Ab Workouts

GET GREAT ABS - Here is a good tip for if you want nice abs... don't do ab workouts UNTIL after you've lost weight.

The problem with ab workouts is that they build muscle, they don't really burn that many calories.

To burn calories what you need to do is cardio. Running, jogging, swimming, cycling, jumping jacks, aerobics and so forth. Anything where your whole body is moving for a long period of time. That burns calories fast.

Ab Workouts like the video below only come into play when you've already lost the weight and have actual abs to brag about. Then you switch from cardio to ab workouts (or balance the two) in an effort to build muscle tone.

Track your Calorie Loss

Tracking your calories in by keeping track of how much food you eat is definitely a good start to getting fit.

But equally important is tracking your calorie losses via exercise.

For example if you weigh 160 lbs the following 5 minute exercises will burn a chunk of calories.

Bicycling (slowly, 10 mph) - 38 calories every 5 minutes

Boxing (Punching Bag) - 38 calories every 5 minutes

Dancing (Swing) - 32 calories every 5 minutes

Fencing / Swordfighting - 38 calories every 5 minutes

Gymnastics - 25 calories every 5 minutes

Hiking Uphill - 64 calories every 5 minutes

Ice Skating - 45 calories every 5 minutes

Jumping Jacks - 51 calories every 5 minutes

Jumping Rope - 51 calories every 5 minutes

Push Ups - 51 calories every 5 minutes

Roller Skating - 45 calories every 5 minutes

Jogging (5 mph) - 51 calories every 5 minutes

Kissing/Foreplay - 6 calories every 5 minutes (I added this one just for fun.)

Sit Ups - 51 calories every 5 minutes

Swimming (Leisurely) - 38 calories every 5 minutes

Walking (slowly, 2 mph) - 16 calories every 5 minutes

Weightlifting (Vigorous) - 38 calories every 5 minutes

Yoga - 25 calories every 5 minutes

To find out what other exercises burn check out fatburn.com/free_tool_activity_burn.asp

12 New Years Resolutions for the Health Conscious!

Looking for some New Years Resolutions that will help you lose weight?

#1. Stop buying sugary food / junk food / unnecessary snacks. Buy fruit and berries instead. A bowl of oranges on the counter will encourage you to eat healthier whenever you feel like a snack.

#2. Walk more. Do you really need to drive or take the subway constantly? No. Got an errand to do? Walk there if its in range. If its a bit farther you might also bicycle there. Make walking and bicycling part of your regular activities. (Even better if you have a dog.)

#3. Bored? Exercise! Waiting in a lineup or stuck in traffic? Waiting for a friend to meet you? Do simple exercises or yoga postures while you wait.

#4. Find an exercise hobby that is fun that you can do regularly. ie. Archery, mountain biking, wall climbing, parkour or freerunning.

#5. Think Positive! Having a positive outlook on life (not just health wise) helps. Depressed people are more lethargic and crave comfort foods. Forcing yourself to be positive about your circumstances and always looking on the bright side will actually help you lose weight because you won't be so depressed and seeking comfort all the time.

#6. Stop worrying about every last bit of fat. Your goal is to be healthy, not starved. A little fat is good.

#7. Posture! Sit up, walk straight with your shoulders high, don't slouch. Good posture helps your digestion and boosts core muscle strength. Over time your posture will improve and you will look taller / thinner and feel better about yourself.

#8. Take up public speaking. Losing weight is often about confidence. If you're afraid of public speaking you suffer from low confidence. Join Toastmasters International and similar public speaking clubs and boost your confidence levels.

#9. Eat slowly, savour your food and come up for air. You won't feel as hungry and won't eat as much. Eating junk food very quickly = fast weight gain. SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY.

#10. Cut out bread for a month and see how much weight you lose. Try it and just see. (Some people are bread addicts. They crave the carbs, but its the carbs that is packing on the pounds.)

#11. Exercise every day even when you don't feel like it. Try and make it fun by using music or fun activities and over time it won't feel like a chore any more.

#12. Got a beer belly? Cut down on your alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks like beer has lots of carbs just like bread. Cut out the unnecessary beer and you will lose weight (and look waaaay sexier!).

:)

Weight Loss + Loose Skin

Okay, you've lost some weight... but you've noticed that your skin now feels looser because maybe you lost weight in a hurry and now it doesn't look or feel right.

How do you prevent loose skin?

Don't lose more than 3 lbs per week. Its not healthy. Your skin will lose its elasticity. You should set your goal at 1 to 2 lbs per week that way your skin has time to catch up.

Use moisturizer before sleeping. Moisturizer helps your skin retain its elasticity and its best to absorb it through your skin while sleeping because you regenerate faster while sleeping. Wear long sleeves and pajama bottoms to prevent the moisturizer from rubbing off.

When you shower scrub your skin with a loofah or body scrub lotion.

Drink a LOT of water.

Lift weights to maintain muscle tone.

Do a variety of exercises on a weekly basis. Don't limit yourself to just 1 exercise type.

Practice yoga.

Avoid sweets and anything containing fructose / corn syrup. ie. Coca-Cola = Big No No.

Hire a personal trainer (eg. me if you live in Toronto) and they can help you with exercises and advice designed to reduce your loose skin.

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Since writing the above blog post it has become the most popular article on this website thus far, even though my later post Preventing Loose Skin During Weight Loss has more information on the topic.

I also wrote How to get Rid of Fat Lines as an expansion on that topic, as it goes hand in hand with loose skin.

My newest blog post on the topic, 20 Ways to Tighten Skin after Weight Loss, is the most expansive blog post on this topic. So if you're looking for more ways to tighten up your skin, that is an article you will definitely want to read.

5 Minute Sit Ups + 10 Minute Jog

If you spend 5 minutes every day doing vigorous sit ups you will burn approx. 48 to 60 calories per day depending on your weight.

If your weight is 160 lbs, 48 calories.

If your weight is 180 lbs, 54 calories.

If your weight is 200 lbs, 60 calories.

The interesting thing is that if you do this every day for a month those calories add up. Anywhere from 1440 to 1800 calories.

When you consider that there is 3500 calories in 1 lb. of body fat it makes you realize what a little 5 minute exercise can do over a period of a year. That 5 minutes over 365 days adds up to 5 to 6 lbs.

Now imagine instead of 5 minutes you did something else... like jog a mile every day for a year.

Jogging a Mile = 105 calories if you weigh 160 lbs.

118 calories if you weigh 180 lbs.

131 calories if you weight 200 lbs.

The end result is jogging a mile daily burns 11 to 14 lbs of fat per year. A mile isn't really that far either. The average person can jog a mile in 10 minutes easily.

NOW IMAGINE DOING BOTH! Do sit ups for 5 minutes then go for a 10 minute jog every day. That will burn 16 to 20 lbs of fat per year. Combined with a balanced diet and you will have a body that many people would envy.

See Also
Yoga
Get Great Abs
Lose Weight by Working