What is your bodyfat percentage?

Send me your stats:

-body weight
-measurements(wrists, waist at navel, hips, forearms)
-male or female?

I will figure your bodyfat percentage for you, for free of course!



Sore Muscles? Aid, advice, prevention...

Why Do Your Muscles Become Sore?
Whenever you engage in an unusual level of physical activity, whether lifting weights, going for a jog, or simply moving a heavy piece of furniture you create microscopic tears in your muscle tissue. Don’t worry, this is normal, then your body rebuilds the damaged muscle it grows back bigger and stronger. This is the same mechanism that athletes and bodybuilders use to become faster, bigger and stronger. As a general rule, the more you exert yourself, the more microscopic tears you create, and the more soreness you feel later on as the muscles are being repaired by your body. The soreness itself is a result of both the damage to the muscles, and chemical waste products produced by the muscles during use called lactic acid.

Different Types of Muscle Soreness
If you have sore muscles and are wondering what to do, the first thing you should do is determine the cause of the soreness. Is it normal post-workout soreness or does it feel much worse than that?

Normal, Post-Workout Muscle Soreness
People who work out on a regular basis will probably describe this type of muscle pain as good. Many even enjoy it as a sign that they’ve pushed themselves hard enough to see a benefit from their exercise. Normal muscle soreness manifests itself as a dull but localized pain in the worked muscles that doesn’t limit range of motion but may be accompanied by tightness and temporary loss of strength. It can appear right after your workout, or several hours after your workout (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).

Treatment
You can reduce some of the discomfort by stretching the sore muscles often to keep them from tightening up along with light cardio training to get the blood and lymphatic systems moving (to assist flushing of remaining waste products like lactic acid). Products such as ibuprophen can help relieve the pain, but it has been argued that they may also limit muscle gain.

Strained or Overexerted Muscle Soreness
This happens when you push too hard, too fast and is most common in people who are just beginning a workout program and overdo it on the first few trips to the gym. The symptoms are the same as in normal, post-workout soreness but with the addition of tenderness in the area of the strained muscle and painful tightness which may limit your range of motion.

Treatment
If the pain is severe, see your doctor. If it’s tolerable, try not to use the muscle and each day you should notice an increased range of non-painful motion. Stretching may help depending on the extent of the strain. If the soreness turns into pain as you stretch, stop and just give that muscle some time to heal. Anti inflammatory medication such as ibuprophen can lessen the immediate pain, but may arguably lessen your muscle gain.

Pulled or Torn Muscles
This usually happens because a muscle was not fully prepared for exertion or incapable of handling the demanded exertion and is exactly what the title implies. Depending on the amount of overexertion, a muscle can be partially or completely torn. A small tear will result in a sharp pain in the effected muscle followed by a similar pain whenever the muscle is called into use. Severe strains cause swelling as blood pools around the injured muscle to protect it and provide some damage control. A larger, or complete tear will be extremely painful and may result in an inability to use the muscle at all.

Treatment
If you suspect a severely strained or torn muscle, stop exercising, ice the area, and go and see your physician immediately. Continued use of the damaged muscle will only increase the damage and extend healing time. Do NOT apply heat as this will increase the blood flow and swelling, if the area does begin to swell, wrap it snugly with an ACE bandage and keep it elevated until your doctor can examine it.

Preventing Sore Muscles
If you work out, you’re going to experience muscle soreness... if you did it right. You can however, reduce your chances of strains, pulls and tears.

Here's some very helpful advice:
-Gently stretch each muscle group for at least 60 seconds before and after your workouts
-Begin and end every workout with a light load.
-If you’re about to run, start with fast walking.
-If you’re about to lift weights, do a couple of light sets.
-Hydrate. Drink lots of water.
-If weight training, stretch the targeted muscles between sets.
-Finish every workout with 10-15 minutes of light cardio. This gets the blood and lymphatic system flowing and will help eliminate waste products built up from the workout
-Get a massage
-Ice the worked muscle group immediately after especially hard workouts.

Xenadrine Review

Xenadrine
6 Week Fat Loss Review

Xenadrine is now the most popular weight-loss product currently available, it is also may be one of the most effective.

This fact is supported by a clinical trial that has documented Xenadrine's phenomenal fat-burning/muscle sparing effects. In a double-blind study conducted by a leading independent clinical testing laboratory, Xenadrine was shown to promote an extraordinary 17 times greater reduction of bodyfat percentage than an identical group of subjects who used a placebo.


No other product of its kind has ever been clinically shown to yield such remarkable fat-loss results. Xenadrine also helped test subjects preserve their lean muscle mass while achieving this remarkable weight-loss. Xenadrine is the first and only thermogenic diet product that has been clinically proven through a double-blind placebo controlled study to stimulate rapid and dramatic fat-loss while sparing lean muscle.

The results of this clinical study were so impressive, they were accepted for presentation at the annual scientific conference of the North American Association For The Study of Obesity and for publication in the prestigious scientific journal Obesity Research. Never before has a natural dietary supplement been found to stimulate fat-loss at this extraordinary level.


Xenadrine works...we now know that. But what's the best way to use the product to accelerate fat loss over the next few weeks? Many people have had great success and minimized side-effects by implementing the following:

6- Week Xenadrine fatloss cycle
WEEK 1: Take 1 capsule in the morning and 1 capsule in the mid-afternoon.
WEEK 2: Take 2 capsules in the morning and 1 capsule in the mid-afternoon.
WEEK 3: Take 2 capsules in the morning and 2 capsules in the mid-afternoon.
WEEK 4: Take 2 capsules in the morning and 2 capsules in the mid-afternoon.
WEEK 5: Take 2 capsules in the morning and 2 capsules in the mid-afternoon.
WEEK 6: Take 1 capsule in the morning and 1 capsule in the mid-afternoon.

Note: For best results, always take one of your doses 30 minutes prior to exercise if possible.

Because it is tapered, the Xenadrine Program allows your body to adjust to the initial intake of the supplements and then to gradually ease your system off the fat-burning cycle.

If looking for a quick and effective way to burn off some excess fat, I'd say give the Xenadrine six-week program a shot and see if it works for you.

*Obvious Warning: Consult your healthcare professional before starting any supplement program.

HGH - Natural Human Growth Hormone Review

GETTING LEAN AND STRONG WITH NATURAL HGH


Oral growth hormone stimulators continue to gain popularity among people looking to get
lean, maintain muscle and reduce overall body fat. These natural products continue to be among the hottest supplements on the market.

HGH precursors are being used to ward off many of the undesirable effects of the aging process.

Here’s quick glimpse into what we know about Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and these natural HGH elevating supplements.

In addition to playing a role in our actual growth during our developing years, HGH also plays an important part in our metabolism as adults.

It’s likely that the decline of growth hormone levels in our body as we age is closely connected with many of the physical manifestations of getting old: hair loss or graying, wrinkling of the skin, loss of energy and increased fatigue, increase in body fat stores and loss of muscle mass, decreased sexual function, onset of certain diseases, etc.


Clinical Research clearly suggests that restoring levels of HGH in the body has numerous positive outcomes for both men and women. These likely include:

* overall decrease in body fat

* an increase in lean muscle mass

* restoration of hair loss and color

* decrease in LDL, the bad cholesterol

* increase in HDL, good cholesterol

* enhanced sexual function

* increased energy

* enhanced immune function

* thickening of skin

* improved sleep patterns

* mood elevation

These positive results are well-documented by the scientific literature:"Diminished secretion of growth hormone is responsible in part for the decrease oflean body mass, the expansion of adipose-tissue mass, and the thinning of the skin that occurs in old age." (New England Journal of Medicine, 1990; 323:1-6).

The same study found that administering GH resulted in a 8.8% increase in lean body mass (muscle) and a 14.2% decrease in adipose-tissue mass (fat) in the test subjects.

Natural hormone releasing supplements PRO HGH and Promino AM/PM two of the most popular, are most often taken orally in the form of effervescent tablets or powders. It’s believed that the effervescent nature of the product allows for more rapid and effective absorption. Once absorbed, these supplements act to stimulate the body to release GH and produce IGF-1.The early clinical evidence suggests that supplements which promote the release of the body’s own natural GH are safe with no known side-effects. This, of course, is one of the major advantages that these supplements have over the more costly and potentially dangerous use of prescription HGH injections.It’s theorized that these supplement may aid individuals in developing andmaintaining lean muscle mass, promoting fat loss, tightening skin, and fighting the effects of the aging process in general.

Intelligent Weight Loss - Dieting

Intelligent Weight Loss is as Simple as 1, 2, 3 1. Focus your meals around lean sources of protein such as: white chicken and turkey meat, lean cuts of beef, egg
whites, tuna and other fish, etc.

2. Don't be afraid of all fats. We've been brainwashed into thinking that all forms of fat in the diet are unhealthy and can lead to excess bodyfat. This simply isn't true. In fact, your body needs fat in order to burn fat, otherwise it will shift into preservation mode and attempt to maintain existing fat stores. It's true that you should watch your intake of saturated fat, but taking in so-called 'good' fats (ie: those found in nuts, olive oil, flax seed, fish oils, etc.) can have a very positive
effect on weightloss and overall health.

3. Move your carbohydrate intake away from foods that spike a high insulin response in the body to foods that offer more quality fuel for long-lasting energy. To simplify, try to limit your intake of processed carbs like breads, pastas, refined sugar products, etc.; instead, eat more unprocessed carbs like fruits and vegetables. If it comes in a box (crackers, cereal, pasta, cookies), forget it or at least only eat it in moderation. In fact, if there's one thing you can do that will have a significant, positive, and lasting effect on your health and bodyfat percentages, it's shifting your carbohydrate intake away from processed foods and towards natural fruits and vegetables.

Achieving Muscular Fitness Part 1

Some important facts to consider while designing a personal fitness and realistic muscle-building program. Everyone is different. What works for your friend may not work for you. Try different movements and adjust your methods to suit your own body type and goals. Not everyone wants to bench press 400lbs. Some people never will be able to, no matter what, but it's ok. Taking the first step into a fitness program and sticking with it is ALL that matters. The strength, the tone, the weightloss will come, I promise you. IF you refuse to quit.

Applying the Principles of Training for Muscular Fitness

Frequency:
Muscular strength: every other day (2-4 times per week)
Muscular endurance: every other day (3 days per week)

Intensity:
Muscular strength: High resistance – heavier weights
Muscular endurance: Low resistance – light weights

Time:
Muscular strength: 8-12 repetitions
Muscular endurance: 12-20 repetitions

Type:
Muscular strength and endurance: resistance type activity (free weights and weight machines)
Note: Exercises such as curl ups, crunches, pushups, pull-ups (no weights) can be performed daily.

Weight training helps you maintain strong bones and muscle as you age. It is a great way to improve your self image, help control your weight and enhance your performance in sports and other activities. Weight training is a lifetime activity – don’t ever stop.

*To develop muscular strength use heavy weights and low repetitions.
*To develop muscular endurance use light weights and high repetitions.

The three different methods of exercising your muscles:
1-isometric- exercise performed by the exertion of effort against a resistance that strengthens and tones the muscle without changing the length of the muscle fibers.
2-isotonic- of or involving muscular contraction in which the muscle remains under relatively constant tension while its length changes.
3-isokinetic- pertaining to the force of a human muscle that is applied during constant velocity of motion.


A variety of exercises can be performed with and without special equipment to develop muscular strength and endurance. Exam. P90X, kickboxing, jogging, fast walking, obstacle course, cross training, etc.

It is very important to follow safety precautions while weight training:
-warming up properly.
-starting at low weights.
-using correct body mechanics.
-breathe regularly, don't hold your breath.
-have a spotter present to help you lift safely, especially while using free weights.

*Never sacrifice correct technique while trying to lift heavy weights. If you can't perform the motion correctly, reduce the weight.

Note for MEN only: Why on earth would you ever need to use the inner and outer thigh machine in the gym? I see this all the time. It's as comical as it is pathetic. Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

SUPER Weightloss Foods You Should Know About.

Many foods, deemed as "fattening" in the past have now actually been proven to be just the opposite. SUPER foods even? Nutrients in the foods listed below have been proven to promote weightloss and retain muscle. Some of these will surprise you.

Steak
Beef may have a bit of a bad rep, but eating lean cuts may help you shed pounds. In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women on a diet that included red meat lost more weight than those eating equal calories but less beef. The protein in steak helps you retain muscle mass during weight loss.

Eggs
Yes, yolks and all. They won't harm your heart and they help you trim inches. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and very filling, so you will actually eat less later in the day.

Kale
One raw chopped cup contains 34 calories and about 1.3 grams of fiber, as well as a good portion of iron and calcium. Spinach, is a milder-tasting option, with basically the same effect.

Oats
Unlike many other carbohydrates, oats, even instant, digest slowly, so they have little impact on your blood sugar. All oats are healthful, but the cut and rolled varieties (which are minimally processed) have up to 5 grams of fiber per serving, making them the most filling choice. Instant oats contain 3 to 4 grams of fiber per serving.

Lentils
Lentils are a proven belly flattener. They're high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels. Eating them helps prevent insulin spikes that cause your body to create excess fat, especially in the ab area.

Goji berries
These berries have a hunger-curbing edge over other fruits: 18 amino acids, which make them an excellent source of protein. They also have more beta-carotene than carrots. Only 35 calories per tablespoon.

Wild salmon
Good fish fats keep your heart healthy and shrink your waist, too. Omega-3 fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity, which helps build muscle and decrease fat. We all know by now, if you've been paying attention... the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

Apples
An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay, says a study from Penn State University at University Park. Apples are high in fiber, 4 to 5 grams each, which makes them filling. Plus, the antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an "apple shape."

Buckwheat pasta
Buckwheat is high in fiber and, unlike most carbs, contains protein.

Blueberries
All berries are good for you, but the blue ones have the highest antioxidant level of all commonly eaten fruit, according to research from the USDA. They also have 3.6 grams of fiber per cup.

Almond butter
Adding this may lower bread's glycemic index (the measure of a food's effect on blood sugar). A study from the University of Toronto found that people who ate almonds with white bread didn't experience the same blood sugar surges as those who ate the slice only.

Pomegranates
The juice gets all the hype but pomegranate seeds deserve attention too. In addition to being loaded with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants, they're low in calories and high in fiber, so they satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your diet.

Cayenne Peppers
Another reason to spice up your meals, you'll speed up your metabolism. A compound in chilli peppers called capsaicin has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories for up to 20 minutes after you eat them. Do a google search on "cayenne pepper benefits" and I promise you'll be supplementing your diet with this today!

Yogurt
Dietitians often refer to plain yogurt as "the perfect food". With its trifecta of carbs, protein and fat, it wards off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady. In a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, people on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 percent more fat overall and 81 percent more belly fat than those on a similar plan but without yogurt. Makes one want some yogurt, right?

Sardines
I know, it's an aquired taste but they are high in protein and omega-3s, and help the body maintain muscle. They're also low in mercury and high in calcium, making them a good choice for pregnant women. If the flavor is just more than you can take, try soaking them in milk for about an hour, it will remove the fishy after taste.

Parmesan
Ditch the plastic-tasting lowfat cheese and pick up the good stuff. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that women especially, who had only one serving of whole milk or cheese daily were less likely to gain weight over time. Lowfat-dairy consumers did not experience the same benefit, in case you wandered. Whole dairy foods have more conjugated linoleic acid, CLA, which helps your body burn fat more efficiantly.

Avocado
This food has heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (the good fat) and it helps give you that full feeling.

Olive oil
Like avocados, olive oil has healthy fat that tames your appetite. It's also been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation in the body has been linked to metabolic syndrome.

Super Toning and Sculpting Routine for Women.

Most women want to keep that feminine look and do not want big bulky muscles like a bodybuilder but want to lose weight, tone and sculpt their bodies. Try this workout for amazing results.

As far as workout routines for women, make sure to follow these tips:

1) Plan to exercise early in the morning. This is when you can take advantage of maximum fat-loss.

2) Prior to your workout, eat a serving of fruit and drink plenty of water. A cup of coffee will also help in releasing stubborn fat cells.

3) Start your workout with a light 5-10 minute cardio warmup.

4) Move on to weight training in a circuit style, so that you do resistance exercises for the whole body while minimizing rest between sets to keep heart rate elevated.

5) After 20-30 minutes of weight training, immediately do cardio for 20-30 minutes in an interval style.

6) Post-workout, consume a fast-absorbing protein source with a moderate amount of carbohydrates.

7) Cut carb consumption atleast 3 hours prior to going to bed.


SUPER TONING ROUTINE FOR WOMEN

Workout 1. Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps.

Exercise                                     Sets/ Rep-Range

Dumbell Shoulder Press               4X 8 – 10 reps

Cable Upright Row                      3X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Rear Delt Raise              3X 8 – 10 reps

One Arm Cable Curl                    3X 8 – 10 reps

Barbell Curl                                 2X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Concentration Curl         2X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Triceps Kickbacks         3X 8 – 10 reps

One-Arm Dumbell Triceps Ext     3X 8 – 10 reps

One-Arm Reverse Pushdown       2X 8 – 10 reps



Workout 2: Thighs, Hamstrings and Calves.

Exercise                                Sets/ Rep-Range 

Barbell Squat                          4X 8 – 10 reps

Leg Extension                         3X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Side Lunge                3X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Stiff-leg Deadlift        3X 8 – 10 reps

Lying Leg Curl                        3X 8 – 10 reps

Cable Abductor Raise            3X 8 – 10 reps

Standing Calf Raise                3X 8 – 10 reps



Workout 3: Chest, Back and Abdominals.

Exercise                                   Sets/Rep-Range

Barbell Incline Press                  4X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Flat Press                    3X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Incline Fly                    3X 8 – 10 reps

Reverse Lat Pulldown               4X 8 – 10 reps

One-Arm Dumbell Row            3X 8 – 10 reps

Dumbell Pullover                       3X 8 – 10 reps

Cable Weighted Crunch            3X 8 – 10 reps

Leg Raises                                3X 8 – 10 reps

 
Week 2. Will focus on the development of muscle tone and endurance. Alter the reps/rest intervals this week which will initiate a more intense fat-burning effect from the workout.


Sets: You will perform 3 sets of each exercise.


Reps: 15 – 20 per set


Rest: 30 seconds only between sets.



Week 3. This week we go back to the same workout as given for week 1. But on the last set of each exercise we are going to do a “drop-set” this means that on the last set of each exercise once you have completed the given number of reps you will reduce the weight down about 30% and complete as many reps as you can to failure. Example would be if you were doing Dumbell Press for chest and you were using 15lb dumbell once you had completed your last repetition on the last set you would put that weight down and immediately pick up 10lb dumbbells and continue with this weight until you could not complete any more repetitions. Then you would move onto the next exercise.


Reps: 8 – 10 reps, with drop set on last set.


Rest: 60 – 90 seconds.


Complete this routine for a total of nine weeks before the exercises will need to be altered slightly to different movements to keep the body guessing.


Cardiovascular Training.

Did you know, a single half hour session of cardio, can burn hundreds of extra calories during the performance of your session? Also after the session, there are more fat burning effects for up to several hours!

There are two basic factors that influence the fat-burning effects of cardio: duration and intensity (how long and how hard you train). For any given level of calories burned, these factors have an inverse relationship: if you train harder, then you don’t have to train as long; if you train longer, then you don’t have to train as hard. However, it has been shown that a specific type of cardio known as interval training provides significant benefits over steady state exercise. For one, interval training is extremely time efficient, allowing you to complete a training workout in half the time of a normal cardio workout, and is more effective at burning fat.
 
With an interval training routine, during the high-intensity interval you will train for one minute at a level that exceeds your lactate threshold. This will be followed by a lower-intensity interval of between 1 and 4 minutes, where your body has a chance to clear lactic acid from the blood and replenish oxygen stores. This cycle will be repeated multiple times over the course of your cardio workout, and allow you to burn in excess of 300 calories in just 30 mins.

5 Basic Tips to Lose Weight and Keep it Off.

Long-term weightloss and goal weight maintenence will never last, until we figure out that it's not simply a diet, but a lifestyle change. Most everyone truly knows what foods are good for us and what foods are bad. You either know or have a very good idea, be honest. It's when we finally determine within ourselves, "If I keep doing what I'm doing, I'll keep getting the same results" that will empower us to change our bad eating habits.

Here's 5 simple things to keep in mind.


1) Protein is the essential friendly ingredient, while fat content (bad fat) in a food the enemy. Read labels and compare. Don't just grab something off the shelf based on mass marketing. Do your homework before you shop. Protein is an absolute key to weightloss and weight management. Don't forget it!




2) Pay attention to vitamin contents also. Vitamins C and E are very important, but labels can be very deceptive. If you see a food having less than 5% of a couple or three vitamins it is most likely junk. Vitamin supplements are a good thing, since eating commonly found foods off the shelf won't provide enough, but they aren't a panacea for everything. Nothing like good, fresh, whole foods.



3) The old 'three square meals a day', and 7 basic food group recipe is outdated and incorrect. The human body needs nutrition when it needs it, NOT according to an artificial clock. If you tune in to your body it will signal you when it's time to eat, usually a little something every 2 hours. Eat when you are hungry, then stop when full. How simple is that?


4) Stay away from any diet soda or foods containing aspartame, a neuro-toxic poisonous food additive, possibly the #1 cause of obesity in the US, and which causes a craving for carbs. READ LABELS! Almost everything sweet on the shelf with a no-fat, non-fat, lo-cal advertisement on it contains aspartame. What good does it do you if you drink a diet soda then gorge yourself on several doughnuts? Aspartame is only one chemical link away from formaldehyde when it reaches room temperature. Research it, you'll be shocked! It's also linked to 92 illnesses, and you're better off with regular soda, plain sugar, and especially honey or brown sugar.



5) Eat slower. Pay attention to your chewing. Many of the foods that are better for you are those requiring proper chewing. Don't wolf down your food. Chew it thoroughly. The stomach sends a signal to the brain when full (based mainly on fat content), but the signal doesn't travel at light speed, so if there's excess food in there (or still on the way) you've usually eaten too much. Normally it takes about 15 minutes for the stomach to signal the brain that its full. Take a bite from your plate, then lay the fork back down, chew your food and enjoy the flavor, swallow, repeat. Most people don't realize how fast they eat. More chewing aids digestion too.

 
 
Should I even have to mention exercise? You know what you need to do. It's a very simple formula. Making ourselves do it is the hard part. Best of luck!

Fad Diets. Do they work? You decide.

Fad diets are not the healthiest thing in the world but many people are losing a lot of pounds using these new "fad diets". I just heard of these two "new ones" below, going on in several local offices and work places. When people are determined to lose weight quickly, they are willing to resort to some drastic measures sometimes. Keep in mind, if you decide to choose a fad diet plan. You will without a doubt drop pounds but some muscle will go with it too and people on fad diets tend to gain back what they lost very quickly, along with some extra. If I chose one of these fad diet plans, I'd at the very least, supplement approx 150+ grams of protein per day. I do not recommend these diets. I'm posting these only for information purposes.



7 Day Diet, ALL You Can Eat Diet

MONDAY
All the fruit you want except banana.

TUESDAY
All the vegetables you want *you can use soy sauce, vinegar or mustard.

WEDNESDAY
All the fruit & vegetables you want.

THURSDAY
5 bananas with 5 glasses of milk

FRIDAY
4 (3 oz beef/chicken or fish steaks) with fresh vegetables.

SATURDAY
4 (3 oz. beef steaks) with fresh vegetables.

SUNDAY
4 (3 oz. beef steaks) with fresh vegetables.




The Chicken Soup Fad Diet

The Chicken Soup Fad Diet works on a very simple idea. You eat 1 breakfast each day (see breakfast choices listed below) and as much chicken soup as you want during the day.
Here is the recipe for the chicken soup.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. oil, best if you use olive oil, parsnips cut into 1/2 inch pieces (this is about 1 lb. of parsnips)
4 ribs celery sliced
1 turnip cut into 1/2 inch pieces (3/4 of a pound)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
16 cups reduced fat, low sodium, chicken broth
7 cans (5 oz. each) of chicken, or 5 cups (1 1/2 lbs) fresh chicken (cooked)
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen carrots
1 box (10 oz.) frozen broccoli florets
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped collard greens
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped onions
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or 1 tbs dried dill.

Cooking Instructions:Using a large pot, heat the oil over a medium head. Add the parsnips, celery, turnip, jalapeno peppper, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook all the vegetables until the are crisp-tender...this should take about 15 minutes. Add the broth, chicken, carrots, broccoli, collard greens, onions, lemon juice and dill. Brink it to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.This will make 26 cups of soup.

Breakfasts Choices with the chicken soup fad diet:  You are allowed one breakfast a day.

Try to mix it up a bit by trying more than one of the following choices:
Breakfast 1- 1 cup vanilla nonfat yogurt combined with 1/2 cup chopped fruit salad and sprinkled with wheat germ.
Breakfast 2- 1 cup ricotta cheese combined with 1/2 tsp. of sugar and dash of cinnamon. 2 pieces whole-grain bread, toasted and dried figs.
Breakfast 3- 1 1/2 cups Total cereal, 1/2 cup nonfat milk, 1/2 cup calcium enriched orange juice.
Breakfast 4- 1/2 cup prune juice1 small whole-wheat bagel, topped with 1 oz of fat-free cheddar cheese melted or cream cheese.
Breakfast 5- 1 1/2 cups cooked Cream of Wheat Cereal, 1/2 cup nonfat milk.

You can have one of these breakfast dishes each day and then as much chicken soup as you want.

P90X Workout System Reviews.

P90X Pros and Cons

Everyone has heard the hype about the P90X Workout System! Probably you, like myself, are getting sick of the info-mercials. There are many P90X reviews out there though, who do we believe? Well, let me take an un-biased approach here. I'm not affiliated with Beachbody/P90X or not trying to sell any of their products, so I have nothing to lose. I'll lay it down in black and white.

The DVDs are a little expensive, in my opinion, around $120. I recommend checking out eBay or craigslist to purchase "used" at about half the cost or less. MANY people that bought into this realized that it's much harder than it looks on TV, so you can pick this up in barely used condition fairly easily.

The P90X Workout is marketed as an exclusive and "hot" item on the market because it does not require any expensive home gym equipment in order to perform exercises (like we haven't heard that one before). What it calls for is a set of dumbbells, a chin up bar, and a some push up stands. Easy enough, right?


What is included?

The P90X Workout system includes 3 training manuals, a 3 phase nutrition program (which is not too bad), fitness guide, and a video overview called "How to Bring It". You also get 12 dvds. These dvds will consist of strength training, cardio, yoga, polymerics, abs, and yoga. It also gives you free support tools, designed to help your workout.

The P90X Workout is a program that I would consider, an extreme workout. If you're a beginner and try this, you're in for quite a shock! This is not for the light-hearted. I have many of the Tony Horton dvds and this one is pretty much a combination of them all. I like most of his programs(if I mute the sound) but I modify them to fit my own needs. I hate how he walks around touching and bothering the people on his videos, hmmm, especially the men. Ooook, let's continue. The goal of this program is to get you "ripped" in 90 days. Everybody wants to be ripped, right? This goal is not terribley unrealistic...IF you are in semi-decent shape going into it. Although the before and after pics are impressive they are of course, "not typical", read the fine print.


Does P90X work?

As much as I hate devices and gimmicks, I will admit, P90X does work...IF...BIG IF, just like any other workout program, you stick with it. I would use this system occasionally, to "shock" my workout, but would probably never use it everyday. I'm more into bodybuilding now than weightloss, but your needs may be different than mine.
- Would I recommend this product for someone who absolutely did not want to join a gym? Yes.
- Would I recommend this to a beginner who hasn't exercised in a long time or has more than 25lbs to lose? NO.
This system is much too intense for a beginner. If a workout is not fun and way too challenging for a beginner, the back-out rate will skyrocket. If you exercise 3 times a week and want to take it to the next level, this would probably be a good option for you.


PROS:

- Program effectively covers all body parts.

- DVDs are convenient and you can take them to a friends house for a workout partner, take them to work, etc.

- Intense and challenging workout that does indeed work, if you stick with it.

- Very simple to transition from one workout to another and it allows you a little time to take a break for water, etc.

- Comes with a decent nutritional guide and recipes.

- Has cardio and basic strength exercises. (military style)


CONS:

- System is advanced and intense. If your not in fair shape, this will be very hard to stick to.

- Music leaves a lot to be desired. (mute sound and play your own music)

- You will have to spend some extra money on basic equipment you will need to do the program.

- Although the system will help develop strength, don't look for any significant muscle gain.

- Program is too expensive for what you get. 120 bucks plus.


Conclusion

Well, that's my review. P90X is what it is. Nothing magical. You weigh out the pros and cons decide for yourself. Beware of alot of the reviews you see on the net. Beachbody, the ones who made P90X are working hard to get people to write positive reviews. Go to craigslist, click on fitness jobs in any state. They are paying people to promote their product. Alot of companies do this, and of course it's not illegal, but you'd be hard pressed to find anything even remotely negative about P90X. Just remember, nothing is as easy as it sounds. For a stay at home workout I'd give it about  4 out of 5 stars.

Calculate your BMI to monitor your fitness/weightloss goals.

Mathematical Body Fat Formula


The best time to use this formula, is in the morning. Your body weight and waist measurements are the most accurate just after you wake up from 7-8 hours of sleep.

The formula below will not calculate your exact body fat percentage but will be extremely close. The most accurate way is underwater weighing, but this formula should give you a consistent measurement you can use as a guideline so you can determine if you're losing body fat and/or muscle.



Body Fat Formula For Women

Factor 1 (Total body weight x 0.732) + 8.987

Factor 2 Wrist measurement (at fullest point) / 3.140

Factor 3 Waist measurement (at naval) x 0.157

Factor 4 Hip measurement (at fullest point) x 0.249

Factor 5 Forearm measurement (at fullest point) x 0.434

Lean Body Mass Factor 1 + Factor 2 - Factor 3 - Factor 4 + Factor 5

Body Fat Weight Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass

Body Fat Percentage (Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight



Body Fat Formula For Men

Factor 1 (Total body weight x 1.082) + 94.42

Factor 2 Waist measurement x 4.15

Lean Body Mass Factor 1 - Factor 2

Body Fat Weight Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass

Body Fat Percentage (Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight



Body Fat Percentage Categories


Classification                Women (% fat)           Men (% fat)

Essential Fat                       10-12%                          2-4%

Athletes                              14-20%                         6-13%

Fitness                                21-24%                        14-17%

Acceptable                         25-31%                        18-25%

Obese                                   32%+                           25%+

What's Your One Rep Max?

Calculate your 1RM

Method #1 - Using Multiplication


Here is an interesting chart, which should be able to help you in calculating your projected 1 rep max. This will make it easier for you to decide how much weight you want to try, as it gives you a good ball park figure.

Relationships between reps and % maximum load for one rep maximum (1RM). The maximum strength zone is 1 - 6 reps, and bodybuilding 6 - 12. Strength / Endurance 12 reps or more.

One Rep Max Calculations Repetitions Coefficient

1> 1


2> 1.047


3> 1.091


4> 1.130


5> 1.167


6> 1.202


7> 1.236


8> 1.269


9> 1.300


10> 1.330


11> 1.359


12> 1.387


HOW TO USE CHART # 1

If you bench press 135 x 12...multiply 135 by the coefficient of 12 (1.387) and get 187.2...meaning your one rep max for bench press is 187.2 pounds roughly.

If you arm curl 100 lbs once, then to find out what you should do for sets of 8 to failure, divide 100 by the coefficient for 8 (1.269), to find that you should be able to arm curl 78.8 pounds 8 times to failure.


Method #2 - Using Division

Here is an interesting chart, which should be able to help you in calculating your projected 1 RM's. This will make it easier for you to decide how much weight you want to try, as it gives you a good ball park figure.

Relationships between reps and % maximum load for one rep maximum (1RM). The maximum strength zone is 1 - 6 reps, and bodybuilding 6 - 12. Strength / Endurance 12 reps or more.

One Rep Max Calculations Repetitions Coefficient

1> 100


2> 95.5


3> 91.7


4> 88.5


5> 85.7


6> 83.2


7> 80.9


8> 78.8


9> 76.9


10> 75.2


11> 73.6


12> 72.1


HOW TO USE CHART # 2

If you bench press 135 x 12...divide 135 by the coefficient of 12 (0.721) and get 187.2...meaning your one rep max for bench press is 187.2 pounds roughly.

If you arm curl 100 lbs once, then to find out what you should do for sets of 8 to failure, multiply 100 by the coefficient for 8 (0.788), to find that you should be able to arm curl 78.8 pounds 8 times to failure.