A chest workout routine is one of the most important parts to an exercise program. But many guys think that push-ups are a waste of time when you could be lifting heavy weights at the gym. Don’t fall into this mentality because push-ups will get you ripped and stronger.

If you are trying to put on mass or just get stronger there is something you must try. The 7 minutes of hell push-up challenge is one of the quickest ways to get a strong chest. The workout is as simple as doing 30 push-ups each minute for 7 minutes straight. This means that you only do 30 each minute, no more and try not to do any less. If you can get all 210 push-ups in 7 minutes you are considered to be in elite fitness status.

This does not take the place of all of your normal chest workouts. You can and should substitute it for 1 of your chest workouts each week. Give yourself at least 7 days of recovery time the first time you try it because you will need a lot of rest. This goes for you even if you can bench your own body weight 20 times.

It might sound very easy but wait until you try it. Once you get your time down, you can try for 35 push-ups each minute but that won’t be for a while. Good luck on your first attempt and don’t feel bad that you can’t get all 210 in 7 minutes the first time, nobody does.

“It’s not so much about looking good as it is about feeling good, really good; feeling the rush of adrenalin after a kick-boxing class; feeling tired but satisfied after a long, hectic day,” says an acclaimed model. She has a whole lot of friends who are as health-conscious, figure-conscious and beauty-conscious as she is. She claims that even if she weren’t a model she would still be the way she was because she likes staying slim and fit. So, let’s find out if she’s in earnest.

Since how long have you been like this? Slim, fit and gorgeous?

Actually, right from my school days. My parents have always been very health-conscious. They always encouraged me to stay slim. In fact I remember my dad used to say – you eat nutritious, you live lore. Mom never stacked the shelves with chips or junk food, or the fridge with soft drinks. It was always fruits, healthy snacks and coconut water.

What is more important to focus on? Food or exercise?

I think it is a balance of both. If you only go on a diet you’ll lose weight but you’ll fail to firm up your muscles. I do not believe in going on crash diets. They only result in tremendous water loss. On the other hand if you only exercise and not eat properly, you’ll lose a lot of weight but you won’t look healthy. You’ll just end up looking pale and sickly.

What is your regular diet?

I love food. And I like to see a lot of colour on my plate. I begin my day with cereals, soya milk, vitamins, fruits and my glass of milk. By midday, I have another fruit; during lunch, I have a little bit of carbs, oe else I get my rye bread, some protein-chicken, or fish. Sometimes I even have lentils or vegetables; and lots of salad. Evening’s it is coconut milk, dry fruits and fruit. I am actually a fruits person. Dinner comprises nice, healthy chicken soup, salads and vegetables.

What do you do when you go out to eat or on holiday?

Oh! I can be very tiresome. When I’m eating out I drive the person who serves me absolutely mad. I’m very careful about how much oil is going inside me. It’s normally always steamed or beaked dishes I order for. I ask for a lot of salad dressing on the side and bore him to death with my ‘please, less oil please’. I’m not one who would go out in the night to have a burger or a pizza. When I’m on a holiday I allow myself a little liberty and let go.

What does letting go mean?

Oh well! Having ice creams and stuff like that at the weirdest hours possible. Chinese food at four in the morning; it almost sits in my stomach. I have a terrific sweet tooth. I love chocolates. Actually I need to check myself only on that front.

Do you have a tendency to easily put on weight?

Oh yes! I always have to keep a strict watch over my weight. I come to know about those extra pounds when clothes do not fit the way they should. But as soon as that happens, I work my heart out. Thankfully, it’s never been very difficult for me to get back in shape.

What kind of an exercise pattern do you follow?

Well, I’m an early-riser. I get up at six in the morning; go for yoga twice a week which lasts one and a half hours. The remaining days of week, I work out at the gym. I also go for dance classes but that is not to lose weight; that’s just for recreation. I also go for kick-boxing at least thrice a week. And I carry my own food and water wherever I go.

What would you do if you were a full-time working girl?

Ah! I guess that would be very difficult. I don’t know how on earth would I have the time to exercise but I would definitely carry my own food – a chicken or a sandwich out of rye or whole wheat bread.

What do you think is the key to good health?

Actually, the most important thing is to find out what suits your body best. If you cannot take care of yourself, you can never take care of others. You have to chalk out a balanced diet. I have my carbs early in the morning so that I can work it out during the day. I have conditioned myself in a way that I don’t crave for anything. One can follow any form of exercise; there are no hard and fast rules about that. The times I do not exercise, I am a complete couch potato. I get lethargic. When I can’t exercise, I just run up the flight of stairs to my apartment. I stay on the 7th floor. I think it is also important to read about nutrition. This way you’ll know what is good and what isn’t. Exercise and diet, together will get your fat percentage down and help you tone up.

Are there 15 fat burning foods that you can eat and lose weight? Yes and no. There are foods that you can eat that help you feel satisfied, full and content. Feel that way and you will usually eat less and maintain or lose weight. That can be a good thing. I’ll share 15 food ideas for losing fat, but first a little background.

Two hormones produced in the pancreas, glucagon and insulin, determine how your body uses carbohydrates. The ratio of these two hormones is what really is critical for sugar use.

Glucagon directs the liver to release sugars, which raises the blood sugar available for use by the brain and the rest of the body. Glucagon also signals the cells to release fat for energy and to release protein for building. Insulin is responsible for putting nutrients into cells. Thus insulin regulates the transfer of fats, proteins and sugars from the bloodstream to the cells. If more sugar is available than is required, insulin signals the liver to produce fat.

Glucagon is released when proteins are eaten. Insulin is released when carbohydrates are eaten. Neither is released when you eat fats or nonstarchy foods. If carbohydrates are eaten alone, the insulin to glucagon ratio is too high. If protein is eaten alone, the insulin to glucagon ratio is too low. Eat a balanced meal with protein, fats, nonstarchy vegetables and carbohydrates and you can have a balanced insulin to glucagon ratio which can burn fat and build muscle.

Eating a balanced meal will not lead to fat production, it could even lead to fat loss. Also a balanced meal will not lead to muscle loss, it could even lead to muscle gain.

Following are 15 fat burning foods ideas. With the background in the first paragraphs, you can see that just eating a few selected foods will not magically cause weight loss. However, making some fairly simple changes in the way you eat could finally help you to lose weight and keep it off.

• 1. Coconut oil – the fats in coconut oil are not usually stored as fat.
• 2. Salmon – eat protein and fats with carbohydrates for a balanced insulin to glucagon ration.
• 3. Whole grain breads – sugars released more slowly than processed grains, so less insulin response.
• 4. Asparagus – a nonstarchy vegetable even helpful with cheese sauce.
• 5. Cabbage – use it many different ways especially helpful in soup as a filler.
• 6. Kale – high in calcium plus easy to grow yourself.
• 7. Chicken – balance a meal with chicken on a salad.
• 8. Garlic – use it however you can.
• 9. Green beans – fills you up but nonstarchy so no effect on insulin to glucagon ratio.
• 10. Cod liver oil – an important supplement for Vitamins A and D.
• 11. Bitters – like Swedish Bitters, often helpful for digesting fats.
• 12. Bell peppers – another sweet tasting nonstarchy vegetable useful in several ways.
• 13. Summer squash – especially good with light cheese sauces.
• 14. Cheese – in limited amounts, preferably fresh, as the fats in aged cheese are damaged.
• 15. Eggs – contains proteins plus fats to satisfy hunger and combine well with carbohydrates.

There are many more than 15 fat burning foods if you realize the real keys to healthy eating and weight loss. Include any and all nonstarchy vegetables as part of your eating plan.

For more fat loss ideas along these lines, read any of Dr. Diana Schwarzbein’s books or any of Dr. Mary Enig’s books.

“Take Control of Your Health Naturally”

Trying Something New and Doing What You Love

On way to make your exercising fun it to try something new. If you’re just going through the motions of a workout you are bored. Chances are you’re doing the minimum and getting minimum results. Switch it up. If you’re excited about what you’re doing in the gym, on the track or on the trail, you’ll be more into it, and you’ll get more out of it. Another way to make exercising fun is to do what you love. The biggest benefit to doing something you love for exercise is that you’ll actually do it and like it. The psychological benefits suggest that “forced exercise” isn’t as helpful and voluntary exercise. Voluntary exercise attributes to well-being while forces exercise does just the opposite.

Finding a Partner and Playing Games

Getting a workout partner can always add an extra spice to your workout routine. A like-minded individual to push you, offer encouragement, suffer and succeed with you will make things a lot easier and much more interesting.

You can also incorporate games while you workout such as lifting odd-shaped weights, or playing a team sport such as basketball. You can also add a little competition between the two of you which can always make things a little more riveting.

Go Outside and Make it Count

Go camping, or take in a sunset. Simply being outside has health benefits. Sunlight increases testosterone levels via vitamin D production. It also helps recharge your body and soul. There are many volunteer projects that require lots of physical efforts that will give you a workout, while contributing to the community such Habitat for Humanity for example. Not only will you get exercise while being outside, but you will be contributing to your community as well. Positive all the way around.

Suddenly lost the motivation to complete your weight loss program?

You’re not alone. There are millions of people from all over the world who take up a diet program and try to complete it, but fall short at the end. It’s just like New Year’s Resolution- it’s great at the start, but you lose steam as you go along.

Is there a magic wand that will make you stick to a weight loss program until the end?

Believe it or not, there are 3 surefire strategies you can employ right now that will improve the chances of you sticking with your diet program:

1. Curb Your Hunger Pangs

Going hungry is the enemy of every person who has ever tried to stick with a diet. This is perhaps the #1 reason why most people fail in their quest to lose weight fast. You could either be stuck in one of these situations- the diet states that you should only consume X amount of calories (which leaves you starving), or it states that you should only eat X type of foods (which would not make you feel full).

The best diet programs are ones that recommend food groups such as protein, which takes quite a while to break down and be digested. Fibrous carbs and lean protein is an effective one-two punch that lets you stick to the diet. Add small servings of dietary fat to stay healthy and well.

Bottom line is, you can add a few good calories to your diet as long as it will help you curb hunger pangs.

2. Pair Up With A Buddy

If you’re losing the will to get through the diet hump, then you may need someone who’ll serve as your motivator. Having a buddy get you past the lows and the highs of diet programs ensure you’ll stay on track and stick to the diet plan.

Studies show that having a diet buddy increases your chance of being successful. It can be anyone- a family member, a loved one, or your best friend. Just make sure they’ll hold you accountable towards the completion of your weight loss goal.

3. Write Down Your Short Term Goals

The best way to start a weight loss program is to write down effective short term goals. These goals should be realistic and specific. For example, how many pounds do you expect to lose in 2 or 3 weeks’ time?

A long term goal may be good and all, but it won’t help you along like a short term goal would. Having something that you can achieve in a few weeks can serve as an excellent motivational tool that will set you on the right track.

A reiable diet program is a great platform that will help you achieve what you’ve always wanted- to lose a certain amount of weight and start a healthy lifestyle. When you develop good diet habits during those 3 weeks’ time, you can be sure that you’ll carry it with you until you get to the finish line.

Interested about what a reliable and efficient diet plan can offer? Our free report will give you a full overview of how you can effectively burn fat and start your weight loss journey ASAP. You won’t have to struggle with sticking to the diet plan because the report has all the elements you need for weight loss success.

NordicTrack are a popular brand of exercise bike. They are popular because they come with one of the best consoles on any bike – certainly for a machine under a $1,000. But, are they a good machine overall, what sort of user do they appeal to, and what kinds of rating do customers give NordicTrack exercise bikes? The answers you get depend on the model of machine.

Most people can’t afford or justify paying more than a thousand dollars on a LifeCycle or Schwinn exercise bike. The biggest market for this type of fitness equipment is around the $500 mark and this is the niche that NordicTrack exercise bikes fall in to.

The most popular model is the AudioRider U300 bike; it’s also the cheapest, retailing for around $400. It’s an upright model and, for its price, you do get a lot of features. As you would expect it has magnetic resistance and it runs smoothly and quietly. The console really is the big plus point about this machine. It’s large, well laid out and easy to use; someone has described it as being like the dashboard of your car, which is a very good analogy. It displays the usual feedback data of time, speed, distance, resistance, pulse, RPM, carbs burned and calories burned. The handlebars have grip sensors to monitor heart rate and the seat is nicely cushioned. Another great feature is the AutoBreeze Workout Fan, which automatically adjusts the airflow to match your speed.

Getting to the more important features, you get 20 built-in workouts; 18 Personal Trainer workouts and 2 Heart Rate workouts. The personal trainer workouts will automatically adjust both pace and resistance during the workout to maintain the best optimized settings for aerobic, weight loss, or performance goals.

Many, especially first-timers, need motivation. It’s now quite common for all sorts of exercise equipment to be fitted with iFIT card technology. Each card is designed by a certified personal trainer and plugs directly into the bike’s console. During the workout, the trainer’s voice can be heard over the load speaker, helping you to achieve your specific goals. You can also download iFIT programs off the internet.

The bike also comes with Interactive Audio CrossTrainer, which is an interactive fitness coach that verbally and visually prompts you to perform a variety of strength-training and calorie burning exercises.

The AudioRider U300 is a great piece of kit however it really has been designed for casual or entry-level users. Those who are serious about bike training may find this machine lacks teeth. For instance, the position of seat and handle bars results in a sit-up-and-beg position. For more demanding training many prefer a more trapezoidal position with the hips up and shoulders down.

The AudioRider U400 is the same as the U300 except that it is a recumbent exercise bike. The features and workout programs are pretty much the same. It costs an additional $100. These bikes in which the user is in a reclined position are proving to be increasingly popular as they are more comfortable for those who have lower back problems or those who are overweight.

Lastly, there is the NordicTrack SL710 recumbent exercise bike. It retails for a little less than the U400. Personally, you are better off spending the extra and getting the U400. You only get 8 rather than 10 programs and the user weight capacity drops from 300 lbs to 250 lbs. The biggest claimed benefit of this bike is the Step-In design – this is where the center of the bike has been designed to be as near the ground as possible making it easy to get on and off the bike. The only reason to buy this model would be because you find it difficult to get on and off a more conventional recumbent.

In conclusion NordicTrack bikes are great value for money. If you’re a first time user or need something with a lot of motivational features then you should take a close look at these machines. However, if you’re a seasoned pro you should be looking at something a little more substantial like a Schwinn exercise bike.

The pectorial (chest) muscle is one of the largest and most utilized muscles in the human body. It is important to build strong chest muscles not just for bodybuilders but for people who workout recreationally. All of the muscles in the body work together simultaneously, therefore you want to build them up together to avoid uneven muscle sizes.

The best way to get a ripped chest is to take in at least 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight a day. This ensures the proper nutrients to your sore exhausted muscles. Try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables as they help to transport nutrients and give you more energy. Make sure you eat enough carbs to enable long hard workouts, but eat too much and it will turn into unwanted fat. Chicken tuna and other lean meats are great sources of protein, almonds and pecans are high in protein and low in fat.

If you are looking for a ripped chest it is essential to do push ups. This exercise will not make you huge but it will tone and harden your chest muscles fast. Try to do at least 100 push ups a day and do more reps every few days. Make sure to train your back as well, this makes the chest look bigger and allows the chest muscles to grow faster.

It is important to follow a workout program that teaches you the fundamentals of working out and shows you the right exercise to perform in order to blast your muscles. Workout programs also come with nutritional guides, these are essential to follow in order to gain lean muscle without any fat.

The popular idea in the gym lies in developing a huge upper body, in order for you to be able to showcase those mighty muscles to everyone you meet. Much of the time, choices that we make earlier are the better ones. Somewhere on the way, you start to hear things like, this guy or that other guy looks silly with their huge upper body and slender legs. You start to think about developing big legs so that your physique appears more in line with the people you are hanging with in the gym.

The Times That it Is Right to Build Up Your Legs

In particular, specific points in an individual’s life, performing routine leg training does make sense. When you are a novice in weight training, this is the only point where I suggest a person perform any routine leg build up exercises. To safeguard himself from any potential harm later on in the workout lifespan, an individual who is a newbie in working out with weights might practice a little leg work regimen so that he is able to develop some trunk and quad strength. Younger kids only beginning to work out with weights also fall under this category.

If a person has very slender legs, then I would make a second exception to my personal rule. A little dead-lifting and squatting might be in order, in such cases. The two most efficient exercises for legs that will put on muscle fast are the dead lift and the squat.

I just suggest such routine training for legs on a basis of once or twice every week for no more than six months, in the two situations that I talked about.

Building up huge legs destroys your physique.

Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s as bodybuilding began to be more accepted in the popular culture, this concept of developing enormous legs caught on. To have a good looking proportion, you had to develop that “hour glass” physique, but this concept was only in males’ heads.

To power up my legs, I used to pile on 315 pounds of weight on the squat rack. That turned out to be a horrible mistake. For what purpose did I really need such enormous legs?

Enormous legs causes you to look ridiculous.

When you look at a man with enormous legs nicely dressed for an evening out, have you considered that something about him does not seem exactly right? Either he wears baggy jeans which appear laughable, or his pants are worn too tightly and his legs are squeezed into them like sardines in a can. What about if you happen to see a big man wearing a suit? It simply does not appear right.

You don’t want them to think when they see you in the gym, dude that guy probably spends all of his time here; this is exactly my point that I want to get across. All that you want is to appear pleasant to look at, like a man who stays in good shape.

Then what is it that I do to hone my legs without performing heavy leg lifting work?

You will see that they have something in common, when you check out NBA players and sprinters. The majority of them all have well defined legs, but not enormous ones. In order to not over develop their legs, the majority of them steer clear of too much muscle building. Huge legs would only interfere with their natural abilities to compete effectively. Without the enormous sized legs that you see when you look at bodybuilders, these sports only develop good dense muscles in their legs.

To ensure that I do enough leg workout without performing routine heavy leg lifting, I have a certain regiment that I do; allow me to share it with you.

On Monday: Back, abs, chest

On Tuesday: Biceps, triceps, and shoulders

Repeat this regimen on Saturday and Sunday.

I pound the cardio work out hard using High Intensity Interval Training following every resistance type of workout; that is my secret. I alternate between the treadmill and the stepmill.

Remember: Yet another advantage of performing such a leg workout lies in having a good butt. Better looking than with squats, your glutes will gain that fine appearance. Sprinting toughens up the butt to give it a firm appearance. Making it appear overly large, squats build the butt up instead.

I did a post over on my blog about getting ripped legs

Want a fast way to boost your fitness level? Try a “reps for time” workout set-up. Reps for time is a concept that originated in a unique community gym, however, now more and more people are adding it into their workout protocol.

What does it entail? Let’s take a closer look…

1. What Reps For Time Is. “Reps for time” essentially means rather than aiming for a target number of reps each set, you are going to perform as many reps as you possibly can in a particular time frame. Usually, this time frame is around one minute in length, but if you are a beginner, you might just use 30 seconds instead.

You will perform the exercise in question, doing as many reps as possible in that period and if you have to stop at any point during the time frame to rest, so be it but do pick back up again as soon as possible once you are ready. Then once you have finished the time frame, jot down the number of reps you did and next workout, work at beating that number of reps.

2. The Benefits Of Reps For Time. What are the advantages of using the reps for time protocol? First, you will work your endurance level. Since you are exercising for a longer period than normal, this can cause your body to become better trained and withstand fatigue.

Second, you will also get the ultimate metabolic boost. Since you are essentially doing more work in less time, this means you will jumpstart your calorie burn, so you burn more calories both during the workout session as well as after the workout is over.

Finally, you will also work your strength level. As you are still performing a strength training workout session, this means that you will still have the benefit of keeping your muscle strength and power up, despite working in an endurance related manner

All in all, if you want to get…

• great conditioning,
• improved fat loss, and see
• good strength progress,

this is a set-up for you.

3. Adding It Into Your Workout Session. To add this into your workout, choose one or two exercises you want to perform with. Usually, this will be enough when first starting and from there if you become more skilled, you can begin adding more exercises to the mix from there.

If doing this on a compound focused exercise…

• squats,
• shoulder press,
• rows, etc.,

do it at the start of the workout when you are feeling fresh. If you are doing it on an isolation move, the end of the workout will be just fine and will help to “finish you off” so to speak.

Do this once or twice each week depending on your recovery ability.

There you have some facts about the “reps per time” workout protocol. It can be an excellent way to structure your workout if you are looking for a change of pace.

The Intensity Factor article explained how in order to derive the greatest benefit from our workouts we must train with the highest intensity of effort as possible. Particularly performing each set to the point of momentary muscular failure. To quickly recap; intensity is the possible percentage of momentary muscular and volitional effort exerted. This translates to ‘how hard’ one is working or the degree of the strain one’s muscles are under at any point during an exercise. The process of building muscle begins with stimulating the muscle(s). The stronger the training stimulus–the stronger the response. With this is mind you need to place the muscles under as much strain possible during your workout.

This however is only the starting point. How much muscle development that takes place is dependent upon the total demands of the workout and the appropriate amount of recovery time. The purpose of this article is to discuss another contributing factor to the total demands of your workout…training volume. Volume is defined as: the amount of exercise performed in a workout. This refers specifically to the length of each set (Time Under Tension) and the number of sets performed. In many instances a single bout of stimulation (even a very intense bout) may not be adequate in giving the muscles a reason to grow larger or stronger, so we must then determine how much stimulation is necessary to induce growth. The ideal dose of intensity and volume (relative to each individual) is essential to introducing the muscles/body with demands that will produce results.

Anything above what is ideal or necessary to induce growth is superfluous and over time will lead to stagnation or worse, regression. Furthermore, excessive volume, in the form of too many sets, is directly responsible for joint pain, worn cartilage and tendonitis. Because of the potential negative impact of excessive volume it stands to reason that the only logical approach to training should be to perform the least amount of exercise necessary to achieve the best overall results. This is accomplished by training with a high-intensity of effort and as little volume (number of sets) as possible, as per individual needs. Another component of volume relates to the length of each set, which is known as the Time Under Tension (TUT). The time under tension is the total time (in minutes/seconds) a set last minus any rest that takes place between reps. Time under tension reflects the amount of time that the muscles are straining (under tension) during a set.

An individual’s ideal TUT is determined by their muscle fiber type. Some individual’s have muscles that are most receptive to set lengths that last over one minute while others may be more receptive to sets that last less than one minute. By receptive we mean increases in muscular size and strength. To briefly elaborate, fast twitch (FT) muscle fiber is characterized as being large in size and produces a great deal of power but has poor endurance. Stimulation of FT fibers is responsible for increased muscular size and strength. Slow twitch (ST) muscle fibers are small in size, have poor strength capabilities but excellent endurance. Most of us possess both fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers but vary in the degree or amount of each. Consequently those individuals who possess an abundance of FT fibers will find it most easy to build muscle while those who do not will find muscle development most difficult.

Understand that if a muscle or muscle group fails to reach its lower limit TUT it will not recruit and utilize as many muscle fibers as is necessary nor create the chemical/hormonal environment needed for maximum muscle stimulation . Likewise, if it is trained beyond its ideal TUT then you are not utilizing a weight heavy enough to call upon your FT muscle fibers or secrete the muscle building hormones. Similarly it is just as important that the, proper number of sets are performed so as to not over-stimulate or under-stimulate the muscles. The efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of your workout, depends upon how you balance volume with other training variables such as intensity and frequency, and is a fundamental aspect of exercise prescription. Knowing and understanding how much total volume is required and is tolerable for certain muscle groups as well as an entire workout has significant implications. Prescribing the ideal amount of volume will allow you to enjoy a training career that is productive and with a reduced risk of injury.