Getting in shape doesn’t mean spending all of your hard-earned cash to do so. Forget expensive exercise equipment, personal trainers and over-priced gym memberships; there are plenty of ways you can burn fat and build muscle without going broke.

{Personal trainers can be expensive…and annoying. Find a cheaper way to get in shape!}

Whether your goal is to save money or simply find creative ways to get a regular workout, keep reading to find out the many free ways you can get fit and lose fat!

Running

One of the most effective and cheapest ways to burn calories is running. If you’ve already got a pair of effective running shoes, then this is one exercise you can do anywhere at anytime for no money at all.

What’s more is that running provides you with fresh air and constantly changing scenery so you never get bored with your workout. You can always choose to run different routes in different parts of the city so you can explore your surrounding while getting in incredible shape!

So the next time you think about what you can do to workout without spending money, lace up your shoes and starting pounding that pavement!

Freebies

Another great way to get fit for free is gym freebies. When a new gym opens (or when business is slow) many gym facilities will offer free sessions with a personal trainer, free exercises classes or free access to the gym for a limited number of visits.

Of course this can’t last forever, but taking advantage of these free ways to get fit and lose fat can help you lose weight without spending all of your money. Besides these gym freebies are a great way for you to see if any of these services is something for which you wouldn’t mind paying.

{A free week of rock climbing will burn calories and be a great experience!}

If you feel exhilarated after a session with a personal trainer, maybe you’ll find a way to pay for it. The same is true for that new hip hop-salsa class that’s free all this week or that rock climbing wall. Take advantage of these free offers as different ways to get fit and avoid exercise boredom.

Library

If you’re like me, you probably swore off buying exercise videos after you spend an insane amount of money on the Tae Bo series. While effective, these exercise videos often lose their luster after a few months. The exercises become easier, which means your workouts become less effective over time and your weight loss hits that dreaded plateau.

Instead of buying every new exercise video that hits the market (P90X), hit up your local library and check out their copies. This gives you an opportunity to try out the newest exercise craze without taking part in another expensive fad.

The only thing it’ll cost you at the library is the time it takes to sign up for a library card!

Bodyweight Exercises

It’s not surprising that most people don’t want to splurge on high-priced weights and exercise equipment. This is especially true if you struggle to get physical activity on a regular basis. But who says you need all that fancy equipment to get in shape?

There are plenty of exercises you can do to get fit and lose fat that require no equipment at all, especially bodyweight exercises like push ups and pull ups. Exercises like these allow you to use the weight of your body to provide resistance and build up muscle. Combine this with running and you can get a full body workout without spending any money!

Here are just a few bodyweight exercises you should try if you’re looking for free ways to get fit & lose fat;

• Crunches
• Plank
• Dips
• Calf raises
• Squats
• Oblique sit-ups

These are just a few, but you can get a full body workout for free by doing bodyweight exercises.

Public Parks

Public parks have gotten on the fitness bandwagon, providing a wide range of activities to help the community stay active and fit. Besides running, many public parks have exercise equipment right in the park for you to use at your convenience. In fact one study found that those who live closer to public parks are more likely to get more physical activity.

{Fresh air and exercise for free? Imagine the money you can save for a new wardrobe…}

If you think your park doesn’t provide these facilities, contact your local recreation center to get more information.

Get Competitive

Dust off your football, basketball, tennis racquets or soccer ball and gather a group of friends of a friendly game. Assembling your pals in the park for a competitive game is a great (and free) way to make sure you get regular exercise.

There must be a reason you hang on to all the old sporting equipment from your youth; now you have a reason to dust them off and put them to good use. Sports are a great and free way to stay in shape without really feeling like exercise.

In addition to that, sports provide a great way to burn calories. Just look at the calories burned playing these competitive sports for one hour;

• Basketball – 745 calories
• Football – 838 calories
• Flag/Touch Football – 745 calories
• Soccer – 931 calories
• Singles tennis – 745 calories
• Doubles tennis – 558 calories
• Ultimate Frisbee – 654 calories

Next time you’re bored on a Sunday afternoon, gather your friends for a friendly game of…whatever!

Use Your Computer

The beauty of having a computer right at home is that you can always find a way to exercise. Some of you may argue that it isn’t free because you have to pay for the internet, but you have to pay for it whether you exercise or not!

So, use your fingertips to help you find an exercise routine that fits your weight loss goals. The internet gives you access to a wealth of free exercise information in the form of videos, photos and step-by-step instruction.

By making an effort to become more physically active each day, you can worry less about spending money on traditional methods of exercise like hitting the gym or using a personal trainer. An overall more active lifestyle will make these free ways to get fit and lose fat, a natural part of life.

Regular exercise is only half of the weight loss equation. Read our Eat Stop Eat review to see how you can use intermittent fasting to break your poor eating habits.

Weight loss is more than just slipping into an old pair of jeans that have been in the back of your closet. When you decide it’s time to shed your belly fat you have made a big commitment.

[Exercise is an essential PART of weight loss. Don't forget a healthy & well-balanced diet.]

You have decided to put in the time and effort to get rid of the potbelly and love handles because you want to look good…
you want to look your best!

You know diet and exercise are important so you start your weight loss routine with long slow runs.

There may be a better way to drop those unwanted pounds and look your best than spending hours on the treadmill or exercise bike.

Give weight training a shot.

Pumping some iron has been proven to help your weight loss efforts and help you look your best.

If you want to truly transform your body to look your best, be fit, and healthy some form of resistance training is necessary.

Don’t worry if you have never touched a weight in your life. A bodyweight workout is a great place to start. Down the road, as your fitness and strength levels improve free weight exercises make an excellent progression.

Before you discover the benefits of weight training we have to be clear on one thing.

Following a weight loss program without a fat loss nutritional program is a complete and utter waste of time.

Working out to lose weight without a proper diet and nutrition plan is like constantly running up a down escalator…

it’s just not a battle you are going to win…

the average person just can’t out train a poor diet.

If you are going to put the time in at the gym be sure you have to have your diet in check. It would be a shame to have all your hard work go to waste.

I am not a nutrition expert, so I will stay away from diet plans …
instead what I will do is fill you in on the benefits of what resistance training can do for you once you have your diet on track.

2 key benefits of a good resistance training program:

• Shape and tone your body and muscles

• Increase calorie burning

Resistance Training For Fat Loss

Afterburn

To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume and resistance training can help you do this.

A well though out strength training program can help your increase the amount of calories you burn throughout the day. Have a healthy diet plan in place and you are well on your way to burning unwanted fat.

A typical high intensity weight training session lasting about an hour can burn about 500 calories. That may not sound like much but one benefit high intensity resistance training has over slow cardio is the post exercise benefits.

Research suggests that there is an increase in your metabolism after a weight lifting workout. This occurs because your body is working hard trying to recover from your training session. Scientists have difficulty determining exactly how long the benefits of an increased metabolic rate stay elevated but some studies have reported an increase for as little as 3 hours, while other findings report a 38 hour increase.

Increase your BMR

As we age it’s natural to have a decrease in lean body mass. For the average individual maximum muscle size is reached by around age 25. Then there is a decrease of about 10 percent by age 50. From 50 to 80 muscle mass drops quickly, about 45% in that time frame. I mention this because this decrease in lean muscle mass lowers your metabolic rate. Your base metabolic rate is the number of calories need to maintain your current weight and vital functions.

Strength training can slow or even reverse this drop in muscle mass.

With an increase in lean muscle mass comes a higher metabolic rate. That means you burn more calories throughout the day.

Physical Appearance

Maybe the most important reason to include resistance training in your weight loss program is to look good. Your diet is going to help you lose that belly fat and flatten your stomach, but the strength training is going to shape and tone your body.

Your diet will take care of the fat but will do little for tone and definition. Adding some lean muscle will help give you some tone and shape. It will help you look fit and healthy.

Chances are you decided to slim up to look good, why not do some weight training and look your best.

Adding muscle in the right places can improve your overall appearance.

Weight Training Myths

There are generally 3 myths that people have before they start a resistance training program:

1. Spot reduction – Working a particular area will replace fat with muscle.
2. When I stop lifting weights my muscle will turn to fat.
3. I will get big and bulky.

I would like to put your mind at ease, none of these myths are true.

Spot Reduction

As I have mentioned before, diet is the main factor in your weight loss. Doing arm exercises is not going to reduce the fat from under your arms, nor are crunches going to burn belly fat. Where we put on weight the fastest is genetics. For most women the first place they notice extra weight is in the hips. Guy on the other hand get a belly. This has been determined by your genetics, the same holds true for weight loss. You can not select where you want to lose weight anymore than you can say how it get distributed on your body.

When selecting exercises choose the ones to give you the most benefit. Doing squats will burn more belly fat than any arm exercise or crunch. Pick exercises that require movement at more than one joint and use the bigger muscles.

A great example is squats for the lower body. Squats require movement at the hip, knee, and ankles.

Push ups are great for your upper body. They require you to stabilize your torso and has movement of the elbow and shoulder joints.

For your back pull ups are great. Again both the elbow and shoulder joins come into play.

Fat Into Muscle

You will also be happy to know that muscle does not turn into fat. If you stop exercising your tone and definition will disappear. Your lean muscle mass will decrease and so will your base metabolic rate. This means you caloric needs will reduce.

But your muscle doesn’t become fat.

It will be essential to alter your diet to prevent any weight gain. If you have didn’t make any adjustments to your diet and exercise routine it is likely you will put on some extra weight but it is not muscle transforming into fat. It is just a case of your calories in exceeding calories out.

Muscle Size

A basic strength training program is not going to make you look like a bodybuilder.

The guys and girls on the cover of those magazines have been at it for a long time, they train a specific way to get those results. Many go as far as taking drugs to help build extra muscle.

I have to mention diet again…

to get big and bulky you have to eat a diet high in calories. Bodybuilders are not on a weight loss diet. Your diet is designed to burn fat, not build big muscles.

You have total control over your look.

What I tell every client of mine is to keep an eye on your physique, if you see a muscle starting to grow stop doing the exercise for that particular body part. This will prevent further growth and the muscle will decrease in size.

Following the right strength training will help you build lean muscle, you will not be big and bulky like the bodybuilders on the cover of magazines. You will have a fit athletic looking body.

The Program

Key elements to a fitness program:

• focus on big, compound exercises
• alternate upper and lower body exercises
• superset muscle groups
• keep the rest short
• keep your reps in the 6 to 12 range
• do 2 or 3 sets of each exercise
• do more upper body pulling than pushing

Some of my faforite exercises include:
Lower body – squats, deadlifts,
Upper body push – push ups, shoulder press
Upper body pull – pull ups, inverted rows

Start with a healthy diet, add in some strength training exercises. Be sure to keep the rest short and superset exercises to sculpt your body and boost your metabolism. Do this and you will be on the right track to lose weight, transform your body and look better than ever.

Personal trainers are all the rage with celebrities, millionaires, aspiring models & actresses everywhere, but could a personal trainer help you pursue your weight loss goals?

[Even the hottest bods forego a trainer and enjoy some good old-fashioned exercise!]

If you’ve ever considered getting on the personal trainer bandwagon to help you get more productive workouts, make sure you’ve considered all the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a personal trainer.

Personal Trainer Pros:

#1 You Learn How to Exercise

I know it seems silly, but you’d be surprised to learn how many people hit the gym each day and do almost nothing to build muscle or burn fat because they aren’t exercising properly. In addition to minimal fat burning and muscle building, performing exercises incorrectly can lead to pulled muscles, strained joints, and other painful injuries.

[Celebrity personal trainer Gunnar Peterson helps Nick Cannon get the guns he wants without the injury!]

Aside from injuries that will delay your weight loss, do you really want to spend 5 hours each week exercising without results? Personal trainers teach you to focus on breathing and maintaining the integrity of each movement throughout your exercise routine, which will increase the results of your workout. What’s the point of working out if you aren’t getting what you want?

#2 New Workout Methods

Another advantage of using a professional personal trainer to help you shed the pounds is that you get to learn other ways to exercise. If you’re strictly a cardio & strength guy, your personal trainer may introduce you to the benefits of yoga or pilates on muscle building or fat burning. Ladies that hate to sweat may stumble upon a personal trainer who helps her learn to love plyometric exercises for weight loss.

The point is we tend to have a pretty black and white notion of our exercise routines and a personal trainer may widen your horizons in that sense. A boring workout that consists of stretching, cardio, and strength, while effective, will have you avoiding the gym in less than a month.

#3 Motivation

Personal trainers provide their customers with tons of motivation to keep them pumped up throughout each workout. While I don’t always agree with the methods of motivation, it is a valuable tool for weight loss. When your thighs start to burn after 45 minutes on the treadmill, your first instinct is to stop and reach for hydration. By hiring a professional trainer you will be motivated to push through the pain for optimum results.

[An effective personal trainer knows how to motivate each client personally. Stay away from drill sergeant types who berate as motivation.]

Different trainers motivate in different ways so you should make sure you find a trainer that knows how to motivate you.

Personal Trainer Cons:

#1 Personal Trainers Cost MONEY

Sure, the old adage says you get what you pay for, but that’s not always the case with personal trainers. With an incredibly high turnover rate of about 90%, you want to make sure you’re paying for an experienced trainer with a record of success. Starting from $1,000 each month, hiring a personal trainer could become an expense that affects other parts of your weight loss program.

The best way to see if hiring a personal trainer is worth the cost? Take advantage of the complimentary session or sessions offered when you join a new gym. If you like the experience of working with a trained fitness professional, then you’ll have to decide if its an expense you can afford. If you already belong to a gym, talk to them about personal trainers and find out how involved they will be in your effort to lose weight. That should help you determine if they are worth the big bucks.

#2 To Much Emphasis On Exercise  Misses The Point For Weight Loss

We all know that exercise important for better body function, muscle tone and slowing down the aging process, but it isn’t even close to best way to lose weight. Personal trainers will do their best to work your body into the best possible shape, but you won’t see results if you head home and eat twice the calories burned during your workout.

[The right personal trainer can help you lose weight; the wrong personal trainer can motivate you to find a weight loss program that works for YOU!]

The job of a personal trainer is to help you exercise and improve your fitness level. They can personalize exercise regiments for your particular weight loss goals, but it’s not in their job description (or training) to make sure you focus on every aspect of weight loss. What good is a personal trainer for weight loss if they aren’t focusing on ways to actually help you lose the weight?

As we’ve discussed before, the reason many people who exercise regularly are unable to lose weight is because they go home after a workout and overeat. Unfortunately this weight loss problem is beyond the scope of most personal trainers’ (professional) knowledge.

#3 Comfort Level

It’s difficult when you’re already uncomfortable with your body to have another person–someone you know almost nothing about–judging and criticizing your body. Because most gyms prohibit freelance personal trainers you have to hope like hell that they have at least one trainer you can work well with, or you’ll have to fork out more money for a private personal trainer.

This probably just sounds whiny, but given the cost of a personal trainer and the mission, it’s important you find someone with whom you can work well with. If you hate your personal trainer or you don’t look forward to your sessions, how long before you start to blow them off altogether? You have to feel comfortable with your trainer or your relationship will not be successful. And for what a personal trainer costs, don’t you think you should be able to choose one you don’t hate?

Before you decide if hiring a personal trainer is something you could benefit from, it’s important that you have a clear understanding of your weight loss goals. Do you want to reach a certain weight or drop a pants/dress size? Do you want to learn how to workout more effectively or just improve your general fitness? These factors will help you determine what kind of weight loss professional you require.

[Madonna's arms and all-around awesome physique is due to her incredible relationship with her personal trainer.]

When you meet a personal trainer, be sure to ask these questions before making any decisions;

• May I have a list of references?
• Where did you receive your training & certification?
• What is your weight loss philosophy?
• How much is a session? How are payments accepted and when?

These questions will help you determine how well you’ll fit with a trainer, and if a personal trainer is something you want or need in the first place.

Personal trainers do provide a valuable service, depending on what your goals are. If you need a two-pronged weight loss program that focuses on diet and exercise, a personal trainer can only help you with half of your goal and on you’re on your own for figuring out a way to eat for weight loss.

If you think a personal trainer may be right for you but you just can’t afford it, look at our review of the Turbulence Training program. Craig Ballantyne’s program is cheaper than a personal trainer and provides just as much guidance!

Every season a new celebrity starlet sings the praises of the newest fad diet to hit the market, and just about every year it seems Christian Bale is bingeing or purging for his latest role. Celebrities often espouse the benefits of this or that diet plan, perpetuating some of the most bogus weight loss myths.

[Sure, 50 Cent reached his weight loss goals, but do you wanna try his methods?]

Since neither of us probably has the money for full-time weight loss experts, keep reading to find out what the celebrities aren’t telling you!

Weight Loss Myth #1: Diet Programs Work

This is probably the biggest diet myth out there. Grab your favorite diet plan–Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem–and watch the weight magically fall off! If only it were that simple.

[Celebrity Diet Plan #1: Eat whatever you want, someone will fix it tomorrow!]

The truth is that while those diet programs do help you regulate your caloric intake, they do very little to teach you how to regulate the calories you consume. I mean, these diet programs are a great place to start for successful weight loss, but can you afford to pay for that food every month for the rest of your life? Furthermore, how many of us actually believe that Jenny McCarthy or Queen Latifah actually lost all that weight on diet programs?

The other problem with these celebrity-endorsed diet programs is that they do very little, if anything, to encourage regular physical activity. Without regular physical activity and controlling your diet, successful weight loss is unlikely.

These diet programs don’t teach you what to do when you’re positively starved after a long cardio workout. These programs simply focus on making sure you eat less, which is good weight loss advice, but only partial weight loss advice.

Weight Loss Myth #2: Shortcuts Are Okay

Celebrity-centric diets like the 5 Factor Diet feed into the myths we tell ourselves about why we just can’t lose weight. These myths help to keep us overweight and constantly seeking the next big diet trend.

The truth is that shortcuts are not the way to losing weight and keeping it off. You have to make losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle a priority. Just look at it this way; you have to eat everyday anyway because your body needs it, so make the time.

Even if I concede the point that celebrities are busy, they aren’t cooking their own meals anyway so who is a diet like this trying to fool? YOU, and all those regular dieters just like you looking for a quick and easy fix to your weight loss problems. A diet like 5 Factor only works if you have someone bringing you meals fives times each day and a personal trainer shows up at your trailer during your break time. Got it?

[Call me a cynic, but I think there's another ingredient in her weight loss plan!]

Weight Loss Myth #3: Successful Weight Loss Costs A Pretty Penny

Okay, so celebrities aren’t going around telling us little people that we have to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks, but they may as well be. One thing all celebrity quick-fix diets have in common is that most cost money to join. With diet programs you have to purchase the food, which could be a substantial cost depending on how frequently the diet encourages you to eat. Some have you eat every 3 hours, while others require you to eat 5 times a day.

Celeb personal trainers cost about what most of us earn in a month, and no amount of weight loss can work out the downside to spending your entire salary on a weight loss program.

With that unused gym membership, the still packaged ThighMaster, and converted yoga mat, haven’t you learned your lesson with expensive diet fads? It doesn’t cost a lot of money to lose weight successfully, it just requires access to the right information and the right kinds of foods.

[If this is what you consider 'good' eating, your weight loss journey has just begun.]

We at The Fat Loss Authority have provided you with information on calories in alcohol so that when you go out for a night of fun you can enjoy yourself by having the information you need to make smart decisions. We’ve shown you a wide range of healthy food recipes that are in no way restrictive to a normal person. Whether you need a quick lunch idea or a healthy meal for entertaining, there are healthy and delicious options always available to you.

These celebrity weight loss myths want you to believe that you can’t live without that greasy fast food cheeseburger that you could actually make for yourself with less money and fewer calories! And the greasy fries you love can be tossed in the oven for a low-cal snack that won’t suck up the rest of your daily calories.

We all have to be mindful that celebrities spend even more time focusing on their appearance than we mortals do. In an industry so obsessed with how you look, it is in their financial interest to try any fad promising to shed an ounce of fat. For you however, it is in your best interest to simply make gradual changes in your lifestyle. For example, no one can deny how skinny Lindsey Lohan is, but do you really want to know her weight loss secret?

Celebrity weight loss myths feed on that insecurity we all have. I mean if Cameron Diaz is worried about her body, why shouldn’t the rest of us be, right? Wrong. Unless you have a staff of individuals invested in your physical appearance, celebrity diet plans probably won’t work for you. These plans require constant supervision, and an almost laser-focus on one thing only: weight loss.

If we could all do that without worrying about sacrificing jobs and relationships, that would work. But in the real world, normal people have to answer to bosses, pick up children, talk to spouses, touch base with family members, shower, make meals and pick up dry cleaning. Celebrity diet plans work for one reason: they are catered to celebrities and the super-rich.

[Even with Oprah money, celebrity diet plans don't seem very effective. What hope is there for the rest of us?]

If you want a diet plan that actually works, read our review of The Diet Solution Program. Isabel De Los Rios has created a well-rounded diet plan suitable for the wallet of regular weight loss joe’s like us!

One of the most curious things I’ve found over this past year researching and discussing weight loss  is that everyone has their own mantras, philosphies, and tactics that help them lose weight.  Some of them make sense, but the majority of them are a little extreme, and require the person to be totally “dialed in” to the process.

As much as this doesn’t suit my desired lifestyle, its important to understand that in the war against body fat, you have to do whatever works to get you to your goal… as long as its not harming you or anyone around you.  John Durfee, literally looks at fitness and weight loss as a war and he explains his strategic and tactical manifesto in this article. Enjoy!

My Fat Loss Mission
by John Durfee

The other night, I was watching TV when I came across a slew of late night ads for different exercise programs. It was interesting how each had its own goal and angle. One workout touted exercising constantly while others were focused on ‘confusing your body’ to get ripped. Being of a military mindset, I decided to design my my own workout routine. I drew on a white board:

Operation: Becoming Iron Man

Theater of War: Country of John

Situation Report:

• Insurgent forces of fat located in the Central Valley of Abdomen
• Weakening forces in the northern and southern arm and leg regions, strength dwindling

I chuckled at myself, thinking about how it looked just like the operational meetings we used to have in the Army. However, the more I looked at it, the more I started to consider it realistically. I decided to take it one step further. Eventually I had a workout plan laid out before me. I sketched it out in detail, and after ten minutes I stood back and looked at my work. The main points were as follows:

Goal: Defeat central forces of fat and regain control of the Central Valley of Abdomen region.

Time Frame: 8 weeks

My Battle Plan:

• 5 mile run twice a week (Tuesday, Thursday)
• Circuit Weights upper/lower body (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
• Outdoor Airsoft Milsim: All day (9am-closing)Weekend: Saturday/Sunday

I thought it was worth a shot. I liked the idea that I would be reinforcing the military theme by playing airsoft and getting dressed in military gear. It added a level of seriousness to it!

The First Hump

The first week was hard. I hadn’t run in a long time, and my muscles were aching even from light weights. The weekend though, was the fun part. Instead of sleeping in on Saturday, I rose early and played airsoft at an outdoor field. Airsoft is a lot like paintball except it uses little plastic bb’s, and the guns look and feel a lot more realistic. I usually play casually every now and then, but for this routine I came with the intention of playing at full intensity. I was running around trees, sliding down hills full of loose leaves, and stomping across muddy streams for hours. I did have to take a lot of breaks, because most of the people playing were teenagers and “Old man John” had to constantly stop to catch his breath.

When I came back for the second week of exercise, I didn’t let up, I ramped up the intensity and duration of my workout sessions. It wasn’t any easier, but I was beginning to enjoy it because the rigor of the regimen reminded me of my days of active duty. Also, playing Airsoft on the weekends was a great “break” mentally that still gave me an intense cardio and strength workout. With all the running and carrying 20 plus pounds of gear on my back (as well as a 15 pound SAW machine gun), I was sweating and burning off calories like no one’s business. I know how hard it is to get into a workout and stick with it, that’s why adding in variety with a fun activity helps keep things fresh.

There is no “I” in Army

I also recently convinced my office department to do my workout regimen with me. I knew conquering a mission alone would be difficult without support. Not everyone could meet my schedule every day, but I made sure to keep prodding and reminding them about it because I desired the accountability of knowing I was to lead the exercise, which would ensure I met my goals as well. In six weeks so far, I’ve only missed a day or two. We run things like a military unit, jogging in formation and truly developing camaraderie. More of my buddies and coworkers are joining me for weekend airsoft outings, and some of them are buying better airsoft guns and gear. I daresay it even helps us in the office, we’re getting along and being more productive than before.

The Few, The Proud

Almost to the end of my 8 week goal I feel great, I’ve lost a lot of the “office weight” I gained from sitting all day, and I have more energy than ever before. I’ve added definition to my arms and midsection, and there might even be an ab beginning to show. But the best part is the fact I feel and know instinctively that I’m healthy. It’s strange, but there was a turning point where I felt that I was being pushed by my routine, rather than me having to push to do my exercise on a daily basis. My coworkers who exercise and play airsoft with me constantly salute to me when we meet in the hall. It’s funny thing, but if you can make a workout truly personal for yourself, you can definitely go farther than just ‘making gym time’

If you’re interested in my regimen, you can google “circuit weights, circuit exercises” and find one that suits your level.

With 8 weeks almost up, I have no intention of stopping, well, except to drop and do twenty!

If Airsoft sounds interesting, Airsplat has a comprehensive listing of US airsoft fields, so you can plan your next intense physical outing.

John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation’s largest retailer of Airsoft Guns including Spring Airsoft Rifles.

It’s bad enough that you need to lose weight and you feel self-conscious about it all the time, but expecting you to go to the gym and let everyone see you struggle through a workout? I think not!

[It may feel like it, but everyone isn't staring at you when you go to the gym! Promise.]

If this kind of sentiment is keeping you at home and afraid to exercise in front of others, it’s probably preventing you from achieving your weight loss goals. By the time this article is over, you’ll have 5 circuit training exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home.

What IS Circuit Training?

Simply put, circuit training is an intense workout featuring both cardio and strength training. The exercises are completed back to back in quick bursts, alternating between aerobic and strength training to target different muscle groups.

Circuit training works because you need to stop for breaks because you aren’t simply tiring one muscle group out and moving on to the next. One “circuit” is completed when you have completed all exercises in your circuit training workout.

What You’ll Need

The convenient part about a gym workout is that all you need to bring is water and a towel. At home however, you’ll need to channel your inner McGuyver to get a full circuit training workout. Set up each exercise in a different spot around a circle so that you can have an effective workout right at home.

[This is a good idea for how to set up your circuit training area in the living room, basement or backyard.]

1. You’ll need 2 free weights or dumbbells for some of the resistance exercises.
2. A weight bench or sturdy table should be handy in the “circuit training area” of your home.
3. An exercise bike or jump rope for aerobic training.

Get It Done!!!

Now that you have everything you need, including water and a towel, it’s time to run through the circuit exercises to get you started. One full circuit consists of completing each of the following exercises. Remember, this isn’t a race. Take the time to do the movements correctly and breathe while you workout.

Begin with small weights that you can complete the circuit with. Don’t allow your ego to force you to use weights that are too heavy and quit before you’ve finished one circuit. Slow and steady still gets the job done!

1. Squats (10-15 reps)
2. Jump rope or jog in place (60 seconds)
3. Lunges (10-12 reps) Weights are optional for a more productive workout.
4. Jump rope or jog in place (60 seconds)
5. Chess presses on a weight bench (10 reps)
6. Jump rope or jog in place (60 seconds)
7. Bent over rows using weight bench or table (10-15 reps)

It doesn’t look like much on paper, but these circuit training exercises will help you burn fat and build muscle for a healthy new you.

[Be sure to inhale as you go up and exhale as you push through the squat. Breathing is key in circuit training.]

It’s important for beginners to take a few seconds, as much as 30 seconds if needed in between each different exercise. If you don’t feel as though you need a break in between exercises, be sure to take a 2 minute break between circuits.

[Grab a picnic or work bench and do 10-15 repetitions on each arm. Done and DONE!]

If this seems too easy for you, think again. These circuit training exercises will help you lose fat and tone muscle, but only if you do them enough. A complete workout should consist of about 2 circuits for beginners who are out of shape.

For those of you who do get some form of exercise on a regular basis, you should do 4 or more circuits so that you get at least 20-30 minutes of physical activity. As you get more comfortable with this circuit you can increase the number of exercises you complete or add additional weight to your strength training exercises.

After a few weeks of circuit training at home, you may feel adventurous and ready to hit the gym. If so, you should read our review of Turbulence Training to help you get the most effective workout imaginable!

Push ups have been a method of mild torture since elementary school physical fitness testing. It’s just not normal to be required to push your body off of the ground as many times as possible in 60 seconds, at least that’s how I used to think. Today, I look back and think I could’ve had the arms I’ve always wanted this entire time, if only I understood that push ups were more than punishment.

[Demi showed us all that a plain hard floor could produces arms to envy!]

With the fitness industry raking in millions of dollars each year, it’s difficult to rid myself of skepticism when a new machine or piece of equipment is introduced every month. But since everyone needs upper body strength to perform basic daily activities and keep that heart healthy, most of the skepticism has been tossed aside to help you find push up equipment that will best tone your triceps.

You’re probably thinking, why would I need push up equipment when I have 2 healthy arms just dangling at my sides? Well the answer is simple. Using push up equipment will help you maintain the integrity of the movement so that you don’t injure yourself. An improperly done push up could result in pulled or strained muscles.

[Get the most from your push up workout by keeping your neck and back straight. You don't need fancy push up equipment for awesome arms!]

Another added benefit of push up workouts and equipment is that you no longer can use that weak wrist as an excuse to forego upper body exercises. Some exercise equipment on the market is intended to help those whose bodies are in less than perfect condition, push through the pain in an effort to build those muscles and alleviate pain or injury.

Perfect Push Up

This piece of push up equipment was created by a Navy Seal to make your push ups more efficient while reducing the strain on your joints and muscles. The handles rotate as you perform your push ups, allowing more muscles to get involved in each move you make.

[Use push up equipment to help gain leverage over difficult to perform push up exercises.]

The Perfect Push Up helps tone your triceps by allowing you to put your hands very close together for push ups without slipping. The non-slip base helps keep you stable even when doing difficult to maneuver exercises for your triceps. The best thing about this equipment is that you can lean against the wall or any other incline for a different workout. This is one piece of push up equipment that takes away all excuses…why make excuses as to why you can’t work those triceps when you can take them with you!

Push Up Spike

If you’ve already progressed to the next level in your arm exercises, consider the super tough push up spike. This t-bar style equipment works similar to other push up equipment, only way more hardcore. The spikes are available in 3 different levels of thickness, the “easiest” bar being the thickest at 2 inches wide.

You can really work your triceps with this equipment because you determine how close or how far apart your hands should be. Start with the thickest handle available until you get used to the motion of push ups with this equipment. The stability required while using the Push Up Spike is also a great mini-workout for your core and your back.

Push Up Bar

When you need to do push ups and you need to do them properly, you probably need adjustable push up bars. This equipment eases the stress on your wrists and forearms without taking away from the workout your chest, arms, abs, and back are receiving. This adjustable push up bar has 3 different levels, for a more well-rounded triceps workout.

The pull up Bar is sturdy and a great beginning push up exercise for those of us who really need to get in shape. The adjustable levels allow you to determine which level of difficulty you want from day to day and the sturdy materials allow you a wide range of muscle exercises, particularly for your triceps.

Whether you’re just starting out and you need to do push ups on your knees or you’re thisclose to getting the triceps you’ve always wanted, your push up routine could benefit from any of this push up equipment. Biceps, triceps, pectorals, lats, and forearms are all important muscles for blood and circulation, strength and overall health. Either of these three pieces of equipment can help you develop the best arms exercises to fit your goals.

See if Rob has any tips to help you melt away the arm fat by reading our review of The Fat Burning Furnace. After all, the key to healthy and toned arms is burning fat and building muscle!

It seems lately that every celebrity, young and old, is extolling the benefits of the P90X workout program. This program has purportedly helped Usher keep his dance grooves moving, while Taylor Lautner swears P90X allowed him to bare his totally buff chest in those vampire flicks. The real question is, can P90X help you pursue your weight loss goals?

[Lautner credits P90X for his buff bod....are these results you could live with? 'Cause I totally can!]

What IS p90X?

P90X, also known as Power 90 Extreme, is a weight loss program designed for home use. The claim made by P90X creator Tony Horton is that this weight loss program will improve overall physical fitness in…90 days! Sounds good, right?

Well many things sound good, but with a combination of stretching, cardio, yoga, and strength training, P90X will surely get you fit. Their additional focus on nutrition and diet had me intrigued enough to keep digging.

With a slogan like “regular to ripped in just 90 days”, you can be sure hundreds of celebs all over the globe go to this quick fat loss program.

What’s GOOD?

What’s good about P90X is that the workout plan consists of 12 different exercise regimens, allowing you to target all problem areas without getting bored.

Their theory of muscle confusion was especially interesting, and I think every dieter who has rushed home from the gym only to discover the scale says the same thing it said 3 weeks ago, will agree. Muscle confusion means doing a bunch of different exercises throughout each workout routine to keep your muscles multi-tasking, and therefore confused and unable to get used to the workout movements.

The best thing about this ultra rigorous weight loss program is that each video features a variety of exercise models performing each exercise in varying degrees of difficulty. This allows practically all users to follow the exercise regimen as instructed.

P90X is a fitness program that those who need a very strict diet plan to follow for weight loss. The 90-day program comes with the exercise DVDs, a nutrition guide, calendar, and a fitness plan to make sure you have all the tools you need to get healthy and in shape.

With a (90 day) money back guarantee, it sounds worth a shot.

[For many celebrities this logo can take them from 'has-been' to 'comeback kid', but is it the weight loss program for you?]

What’s Not-So-GOOD?

While P90X and its celebrity endorsers have me sold in the physical and some nutritional aspects of this weight loss program, the price seems made for the rich. With 3 payments of $40 each plus shipping and handling, your bill will be about $140. It’s true that’s a small price to pay for great health and a rockin’ bod, but you still need other exercise equipment to complete the DVDs.

Phase 1 of the nutrition program focuses on high protein and low carbs to emphasize how carbs affect energy level, and that’s a good thing. I just think it encourages that ‘Atkins’ frame of mind.

P90X requires users to workout 6 days each week, resting only one day. Millions of users swear by its effectiveness so who am I to question this wisdom, but it does seem a lot to ask of someone with problems getting motivated to workout.

Again, the cost. With dumbbells, resistance ropes, and a pull up bar plus the costs of protein bars ($23.95), recovery formula ($45.95) and multivitamins ($42.95), this program costs well over $300. Awesome if you have a celebrity bank account, less awesome if you’re on a budget.

This isn’t a negative per se, but P90X is a VERY strenuous workout….VERY. If you are extremely out of shape and that means out of shape, not just overweight, you should take it easy during the first few weeks. If you have injuries or weight-related health problems ask your physician how to ease into P90X.

The Verdict

Well celebrities swear by anything that helps them look good on stage, in a particular role, in a specific outfit, or even on a list of Hollywood fashion disasters, so how can we really trust them?

Usher looks great. Pink looks great. Sheryl Crow looks great. Matt Diaz of the Braves looks great. And everybody knows how great Ashton & Demi looks so do we really need to say whether or not P90X works?

[Results are never typical for these weight loss programs, but these photos have you picturing yourself looking a feeling a whole lot better...right?]

Of course we do. The program is incredibly promising. If you can survive the first couple of weeks of this intense weight loss program, you will quite probably witness a noticeable change in your overall health and appearance. Sure the cost is definitely something to think about, but the nutritional supplements are totally optional…and you have the expert weight loss wisdom of TFLA to help you with all food related quandries!

Tony Horton motivates, and sometimes infuriates you throughout all 12 DVDs. Sometimes his love of this intense workout is maddening, but when you need motivation Tony is the guy to get you pumped up to the finish line. Click here for more information on P90X weight loss program.

If you feel the need to compare and contrast weight loss programs, check out our fat loss review of the Fat Burning Furnace.

Have you had the priviledge of seeing these new fangled shoes? Vibram Five Finger Shoes were created to use during any sporting activity to create a “barefoot experience.”

[No, you won't win any fashion awards but these shoes aren't for the ballroom.]

To learn more about why anyone would think it worth the embarrassment to wear these read on…

Apparently, for these shoes, you either love them or you hate them. It is definitely a big adjustment from the standard shoe. Your feet will feel weird when you wear them. They feel like a glove for your feet.

Even the factory tells you that you need to break them in slowly. Your feet will take some time to adjust, but once they do, running or walking in Vibram five finger shoes is supposed to be a healthier alternative.

They look very wimpy but the soles are supposed to protect your feet. The soles are made from a material that should be able to resist any sharp object .

What makes these shoes a better choice?

The Pros of Vibram Five Finger Shoes

Once you get past the initial breaking in of your new foot gloves, your feet are free! Some reviews claim to feel more at one with the earth. They feel their feet and lower legs getting stronger and their running abilities improving.

This quick video will give you the run down of what Vibram Five Finger Shoes are all about.

There are currently seven different models. The models differ for their use. Some are for watersports, some are for sprinting, and the classic is for everyday use. They come in many different styles and fabrics for men or women, so anyone can own a five finger shoe.

The philosophy is that you were born barefoot and that is how nature intended it. For the strongest and healthiest feet, it would be best to walk around barefoot. However, technology has changed the surface of the earth and so comes the need for Vibram Five Finger Shoes.

The Cons of Vibram Five Finger Shoes

There have been plenty of positive reviews for these shoes but their have also been a few complaints about the wearability and durability of these shoes.

Apparently, where the protective material on the bottom meets the fabric on the top there is a weak spot. The material can come apart and a hole will start to spread.

Of course, the same happens with any other shoes but the quality of Vibram Five Finger shoes would depend on the amount of time it took for the fraying to begin.

Vibram Five Finger Shoes run between $75 to $110 American Dollars. This is about the same as a high class pair of running shoes.

The Verdict

Vibram Five Finger Shoes makes a lot of claims. Whether they are true for you or not, you can only tell through experience. I can see where the experience can be liberating to be wearing shoes but “not” wear shoes. I can also see some of their science making sense about the increased balance and agility of the foot.

However, the Vibram Five Finger Shoes is not for everyone. It isn’t for every occasion, either. I would never go out in the wintertime with these flimsy shoes.

I think they would be fun to try everyonce in a while when I feel adventurous. Whether you are one that loves them, or one that hates them, you’ll never know until you try them!

If you have tested Vibram Five Fingers PLEASE COMMENT below… would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in creating a stronger foot, then you are definitely interested in creating a stronger body as a whole. Check out our review of Turbulence Training for great exercises to do just that.

You’ve probably heard the term “isometric exercises” before. Maybe, you’ve always wondered what that term really means or perhaps you think you know but are a little misinformed.

No worries! By the time you’re done reading this article. You’ll have a full understanding of what isometric exercises are and what they can do for you.

[Gaining knowledge is an important part of your success in reaching your fitness goals. Hopefully, today you will walk away from your computer knowing that TFLA helped you learn a little something about isometric exercises.]

To gain knowledge about isometric exercises to help you in your fitness journey, keep reading…

When you get a mental image of exercise, what is it?

Maybe you see a big guy, sitting on a weight lifting bench, grunting and groaning while he is benching an insane amount of weight and his muscles are bulging and his veins are popping out and the air is intense.

Maybe you see a group of women jumping around to upbeat music in perfectly matched jumpsuits, with big smiles on their faces and bringing their legs up over their heads.

We all have stereotypical ideas of what exercise is supposed to be, but a good exercise regime involves thinking outside the box.

Isometric exercises are a good example of exercise that breaks through the boundaries that society has taught us of exercise.

What are Isometric Exercises?

Let’s look back at those two examples, whether the big, iron pumping He-Man, or the Barbie Doll Aerobic Dancer, both involve bending joints to create resistance to gain muscle strength.

Isometric exercises are the opposite of that. No joints are being bent during the isometric exercise. For example, think about putting your hands up over your head and keeping them there. How long before your arms are going to get tired?

It’s all in the contraction. With dynamic exercises, the resistance comes from a constant contraction and retraction of certain muscles by bringing a weight, whether it be body weight or other, back and forth through a joint extension. A good example of a dynamic exercise is the curl. Holding a weight in your hand you bend and extend your elbow, working the bicep muscle.

Why do Isometric Exercises?

With isometric exercises you gain strength by holding a position for a certain period of time. This works different fibers in the muscles and the joints to create more strength in the muscles at different joint angles.

This can be very useful in certain life situations.

Dynamic exercises are great for when you need to dig a hole but isometric exercises can give you more strength for emergency situations.

Say you fell off a cliff and all you needed to do was hold on for 10 minutes until a chopper arrived to save you. Or maybe, you were in an earthquake and you needed to hold a wall from crushing your daughter until she got out.

Had you trained with isometric exercises, your chance of success in these situations would have greatly increased.

My Favorite Isometric Exercises

Upper Body-

• Isometric Push Ups-Hold yourself at bent elbow position.
• Planks
• Isometric Flyes- Hold the weight at shoulder height.

For more great upper body exercises check out our Best Bicep Workout for Kissable Guns.

Lower Body-

• Isometric Squat- Hold yourself as close to the ground as possible.
• Isometric Calf Raise- Hold yourself with pointed toes.

For more great lower body exercises check out our Top 10 Best Thigh Firming Exercises.

When doing isometric exercises, always remember to breathe while you hold the position for 10-30 seconds at a time.

For a great and sensible eating plan to help you with your isometric exercises, check out our review of The Diet Solution Program.

Thighs can be a problem area, for women especially. Like the abdomen, this is one of the last places that you would lose fat.

[Whether you want to run, play tennis or strut your stuff on the catwalk, thigh firming exercises can help!]

To learn the best firming thigh exercises, read on…

Many people have made their fortune selling thigh exercise and firming products. There are creams, machines, pills, and spandex. No doubt about it, thighs are a sensitive area that people looking to make money take advantage of.

Cellulite

When we think about thigh problems, inevitably we think about cellulite.

Don’t fall for any gimmicks. Cellulite is impossible to get rid of without getting rid of the fat. Cellulite is a very stubborn type of fat that takes a lot of determination and exercise to get rid of.

Trying to get rid of cellulite through another avenue other than diet and thigh exercise will only cost you a lot of money and heartache! An official medical study expresses why “treament remains elusive”. See the proof here.

But, your thighs aren’t impossible to tone! Let’s talk about a good thigh exercise to do that!

Our Top Thigh Exercise

Just like our glute exercises, much of your thighs are greatly worked through cardio as well as through strength training.

The best cardio thigh exercise is rollerbladding. A close second is running followed by cycling and stairs climbing.

For best results, do circuits of 2-3 minutes of intense cardio of your choice with a minute of each of the following toning thigh exercises.

Measure the circumference of your thighs now. Do this thigh exercise three times a week for four weeks and cut out 300 calories consumed each day and then measure your thighs again. See how many inches you lost.

If you are having a hard time cutting back the calories, check out our healthy snacks list that will help you choose wiser and less calorie-full snack.

Of course, you will probably gain a little muscle as well, but that’s okay because you will have that nice toned look!

Countdown of the Best Toning Thigh Exercise

#10. Sun Salutation- This yoga thigh exercise is actually a great all over body workout but after a few rounds you can really feel the workout in your thighs.

#9. The Flamingo- Standing on one leg and touching the floor and coming back up again, always on one foot will really work that leg all over, not just the thigh!

the flamingo-thigh exercise

#8. Scissor Kicks- This move works both legs inner and outer thighs all in one move!

#7. Lying Abduction/Adduction- Do this move on the floor on your side old school style. You might feel lazy but you will feel the burn in your thighs!

#6. Leg Circles- Work those thighs at a 360 degree level!

#5. Plie Squats- The small difference in your foot stance and spinal alignment from a traditional squat will make you use a different part of the leg to complete this thigh exercise.

#4. Step Ups- Doesn’t really matter what you step up on, the taller the better!

#3. Side Lunges- Go as deep as you can on these for best results.

#2. Squat- Hands down the best way to work your lower body in one shot.

Are you ready for the best firming thigh exercise?

Drum roll, please…

…and the #1 thigh exercise is…

#1. The Front Lunge- Best done plyometrically for cut, beautiful, slim thighs.

There you have it! 10 great thigh exercises that will tighten, tone, and slim your thighs. No more thunder thighs!

Craig Ballantyne, the king of bodyweight exercises has a great program called Turbulence Training that will tone and tighten every body part. Check out our review here.

There is nothing better than to stash useful things around your house, but completely out of the way. They are there when you need them but don’t annoy you by lying around in your moving space.

One such wonderful contraption is the door frame pull up bar.

[Have you ever seen something hanging off your friends door frame and wondered what the heck it was?]

Keep reading to learn how to use a door frame pull up bar and how much they rock for total body fitness…

Pull ups are a great upper back workout. They are also great for the arms, shoulders, abs, and grip strength. They are fun to do at the gym or at a playground, but what about bringing that fun home?

That is where the door frame pull up bar comes in, and if you pick the right one, you will be doing much more than pull ups with it!

So these babies are sturdy steel bars that fit right onto your door frame on any door at home.

Which Door Frame Pull Up Bar to Buy?

Depending on which brand you buy they can range from $30-$150 so choose wisely my friends. They all have the same basic design but quality and accessories could be a factor in price.

There is one that I found, you can get it on Amazon.com, that comes with straps to make it able to use for hanging leg raises, which are a great six pack abs exercise.

When you take it off the door and lay it on the floor, it can be used to do elevated push ups, tricep dips, and much more. The door frame pull up bar really is a versatile tool for total body fitness.

But I Can’t Even Do a Pull Up!

If you haven’t reached the ability to do a pull up, this tool can be helpful for you too. All you have to do is try it with one foot on a chair or with a spotter and gradually you will get better and better.

There is also a thing called an Assisted Pull Up. It is done using a door frame pull up bar, bungees cords or resistance tubing. It is a little complicated but if it sounds interesting, you can find it at specialized fitness stores or make your own.

The main thing is to keep your attitude positive and don’t give up! You’ll be busting out pull ups like crazy before you know it!

It is also helpful not to hide the door frame pull up bar. Put it in plain sight on a door that gets used often. That way, each time you pass it, you’ll think about doing a pull up and your arms will get  stronger week by week.

Ways to Use a Door Frame Pull Up Bar

In order to really benefit from a pull up, it is important to perform your pull ups properly. You can also tweak the pull up slightly to work different muscles in the arms and back.

First we need to distinguish between a pull up and a chin up. The pull up is definitely the harder of the two with your arms a lot farther apart and your palms facing away from you. The pull up works mainly the back.

The chin up is easier working more with the biceps. It is done with the arms closer together and your palms facing you.

There are a few pointers to start with:

1. Keep your fingers on the bar, not the palm…less callouses.
2. Take your breath before you go up.
3. Bend your legs and cross your feet.
4. Keep your elbows facing down.
5. Look up at the bar.
6. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Pull ups are great bodyweight exercises and can really help to strengthen the upper body.

For more great bodyweight exercises, check out our review of Turbulence Training.

Biceps are a glorified part of the body. If you have them, you’re tough stuff. Many own them with pride and many are looking to achieve them with the best bicep workout.

If you are looking to get a set of kissable guns for yourself, this is the best bicep workout to get them and if you are looking to keep up with a pair you already have, it works for that too.

[Wolverine had some pretty heavy artillery for his biceps. Hugh Jackman undoubtedly had to do the best bicep workout at least three times a week before the shooting of X-Men.]

To get kissable guns with the best bicep workout ever, keep reading…

Your biceps are the easiest way to show your strength. You’ve probably been trying to flex those babies since you were five. Your mom probably even has a picture of you doing so in the family album.

Big biceps have always been the biggest show of strength, since men held big sticks.

There are some great isolation exercises to help strengthen and develop biceps as well as some complex exercises that include bicep usage and create beautiful arms as a whole.

Here at TFLA, we like to make things simple and easy to follow, so we have put together a one week plan for any to follow, whether you are beginner or intermediate, man or woman. There are two versions, one will be for the gym, and one at home. You can do one or mix the two. Have it your way, just like the BK.(Burger King- but don’t eat that stuff during this workout plan!)

The Week of the Best Bicep Workouts

For all exercises you should gage how much weight to use by the ability to finish the set. The last rep should use everything you have, and always, ALWAYS remember to warm up with an easy set first.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday:

Gym- Standing Bar Bell Curls: 2 or 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Home- Chin Ups: 2 sets of 10-12

Gym: Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10 each side

Home: Inverted push ups: 2 sets of 20

Gym: Preacher Curls: 3 sets of 10 each side

Home: Milk Jug Preacher Curls: 3 sets fo 10 each side

(you can fill the milk jugs with sand for a heavier version)

Simple, right?

It is important that you don’t work your biceps two days in a row in order to give your muscles time to recover. That is when they grow, so if  you are going for size, skip a day in between.

Also, in order to gain muscle, it is important to eat right along with your best bicep workout.  Being in the gym is most important, but  if you restrict your diet too much it could hurt your gains. And eating like a bodybuilder just makes you fat.

Just eat normally, workout hard, rest enough, and start handing out tickets to the gun show.

If you aren’t looking to build muscle but want to tone up what you already have, the best bicep workout is plenty of bodyweight exercises. Push ups, inverted push ups, chin ups. You can make them fun circuit workouts if you want.

Your arms are used for plenty of daily activities. By getting stronger biceps you will be more apt to take on much of the day to day challenges at work, home, or at play.

For more fun workouts like the best bicep workout, and how to make your body a fat burning vessel, check out our review of The Fat Burning Furnace.

If you are looking to put a little excitement into your workout routine, gym ball exercises will do the trick!

The very fun nature of bouncy gym balls make it impossible to have a boring session.

[Gym ball exercises can be alot of fun! Especially when you do it in groups. Then you can laugh and point when someone else falls off!]

Keep reading to learn how to have fun and burn calories with gym ball exercises…

You might fall on your butt or get way off balance, just laugh it off! Have fun!

Even if all you do is put the right music on and start bouncing all over like you were 10 again you would still get a good exercise.

But, to really benefit from a great workout routine to firm you abs, butt, legs, and arms from a gym ball, there are unique moves you can do and we will show you some of the most popular and also some that aren’t so widely known but just as effective.

Before we get to that, however, there are some great gym ball exercises that you can do at work or while sitting watching TV that can help you to tone will you are busy doing something else.

Whittle While You Work! Da, da, dum, dum, dum ,da , dum!

Here at TFLA we like to help you find ways to make it easier to fit fitness into your life. Here are a few easy ways to do that using a gym ball:

• Bounce on the ball while you are watching TV. You will burn calories and tone your abdominals and quads.
• Squeeze the ball between your knees while you are at your desk. This will tone your inner thighs.
• Sit on the ball and create circles with your butt keeping your chest as still as possible. This will help to create a smaller waist and work the hips.
• Place your hands firmly on the ball in plank position. Hold for as long as you can during commercials.
• Hold the ball between your hands and squeeze it as hard as you can. Release and repeat.

Great Gym Ball Exercises for All Over Body Toning

Gym Ball Crunch: This is just what it sounds like. Prop the ball right above the small of your back and plant your feet on the floor. Contract your abs and crunch it baby!

Gym Ball Push Ups:

This would have been a great addition to my creative push up workout article from last week. You can make these elevated or decline push ups. For the elevated push up you simply push up off the actual gym ball. For a decline push up, you prop your feet on the ball and push off the floor.

Gym Ball Bridge:

Lie on your back, knees bent, and heels on the ball. Keep your knees bent but bring your butt up off the floor until your body is aligned from knees to shoulders. You can switch things up by extending one leg up and bridging with the other leg.

Gym Ball JackKnife:

Lie on the ground with your arms extended over your head and your legs completely extended about shoulder width apart. Hold the ball in your hands. Bring the ball up as your bring your legs up and pass the ball from your hands to between your feet. Bring the ball to the floor with your feet and repeat. Only this time pass it back to your hands. This is a great upper and lower abdominal exercise.

Gym Ball Tricep Extension: Hold the ball between your hands behind your back. Squeeze the ball tight and lift up.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the great gym ball exercises that you can do at home or at the gym. The greatest thing about gym ball exercises is that they are more challenging because not only are you doing a strength exercise but you also have to constantly engage your core to stabilize yourself and keep your balance.

For more great exercises and tips on eat right and look tight and lean for summer, see our review of The Truth About Abs.

Burning fat and losing weight is hard enough. But for most of us, losing those last 10 or 15 pounds – and keeping them off – seems nearly impossible. And let’s not forget that we want to keep the muscle we’ve built along the way, right?

OK, time to drop the word “nearly” and just call it impossible?

Not so, says personal trainer and fitness blogger Chad Howse.

Chad has a great personal story of his own which includes boxing and putting functional muscle on his skinny frame, but today he stopped by to share 3 tips for burning fat and how he went from fighting at 165 lbs to 152 lbs without sacrificing any muscle.

Here are Chad’s tips for dropping those last pounds and making sure they stay gone.

3 Tips for Burning Fat Without Sacrificing Any Muscle by Chad Howse

I started my brief fighting career at middleweight, which is 165lbs in amateur boxing, and soon found it tough to keep that weight with all the training I was doing.

So, I had a decision to make. Do I stay at 165lbs and just eat more or do I cut weight all the way down to 152lbs and give welterweight a go?

The thing with fighting is you want to pack as much power and muscle into whatever weight you’re fighting at as possible. So it’s not just a weight loss thing, it’s completely about fat loss.

I had to burn as much fat as I could while sacrificing as little amount of muscle as I could, which is a hard thing. So how did I do it?

1. No distance running

For over 100 years boxers have been running first thing in the morning to cut weight and to stay in shape. Everyone’s seen Rocky right? Remember when Balboa drinks the eggs in the morning, one of the greatest training sequences of all time?! Well that’s pretty typical, minus the eggs maybe.

The problem with long runs is that you burn too much muscle and not enough fat. Your body doesn’t feel the need, because of the lack of intensity, to tap into its fat-stores for energy. Instead you end up burning proteins and carbohydrates, much of which are found in the muscles you’re working to keep going.

Have you ever heard of a hormone called cortisol? It’s a stress hormone that’s triggered in response to stress, anxiety and prolonged exercise. It has multiple negative effects on your body, including the weakening of your immune system and the ‘burning’ of bone and muscle. This is why prolonged bouts of exercise can result in the storing of fats and the burning of muscle rather than the opposite which is the intended result.

So, I focus only on High Intensity Interval Training. Things like sprints, stairs, and plyometric circuits. Because of the intensity of the workouts your body needs to tap into its stored fats for energy. Quick bursts of power, like sprints, also release growth hormone throughout your body which aids in the building of muscle, yet another bonus.

2. Lifted more weights

This may sound a bit odd, especially when boxers have shied away from weights for years because it gets you too bulky, too stiff, and can actually take away power and speed. But I did things differently and it allowed me to increase my power and speed and hold on to my muscle.

I focused all my lifting around power, explosiveness, and muscular endurance.

I’d mix up my reps and sets as much as possible, which I recommend for you to do as well, and did all my lifting in circuits of 3 or more exercise, doing each circuit 2-4 times, with rests going from 30 – 60 seconds.

Here’s an example:

Cleans – 6 reps

Box jumps – 15

Burpees into a pull-up – 10 reps

I also stayed away from all concentration exercises and focused only on compound exercises. If your goal is to burn fat, which I’m betting it is as you’re reading articles on thefatlossauthority.com, then stay away from concentration exercises as much as possible, especially if they’re focusing on your smaller muscles – arms.

You’re not going to burn as many calories because you’re not activating as much muscle as you are if you’re working more than one muscle group at a time (compound exercises).

3. I ate early and often

I’d get a big meal in at around 6am, then taper down for the rest of the day. And by big meal I mean big!

8 eggs, 1 slice of toast + peanut butter, salsa, avocado, salmon oil and multi-vitamin.

Making that first meal a big one sets you up to burn a boat load of extra calories during the day. After that first meal I’d eat every 3-4 hours, always having protein, good fats, and good carbohydrates with every meal.

Not only did I want to boost my metabolism through my workouts, but I also wanted to give it a boost through my diet as well which is why I ate every 3-4 hours, and which is why I made that first meal such a big one.

****End of Post****

A big thanks to Chad Howse for sharing his experience with fat loss. If you have any questions for Chad, please don’t hesitate to drop one in the comments section and by all means travel over to Chad’s Fitness Blog where his focus is about getting a great body with a busy schedule.

Personal trainers have built their business on bringing fitness training and support to individuals in the comfort of their own homes. In recent years though, there has been a new dynamic growing at creating a similar environment for another group of clients – those you never meet in person.

If you’re like me and born outside of generation z (mid-90s to 2000s) then this sounds absolutely crazy!

A personal trainer who never spots you or yells out “c’mon, one more rep”? Huh? Really?

[Imagine Obama on the other end coaching you?? - "I don't think I can do it coach... YES WE CAN!"]

So let’s move together past our collective first glances and see what virtual personal trainers and coaches have to offer.

How exactly does this arrangement work?

Personal trainers offer their online coaching expertise usually by way of two methods – email or phone (Skype). Not only do these methods allow trainers to connect with clients locally but also abroad (hello citizens of Brazil!).

Why would I choose online weight loss coaching vs. “real” coaching?

Individuals who gravitate towards online coaching may not necessarily want someone coming to their homes or may not be in the financial position to afford the personalization of home service.

What is the cost of online coaching?

This is where things get a little sketchy. The cost range varies between trainers and depends on their availability and popularity especially in months such as January where everyone-and-their-mother is hitting the gym in hopes of shedding some pounds.

On average, it would seem that $50 for each half-hour session based on a three month program is the going rate. Many trainers will also charge a $50 setup fee which typically involves a technical session to ensure your PC is configured for online interaction.

Clients also typically receive a manual, which includes an exercise log where they record their “work”, as well as pictures and handouts relative to their goals.

A (virtual) personal trainer’s perspective

I wanted a personal trainer’s take on this whole virtual personal training business and preferably someone who has done both the live and online coaching variety. Thankfully, my network of friends includes such a person who fits the bill.

Enter Vince DelMonte, good friend and most importantly fitness expert. Here’s some snippets of our conversation and what he had to say regarding the topic.

“People always think it’s about the lack of motivation in fitness and weight loss. Sure, it’s a big key of course, but what people typically lack is the proper habits.”

“Proper habits will create motivation and in turn create consistency that is long enough to get results”

“An email or phone call every week to review your exercise and diet homework keeps people accountable to themselves.”

DelMonte says he tends to do the exact same thing in his online coaching as he does with the in-home or gym training – except physically showing up. (This point still blows me away)

Which is better, LIVE or VIRTUAL personal training?

Side note: I love putting people on the spot. Vince’s first response was a classic off-the-record profanity which resulted in a good laugh by both. Now back to our regularly scheduled program:

“Yes, the web is great for people to connect with personal trainers for follow-ups, support, and quick questions BUT… can they really replace face-to-face communication?”

Call me old school but I like the sit-down or face-to-face way of communication.

DelMonte adds,

“No question there’s a bond that’s built between a personal trainer and a client during in-person training sessions BUT many more of my clients (beginners to advanced athletes) thrive in the online fitness environment”

So online weight loss coaching may not be the best choice for everyone. However, many people excel in the online environment, not only for weight loss as DelMonte pointed out above, but for other educational purposes as evidenced by the increasing number of courses and degrees being made available by physical universities.

5 benefits of online personal training

For those that do benefit from a virtual “work out” already, here are 8 reasons why online health and fitness coaching may be right for you as well:

1. Choice
Online weight loss coaching allows people to choose from a wide variety of trainers and styles that may not be available in your area. Why wouldn’t you want to connect with the best personal trainers from around the world?

2. Flexibility
Connecting with a weight loss coach online offers flexibility for people who have other commitments.

3. Networking and Support
Depending on the trainer you choose to work with, he or she may have an active online community where people can share strategies, and encourage one another towards achieving their fat loss goals. It’s always nice to know you’re not fighting a battle alone.

4. Savings
This depends solely on the trainer you select, but typically online weight loss coaching is less than “real” personal training when personalized manuals and eating logs are included. Throw in the ability to email you’re trainer at any time with a question and your training dollars can certainly stretch further and more effectively.

5. Time and Travel
Forget rushing across town to meet with your personal trainer or waiting for other gym members to use the same equipment. People who choose online weight loss training save on gas, commuting time, and waiting for open equipment.

If you’re interested in learning more about virtual weight loss coaching than check out this video of Vince DelMonte and a bunch of people he just trained in our Six Pack Quest review. Vince DelMonte’s program is one of the very few out there that go beyond paper and pen, and offer DVDs, instructional exercise tools, and online coaching to make it nearly impossible not to reach your fat loss goals.