Thursday, August 25, 2011

Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days: A Simple, Fast Method

Need to lose some weight fast? Want to burn off some body fat and drop a couple inches from your waistline? Losing pounds quickly doesn't have to be difficult or complicated. Here's a simple and relatively safe method for losing 10 pounds in as little as 10 days:

1. Get on the Water Wagon -- Here's the deal: if you drink A LOT of water throughout the day, every day, you'll lose pounds fast. And it will be EASY! Drinking large volumes of water fills your stomach, boosts your energy, lowers your appetite, controls hunger, raises your metabolism, flushes out pounds of "waste" matter from your body (especially the colon!), and even causes your body to shed a pound or two of "water weight" (your body releases stored water and sugars/carbs when it's very well hydrated).

2. Make Protein Shakes Your Friend -- Drink a small, healthy, high-fiber protein shake every 3 or 4 hours throughout the day. Include a high-quality whey protein powder, some frozen fruit, some unrefined natural peanut butter or organic coconut oil, and a bit of uncooked oatmeal or quinoa. This is a great appetite-suppressing trick that allows you to cut your overall calorie intake significantly while still giving your body the protein, good carbs, and healthy fats it needs to maintain high energy levels and support lean muscle tissue.

3. Do Intense Full-Body Workouts Every Other Day -- Nothing burns fat and sheds pounds like a short, high-intensity workouts that involves most of the major muscle groups. You could do a few sets of bodyweight squats and push-ups with some sprints or jump rope intervals mixed in. Keep it simple and focus on maintaining a high intensity level to burn more calories and body fat. Workout for no more than 30 minutes at a time. On your "off" days go for a brisk 15-20 minute walk or light jog.

4. Eat a Clean-Carb Diet -- For the next 10 days eat nothing but high-quality "clean" carbohydrates. These include: vegetables, beans, legumes, fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. You can also eat some grains as well but only if you stick to only the "cleanest" options like oatmeal, quinoa, and 100% whole grain sprouted breads. Avoid all sugars and most starches, including processed grains, potatoes, etc.

There you have it: a simple, fast way to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. If you follow these proven steps you should have no problem losing at least ten lbs within the next week and a half. Good luck!

Have a question, comment, or useful tips about losing 10 pounds quick? Leave it below...

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Wanted: Rockin' Abs Exerciser Reviews

Let's face it, every once in awhile you see a late-night infomercial product that you know is probably junk but just looks too damn cool to pass up. So you whip out your credit card and buy it blind, before even checking for user reviews online. That's what almost happened when I saw the commercial for the new Rockin' Abs exerciser from Thane.

Several ab machines claim to mimic the fluid, enjoyable motion of a rocking chair (I'm looking at you Ab Rocket and Ab Rocket Twist!) but in the case of the Rockin' Abs device it REALLY IS A DANG ROCKING CHAIR! How genius is that?? I mean, the thing just looks freaking COOL. In fact, it looks like something I would actually sit in just to sit in... eating tortilla chips, drinking light beer, and probably watching old A-Team reruns. During commercials I could set the beer aside, wipe the tortilla crumbs off my belly fat ripped abdominal muscles, and burn a few dozen calories "ab rockin'" back and forth like a little monkey for a couple minutes.

Still, as cool as the Rockin' Abs abdominal machine looks, something told me to hold on and see if I could find any decent customer reviews online. Well, after a 30-minute long search, I was able to find a single genuine Rockin' Abs review anywhere... not even on Amazon! That's a little strange in my book. Plus, the fact the it apparently converts into a pilates machine was kind of a turn off for me. I don't want my girlfriend stealing it every time she wants to "lengthen and tone" her leg muscles!

(By the way, the only thing I did find was a few reviews for the old Rockin's Abs chair -- yes, same exact name! -- from Fitness Quest that came out a few years ago. I never did understand how the hell that thing worked... and I guess no one else did either since they've stopped selling it!)

So anyway, this blog -- and the entire as-seen-on-TV-product-lovers community -- needs your help. If you've used the THANE Rockin' Abs chair please leave your helpful, insightful, lovingly-crafted reviews, opinions, and testimonials below. Does it work? Is it another infomercial scam / rip-off product? Is it worth the $200 or so they want for the thing? I so want to be rocking my little buns off in this chair while drinking a Coors and laughing like a giddy schoolboy. Help me convince myself that it's worth the money and I'll be forever in your debt!

:)

JS

Monday, August 15, 2011

Consumer Reports Reviews the TRX Suspension Trainer

Consumer Reports magazine has just reviewed the increasingly popular TRX Suspension Trainer Pro from Fitness Anywhere. Their test users and in-house fitness expert gave it good reviews overall. They bought the TRX "Pro" version for about $200 from Amazon, which includes the TRX suspension device, a door anchor, and a 35 minute workout DVD.

The Consumer Reports reviewers say that "the TRX works"... they liked it and the fitness expert says it can effectively train every major muscle group while exercising those vital core muscles at the same time. They also say that the included DVD does a good job of showing how to make each TRX exercise more intense/difficult by altering your body's position, referred to as "vector resistance" training.

CR says that the negatives include the price -- it's definitely not "cheap" considering it's basically just a bunch of heavy-duty nylon straps and handles. They also say that it may not be the best exercise option for someone with limited mobility, low flexibility, or who doesn't have much upper-body strength. Reviewers complained about the difficulty of putting their feet in the handle stirrups and flipping their bodies into push-up and "plank" positions in order to do the DVD exercise movements.

I've used the TRX and here's my quick review: The TRX suspension trainer is one of those strange home exercise products that really grows on you. At first it feels awkward and "weird"... then you get more used to it and it feels good... then you develop more balance and stabilizer muscle strength and you realize it's one of the best total body muscle building devices on the market! Personally, I love taking it to the park and busting out perfect suspended pull-ups, push-ups, dips, etc. That being said, it's definitely not for someone who's totally out of shape or has major mobility problems. It's also a little pricey and their are good TRX alternatives out there like the Milo Kit and other cheaper options that cost under $100.

If you've got the money and you're already in decent shape you should definitely consider trying out out the TRX Trainer. It's a high-quality workout-anywhere option that will last for years. Click here for the best price online!


JS



p.s. Check out the Consumer Reports TRX review here:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/september/home-garden/trx-pro-pack/overview/index.htm