8 Exercise Fallacies

1. Crunches will flatten the stomach - You can not spot reduce fat by exercising a specific area. Situps and crunches cannot widdle away abdominal fat. In fact crunches put a lot of stress on the lumbar spine (about 674 lbs. of force) and may open you up for injury. Excess fat storage around your midline has more to do with hormonal imbalances and overall fitness than whether or not you can do a million crunches. There are better ways to train the abs then crunches.

Proper clean eating habits and core stabilization exercises will do a lot more for flattening your stomach than a crunch will ever do. If you are properly doing squats, deadlifts and other Olympic lifts you probably don't need to specifically work your abs.
2. Pronation and "over-pronation" of the foot is bad - This is a normal and healthy function of the foot which refers to the multi-plane ankle joint action (everts, abducts and dorsiflexes) that accompanies lateral rotation of the knees and hips during the gait cycle. During a normal gait cycle the foot rolls inwards and the subtalar joint everts (the heel rotates slightly outwards), and the arch flattens with weight being transferred to the inside edge. This is pronation and the foot is very loose at this time. It is considered 'unlocked'. Some over-pronation moments can be excessive but simply there is no criteria that actually defines it and no simple way of measuring the movement. You may pronate more than others but that doesn't mean its a bad thing because there are no studies that state controlling pronation leads to fewer injuries.

Many athletic shoes are made with stiff medial posts which are designed to prevent pronation. In other words, many sneakers are made to prohibit the human foot from doing what it naturally is supposed to do.
3. Pilates, Yoga and Stretching lengthens muscle - Simple understanding of human physiology dictates that all muscle have a predetermined length. Muscles shorten when contracted and lengthen when relaxed... their respective insertions and origins don't change. Viscoelasticity may increase after hard stretching but this is only temporary. Static stretching will only increase your tolerance to the pain of the stretch - not actually change the length of the soft tissue.

Better posture (more upright) will give you the appearance of 'longer' muscles and even make you seem more confident, however to actually lengthen muscle would require either surgery or an accident resulting in a complete tear. The origin and insertion points are set not long after conception.
4. Stretching is necessary - There is no research proving the need for a separate stretching session to improve performance or safety. The greater degrees of flexibility garnered with stretching are likely the result of boosted tolerance to the pain of stretching, not actual lengthening of tissue. In other words you get used to the pain and can go farther in the stretch.

Simply participating in a smart exercise program will actively move all your joints thorough their normal safe range of motion; this may be enough.
5. Lifting 'heavy' weights will make women bulky - The word 'bulky' means different things to different people. That being said, lifting heavy weights will certainly increase lean muscle mass just not that much in a low testosterone environment (like a woman's body with 15-20 times less testosterone). It takes lots of dedication, time and effort (not to mention crazy genetics) to develop thighs like Serena Williams.

When you pick up heavy things, your muscles get STRONGER (but not necessarily bigger). If you pump yourself full of testosterone and eat way more calories than you are burning every day, you will get bigger... otherwise don't worry bout it.
6. Soreness after exercise is because of lactic acid buildup - Simply not true. Lactic acid is not the demon it is made out to be. In fact, lactic acid does not exist in the human body... lactate does. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is not fully understood. However it is believed to be the result of eccentric exercise which in turn causes micro-tears within the muscle cell and localized inflammation from the stress of training. It has nothing to do with lactate. Lactate is a fuel released from the muscle and converted in the liver to glucose, which is then used as an energy source. So rather than cause fatigue or burn it actually helps to delay a lowering of blood glucose concentrations and slows down the rate at which the cells become acidic.

You do not need to experience soreness in order to benefit from workouts. Studies have shown that soreness itself (using a scale from 0 to 10 to assess the level of soreness) is poorly correlated as an indicator of muscle adaptation and growth. DOMS is multifactoral and in many cases can alert the individual to an overtraining incident.
7. Cardio training is necessary for weight loss -Weight loss, particularly fat loss is a multifaceted phenomenon in the human body caused by several factors. First let me say individual sustained body-fat loss (which is different than weight loss) is a complicated topic which is not completely understood by science. Rather than delve into the overwhelming multitude of variables, I will keep the scope of this article focused on a simple question: is resistance training better than steady state cardio for fat loss? Maybe. This is the truest answer you'll ever get. If you have to choose, I believe weight training is a more efficient way for most people to lose body fat than steady state cardio.

Side Note: The fat loss evidence is much stronger for high intensity interval training than steady state cardio.

Let me be clear, cardio is great for a whole host of things (even weight loss) - its just not an efficient way to decrease body fat. Don't believe me? Look at the majority of people at the gym who only do cardio. Their bodies don't change. Moreover, stand at the finish line of a marathon and after the winners zoom by take a look at how many overweight runners there are. Marathon training requires a lot of cardio, so why are so many runners still overweight? Simple: Cardio makes you hungry by directly affecting hunger hormones (grhelin and insulin). Many people feel it is a license to eat more. "I ran 8 miles today thus I deserve some ice cream cake!" Some evidence shows chronic cardio stresses your endocrine system and increases water retention (due to the gross soft tissue/joint inflammation). In the end you can't out run a bad diet. Do you know how hard it is to burn 500 calories with cardio? It'll take about 1 hour of punishing work on a treadmill or rowing machine to barely eek out 500 calories. And you know what? Four slices of bacon or a bagel with cream cheese or one slice of pepperoni pizza will instantly negate all that hard work.

8. The upper and lower abdominals (rectus abdominus) are independent - The 6 pack muscle is called the rectus abdominus and is one muscle that extends from the ribs to the pelvis. When one area of this muscle is contracted the whole unit contracts. It is called the "all or none principal'. Muscles do not contract partially. Getting 6-pack abs is 90% about reaching low bodyfat levels and 10% about having muscular abs.

8 Effective Weight Loss Tips

You may have read some common weight loss tips, such as taking in fewer calories, burning more calories and avoiding junk food. However, the sad truth is that the majority of fast weight loss plans and diets don't work. If you are struggling to shed a few pounds, you may want to try the following tips.

1. Go For a Glucomannan Supplement

According to several studies, glucomannan helps you lose weight. Actually, this fiber absorbs water and stays in your colon for a while. As a result, you don't feel hungry for a while. And you don't eat a lot of calories. Some studies show that glucomanna can help with weight loss if consumed on a regular basis based on your doctor's advice.

2. Reduce your intake of Added Sugar

In today's diet, added sugar is one of the worst ingredients. The majority of people are having too much of it. According to some studies, the consumption of sugar may lead to obesity, heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.

So, if you want to shed some pounds, we suggest that you reduce your intake of added sugars. However, don't forget to read labels as some health foods are heavy with sugar.

3. Consume Refined Carbs Wisely

Typically, refined carbohydrates are grains or sugar that doesn't have nutritious or fibrous parts. According to research studies, refined carbohydrates may increase your blood sugar quickly, leading to cravings and hunger. As a result, you end up eating a lot more a few hours later. As a matter of fact, consuming refined carbohydrates may lead to obesity. So, if you want to eat carbohydrates, you may want to consume them with natural fiber.

4. Go on a Low Carbohydrate Diet

You may want to stick to a low carbohydrate diet if you want to enjoy the benefits of carbohydrates restriction. According to many studies, this diet can help you shed twice as much as weight as you can lose with a standard diet. At the same time, this diet can improve your health.

5. Use Smaller Plates

If you eat in smaller plates, you can consume fewer calories, according to some studies. This weird trick does work. If you eat in bigger plates, you will end up eating more. This is common sense.

6. Apply Portion Control

For many reasons, portion control can be helpful. According to experts, if you maintain a food diary to record what you eat, you will be able to lose weight fast. As a matter of fact, anything that can increase your awareness of the foods that you should eat is helpful.

7. Brush Your Teeth Before Bed

This tip is not backed by any studies, but many experts recommend that you brush your teeth after dinner. This will help you avoid eating the late-night snack. So, you may want to make it a habit to brush your teeth before hitting the bed.

8. Eat Spicy Foods

You may want to go for spicy food every now and then. For instance, you can opt for Cayenne pepper that is rich in Capsaicin. This compound can boost your metabolism and help you control your appetite.

Hope these 8 tips will work for you.

Effective Daily Lifestyle And Weight Management Tips For Health And Fitness

There are simple weight management tips you can do in your daily lifestyle. While they are easy to do, they are valuable and effective. Here are 8 daily tips for successful weight management:

Reduce the portions in your meals. Be conscious of the calories when you portion your meals. In your plate, one quarter should comprise a portion (palm-size) of lean protein such as chicken breast or salmon and one quarter of brown rice or other unrefined grain, while half of your plate should contain different varieties of colorful veggies. If you still feel hunger pangs after eating, wait for 20 minutes. It's enough time for the foods that you ate to digest. Otherwise you can eat extra veggies, tossed salad or a small slice of fruit

Eat your regular meals, don't skip. In weight management, it is essential to eat 3 regular meals and snacks. It is particularly important to eat breakfast. It'll jumpstart your metabolism. Consider that you need food to fuel your body. Without food to sustain your body, it cannot work efficiently.

Load up your calories in the morning until noon. Consuming more calories on the first half of the day curbs your hunger during the night. You do most of your activities at daytime, anyway. In the evenings, you are normally less active, so eat lighter dinners.

Eat more fiber. The recommended amount of fiber consumption for women is 25 to 30 grams per day. However, many women fall short of that. Increase your fiber intake by eating whole grain breads and cereals. They are high in fiber. Make your pasta and rice whole wheat instead of white. Add more dried beans when you prepare your meals. More fiber intake makes you feel fuller faster, making you eat less. It curbs your hunger as well. Lower your cholesterol by consuming more soluble fiber.

Know what the good sources of fiber are. Sources of insoluble fiber are corn bran, wheat, cereals, pasta, bread, fruit and root vegetables skin and most veggies such as green beans, potatoes and broccoli. What are the food sources of soluble fiber? They are psyllium, barley, oat bran, oats and legumes like split peas, dried beans and most fruits and veggies.

Have regular exercise- make it daily. Engage in an exercise routine or get more physically active. Ask for the advice of your health professional or exercise physiologist.

Make sure that you eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily. These food sources are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber while being low in calories and fat. Two to three servings of fruits should be included in your daily diet. If you can, avoid eating canned juice and fruit. You'll also have added fiber and nutrients intake if you eat fruits with the skin. Incorporate more fruits and veggies in your lunch and dinner. You can snack on them, too.

Drink sufficient amounts of water. Take in 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday. You'll prevent yourself from overeating while you keep yourself hydrated.
These weight management tips and tricks to inculcate in your daily meals and lifestyle can effectively aid in your health and fitness.

8 Easy Tips to Lose Weight

Shedding the extra ponds is easy if you know how to go about it. Given below are some easy tips that may help you watch the fat burn away. Read on.

1. Set a goal

What is your goal? Do you want to get rid of the extra fat? Do you want to save for a house or dress? No matter what your goal may be, you need to write down the steps that will get you there. Your first step is to know what you really want.

2. Clear the clutter

The purpose of a kitchen counter is to prepare food. They can't be used as a storage medium. So, there should be no visual distractions. Your kitchen should not be full of gadgets that cause distractions. As a matter of fact, it's not easy to make healthy food choice in a kitchen that has a lot of unnecessary stuff lying around.

3. Eat at home more often

Most of Canadian families spend around 30% eating out, says Statistics Canada. If you want to lose your weight, make sure you know how many times you eat out in a week and then try to eat out less often.

4. Increase metabolism by getting more sleep

Your sleep is linked to your hormone levels. Actually, if you don't get enough sleep, you will have a lot more hormone cortisol secretion. Therefore, you will suffer from a higher level of stress, which will make you fat.

5. Eat more at breakfast and less at dinner

It's a good idea to eat a heavy breakfast but a lighter dinner. According to a study that involved men and women concluded that those who followed this advice lost more weight.

6. Rethink what's delicious

When you look at the food you like, you want to eat it, according to Dr. Alain Dagher. Unfortunately, your brain tends to assign a higher value to the foods that are rich in calories. If you want to counter this, what you need to do is think positively about the foods that are low in calories.

7. Don't skip meals or snacks

Skipping breakfast is a terrible mistake as it makes you eat too much during the day. As a matter of fact, the right breakfast choices will help you control your cravings and sustain your energy level during the day. So, you may not want to be a night-time muncher.

8. Get support

You need to make a commitment even if you want to lose just 10 pounds. So, you may want to get support from your friends or family members, especially those who have already achieved their weight loss goals. So, what you need to do is share your goals with them so that they can support you. You may also want to let them know your challenges. This way they can give you the motivation and encouragement that you need to move on.

So, you may want to follow these tips if you are really keen to lose weight fast.

Creative Ways to Burn More Fat at Work

Are you trying to set time aside before or after work for fat burning exercise? And how is that working for you? Do you get home and make dinner only to realize that there is just simply no time left in the day for exercise? If I told you could slip extra exercise into your work routine I'm sure you would be interested!

Well here are a couple of tips you can use in order to burn more fat at work:

1. Leave your car at home! - If you live close enough to work, try walking to work or even cycling. In fact, walking is one of the easiest and healthiest ways of burning fat.

2. Stand more - because standing burns off more fat than sitting, try looking for opportunities to stand rather than sitting. You can do this by switching your 'sitting desk' to a 'standing desk', standing while eating your lunch and also walking to other department in your company instead of messaging/calling them.

3. Have a break have a... fitness break! - Instead of hanging out in the lounge with coffee and snacks at the tea/coffee break time, go for a stroll outside or do some stretching. This also improves your diet by cutting out on all the sugar that is usually associated with this break time.

4. Use a fitness ball instead of a chair - this might seem odd but is great way to burn fat, if you can balance, that is. Also you will be building your core muscles which in turn will help in the fat burning process.

5. Keep hand weights at your desk - Do a couple of arm curls in between meetings. You can even mix it up by keeping other exercise equipment such as stretchy cords that provide resistance when you pull on them.

6. Create a lunchtime walking group - this is great exercise for your lunch break, get a few work colleagues together and go for a walk! And on the plus side if you are a very social person you will love this part of your work day while burning fat!

7. Do a couple of 'walking meetings' - Instead of meeting or brainstorming at a desk, if it is practical get up and do it on the go. And besides if it is new ideas you are looking for, then the extra blood flow will definitely help the creativity juices.

8. Get there faster - if you are lucky enough to have a job that involves a lot of walking, then pick up the pace and you will burn more calories.

Well there you go, as long as you aren't wasting any time at work these tips will definitely you on your weight loss journey. You probably aren't going to replace all your 'after hour exercise' with these tips, but they will definitely make up what you are missing on the odd occasions and can get you past those few extra stubborn pounds.

Justin has been a part of the weight loss industry for a number of years, first as a consumer and now as a teacher. In his own words he says, "I used to be overweight until people started making rude comments and that is when decided that enough is enough, and lost the weight for good!" He has been at his goal weight for the last 10 years and has never looked back!

To celebrate, he has released his brand new book, 'Fat Burning Furnace!' for free for a limited time only.