Watching the finale of Biggest Loser last night was inspiring. No need to recap, just find it on TiVO and you’ll be amazed at the transformations. But one thing that the audience should not gloss over is the end goal. As in, there is no end goal:

It’s a lifestyle!

[Congrats to Jerry Hayes for winning the at home portion of Biggest Loser. At 64, he was the show’s oldest contestant ever. He was eliminated early in the competition but continued to lose weight after the show going from 369 to 192 pounds, a loss of 177 pounds, or 47.97 percent weight loss. Look at the intensity in Jerry's face!]

If you want to burn off fat and keep it off permanently, there are a few things you absolutely must do (ie.

We all know those guys and gals who can eat what they want, barely work out, and still manage to stay more fit and lose more weight than their friends.

Why? Because they have a fast metabolism .

The rest of us? We’re left with our own jealous thoughts while we curse our genes for not being better at burning fat. But does having a slower metabolism relegate us to a lifestyle filled with weight gain and frustration?

The answer: NO .

"Sure, you’re stuck with your metabolism to some degree ", says the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Gary R. Hunter, PhD, director of the exercise physiology lab and professor at the School of Education. "But research shows that building and maintaining lean muscle can speed it up . "

In fact, by

We all know by now that pop, or soda, is one of the worst beverages you can ingest. The many additives like high fructose corn syrup and artifical flavours can cause a slew of health problems as documented in various research studies.
 
Surprisingly, many people believe that “diet” soda is in some way a good thing for losing weight. “I would like a diet coke instead please” is something I’ve heard with alarming regularity when dining out with friends and colleagues.

Is it others’ perceptions of you ordering water and being cheap that has you ordering diet soda? I’m not sure, but the physchology of eating out in a group is something interesting and shall be covered in a future article.  
 
But, perception aside, let’s get down to the facts.
 
There is absolutely

Now with the warmer weather arriving, it’s a great time to get outside and get moving! Whatever you choose to do this season to stay active, it doesn’t have to require you to refinance your mortgage or burn a hole in your wallet.
 

Here are five inexpensive activities that you can enjoy to stay fit and lose weight:

1. Walking and Jogging

You can get active on your own or with a group, all that is required is a pair of running shoes, shorts, and some t-shirts. Does it get any simpler then this? Probably not, but if you want to make it more interesting, get yourself a pedometer and keep track of your progress.

2. Hiking

Similar to our

As many of you know, weight training is my main exercise activity when it comes to fat loss. However, training with equipment such as dumbbells and barbells properly is known by very few. If it was easy then you would see a lot more muscular and lean physiques on the streets.

Before you learn how to weight train properly, it is critical that you learn these five weight training tips before you even begin to start hoisting heavy objects above your head.

1. Goal Setting

“Inch-by-inch life is a sinch. Yard-by-yard life is hard.” Words made famous by Vince Delmonte himself. Treat your goal setting the same way. Do not expect to be on the cover of Men’s Fitness by next summer. Decide how much muscle weight you wish

Whether you are a professional athlete or playing on team at your local YMCA or aiming for a personal best in your next workout, what you eat and drink day-to-day will affect how well you can train.

If you don’t eat well you may lack the energy to train with intensity and duration, break down your body’s lean tissue (muscle) for energy, lose bone strength, or get sick or injured.

In today’s post, we take a look at the importance of three key ingredients (carbohydrates, fat and protein) in your daily caloric intake and provide estimates on appropriate amounts for those individuals who have established a regular exercise routine.

Carbohydrate

Why do we need it? Everybody, from marathon runners to body builders, need carbohydrates. It provides quick energy for your muscles

I was recently in the gym with fitness guru Vince DelMonte , for a mid-week workout. It’s not often someone gets to sweat and grunt along side a fitness professional (a very busy one at that) so motivation that day was a non-issue. On the agenda today? Building muscle, period .

Now most of us think we can build or gain muscle by training each body part once per week, slamming back some protein shakes, and eating enough chicken and tuna to grow feathers and gills. Unfortunately, it ain’t that easy.

During this particular workout, there were no cameras, no notebooks, and no quitting. Next time we’re planning on filming the workout for funzies so you can really see me get put into the hurt.

You can find the same workout we did on this day from Vince’s Click here to continue reading

Still can’t seem to trim your waist line? You could be sabotaging your weight loss success. Here are 3 reasons you’re not losing the weight you deserve too!

1. Instant Gratification

We all want to lose 10 pounds in 10 minutes but there are not shortcuts on this journey. People need to let go of the temptation to want to find the latest ‘quick’ way to reach their goals. Remember the old story about The Tortoise and The Hare? Well the moral of the story is slow and steady wins the race and so it is with your fat loss goals. Make it a lifestyle and not a flavor of the month.

2. Going to Extremes

No carbs, no sugar, no protein! It’s all desperation that inevitably leads to nowhere or worse… frustration. Doing multiple drastic changes all at once like eliminating sodas, fast food joints, and joining a gym can be a huge

During times of stress, our health can be severely affected depending on how intense we are feeling by these external stressors. These events can alter our entire body including our appetites, energy levels, breathing quality and especially our sleeping patterns. So what can we do to stay calm during these stressful moments? One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to prepare for these inevitable moments and get a minimum of 7 hours of quality rest each night. If we feel rested, we’re less likely to be exhausted and apprehensive during the day so that we have the energy and clarity to resolve our problems. Here are 4 tips to help you achieve this restful sleep.

Traveling can be a lot of fun and is usually on everyone’s to do list. But it also can disrupt your daily routine, especially your exercise program. Regardless of why or where you’re travelling, keeping fitness in your plans is easier than you think. With a little effort and discipline, you can work around busy schedules to squeeze in some regular physical activity. This way you’ll have more energy to see the sites and enjoy your vacation a whole lot more! Here are 4 tips to keep in mind on your next trip:

1. Plan Ahead

Start planning before you leave. Research area hotels and see if there’s a pool, health club, or exercise room. If they are costly or don’t have any of the above amenities then ask if there’s a