Itâ??s that time of the year again! Everyone is making New Year resolutions and you donâ??t want to be left behind. So, youâ??re scouring the Internet for fitness equipment and reading all those weight loss books. Thatâ??s good. But before you actually go out and buy expensive pieces of fitness equipment, you might want to keep some tips in mind.

Find out what you like: There are hundreds of pieces of equipment out there. But not everything is made for you. For example, are you a treadmill person or a yoga freak? What kinds of exercises do you like â?? floor exercises or Pilates? Are you medically fit to be using weights?

Get a free trial membership at a local gym. Test out the fitness equipment there for free. Get a feel for the different pieces you see there. This way, you can figure out pretty accurately whether youâ??re a weights person or whether you like the Abs exerciser more.

You must have some idea about what you want, what you like to do and what you can do before you invest a single dollar in fitness equipment.

Infomercials are just hype: Itâ??s easy to get sold on these. When you see previously flabby men and women go from fat to fab in under three weeks, you feel that you too can replicate their success. But be wary of anything that seems very easy.

Instead of buying the fancy two-in-one exercisers and expensive equipment you see on TV, invest in small, usable pieces of fitness equipment. Items like push up bars, hand and leg weights, resistance tubes and gym balls are inexpensive but very useful.

Get toned: One of the best ways to get on the highway to health is to get toned. The inexpensive way to do it? The veritable gym ball, of course. Gym balls are superb for toning muscles in the back and in the abdomen. Their natural instability forces you to work your muscles if you want to retain balance. Gym balls are excellent for those suffering from a lower back injury or back pain because they help to strengthen the muscles.

Besides, gym balls are easy to work out on, even when you are sitting within the four walls of your home.

Consider doing something different: if youâ??ve broken your New Year resolutions every year, may be itâ??s time you tried some other form of exercise. These days, a variety of exercises are emerging as healthier alternatives to aerobics and weight lifting. Yoga is one such. Pilates is another. These exercises combine simple but effective body movements with proper breathing to strengthen every part of your body and keep it supple. Thus, these exercises can improve your posture, get rid of aches and pains and keep you nimble, strong and slim. The exercises are simple and when you do them the right way, the effect can be dramatic, to say the least.

Buy wisely: Look for fitness equipment that comes with a warranty. If youâ??re ordering online, make sure that the company has a robust delivery policy and a customer friendly return policy.

orsondixon
http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/how-to-buy-fitness-equipment-that-lasts-698902.html

What do you think is the body part by which attractiveness is most judged, for both men and women? You might think that it’s the breasts for a woman and the abs for a man. But you’d be very wrong. Surveys show that the face is the most important body part in determining a person’s sexual attractiveness. Think about it. The first thing you see when you meet a person, the body part you train your eyes on when with a person, is their face-it’s only logical that the face is what determines attractiveness.

If you want to be adjudged attractive, the one thing that you must have is a beautiful face. So it’s crucial that you lose your facial fat. After all, how many of the models you see on TV or in magazines have rounded faces? Not many, I bet. The fact is slim firm faces are more attractive than round, flabby ones. So, in order to make your face look as good as possible, you must know how to lose facial fat.

Not only does having facial fat detract from your appearance at the moment, it can cause further damage later. Facial fat strains your skin and muscles, making your face sag prematurely. Thus, knowing how to lose facial fat can help you try to prevent facial sagging.

When we lose weight, we lose fat from all over our bodies. Sensible dieting and regular workouts can help burn fat from all areas, including the face, of course. This will be a great deal of facial fat lost, for some people, less in the case of others-some betterment of facial appearance is guaranteed. You must remember that while weight loss is a result of exercise, spot fat loss isn’t possible.

While some people think facial exercises are not only silly, but pointless as well, others swear by their effectiveness. Since you want to know how to lose facial fat, it can’t hurt to try these exercises. They won’t actually help you reduce face-fat, but will help tighten and firm your skin.

This is an old one, which you probably know: to firm up a double chin, use the back of your hand to slap/tap the bottom of your chin firmly and rapidly. Do this whenever you remember to.

Another exercise you could try is for reducing the flab in your cheeks. Relax your face. Smile, keeping your lips closed. Suck in your cheeks and hold them in while you count off eight seconds. This is an exercise you can do anytime, even while driving as your hands are not needed. Another good exercise is to smile as widely as possible, keeping your lips closed-try pretending you’re going to touch your ears with the corners of your mouth.

Losing facial fat is something you do purely for aesthetic pleasure, simply because you want to look good-no health issues relate specifically to face fat. However, losing facial fat can certainly make you both look and feel better.

Jared Rothe
http://www.articlesbase.com/anti-aging-articles/how-to-lose-facial-fat-714110.html

After your partner dumps you, you can act on many theories to win ex back.  Many advisors will tell you to play head games with your ex.  But by messing with her head to win her back, you’re building a weak foundation upon which you can rebuild your relationship if and when you reconcile. 

When you were dating, she’d send you text messages all day long.  Now you get zip.  It would be a good idea for you to call her once or twice a week to remain in touch and maintain the possibility of reuniting.

 Be sure to call on her birthday and other important days.  You can also mail her a note or thoughtful gift when you are trying to win ex back. 

If you see a magazine article she might like, mail it to her with a brief message.  Include her on your email list to friends when you distribute news, personal updates or jokes. 

You must decide if and how much to date other women when you are also campaigning to win ex back.  If you dedicated your quest to win ex back, it’s not a good move to date others.

 Even if you are only contemplating a renewed relationship, don’t sleep with any other woman.  Perhaps this bit advice is the opposite of what you’ve heard.  Some advisors tell you to date continually to stir up your ex and incite jealousy.  But such games will really foul things up if you do reunite. 

Stay cool if she dates other guys.  She broke up with you. She can do what she likes. You can make gains by analyzing the men she’s dating to determine what she wants in a partner.

For example, if she left you because you were taking your relationship for granted, she might be impressed by men who dazzle her with attention.  And, maybe, if your tastes favored bowling and beer and now she’s drawn to musicians and writers, you might want to develop at least an appreciation of the arts and of your sensitive side to win ex back. 

By analyzing your ex, you can get a pretty good idea as to the type of guy she needs and wants. 

Because you’re no longer a couple, certain barriers have grown between the two of you.  This can makes it easier for you to see what she needs from a man because your own baggage and feelings are out of the picture.  Remain sensitive to her words — what she says and what she doesn’t say.  And closely scrutinize her actions. 

Don’t show your cards.  She’s got the power in the relationship.  By pouring out your emotions, you increase her power.  By telling her she’s your one and only, she can manipulate your destiny.  When you keep your feelings to yourself, you can maintain the strength you have to rebuild the relationship after you reconnect. 

While you’re still separated, improve yourself.  Lift some weights, jog and work out regularly.  Put some definition into your abs.  Perhaps you should also consider a new haircut that benefits your features. 

And make sure you improve your mind as well as your body.  Devoting time to improving yourself on all fronts will make you a better catch for your ex. 

When all is said and done, you can attempt head games or you can do your best to repair your previous problems in order to get your ex back.  But when you pay attention to the problems, you’re building a solid foundation for when you’ve come through to win ex back. 

Learn all you need to know about how you can win your ex back 

Click here http://You-Can-Get-Back-Together.info for great advice and insight on how you can win ex back.

Spencer B. Marlowe

How many Blond women have six pack abs?

I do.

The causes of obesity and overweight naturally differ from individual to individual. In general, you will gain weight if your calorie intake is higher than the calories you use through exercise or normal activity. Let discuss in detail.

Some people eat more than usual when they are stressed, bored or angry. Over time, overeating will lead to weight gain and may cause overweight or obesity. Lack of physical activity is another important cause of obesity and overweight. People who are inactive are more likely to gain weight because they donâ??t burn up the calories that they take in from food and drinks.

Your environment can also encourage obesity. Lack of parks, trails, sidewalks, and affordable gyms makes it hard for people to be physically active. Due to busy work schedules, you may not have time to be physically active. Over-sized food portions also contribute to obesity and overweight. Due to fast life, people are now more surrounded by huge food portions in restaurants, fast food places, gas stations, movie theaters, supermarkets, and even home. Eating large portions means too much energy intake. Over time, this will cause weight gain if it isnâ??t balanced with physical activity.

Sometimes hormone problems cause obesity and overweight. The most common among them is hypothyroidism. This is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesnâ??t make enough thyroid hormone. Lack of thyroid hormone will slow down your metabolism and cause weight gain.

Certain medicines may cause you to gain weight. These medicines can slow the rate at which your body burns calories, increase your appetite, or cause your body to hold on to extra water, all of which can lead to weight gain.

Age is another factor responsible for obesity and overweight. As you get older, you tend to lose muscle, especially if youâ??re less active. Muscle loss can slow down the rate at which your body burns calories. If you donâ??t reduce your calorie intake as you get older, you may gain weight.

During pregnancy, women gain weight so that the baby gets proper nourishment and develops normally. After giving birth, some women find it difficult to lose the weight. This may lead to overweight or obesity, especially after a few pregnancies.

Lack of proper sleep may also contribute to overweight or obese. People who report sleeping 5 hours a night are much more likely to become obese compared to people who sleep 7â??8 hours a night. People who sleep fewer hours also seem to prefer eating foods that are higher in calories and carbohydrates, which can lead to overeating, weight gain, and obesity over time.

Looking for Fat Loss Supplements to lose weight? Check out the most popular fat burning program - Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review. Also know How to Get Ripped 6 Pack Abs Fast with scientifically designed weight loss system.

Nick Mutt
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/what-causes-obesity-and-overweight-702195.html

There is no doubt that the training and nutrition systems we have in place work. I have seen it over and over again - our clients have lost pounds and inches, are healthier, and look and feel awesome. Flat out - the system works. But that said, today I am going to share something even  more powerful; something that must be set in place before you can even start to think about following a fitness program.

So, letâ??s just get right to it. What is the real secret behind our clients success? Well, if your answer was my aforementioned training and nutrition system, then your answer is wrong. An incredible program? Absolutely! Here’s the rub - It’s useless if you are not willing to start it AND stick with it. The real key, the most important component of changing your body is being absolutely determined that nothing is going to stop you from getting the lean, healthy body you have always wanted. That is the focus of my article today - setting goals and being determined to reach them.

Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest. I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. If you think that way I am probably not going to change your mind, but do yourself a favor and stick with me anyway. You might just learn something. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do today, so letâ??s get to it!

Step One- The Why: Why do you want to do this?

This is where itâ??s time to get real. In almost every initial consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:

â??Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess.â?

Nope, I donâ??t buy it. Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesnâ??t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it thatâ??s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isnâ??t â??being healthyâ? because for some reason this just isnâ??t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).

Letâ??s face it: everybody, including YOU, wants to look better. There - is that so bad? The great part is that when you do the work to look great on the outside, the insides start to look great, too.
So, after a little digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; what it is they are really looking for. Some people want to be able to mow the lawn in the summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious. Others want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they havenâ??t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put for their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Argentina, or get off the plane in Texas when visiting family you havenâ??t seen in two years to blow them away with your new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people excited and ready to commit to making some real changes.

So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question: what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy!

Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to accomplish and when do you want to accomplish it by?

So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look and feel great! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this subjective dream.

Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three major ways I track â??look betterâ? progress with my clients, in order of importance from least to most important:

 Scale Weight: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number thatâ??s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale. The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every week.  There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), meaning every day is just no worth it. If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether if you must, because the next two markers are far more important.

 Dress/Pant Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think itâ??s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right? Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. For those of you would want to argue that every outfitter has different sizes, well thatâ??s a moot point if you use the same pant or dress size to track. Thereâ??s nothing more powerful than being to literally being able to feel yourself comfortably get into clothes that use almost rip when you put on.

 Digital Pictures: Pictures donâ??t lie, thatâ??s the bottom line. If you want to look better, what better way is there to assess this than pictures? I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes. They key is take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Maybe itâ??s taking pictures of you in the dress or pair of pants that you are using to track your dress or pant size. Or maybe itâ??s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer. And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your abs to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. Your before pictures will become your trophy and they are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count.

Step Three- Planning and Preparing for Roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? Whatâ??s contributed most to past failures?

Now that we know what you want to accomplish, itâ??s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.

In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and donâ??t have enough time to get their workouts in or make their meals. Well, I donâ??t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize. Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine whatâ??s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments. Either you make the appointment or you donâ??t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment.

Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, whatâ??s more important to you, looking great or getting hammered. The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But know this, lean people just donâ??t get wasted unless they are genetic freaks. Low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and thatâ??s a fact.

Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom strikes and you can beat this trend. Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.

At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very individual or if they fall in line with the general roadblocks our clients encounter on a regular basis, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And thatâ??s where social support and accountability come into play. The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage oneâ??s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve. The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.

The time is now to take action - don’t wait until 2010 to get moving!

Nancy Carlson
http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/from-resolutions-to-results-714116.html

Copyright (c) 2007 Jess Harley

If the only time you dance is at weddings, you have no idea what you are missing out on. First of all not only is dancing fun, it is also exercise! Think about your moving your feet, your arms, your twisting away and giving yourself a full body workout. Ever noticed how sometimes the day after a wedding, your body is a little sore, especially if you do not workout before hand? Celebrities, who take part in Dancing with The Stars, have reported an increase in weight loss. The most traditional way of getting a good dancing workout is to turn on some music and let yourself go and boogie down. It is also an excellent way to incorporate some bonding time with your kids too if you included them. There are days when Ill turn on the radio and me and my daughter will just dance our feet off.

There might be some of you, who are looking for something a little more structured and instruction. Not to worry there is something for you also. Gyms all around the world are starting to offer dancing classes. Starting off there is Cardio Salsa. This class if offered at The Crunch gyms nationwide or you can look for it on DVD. It is a low impact high intensity workout that combines the hottest Latin dances such as the cha-cha, mambo, samba and more with traditional dance steps such as the grapevine, lunges and arm raises. What women are loving about this workout is that they can take what they learn on the videos or classes and take it to a night club if they want to!

Cardio Capoeira is also becoming another popular dance workout. It was featured briefly on the cool down segments of the hit exercise video Turbo Jam, but has come out on its own as a great workout. In fact for fans of the hit Movie Oceans 12 might remember it being featured as the Night Fox dodges the lasers to get to the goods, or you might remember Catherine Zeta-Jones using a similar dance in the movie Entrapment. Cardio Capoeira is a basically a form of martial arts that is disguised as dancing. It was used to train Brazilian slaves martial arts without letting their captors know. It requires a lot of kicking, spinning and even cartwheels. What makes this workout so powerful especially on your buttocks and quads is the move the ginga which links one movement to the next so you will find yourself doing this often.

Cardio Striptease is another dance workout that is sweeping the nation. There are a number of DVDs out that offer a cardio striptease workout. This routine is part burlesque, part yoga, and part gymnastics. There are no concise steps and the whole point of the routine is to allow you to move freely and beautifully and learn to express yourself. You never have to worry about holding any sort of poses but move from one move to another by using slow moving hip and butt circles. The aim of this workout is to tone the hips, buttocks, thighs calves and abs.

Of course you can always go the more traditional route and sign up for ballroom dancing classes which will still give you a great workout. Which ever one of these you choose, you will burning fat and calories while having a great time. You wont even know you are exercising, thats how much fun you will have.

Jess Harley
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/dance-your-way-fit-257716.html

I would like to know why guys find boobs attractive, when they’re just body fat. So I guess some things can’t be explained? Guys go for boobs, girls like a toned tummy. Just one of those things.

 

Are you looking for a fast, convenient, and effective way to exercise right from the privacy of your own home? Exercising using just your bodyweight is a great alternative to gyms, weights, machines, and other expensive equipment. Letâ??s take a look at several of the basics and benefits of bodyweight exercises for women.

 

Basic Exercises:

 

Push-ups are a great way to exercise your chest, shoulders, and arms. They also exercise your abs, back, and legs, as well as a variety of other stabilizer muscles. Give them a try in the traditional position or do them with your knees on the ground (when just getting started), and experience for yourself all the different muscles being exercised.

 

Crunches are fantastic way to isolate and exercise your abdominal area. Crunches are similar to sit-ups, but they isolate your stomach muscles better. Simply lie down with your back on the floor and your legs (bent at the knees) in the air. Cross your feet at the ankles, cross your arms on your chest (with each hand on opposite shoulder), and attempt to sit up by moving your torso and head toward your legs. Slowly go up as far as you can, and then slowly come back down. (Tip: Donâ??t come down all the wayâ?¦this will allow you to keep constant tension on your abs and get the best results).

 

Squats are great bodyweight exercises for women. They isolate the major muscle groups of your upper legs and butt, as well as a variety of stabilizer muscles. The basic squat can be done by standing with your feet shoulder with apart, with back straight, head looking up (not down), hands behind head, and, keeping your weight centered over your legs with your heels on the ground, slowly bend at the knees until your upper legs and butt are parallel to the ground. Hold that position for a moment and then slowly return to your starting position.

 

Lunges are another exercise that really get results. Start in a standing position with your feet just slightly apart. Keep your weight well-centered so you do not lose your balance. Take a long stride forward with either leg until the knee of your opposite leg barely touches the ground, hold position for just a moment, and shift your weight backwards, returning to your starting upright position. Then repeat with your opposite leg. This will really target your thighs (front and back) and your derriere.

 

These are some great basic bodyweight exercises for women. These 4 exercises should really help you get started on targeting your core muscles. Both push-ups and squats can be done in slight variations (depending on how close or far apart your hands and/or feet are positioned), and can place more emphasis on different parts of your targeted areas. With push-ups you can target inner our outer chest, and inner and outer thighs can be targeted with squats.

 

There are also some nice benefits of doing bodyweight exercise. You never have to go to the gym to workout. This saves you time and money, and makes it very convenient to exercise. Another key benefit is you do not have to use or purchase weights and exercise equipment, which can be dangerous to use or expensive to purchase on your own. All of these exercises can be done in the privacy of your own home, allowing you to feel much more comfortable than you might at a gym where you may have an audience. You can do a bodyweight workout no matter where you are, at home or out of town, making it a very convenient and efficient way to exercise.

 

The biggest benefit is that all of these bodyweight exercises for women will help you get the results you desire. Looking to gain muscle? Wanting to shape and sculpt your legs? Hoping to tone up your butt? Maybe you are trying to firm up your chest, abs, and arms. More than likely you really want all of the aboveâ?¦a whole new and improved you, so to speak. Well, you can have it, and it wonâ??t cost you a fortune. Simple bodyweight exercises are really all you need.

 

But there is one important key. You need to take action and get started. You are now officially out of excuses. So get started with some of these basic exercises today and start experiencing the benefits and results as soon as possible. You will be glad you did.

 

 

Matt Gray
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-health-articles/bodyweight-exercises-for-women-basics-and-benefits-of-bodyweight-exercises-for-women-719755.html

no such thing as the lower abs.

the rectus abdominis is a single muscle and muscles either contract as a whole or not at all. this is why you can’t isolate part of a muscle.

to get rid of the pooch you have to decrease your body fat % low enough to see the desired results in that area. you can’t spot reduce fat stores