Gym exercises for women

Slimming down can be hard work and we’re here to make it easier. So, if you feel you’ve reached a plateau, we can help. But how? Tempo training, and more specifically matrix training, is the way to do it, according to fat-loss specialist Dave Fletcher (www.theodysseyway.co.uk).

‘I’ve had excellent results with women who are looking to lose weight through using different forms of tempo training, such as matrix training,’ says Dave.

Tempo training is a style of workout that involves mixing up the speed of each rep, and matrix training is based on the same proven fat-burning principles.

You would usually perform a rep from the bottom of the movement straight to the top and back, but in matrix training, each exercise is performed from different points of the full range of movement.

This means that the time under tension (the time in which your muscles are contracting) is extended in each workout.

Making this alteration has the potential to make your muscles work as much as three times (yes, three times!) harder, which equals much greater fat-loss gains.

How it works
Each exercise follows the same structure for all levels: five full reps, followed by five half reps at the bottom range, five half reps at the top range and another five full reps. Perform this routine two to four times a week for optimum results, making sure you take 90 seconds of rest between each set. Beginners should perform three sets, intermediate four, and advanced gym-goers five.

Kit you’ll need
 2 x 3-5kg dumbbells
 Swiss ball
 Yoga mat

Why Is Weight Loss Never "One Thing"?

People often tell me stories about how they lost weight. The stories begin with, "All I did was... " and end with something like: become vegetarian (or vegan); eliminate gluten; "go raw"; or cut out sugar.
A couple of these make sense, but others don't. Let's look at each one.

Becoming Vegetarian or Vegan
The two are different, but I'll cover them together because my observations are the same in both cases.

Depending on which animal products someone was eating before changing her/his diet - and how they were prepared - eliminating animal products might result in considerable weight loss.

But there may be more to this story. Maybe the new vegan/vegetarian has eliminated dairy products, for example - and given up that pint of Ben & Jerry's every night. Getting rid of all the fat and sugar in the ice cream could very well have had a profound effect on weight loss.

That change might even have helped by itself. So maybe it wasn't just about animal products.

Eliminating Gluten
My first question is always, "How much gluten was this person eating before?"
It's logical to blame gluten if the now-lean person was eating a stack of pancakes for breakfast, a large submarine-type sandwich for lunch, and a mountain of pasta with his dinner.

Cutting moderate gluten intake - say, a standard sandwich on 2 ordinary slices of bread per day - might not yield the same dramatic results.

But again, is there more to the story? The butter and syrup on the pancakes, high-fat sauce on the pasta, mayo and who-knows-what-else on the sub sandwich? Those changes would factor in just as much as the gluten.

Giving Up Sugar or "Going Raw"
Okay, in this case, I can definitely believe we may have found the "one thing" that helps someone lose weight - especially if the switch covers all sugar.

Giving up sugar would include giving up pastries, cookies, cakes, brownies, candy bars, ice cream, and more. Those so-called foods often contain fat, white flour, and yes, gluten - plus other junk, along with the sugar.

Someone switching to a raw diet would also eliminate most foods on the list above.

The drawback with a raw diet is that there are two "tracks." The healthful track emphasizes vegetables. The less healthful track emphasizes fruit, various concoctions that contain fruit or fruit juice, and even cookies that look like Oreos, with some sort of creamy fruit puree filling between 2 cookies made of crumbled nuts.

I recommend the veggie track, but that may be a topic for another post.

Of course I'm in favor of anything that helps someone make a change for better health. But it may take a few things, not just one. And that's not a bad thing.

That being said, the decision to eliminate sugar can, and often does, have far-reaching benefits: cardiovascular health, blood pressure, mood, appetite, focus.

So if you are still looking for the One Thing that helps you lose weight... giving up sugar might be that thing.

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Weight Loss - How Far Ahead Should You Set Your Workout Plan?

It may be tempting to structure a meticulous six-month workout plan to help you reach your weight loss goal. It may feel exciting to plan so far ahead but living in the future can be overwhelming and fill you with anxiety. It may seem productive to imagine what it would be like to workout four or five times a week while following a healthy eating plan for several months. You may tell yourself with such a routine; it would be impossible not to see the results you seek. After all, it sounds great on paper, and it is comforting to feel you are on the right track.

If you have something similar in mind, you ought to be very, very careful. While planning is important, too much of it could work against you. This is because it tends to trick you into believing you are doing the work. For a case in point, notice how those who talk about their goals frequently tend to fall short the most. In contrast, those who surprise you with their weight loss progress usually do it without any fanfare.

Generally speaking, the less you talk about your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. You will then find you focus more on the action itself instead of wasting time and mental energy on endless planning. Whether your goal is to...

• lose weight,
• lower your blood sugar,
• improve your body composition,
• fitness, or
• your blood cholesterol profile,

it is going to benefit you to focus on smaller steps.

One workout at a time, and concentrate on the current week. As long as you are on the right track, what happens a month from now is irrelevant. You can only control what you do in the present. So why worry about the details of exercising a week or two, or a month or so from now? Focus on being active during the current week, and don't trouble yourself with the illusion of quick results.

It is ultimately more productive to concentrate on the process than on goals. That is what it is about. Focusing more on the latter may cause you to spend too much time planning and verbalizing your intentions. Narrowing your thoughts on the process, however, allows you to focus on making progress bringing you closer to your objective. Not to mention it could be disheartening to imagine working out twenty times by the end of a month. If the exercise habit is not yet in place in your life, you might lose consistency or quit.

Take one day at a time, and trust the results will come. They will if you are willing to commit to action - and not endless planning.

Although managing Type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, it is not a condition you must just live with. Make simple changes to your daily routine - include exercise to help lower both your blood sugar levels and your weight.

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The Mind-Connection in Weight Loss

Do you struggle with weight loss and just can't seem to figure out how to lose the pounds?
Well, you are not alone.

Today marks a special day for everyone who has been struggling with losing weight because we are going to explore one of the most challenging obstacles to permanent weight loss in women: the mind-body connection.

The mind-body connection may sound like "magic and voodoo," but it actually makes a lot of sense, and even medical science now emphasizes the need to harmonize the body and mind to improve one's wellness.

There has always been an over-emphasis on the physical when it comes to losing weight. Of course, in the end, the numbers do matter and when you are trying to fit into a pair of jeans that are two sizes smaller, all you can think about is, "what happened to my waistline?"

But, what you may not know is that research suggests that our minds can sometimes be our biggest enemy when we are trying to lose weight.

Our brains can actually hinder our bodies from experiencing the weight loss we desire.

How? In today's post I will discuss the various mind-body issues that we all have experienced at one point or another that may play a role in hindering your weight loss. And I will share some simple solutions that will help you end specific mind-body misconceptions.

Problem #1: Toxic Stress
Stress can be extremely toxic if you don't know how to manage it.

Many people don't realize that stress impacts not just the mind, but also the body. If you want a more scientific term for it, call it "physiological stress."

When you are stressed, your brain sends an emergency distress signal to the rest of your body. Your "fight or flight" instincts kick in and suddenly, your body is only concerned with just surviving.

The result? You'll feel exhausted and fatigued almost all the time. This can make your weight loss journey problematic, because you won't have the extra energy you need to achieve your weight loss goals.

You can't lose weight if your stress levels are off the charts. Your mind won't allow you to use additional energy and resources on your new goals because it is in a physiological emergency state. You need to address the stress before attempting to start on your weight loss goals.

How can you stop stress before it stops you? Here are some steps to help you with stress management:
Step 1: Ask yourself, what is causing your stress? Be really honest with yourself!
Step 2: If the stressor is a problem you have at work or at home, can you find a solution for it? Sit down and try to solve the problem so it doesn't bother you anymore.
Step 3: If the stressor is something that you cannot solve, or it is simply an independent reality that causes stress sometimes (e.g. taking care of children), then learn to separate yourself momentarily from the stressor.
If you feel like exploding from stress all the time, take a five-minute walk outside or find a quiet room and do something you like. Learning to temporarily separate yourself from an unavoidable stressor can do wonders.

Problem #2: No Tension Release
Tension, like stress, can easily build up if you don't have an outlet to release it.
When there is just too much tension, it can be nearly impossible to make the lifestyle changes needed for successful weight loss.
If you don't have a way to "let off steam," your mind-body connection will work against anything that requires your time and energy. This is probably one of the main reasons why people feel fatigued at work. The tension in their minds and bodies are just too much to handle.You can solve this problem through regular tension release.

Having a "tension outlet" can greatly improve your life and help you achieve new goals.
I suggest picking activities that will allow you to release tension without harming your body. Absolutely avoid activities like guzzling alcohol or smoking tobacco.

Among the best tension busters are:
- Playing sports
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Writing/journaling
- Travel
- Cooking
- Arts

Problem #3: Not Believing In Yourself
Do our beliefs about our abilities matter when you are trying to lose weight?

Yes! You can't achieve something if you don't believe that you can do it in the first place. Remember the saying "what your mind conceives, the body can achieve?" That old saying was actually pretty accurate!

Here's the truth: experts who study body language and the subconscious mind agree that if you believe that you can do something, you're already halfway there.

If we flip the situation, not believing in your self will logically produce the opposite results. You wouldn't want that if you're eager to lose weight.

So if you really want to prepare yourself well and strengthen your mind-body connection for the purpose of losing weight, you have to completely trust yourself and believe that you can achieve weight loss.

But remember: it's not enough to just say that you believe in something.

You also have to reaffirm that belief on a daily basis and actively use it to motivate yourself to accomplish goals. That way, your mind will be properly conditioned by the right beliefs and a positive mindset.

The mind is a very powerful ally in weight loss, use it to your full advantage.

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Jason Vale's on his 5:2 Juice Diet

The Mind-Connection in Weight Loss

 
Do you struggle with weight loss and just can't seem to figure out how to lose the pounds?
Well, you are not alone.

Today marks a special day for everyone who has been struggling with losing weight because we are going to explore one of the most challenging obstacles to permanent weight loss in women: the mind-body connection.

The mind-body connection may sound like "magic and voodoo," but it actually makes a lot of sense, and even medical science now emphasizes the need to harmonize the body and mind to improve one's wellness.

There has always been an over-emphasis on the physical when it comes to losing weight. Of course, in the end, the numbers do matter and when you are trying to fit into a pair of jeans that are two sizes smaller, all you can think about is, "what happened to my waistline?"
But, what you may not know is that research suggests that our minds can sometimes be our biggest enemy when we are trying to lose weight.

Our brains can actually hinder our bodies from experiencing the weight loss we desire.
How? In today's post I will discuss the various mind-body issues that we all have experienced at one point or another that may play a role in hindering your weight loss. And I will share some simple solutions that will help you end specific mind-body misconceptions.

Problem #1: Toxic Stress
Stress can be extremely toxic if you don't know how to manage it.
Many people don't realize that stress impacts not just the mind, but also the body. If you want a more scientific term for it, call it "physiological stress."

When you are stressed, your brain sends an emergency distress signal to the rest of your body. Your "fight or flight" instincts kick in and suddenly, your body is only concerned with just surviving.
The result? You'll feel exhausted and fatigued almost all the time. This can make your weight loss journey problematic, because you won't have the extra energy you need to achieve your weight loss goals.

You can't lose weight if your stress levels are off the charts. Your mind won't allow you to use additional energy and resources on your new goals because it is in a physiological emergency state. You need to address the stress before attempting to start on your weight loss goals.

How can you stop stress before it stops you? Here are some steps to help you with stress management:
Step 1: Ask yourself, what is causing your stress? Be really honest with yourself!
Step 2: If the stressor is a problem you have at work or at home, can you find a solution for it? Sit down and try to solve the problem so it doesn't bother you anymore.
Step 3: If the stressor is something that you cannot solve, or it is simply an independent reality that causes stress sometimes (e.g. taking care of children), then learn to separate yourself momentarily from the stressor.

If you feel like exploding from stress all the time, take a five-minute walk outside or find a quiet room and do something you like. Learning to temporarily separate yourself from an unavoidable stressor can do wonders.

Problem #2: No Tension Release
Tension, like stress, can easily build up if you don't have an outlet to release it.
When there is just too much tension, it can be nearly impossible to make the lifestyle changes needed for successful weight loss.

If you don't have a way to "let off steam," your mind-body connection will work against anything that requires your time and energy. This is probably one of the main reasons why people feel fatigued at work. The tension in their minds and bodies are just too much to handle.You can solve this problem through regular tension release.

Having a "tension outlet" can greatly improve your life and help you achieve new goals.
I suggest picking activities that will allow you to release tension without harming your body. Absolutely avoid activities like guzzling alcohol or smoking tobacco.

Among the best tension busters are:
- Playing sports
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Writing/journaling
- Travel
- Cooking
- Arts

Problem #3: Not Believing In Yourself
Do our beliefs about our abilities matter when you are trying to lose weight?
Yes! You can't achieve something if you don't believe that you can do it in the first place. Remember the saying "what your mind conceives, the body can achieve?" That old saying was actually pretty accurate!

Here's the truth: experts who study body language and the subconscious mind agree that if you believe that you can do something, you're already halfway there.

If we flip the situation, not believing in your self will logically produce the opposite results. You wouldn't want that if you're eager to lose weight.

So if you really want to prepare yourself well and strengthen your mind-body connection for the purpose of losing weight, you have to completely trust yourself and believe that you can achieve weight loss.

But remember: it's not enough to just say that you believe in something.
You also have to reaffirm that belief on a daily basis and actively use it to motivate yourself to accomplish goals. That way, your mind will be properly conditioned by the right beliefs and a positive mindset.

Article Source

Cardio vs. weights: Which is actually better for weight loss?

For decades, conventional wisdom (and Jane Fonda) said cardio was the best exercise for weight loss.

Then strength training muscled its way into the spotlight as the must-do move for revving your metabolism and losing weight in your sleep, prompting many exercise enthusiasts to join #TeamNoCardio. 

So a few years ago, Duke University researchers took to the lab and conducted the largest study of its kind to compare the two and get an answer once and for all.

After 8 months of tracking 119 overweight and previously sedentary volunteers while they performed resistance training, aerobic exercise, or a combination of the two, the clear winner was ... aerobic exercise. 

The cardio group lost about 4 pounds while their resistance training peers gained two. Yes, the weight gain was attributed to added lean mass.

However, that muscle mass didn't lead to any meaningful fat loss over the course of the study. In fact, the aerobics only group shed more than 3½ pounds of fat while the lifters didn't lose a single pound despite the fact that they actually exercised 47 more minutes each week than the cardio group.

Not surprisingly, the cardio-plus-resistance group improved their body composition best -- losing the most fat while adding some lean mass. But they also spent twice as much time in the gym.

It's simple math, says study co-author Cris Slentz, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University. "Minute per minute, cardio burns more calories, so it works best for reducing fat mass and body mass."

That's not to say that you shouldn't lift weights, especially as you get older and start losing muscle mass, he notes. "Resistance training is important for maintaining lean body mass, strength and function, and being functionally fit is important for daily living no matter what your size."

For the biggest fitness gain/weight loss bang for your exercise buck, combine the two, doing your strength training first and finishing off with your cardio. An American Council on Exercise study on exercise sequencing found that your heart rate is higher -- by about 12 beats per minute -- during your cardio bout when you've lifted weights beforehand.

That means more calories burned.

It's also important to remember one essential fact about exercise and weight loss, says Slentz. "Exercise by itself will not lead to big weight loss. What and how much you eat has a far greater impact on how much weight you lose," he says.

That's because it's far easier to take in less energy (calories) than it is to burn significant amounts and it's very easy to cancel out the few hundred calories you've burned working out with just one snack.

Where exercise appears to matter most is for preventing weight gain, or for keeping off pounds once you've lost weight, says Slentz. "Exercise seems to work best for body weight control," he says.

The National Weight Control Registry, which since 1994 has tracked more than 10,000 people who shed an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for at least five years, would agree.

Ninety percent of successful weight loss maintainers exercise for about an hour a day and their activity of choice is cardio, simply walking. 

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