounts of fat all day and all night long (even when you are sleeping).

A lot of people focus too much about ?he workout when in fact, they should focus more on the whole picture. It is not the 1 hour of workout that counts but it is the 23 hours remaining in the day.

What interval cardio activity can you do?

What ever you enjoy and willing to stick to. You can jog/run/sprint, stationary bike, spinning bike, eliptical machine, rowing, stair climbing, mountain biking, swimming, etc. It is your choice. Just get yourself moving.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Rule to Interval Training

Always warm up for 4-6 minutes

High intensity: Perform one minute as fast as you can.

(Level 9 or 10 intensity on a scale of 1-10)

Moderate intensity: Slow down to a moderate pace for two minutes

(Level 6-7 intensity).

Therefore, one round will last about 3 minutes.

Always cool down for 5 minutes

Warning: Do not perform interval training before resistance training. It can actually cause a negative effect on your routine.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Week One to Four:

Complete 3 rounds, 3 xs per week.

Total time: 19 minutes per session (including the warm up and cool down).

You can perform this during your non-training days or right after your weight lifting.

Week Five to Eight

Complete 4 rounds, 4 xs per week.

Total time: 22 minutes per session (including the warm up and cool down).

You can perform this during your non-training days or right after your weight lifting.

Week Nine to Twelve

Complete 5 rounds, 4 xs per week.

Total time: 25 minutes per session (including the warm up and cool down).

You can perform this during your non-training days or right after your weight lifting.

Weeks Thirteen to Sixteen:

Complete 6 rounds, 5 xs per week.

Total time: 28 minutes per session (including the warm up and cool down).

You can perform this during your non-training days or right after your weight lifting.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is what the interval Training Looks like duing the first week.

Warm up for 4-6 minutes by doing some light jogging.

Followed By High Intensity Running/Sprinting for one full minute.

(Level 9 or 10 intensity on a scale of 1-10)

Followed by Moderate intensity: Slow down to jogging for two minutes

(Level 6-7 intensity).

Repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds: Run/Sprint for one minute followed by jogging for 2 minutes.

After completing all 3 rounds, light jog/walk for 5 minutes for a cool down.

b) 16 weeks eating tips

My 16 Week Journey Eating Tips

Most people will agree that there is more weight loss and fitness information today but there is also more and more people that are getting even more confused about proper nutrition. Each diet contradicts with one another. I know it can get very confusing.

I am not a nutritionist and I do NOT claim to know everything. However, I spent over 7 years of my life studying how the body functions. These are just the general guidelines that I use for myself.

I can never stress it enough how crucial proper eating is. It is one of my biggest reasons why I was able to drop my body fat so that I could reveal my six pack abs. Without proper supportive eating, you are wasting your time at the gym. It is only

going to be a lot tougher without the proper supportive eating.

Here are my eating tips and I'll try to keep it simple and easy to follow. If you want to lose weight and gain lean muscle, you will want your supportive eating to consist of high protein and high fiber food. You will understand why after reading this article.

Let? Talk About Protein First:

You want to make an effort to consume high quality protein and fiber in every meal. A suportive eating rich in lean protein is very crucial for numerous reasons. Protein is essential for repairing, building, and preserving your muscle. Of course, the more muscle that you can keep and build, the higher your metabolism. In addition, protein is needed for the production of important hormones and enzymes.

However, one of the biggest reasons why protein plays a big role in your supportive eating is because protein does not spike your sugar level up. The more your blood sugar is steady, the more fat your body can release to be utilize as energy.

Protein is hard for your body to break down causing up to 20% thermic effect compared to carbohydrates and fat. What does that mean? When you consume protein, 20% of the total protein calories are used just to break down the protein into small chains of amino acids. That is extremely important to help boost your metabolism.

Here are the top 12 sources of high quality lean protein:

1. White egg omelette (hard boiled eggs)

2. Lean skinless chicken and turkey (white meat)

3. Wild Salmon

4. Lean beef

5. Tuna

6. Lean Pork

7. Sardines

8. Skim milk

9. Cottage Cheese (Fat Free)

10. Beans, nuts, legumes

11. Soy (Tofu)

12. Whey protein drinks.

Let? Talk About Foods That Are High in Fiber:

Adding fiber into your meal is crucial for overall heath. Fiber (soluble) absorbs water making your feel fuller and for much longer time. For example, plain oatmeal is high in soluble fiber with attract water to keep you satisfied for hours. However, eating cereal that is high in sugar and low fiber causes you to get hungry very quickly. Insoluble fiber help move the food faster through the stomach and intestines to prevent constipation and other disease. It is recommended to consume about 25-35 grams of fiber per day.

Like I said earlier, you must make an effort to consume lean protein in every meal. But you also want your supportive eating to be rich in high fiber food. The list below are food that are high in fiber and packed in vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are essential muscle building, fat burning meal.

Top 12 Foods That Are High in Fiber:

1. Broccoli

2. Spinach

3. Yellow and red peppers

4. Cauliflower

5. Kale

6. Sweet potatoes

7. Brown rice

8. Plain Oatmeal (my favorite breakfast food)

9. Tomatoes

10. Berries (extremely high in antioxidants which speed up your recovery)

11. Bananas (my simple carbohydrates after working out.)

12. Legumes, beans, nuts

Let? all put it together. Again, you want to try to consume some lean protein in every meal with foods that are high in fiber. Below are four samples of what my everyday meal looks like.

Sample Menu #1

Meal # 1 (Breakfast)

2 egg whites

1 serving of plain oatmeal with whey protein (for flavor)

½ cup skim milk

Optional Supplement: 1 teaspoon of Flax seed oil

Meal # 2 (Snack)

3 Hard Boiled Eggs

1 serving of Broccoli

Meal # 3 (Lunch)

31/2 ounces Chicken Breast

1 cup of mixed vegetables

1 Large Apple

Meal # 4 (My post workout meal)

1 Banana

11/2 servings of whey protein powder

(sipping on my whey protein during my workout and finishing it after my workout)

Meal #5 (Dinner)

31/2 ounces of Salmon

½ cup spinach

1 serving of berries such as strawberries

Meal #6 Optional (Before I go to bed)

Cottage cheese with blueberries.

Quick notes: Cottage cheese contains casein protein to help prevent muscle breakdown. Blueberries are high in antioxidants to help aid muscle repair.

Sample Menu #2

Meal # 1 (Breakfast)

5 egg whites with broccoli

½ cup skim milk

Optional Supplement: 1 teaspoon of Flax seed oil

Meal # 2 (Snack)

Cottage cheese with strawberries

Meal # 3 (Lunch)

31/2 ounces Turkey breast

¾ cup of brown rice

1 small Apple

Meal # 4 (My post workout meal)

1 Banana

11/2 serving of whey protein powder

(sipping on my whey protein during my workout and finishing it after my workout)

Meal #5 (Dinner)

31/2 ounces of chicken breast

½ cup yellow and red peppers.

Salad with spinach, tomato, olive oil and vinegar

Meal #6 Optional (Before I go to bed)

Whey protein in skim milk

Sample Menu #3

Meal # 1

5 white egg omellete with chopped brocolli

½ cup skim milk

Meal # 2

1 ounce of Almonds

1 medium Orange

Meal # 3

3.5 ounces Chicken Breast

½ cup of brown rice

1 Large Apple

Meal # 4 (My post workout meal)

1 Banana

1 scoop protein powder

(22grams protein, 5g

carbs, 1 g fat)

Meal #5

3 ounces Turkey Breast or Salmon

1 cup of mixed vegetables

2 tsps olive oil dressing

Sample Menu #4

Meal # 1

6 egg whites

½ cup oatmeal (measured dry uncooked)

1 small orange

Meal # 2

1 ounce of Almonds

1 medium skim milk

Meal # 3

4 ounces Turkey Breast

2 ounce sweet potato

Meal # 4 (My post workout meal)

½ banana

2 scoops protein powder

Meal # 5

4 ounces Chicken Breast or Tuna

½ cup Spinach

Medium tomato

1.5 cups lettuce

2 tsps olive oil dressing

Quick notes: Casein is the predominant protein in milk to help prevent muscle breakdown.

My Nutritional Tip Before, During, and After Working Out

Based on research, consuming protein before, during, and after workouts help increase muscle mass more compared to any other time. My suggestion is to make a protein shake prior to working out, sipping it before and throughout the session, and a little bit more right after your workout session. To maximize your fat loss, drink a total of 20-40grams of whey protein before, during, and after working out.

My Supplement Tip

I am also receiving a lot of questions about my recommended supplements. I do NOT recommend any fat burning pills. However, I highly recommend flax seed oil and a muti-vitamin with your breakfast. Whey protein and other meal replacements can also be very helpful as well.

Quick Guidelines Overview:

I will provide you with a great guideline to help you lose weight. Let me simply it for you. These are the guidelines that I am following in my 16 week journey to six pack abs.

Rule #1: Eat smaller meals through out day.

Ideally, try to eat every 3- 31/2 hours of a smaller meal everyday. Not only will you feel less hungry but it will help boost your metabolism by constantly supplying your body with the adequate amount of energy. Stay away from eating 3 larger meals and start eating smaller meals through out the day.

Rule#2: Consume enough high quality protein every day.

Protein (such as chicken) has a high thermic effect than carbs and fat. What does it mean to you? Your body has to burn extra calories to break down your protein into smaller amino acids. Plus, it will keep you satisfied a lot longer compared to carbs. In addition, protein is needed to build and maintain lean muscle. Aim for about 60-70% of your total calorie intake.

Rule#3: Consume 25-35 grams of fiber a day

Your carbohydrates should be mostly high fiber foods such as vegetables, fruit, and high fiber unrefined grains. Fiber in your food absorbs water causing it to expand in your stomach and therefore making you feel more satisfied for a longer time. In addition, high fiber food will also control your blood sugar level; therefore, allowing you to release more body fat.

Rule#4: Avoid refined sugars and refined grains.

One of the biggest reasons why we are so overweight is because of the amount of sugar intake that we consume every year (Yes. That means to put your soda down). High sugary food/drink intake can cause your blood sugar to spike up causing you body to stop producing another hormone called glucagon. Glucagon is a releasing hormone that is responsible for releasing body fat to be utilized as energy. However, when you consume too much sugar, your glucagon production is discontinued.

Rule#5: Consume an adequate amount of fat.

When I say fat, I meant the healthy kind of fat such as nuts and seeds, nut butters, olive oil, organic meats and eggs, virgin coconut oil, and avocados. Depleting yourself with the healthy fat can negatively affect your hormone levels that will only result to more cravings.

In addition, you want to limit the unhealthy fat (saturated fat) such as butter, margarine, and the fat around your steak. Avoid hydrogenated fat at all costs as they cause more harm than good.

Rule#6: Keep yourself hydrated all day;

It is crucial to keep yourself hydrated especially while working out. Try to drink .6 - .7 ounces per pound of body weight. We are made up of mostly water and a slight decrease in your body fluid level can affect your exercise performance. My number one rule in regards to water: If you are thirsty, you are also dehydrated. Do NOT wait until you are thirsty.

Let? put it all together:

I eat small meals through out the day containing one lean protein and foods that are rich in fibers. I consume an average of 400 calories per meal (5-6x per day) for a total of about 2,000-2,400 calories per day. In order for you to lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit; in other words, you must burn more calories than you consume. However, consuming too little calories (extreme dieting) can result in an even lower metabolism.

Eating smaller meals through out the day will help boost your metabolism and keep your energy up all day.

Below is a list of great sources of food for lean protein,

fibrous carbs, and starchy carbs.

Great Source of Lean Protein (in every meal) 60-70%

Eggs Whites Chicken breast Tuna Shrimp

Grouper Mahi-mahi Cod Salmon

Swordfish Lobster Shellfish Sushi/ sashimi

Halibut Marlin Cobia Tofu (Soy)

Great Source of Fiber Fibrous (in every meal) 20-30%

Broccoli Onions Cauliflower Asparagus

Carrots Spinach Green peppers String beans

Yellow peppers Cucumbers Red peppers Celery

Great Source of Starch Carbs (before and after training)

Potato Cream of Rice Cereal Corn

Brown rice Tomato Jasmine Rice Sweet potato

Basmati rice Peas Oatmeal Corn tortillas

Great Source of Healthy Fat (in every meal) 10%

Nuts/Seeds Flax seed oil/ Fish Olive Oil/Virgin oil avocados

c) Add muscle during recovery period

How To Add Muscle Mass From Recovery Periods

1) Have One Whey Protein Drink With 5 Grams Of Glutamine As You Wake Up

This one is a must. As soon as you wake up in the morning, stumble over to your kitchen and mix yourself up a whey (Isolate if possible) drink mixed with 5 grams of glutamine. Your body is in starvation mode and desperately needs protein in order kick start the growth process. If you can, try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey with your drink. This way, you can get some carbs into your nutrient starved body.

Also, glutamine is a much needed nutrient at this point. If you can shuttle some glutamine into your muscles, first thing in the morning, you can help stop the muscle breakdown process and get your body back into growth mode.

Here’s a drink I use:

Here’s a great breakfast protein smoothie for you to try.

• 1 scoop of orange creamsicle protein powder (NxCare ISO xp);

• 2 to 3 tablespoons of low fat, vanilla yogurt;

• 1 cup of 1% milk;

• ½ cup of orange juice;

• 4 to 6 ice cubes.

Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix. Try and blend the mix until all the ice cubes are chopped up, usually about 30 to 40 seconds.

This is a fantastic breakfast “wake up” protein drink to get your body growing. Give it a shot, I’m sure you’ll love it.

2) Eat A High Protein, High Complex Carb Breakfast

This is so important. Approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, after you’ve taken your morning protein drink, have a high protein, high carb breakfast. What you want to do here is give your body the magic of food synergy that only quality foods can provide.

Oatmeal provides slow burning carbs to give you energy, which greatly benefits recovery in the long run. Think of this breakfast as giving your body “time released” recovery throughout the day. Here’s a sample breakfast:

One cup of oatmeal, 8 to 10 egg whites, one scoop of protein powder and 1 tablespoon of raisins. Have with one or two toasts with light butter. One glass of orange or apple juice.

3) Have A Pre-Workout Shake

Do yourself a huge favour, have a pre workout shake 40 minutes to 1 hour before your workout. Believe me, taking in a pre workout shake is one of the most critical things you can do to enhance your growth and recovery. If you want to get some body mass, your gonna have to take in a pre workout shake.

By filling up on amino acids and some carbs prior to your workout, you ensure that your internal gas tank is filled with quality, high grade octane and premium building material. This is especially important if you’re body is low on nutrients because the workout will force you to use protein for fuel - And you never, ever want to do this!

Try adding 40 grams of whey protein and have one banana prior to your workout. If you can, try having a small bowl of oatmeal - You’ll see what I’m talking about if you try this before your intenst workouts over the next week or so!

Here’s a simple pre workout shake to try:

• 1 Banana

• 8 ounces of skim milk

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

• 2 scoops of whey protein powder

Mix it all up in a blender and you have yourself a power protein drink. Remember, if you can, try and fit in a small bowl of oatmeal. If you can’t, try using Prolab’s Mass Matrix Complex which uses 40 grams of complex carbs from oat flour. It also uses 40 grams of whey protein powder. This sounds like a fantastic drink!

4) Have A Glutamine And Creatine Drink Before A Workout

Approximately 10 minutes before your workout, try having a glutamine and creatine drink. It has taken me a bit of practice but I personally found that this works best (for me), right before a workout. I personally use NOZ supecharged (Lemon lime flavour!), or Dymatize Xpand (Cherry limonade flavour). I have gotten mind blowing results from this combination. By stuffing your muscles full of creatine and glutamine, you keep your muscles cells filled with fluid.

Now, if you can afford it, I strongly recommend that you also take some Endothil CR. I’ve used this supplement for over 5 months and I am blown away by the results.

5) Drink A Post Workout Shake

This goes without saying. If you’re not having a post workout shake, you are basically cutting your results in half. Yes, I’m sure of it! This is the absolute best time to have a whey protein drink for the most dramatic results.

Ingesting protein right after a hard workout will be your window of opportunity and the most optimal time to ingest protein.

I cannot stress the importance of ingesting protein upon completion of your workouts.

Why? This is your golden opportunity for building muscle, and trust me, this will help you put you on the road to building hard, strong muscles.

You see, after you have had a gruelling workout, your body is in a state of havoc. The body is starting the repair and growth process of muscle tissue. You can greatly enhance this recovery process by consuming protein after your workout.

Research has shown that you can get a head start on this recovery process by ingesting at least .5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight along with a high glycemic carbohydrate such as maltodextrin, dextrose, or sucrose within 30 minutes of working out.

Why carbohydrates with protein? When carbohydrates is taken with protein, there’s a blast of insulin. Insulin kicks the body’s glycogen making machine into high gear.

Glycogen is considered the principal storage form of glucose and is found mainly in liver and muscle. Glucose supplies the tissues with energy and are found principally in the liver, and muscle as glycogen.

Therefore, insulin will speed up the movement of glucose and amino acids into cells which is what you definitely want and secondly, it activates a special enzyme which is essential for glycogen synthesis.

If you are serious about adding hard, lean muscle mass to your body, you will not forego your post workout protein drink.

Try this post workout drink:

Power Drink

1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt

1 scoop(2oz) vanilla protein powder- 22 grams protein (Whey isolate if possible)

1 tbsp honey

1 ½ cup low fat or 1% milk

1 cup orange juice

If you want to get bulk whey isolate for the cheapest price anywhere, try going to the following address:

http://www.bulkfoods.com

You can get about 5 pounds of whey isolate for about 40$ compared to $90 at your local GNC.

6) Take At Least 5 Grams Of Creatine With Your Post Workout Shake

In addition to your post workout shake, you should add 5 to 10 grams of creatine. Personally, I’d add 5 grams of tri creatine malate. For some reason, I get awesome results with this kind of creatine. Taking creatine with your post workout shake has two main advantages. Firstly, exercises muscles takes up creatine so much better, so less is wasted. Secondly, the insulin spike you get after ingesting a high carb, post workout shake will not only shuttle a high level of carbs and protein into the muscle but creatine as well. The result is more creatine in each muscle fibre at saturation and a bigger, tighter muscle.

7) If You Can, Try Adding More Leucine To Your Post Workout Shake

Leucine has been shown to help in the muscle recovery process. If you can get more leucine into the muscle immediately after your workouts, the better off you’ll be in terms of your recovery period. Lately, more and more supplement companies are catching on to this fact and are adding more leucine to their formulas. I’m sure you are all familiar with Muscle Tech’s Anator P-70.

This supplement’s main active ingredient is Leucine and at 7.2 grams per serving, it’s at about the right proportion for optimal growth. However, for anyone over 200 pounds, this is simply not enough. Personally, I’d like to see at least 15 grams + of leucine per serving.

You can usually get bulk leucine or branched chain amino acids for pretty cheap. Try going to www.bulknutrition.com for more selection.

8) Take Antioxidants

I think taking antioxidants is important for two reasons. Firstly, hard weight training creates free radicals that destroys muscle tissue. If you can take some antioxidants immediately after training, you can help “scoop up” these free radicals and help prevent damage to your muscle cells. Secondly, after training, your body is very open to viruses that cause sickness. Since your body is at it’s most weakest after training, you need to reinforce your defences with antioxidants. You can’t train if you’re sick so keep your body and immune system strong with antioxidants.

9) Have A Complex Carb And Long Sustaining Protein Drink Before Bed

d) Training log

Monday and Friday

Warm up

Exercise bike for 5 minutes at low intensity. Remember, this is simply a warm up and you don’t have to exert a lot of energy.

Circuit Training

Squats - 12 reps

Seated dumbbell shoulder press 12 reps

Dumbbell dead lifts 12 reps

Incline sit ups (or crunches) – 12 reps

Cardio

Cardio for 15 minutes

Circuit Training

Remember – There’s no resting in between exercises. Rest for 60 – 90 seconds in between each circuit. Here’s how your

circuit progression will look like:

Week one: 1 circuit

Week two: 2 circuits

Week three: 3 circuits

Week four: 4 circuits

Week five: 5 circuits

Week six: 5 circuits

Here’s what you’ll do. You’ll need to set up your equipment before hand. You can do your squats with weight or no weight. It depends if you’ve ever done them before. If you haven’t done squats before, you may want to do free squats with no weight. If you have done squats before, than you will want to start with a weight than allows you to do them in comfortable fashion. Set up the squat rack with the weight you want to use.

For the seated dumbbell shoulder press, you will want to get the dumbbells ready. I prefer to do my dumbbell shoulder press while seated. This takes the stress off my lower back and helps me keep stable. However, you can do the press’ while standing if you don’t have a seat with a backrest.

For the dead lift, you will want to get the dumbbells ready. Pick a pair of dumbbells that allow you to perform the exercise in comfortable fashion. Keep these dumbbells close by.

I suggest you do the incline sit up because, personally I find them much more effective than regular sit ups. However, if you don’t have access to a sit up board, than regular sit ups will suffice. If you don’t want to do regular sit ups, try doing crunches instead.

What you will want to do is start with the squat and do 12 repetitions. As soon as you’ve finished doing squats, head over to the seat and do 12 repetitions with the dumbbell shoulder press. Do 12 repetitions. As soon as you’ve finished doing the dumbbell press, put the dumbbells down and head over to where you’ve set up the dumbbells for the dead lift. Do 12 repetitions for the dumbbell dead lift. Once you’ve completed that, do 12 repetitions of the incline sit up or regular sit up (crunches if you want).

That’s it. You’ve completed one circuit. As the weeks progress, you will add more circuits as outlined above. However, if you are ambitious, do another circuit. Remember to do what you can and no more - You will build up to more and more circuits.

Cardio

For the first week, your not going to do any intervals. Yep, no intervals. All I want you to do is to do 15 minutes of cardio after you’ve completed your circuit training. At this point, your going to get your body used to doing some cardio work. For week two of cardio, your going to start getting into interval training - see below.

Week 2- Cardio

Time

Resistance

5 minutes

level 2 - Warm up

1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 1 - 1 minute

level 8 - 80% of all out intensity

Rest - 1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 2 - 1 minute

level 8 - 80% of all out intensity

Cool down - 3 minutes

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

For week 2, you will do 2 intervals. Remember, you want to build your wind and endurance to be able to do 6 or 7 intervals by week 6 using 100% of your maximum effort. Now, I’m going to assume that your exercise bike has 15 levels of resistance with 1 being the least resistance and 15 being the maximum resistance.

Week 3 - Cardio

Time

Resistance

5 minutes

level 2 - Warm up

1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 1 - 1 minute

level 10 - 85% of all out intensity

Rest - 1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 2 - 1 minute

level 10 - 85% of all out intensity

Rest - 1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 3 - 1 minute

level 10 - 85% of all out intensity

Cool down - 3 minutes

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

For week 3, we’ve added one more interval for a total of 3 intervals. We also increased the resitance to 10 instead of 8 so you’ll be putting in more effort to complete the interval.

Week 4 - Cardio

Time

Resistance

5 minutes

level 2 - Warm up

1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 1 - 1 minute

level 12 - 90% of all out intensity

Rest - 1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 2 - 1 minute

level 12 - 90% of all out intensity

Rest - 2 minutes

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 3 - 1 minute

level 12 - 90% of all out intensity

Rest - 2 minutes

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 4 - 1 minute

level 12 - 90% of all out intensity

Cool down - 3 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

For week 4, you should be able to do 4 intervals using slightly more resistance. Your now at about 90% of your heart rate and these intervals should be difficult to perform.

Week 5 and 6 - Cardio

Time

Resistance

5 minutes

level 2 - Warm up

1 minute

level 4 - 50% of all out intensity

Interval 1 - 1 minute

level 14 - 95% of all out intensity

Rest - 1 minute

level 6 - 55% of all out intensity

Interval 2 - 1 minute

level 14 - 95% of all out intensity

Rest - 2 minute

level 6 - 55% of all out intensity

Interval 3 - 1 minute

level 14 - 95% of all out intensity

Rest - 2 minute

level 6 - 55% of all out intensity

Interval 4 - 1 minute

level 14 - 95% of all out intensity

Rest - 2 minutes

level 6 - 55% of all out intensity

Interval 5 - 1 minute

level 14 - 95% of all out intensity

Cool down - 3 minute

level 6 - 55% of all out intensity

For weeks 5 and 6, you should be doing 5 to 6 intervals for your cardio session. When you reach 5 to 6 intervals per cardio session, your going to be in shape and should be off to a great start in terms of burning A LOT of body fat. Remember, the above noted cardio schedule is an example. You will probably have to experiment the first couple of weeks or so to find out what kind of resistance works best for you.

Wednesday

Warm up

Exercise bike for 5 minutes at low intensity.

Circuit Training

Lunges 12 reps

Dumbbell bench press 12 reps

Lat machine pull downs (or barbell bent rows) 12 reps

Hanging leg raise (or crunches) 12 reps

Cardio

Cardio for 15 minutes

Circuit Training

Remember – There’s no resting in between exercises. Rest for 60 – 90 seconds in between each circuit. Here’s how your circuit progression will look like:

Week one: 1 circuit

Week two: 2 circuits

Week three: 3 circuits

Week four: 4 circuits

Week five: 5 circuits

Week six: 5 circuits

e) Resistance training

Workout Routine:

For the first couple weeks, I will be focusing on bodyweight training. You will notice that I superset between upper body and lower body. This will allow me to get a lot of sets done in a shorter time. I am a big fan of supersets to keep the intensity high and short.

You can follow this program the way it is laid out. You may have to re-adjust the reps according to your fitness level. Try to do this exercise 3 times this week in nonconsecutive days.

All exercises are done in supersets. For example, Standard Pushup are supersetted with BodyWeight Squats. Do NOT rest within the superset (between pushups and squats), but rest 1 minute after squats before repeating the superset.

For example: Perform Standard Pushup followed by Bodyweight Squat and then rest for 1 minute or less. Repeat for a total of 3 "rounds" before moving the next "superset."

RESISTANCE TRAINING

A1: Standard pushups

A2: Body Squat

B1: Stationary Lunges

B2: Pull ups

C1: Burpees

C2: Plank

For the first couple weeks, I will be focusing on bodyweight training. You will notice that I superset between upper body and lower body. This will allow me to get a lot of sets done in a shorter time. I am a big fan of supersets to keep the intensity high and short.

You can follow this program the way it is laid out. You may have to re-adjust the reps according to your fitness level. Try to do this exercise 3 times this week in nonconsecutive days.

All exercises are done in supersets. For example, Dive Bomber Pushup are supersetted with Squat Jump. Do NOT rest within the superset (between pushups and squat jump), but rest 1 minute after squats before repeating the superset.

RESISTANCE TRAINING

A1: Dive Bomber Pushup

A2: Jump Squat

B1: Chin up or pull up

B2: Alternating Split Squat Jump

C1: Double Crunch

C2: Single Leg Plank Pose

ou can follow this program the way it is laid out. You may have to re-adjust the reps according to your fitness level. Try to do this exercise 3 times this week in nonconsecutive days.

All exercises are done in supersets. For example, Squat are supersetted with Chest Press with the band. Do NOT rest within the superset (between Squat and chest press), but rest 1 minute after squats before repeating the superset.

RESISTANCE TRAINING

A1: Band Squat

A2: Band Press (one foot forward, one foot back)

B1: Stationary Lunges (with bands)

B2: Standing Band Row (one foot forward, one foot back)

C1: Standing Shoulder Press with bands

C2: Bicep Curl with bands

D1: Standing Rotations

D2: Hip Thrusts

Aim for 12-15 reps for each one.

RESISTANCE TRAINING

Circuit Training Exercises

Ball Pushups:

Ball Squat: (hold dumbbells on your side if available)

Seated Band Row

Hip Bridge

Side Lateral Raise w/ band

Tricep Extensions

Ball Crunch

Superman

Circuit training is an excellent way to improve mobility, strength and

stamina. This circuit training format utilizes a group of 8 strength

exercises that are completed one exercise after another with little or no

break. Each exercise is performed for a prescribed amount of time before

moving on to the next exercise. The exercises within each circuit are

separated by brief, timed rest intervals, and each circuit is separated by

a longer rest period. The total number of circuits performed during a

training session may vary from two to five depending on your training level

(beginner, intermediate, or advanced), your period of training (preparation

or competition) and your training objective.

Beginner:

· 30 seconds per exercise

· 30 second break in between:

· Total number of circuits: 2-3

Intermediate:

· 45 seconds per exercise

· 15 second break in between

· Total number of circuits: 3-4

Advance:

· 60 seconds per exercise

· 10 second break in between

· Total number of circuits: 4-5

Example for a beginner: Do ball pushups for 30 seconds (whatever amount

you can complete), followed by 30 second break. Next, perform Ball Squats

for 30 seconds (whatever amount you can complete) followed by a 30 second

break. Repeat until the last exercise (superman) and go back to ball

pushups again; for a complete a total of 2-3 rounds.

My Video Tips

Fitness Articles

How To Get Six Pack Abs - Week 5

March 19 - Week Five - M, W, F (3x per week)

March 19th , Week Five - M, W, F (3x per week)

Workout Routine:

RESISTANCE TRAINING TRAINING

It is now week 5. That means that I only have 11 more weeks left before I reveal my six pack abs. I am feeling a lot stronger today compared to my first week. I am starting to develop my six pack abs. The hardest part for me is eating smaller meals through out the day and avoiding simple sugar in my diet. Eating smaller meals has been challenging but has definetly kept my energy up through out the day and really helps boost my metabolism. If you haven't started eating smaller meals through out the day, I suggest you try your best. It does not have to be perfect but at least give it your best.

If you haven't read my previous article about supportive eating, just visit

http://www.iwantsixpackabs.com/articles/eating.html

I have been receiving a lot of support and "thank yous" from a lot of members and I truly appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. I am glad that I can serve you and help you in your own quest to get your six pack abs. Even if you do not follow my program, I hope that you can get some ideas to spice up your exercise program.

Below is my week 5 workout routine. Folllow

Circuit Training Exercises

A1: Ball Pushups (feet on the ball):

A2: Band Squat and Press:

A3: Standing Bent Over Pull Down

A4: Hamstring curl w/ stability ball

A5: Kneeling Tricep Pressdown

A6: Bicep curl (w/ band attached to the door)

A7: Ball Transfer (arm to leg exchange)

A8: Superman (with alternating arms and legs)

Circuit training is an excellent way to improve mobility, strength and stamina. This circuit training format utilizes a group of 8 strength exercises that are completed one exercise after another with little or no break. Each exercise is performed for a prescribed amount of time before moving on to the next exercise. The exercises within each circuit are separated by brief, timed rest intervals, and each circuit is separated by a longer rest period. The total number of circuits performed during a training session may vary from two to five depending on your training level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), your period of training (preparation or competition) and your training objective.

Beginner:

· 30 seconds per exercise

· 30 second break in between:

· Total number of circuits: 2-3

Intermediate:

· 45 seconds per exercise

· 15 second break in between

· Total number of circuits: 3-4

Advance:

· 60 seconds per exercise

· 10 second break in between

· Total number of circuits: 4-5

Example for a beginner: Do ball pushups for 30 seconds (whatever amount you can complete), followed by 30 second break. Next, perform Squats for 30 seconds (whatever amount you can complete) followed by a 30 second break. Repeat until the last exercise (superman) and go back to ball pushups again; for a complete a total of 2-3 rounds.

RESISTANCE TRAINING

It is now week 6. That means that I only have 10 more weeks left before I reveal my six pack abs. I am feeling a lot stronger today compared to my first week.

Below is my week 6 workout routine. Follow the form from the video.

Circuit Training Exercises

Band Press

Box Jump:

Band Row:

Step up: w/o band

Bench dip

Walking Lunges (w/ weights)

Tricep Extension (behind head)

Toe Touch (Ab crunch)

One arm standing concentration curl

Circuit training is an excellent way to improve mobility, strength and stamina. This circuit training format utilizes a group of 8 strength exercises that are completed one exercise after another with little or no break. Each exercise is performed for a prescribed amount of time before moving on to the next exercise. The exercises within each circuit are separated by brief, timed rest intervals, and each circuit is separated by a longer rest period. The total number of circuits performed during a training session may vary from two to six depending on your training level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), your period of training (preparation or competition) and your training objective.

Beginner:

· 30 seconds per exercise

· 30 second break in between:

· Total number of circuits: 2-3

ESISTANCE TRAINING

300 Spartan Training Workout. Home Version. This is my home version Spartan training that anyone can perform from home.The rules are simple. Perform the exercise shown in any order. Perform 30 reps for each one. Perform 30 reps per exercise.

Complete a total of 300 reps combined.

Check out the original 300 Spartan Training video from youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMp9orjb_RI

Below is my week 7 workout routine. Follow the form from the video.

300 Spartan Training Workout - Endurance and Conditiong Training Week

Jump Squat (30 reps)

Staggered pushups (30 reps)

Alternating Spil Jump (30 reps)

Explosive pushups (30 reps)

Prison squat (30 reps)

Hindu pushups (30 reps)

Kneeling Band Row (30 reps)

Burpees (30 reps)

Pull ups (30 reps)

Double Crunch (30 reps)

To luk lean frm rediff isylt......

Dese r sme of d weight loss articles i found onlyn. So i m just pasting sme of d link in my blog.

Dis is frm rediff.com

Search: Rediff.com The Web Advertisement Discuss this Article | Email this Article | Print this Article 8 weeks to a slimmer, fitter you Brinda Sapat

	Top Emailed Features • Six easy steps to lose weight • Bridal lingerie for your big day • Non-fried, healthy appetizers: Paneer Dumplings Have you tried this? • Ask a question • News on your Desktop Advertisements • Plan ur summer trip • Interior design tips • Shifting nomore a worry Get news updates: What's this? Advertisement Design your Home with us! We make well designed house maps to make your dream home come true at just Rs.500 www.saiarco.com Advice on Life Insurance Get free advice on life insurance, tax benefit 80C deduction, save upt 40% by comparing. Click here www.policybazaar.com 5Rediff P4C Classifieds June 13, 2006 There is only one way to lose weight and stay in shape: eat and exercise SENSIBLY. Incorporating these two elements in your lifestyle is easier that you may imagine. To help steer you towards an overall healthy lifestyle, we bring you an 8-week fitness programme, which recommends a diet and exercise regime for each week. At the end of eight weeks, you may lose up to seven kgs. However, this figure would also depend on factors like your metabolism rate and how closely you follow the programme. The plan for week eight is what you must sustain after that, failing which your body will go back to being what it was prior to the programme. Remember, maintenance is key. Before we get started... This is a basic programme for those of you who do not already follow a rigourous exercise/diet plan. You may feel tempted to give up within the first couple of weeks if you do not see a change in yourselves. Don't!It is important to complete the full programme to see any kind of benefits. This programme does not only help you lose weight, but is a lifestyle guide to help you maintain your weight and good health. Before starting out, consult your doctor to check if you suffer from any medical problems. Try to enjoy your weight loss programme. It might be hard to begin with, but once eating sensibly becomes a habit, you'll hate eating otherwise. Exercise too is addictive and if you pick a form that you enjoy you won't ever want to stop. Week 1 We launch this programme today, with a diet/exercise plan for Week One. The focus this week is to set the right foundation. You will see no change in yourself this week but will feel good - thanks to the healthy eating and exercise. Now, let's get started! Exercise Start with a simple cardiovascular activity three to four times a week. Begin with 30 minutes gradually progressing towards 60 minutes over the next few weeks. Walking, jogging and swimming are common exercises. If you pick the latter, then swim continuously for 30 minutes. Another great option is an aerobics class. Avoid doing aerobic exercises at home by yourself since you will need professional guidance. If you are working out on your own, start off slowly with warm up exercises. You should feel your heart rate increase, but make sure you don't get completely out of breath. Cool down with stretches at the end of the exercise. Top cardiovascular workout options Diet Streamline your eating timetable Your body must get food every three hours (except while you are asleep). Fuelling your body frequently keeps your energy levels and metabolism up. Five small meals a day is the formula. This can be divided as: Breakfast Mid morning snack Lunch Evening snack Dinner Set specific times for these meals and then stick with it. If you confuse your body by eating at different hours, it will store your food as fat. So if lunchtime is at 1 pm, stick to that everyday. Meal plan Breakfast 75 per cent carbohydrates: One bowl of cereal or 1-2 wholegrain bread slices or 2 chapattis. 25 per cent mix of protein: Two to three egg whites or low fat cheese spread. Vitamins: One small bowl of fruits (any fruit of your choice though bananas and mangoes are higher in calories). You can have tea or coffee made with skimmed milk. Lunch 50 per cent carbohydrates: Two wholegrain bread slices or two to three chapattis or a bowl of rice/pasta. 50 per cent mix of protein: Have one portion of either fish/chicken/dal/lentils/paneer or a combination and two portions of vegetables (include some green leafy vegetable among others as often as you can). Dinner 25 per cent carbohydrates: Same options as lunch but with half the quantity. 75 per cent mix of proteins: One or two portions of fish/chicken/dal/lentils/paneer and two to three portions of vegetables. Snacks You can have ONE of the following: Handful of nuts (almonds/cashews, which must not be roasted or salted) One fruit or a bowl of smaller fruits (grapes, for instance) of your choice One cup of low fat yoghurt 8 rules for healthy cooking Cooking tips All food must be cooked in healthy oil like olive oil or from a brand like Saffola. Eat your food slowly, relishing and chewing every bite properly. Take at least 20 minutes and leave the table feeling comfortably full, not stuffed. Try and eat dinner three hours before you hit the sack. Throughout the day drink at least eight big glasses of water. Search: Rediff.com The Web Advertisement Discuss this Article | Email this Article | Print this Article 7 weeks to a fitter, slimmer you Brinda Sapat Top Emailed Features • Six easy steps to lose weight • Bridal lingerie for your big day • Non-fried, healthy appetizers: Paneer Dumplings Have you tried this? • Ask a question • News on your Desktop Advertisements • Plan ur summer trip • Interior design tips • Shifting nomore a worry Get news updates: What's this? Advertisement 5Rediff P4C Classifieds June 20, 2006 In 8 weeks to a slimmer, fitter you we helped steer you towards the road to fitness. Last week, we kickstarted the first by recommending a healthy diet/exercise regime. If you stuck to it, then you must be on a sensible eating and exercising routine, and feeling great about it! Come Week II, we are going to make a few changes to help you start working towards weight loss. The changes are minor and easy to do so but please make sure you stick with the programme. This programme serves as a general guideline. Please check with your doctor if you suffer from any medical conditions. Increase exercise Week I: Cardiovascular exercises three to four times in a week for 30 minutes. Week II: Take brisk walks a minimum of four times a week. Increase the duration to 40 minutes. If you have been attending an aerobics class, increase the intensity by working harder and instead of three days a week, workout four times this week. Improve your posture One of the fastest ways to make yourself look slimmer is to straighten up your posture. Poor posture makes us look heavier and what's worse, it can lead to joint problems. Stand with your back against a wall. The back of your head, your shoulders, hips and heels should touch the wall. Next, lift your chin so that it is parallel to the floor and your neck is elongated. Pull your shoulders back a bit to open up the chest and keep the shoulders pulled down slightly (relaxed). Lift up your chest. Your hips should be relaxed with your tailbone in a neutral position. Your lower back should not be arched nor rounded. Lastly your kneecaps should be relaxed. Now come away from the wall in the position and take a look at yourself in the mirror. This is the posture you should maintain at all times. Correct it the minute you find yourself slouching. Diet stays the same No change from Week I. Since we have increased the physical activity, we don't need to make any changes in your food plan this week. Stick to five small meals a day and follow the diet chart for Week 1. Maintain a record 1. Weight and measurements If you haven't yet recorded your weight and vital statistics, do so now. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Also measure the width of your chest, waist and hips. Write it down and do not weigh/measure yourself until the end of Week IV. 2. How do you feel? Keep an account of how you are feeling by maintaining a diary. Are you feeling lighter, healthier, more energetic, relaxed, happier, etc? Look at your apperance too. Is your skin looking better? Do you feel more toned? This diary will help record the positive effects of being on a healthy routine. It will also provide inspiration for your friends and family who might want to do the same! The benefits of exercise and healthy eating are tremendous Other than the obvious "weight loss" benefit, adopting a healthy lifestyle has innumerous advantages. Here are a few worth thinking about! Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and other heart diseases Keeps blood pressure under control Strengthens the lungs and circulatory system Lowers asthma Reduces the risks of certain types of cancers Increases bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis Increases muscle density preventing joint problems Increases flexibility preventing injuries Improves your sensory awareness and reaction speed Improves coordination and balance Increases metabolism Increases number of red blood cells Improves resistance to illnesses Decreases premature ageing Decreases stress and anxiety Enhances self confidence Decreases bad cholesterol levels Improves condition of skin, hair and nails Sounds good? Remember when you don't eat healthy and don't get exercise, you miss out on all of the above. Eating right and exercising regularly has to be a lifetime routine. Next 6 weeks to a slimmer, fitter you Want to get fit in eight weeks? Yes, you definitely can and we show you how. We already brought you an exercise/diet regime for Week 1 and Week 2 of our 8-weeks to fitnessprogramme. We now move on to Week 3. Exercise regime In Week 2 you walked or attended an aerobics class for four days in a week. Continue with this but increase the intensity, working harder each time. And, it's time to throw in some weight training twice a week. This will help increase you muscle mass and work towards toning up your body. Muscles need something to feed on and they feed on the fat in your body. The more the muscle mass, greater is the amount of fat you will burn! You can do this at a gym or a group exercise class. If you cannot manage either, follow the exercises listed below for this week. Though mild discomfort and soreness is normal stop if you feel any pain and consult an instructor. You will need to get a pair of three kg dumbbells (available at any sports shops) Squat This exercise works for your thighs, hips and back. Stand with your feet a little more than hip width apart, keeping your arms out to the front for balance. Push your hip backwards. Slowly lower your body (as if sitting on a chair placed way behind you) till your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push yourself up to standing position again making sure you do not lock your knees. Complete the move in approximately four seconds. Do 12 repetitions, rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat. Back | Next Chest press This exercise works your chest, front of the shoulder and triceps (back of the upper arm) Lie on a bench. Hold the dumbbells in both hands shoulder distance apart. The arms should be raised up in the air, in line with the shoulders. Keep your palms facing away form you. Slowly lower the dumbbells to your shoulders & lift up again. Complete the move in approximately four seconds. Do 12 repetitions, rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat. Back | Next Bent over rows This exercise works the latissimus dorsi (large muscles in the back), back of the shoulder and the biceps. Stand in a lunge position. Keep your back flat; it should not slouch. Keep the dumbbells in both hands, hanging down by your sides. Bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells up squeezing your back. Gently lower. Complete the move in four seconds. Do 12 repetitions, take a break, then repeat. Back | Next Ab, back stabilisation This exercise works your abs, back, hips, thighs and arms. Hold the pushup position for 30 seconds. Then reverse it (facing up) and hold for another 30 seconds. Repeat both positions again. More exercise tips Walk when the distance is short enough; do not take your car or a rickshaw. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Do some house cleaning activities like sweeping, vacuuming . Do not laze around in bed. Hit the sack only at night. Try to keep yourself physically active through the day. Take a picnic on the weekend instead of lounging about on your couch! Diet dos Breakfast and lunch remain the same as in Week 1. This week we make some changes for dinner. Please do not cheat on the meal content. Stick to the plan! Cut out the carbohydrates from your dinner ie avoid potatoes, chappatis, bread, rice etc. Eat only protein and vegetables. You can increase the quantity of your veggies and protein to compensate for the lost carbohydrates. Try to decrease the oil content to as little as possible. Remember to continue eating your meals on time. Drink eight glasses of water. Look for some delicious healthy eating recipes online. Cut down on the fried foods and sweets. Eat fresh fruits, simple non-oily home cooked meals and drink LOTS of water. Back | Start Bonus tip: How body burns fat Every week we help you understand more about the fitness process. This week we show you how the body burns fat. Cardiovascular exercise When you exercise (walk/aerobics or any form of cardio) your breathing becomes faster. As a result you take in large volumes of oxygen. This oxygen enters your lungs then gets absorbed by the blood and goes to the heart. The heart pumps the oxygenated blood distributing it all over the body. The oxygen in the blood is what burns the fat as it travels along. Cardiovascular workouts see immediate and high fat burn results. The fat burn happens during the exercise session only. Fact: Fat burn is a by-product. The main reason being cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs. Strength training exercises (weight training) When you do weight bearing exercises (dumbbells, ankle weights, body weight etc), the body increases its muscle mass to cope with the overload. Muscle is a live tissue and for it to exist, it needs to feed on something, so it feeds on fat, thus leading to fat burn. Weight bearing exercises result in slow and lower amount of fat burn. But it keeps burning fat even when the body is at rest. Fact: Fat burn is a by-product here too. The real goal for weight training is to increase muscle mass and strength so as to keep joints strong and lower the risk of injury. uly 7, 2006 Congratulations! You are almost half way through the 'eight weeks to fitness' programme. We already prescribed the diet/ exercise regime for Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3. By now, you are eating correctly and exercising regularly. Your body should be feeling healthier and you must be feeling happier. This week, the focus is on cardiovascular exercises once again. Besides this, I have added some of my favourite stretches that will make you feel long, lean and relaxed. Diet plan No changes! We stick to the same diet plan as in Week 3. Keep carbohydrates out of your dinner. Perfect dinner combination: Soup and salad In soups, take your pick from mixed vegetable soup, chicken soup, clear soup with vegetables/ sea food/ chicken, minestrone soup and lentil soup (similar to dal). Get imaginative! Use as many different veggies as possible. Salads could include one of the following: ~ Mix of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, capsicum, onion and crumbled paneer ~ Lettuce, onions and chicken ~ A seafood salad ~ Lightly sauteed vegetarian salad of spinach, mushroom, carrots, asparagus, broccoli and tofu. For salad dressing, try ~ Low fat yoghurt mixed with garlic paste, salt and pepper ~ Lime juice with salt and pepper ~ Vinegar, salt and pepper ~ Honey, limejuice, garlic, salt and pepper Email this Page | Write to us Back | Next Exercise Continue with weight bearing (strength training) exercises as mentioned in Week 3. Now, start doing the exercises THRICE a week. Stick with the same amount of repetitions and same weights (ie 3 kgs). Cardiovascular exercise This week you really need to PUSH yourself! You are walking or attending aerobics classes four days a week. Walking Increase your pace and start jogging now. Jog for the same amount of time that you have been walking. DON'T cut down the time. Sustain for at least a 40-minute duration. Aerobics If you have joined an aerobics class, increase your workout intensity (ask you instructor to give you special instructions for this). Push yourself to your maximum capacity. Monsoon dilemma It becomes difficult to walk outdoors in the rain. In that case, go to a gym and use the treadmill for the same amount of time. Due to extra client traffic courtesy the monsoons, some gyms may not allow a client to use the treadmill for more than 20-30 minutes. In that case, switch to a stationary bike after the treadmill to complete your workout. Email this Page | Write to us Back | Next Stretches Why do you need to stretch before a workout? You don't really need to stretch before a workout, a warm up is enough. But you MUST stretch AFTER a workout. Stretching opens up the tired and worked muscles. More importantly, stretching exercises prevent injuries to the joints and muscles. You must do these after your workouts. You can do stretches anytime, provided you first warm up gently, like jogging on the spot for about two to three minutes. Supine full body stretch This is a general, overall body stretch. Lie on the floor on your back. Take your arms up overhead. Point your toes and pull your body in two opposite directions as if you are being pulled both ways. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Then release it. Half cobra Lie on your tummy and prop yourself up on your elbows. Now pull your rib cage upwards and forward, away from your pelvic cage. Your belly button should be off the floor. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. You will feel it in the abdominal area. Email this Page | Write to us Back | Next Child's pose Come up on all fours (doggy position). Push your hip back on your heels, rest your head on the floor and stretch your arms in front as if you are reaching for something. Stay there for 15 seconds, then bring your arms down by your side. Stay there for 15 seconds. Email this Page | Write to us Back | Next More stretches Quadriceps stretch Lie on your tummy. Bend both knees and pull the heels into your hips, holding your feet with your hands. Feel the stretch in front of both the thighs. Hold for 15 seconds. Chest stretch Sit up on your heels. Place both your hands on the floor behind you, with your fingers pointing towards your hips. Push the chest upwards and open it by pushing the shoulders back. Try and get your elbows to touch each other. Hold for 15 seconds. And, finally... Back and Hamstring Stretch Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Reach your hands up towards the ceiling. From the hip, bend down reaching your hands towards the floor. Keep your back as flat as possible. You will feel a stretch in your lower back, hips, hamstrings (back of the thigh) and calves. Stay there for 15 seconds. Then bend your knees and slowly roll up. Email this Page | Write to us Next 4 weeks to a slimmer, fitter you If you have meticulously followed our '8 weeks to a fitter, slimmer you' programme, then your body is probably well adjusted to doing some amount of regular exercise. We prescribed a diet/ exercise regime for Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4. Chat with Brinda Sapat, July 18, 4 pm Week 5 focuses on physical activity. What's more, you will be working out harder for the next couple of weeks as well. Before we give the body a chance to plateau (and before you start to get bored!), we must either vary the workout or its intensity. Since we increased the intensity in Week 4, let's change the workout this week. Exercise For those of you who have been walking/ jogging, substitute two of your four days of walking with an aerobics class. If you have never attended an aerobics class or have two left feet, make sure you attend a beginner level class. Alternately, you can try a more athletic class like kick boxing. Those of you who have been attending aerobics classes, substitute two of your four days with walking/ jogging. Keep your pace brisk and make sure you feel your heart rate go up. Walk/ jog for 40 minutes. Weight training You have been weight training twice a week since Week 3. Now start doing it THRICE a week. Stick to the same amount of repetitions. I'm going to add some variations to all the exercises you have been doing so far. If you are weight training in a gym, ask the trainer to change your exercises. If you are attending a weight training class, increase the weights to make them one level heavier. Email this Page | Write to us Back | Next Squat with knee lift variation Follow the same basic instructions as given in Week 3 but with a slight variation as follows. Go down into the squat and, as you come up, raise your right knee. Go back down into the squat, lowering the right leg to the floor. Watch your form as you go down. Make sure the knees stay in line with the ankles. Repeat with the same leg, doing 12 repetitions. Then, repeat with the left leg. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat both legs again. Keep the abdominal muscles tightly contracted all through. This will support and protect your back. Chest press with chest flyes variation Follow the same basic instructions as given in Week 3 but with a slight variation. Lie in the same position as for the chest press -- arms up in line with the shoulders, palms facing in towards each other. Keep the elbows slightly bent. Lower the arms out and down laterally towards the floor, keeping them in line with the shoulder. Raise them back to the start position, squeezing the chest muscles. The movement should be complete in approximately four seconds. Do 12 repetitions, rest, then repeat. Keep the abdominal muscles tightly contracted all through. Bent over rows with arm position variation Follow the same basic instructions as given in Week 3 but with a minor adjustment. Instead of starting with your arms hanging down by your sides, move the arms slightly forward, bringing them in line with the front knee. Keep the abdominal muscles tightly contracted all through. Abs & Back stabilisation Knee drop variation This works your abs. Hold the push up position. DON'T sink into your shoulders. Keep the chest lifted. Keep the abs tightly contracted. Now bend both your knees, dropping them towards the floor, but lift off just as they are about to come in contact with the floor. Make sure you lift back to the push up position. At the same time, your hips should be back in line with the shoulders and feet. Hip drop variation This works your back. It is done in the reverse position, where you are facing up. Hold the body in a straight line, keeping your abs and back tightly contracted. Ensure your hips are in line with the body. Now, lower the hips down towards the floor and lift off just as they are about to come in contact with the floor. Lift them back into the start position. Do the movement using muscle control. Any jerky movement will make the exercise ineffective. What's worse, you might end up injuring yourself. Follow this up with the series of stretches featured in Week 4. Make sure you are constantly checking on your posture. If not, refer to Week 2. Email this Page | Write to us Back | Start Diet dos No changes! Your diet will more or less remain what it was in Week 4. You must remember to eat as many different fruits and vegetables as you can. This will give you a supply of different nutrients. Try out interesting recipes. You should be able to relish your meal. Monsoon dilemma With the monsoons come all sorts of infections; a lot of them through eating uncooked veggies. This brings on the problem of how to eat salads. Substitute raw foods with blanched ones. Drop them in boiling hot water for two minutes to kill the germs. Chat with Brinda Sapat, July 18, 4 pm Try warm salads using different kinds of beans like broad beans, kidney beans, etc, with blanched French beans, tomatoes, etc. Or have a platter of boiled veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, carrots with a dressing of your choice. The honey, garlic, olive oil and lime juice dressing tastes really good. For some crunch, add baked croutons or a couple of bread sticks broken into small pieces. If you've stuck to the plan so far, you are doing GREAT! f you have been religiously following our '8 weeks to fitness programme', then the good news is that you have ONLY three more weeks to go! We already prescribed a diet/ exercise regime for Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 and Week 5. During Week 6, you must increase the intensity of weight training exercises further and review your meal plan. Besides this, it is time for a self-assessment to see how well you have done so far. Chat with Brinda Sapat, July 26, 4 pm Exercise Cardio Keep up with the combination you picked last week (aerobics classes and walking / walking and swimming etc). Be focused on the intensity. You should be working out HARD! Strength training Change your routine to the following by combining the basic exercises from Week 3 and variations from Week 5. 15 repetitions of Squats 30 second break 15 repetitions of Squat with knee lift variation. 15 repetitions of Chest Press 30 second break 15 repetitions of Chest Press with chest flyes variation. 15 repetitions of Bent Over Rows (hands in line with hip) 30 second break 15 repetitions of Bent Over Rows (hands in line with front knee). 12 repetitions each of of abs and back stabilisation 30 second break 12 repetitions each of abs and back stabilisation with Knee Drop Variation. Meal plan review You have been eating healthy for the past few weeks and your body is probably thankful for it! Continue following the diet prescribed in Week 5. However, I am going to explain the physical activity required by your body post your three main meals. This will further aid your weight loss. Breakfast This is THE most important meal of the day, especially if your daily routine is high on physical activity. However, if you lead a sedentary life and if you consume too much carbohydrate, your body will not end up using it and it will go into fat storage. So get up and get moving. Do some housework or step out for your errands. After breakfast, move your body! Lunch After lunch DON'T lie down. Yes, no afternoon siestas. If you do wish to unwind, sit for about half an hour with a book or chat with a friend or go for a manicure. Anything except lying down. Other than allowing your food to digest comfortably, you want your body to keep burning calories. Sit or stroll around. Dinner With low carbohydrate content in your dinner, you are cutting down the energy supply to your body since it doesn't require many calories during sleep. A fun fact: Your body burns calories (minimal) even when you sleep, which is why you must never go to bed hungry or else you will not be able to sleep throughout the night peacefully However, those of you who hit the disco or party post dinner might want to add some carbohydrate (one roti/one slice of bread/ pasta etc) to your dinner to keep you going UNLESS you are going to be eating something during your outing.