Your Weight! Your Health! Your Skin!

Hi guys,

Here is another great article that I wanted to share with you. Try the techniques in here, I guarantee you will feel great!

Circuit Training – Unlimited Benefits!
Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
www.myFitterU.com

Nowadays, most people don’t have time for lengthy, grueling 2-hour workouts, be it with work and family demands or simply the search of free time. Well, what if there was a way to be in and out of the gym in less than 1 hour and still feel absolutely worked? What if you could combine your cardio and weights so that you wouldn’t have to spend hours on either? Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret – it’s called Circuit Training – and it is the most effective and time efficient means of exercise for those looking to lose weight and tone.

CIRCUIT TRAINING 101

Circuit Training involves completing several resistance exercises in a continual sequence. For instance, a circuit may be comprised of 8 exercises (push-ups, plank, lunges, etc…) with each one being performed for any length of time (30 sec, 45 sec, etc…) or number of repetitions. Between each exercise is a rest period of a certain length. Note that circuits that have lower rest periods will be more challenging and provide more aerobic benefit. An example of a typical circuit is 8 exercises each 30 seconds in length with 30 seconds to recover between each. This is only one example of 1000s of possible circuit combinations. There are many factors involved in determining the effectiveness of a given circuit including: number and types of exercises, load, tempo, duration of work bout, duration of rest bout. Basically, the more intense you make the circuit, the more challenging, yet effective, it becomes.

AEROBIC BENEFITS

Studies have found that aerobic benefits related to circuit training are mainly determined by the duration of the exercise (work bout) and by the amount and type of rest given between exercises. For instance, a meta-analysis done on circuits showed that a 10-exercise circuit (using weights) using a 30 seconds for both work and recovery, performed 3 times per week over 8-12 weeks improved VO2max (measure of aerobic capacity) by 5%. Compare that to continuous running, cycling or rowing at around 75% of max heart rate for 20-30 minutes, three times a week for 8-12 weeks which boosts V02max by around 20%. Obviously, this 30s work: 30s rest protocol is not optimal for yielding staggering aerobic improvements. However, other studies have shown that by shortening the rest period to 15 seconds or jogging during a 30 second recovery bout improved VO2max by 12% and 18%, respectively.

Further, some research has even shown that Circuit Training can be just as effective at maintaining previous aerobic gains as following a strictly aerobic conditioning regime.

Incorporating more compound movements (several different muscle groups involved) into your circuits will make it more challenging for both your muscles and aerobic system. This is because as you use more muscle mass, more oxygen is required to supply the working muscles. As a result, you begin breather heavier and your heart rate increases to provide the muscles with the oxygen they need. This technique makes circuits much more challenging and effective. As an example, perform lunge walks with a shoulder press, instead of either one separately.

Here is an example of a 7.5-minute aerobic based circuit:

1. Lunge Walks with Biceps Curls- 30 sec

2. Jogging on spot – 1 min

3. Stability Ball Chest Press – 30 sec

4. Jogging on spot – 1 min

5. Plank – 30 sec

6. Jogging on spot – 1 min

7. Back Rows – 30 sec

8. Jogging on spot – 1 min

9. Squat Presses – 30 sec

10. Jogging on spot – 1 min

BODY COMPOSITION CHANGES

Circuit Training has been shown to decrease body fat by 3%. Research also shows that lean body mass is either maintained or increased alongside the decrease in body fat. This is a major benefit for those who want to get in better shape, lose weight, and tone. With traditional aerobic training, a decrease in relative fat mass leads to a decrease in total weight with little change in lean body mass. The resistance work involved in the circuits encourages muscle-mass development, and thus any fat loss is replaced equally by muscle gain. This makes it easier to maintain the lower body fat or reduce body fat even further because the increase in lean body mass pushes up basal metabolic rate and overall calorie expenditure.

It has also been estimated that calorie expenditure during a bout of circuit training is approximately 5 – 6 kcal per minute for women and 8 – 9 kcal per minute for men (this may vary depending on body weight). Thus, if a man were to perform 30 of circuit training he would burn upwards of 180 calories.

OTHER BENEFITS

Because of the duration of each exercise many people claim that strength may be compromised as a result of working at a lower percent of 1RM (maximum weight you can lift once). This is definitely true in most cases and thus, I would not recommend circuit training for those looking to improve strength. However, some studies have shown that circuit training increases muscular strength anywhere from 7% to 32%.1 Achieving such strength gains requires working at a much higher percent of 1RM (>80%) and thus the duration of the work bouts would need to be much lower (<20 sec) in view of sustaining the heavier load.

Circuit Training is also beneficial for the development of the anaerobic system. Anaerobic conditioning occurs when exercising at a higher intensity for upwards of 20 seconds. This is the zone when you begin to feel the burn in the muscles as a result of lactic acid production. As such, your body’s ability to tolerate and buffer elevated lactate levels will be improved, allowing you to sustain higher intensities for a longer period of time.

CONCLUSION

Circuit Training is an excellent means of training the body if you are looking to lose body fat and maintain lean body mass. Depending on the protocol followed you will experience any number of the aforementioned benefits. Overall, it is great if you are short on time and are looking for a short workout that will leave you feeling great and more energetic.

References:

Gettman, L. R., & Pollock, M. L. (1981). Circuit weight training: A critical review of its physiological benefits. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 9, 44-60.

Mosher et al. (1994). Effects of 12 weeks of aerobic circuit training on aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and body composition in college-aged women. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 8 (3), 144-148.

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is a world-renowned fitness, nutrition, and weight loss expert. He is the creator Fitter U and Treadmill Trainer, author of Eating for Energy, and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men’s soccer program at the University of Toronto. His trademarked 12-week Fitter U iPod workout program has been helping thousands of people around the world get in shape and lose weight fast without the cost and inconvenience of hiring a trainer. Go to www.myFitterU.com now to get your FREE Fitter U workout and “How to Get Fit and Lose Weight Fast” report!

Hi there,

I found this great article about burning more calories and I just had to share it with you. I hope it will be as life changing to you as it was to me. Enjoy . . .

Burn More Calories in Less Time
Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN

In my view, intensity is the most critical aspect of any exercise regime and can mean the difference between someone who reaches their goals and someone who doesn’t. Increasing your workout’s intensity will stimulate your body to burn more calories and induce a greater cardiovascular response. It will also allow you to have a more time efficient workout.

If you are looking to burn fat and become more toned, then increasing your exercise intensity is critical. Many people have the misconception that if you workout at a higher intensity you will no longer be burning fat since you will be in your “cardio zone”. Whereas, if you keep your intensity low for a longer duration you will burn more fat since you will be in your “fat burning zone”.

Let me clarify this for you once and for all. By training at a low intensity (<70% max) it is true that you use fat as your predominant source of fuel. While exercising at a higher intensity (>75% max) your main fuel source is carbohydrate but you will ultimately burn more calories. And since 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories, the ultimate goal is to burn as many calories as possible to create a negative energy balance!

One of the best ways to achieve this intensity is through the use of full-body exercises (circuit training set up) in conjunction with interval training. The benefit of full body exercises is that they utilize more muscle in any given movement – thus, you burn more calories. The inherent intensity of the workout also means that each exercise becomes more challenging as your heart rate is sustained at a much higher level as a result of not giving yourself enough rest between exercises.

Here are a couple of benefits to following an exercise program combining circuit training and interval training:

1. Intervals and circuits vastly reduce boredom. Traditional steady state cardio training and/or weight lifting can become quite boring. Interval training and circuit training offer more variety and excitement to your workouts.

2. Interval training increases post-exercise energy expenditure (calories burned following exercise) more than steady-state exercise, which means that more fat is burned. After intense exercise, the body needs extra calories as it works to repair muscles, replace energy stores (i.e. carbohydrate) and restore the body to its normal state (e.g. reduce heart rate).

As this can take many hours, you will keep on burning more calories long after the workout is over. In fact, research shows that metabolic rate is higher for several hours following interval training compared to steady state exercise.

3. Interval training burns more calories. As an example, 30 minutes on an Elliptical machine using a steady state program will burn roughly 292 calories, whereas 30 minutes of intervals will burn approximately 584 calories!

Here is a sample circuit traing workout that will leave you huffing and puffing:

WARM-UP – bike, treadmill, elliptical, rower + dynamic stretching (5-10 min)

CIRCUIT (45 seconds for each exercise, with 15 seconds rest between exercises :: 5-7 min to complete 1 set)

Lunge walks with lateral raises

Plank (on stability ball)

Squats with medicine ball shoulder press

Push-ups

Side Bridges

Reverse Pull-ups

Burpies

INTERVAL TRAINING (cardio machine)

20 sec @ 100% : 40 sec @ 70% x 5 = 5 min

Repeat Circuit and Interval 3 times

Total Workout Time: 45 – 50 min

Do this workout 4 times over the next 2 weeks and watch the difference intensity brings to your workouts – and your results!

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is a world-renowned fitness, nutrition, and weight loss expert. He is the creator Fitter U and Treadmill Trainer, author of Eating for Energy, and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men’s soccer program at the University of Toronto. His trademarked 12-week Fitter U iPod workout program has been helping thousands of people around the world get in shape and lose weight fast without the cost and inconvenience of hiring a trainer. Go to www.myFitterU.com now to get your FREE Fitter U workout and “How to Get Fit and Lose Weight Fast” report!

We know that cardio is your ticket to burning fat, but are you doing it the proper way?

What is your preferred choice of cardio? Swimming, treadmill, biking? Whatever it may be, make sure you don’t do it every single day.

I love my bike, and if it was up to me, I would bike every time I went to the gym, but I don’t. I have since been told that the best way for your body to burn fat efficiently is to vary the exercises that you do. Make sure your body does not get used to to a particular exercise, keep it guessing.

Do you know that your body takes 15 to 20 minutes before it actually starts burning calories?

That is because it starts to burn calories after it is warmed up, so the tip is to start with your weight training first before you do your cardio. Or should I just say, do your cardio last to maximise your fat burning efforts.

Click here for more Fat Burning Tips that will ensure you shed those pounds for good.

Hi there,

It is still the earlier part of 2010 but I have already fallen off the wagon. I haven’t been to the gym in over a month and I got distracted as a result of my trip to Germany. I had to go see my little nephew who was very very sick.

I am back home now, but it is taking longer for me to go back to my routine of exercising  4 to 5 times a week. The great news though is that I haven’t gained not a single lb of weight. This is despite the fact that I haven’t set foot in a gym in over a month. How did I manage to do that, you may be wondering?

Basically, I have just been eating healthy. Lots of vegetables and lots of fruits – the normal stuff. But there’s also something that I have discovered – fruit smoothies!

I have always had trouble with eating 5 fruits a day, but with the smoothies, it is really a breeze. I had the idea when I bought a smoothie at a health shop, and I thought they charged too much for it. That same afternoon, I went to the grocery shop and stocked up on fruits – pears, apples, oranges, strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, banana’s, litchi and berries. Yeah, quite a mouthful right?

I was too excited, there was no stopping me. The first fruit smoothie I ever made consisted of 3 strawberries, 3/4 of a banana, 1/2 a pear, 4 litchis and four berries with mango juice. It is really awesome, and it felt like a real meal.

I totally fell in love with my smoothies, and since then, that’s how I wake up. My breakfasts are alternated between smoothies or cereal, depending on my mood.

I have since learned to be creative with the smoothies, and now and again I add a touch of vegetables into them. My best additions so far have been carrots and tomato. It is early days, so I am still trying out a few concoctions. I will definitely keep you posted.

All I can say now is, I have put the fun back into the way I eat fruit. I even look forward to it . . .

So why don’t you get creative and create your own smoothie? My bet is you will definitely fall in love like I have.

For a comprehensive report on amazing superfoods foods, please visit Miracle Superfoods.

It is a really great report, and has the potential to improve your health in many ways.

One last thing, feel free to share this page with your friends, family and colleagues.

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It’s a brand new year and here’s to your best life!

I guess for most of us it is that time of the year to look back on what went wrong in 2009, what we failed to accomplish and to learn from the mistakes that hindered us of our progress for 2009. What did you not manage to do? Did you reach your weight loss goals? Did you become a healthier you? Or are you still struggling?

I personally do not make new year resolutions. It’s not because they are not important, it is because, for me, they always get lost somewhere during the year. I get caught up in everything else that happens in my life, life with all it’s complications, joys, challenges and beauty.

I prefer to have monthly goals that are better manageable, because I can always break them down to weekly goals, which I can further break down to daily goals. This way, I get to have my goals in front of me, at least every single week, and this presses me to look at them, and review them and ultimately fulfill them.

Unlike resolutions, they are constantly staring me in the face, and this reminds me of how important they are to me. So what goals have you made regarding your weight? Don’t just say ‘I want to lose weight in 2010′. Make it as specific as you possibly can. Put a value to your goal and put a time frame to it. Even more important, break it down to what you need to do daily to accomplish it.

That is what I do and it really works. I lost 15 pounds without dieting or drinking any pills. That is a great thing for me because I have tried a lot of diets in the past. Yes I did lose weight with some, but I gained it all back. Why does that always happen?

Because maintaining a healthy weight is a lifestyle, and not something you do for three months. I finally got it!

It really works too, and I am not deprived of any food that I want to eat. I eat whatever I want to eat . . .

So what is your weight loss goal? I really would love to hear from you. . .

I did it without diets or pills, and I did it through the most difficult part of the year – during holidays!

It makes me so proud, and that is why I am sharing my story. Do not forget to share your story, resolutions or whatever goal you may have about your weight or being a healthier you!

I just came from gym and I feel great. Today I did my legs, I am loving how they are looking- already!

I don’t know what 2010 has in store for me, but I know this, it is going to be my best year ever!