Than you start. You have pretty good plan; doing cardiovascular exercise 4 times per week and strength training 2 times per week. Exercise is your priority; you are feeling great about yourself.

Than after a week, you decide to skip your workout, because your friend has birthday party. Than, you skip another workout. Than you realize that you skipped 2 in the row and you stop. Time flies, you tell yourself as you flip the calendar to the next month. You kept your fitness promise only for 2 weeks. Sounds familiar? A lot of people give up on their quest to great fitness too soon.

Where is the problem? How come other people already reached their fitness goals and stick with it? They stay on track by using few simple principles, you can use too.

Don’t let your past destroy your future.

Do not allow yourself to dwell on unfair things that happened to you in the past. Discard your unfit and unhealthy past and move on. Don’t think about your past failures, because that is paralyzing you. Don’t think about it ever again and start all over today.

Just start now.

If you want anything, you have to act. The best way to motivate yourself is to realize what you want and than start as quickly as you can. Write that goal on the paper and than do little bit to start going toward that goal now.

I have a friend, who said the other day: “From next week, my life is going to change. I am getting my paycheck so I can buy new tennis shoes, some comfortable running shorts and I will start my serious fitness program. Milan can you design me a workout plan from next week?” He just seems to be stuck in preparation phase and is probably just satisfied with the thought that he will start next week.

Don’t wait until you buy new running shoes or a new gym outfit to look good. Do it now! Start now! Buy new shoes, or whatever you want latter. Just start. Go for your run today with whatever you have.

Avoid extreme challenges.

Part of your motivation is derived from matching your skill level with a task that’s doable. You can stretch your limits a little bit, but if you put yourself in a situation that’s extremely stressful, that’s way beyond your ability, you aren’t going to be encouraged by the rough experience and that will kill your motivation.

Start slowly. Stretch yourself a little. This will be motivating. But, if you push too hard too fast, the experience is going to diminish your self-confidence and thus your motivation.

Minimize outside stresses.

If you really want to do well in getting to the gym every afternoon, part of preparing for that is to make certain that most of your life is in order. If you have lots of catch up in the afternoon you forgot to do day before you won’t make it to the gym or to the running track.

In life, it’s almost impossible to arrange everything to go perfectly, but you need to at least try. Do everything you can to bring order to your personal life. So when you are setting that particular exercise goal, don’t pile on unnecessary additional social, family and work obligations and stressors. Being too busy and stressed will result in lost motivation.

Realize, that you can change other people lives with you fitness lifestyle.

When you exercise and stay healthy and fit, your kids and other family members will notice. They will want to do it too. Especially kids are the fist ones to fallow. This is one of the best things you can do to show your lowed ones great example. You can be a great influence in their overall fitness and wellness development.

Learn to say “no.”

To get fit and stay fit takes time. You need some time blocks, at least about 15 - 45 minutes. When your friend asks you to watch his kids or help him move, or just listen some negative talk about unfair word, say no and explain why - I am sorry I can’t, I finally committed myself to exercise regularly and I don’t want to break the commitment with myself. They will understand. If not, that’s ok. Your health is more important.

Surround yourself with successful fit people.

Stop spending time with lazy couch potatoes that always find an excuse, so they don’t have to get out of their comfort zone. Let yourself be pulled in by that fresh, fit mind set of fit and successful. One way to do that is to join the closest health club or sign up for a marathon and join the group that trains for it. Make a commitment to show up regularly. If you stick long enough, soon you will become one of them. Just don’t quit!

Get fit persons mind set.

What happens to the super fit person, if you give him 150 pounds of fat over night, so he will be 310 pounds? He will wake up in the morning breathing heavily, looking in the mirror, seeing his oversized body, feeling bad and unhealthy. After a quick thought about what happened over night he gets to work immediately to get back where he was before - fit, lean, strong, feeling great.

He will be applying everything he can to get back to his lean 160 pounds. He will use huge force of fit persons mind set. That force, focus and persistence will get him back to the shape in very short time.

What if you used the same principle? Imagine that you were a very fit person yesterday and some fat loving aliens injected you with extra 70 pounds of fat now you have. What are you going to do now? You are going to work on loosing that fat and that’s going to become your N#1 priority.

Cultivate your enthusiasm.

If you are like most people, you can get yourself motivated to exercise once in a while, but than you sink back down to your lover level of mood and you find it hard to continue.

How easy is to start new thing, like exercising or eating healthy foods when your motivation is high? And how difficult is it to continue once your enthusiasm fades? I know, it seams almost painful to do your 3 mile run if you are not motivated. When you are highly motivated though, that run will feel like a play.

Read inspiring books like biographies and other, articles or listen some inspiring audio program at least 20 minutes every day. Don’t watch TV news and skip the main section of newspapers. They feed your mind with terrible and negative stuff.

Write few of your favorite quotes or phrases on the small paper. Keep them in your valet and read them several times a day. I personally carry these always with me:

“Everything you want is just outside of your comfort zone”.

“You have to go after what you are afraid off.”

“Blame no one, expect nothing, do something!!!”

“There is anything worst than ordinary.”

Unless you are naturally hyper person, your enthusiasm is going to need daily reinforcement. Constantly feeding your mind with positive material can maintain your enthusiasm for all day.

Get motivated by fear.

What people fear the most? It’s public speaking. I don’t think that, that’s going to kill you. You should fear other really scary things like - cancer, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, broken hips.

I don’t want to scare anybody, but it is healthy and sometimes very helpful to realize that we are all not invincible to these kinds of illnesses. What if I told you, that you are surely going to have a heart attack in 1 year if you don’t loose 50 pounds of fat in 7 months? It’s set, if you don’t loose it, you’re dead. You will be in the gym tonight if not sooner. And I am pretty sure, that you will be 50 pounds lighter in probably shorter time than 7 months.

Fear can be a great motivator. I am not trying to say, that you should live in a fear. But keeping somewhere in the back of your mind, that we can prevent all kinds of life threatening conditions with regular exercise is a great way to stay motivated.

It seems like a big paradox for all of us.

Good looking, skinny athletic woman in her late fifties is sitting on Shanselise in coffee shop enjoying her 3-rd glass of Bordeaux, smoking her forth cigarette and eating fat cheese and grease covered pate. A month ago she got her blood test done and it shows that she is in perfect health.   That really is not fair. So where is the difference between rest of us and French that makes their heart so healthy?

Some nutritionists say that there are a number of reasons for these surprising statistics. But they think the major factor is that their meals are moderate in calories, are rich in fruits and vegetables, always contain protein and also include some fat. They eat less processed grain foods which are simple carbohydrates and also limit their complex carbohydrates intake. By simply eating in moderation, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and having some protein at every meal, they keep their insulin levels in check.

There is a hormonal response that occurs every time you eat. Insulin level is responsible for these hormonal response.   The French keep their hormonal response in balance. It means their insulin levels don’t raise too high, and don’t drop too low, which is causing hormonal imbalance. And that hormonal imbalance  is believed to be the major risk factor for heart disease.

How do you know that you don’t create hormonal imbalance when you eat?

It is very simple to recognize. If you feel sleepy and tired  after a meal, it means you created a hormonal imbalance in you body by high levels of insulin which is a result of eating too much simple carbohydrates in your meal. Also, if you feel hungry sooner than 4 hours after your meal.

What should you do to keep hormonal balance in your body?

Eat small portions. When you eat, eat always some lean protein, which is insulin neutral. Have vegetables and fruits with your meal, which are good source of low density carbohydrates. It is almost impossible to overeat on fruits and vegetables. With their low density on carbohydrates, they don’t increase your insulin levels too high. Now you can have some complex carbohydrates with your meal like brown rice or little bit of pasta, but put some olive oil on it. Insulin secretion is very sensitive to these carbohydrates, but fat in form of olive oil and other healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, slows down the process of getting these carbohydrates to your blood, which keeps insulin in control.

When you do all these and still feel tired after your meal, decrease the amount of complex carbohydrates in your meal. If you feel great and energized and you don’t get hungry for next 4 hours, remember that meal and write it down. That’s your perfect hormonal balance keeping meal. Everybody is different, so the amount of protein and carbohydrates will vary with different people. It will take little bit of experimenting for you to create you perfect meals, but keeping these simple principles in mind, it will keep you on right track, right next to French.

It will make a huge difference for inactive person to keep doing this simple workout 2-4 times per week on a nonconsecutive days.

What will you need?

Women will need two 5 pound dumbbells. Later, when you get stronger, switch them for two 6 pound dumbbells.

Men will need two 8 pound dumbbells. Later, when you get stronger, switch them for two 10 pound dumbbells.

If starting with that weight is too heavy, keep them, but go get two 3 pound dumbbells for women, and two 5 pound dumbbells for men.  Do the same thing when the weight is too light.

2 - 5 circles of:

1. Dumbbell shoulder press - 15 repetitions

Starting position: stand straight holding dumbbells over the shoulders - inhale.

Press dumbbells straight up without locking your elbows - exhale. Lower slowly dumbbells to the starting position.

2. Dumbbell biceps curl - 15 repetitions

Starting position: stand straight holding dumbbells next to your body - inhale.

Curl dumbbells up to 45 degree angle in your elbow - exhale. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat.

3. Seating dumbbell rows 

Starting position: sit on the chair holding dumbbells.  Lean forward keeping your back straight and head up - inhale.

Lift dumbbells up keeping your back straight - exhale. Return slowly to starting position and repeat.

4. Seating dumbbell triceps curl

Starting position: sit on the chair holding dumbbells over your head, elbows extended - exhale.

Inhaling and bending only your elbows, lower the dumbbells slowly down. Lift dumbbells back up to the starting position and repeat.

5. Standing lateral shoulder raises  

Starting position: stand straight holding dumbbells next to your body - inhale.

Lift the dumbbells up to the side (lateral) keeping your elbows extended - exhale. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat.

6. Seating toe raises

Starting position: sit straight on the chair, hands holding dumbbells are on top of your knees - inhale.

Raise your toes up - exhale. Return slowly to the starting position.

7. Seating leg extension 

Starting position: sit straight on the chair holding the sides of the chair - inhale.

Extend your knees and lift your feet up - exhale. Slowly return to the starting position.

Day 1.

Whole body resistance (weight) workout

Day 2.

Cardiovascular (endurance) workout

Shorter and more intensive - 30 - 45 Minutes in heart rate of 70 - 80 % of your maximum heart rate.

Day 3.

Cardiovascular (endurance) workout

Longer and less intensive - 45 - 60 minutes in heart rate of 60 - 70 % of  your maximum heart rate.

Day 4.

Whole body resistance (weight) workout

Day 5.

Cardiovascular (endurance) workout

Longer and less intensive - 45 - 60 Minutes in heart rate of 60 - 70 % of  your maximum heart rate.

Day 6.

Interval workout

Day 7.

Day off 

To find out how to calculate your heart rate zone, click here.

Perseverance, and the ability to face all adversity and keep trying; sticking to it no matter what, is the finest quality for achieving your goals.

It is difficult to see the hardship and struggle of somebody who has to go through to achieve that greatness. It takes time, lot of hard work and lot of determination.

Through that determination to keep trying, you learn to conquer the overwhelming odds along the way. The confidence that is obtained from those struggles is what propels you to greater heights. You will fear little because you have faced and conquered much.

Many people give up after 3 or 5 unsuccessful attempts. They cannot see down  the road any farther than immediate reward they are suppose to gain from their effort and when they don’t see them, they quit.

No matter what your big goal is, realize that it will take 10 years of hard work to achieve it and than don’t quit.

Smokers double their risk of heart disease and have a 70% greater chance of dying of a heart attack than nonsmokers. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked daily.

In addition to increasing the risk for coronary heart disease, smoking is a major cause of lung cancer.

The easiest way to handle smoking, of course, is don’t even start. However, if you do smoke, try as hard as you can to quit.

2. Maintain your ideal body weight

People who maintain an ideal body weight can lower their risk of heart disease by 40 - 50% compared to people who are 20% or more over their desirable weight.

With the right approach of lowering the calories in your diet and regular exercise you can loose weight and keep it off.

3. Exercise regularly

Lack of exercise is a big risk factor  for coronary heart disease and heart attack. The connection between regular exercise and good health is very strong.

Consistent and intensive exercise controls weight, develops muscle strength, increases endurance and reduces stress. It protects your heart by raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

4. Maintain a normal blood pressure 

Your blood pressure shows how hard your heart has to work to keep blood flowing through the arteries.

Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Generally, a blood pressure higher than 140/80 is a cause for concern.

Exercise, maintain healthy weight and limit saturated fat in your diet to prevent high blood pressure.

5. Limit salt

About 25% of people are salt sensitive and salt - sodium will cause their blood pressure to raise.

A lot of salt is now days in packaged commercial foods. Avoid them and try to eat more raw foods like fruits and vegetables and other unprocessed foods.

The American Heart Association recommends, healthy individuals limit sodium to 3000 milligrams per day.

1. Six pack starts with nutrition - don’t eat crap.
2. Stay active.
3. Don’t drink soda.
4. Calories in  are < than calories out, in other words - burn more than you eat.
5. Stay very active.
6. Eat lean fish.
7. Don’t eat fries.
8. No Burgers.
9. Limit your restaurant meals.
10. Always have breakfast.
11. Have a big, healthy nutritious breakfast.
12. Stop wanting to have six pack and start wanting to lead healthy lifestyle - six pack will fallow.
13. Eat 7 - 10 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.
14. Do weight training 2 times per week.
15. Run.
16. Do heavy weight training.
17. Run fast.
18. Do interval training 2 times per week.
19. Don’t drink fruit juices you can buy in grocery store.
20. Eat cheese only once a week, very little and very low fat kind.
21. Drink fruit juices, but only the ones you just freshly squeezed from real fruits.
22. No alcohol; maybe 2 drinks per week.
23. When you weight train, focus on big muscle group exercises - the ones that use 2 and more joints.
24. Drink only water and unsweetened herbal teas and coffee.
25. Get enough sleep.
26. Exercise everyday.
27. Do long cardio workouts.
28. Don’t eat candy and candy bars.
29. Do intensive cardio workouts.
30. Don’t eat red meat.
31. White lean chicken and turkey breast meat is fine.
32. Eat a lot of fiber - beans, garbanzo beans, peas, grains, fruits and vegetables.
33. You can eat eggs; if you eat lot of them, more than 7 per week, take some yolks out.
34. Honey is the same as brown sugar and brown sugar is the same as white sugar - use very little of it.
35. Control your portions.
36. Eat a lot = move a lot.
37. Walk.
38. Bike uphill.
39. No grandma’s chocolate cake.
40. Dark chocolate is OK to eat occasionally.
41. No fast food.
42. Work out your legs.
43. Go to bed a little hungry every day.
44. Work out you legs intensively.
45. Walk upstairs.
46. Exercise with free weights.
47. Run upstairs.
48. Exercise with heavy free weights.
49. Coffee is OK - no sugar - no cream, or very little.
50. Love nature and animals; if you don’t you will never have a six pack.
51. Eat only low fat dairy.
52. Eat some nuts.
53. Raw foods are the best.
54. Everything packaged is bad.
55. Don’t eat white flour products.
56. Switch white rice for brown rice.
57. Have 8 smaller meals every day.
58. Desert = fresh strawberries.
59. Desert = apple.
60. Desert = fresh fruit and nothing else.
61. Be consistent.
62. Surf.
63. Look into dictionary what words intensity and consistency mean and remember it forever.
64. Get some sun everyday.
65. Realize, that having a six pack is probably  not worth the effort.

1. Triceps dips - Maximum amount of repetitions you can do

Find high curb or bench. If keeping your legs extended is too hard for you, bent them slightly.

While slowly lowering your body as low as you can, keep your back close to the high curb or bench and push back up.

2. Abdominal leg raises hanging on bar - 20 Repetitions

Hang on the bar with your arms and legs extended.

Without swinging, lift your straight legs up almost touching the bar, than lower them slowly back down.

3. Push ups with legs up on high curb - max. amount of repetition you can do

Assume the push up position with your legs up on the high curb or bench.

Perform push up, lowering your body as low as almost touching the floor without letting your but sink and push back up.

4. Chin ups - max. amount of repetitions you can do 

Hang on the chin up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulders apart.

Lift yourself up so the bar is below your chin and slowly lower your body back down to extended arms.

5. Shoulder press push ups - 25 repetitions 

Assume the push up position with your legs on high curb or bench. Get closer to the curb lifting your but up and bringing your hands closer to the high curb.

Lower your body slowly down bending your elbows. Almost touch the floor with your nose and push back up.

6. Michael Johnson high jumps - 10 - 20 repetitions

Stand 3-4 feet in the front of the high curb or bench. Bent your knees - squat - hands up.

Jump on the cub.

Get right into a squat on the curb position. And up and jump right back down.

Squat and repeat.

Other workout plans and tips: 

Gym workout plans:

Workout plan #1 - simple, effective and safe all-body-machine-resistance workout

Workout plan #2 - more extensive intermediate all-body-workout with combination of machines and free weights

Outdoor workout plans:

Workout plan #3 - Outdoor - beach circuit workout with Marta 

Workout plan #4 - Outdoor - beach circuit workout with Milan

Increase your upper body strength, and your metabolism and get leaner with these intense chin ups workout 

Interval workout on tennis court- tennis workout

Stretching and warm up:

Stretch before workout, after warm up!

Stretch at work, office

Office workout:

Office workout - beginner # 1

Office workout - beginner # 2

Office workout - intermediate # 1

Office workout - intermediate # 2

Office workout - advanced # 1

Office workout - advanced # 2

Office workout guidelines 

Strength training guidelines:

Breath correctly during the resistance exercise

Warm up before workout

Doctors recommend to start getting your cholesterol checked when you reach 35 years.

A cholesterol test involves having a small amount of blood drawn from your arm, which is than analyzed in laboratory.

Stanford University Medical Center recommends these numbers:

Total cholesterol level - recommended range - below 200 mg/dl, ideal levels - 160 mg/dl.

HDL (healthy) cholesterol level (men) - recommended range - above 45 mg/dl, ideal levels - above 45 mg/dl.

HDL  cholesterol level (women) - recommended range - above 55 mg/dl, ideal levels - above 55 mg/dl.

LDL (lethal) level (men and women) - recommended levels - below 130 mg/dl, ideals levels - below 100 mg/dl.

Total cholesterol/HDL ratio (men) - recommended levels - below 4.5, ideal levels - the lower the better.

Total cholesterol/HDL ratio (women) - recommended levels - below 3.5, ideal levels - the lower the better.

• Your total cholesterol gives you overall picture of the amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream. The recommended level is under 200 mg per deciliter (dl), but studies show that heart attacks almost never occur when the cholesterol level drops to the 160 mg per dl range.

• The LDL (lethal) cholesterol reading indicates how much of the harmful cholesterol (the type that promote development of plaque in arteries) you have. The recommended reading is below 130 mg per dl and the ideal reading is under 100 mg per dl. Some recommend LDL reading under 80 mg per dl.

• The HDL (healthy) cholesterol reading indicates how much good cholesterol (the type that prevents plaque from forming) you have. This number should at least be above 45 mg per dl for men and 55 mg per dl for women - and the higher the better.

• Total cholesterol to HDL ratio  should be between 3.5 and 4.5. Studies show that ratios above 4.5 double your risk of suffering heart attack. The ideal ratio is below 3.5 and ideally as low as you can get it.