Because I want to prevent other teens from going through my trials and tribulations, here are my top weight loss tips for teens!

Teen Weight Loss Tip #1: Do Not Starve!

That is correct. When you deprive your body from valuable macronutrients needed for survival, and your caloric intake is too low, this has a reverse effect on the body which makes things 10 times worse.

What happens when you begin to restrict your food intake and not consume many calories, your body’s metabolism will begin to slow down as a result in order to conserve calories. When this process takes place, your weight loss will begin to slow down immensely. In addition, your energy levels will plummet as you have deprived yourself of the macronutrients needed for survival.

Repeated attempts to try and lose weight in this unfavorable manner can cause your body’s metabolic rate not to function as it should, and thus, it will become easier for you to gain weight and harder to lose it over time.

Also, keep in mind that starvation puts the body under incredible amounts of stress and we all know what happens when that is the case; a HUGE CORTISOL INCREASE!

The solution is to have the correct diet with the appropriate macronutrient ratios.

Teen Weight Loss Tip #2: Starvation Prevents You From Getting Lean and Toned

Yes, eating less will cause your body to become catabolic. A catabolic state is a state where your body will actually store fat and eat away your lean muscle tissue. The reason for this is because your fat tissue requires fewer calories than your lean muscle tissue. As a result, when your muscle tissue is restricted from the calories needed to function properly, your body eats away muscle tissue and stores more fat.

Again, a diet with the right macronutrient ratios (carbs, proteins and fats) that feeds your body frequently is the secret to achieving a faster metabolism.

Teen Weight Loss Tip #3: Do Not Blame Yourself for Being Overweight

Realize that feeling guilty is NOT the way to approach this situation. It is important to not blame yourself, parents, friends or family for being overweight. Switching the blame to someone else or feeling guilty will only make things worse. Focus instead on the solution which is to embark on the right nutrition and exercise program.

Teen Weight Loss Tip #4: Realistic Goals Make For Successful Outcomes

It is important to realize that there is not a single diet out there that will allow you to lose 20 pounds a week. First and foremost, losing weight at such a rapid pace is unhealthy and not possible unless you are severely overweight. Furthermore, such fast weight loss is usually not a permanent one and is regained quickly.

Try to make goals such as: “I will lose 2 pounds each week until I get down to X amount of pounds.” By having short term goals like this, slowly but surely you are constantly moving forward to the final destination.

Teen Weight Loss Tip #5: Add A Little Exercise Into Your Life

For those who are looking to lose weight, exercising is key to maximizing the effects of the diet. Exercising regularly will not only help you burn off more calories but it will also give you more energy and tone up your body.

If you feel that you are too overweight to do anything else, then just go for a light walk outside. Make exercising fun by getting a friend to be your workout partner or even try walking your dog. All of these things are a great way to make exercising fun and effective.

Teen Weight Loss Tip #6: Look For Other Ways To Measure Your Success Besides Weight Loss

A common mistake I find people making is they do not reward themselves for success if they do not achieve the weight loss goals they wanted in X amount of time. If people do not lose the 2 pounds they desired in a week, they get frustrated and allow the negativity to triumph over the positive.

It is important to understand that sometimes, especially when you include weight training exercise, weight stays the same but measurements change; which means that you are losing fat weight and gaining muscle weight which will help to tone you and increase your metabolism permanently.

So if you have lost an inch on your waist and your bodyweight has remained the same, that tells me that you have lost body fat weight and gained muscle weight at the same time. This is the sort of scenario that we are looking for since muscle gives shape to your body and also, every pound of muscle added is a pound that increases your metabolic rate and makes fat loss that much easier!

Teen Weight Loss Tip #7: Focus On The Positive, NOT the Negative

Some people get really discouraged if the scale weight is not moving as fast as they’d like. Realize that as long as you are making progress and moving forward in the right direction, you are taking the necessary steps to succeed with your weight loss goals. I guarantee you that as long as you follow a proven program, like the one laid out in the Fat Extinction Program, with consistency and perseverance you will accomplish any weight loss goal regardless of how big they are!

Many Talk But Who Walks?

He is at the 30, 20, 10, touchdown Appalachian State! The mountaineers have done the impossible and have defeated the #5 team in college football. These were the words and thoughts of many on September 1, 2007 as they witnessed what was and still is considered to be the biggest upset in the history of college football.

Anybody who is an advocate of sports or has the slightest bit of common sense would have never predicted that a division 2A school would have been able to pull this unprecedented victory off EXCEPT for the team and coaching staff of Appalachian State.

So how does this relate to fitness and achieving your results? The fact is that if you were to go up to any player or coach on Appalachian State before the game, they would have told you with total confidence they would win the game. Even the bookies in Las Vegas and sports betting fans did not give them a chance but they proved it to the world by not only talking the talk, but walking the walk!

Likewise, there are many people who will doubt your abilities to achieve any of your goals such as losing x amount of pounds or building x pounds of lean muscle. But when you realize that you can control your own destiny by following a few basic principles, you are destined to do what many consider to be the impossible and get the results you desire.

The problem many people have is they talk a mean game but at the end of the day, they really do not believe that it is possible or doubt themselves which leads to their destruction. The best way to avoid this is to change a few things.

With that being said, here are 5 things you can do to walk the walk!

1. Think of Your End Goal and Hold On to That Thought

What I mean by this is to think of what it is you are trying to do such as losing ten pounds. Once you have established that thought, DO NOT erase it or let anyone tell you that it is impossible to achieve that thought. Think of your thought as concrete once it has hardened. You can walk all over it but it will not break. This is the way you need to be when holding on to the thought of achieving your end goal.

2. Immerse Yourself in the Culture

Simply surround yourself around things that will get you closer to your goal such as reading a new fitness or weight loss article. Even go as far as hanging posters on your wall of the model body you want. Whether it is a strong muscular physique or a toned beach body, make sure to do this important step.

What you are doing with this is immersing yourself around the culture of your end goal. It will serve as a constant reminder of what it is that you are trying to do and eliminate any thoughts that may sway you into thinking it is not possible.

3. Forget About Failures of The Past

Regardless of how you may currently feel, think of today as a new beginning. Forget about your past failures and realize that they can serve as a lesson for achieving your end goal. These lessons can be looked at as things NOT to do when you travel along your new path of success.

Going back to holding on to that thought of what you want, thinking positive goes hand in hand with this as the energy you feel within you will release a sense of self-empowerment. And anyone who has achieved their set goals knows that feeling like you are in power of the outcome is important!

4. Energy + Motions = Emotions

Always remember that your emotions play a key role in determining whether or not you will achieve your set goals. When you allow your energy to move in the wrong direction or allow the thoughts and actions of others to determine your very own thoughts, it is then that you self-destruct and become your own worst enemy.

With positive thinking and surrounding yourself around the right people, you will allow your energy to move in the right direction and you will be one step closer to your end goal.

What I like to do when I feel that I am not in power or control of my very own emotions is to think of a simple analogy. That analogy is that you can take a room filled with complete darkness and with the strike of a match, the room is instantly filled with light, truth and wisdom. But you cannot do the opposite! You cannot take a room full of light, truth and wisdom and make it pitch black.

5. Write Down The Things That Make You Happy

To help prevent negative thoughts from entering in your mind, it is a great idea to write down the things that bring joy and happiness to your life. For instance, for some it may be writing about your pet dog which may bring happiness to your life. For others it may be a son, daughter, boyfriend, girlfriend, occupation or the fact that you lost 3 pounds.

Regardless of what the things that bring happiness to your life may be, write them all down on a daily basis if needed until you have mastered your emotions.

Yours In Health,

Anthony Alayon

There are many reasons why people fail to achieve their bodybuilding goals.  Unfortunately, when goals are missed, many people get frustrated and toss the whole bodybuilding  program and never come back to it.  However, if you are frustrated with your progress, the best strategy is to regroup, take a look at your training journal (I am assuming you have one), analyze the reason the goals were missed and create new goals.

Perhaps the reason for not reaching your bodybuilding goals was unrealistic expectations.  Expecting to gain 30 lbs of solid muscle in 30 days is unrealistic, especially for those of us who are well past our teenage years.  Expecting to go from 17 inch arms to 18 inch arms of solid muscle in 2 weeks, is also unrealistic since a 17 inch arm is already pretty developed, and thus, taking it to the next level will take longer.  So when you set bodybuilding goals make sure that your goals are realistic as otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure.  For beginners, the first and second year you can gain a good 15-20 pounds a year.  Teenagers a bit more perhaps and all of this depends on the genetics of the bodybuilder.  For more advanced athletes, 1/2 lb to 1 lb of muscle a month is a good gain (6-12 lbs/year). However for really advanced natural bodybuilders, 2-3 lbs per year is a good goal.

With that said, another important thing to realize is how you deal with failure.  There were many times during my bodybuilding journey in which I did not achieve the goals I wanted.  Regardless of the reasons (and 8 times out of 10 the issue was unrealistic goals), when I failed, I would simply assess the reasons why and just keep moving forward.  The way I saw it, I had just lost a battle but not the war.  And of course, my philosophy of war is: “No retreat, no surrender!”  You need to approach your bodybuilding endeavors with this sort of success mindset.

In closing, if you haven’t achieved the bodybuilding goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year, do not get frustrated!  Instead, analyze your bodybuilding training and diet plan.  Also, make sure that you are getting enough rest because recovery is as important as training and nutrition (hint: it is during rest that you grow).  Make sure that you are following everything in your bodybuilding program to the letter.  If you are and things are not working, then change your training routine.  More than likely, your body has gotten used to your current one.  If you are looking to gain muscle weight, make sure that you are taking in enough nutrients in the form of good carbs, proteins and good fats.  If you are looking to lose fat, then make sure that you are creating a slight caloric deficit without starving yourself in order to keep the muscle as you lose the fat.  Furthermore, make sure that you are using some way of tracking your progress.  Good ways are a combination of methods, like the scale, the skinfold calipers, and the tape measure.  Digital pictures are also valuable (and a great motivation tool as well) to help you see your progress over weeks.

Below are some good resources that will help you to achieve your bodybuilding goals:

Failing to Achieve Your Bodybuilding Goals? - Lee Labrada discusses why failure is a process and how it can be used to move forward.  He also discusses several reasons for failing to achieve your goals.

Bodybuilding Guide - A comprehensive guide that will set you straight if you need any sort of bodybuilding guidance.  Everything is covered: from goal setting, to choosing your training routine, to knowing what diet and supplements program to follow, how much rest you need, and more. ]]> http://www.hugorivera.net/blog/motivation/are-you-frustrated-because-you-have-not-reached-your-set-bodybuilding-goals/feed/ http://www.hugorivera.net/blog/uncategorized/7-tips-to-make-your-cardio-workouts-exciting-and-effective/ http://www.hugorivera.net/blog/uncategorized/7-tips-to-make-your-cardio-workouts-exciting-and-effective/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:10:19 +0000 Hugo Rivera http://www.hugorivera.net/blog/?p=613 Cardiovascular exercise is necessary for most of us in our quest to achieving the lean bodybuilding look that we are looking for. Few can achieve the lean appearance required to see a full six pack of abs without cardio. In addition to fat burning, cardiovascular exercise offers many benefits such as an improved glucose metabolism as well as a lowered heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Now that we know why we need cardio, let’s look at ways to make it more enjoyable and effective.

1. Choose A Cardiovascular Activity That You Like

While this may seem rather obvious, many people completely miss the boat on this one. Choosing an activity that you like will ensure that you keep doing it long term. There are many choices to pick from such as walking on the pavement, treadmill, an elliptical machine, stair stepper, recumbent bike, aerobics video, etc. Just choose your weapon of choice and go for it!

2. Choose Some Good Music Or A Good Workout Partner

I always notice that when I choose some good music (I like techno myself) I not only burn more calories during the activity than if I didn’t but also the time flies faster. I also seem to have a larger pain tolerance as my mind is concentrated on the music and not on what the body is feeling. The only time when I use no music is if I have a good workout partner with who I am competing against seeing who covers a larger distance during the allotted time.

3. Perform Cardio On An Empty Stomach or Right After The Workout

Glycogen levels (stored carbohydrates) are lower at these times, and thus, it is easier for the body to access fat stores. If not possible, then perform the activity 2-1/2 hours after a meal so that your blood glucose levels are not so high that all you burn during the activity is carbs. Note: even if carbs is all you burned, those are calories that would not have been burned otherwise so you are still benefiting.

4. Perform Cardio For A Minimum Of 20 Minutes And A Maxiumum Of 45 Minutes.

More is not better when it comes to cardio. Most of you will benefit from 3 sessions of 20-30 minutes. Never go above 45 minutes at a time when doing cardio as after 45 minutes the catabolic hormone cortisol will increase and you will risk losing muscle tissue and protecting fat! Only competitive bodybuilders may find themselves doing as much as 45 minutes twice a day before a show but that amount is kept for very short periods of time.

5. Perform The Cardiovascular Activity At A Comfortable But Challenging Pace

As beginners, you may want to perform the activity at a pace that allows your body to comfortably continue for the amount of time required (20-45 minutes). Once your body adjusts to that, you can start to move quicker and look for a more challenging pace. Eventually you will be able to achieve a heart rate that falls around what is called the fat burning rate, which is approximately: 220 - (Your Age) x (.75).

6. If Using Any Fat Burning Supplements With Caffeine, Take Them 30 Minutes Prior

If you take any fat burning supplements with caffeine, take them 30 minutes prior to your cardiovascular exercise as they may increase your work capacity, possibly your rate of fat burning, and your pain tolerance. Caffeine has been shown to improve all these items in several studies. In my own self-experimentation, I find that I do perform better and with less pain when I save my caffeine for before my cardiovascular workout.

7. Don’t Stick To The Same Exercise Or The Same Amount Of Time

Your body thrives on change. Do the same thing all the time and not only you get bored but also your body stops responding as it adapts! Once you are more advanced, make sure that you have 3 cardiovascular activities that you like so that you cycle them on almost a daily basis. In addition, feel free to do some days of 20 minutes at a very challenging pace and other days of 45 minutes at a more moderate level. Variety is the spice of life!

Muscle soreness is a normal part of the recovery process that begins once you finish your bodybuilding workouts.  Muscle soreness is more pronounced at the beginning of your bodybuilding journey since your muscles are not used at all to lifting weights.  That is the reason why it is of utmost importance that you use the right beginning bodybuilding routine.  By doing so, you avoid getting injured or excessively sore.

There are various types of soreness that you need to be aware of.  The key thing is to be able to distinguish between good muscle soreness, which is the one that indicates you had a good workout, and injury type soreness.  For learning how to differentiate between soreness types, please take a look at my Types of Muscle Soreness article, where not only will you learn about the different types of muscle soreness, but also how to minimize them.

There is a good explanation for this and although I cannot reveal all of this to you today, I would like to share with you a new fat burning routine I have used to help attack unwanted ugly body fat!

This routine is quite different from the traditional methods of working out and goes against what many experts may say or do but it will be effective if performed properly.  So without further ado, here is my revolutionary fat burning routine!

Monday: Chest/Calves/Abs

Superset #1: Incline Dumbbell Press & Flat Dumbbell Bench Presses
Reps: 12-15
Sets:   3
Rest:  1.5 minutes

Dumbbell Flyes
Reps: 12-15
Sets:  3
Rest:  1 minute

Dumbbell Calf Raises
Reps:  15
Sets:   5
Rest:  1 minute

Superset #2: Bicycle Crunches & Leg Raises
Reps: 20-25
Sets:  3
Rest:  1 minute

Cardio: Treadmill for 15 minutes

 
Tuesday: Biceps/Hamstrings/Abs

Superset #1: Hammer Curls & Straight Bar Curls
Reps: 12-15
Sets:  3
Rest:  1.5 minutes

Incline Dumbbell Curls
Reps: 12-15
Sets:  3
Rest:  1 minute

Reverse Leg Curls
Reps:  15
Sets:    3
Rest:   1 minute

Walking Lunges
Reps:  15
Sets:   3
Rest:   1 minute

Superset #2: Knee-Ins & Sit-Ups
Reps:  20-25
Sets:   2
Rest:  1 minute

Wednesday: Triceps/Quads

Superset #1: Triceps Push Downs & One Arm Triceps Rows
Reps:  12-15
Sets:    3
Rest:   1.5 minutes

Closed Grip Bench Press
Reps:  12-15
Sets:   3
Rest:   1 minute

Dumbbell Squats
Reps: 15
Sets:   3
Rest:  1.5 minutes

Leg Extensions
Reps: 12-15
Sets:  4
Rest:  1 minute

Thursday: Back/Abs

Lat-Pull Downs (wide gripped)
Reps:  12-15
Sets:   4
Rest:  1 minute

One Arm Dumbbell Rows
Reps:  10-12
Sets:   3
Rest:   1 minute

Low Pulley Rows
Reps:  12-15
Sets:   3
Rest:   1 minute

Superset #1: Bicycle Crunches & Leg Raises
Reps:  20-25
Sets:   2
Rest:  1 minute

Cardio: Treadmill for 15 minutes

Friday: Shoulders/Abs

Superset #1: Shoulder Presses & Side Lateral Raises
Reps: 12-15
Sets:  3
Rest:  1.5 minutes

Rear Delts (on machine)
Reps: 12-15
Sets:  3
Rest: 1 minute

Superset #2: Knee-Ins & Sit-Ups
Reps: 20-25
Sets:  2
Rest:  1 minute

Cardio: Treadmill for 15 minutes

Now that you know this unusual fat burning routine, you need to take the next step and make your fat extinct once and for all!  Learn the 10 biggest fat loss lies the weight loss industry has kept from you, how to permanently increase your metabolism and get a body fat analysis for free for a limited time only by visiting fatextinction.com today!!

If you have read any of my articles, you will see how I place such a big emphasis on the 3 macronutrients as they are the backbone to achieving your weight loss or fitness goals! With that being said, I will give you a brief description of the 6 classes of nutrients and explain why they are essential to live a healthy lifestyle.

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
4. Vitamins
5. Minerals
6. Water

Good Nutrition Provides The Building Blocks of Muscle

When you eat foods that contain protein, they are broken down in the body as amino acids. These amino acids are then used to build and repair any muscle tissue. This is great for those who are physically active or exercise regularly. This means you will be able to recover at a faster rate than if you were not to consume protein. Every tissue in your body is made up of protein and it is important to consume enough through your diet to replenish it. Protein is also needed to help your immune and nervous system.

Good Nutrition Provides Energy

The analogy I think of when discussing nutrition and our bodies is that of a race car. You need to put fuel in it every so often, change the oil and get new tires in order to maintain optimal performance. If you fail to do these things, eventually your body will break down and be worthless. However, if the right steps are taken, you will be well on your way to living a healthy lifestyle and reaping the benefits that come with this.

Foods such as carbohydrates give you energy to function properly throughout your day. In fact, muscle glycogen is an important element to helping you maintain your energy levels throughout your day. When carbs are ingested your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps the carbs to be stored in the muscles or as fat. Stored carbs in the body are also known as glycogen. Glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is important to have in your body before working out. They will be an energy supply and not only enable you to achieve better fat loss results, but also help your overall physique.

Good Nutrition and Fats?

One of the most common dieting myths is that fats will make you fat. First and Foremost, without fats you will not be able to survive. They are one of the three macronutrients. Stored fats are our main source of energy.

Fats yield 9 calories per gram. They also help to keep our body warm during cold weather. Fats lubricate joints which in terms, keeps your muscles loose and mobile for better workouts. Fats are also a dwelling spot for fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are stored in our body’s fat and can become toxic if too much is taken.

The common misconception I see is that most people do not know the difference between saturated fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. For more information, check out my Truth About Fats Article.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are important nutrients our bodies need in order to not only function properly but also allow chemical reactions to occur at a faster rate. They are needed just like the 3 macronutrients, however only in small amounts. B-complex vitamins provide a great health benefit as they help to further break down carbohydrates which in terms will give you energy. While you do obtain vitamins and minerals from certain foods you eat, they usually are not enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight loss goals!

Don’t Forget Your Water

One of the main problems I see with people who are unhealthy or overweight is that they do not drink enough water on a daily basis. Instead, they substitute it for sodas and other drinks that are high in sugar. Water composes about 65% of the human body. It is needed in order for our bodies to survive. Water is just as important as eating a healthy diet. It can also act as a detox and cleanse your body.

While exercising, water acts as a cooling agent and helps prevent any overheating. I suggest drinking your body weight x .66 to get the amount of ounces to drink on a daily basis. For example, if you weight 200 lbs., you would want to drink (200 x .66) = 132 ounces of water.

For more information on why nutrition is important and advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, check out my Fat Extinction Program. I give invaluable information and share some of my secrets that have taken me years to discover. I also give a list of over 50 foods that you can choose from to make up a nutritious diet.

As always, keep in mind that no amount of abdominal training will give you the “ripped” six-pack look unless you follow a fat loss diet. Abdominal training serves to stimulate and firm up the muscles of the abdomen while the diet along with cardiovascular exercise are the ones that strip off the body fat covering these muscles.

Beginners’ Abdominal Training Routine

Monday
Crunches (preferably performed on Swiss Ball)
Knee-Ins

Wednesday
Lying Leg Raises
Partial Sit-Ups (only go 30 degrees above ground)

Friday
Bicycle Crunches
Modified V-Ups

Training Notes:

Perform 2 sets per exercise of as many reps as you can execute with good form.

Use slow and deliberate movements, pause at the contracted position for a couple of seconds and then slowly come back to the starting position.

Only rest 30 seconds in between sets.

Intermediate Abdominal Training Routine

Monday
Knee-Ins
Modified V-Ups
Tuesday
Crunches (preferably on Swiss ball)
Twisting Crunches (preferably on a Swiss Ball)

Thursday
Lying Knee-Ins
Lying Leg Raises

Friday
Bicycle Crunches
Partial Sit-Ups (only go 30 degrees above ground)

Training Notes:

Perform 3 sets per exercise of as many reps as you can execute with good form.

Use slow and deliberate movements, pause at the contracted position for a couple of seconds and then slowly come back to the starting position.

Only rest 30 seconds in between sets.

Advanced Abdominal Training Routine

Alternate between the following three abdominal workouts. You will perform your ab workouts anywhere from twice a week to every day.

Abdominals Workout #1

Crunches (preferably on Swiss ball)
Hanging Leg Raises
Bicycle Crunches

Abdominals Workout #2

Partial Sit-Ups (only go 30 degrees above ground)
Knee-Ins
Twisting Crunches on Swiss Ball

Abdominals Workout #3

One Arm Cable Crunches
Modified V-Ups
Russian Twists

Training Notes:

Perform 3 sets per exercise of as many reps as you can execute with good form.

Use slow and deliberate movements, pause at the contracted position for a couple of seconds and then slowly come back to the starting position.

Only rest 30 seconds in between sets

Competitive Bodybuilding Abdominal Training Routine

Alternate between the following three abdominal workouts. You will perform your ab workouts anywhere from twice a week to every day.

Abdominals Workout #1

Hanging Leg Raises
Bicycle Crunches
V-Ups
Knee-Ins
Twisting Crunches (preferably on Swiss ball)
Crunches (preferably on Swiss ball)

Abdominals Workout #2

Twisting Sit-Ups
Partial Sit-Ups (only go 30 degrees above ground)
Bicycle Crunches
Lying Leg Raises
Crunches
Twisting Crunches

Abdominals Workout #3

Partial Sit-Ups (only go 30 degrees above ground)[ Rope Crunches
Modified V-Ups
Knee-Ins
Bicycle Crunches
Crunches (preferably on swiss ball)

Training Notes:

Perform the exercises in giant set fashion; one after the other with no rest in between sets. Only rest 60 seconds after all 6 exercises have been performed in a row and repeat the cycle 2 more times.

Perform 3 sets per exercise of as many reps as you can execute with good form.

Use slow and deliberate movements, pause at the contracted position for a couple of seconds and then slowly come back to the starting position.

Only rest 60 seconds in between giant sets.

For starters, not all seasonings are the same.

There are seasonings that are high in sodium while others that are not. Seasonings that are high in sodium should be avoided as they will cause you to retain excess water and therefore more weight. It is not that sodium itself is bad for you, but rather the amount we consume on a daily basis that is. Studies have shown that we should not consume more than 2,000 mg’s of sodium if we are trying to lose weight and stay healthy.

Benefits of Sodium:

Sodium allows the body to transport water more efficiently. Water is needed to keep our bodies properly hydrated and from overheating. Sodium also helps to keep a good acid balance between our blood and urine. In addition, sodium helps our bodies to deliver nutrients more efficiently which is important to achieving any fitness goal!

Effects of Too Much Sodium

If you consume too much sodium, some side effects can be high blood pressure and excess water retention. This could lead to bloating and ruin your weight loss or fitness endeavors as your body is holding on to water weight. So make sure you get no more than 2,000 mg’s a day of sodium to avoid any of these side effects.

Secret Tip to Use for Foods That Are High in Sodium

I always recommend using foods that are all natural. For instance, if you have the choice between canned corn or all-natural corn, always choose the all-natural corn! I know it can be a bit of a hassle at first but your body will thank you and so will your waist line.

The reason for avoiding canned products is because of the high sodium and trans fatty acid contents that are put in them to preserve the food. If you take a look at any canned food product and compare the nutritional values of the same food in an all-natural state, you will immediately notice the difference. The canned food will contain way more sugars, sodium and fats while the natural food may contain zero sugars and minimum sodium and fats.

So the next time you go grocery shopping, always remember this rule and you will be golden!

Seasonings That Are Your Friend

Garlic Powder: This is a very popular seasoning and one of my favorites of all time. Garlic powder can have several health benefits such as helping to lower cholesterol levels and help to protect your immune system from any infections. Garlic is sold at several health nutrition stores as it helps to promote cardiovascular health. I like to use it as a seasoning on my chicken breast, steaks and lean ground beef.

Oregano: This is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect your immune system and any oxidative damage to your cells. You can sprinkle this seasoning on foods such as chicken, rice, vegetables etc.

Onion Powder: This seasoning can help prevent any cardiovascular related health issues such as heart diseases and strokes. In addition, onion powder has a good anti-inflammatory effect on the body. You can use onion powder on foods such as chicken, steak, fish, vegetables etc.

Cinnamon: Studies have shown that cinnamon can help your cells respond better to insulin. This is important as it will allow your glucose to function more efficiently and nutrients such as proteins, carbs and fats can be transported throughout the body easier. I like to sprinkle cinnamon on my oatmeal or sweet potatoes but it really depends on your taste buds as to how you choose to use this seasoning.

The training response that you get from a muscle depends on the kind of demand that you place on it during exercise. If you force a muscle to work against a resistance of hundreds and hundreds of pounds, you’ll get one result: the muscle will develop tremendous power.

If, on the other hand, you force the muscle to contract under a lighter load for hundreds and hundreds of repetitions, you’ll get a different result; endurance. I still remember, as a young man attending Northwestern University, training my calves fervently in the school gym using hundreds and hundreds of repetitions, at the end of my leg workouts.

Because of a lack of equipment, I was limited to toe presses on a Universal machine, followed by one-legged standing calf raises on a wooden block. I would literally do hundreds and hundreds of repetitions on each leg, one leg at a time, bobbing up and down mindlessly on the wooden block. Although I would get a tremendous “burn” and “pump” in my calves, the results were not spectacular.

Remember, the calves are subjected to hundreds of repetitions daily. They’re used in walking, climbing stairs or almost any activity where you are mobile. The adaptation of the calf muscles to hundreds and hundreds of repetitions is increased endurance. Consequently, calves are resistant to any calf program involving high repetitions.

The “training threshold” (the point at which the cumulative stress you place on a muscle is large enough to produce growth) for calves is extremely high. For that reason, I’m going to reveal a secret tip which I have used in the past to blast the intensity in my calf muscles to new limits, resulting in quick size increases. Read on to find out what this “secret” is.

Let’s look at the anatomy of the calves for one moment. We’re going to focus on the two major muscles of the calves, namely the gastrocnemius (”gas-truck-knee-me-us”) and the soleus (”so-lee-us”). The gastrocnemius is the large calf muscle that is readily visible from the backside of the leg. The gastrocnemius crosses the knee joint. This is going to be a significant fact as we examine our calf routine.

The soleus lies underneath the gastrocnemius; it does not cross the knee as the gastrocnemius does. It is most readily visible from the side of the leg and, fully developed, can add considerable thickness to the girth of the calf muscle.

My calf routine consists of two exercises; one for the gastrocnemius and one for the soleus. The gastrocnemius cannot be exercised without calling the soleus into play because of the interdependency of the two muscle groups. When you work the gastrocnemius, you use both the gastrocnemius and the soleus.

However, when you train only the soleus, you use only the soleus. That’s why it’s important to train the gastrocnemius first. One of the most effective gastrocnemius calf muscle developers that I know of is the standing calf raise. This exercise is performed with a standing calf raise machine.

To perform standing calf raises, rest the shoulder pads of the calf machine on your shoulders, position your feet approximately 8″-10″ apart on the calf block, pointing your toes slightly outwards, and lift. Raise and lower the weight slowly, keeping tension on the calves throughout the entire range of motion.

As an alternate exercise to the standing calf raise, you may perform donkey calf raises with a partner. Position a wooden block so that you can stand on its edge; place the balls of your feet just in front of the edge of the block; keeping your legs straight, bend at the waist, supporting yourself on a bench or table at just above waist height. (Your body will look like an upside down “L.”)

Have a partner climb onto and straddle your lower back (it will look as if he/she is riding you like a horse!) Raise and lower your partner, allowing your calves to come to a full stretch at the bottom and a complete contraction at the top. It’s important to maintain tension on the calf throughout the entire exercise.

To work the soleus muscle, I use seated calf raises. This exercise isolates the soleus muscle more intensively than any other calf exercise. It does require a seated calf raise machine. To perform this exercise, sit in the seated calf machine; place the knee pads just behind your knees; place your feet approximately 8″-10″ apart; the balls of your feet should rest just in front of the edge of the calf block. Slowly lower and raise the weight by coming up on the balls of your feet. Keep your calves under tension at all times. The angle of the legs should be kept at 90 degrees at all times.

If you don’t have access to a seated calf machine, you can simply place a barbell across a pad on your lap, just behind your knees. This is a less preferable option because of the amount of weight necessary to stimulate the soleus is fairly significant.

Now let’s put our calf routine together. After doing one set of each exercise (standing and seated calf raises) for a warm up, select a poundage which will allow you to perform 10 repetitions. Perform 4 sets of standing calf raises to failure (the point at which you cannot perform another repetition.)

After completing four sets of standing calf raises, you will perform four sets of seated calf raises, again utilizing as much weight as possible for 10 repetitions but never stopping before reaching the point of muscular failure.

Rest taken between sets should be kept to no more than one minute.

Now, remember that I mentioned earlier that I would reveal a secret which would be extremely useful to you in your calf training? Because of the great deal of endurance that calf muscles naturally have, it’s important to continually generate more and more tension on them with each succeeding set during your workout. Here’s how…

In-between sets of calves, rock up and down on the balls of your feet to maintain tension on the calves in-between sets. In-between your sets of standing calf raises, while standing, rock up and down on your toes. You will experience a burning sensation.

In-between sets of seated calf raises, drop down into a squatting position, balancing yourself on the balls of your feet; it’s OK to hold onto a bench or chair to stabilize you; then rock up and down on the balls of your feet from this squatting position.

In both cases, you’ll maintain a high degree of tension in the calves during the rest periods. Because of this, the intensity of this calf routine gets very high.

WARNING: This is not a routine for the mild mannered! The good part is the fact that this is a very short calf routine that will create sufficient stress in the calf muscles, which will cause them to respond.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

1. Stay in control of the weight throughout the entire exercise.

2. Ease into the bottom or stretch position on calf exercises under control. There have been many a trainee who have pulled an Achilles tendon due to sloppy form or allowing the weight to jerk the calf muscle while it’s under tension.

3. Stretch your calf muscles in-between sets, after rocking up and down on the balls of your feet, and prior to performing the next set.

4. Keep in mind that you can shift the stress around your calf muscles by slightly shifting your weight from the outside of your foot to the inside ball of your toe. This is an advanced maneuver which takes conscious effort and is a subtle, yet very seldom utilized technique that can create extra intensity.

5. Don’t rest any longer than 60 seconds in-between sets.

Well, there you have it. A calf routine that is sure to catch your calf muscles on fire, creating a burn like you’ve never felt before, best of all, giving you tremendous results in calf development in the shortest time possible.

Remember that calf muscles are used to tremendous numbers of repetitions and, hence, have a very high degree of endurance. By using a low intensity calf exercise (rocking up and down on the balls of your feet) in-between heavy sets of calf raises, we can create the level of stress necessary to cause the calves to grow.

Here’s to turning your calves into cows.