Wednesday, April 29, 2009

7 Simple Ways to Get Fit and Healthy Fast

Getting fit fast and enjoying great health doesn't have to be difficult or complicated. The 7 tips below outline the basic steps anyone can take to lose weight, get fitter, and improve their overall healthy in a short amount of time...

1. Have a positive mindset and a detailed fitness-related goal.

2. Take small steps on a daily basis to build powerful momentum and get better results faster.

3. Get plenty of quality sleep. Most people need at least 7 hours for optimal health.

4. Drink lots of spring or purified water, at least 60 ounces per day.

5. Avoid most processed/refined carbohydrates and fats, especially high-sugar/high-fat foods.

6. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, plenty of lean proteins, some healthy fats, and only small amounts of quality starches (e.g. sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grains, etc.).

7. Do some form of exercise 5-6 days a week.

That's it! Follow these simple steps and you can quickly begin to lose dangerous body fat, tone your muscles, improve your heart/cardiovascular health, and dramatically improve the way you feel!


Related info:

11 Odd but Simple Ways to Improve Your Health



Sunday, April 26, 2009

Swine Flu News

The global swine flu outbreak has me more than a little nervous. I've been watching the new closely. If you want to join the "fun" here are a few good links...

CDC: Swine Flu News

Flu Prevention and Treatment Tips from Dr. Weil

Swine Flu News & Useful Tips

Remember, if you cover the basics and bolster your health and immune system naturally, you'll have a much better chance of avoiding an influenza infection or recovering from one. Be sure to take the following steps:

-- Get plenty of sleep/rest
-- Get plenty of sunlight each day to boost your vitamin D levels
-- Avoid all simple sugars, most starches, and most alcohol
-- Take some extra vitamin C/ascorbic acid each day, at least 1000 mg

Stay calm and good luck!




Andrology Fat Burner Review

Andrology Fat Burner for Men is another product I've been seeing ads for everywhere. Apparently it's a solution for getting rid of belly fat, "love handles", and "man boobs". Nice. I've never had the man boob problem but I've definitely had my share of battles with extra stomach fat.

Some quick research turned up a few facts. Here they are:

-- Andrology Fat Burner for Men is a "natural" topical gel that you apply to areas on your body where you want to lose fat

-- It was apparently developed by a board certified plastic surgeon from Atlanta named Dr. Arthur Jay Simon

-- It's main active ingredients are: Guarana extract, Bitter Orange extract, and Green Tea extract

-- It claims to be clinically proven to remove extra body fat and reduce waist size within two weeks

-- The web site claims that you don't have to change your diet or exercise habits to see results

-- There is a 100% money-back guarantee

I've been looking for reviews of the Andrology Fat Burner but haven't had much success. That may be because hardly anyone has bought it, despite the strong marketing push behind the product. There are definitely a few "red flags".

First, no over-the-counter topical get has ever been shown to have a significant fat loss capability. Second, the main ingredients in Andrology are certainly not ground-breaking. They're all commonly found in herbal fat burners/diet pills and, again, have little scientific proof backing up their effectiveness. Finally, the plastic surgeon, Dr. Simon, is a hand surgeon! I'm not sure what "special" expertise any plastic surgeon has regarding natural fat burners, much less one who specializes in reconstructing hands and wrists.

Oh, one more thing. The web site is full of ridiculous psuedo-scientific copywriting such as the following:
"The “Modern Man” has evolved to whereby appearance is more and more important. Slihouette becomes as essential as skin quality or facial aesthetics. Enabling the man to find again or maintain an attractive shape means offering him seduction and well-being arguments. ANDROLOGY Fat Burner for Men is the first slimming cosmetic ingredient specifically dedicated to men.

The bottom line: Andrology Fat Burner for Men is almost certainly a scam/rip-off product that provides little or no results. The marketing behind the product is designed to prey on the insecurities of "modern man" and is the kind of BS marketing that makes the weight loss supplement industry look so bad. Save your money and buy some vitamins, pure green tea extract, or some whey protein!


Related info:

Here's the Andrology Fat Burner commercial:







Saturday, April 25, 2009

Lose Weight Fast: 5 of the BEST Tips!

Want to burn fat and get a fitter, healthier body quickly? Here are 5 of the best tips for losing weight fast:

1. Clarity + Focus + Action = Fast Results

Create a clear short term goal (e.g. "Lose 10 pounds of fat in 3 weeks"). Now focus all your thoughts and energy on that goal. Now take MASSIVE action to reach that goal as fast as possible! This is the formula for fast success in anything.

2. High-Energy = Faster Fat Loss

Focus on boosting your energy levels and you'll lose fat much faster and more easily. Get plenty of sleep each night. Drink at least 60 ounces of water per day. Avoid simple sugars, highly processed carbohydrates, and alcohol/drugs. Consider taking a healthy energy supplement, such as green tea extract.

3. Focus on Clean Calories

Clean-burning calories from lean proteins, fish, eggs, veggies and fruit, nuts and seeds, and beans and legumes are the best for losing pounds fast. These whole natural foods are the ones your body was designed to thrive on. Avoid pretty much all refined ingredients and processed foods, including grain products and dairy products (low-sugar yogurt/kefir is OK once in awhile).

4. Do Interval Exercise

Interval-style exercise is just about the best exercise for burning fat and losing weight quickly. Intervals melt off the fat while also creating powerful metabolic changes in your body that will help you lose pounds even while you're sleeping.

5. Take the Best Supplements

Whey protein, omega 3 fats (e.g. fish oil and krill oil), and a good multivitamin are all effective, low-cost supplements that can speed up the weight loss process. Many experts agree that whey protein is by fat the best fitness/fat loss supplement on the market, so consider making it a part of your diet!

There you go: 5 of the best tips on how to lose weight fast. Give them a try and you'll see just how effective they are for yourself...


Thursday, April 23, 2009

Any FRS Healthy Energy Reviews?

If you spend any amount of time surfing the web, you've probably seen lots of advertisements for a new type of energy drink/supplement called "FRS Healthy Energy". I mean, the ads are everywhere these days... especially the ones featuring American sports hero Lance Armstrong! The products are available at health food/supplement stores like GNC, and you can also order them directly from the company.

Since I'm a big fan of energy supplements and drinks, I decided to look for some reviews. Surprisingly, there aren't that many out there. And several of the ones I found looked like they might be "fake" reviews, possibly planted by people who want to promote/market this new product. Of course there's no way to know for sure...

The FRS products are all based on the antioxidant quercetin as well as green tea extract (which I know for a fact is a good "mild" natural energy booster). They also contain B vitamins and the amino acid taurine, which can be found in almost all energy drinks and many supplements. Finally, they throw in some vitamin C, vitamin E, panax gingseng, gingko biloba, and -- course -- caffeine... again, all commonly found in many energy products. Nothing too extraordinary or "new". But maybe they've found just the right "mix" of antioxidants, vitamins, herbs, and other natural ingredients that provide a sustained energy boost without the typical "crash" of most energy products.

Just from looking at the main FRS site and their marketing messages, it looks like they are really focusing on the apparent energy-boosting properties of quercetin. The problem with this is that studies show that quercetin has a very low bioavailability once ingested, and most of it is simply flushed out of the system within a short amount of time. Of course, it is possible that one or more of the many other ingredients included in the FRS products increases the effectiveness of the quercetin.

Personally, I'm an energy fiend. I take all forms of energy boosters. My daily caffeine intake alone is probably way off the charts. I'm always on the lookout for new and better products that boost energy... especially "healthy" products that aren't packed with sugars and caffeine. Most days I take an herbal timed-release energy supplement (B vitamins, natural caffeine, green tea extract, yerba mate, etc.) along with some extra green tea extract and usually large amounts of coffee, tea, and/or diet cola. I would definitely like to know if the FRS Healthy Energy drinks, powders, and "chews" would be a good addition to my daily energy supplementation routine.

The bottom line is that FRS is designed and marketed to appeal to the large (and growing) group of people who are looking for a healthier alternative to coffee, colas, "old school" energy drinks, and caffeine pills. This includes everyone from young athletes to college students to aging baby-boomers to elderly senior citizens. But, while the high antioxidant content in the products is probably pretty healthy, the question stills remains: do the FRS Healthy Energy drinks, powders, and chews actually work? Also, are they worth the money?

If anyone has any reviews for the FRS energy products, please leave them in the comments section below. Thank you!



Update 2/10: Is FRS The Best Energy Supplement Ever?


Related info:

Energy In A Bottle--And More?
FRS Healthy Energy Review on About

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Best Way to Lose 15 Pounds Really Fast

Looking for a good way to lose weight fast? How about the best way to lose 15 pounds really fast... as in within 2-3 weeks? Most people can lose 10-15 pounds very quickly simply by eating a clean diet and using the most-effective forms of exercise. And, for most of us, a reduction of 10 to 15 lbs will make a HUGE improvement in the way we look and feel!

Here are the steps you need to take in order to lose fifteen pounds in the fastest way possible:

1. Cut all processed foods out of your diet. That means no refined sugars, flours, or fats. It also means no grain products... not even the 100% whole grain varieties.

2. Focus on eating only natural, clean-burning foods. These include lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. These are the natural, healthy foods that will boost your energy, control your hunger, and help you lose pounds faster.

3. Do short, intense workouts often. 3-5 days a week do a 20-30 minute workout based around intervals -- short bouts of intense exercise followed by brief recovery periods. This type of exercise burns tons of calories and fat, spikes the metabolism, and makes your body produce special hormones that burn fat in your sleep while helping you hold onto lean muscle tissue.

That's pretty much it. Just make sure to also cover the basics: plenty of sleep/rest, lots of pure water each day, avoid alcohol, etc. and you'll easily lose up to 15 pounds in 2-3 weeks. Good luck and let us know when you succeed!



Related:

Lose 15 Pounds in 2 Weeks


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

"Health" Foods That Aren't Healthy at All

There are so many fake "health" foods out there it's mind-blowing! Some very popular examples: Vitamin Water, flavored yogurts, soy protein products, and protein/weight loss bars. They all contain refined sugars, refined fats, unhealthy oils, and/or ingredients proven to cause health problems. Just another case of marketing manipulating facts and yet another reason we all have to do our own research!

Check out this great video on the subject:







Thursday, April 16, 2009

Lose 10 Pounds in 3 Days: A Simple, Healthy Diet

Want to lose 10 pounds in 3 days? The truth is that it's not a great idea to try and lose so much weight so fast. And, even if you do lose the pounds, 90% of it will be "water and waste weight"... not body fat! But, if you're reading this, you've most likely already made the decision to go for it. No matter what. So you might as well have an idea about how to go about losing 10 pounds in 3 days in the safest, healthiest way possible.

Here's a simple, healthy, and relatively easy diet that can help you get the job done...

The Foods to Eat

The only thing you're going to eat for these 3 days are lean meats, eggs, fish, vegetables, fresh raw fruits, unsalted nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, and small amounts of healthy fats (e.g. virgin olive oil, unrefined coconut oil, natural peanut butter, and avocado). You'll also be consuming several lemons and/or limes so you might want to buy a big bag at the grocery store. You can eat one serving of low-fat cheese -- such as mozzarella "string" cheese -- per day but you'll want to avoid milk and other dairy products. The only thing you'll drink is plain water, unsweetened seltzer water, and sugar-free black or green tea.

The Foods to Avoid

In general you're going to avoid all processed/refined foods, starchy carbohydrates, and fried foods. Absolutely no simple sugars or grain foods. That means no fruit juice, no honey, no breads/cereals/pastas/etc. (even the "100% whole grain" versions), nothing that comes in a box or bag, no potatoes, and definitely no fried or breaded foods. It's not always easy to avoid these fattening foods but, if you really want to lose 10 pounds in 3 days, it's a must!

How to Eat

You're going to eat a fairly large breakfast, a medium-sized lunch, and a small dinner. You're going to eat a small, protein-based snack every 2-4 hours. You're going to focus on eating LOTS of high-fiber/low-calorie natural carbs, primarily from veggies, beans, and legumes. You're going to eat until you feel mostly satiated and then stop!

The Lemon Water Fast

For at least one 24-hour period during these 3 days you should do a simple "lemon water" fast. During this time you'll consume nothing but pure water with the juice of fresh lemons or limes squeezed into it. You'll drink as much as you want and should aim for about a gallon of water in total! This is an incredibly refreshing natural "cleanse" that can help you lose 3-5 pounds all by itself. Even if you choose not to do the fast, you should drink a large (16 ounces minimum) glass of lemon water first thing each morning to boost your energy and jumpstart your metabolism.

That's it! Follow the proven steps above and you just might be able to lose up to 10 pounds in 3 days.

Good luck and be sure to leave your questions and comments below!


Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Tabata Interval Training on a VersaClimber

Tabata training is one of the best forms of exercise for burning fat and losing weight fast. You can do it on just about any exercise machine or even just using your own bodyweight. Here's a good video of people doing tabata intervals on a VersaClimber. Look at that sweat!


Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Lose Weight Fast: A Daily Action Checklist

Want to lose weight fast? Then print out this checklist and refer to it every day. If you do each and every thing on the list you will lose body fat very quickly...


Fast Weight Loss Action Checklist


Wake up and drink a big glass of fresh lemon water

Read your goal statement first thing in the morning

Spend a few minutes visualizing success

Take a green tea extract supplement or other healthy energy supplement

Do at least 5-10 minutes of light morning exercise to jumpstart your energy and metabolism

Eat a healthy high-protein breakfast, preferably a whey protein shake

Take a multivitamin and an omega 3 fat supplement

Eat a small protein-rich meal or snack every 2-4 hours throughout the day

Sip water throughout the day; try to drink at least 60 ounces before 7pm

Eat only lean proteins, good carbs, and healthy fats

Avoid all processed carbs, especially simple sugars and refined flours

Avoid all fried foods and bad fats

Do a short, intense workout based around interval cardio and/or full-body circuit training

Read your goal statement again right before going to sleep

Go to bed at your regular hour and sleep for at least 7-8 hours





Thursday, April 9, 2009

The Best Way to Lose Belly Fat Fast

Want to get rid of your stubborn belly fat and lose weight in a fast, healthy, and safe way? The tips below are 100% proven to help just about anyone boost their metabolism, lose belly fat quickly, get a flat stomach, and greatly improve the way they look and feel. Give them a try and you could easily lose up to 10 pounds and several inches from your waist in just the next couple of weeks...


Eat more high-fiber, low-starch carbs.

High-fiber, low-starch carbohydrates are some of your best friends when it comes to fighting belly fat. Simply increasing your intake of non-starchy vegetables and fresh fruits is a GREAT way to fill you up, suppress hunger, avoid food cravings, and cleanse your body naturally. Avoiding starchy carbs also helps to keep your blood sugar and insulin levels stable.


Eat some lean protein every 2-4 hours.

Lean protein is another great ally when you want to lose weight fast and burn belly fat quickly. It's a "hot burning" food that speeds up the metabolism while also keeping hunger in check. Most importantly, it stabilizes blood sugar, insulin, and energy levels... which all translates into less abdominal fat. Eat a small amount of lean protein every 2-4 hours and you'll have more energy and a smaller appetite.


Avoid all highly-processed carbs.

Eating highly-processed/refined carbohydrates gives you more belly fat and makes it almost impossible to lose the tummy fat you already have. Refined "white" sugars and flours are the worst culprits because they spike your blood sugar and insulin levels. Empty "sugar" calories plus high insulin levels = more belly fat. Focus on natural, unprocessed foods and lightly processed foods, especially veggies, fruits, beans, legumes, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and whole grains.


Eat plenty of healthy fats.

Not all fats make you fat. Some can actually speed up the weight loss process. For best results, you need to avoid trans fats and most saturated fats as much as possible, especially like those found in fried foods. Eat more monounsaturated fats and essential fatty acids (e.g. omega 3 fats). Examples: virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, and oily fish.


Do interval-based exercise.

The best form of exercise to lose belly fat fast is interval-based exercise. High-intensity interval training is one great example. Full-body circuit training based around bodyweight strength movements (e.g. pushups, pullups, squats, burpees, etc.) is another. Performing intervals burns lots of calories and burn off extra abdominal fat faster than just about anything else. Plus, interval exercise causes the body to produce powerful fat-burning, muscle-sparing hormones that make it much easier to lose weight fast!




Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Best Way to Lose Weight Fast... in a Safe, Healthy Way!

Need to lose some weight fast? Looking for the BEST method for reducing body fat, losing pounds, and looking better in less time? The best, most effective weight loss techniques have nothing to do with starving yourself or even cutting calories drastically. Likewise, the best way to burn fat isn't to spend hours torturing yourself on a treadmill or exercise bike. Finally, the best way to lose weight doesn't involve popping handfuls of "diet pills" or "fat burners" -- or taking any other weight loss supplement -- in an attempt at "easy" fat loss.

Here is the REAL best way to lose weight fast...

Clarity, Focus, and Momentum

The number 1 most important step to losing weight quickly is to develop clarity, focus, and momentum. You do that by creating a powerful goal statement, visualizing success each day, focusing on your goal at all times, and setting small, achievable mini-goals for each day and week. Actively focusing your thoughts and actions on a simple, attainable, short-term goal -- such as losing 10 pounds in 21 weeks -- is a true "secret" of fast success.

Energy

High energy is a must if you want to lose weight in the fastest (and best) way possible. You can boost your energy naturally by getting plenty of sleep each night, drinking lots of water, and avoiding simple sugars and processed carbohydrates as much as possible.

The Best Diet

The best diet for losing weight fast is one based around clean-burning and natural "paleo" foods: mainly lean proteins, all-natural carbs, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods as much as possible, especially anything containing refined sugars, flours, or fats. Eat a small amount of protein every 2-4 hours to maximize metabolism, stabilize energy levels, keep blood sugar/insulin in check, and avoid hunger/food cravings. One day a week, have a cheat day and eat anything you want.

The Best Exercise

The best exercise for fast weight loss is interval-based exercise. High intensity interval training (HIIT) and short, intense, full-body strength training circuit workouts are two good examples of this powerful fat-burning technique. Workout at least 2 or 3 times a week. One day a week do a fun activity that make you sweat, such as hiking, playing a sport, or gardening.

The Best Supplements

The best supplement to take to lose weight fast are whey protein powder, omega 3 fats (fish oil or krill oil), a good multivitamin, and green tea extract. These will help to optimize your metabolism, boost your energy, and make you burn fat and lose pounds faster.


Want to learn more about the best way to lose weight fast, in a safe and healthy way? Then click here!








Monday, April 6, 2009

The Fastest Way to Lose 10 Pounds

Looking for the fastest way to lose 10 pounds? Want to focus on losing fat, keeping lean muscle, and creating a fitter, healthier, sexier-looking body? What you'll find below is one of the best ways to lose weight fast and in a healthy manner. Enjoy...

Use the power of clarity, focused action, and momentum. Create a specific short-term goal statement, read it daily, and focus on it constantly. Take focused, consistent action every day. Create momentum by setting and achieving small mini-goals every day.

Maximize your energy. Get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, and eat some protein every 2-4 hours during the day. Consider taking green tea extract and/or a healthy timed-release energy supplement.

Jumpstart your fat loss. Do a short 1 or 2 day raw juice or "lemon water" fast. Do a 1-3 day raw diet based around fresh raw fruits, nuts, and seeds.

Follow a clean-burning "paleo" diet. Eat only natural paleo foods: mainly lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Also eat some starches in the form of beans, legumes, oatmeal, and whole grains. Learn to cycle your starchy carbs. Avoid all processed/refined carbs, especially sugars.

Do efficient "smart" exercise. Focus on short workouts based around higher-intensity bursts of activity (aka "intervals"). Do both full-body strength training and cardio exercise. Workout 3-6 days a week, depending on your conditioning and energy levels.

Take the best support supplements. A good whey protein powder, omega 3 fats, and a multivitamin are all you really need to support your metabolism and recover faster from workouts.

Get an expert guide. Choose a good step-by-step guide to fast and healthy fat loss. Follow it closely and you'll reach your goals.

That's about it: the fastest way to lose 10 pounds... or 20, 30, 50, 100, etc!

Good luck and be sure to leave any questions or comments below...







Thursday, April 2, 2009

Any Total Core Reviews Out There?

I keep seeing infomercials for the new "Total Core" ab machine and I was wondering if there are any customer/user reviews out there? This ab gadget seems a lot like the Ab Circle Pro, which is a hot fitness product right now. Like the Ab Circle -- and many other infomercial exercise machines -- the Total Core seems to do a lot of the work for you... which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. After all, if you're not doing the crunches and sit-ups on your own, you're not going to get as much ab stimulation as possible. The Total Core does seem to be a little better made than most of the other low-quality gadgets out there, but we're still not yet willing to buy it just to see whether it's another crappy gadget or if it's a legitimate tool for strengthening and toning the abdominal muscles.

So if you or (anyone you know) have used the Total Core, please take a moment to leave your reviews in the comments section below. Also feel free to leave any questions, comments, ratings, etc. there, as long as they're all related to the product.

By the way, before you go and purchase this or any abdominal machine, just remember one thing: you can do ab exercises all day long but, unless you lower your overall body fat percentage, you're not going to have "six pack" abs anytime soon. The only way to get rid of belly fat and get a lean, sexy midsection is to use proven diet and exercise techniques.

Click here for more reviews and info about the Total Core Ab Machine!


In case you haven't seen it, here's the ad for the Total Core that we've been seeing on late-night television lately:





Related: Here is a Total Core review we just found. Here are some reviews of the Ab Circle Pro machine, the main competitor of the Total Core.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Study: Take Caffeine for Better, Easier Workouts!

Drinking coffee or taking caffeine supplements not only energizes you, it also reduces the pain you feel when you're exercising. And the best news: it works whether you're already a caffeine-junkie or not! According to a new study caffeine affects the "adenosine neuromodulatory system" in the brain and spinal cord in a way that kills pain naturally.

So if you want better, more effective, AND easier fat-burning, muscle-building workouts... drink some coffee or take a natural caffeine supplement (such as green tea extract) before you start exercising.

Check this out: Coffee Lessens the Pain of Exercise