Chiseled-Out

Overcoming Weight Loss Resistance

2008-06-02T17:36:00.004-04:00

Despite your obsession with thinness, somehow your body has not connected to your mind and each Monday as you creep on the scale you become more desperate. Do you look at your body in the mirror and wonder how fat seems to be growing in places its never been? If this sounds familiar, don't despair! I'll share with you some hidden secrets that can help you understand why you may be getting fatter rather than fitter and why fat loss is a greater challenge for women than men!

Father Time - Beginning in our mid-20s, women lose approximately 7 pounds of muscle mass and gain 15 pounds of fat every decade. (Men lose about 5 pounds of muscle a decade) So, by our mid-40s, we will have lost almost 15 pounds of metabolically active muscle and replaced it with 30 pounds of sluggish fat (if you are not exercising). While the scale tells us that we are only 15 pounds heavier, our metabolism has been dramatically reduced and body composition has changed in unfavorable proportions. The good news is that these changes are, in large part, the result of inactivity and can be reversed with exercise.

Unfortunately it gets worse for women. After menopause, the rate of muscle loss doubles going from 7 pounds a decade to 14 pounds. By the time a woman is in her 60's she can have as little as 20 - 30 pounds of muscle left so not only is she displeased with her figure, but she is more prone to falls and breaking bones.

Also with age, the skin begins to lose its elasticity, sag and lose its ability to contain fat giving a rippled appearance often referred to as cellulite. The dimpled effect is caused by the fibers of connective tissue losing elasticity and allowing the fat to seep through like yogurt through cheesecloth. Yuck!

Muscle is what drives your metabolism. For every pound of muscle on your body you need 35 - 50 calories per day to sustain it. For every pound of fat on your body, you need a modest 2 calories per day. Hint: begin strength training today.

Overcome Weight Loss Resistance.

Shedding Pregnancy Pounds

2008-05-28T17:25:00.003-04:00

Thought I would give some more attention to the women here. A good article to check out if you're wanting to get rid of the "Baby Fat".

When a woman first has a baby, she is typically never more motivated to get her body back than in the weeks and months following the birth of her child. Occasionally I meet women who are still claiming to hold onto the pregnancy pounds, only now their baby is 13 years old. So the question begs, is it possible to regain your pre-pregnancy body?

Do you feel that varying an exercise routine helps in revving a woman's metabolism and jumpstarting weight loss?

Variety is absolutely one of the main components to seeing progress with an exercise program. If you continue to repeat the same exercise sequences at the same intensity and for the same duration, you are missing out on one of the key principles of training which is to overload your body. By using a variety of cardiovascular techniques including continuous training, cross training, interval training, speed play as well as a variety of strength training techniques like super slow, break downs, and changing the repetition range you continually keep your body challenged and steer clear of a plateau.

Is there a trend towards interval training or short bursts of exercise to prevent a plateau in weight loss?

There is significant research to support bursts of exercise for burning additional calories both during the acceleration period as well as in the time following the cessation of exercise - known as after burn. These periods of acceleration can be performed during cardio sessions and can also be incorporated in to a strength training session. One example of a strength can cardio combined format would include performing 3 leg exercises followed by 3 - 5 minutes on the stair master. Then 3 back exercises followed by 3 - 5 minutes on the rower, then 3 chest exercises followed by 3 - 5 minutes on the elliptical trainer and so on until all of the major body parts had been exercised. This is a highly efficient way to combine strength training with cardiovascular conditioning and burn the maximum amount of calories during a strength training session.

Read the whole article here.

Choosing The Right Home Gym Equipment

2008-05-27T17:23:00.002-04:00

You can enjoy all the benefits of gym membership - a wide variety of equipment and facilities, good advice from staff and other members and the incentive to work out by making the gym a destination. But, you can also enjoy having the ease of access and the absence of a commute by purchasing home gym equipment.

If you're just getting into, or back into, a fitness routine, you should hold off purchasing anything. Using relatively new professional equipment, under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor, will give you a good basis for comparison when shopping.

One of the first pieces of equipment anyone interested in weight training will want is, naturally, a set of weights.

Free weights can be purchased for very little money - a basic set is often under $50. You'll want a mixture of small, 10 lb (4.5 kg) and 20 lb (9 kg) hand-held dumbbells and a bar with larger, exchangeable weights. Just about any bar is as good as another, but weights can be either metal or plastic. Some people like the old-fashioned clink of metal, but plastic weights (usually composite or sand-filled) are marginally safer.

At some point, you'll want to 'graduate' to a weight machine. They offer the ability to focus on specific muscle groups - biceps, quadriceps, deltoids and others - in a much safer way than free weights can. Also, some muscle groups - calves or hamstrings, for example - are harder to work using free weights.

More On Choosing The Proper Equipment.

Benefits Of A Better Mid-Section

2008-05-26T14:24:00.004-04:00

This article from my site can be used by man and/or woman. I think this is something that everybody will find useful. Your core is a crucial piece to better overall fitness. Without a good strong core, your efforts in the gym are kind of negated. Yeah, you'll have the guns, tree trunk legs maybe...but your core is where your true strength comes from.

"Anyone interested in fitness wants to have great looking abs - firm, rippled and well-toned, along with a trim waist. All those are achievable, but beware accepting any myths about flat stomachs and spot reduction around the waist.

As you exercise, you consume energy measured in calories. When you consume enough to deplete the available energy, and enough to reduce the sugars that convert easily, the body goes after stored energy. That stored energy is largely in the form of fat deposits in adipose tissue. Remember that nutrition is an important part of any exercise program. MyNutritionStore.com offers a wide range of nutritional products to help you maintain strength and endurance such as Whey Science for muscle repair, maintenance and growth.

But that process takes place non-selectively. You don't get to choose which fat deposits the body converts. That means, you can't 'spot reduce' by working on your abs. The effect is still achievable, but doing abdominal exercises alone doesn't target that fat.

When you focus on the abs, you will build strength in that area, by increasing the muscle mass in those muscles. That's helpful for a number of reasons. It keeps a firm, strong layer of muscle which helps keep the stomach and other internal organs well inside the plane defined by your hips. You get a nice trim, flat look.

Abdominal exercises help in another way, too. Since the abdominals are large muscles, they consume a proportionately larger percentage of energy than, say, your jaw muscles. That means that as you work them, they have to be supplied with more energy to move through the range of the exercise. That burns many calories, resulting in weight loss and fat reduction."

Having a better mid-section posted on The Space For Fitness.

View the rest of this article here.

Flexibility Training

2008-05-23T12:11:00.002-04:00

Flexibility training involves performing a series of exercises that help maximize range of motion and muscle stability. The benefits are improved blood flow in the muscles and lower risk of injury.

There are three basic types of stretching exercises that help accomplish these goals: static, dynamic and Isometric/PNF.

Static stretches are the most traditional type, encompassing the more or less standard 'pull to maximum end point, hold for five or ten seconds, then release' group of exercises.

Static stretches should form part of every 10 minute warm-up routine. Every major muscle group should be given a gentle pull, hold and relax. This helps improve the circulation and readies the muscles for more vigorous activity, while decreasing the risk of tears or tendon stretching.

Dynamic or ballistic stretches are more controversial, since they involve stretch with added momentum or even using weights. They are potentially harmful and that risk-factor is one of the major elements behind the controversy. At minimum, you should seek out a knowledgeable trainer before engaging in this form of flexibility training.

As one example, rest one knee on a ball and slowly rotate the ball away from the body, giving a very moderate bounce at the maximum point. Lunges, performed by moving one foot ahead, kneeling slightly with the back straight and bouncing gently, would be another.

PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) involves a combination of passive and isometric exercise. Apart from having a fancy technical name and associated acronym, PNF actually has several useful features that should motivate individuals to investigate its value.

The Whole Flexibility Training Article from My Online Fitness & Nutrition Portal.

How To Choose The Proper Diet

2008-05-22T14:03:00.003-04:00

I'll be doing this more often, pulling articles from my online fitness and nutrition portal. I think you'll find a lot of valuable info as well as the products.

"There is no such thing as 'the' proper diet for every individual. Nevertheless, all humans are similar enough that there are broad categories, and many specifics, that are correct for almost anyone.

Despite all the fads of the last 30 years or more, it remains true - backed by a large amount and variety of nutritional research - that a good diet is the old-fashioned 'balanced diet' that has remained largely unchanged for 60 years or more. The keyword deserves repeating: balanced.

There are fad diets that emphasize protein over carbohydrates, or fruits one day with meat the next or eating vegetarian exclusively. All these may have valid elements, but they almost all tend to go too far in one direction or another.

Everyday, at regular intervals, a person interested in optimizing health should eat daily meals consisting of fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy and a protein source. Of course, there will be exceptions for those with special dietary needs. Some people, for example, can't process dairy products. Others are sensitive to peanuts or other things.

But the four traditional food groups, in the proper proportion, remain the undisputed recommendation of every reputable nutrition scientist. The reasons are that studies continue to support the notion that these supply the compounds needed by the body. From those it can perform muscle maintenance, proper electrolyte balance, cellular repair and other essential activities along with the needed energy to carry out all of them.

Nature, as discovered by science, determines what the body needs - not marketing.

Insoluble fiber, for example, (as gained from fruit, vegetables and grains) isn't readily digested. As a result it helps digestion and in cleansing the digestive system.

Certain vitamins (D, B, E, K) and minerals (lithium, calcium, postassium) are needed for carrying out the thousands of biochemical reactions critical to proper health. Sodium and potassium, in moderation, are used by the heart muscle in order to keep pumping blood through the body."

More on "Choosing The Proper Diet"

Studying Functional Strength Exercises.

2008-04-17T14:27:00.004-04:00

It's been a little while since I posted on this blog, and I have two good reasons...well, a few. School has been hectic as always, I have 2 other sites that i'm working on and i've been studying functional strength exercises since returning to the gym. I went to a few sites and even tested out some techniques involving this type of workout. I've always asked myself when doing a workout, "How does this benefit me other than LOOKING strong?"

It's cool to lay on a flat surface and push off 350lbs...but how does that help you outside the gym? That's the point i'm trying to make. Besides, in the long run, heavy lifting like this will cause serious breakdowns of joints causing injury. Functional strength exercises are designed to help you become stronger in real world scenarios without taking you to the brink of pain. You'll feel the burn still, but your gains will also help you in the weight room. You can still do some exercises that'll bring out the chest, "guns", and other look good body features...and you'll have the strength to go along with that.

Core exercises help the root of all strength and power...which is in your core. No need to do 1,000 crunches if your core isn't where it should be. You get the core exercises out of the way, and then do your ab routine. This helps bring out the definition even more, along with cardio. If you want to sculpt the perfect body and have the juice to back it up, you'll need to do several different movements that your body uses to function daily. Free weights, medicine balls, and swiss balls are only part of the solution. We'll get into that later on.

So in the next few posts here, we'll get deeper into the situation as I put my own spin on it. I'm supposed to be taking pics of my progress, but my mind is in a million different places right now. I'll be sure to note progress though, and i'll get them up just to show you the changes my body makes. I do several different types of workouts and change them up frequently to prevent getting bored and hitting plateaus. Stay tuned.

Candace Parker Wins 2nd Title...Brett Favre Rethinks Retirement

2008-04-11T11:19:00.008-04:00

Well, I called something right in this year's NCAA championships. The Lady Vols won their 2nd consecutive title this week with their strong veteran leadership. Candace Parker played with a bumb shoulder, but she used her overall skills to help Tennessee throughout the game. I kinda pictured it...Candace Parker's 2nd consecutive title. Me thinks Candace is probably the best female college player that ever graced the court. I'm hopin' that she can carry over into the WNBA what she's showed in the NCAA.

It seems like ol #4 has been going back and forth on his retirement. Recently there has been a small stirrup of whether Brett Favre will actually stay retired. C'mon Brett, you know you want to play. I really wouldn't mind at all if Favre came back and played for the Packers this year. It's fun watching him putting gas behind those laser bullets he's known for. The deep bombs in double and even triple coverage sometimes. It's like watching backyard football...it's just fun. He was recently found saying that if the Packers really needed him back, it would be hard for him to turn them down...he would likely be back in green and yellow. It would be hard not to ask him to come back. This whole story of Brett Favre's retirement is probably gonna be better than the upcoming draft.

More Randomness

2008-04-08T19:48:00.004-04:00

Kansas Takes Title

Your new NCAA Basketball champions, the Kansas Jayhawks, won the college basketball title in a thriller. This was probably the best game during the whole tournament. Now, once again, I was wrong on the outcome...maybe I just need to chill on making predictions for a while. BUT...I was also right. I just knew, I KNEW, that if it came down to free throws in the end, Memphis would choke...and what happened? 5 crucial free throws were missed during the end of regulation to allow the Jayhawks, Mario Chalmers dramatic 3, to send the game into overtime. That's where Kansas just took over and never looked back. I said all along that free throws would be the achilles heel for Memphis. PTI had Coach Calipari as a guest and asked if his team's horrible free throw shooting worried him. In the words of Calipari, "If I had to come up with the top 25 characteristics of a good player, free throw shooting would be 26th on the list"...what's that Coach? Wanna come up with a new list there partna?

My Venture Back Into the Gym

Man, it's been a looooong time since I've hit the gym. I actually forgot what weights felt like. I won't even lie...I felt pathetic. To go from benching 350+ 3-4 times by myself, I caught hell doing 3 sets of 10 reps with...175lbs...yup, my muscle just gave out. I have no stamina. The weight wasn't heavy at all...my muscles just got fatigued. But that's how it always is within the first week or so. In no time i'll gain my stamina, and will just need to worry about getting my explosiveness back. I meant to take a pic and post here after coming home from the gym. Hopefully I'll have a pic at the end of this week. I'll try and post pics here at the end of each week to show you my progress. Keep in mind, i'm only using whey protein and Mens' FX from my own online store. The rest of what I need will be coming from 6-8 meals a day...decent sized meals. I don't eat like a bird, i'm a carnivore baby. Metabolism is just too damn high. So, stay tuned and i'll show you that with a little motivation and hard work, you can be on your way to great shape within a couple of months. In the meantime, i'll be switching my workouts up every 2-4 weeks depending on how well my body adapts to the training.

Random Thoughts...

2008-04-07T12:02:00.007-04:00

Hoops...daaaaammmnnnnn! How did we lose? What happened to my boys? Why UNC...why??? I feel sick to my stomach right now...which is why it took me a couple of days to get my courage up to post this. But anyway...it looks like I was wrong in both games because UCLA is headed to the house too. I had it pictured in my mind...I looked in my crystal ball last week and just knew UNC would face UCLA in NCAA Championship. Instead, we have Kansas and Memphis squaring off. I'm gonna be bold and make ANOTHER prediction and say that Memphis will take this one. I just hope that it doesn't come down to the last seconds and they need free throws to win it. Well, it looks like Candace Parker is my only hope left. Let's see if she can't repeat and lead the Vols to another title.

The New 5 Dollar BillIs it just me, or does this look even more fake than the new $20 bill when it came out?

Truck Driver StrikeI'm actually glad somebody has the nerve to go at the big oil companies with these high ass gas prices. Seeing as how I go to school, me by myself really won't do any damage, lol. But I think the truckers together have more of an impact than normal drivers. Truckers, alot of them, drive cross country and of course have bigger tanks...two of 'em. I really hope something good comes out of this. Hopefully it won't backfire and make companies raise the price on the normal driver to make up for what the truckers usually spend. Let's pray...

New Toys.

2008-04-05T12:59:00.010-04:00

It sure is nice to dream, ain't it? Unless of course you have endless cash flow. A few cars that I noticed and you might have seen. Some are conepts, some are going into production soon. Either way, some of these are a thing of beauty...and some, I just don't know what say.

Saleen S5S Raptor

Most people know that Steve Saleen left the company and it's now stationed in Michigan. But it doesn't seem to matter. This version of Saleen is supposedly a "street car"...yeah, okay. Another attempt by American manufactures to rival European exotics, the S5 Raptor is powered by a 5.0L supercharged V-8...all-aluminum and 3 valves per cylinder. 650bhp and 630lbs of torque. And guess what? The car is designed to run off of E85 ethanol. This enables the engine to pour out 5% more horsepower than the noraml 5.0 supercharged V-8. With a bunch of other must-haves like front and rear double wishbones, 6 speed manual transmission(paddle shift), and big ass disc brakes...you'll need it. Price tag...$185,000...which is a breath of fresh air compared to the S7 Supercar, which was....damn....$580,000.

Denali XT Hybrid

Ok...i'm confused. I don't know if I like it or not. The new Denali has the chopped top look goin' on, with the big factory wheels...which I do like, they're not ridiculously big(23') and don't ruin the look. But at the same time, i'm not sure about the head and tail lights. This is another one of those that run off of E85 ethanol, 15% gasoline. You can expect leather interior, 4-wheel independent suspension, folding rear seats, and 326 horses.

Suzuki Concept Kizashi 3

There are actually three of these things(Kizashi concepts), and I went with the better looking one to post. Powered by a 3.6 V-6, this car puts out around 300 horses and that is assisted by a 6 speed(paddle shifters). Seems like most sports cars are going with the paddles, well, mostly foriegn sports cars.

09 Nissan GT-R

You know I had to post this up here...the new Skyline. Everybody knows about it, thought I would post it anyway. I gotta say though, i'm actually likin' this car...alot.

Koenigsegg CCXR

Maybe you already know about this one...I just found out about it a couple of weeks ago. Supposedly able to kick out 1000+ horsepower, this car is rumored to take the throne from the Bugatti Veyron as the fastest street legal car in the world. You can also remove the hard top and stow it under the hood...interesting.

I know there are more, just wanted to post a few that caught my eye. I'll be on the look out and gathering some more info on the more "reasonable" vehicles coming out soon.

Be A Man Dammit!! HGH Workout.

2008-04-03T12:20:00.004-04:00

Put the needles down! Work for your ISH! We all know about the Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds deal goin' down. I don't use 'em, never have, and don't plan on using them. All the steroids and HGH injections are not needed. You can boost your GH levels naturally...through a hardcore workout. Plus, it'll last you longer and you won't get woozy from seeing any needles. Its the HG workout, a workout that I found a while back and tested it out for myself. Yup, went through the whole workout and it is 100% gauranteed. Most people don't know that GH is an amino acid bound to a protein that is produced in the pituitary gland and is secreted into the bloodstream. Ok, that's my little biology lesson for the day. We'll go ahead and get to the workout.

The workout only lasts a month...but you have to bring 110% everyday and for the whole workout. Go hard, or go home...better yet, don't even show up.

GH Workout Weeks 1&3
Monday
Chest_Bench Press 5 sets/8 reps-----90 sec rest period between sets
Incline Dumbell Press 5 sets/8 reps-----90 sec rest
Cable Crossover 5 sets/10 reps------90 sec rest
One-Arm Machine Flye 5 sets/10 reps------90 sec rest
Triceps_Triceps Dip 5/8 90 sec rest
Lying Triceps Extension 5/8 90 sec rest
One-Arm Reverse Grip Pressdown 5/8 90 sec rest
Abs_Hanging Leg Raise 5/8-10 90 sec rest
Decline Crunch 5/10-12 90 sec rest

Tuesday
Legs_Barbell Squat 5/8 90 sec rest
Leg Press 5/8 90 sec rest
One-Leg Extension 5/10 90 sec rest
Lying Leg Curl 5/10 90 sec rest
Calves_Standing Calf Raise 5/8-10 90 sec rest
Seated Calf Raise 5/10-12 90 sec rest

Thursday
Shoulders_Overhead Barbell Press 5/8 90 sec rest
Upright Row 5/8 90 sec rest
Dumbell Lateral Raise 5/10 90 sec rest
One-Arm Dumbell Front Raise 5/10 90 sec rest
Traps_Barbell Shrug 5/8 90 sec rest
Dumbell Shrut 5/10 90 sec rest
Abs_Incline Reverse Crunch 5/8-10 90 sec rest
Cable Crunch 5/10-12 90 sec rest

Friday
Back_Barbell Row 5/8 90 sec rest
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown 5/8 90 sec rest
Straight-Arm Pulldown 5/10 90 sec rest
Seated Row Machine 5/10 90 sec rest
Biceps_Barbell Curl 5/8 90 sec rest
Incline Dumbell Curl 5/8 90 sec rest
One-Arm Preacher Curl 5/10 90 sec rest
Forearms_Barbell Wrist Curl 5/8-10 90 sec rest
Reverse Wrist Curl 5/10-12 90 sec rest

Weeks 2&4
Monday
Chest_Incline Bench Press 4/10 60 sec rest
Dumbell Flye 4/10 60 sec rest
Cable Crossover 4/12 60 sec rest
Machine Chest Press 4/12 60 sec rest
Triceps_Close-Grip Bench Press 4/10 60 sec rest
Overhead Triceps Extension 4/10 60 sec rest
One-Arm Dip Machine 4/10 60 sec rest
Abs_Hanging Leg Raise 4/10-12 60 sec rest
Rope Crunch 4/12-15 60 sec rest

Tuesday
Legs_Smith Machine Squat 4/10 60 sec rest
Leg Extension 4/12 60 sec rest
Lying Leg Curl 4/12 60 sec rest
Once-Leg Press 4/12 60 sec rest
Calves_Leg Press Calf Raise 4/10-12 60 sec rest
Seated Calf Raise 4/12-15 60 sec rest

Thursday
Shoulders_Overhead Dumbell Press 4/10 60 sec rest
Dumbell Lateral Raise 4/12 60 sec rest
Bent-Over Lateral Raise 4/12 60 sec rest
Machine Overhead Press 4/12 60 sec rest
Traps_Barbell Shrug 4/10 60 sec rest
Dumbell Shrug 4/12 60 sec rest
Abs_Weighted Crunch 4/10-12 60 sec rest
Cable Oblique Crunch 4/12-15 60 sec rest

Friday
Back_Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 4/10 60 sec rest
Barbell Row 4/10 60 sec rest
Seated Row Machine 4/12 60 sec rest
One Arm Strait Pulldown 4/12 60 sec rest
Biceps_Barbell Curl 4/10 60 sec rest
Preacher Curl 4/12 60 sec rest
One-Arm Cable Curl 4/12 60 sec rest
Forearms_Barbell Wrist Curl 4/10-12 60 sec rest
Reverse Wrist Curl 4/12-15 60 sec rest

WHEW!!!!!! Don't be scurrred...if you want to be leaner, stronger, raise your GH level, and have more stamina, then this is for you. If you are a beginner, just a fair warning...this workout will DRAIN you of everything you have. Each day will take anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2. The GH workout will get you bigger, but you will be leaner and stronger than you were. I really don't like workouts without any flexible movement involved...you want functional strength, not to just LOOK strong...that'll get you nowhere. Will it make you better in bed...that's up to you, lol. Looks can only get you so far, lol.

This is a workout from the Muscle&Fitness Magazine. And no, i'm not a bodybuilder...don't wanna get ridiculously big.

Have at it, it's all yours.

Ladies...Wanna Lose The Baby Fat?

2008-04-02T14:51:00.002-04:00

Here is an article I posted on my other blog. Seeing as how this one is new and I'm not sure how many are new to it, I'll post it again here. This was some pretty good info. I even learned a little about how to help women lose their weight and maintain.

I'm stepping out of my zone a little bit here, but we'll try and get a better understanding of how to determine the factors that cause women to gaing weight in certain areas vs men.

From topics posted in a forum I was in earlier, most of the women there were concerned with gaining weight around their stomach, thigh, and bottom areas. Some women don't really mind much that they may be healthy in that area, as long as they keep it toned...hey, i'm all for it, lol. We'll see if I can't point some people in the right direction to get a better understanding of weight loss for women. Having a better understanding of the issue can only help you out.

This is an article that Kelli Calabrese wrote exclusively for MyNutritionStore. She is a 20 year fitness industry leader and healthy lifestyle makeover specialist. Who better to get this info from than a woman, especially with her background.

"Despite your obsession with thinness, somehow your body has not connected to your mind and each Monday as you creep on the scale you become more desperate. Do you look at your body in the mirror and wonder how fat seems to be growing in places its never been? If this sounds familiar, don't despair! I'll share with you some hidden secrets that can help you understand why you may be getting fatter rather than fitter and why fat loss is a greater challenge for women than men!

Father Time - Beginning in our mid-20s, women lose approximately 7 pounds of muscle mass and gain 15 pounds of fat every decade. (Men lose about 5 pounds of muscle a decade) So, by our mid-40s, we will have lost almost 15 pounds of metabolically active muscle and replaced it with 30 pounds of sluggish fat (if you are not exercising). While the scale tells us that we are only 15 pounds heavier, our metabolism has been dramatically reduced and body composition has changed in unfavorable proportions. The good news is that these changes are, in large part, the result of inactivity and can be reversed with exercise.

Unfortunately it gets worse for women. After menopause, the rate of muscle loss doubles going from 7 pounds a decade to 14 pounds. By the time a woman is in her 60's she can have as little as 20 - 30 pounds of muscle left so not only is she displeased with her figure, but she is more prone to falls and breaking bones.

Also with age, the skin begins to lose its elasticity, sag and lose its ability to contain fat giving a rippled appearance often referred to as cellulite. The dimpled effect is caused by the fibers of connective tissue losing elasticity and allowing the fat to seep through like yogurt through cheesecloth. Yuck!

Muscle is what drives your metabolism. For every pound of muscle on your body you need 35 - 50 calories per day to sustain it. For every pound of fat on your body, you need a modest 2 calories per day. Hint: begin strength training today!"

This is just a portion of the article Kelli Calabrese wrote, view the full article here. Hopefully the information you gain will truely give you a better understanding and help you with your fitness goals whatever they may be.

Floyd Mayweather...KOs The Big Show????

2008-04-01T13:57:00.003-04:00

You gotta be kidding me...right? Seriously, couldn't the WWE have done a little better than this? Lol...I mean the matchup. "Money" Mayweather vs The Big Show...5'8 160lb boxer vs a 7'0 500lb professional wrestler(actor)?? C'mon WWE, give us a more believable matchup. What in the hell is Vince McMahon thinking about? I think I could've came up with some better matchups than that.

Floyd Mayweather vs Rey Mysterio
Floyd Mayweather vs Chavo Guerrero
Floyd Mayweather vs Chris Jericho
Hell...Floyd Mayweather vs Theodore Long...or Coach!

I didn't even THINK about ordering this on PPV. I'll probably watch a clip on Youtube or something to get a good laugh. But I did read somewhere that there were 74,000+ in attendance...of course this was Wrestlemania, so you can expect a big crowd to show. And I seriously doubt that millions paid just watch Floyd, with brass knuckles, KO the Big Show. I really hope America isn't that desperate for entertainment, lol.

I happened to be watching Friday Night Fights this past weekend and Pretty Boy Floyd was the special guest. During the fights, he was talking about his WWE debut and how he expected to make a big splash. Floyd also stated, that he was on schedule to make 170 million dollars this year...170 million! What?! I'm guessin' most of that will come from his plans on fighting Oscar De La Hoya again this year. I won't be paying to see that either...I will be catching the rerun the weekend after.

Field Set...Final Four...All #1 Seeds!

2008-03-31T13:07:00.004-04:00

Is this gonna be the best Final Four ever?? MY UNC Tarheels vs Kansas Jayhawks...and The Memphis Tigers vs UCLA Bruins. I really got to admit that I didn't think Kansas was goin' to make it this far...the other 3 were kinda expected, but you never know what could happen during March Madness...just take a look at Davidson's run through the tourney.

This is history, never before have all #1 Seeds made it to the Final Four. I'll definately have to stay next to the TV for this one. Each team has a monster squad which should make for this being bigger than the NBA playoffs.

MY TarheelsLed by junior foward Tyler Hansbrough, UNC has had a great season and of course I'm goin' to pick them to take it all...what do you expect? I don't know if there is another player in the country who leaves 110% on the floor every night like Tyler. Then you have the faster than a speeding bullet PG Ty Lawson who is very pivotal to the Tarheels here. They'll need him to push the ball every chance they get, this is where North Carolina is extremely dangerous. My x-factor here will be Wayne Ellington. Can he supply the backup these two need to bring it home? If he plays at the level he's capable of, there's no stopping the "Powder Blue Unis".

Kansas JayhawksThis is the most balance team here. You have guys at each position who are important to Kansas' run at a title. If one falters, the Jayhawks are in trouble. With Sasha Kaun in the middle and playing as stout as he has, Kansas will be a tough matchup. With Mario Chalmers sniping from beyond the 3 and Brandon Rush wreaking havoc, it doesn't get any more difficult to contain this team.

UCLA Bruins
It might be a safe bet to say that Kevin Love has "Love for the Game". So much love, that the freshman will probably be gone next year, so UCLA better make this a good one. This dude is just killin' the tournament and I have no concerns about him not showing up when the curtains open. Darren Collison...nobody really likes to hear that name too much. Mr. Clutch, officially, i've seen it, everybody's seen it. Enough said here. Tough team, gonna be a long night for Memphis.

Memphis Tigers
The Tigers just might be the Pheonix Suns, or Golden State Warriors, of college basketball. Guard play on this team is just ridiculous...Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts. Joey Dorsey in the paint vs Kevin Love, you can't miss this matchup, you just can't. There is some serious concern with the Tigers though...free throws. If they have one of those games like they did against Tennessee, it's lights out for Calipari's boys.

I didn't fill out any brackets, which is a good thing, because Davidson would have just destroyed my hopes with the run they made. I have been keeping tabs on the tourney, especially with UNC. I'm just sittin' back waitin' for Roy William's squad to bring it home. Yeah, I said it. We're bringin' this year's title to North Carolina...now what!!

300 Workout: Revisited

2008-03-26T22:03:00.003-04:00

Mostly everybody that's hardcore in the gym has heard about and maybe even tried the 300 workout. You know...the workout "King Leonidas" went through to look all chiseled out. Warning to those that don't know...this is not a workout for people who are just starting out! This workout will break you down physically and mentally and most will definately feel it the next day. Of course, if you're a glutton for punishment...be my guest, lol. It's even claimed that the 300 workout is so brutal, that the breakdowns it causes muscle fibers could be enough to be toxic to the kidneys...damn.

Don't feel rejected if you're a beginner...you can still do this workout, but not at the intensity of someone who is great shape. It's recommended that you start slowly with this workout, build your way up. The guys in the movie 300 had to actually work their way up with a series of other workouts to be able to attempt the actual 300 workout itself. This workout shouldn't be done daily, and it was the finale of the series of workouts before. So you might want to get a normal exercise routine goin' before you opt to try and destroy yourself with the 300 workout. I've actually tried the workout for a day, and it felt good and painful at the same time afterwards...I actually liked it. But, I had been going to the gym for several months already by then, so I was more likely to get through it alright.

Here's an overview of the workout...keep in mind, its a one time thing, these workouts are done one after the other with no rest, and you are given a score based on total time.

The 300 Workout
25 pull-ups
50 deadlifts at 135 pounds
50 push-ups
50 box jumps with a 24-inch box
50 "floor wipers" (a core and shoulders exercise at 135 pounds)
50 "clean and press" at 36 pounds (a weight-lifting exercise)
25 more pull-ups -- for a total of 300 reps

Here's a video of a guy who actually does the workout from time to time.