Love Notes by Jari Love

Plank Variations for a Stronger Core

by Jari Love 

First there were sit-ups, then crunches, and now we have the plank. The ab exercise du jour is widely recommended by fitness professionals as the best way to strengthen the muscles around your midsection without the same risk of straining your neck you get with the other two exercises. Let’s take a closer look.

Planks belong to a category of exercises called isometric moves. These exercises require holding a steady position rather than the two-part contraction, lengthening and shortening the muscles, that occurs with isotonic moves. A few other examples of isometric exercises include wall sits and holding your arms out to the sides while grasping dumbbells. These holds are great for building strength in a particular area, but they have limitations. Wayne Westcott, an exercise science instructor at Quincy College, told ACE Fitness isometric moves aren’t the most beneficial for overall strength since you don’t get much benefit after holding a position for longer than 90 seconds, and also because you’re not going through the entire range of motion.

We’re not saying anyone should stop doing planks, just suggesting you mix things up. A few variations will help you more effectively strengthen your abs and also target other core muscles you may be neglecting, so give these five alternatives a shot.

1. Uneven plank

Even though moves that isolate one muscle group have their place, it’s always smart to include some exercises that target multiple areas at the same time. It presents a new challenge to your body and will help you speed out of the gym a bit faster. The uneven plank is one of the simplest, and most effective, moves using this approach. Instead of resting on both forearms, you’ll contract one arm to rest your hand on the floor. BJ Gaddour, CSCS, told Men’s Health, this combines the downward phase of a push-up with a plank to target your core and triceps at the same time. The uneven position also forces your core to work harder to stabilize.

To do this move, get into the plank position with your weight resting on your forearms and your legs fully extended. Keeping your elbow as close to your body as possible, pull one arm towards you until it’s in the push-up position and your weight is resting on that hand and your other forearm. Hold the move as long as you can with good form. If your back starts to sag, it’s time to cut the hold short.

2. Two-point plank

Most have heard of the three-point plank, and the idea is very similar here. Changing to just two points of contact makes the standard plank significantly more challenging because you’ll be fighting rotational forces from two sides. But remember, only progress to this variation if you can hold a three-point plank effectively. You should be able to hold one limb off the ground while maintaining correct form for about 90 seconds before taking the next step.

Start in the standard plank position, your weight resting on your forearms and your legs fully extended. Simultaneously raise one arm and the opposite leg off the ground, extending your arm straight in front of you. Resist the urge to twist and keep your back and shoulders as flat as possible. Check out Competitor.com to get a look at the correct position.

3. Side plank with leg raise

In an effort to carve the perfect six-pack, many guys don’t spend enough time strengthening the sides of their core, the obliques. These muscles help with rotational force and keeping you stable in daily life as well as athletics. Another reason to target this area? According to Livestrong, obliques are responsible for the “V” shape in the lower abs most guys are after. Basic planks don’t do a great job of targeting your obliques, though, so you have to turn the move sideways to strengthen these muscles.

For guys who are used to strength training, a standard side plank may not provide enough of a challenge. Adding a leg raise makes the move more difficult and also engages your abductor and adductor muscles. Working on this area around your hip will go a long way towards reducing your risk of a groin injury.

To get into a side plank, lie on one side with your forearm resting on the ground, elbow below your shoulder. Stack your feet one on top of the other with your legs fully extended, then raise your hips off the ground, resting your weight on the side of your foot and your forearm. From here, lift your top leg until your foot is even with your hip. Hold the pose for several seconds before lowering your leg. Active.com recommended two to four sets of five to 15 repetitions on each side.

4. Plate transfer plank

Boredom is toxic for any exercise routine because a wandering mind nearly guarantees you won’t perform the activity as effectively as possible. This is especially true for isometric moves. A plank with great form will do a lot to help strengthen your midsection while one performed improperly will compromise your results and potentially strain your back. Adding a basic movement is one of the simplest ways to keep your mind occupied, so grab a few weights when you hit the mat.

Gather three to five weight plates or dumbbells, each around 5 pounds. Get into the plank position and stack the weights just to the side of you. Keeping your back flat and your core tight, lift the arm nearest the weights off the ground, pick one up, and transfer it to the other side of your body by crossing your arm in front of you. Repeat until you’ve moved all the weights, then switch arms. Men’s Journal shared a great video demonstrating this technique.

5. Stability ball plank circles

A decent fitness routine doesn’t require a ton of equipment, but a stability ball is one of the smartest investments you can make. They’re inexpensive, easy to store, and incredibly versatile. Using one for planks forces your stabilizing muscles to work harder, and you can intensify the effort even more by adding a stirring motion. Men’s Fitness likes this exercise because it strengthens all of your core muscles while building endurance and balance.

Set yourself up with a stability ball sandwiched between your forearms and the ground, keeping your legs extended as usual. Once you’re balanced, slowly move the ball in a circle using your arms. Keep your legs stable and your back flat as you perform the motion. After about 30 seconds or so, switch directions.

via cheatsheet.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

8 THINGS MISSING FROM YOUR WORKOUT

by Jari Love

Creating an effective exercise routine requires goals. Deciding on what you want to accomplish, and using that as a guiding light to craft your regimen, is an easy way to make sure you’re covering all of your bases, and not skipping any steps on your way to conquering those objectives. But no matter what it is that you are truly after — Tatum-esque six-pack abs, Dwayne Johnson’s shoulders and arms, or maybe just a better level of all-around fitness, sans injury — there are certain elements to every single workout that you want to make sure you’re covering.

According to Mayo Clinic, a world-renowned medical center in Minnesota, exercise should balance five essential elements to lead you to good health. That includes strength training, balance training, aerobic fitness, flexibility, and balance training — all of which, when used in conjunction with one another, produce a “well-rounded” fitness routine.

These elements, though rather vague, have become more or less universally accepted by the fitness community. Getting in shape is about balancing a proper diet with exercise, and depending on your goals, tweaking the individual components until you reach a desired outcome. Those components consist of what the Mayo Clinic has laid out, along with a few peripherals.

With that in mind, we’ve made a list of eight essential things you should adopt into your routine. Some of these aren’t very specific, or may seem like no-brainers — yet people often forget, or simply neglect to take them into account. Read through it, and see if you’re skipping over any of our essential workout components.

1. A Time Limit: While you may hear about some people spending hours in the gym to get a chiseled body, a lot of conventional wisdom says that you should really limit your time among the dumbbells and barbells. The reasoning is simply because of the law of diminishing returns — that is, after a while, your muscles fatigue, and you stop making progress. While you still may be burning calories, for those looking to build muscle, being in the gym for hours may be more detrimental than helpful. Instead, fine-tune your routine and see what lifts you can incorporate that will save you time.

2. Muscle-Group Focus: If you’re experienced in the gym, you know that most people tend to break their lifting regimens up into specific days, like ‘leg day’, or ‘abs day’, for example. And this is solid advice. Focusing on a specific muscle group on different days is a good way to ensure you’re balancing your exercises, and working all of your muscles within a given week. Also, it gives other muscle groups time to rest and recover from the previous workout. So, put a plan into motion, and give your routine a daily focus.

3. Intensity: Go hard, or don’t go at all — it may sound like advice a high school football coach is bestowing upon his team before a big game, but it’s also a useful mantra for your time in the gym. If you’re not going to bring some serious effort to the table when doing your lifts or engaging in your daily run, it’s going to show when you miss your goals. A good way to crank things up to 11 is to use intensity workouts or exercises, which use explosive movements that can lead to serious muscle and strength gains.

4. Water — Lots of Water: This is simple enough: stay hydrated. Have a water bottle nearby, and be sure to be drinking often. In the gym, and especially if you’re on the treadmill, you’re going to be sweating. A lot. Making sure that you’re replenishing your fluids is incredibly important, as dehydration can lead to muscle fatigue and cramps. You’re not playing for Vince Lombardi, after all — so keep slamming the H2O.

5. Failure: What we really mean is, doing a specific exercise or lift to failure. That can be pushups, pullups, curls, or whatever — there are a lot of people who say you should go for the ultimate burnout for at least some of your sets. What ‘lifting to failure’ really means is that you go until you can’t hold proper form any longer, or simply can’t perform the exercise. Of course, this isn’t a good approach for every exercise, but for many of them, fitness experts give it the nod. Just be careful.

6. Cardio: By cardio, we mean that you’re getting your heart rate up, and burning some serious calories. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go out and sprint hills, or even get on the treadmill. Doing some jumping jacks, using a jump rope, or even engaging in a fast circuit with dumbbells or machines around the gym will get your heart racing and the sweat pouring. Of course, many lifters are wary of cardio, but getting a tad into every workout can help you warm up, cool down, or just burn off some extra calories.

7. Pushing/Pulling: These are the core movements that define your workout and build muscle. Think about it; whether you’re deadlifting or bench pressing, you’re pushing or pulling weight either toward your core, or away from it, and that is where the actual exercise is happening. And this is what you want to make sure you’re doing every time you work out. For lifters, this isn’t much of a problem. For some, it’s simply getting your form nailed down. Push/Pull workouts have become a rather common thing nowadays, so if you need some guidance, there is plenty to be found.

8. A Cool-Down Period: This is one of the most-skipped elements, and it’s easy to sympathize with those that do. A cool-down period after your workout can help minimize soreness later on, and get you prepared for your next workout in a shorter time frame. Using a foam roll, stretching, or simply hitting the treadmill for a ten minute walk or jog should suffice, as long as you’re going from a ten to a zero on the intensity scale. Think of it like waking up in the morning — you don’t jump out of bed and go right into hyper productivity. It’s the same with your workouts, just in the opposite direction. Give your body a chance to slow down and relax. Also, make sure to have some water and a protein shake.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

FIGHT HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN

by Jari Love

‘Tis the season for merriment, celebrating, and complete overindulgence. All of a sudden, your typically healthy diet morphs into one based predominantly on candy, cheese, fatty meats, and pastries thanks to an abundance of holiday parties. Packing on the pounds seems inevitable.

Interestingly, the average amount of weight an American gains during the holiday season is far less than most would assume. According to a 2000 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, most folks only add about 1 pound to their frame during this time period. The bigger problem is most fail to lose this weight once the season ends. Repeat this pattern every year, and it’s all too easy to gain 10 pounds or more in a decade.

In order to avoid the creep of holiday pounds, you need some strategies. Nothing crazy like fasting or running an ultra-marathon, but practical suggestions that are doable. We’re here to help. These seven tips will help you keep your figure through the year’s end without losing your mind.

1. Avoid skipping meals

Opting out of breakfast or lunch seems like a good way to reduce calories leading up to a holiday party complete with a buffet and tasty treats. The idea is you have more wiggle room since you reduced your consumption earlier in the day, yet this strategy rarely pays off. If you show up famished, you’ll wind up eating far more than you normally would.

Some researchers agree. A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry fed one group of mice a restricted diet only once every 24 hours while the other group was allowed to graze on a normal amount of food throughout the day. The mice on the restricted, fasting diet initially lost weight, but once researchers restored their allotted calories to a normal amount, they gained all of it back and stored more fat around their bellies.

And keep in mind, most of the eats at these get togethers are very high in calories and low in nutrients that keep you full. A bowl of oatmeal earlier in the day will do a lot more to keep you satisfied than one measly cookie.

2. Socialize with your friends at parties

Food plays such a huge role in celebrations, it can be easy to forget why you’re even celebrating. Chances are good a few friends, or at least colleagues you generally like, will be at every gathering you attend. Instead of spending all your time at the buffet table or next to the bar, mingle with your peers. Talk to them, engage, laugh, and enjoy their company. Many of us eat out of boredom, so you’re a lot less likely to overdo it if you’re actually having a good time.

3. Start your day with a workout

December’s calendar probably looks as decorative as a Christmas tree thanks to so many parties and other events. Such a packed schedule often means regular workouts become infrequent workouts. Fight back with a morning sweat session, even if it means waking up a little bit earlier. It’s the easiest way to make sure you stay active without cutting into social events.

Some evidence even suggests morning workouts may be better for weight maintenance than sweating it up later in the day. A 2010 Belgian study fed participants a high calorie, high fat diet for six weeks and divided them into a group that didn’t exercise, one that exercised after eating, and one that exercised before eating anything in the morning. Both those who remained sedentary and those who worked out after eating gained weight while those who exercised in a fasted state were able to maintain their weight. Try going for a run, hitting the stationary bike, or a circuit.

4. Don’t try to shed pounds during the holiday season

Even if you’re working toward a weight-loss goal, give yourself a little bit of a break during the season of all things butter and sugar. Keep your focus on maintaining rather than shedding pounds or you’ll make yourself crazy. Even the most organized guy will probably run into a situation or two where he doesn’t have the option to eat something nutritious. A busy day at the office might mean dinner ends up being some passed appetizers and a cookie at your office party. No worries, just get back on track the next day.

5. Tank up on water

Staying hydrated keeps your body functioning properly and it could also keep you from overeating. Those who know they head to the food when they get bored should grab a glass of water instead. It gives you something to do the same way a pile of snacks does without the additional calories.

Feeling hungry? Drink some water first. SparkPeople explained the hunger and thirst cues are very similar and often difficult to tell apart. The desire to eat may evaporate after downing a tall glass of H2O.

Also, be wary of alcohol. Those liquid calories can be a real killer. For every cocktail, beer, or glass of wine you have, follow it with a full glass of water. It slows you down and helps to balance out the diuretic effect alcohol has on your body.

6. Embrace the crudité platter

Cookies and salty snacks disappear from the buffet table at a rapid pace while the crudité tray remains untouched in the corner. Embrace the veggie platter. The veggie platter is your friend. It’s the one opportunity to load up on fiber and other important nutrients. Stock you plate with as many veggies as you’d like, keeping the fatty dip to a minimum. Filling your belly with produce will leave a lot less room for the unhealthy stuff. It’s the same idea of starting a meal with soup or salad, a strategy many nutrition experts recommend to avoid overeating.

7. Choose your indulgences wisely

If your mom makes the best holiday cake in the world, you should absolutely have that cake. Skip the other treats you don’t care much about, and allow yourself to enjoy something you really love. Those with a serious sweet tooth might have trouble saying no to trying multiple goodies, but they can still be smart about it. Fill one plate with a selection of treats, then split it with a bunch of friends. You’ll end up with just a bite or two of each dessert, which is just right for a little bit of a splurge.

Looking for help in avoiding the holiday weight gain? Sign-up for your FREE 7-day trial for Jari Love’s On Demand! Receive tips, recipes and MORE on how to lose weight and feel great!

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

LUNCH BREAK WORKOUTS

by Jari Love

In today’s busy world it all comes down to time. After ensuring you get enough sleep (super important for your health), do a good job at work, and spend time with family and friends, there is not always time for you. When your days and weekends are clogged with functions, heavy workloads, and social obligations, hitting the gym or going for a long run at the end of the day is at the bottom of the list and usually gets skipped. After missing a few weeks of working out, you’ll notice a difference both physically and mentally. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise boosts energy, helps maintain weight, and helps you sleep deeper. Even on the busiest of days, it is not something you should let slide to the bottom of your to-do list.

On those crazy days, weeks, or months, every second of time should be used to it’s maximum capacity. That means that those lazy lunch hours where you would peruse Facebook or hit up your favorite sushi restaurant can be used to squeeze in a 20- to 30-minute, much-needed lunch break workout.

1. 20 bodyweight squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and place your hands behind your head. Flex your knees, and sit back with your hips. Sit down as far as you are able, and reverse the motion until you are standing again.
2. 20 incline push-ups: Put your feet on a chair or couch, and perform 20 full push-ups to complete this set.
3. 20 hip thrusts: Begin seated on the ground with a bench directly behind you. Roll the bar so that it is directly above your hips, and lean back against the bench so that your shoulder blades are near the top of it. Push your feet into the ground, and lift up your hips, pushing up the bar. Test out weight on this exercise to find a doable weight for you.
4. 20 walking lunges: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart with your hands on your hips. Step forward with one leg and bend that knee, dropping your hips. Lower until your rear knee nearly touches the ground, and then bring that back leg forward to standing. Perform this on the other leg. Do 10 reps on each leg for a total of 20.
5. 20 standard push-ups: Go into plank position with your hands on the ground directly under your shoulders. Lower your body, keeping your back flat until your chest grazes the floor. Push back up to plank.
6. 25 crunches: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width part. Place your hands behind your head so your thumbs are behind your ears. Lift up your chest and upper body as your feet remain planted on the ground.

3. Arm and shoulder workout: 20 minutes
Grab a pair of 5- to 10-pound dumbbells, and get ready for this gut-busting workout from Men’s Health that elevates your heart rate and builds major muscle. For each exercise, you’ll work for 20 seconds and rest for 10. Then repeat that exercise for a total of four minutes. You’ll have one minute of rest before moving on to the second exercise.

1. Split stance see-saw: With the weights in both hands, bring one leg three feet in front of you. Lift the weight in one hand with the other hand down, and then switch, performing this see-saw motion for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds before repeating the exercise with the opposite leg in front. Do this for four minutes straight before resting for one minute.
2. Split stance see-saw overhead press: Get into a deep squat, and lift both hands — with weights — over head. Bring one hand down by your shoulder, and then push back up and bring the opposite hand down. Perform this for 20 seconds, rest for 10, and then repeat the exercise with the opposite leg in front. Do this for four minutes straight before resting for one minute.
3. Dumbbell discus: Hold one dumbbell in one hand, and perform the classic discus motion bringing the weight from behind you, around, and up toward the ceiling. Ensure your feet are wide apart. Do this for 20 seconds, rest for 10, and then switch sides. Do this for four minutes straight before resting for one minute.
4. Dumbbell shoulder jack and shuffle press: Stand with your feet two-feet apart with your weights in both hands. Squat down to a comfortable position (you don’t need to go too low), and then lift your hands straight out to the side. Bend at the elbows to bring the weights on either side of your chest, and then shoot them out straight in front of you. Bend at the elbows to bring the weights to either side of your chest, and then shoot your arms out straight on either side of the body. Perform this for 20 seconds, and rest for 10. Do this for four minutes straight.

4. Full bodyweight blast: Less than 30 minutes
This 28-minute workout from Gym Jones uses your body weight only, giving you the freedom to knock this out in a gym, empty conference room, or even your office if it comes down to that. Perform the first exercise for 30 seconds, and then rest for 30 seconds. That’s one set. Do four sets of the first exercise, and then rest for two minutes before moving on to the second exercise. Repeat the procedure until you’ve done all five exercises.

1. Frog hop: Place your hands behind your head. Bend your knees slightly, and hop forward. Immediately hop again after your feet touch the ground.
2. Split jump: Stand in a staggered stance with your feet two- to three-feet apart and your right foot in front of your left. Bend your legs, and lower your body into a lunge. Now jump with enough force to propel both feet off the floor. While you’re in the air, scissor-kick your legs so you land with your left leg forward. Repeat, alternating your forward leg.
3. Burpee: Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your body into a squat until your palms rest on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Kick your legs backward to a push-up position. Perform a push-up, and then quickly reverse the movement and perform a jump as you stand up.
4. Push-up: Get into push-up position. Keep your body perfectly straight as you bend your arms and lower yourself so your chest touches the ground. Push yourself back up.
5. Hell squat: These are just like regular bodyweight squats, but you’ll spend the 30-second rest periods holding the bottom position of the squat. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back as of you’re about to sit in a chair, and lower your body until your hips are in line with your knees. Stand back up.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Interval Training For Fast Results

by Jari Love

Want to get more out of your workouts? Then try interval training for fast results!
There’s a little secret in the fitness world called interval training.
What is interval training? Rather than doing the same cardio exercise your entire workout, interval training alternates short, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slower, low-intensity periods of recovery.
Research has shown that such intervals of high and low-intensity activity burn more calories and build fitness quicker in a shorter amount of time.
Once designed for elite athletes, interval training is now something the average fit person can try. You don’t need fancy equipment or special training to rev up your routine with interval training.
Read on to learn more about this fast, slow, fast, slow method of training and weight loss.

Theory Behind Interval Training
By alternating high-intensity movements with low-intensity movements, you’re working both your aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) systems. High-intensity exercise causes your muscles to produce lactic acid (waste products), which lead to muscle soreness. Too much lactic acid build up causes exercise to become exhausting and painful.
Alternating hard and easy exercise will reduce the amount of lactic acid that accumulates, thereby making exercise more comfortable, improving your endurance and increasing your speed.

Interval Length
So how long should intervals be?
The answer is, it doesn’t matter.
There are no real hard-and-fast rules about interval length. Varying lengths bring varying benefits. So how fast and how often you pick up the pace depends on you.
Beginners should aim for no longer than 30 seconds of high-intensity bursts. If you’re feeling strong and are in good shape, go ahead and push yourself a bit longer.

Know the Risks
While a no-rules approach may sound appealing, interval training isn’t for the beginner. If you’re new in the land of fitness, take your time as you increase the intensity of your workouts.
Rushing into high-intensity exercise may lead to injury. Start out slowly. Add one or two high-intensity intervals each workout. Slow down if you feel you’re overdoing it. As your stamina increases, feel free to challenge yourself.

Sample Workouts
Remember, there’s no set rule about how to do interval training. It can be tailored to your fitness level and type of exercise.
An interval-training workout involves four variables that can be changed to meet your goals: intensity of intervals, duration of intervals, duration of recovery intervals, and the number of interval repetitions.
Interval training can be casual, spur of the moment bursts of activity depending on how you’re feeling that day or if you’re working towards a more specific sports or fitness goal you can take a more sophisticated, scientific approach.
Interval training workouts have been designed for plyometrics, sprints, stair running, jump rope, speed drills, and agility drills.
A simple example of interval training for walking would be to add short bursts of jogging or alternate slower walking with brisk walking. If you walk outdoors, you could jog or walk faster between certain landmarks such as mailboxes or street signs, then slow down for a short distance.
A second example that really gets your heart pumping and improves fitness in a short amount of time includes running, rowing, or cycling. Warm up for about 15 minutes, then run, row, or cycle as hard as you can (at 90 percent of your maximum heart rate) for three minutes. Then go easy for three minutes, allowing your body to recover. Repeat these three-minute intervals of high- and low-intensity exercise three or four times. Then cool down for 10 minutes.

Increase Your Intensity
To get the most out of your interval training try the following:
• Add Resistance. Between sets of cardio do a set with dumbbells, resistance bands or with your body weight.
• Increase Speed. Really push yourself during the sprinting intervals. Remember, it’s only a handful of seconds.
• Lengthen Intervals. Add a few seconds to your intense intervals.
• Change Exercises. If you’ve been sprinting then switch to burpees or high knees.

Here are WORKOUTS that help you increase your exercise intensity.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe

by Jari Love

This homemade chicken soup recipe is made without added carbs like noodles or potatoes. It’s filled with fiber, protein and lots of delicious flavor. Enjoy!

Here’s what you need…

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 cups diced roasted chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 organic apple, chopped
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• zest from 1 lemon
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the coconut oil and add the onion, carrots and celery.
2. After 5 minutes add the garlic and curry powder.
3. After a couple minutes add the chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, apple, pepper, thyme, and lemon zest. Stir well.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
5. Stir in the coconut milk, and some salt if desired, remove the bay leaf and serve.
6. Enjoy your Homemade Chicken Soup!

Servings: 8

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 166 calories, 5g fat, 175mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 19g protein

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

DO YOU MAKE THESE 5 FITNESS MISTAKES?

by Jari Love

Stroll through any gym and you’ll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain crazy.
Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself.
By avoiding these common blunders, you’ll put yourself on the fast track to results.

Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.

Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight
The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren’t able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.
The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won’t force you to sacrifice form.
Mistake 2: You do the same routine
You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you’ve been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember – if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it, right?
The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.
Mistake 3: You don’t warm up
Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time – they’d rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don’t realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.
The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.
Mistake 4: You use bad form
Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren’t concentrating on the exercise, or you’re trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.
Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you’ll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.
Mistake 5: You workout alone
People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Ways to Measure Your Weight Loss

by Jari Love

Do you step on scale and burst into tears? I have, many times. You’re not alone. So many times when you think you’ve been following your meal plan from your personal trainer and you’re feel like you’re losing weight, then you step on the scale and it doesn’t move. It’s demoralizing when your hard work doesn’t pay off on the scale. I couldn’t handle it anymore, so I threw out my scale. But then, how do you measure your weight loss with no scale. Many doctors will suggest BMI, but there are major flaws with BMI, which I will write more about at another time. But this doctor suggests a few other ways to measure. Let me know what you think…

Believe me, it’s not easy losing weight. And you are not on your own – thousands of people have lost weight only to rebound back, usually with a few extra pounds too.

But it is possible if you understand why you don’t seem to be able to manage your weight long term – to take back the control you need to live a happier, healthier and even a longer life. Before tackling your next diet, answer these questions.

There are a number of different ways to assess your weight:

Measure your BMI

Doctors have BMI charts that tell them the healthy range of weight an individual should be for a given height. Your BMI is your weight, in kgs, divided by the square of your height in metres. A healthy BMI is between 18.5-25kg, 18.5-23 if you are of Asian descent.

Measure your waist circumference

BMI is not the whole story though – it is possible, particularly if you’re a fit muscly man, to have a high BMI and be fit.

And by this I mean high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes and, if you are of Asian descent, things get even tougher. Asian men, in particular, are at an increased risk of these conditions, so the numbers are smaller – waistlines should be no more than 90cm (36in).

To measure your waist, you need to feel for your hip bone and for the bottom of your ribs. The idea is to breathe out naturally (don’t force your abdomen out, just gently exhale) and measure your circumference midway between these two points.

Waistlines greater than this can be associated with significantly increased risks of high blood pressure.

Percentage body fat

We need some fat to keep us insulated, to protect our organs, and to be used as a source of stored energy. But excess fat is bad for us and increases our risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

How much fat is allowed depends on your gender and your age. Some scales will calculate your percentage body fat for you. For women aged from 20 to 40 anything over 34% is overweight, while overweight men of a similar age will have at least 20-25% body fat. For 41 to 60-year-old women, overweight body fat starts at 36% and in men, from 23%. For the over 60s, it starts at 37% for women and 26% for men.

As a doctor I have to say – yes! On all sorts of levels. As a GP, I think there are practical, emotional and physical reasons for keeping weight in check. If you don’t like your body, you’re more likely to have problems with self-confidence and there is no doubt that excess weight increases the risk of a host of physical health problems.

And if we were to suddenly wake up carrying a couple of extra stone we would recognize very quickly how being overweight or obese leaves us feeling tired and short of breath with aches and pains.

And it will come as no surprise to you that heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are more common in overweight people, but also some cancers, including breast, colon and ovarian cancer, are more likely to strike. Plus, you are at an increased risk of developing sleep apnoea, and if you need surgery, virtually every post-operative complication is more likely to occur.

Jari Love – original creator of  Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Everything You Need To Know About High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

by Jari Love

HIIT is what my Get RIPPED program is based on. Why? Because it works!!! High-Intensity-Interval-Training is a great workout, and is a short workout. So if you’re low on time and want a maximum workout, do HIIT workouts. Below is a great info graphic that you need to save and reuse.

High-Intensity Interval Training has taken the fitness world by storm, and for good reason. Scientific research has shown that HIIT improves both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, impacts muscle tissue at a cellular level, and produces the same anaerobic and aerobic improvement as cardio in less than half the time. While many workout enthusiasts have been quick to adopt this method of exercise, not all of them truly understand what an HIIT program consists of.

First, what exactly is HIIT? Generally, it combines two of the most effective fat-burning methods: maximum effort to achieve muscle fatigue and maximum oxygen use in a quick burst of exercise. A term that commonly gets thrown around when discussing HIIT is VO2 MAX — the largest amount of oxygen our bodies consume during exercise. Getting our bodies as close to VO2 MAX as possible triggers the afterburn effect, meaning the body continues to consume O2 hours after we’re done working out.

HIIT programs are not all the same. They tend to have different lengths of time for both high- and low-intensity training intervals, different ratios of high- to low-intensity levels, and different levels of intensity during lower-intensity intervals. There are three leading HIIT programs: the Tabata Method, the Little Method, and Turbulence Training. Before you start any HIIT program, find out which one is best for you based on your skill level and the amount of time you can spend on exercise.

Jari Love – original creator of  Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

A New Diet That Copies Fasting Is Good For The Health

by Jari Love

Intermittent fasting is increasing in its popularity. It works for athletes, it works for stay at home moms, it works for the regular Joe. I’ve recommended intermittent fasting to some of my personal training clients. I love it because it’s one day a week where you eat an extremely low calorie day, versus every day. There are different plans for intermittent fasting. This article shows one of the plans. But if you would like to learn about some other options for intermittent fasting, please reach out to me and I can help you. Read on…

Health buffs may want to try a new diet that mimics fasting because according to a new study, this new five-day, once-a-month diet is safe and effective in promoting weight loss and health.

However, in the study that was published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers enrolled participants and they were intermittently fasted for three months. They found out that the results were remarkably promising. The participants showed reduced risk for a wide array of conditions including aging, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Aging. There were 19 participants who were allowed to join the study. Due to the promising results, the researcher from the University of Southern California is now trying to gain the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration so this regimen could be recommended to patients by their physicians.

According to Valter D. Longo, co-author of the study, “It’s about reprogramming the body so it enters a slower aging mode, but also rejuvenating it. It’s not a typical diet because it isn’t something you need to stay on.”

For the diet, it will last for 25 days of the month. The person can eat normally which is the good side of the diet. However, for one day of the diet, they would eat 1,090 calories containing 10 percent protein, 56 percent fat and 34 percent carbohydrates. However, for two fays through five, they would consume 725 calories containing 9 percent protein, 44 percent fat and 47 percent carbohydrates. Via youthhealthmag.com

Jari Love – original creator of  Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.