13 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight and What You Can Do About It

#13, Same Routine = Same Results; every 3-6 weeks you should mix it up.

#12, Not Keeping a food & cardio journal; gotta keep records to beat records

#11, Too Many Splurge Meals; 2 meals or 10% of your meals can be splurges (no sugar).

#10, Drinking too much alcohol; save it for the splurges & no more than 3 drinks per week.

#9, 1st: No sugar at all. 2nd, limit sugar free sweeteners to 1-2x/wk (save it for your splurges)

#8, too many starchy carbs, not enough vegetables and fruits Read the rest of this entry

By Benjamin Petitpas, CSCS, CPT

Having an increase in your metabolism means that there is an increase in the amount of calories that your body is burning to maintain its normal functions. If you have been having a difficult time burning fat and losing weight these 5 tips can help you get over the hump and help you maximize your metabolism and have you burning more calories all day long even while you are resting.

1. Strength Training

Strength training can help increase your metabolism in a few different ways. The first way is from the calories that you will burn during the workout itself. The second way is from the afterburn effect strength training has on your body, known as Excessive Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC can be described as an increase in your body’s metabolic activity following a strength training workout as your body is trying to recover and return itself to a pre-exercise state.   A third way strength training increases the metabolism, is because it builds build lean muscle mass. This is important because the more lean muscle mass that you have, the more calories it takes for your body to maintain it. So as a result it causes an increase in your metabolism, so even will you are resting, your body will be burning more calories to support your lean muscle mass.

2. Interval Training

Read the rest of this entry

Specific. Measureable. Attainable. Realistic. Timeline.

By Michael L. Alves, ATC, CSCS

O.K.  If you’re considering changing your body and getting in your best shape for 2009, then you must set S.M.A.R.T. goals.

What are S.M.A.R.T. goals?  S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timeline and is a formula for achieving goals.  Read on to learn more.

Specific:  You must set specific goals if you want to achieve them.  General goals gets you general (read:  mediocre) results, specific goals, get you…you guessed it, specific (read:  awesome) results.

Ask yourself, “What is it I must change now?  What way am I tired of being and I must do it now or I’m only going to get older and it’s never going to change.”

Measurable:  You must be able to measure your progress in the short term (to keep excited or to make adjustments if not going as planned) and long term (how will you know you’ve achieved your goal).

What feeling/emotions and actions will you measure daily?

What objective & subjective things can you measure each week/month to give you feedback on your progress? Read the rest of this entry

The workout is short, but intense it should take only about 20minutes to complete. All you need is two kettlebells. Usually 10-20lbs works well for women and 35-45lbs for men. If you do not have kettlebells, no problem dumbbells well work just as good.

Perform the following 5 exercises in a circuit.

You will perform 10-12 repetitions before moving on to the next exercise with little or no rest in between. Complete the circuit 3-4 times, giving yourself 1-2minutes rest in between sets.

1. Two-Hand Swing

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold the kettlebell in front of you with both     hands. Now squat down bringing the weight between your legs. Make sure you keep your stomach in tight; you’re weight on your heels and your head up.

Now in the squat position with the kettlebell between your legs, use your glutes, hips, and core to quickly explode up with your arms extended straight out in front and finishing the movement with the kettlebell at chest level. Then repeat the movement.

2. Clean & Press

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold the kettlebell in front of you with one hand. Now squat down bringing the weight between your legs. Make sure you keep your stomach in tight; you’re weight on your heels and your head up.

Now in the squat position with the kettlebell between your legs, use your glutes, hips, and core to quickly explode up. Use your momentum to bring the weight to shoulder height. It’s important that you keep your wrist straight and your elbow close to your body. Now with the kettlebell still at shoulder height perform a half squat and press the kettlebell overhead as your standing up. Then bring the kettlebell back down and repeat the movement.

3. Single Leg Deadlift

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold the kettlebell in front of you with your right hand. Now lift your right leg behind to a 90 degree angle or until its parallel to the floor as you simultaneously reach down to the floor with the kettlebell. Now use your hamstring and glutes to stand back up. Now repeat the movement.

4. Push Up w/ DB Row

Begin in a push up position, with your hands holding on to the kettlebell. Keeping your core tight perform one push up. Next with one hand perform a row while stabilizing your body on your other hand. Hold for a second then, repeat the same process with the other arm. Then repeat the whole sequence for repititions.

5. Kettlebell Front Squat

Begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the kettlebell from the bottom with both hands at chest level. Now keep your head up, chest out, and shoulders back you will squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Then use your legs to drive back up to standing position. Then repeat.

By Benjamin Petitpas