Are you planning to get in shape in the New Year?

There are only three more sleeps until January 1st and we all know what that means right? The party’s over and the diet starts!

For most of us January is the time we plan to get really serious about improving our health, losing weight and getting in the best shape of our lives. Gym membership sales skyrocket, diet books fly off the shelves of bookstores and the word carbohydrate takes a serious bashing. If you are one of the many that made a New Years resolution to shed some fat in 2010, I’ve got some tips to make things just a little easier and less painful for you.

Target Heart Rate Training and Perceived Exertion for Fat Burning

Maximum heart rate is considered to be exactly that; the maximum number of times your heart can beat per minute. Usually maximum HR is determined by a mathematical equation using your age as a variable.

The standard calculation is:

220-age = maximum HR

Since this equation doesn’t account for fitness level, resting heart rate, general health or genetics, it leaves a lot of room for error. There are other, more complicated equations out there, but from a functional perspective this one should give you a good idea of how hard you’re working.

Exercise Addiction. When too much is not enough.

For those of us that have made exercise a significant part of our lifestyles, there is a small percentage that takes it too far. Exercise addiction is rare but becoming common enough to begin receiving much needed attention and awareness.

Like any other addiction, a fine line separates a healthy dedication to fitness and a potentially life altering obsession. Exercise addiction follows the same patterns as others like alcoholism, or addiction to drugs, cigarettes or sex. Excessive workouts may illicit a profound payoff, temporarily masking physical, mental or emotional pain or upset. Someone suffering from an

The Best Ab Exercises for a Flat Stomach

Judging by the vast number of late night infomercials advertising gadgety gimmicks, claiming to provide the answer to a flat stomach and ripped six pack abs, it seems safe to assume that most of us are in search of what may be the best way to lose belly fat.

We know by now of course, that even the best ab exercises won’t offer a flatter tummy unless we have our diets dialed in. In fact, we all have six packs abs already, although some are covered by multiple layers of fat and

Can Energy Drinks Increase Fat Burning?

Walk into any grocery chain, gas station or convenience store and you’ll surely come across a huge selection of energy drinks. Sugary, colorful, carbonated beverages like Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, Beaver Buzz and Full Throttle line the shelves with their eye catching labels and graphics. Trendy, expensive energy drinks like these have been marketed as fat burning, performance improving, brain boosting, potent potions of athletic stimulation.

It has become commonplace to see other gym rats guzzle down an energy drink before heading over to a loaded barbell squat rack for maximum reps. Do energy drinks actually offer an advantage to our workout performance or  increase our fat burning potential enough to hand over our hard earned dollars?

The Fat Burning Potential of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

It may seem odd that some of the best fat burning foods are high in fat themselves. It has long been known that a diet supplying an adequate amount of Omega 3 fatty acids, offers numerous health benefits including weight loss and maintenance. Omega 3 fatty acids aid in regulating blood sugar levels which helps stave off hunger and they may also help to increase our metabolic rate, allowing us to burn more calories regardless of our fat burning workout.

Omega 3 fats come in 3 varieties, all of which are polyunsaturated. Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid found in vegetables and nuts. Docosahexaenoic and Eicosapentaenoic acids are the types found in fish oils and certain marine mammals.

Foods that Burn Fat

If I told you that there are a wide variety of foods that burn fat, would it sound too good to be true? It just so happens that there is sufficient evidence to support the statement that certain edibles can be considered fat burning foods. The list of the best fat burning foods consists of a variety of nutrient dense, heart healthy, unprocessed, delicious chow with a variety of flavors and textures. I doubt it will come as a surprise that pizza, chocolate and cheesecake are missing from the recommendations.

Fire things up! How to Increase Metabolism.

The dictionary defines metabolism as the sum of the physical and chemical processes that occur in the cells, all of which work to produce energy. Simply put, metabolism is the rate at which the body uses energy, or burns calories.

In addition to a number of factors which are out of our control such as genetics, age and gender, our metabolic rate is determined by our level of activity and body composition. Your metabolic rate is based in part on how much your body expects you to have to work. If you are a lean, athletic, very active person you’ll likely have a high metabolism. If on the other hand, you’re a couch potato, well….not so much.

You want six pack abs? It starts with a healthy breakfast.

Even if you regularly perform high-level workout routines or ab exercises, one of the biggest mistakes people make in their quest for six pack abs occurs first thing in the morning.  It’s not what they do, it’s what they don’t do.

You’ve heard this a million times throughout your life but I’m going to remind you again. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”.  After 8 to 14 hours of fasting, your body is need of a quality caloric kick start. A nutritious breakfast will replenish your blood sugar levels, giving you the energy to start your day. Not only is breakfast important for physical health and strength, research has also shown that it is good for our mental health.

Adding Circuit Training Workouts to Optimize Fat Burning

One of the most effective ways to optimize fat burning potential is by adding circuit training workouts to your fitness routine.

Effective circuit training workouts consist of anywhere from 5 to 15 different exercises done in rapid succession with the focus of each exercise being on speed, range of motion and proper form. Due to the extreme intensity of circuit training workouts, the number of calories burned in a short amount of time can be massive, making it one of the most efficient ways to shed fat.

Although the main benefit of incorporating circuits into your routine is the metabolic spike, there are other bonuses that should be mentioned as well.