• Quality
• Functionality
• Scalability

This is where the Bowflex Dumbbells miss the boat. Powerblock Dumbbells are fully scalable up to 130 pounds. You don’t have to start there though, that’s the great thing about them.

They allow you to start small, and add as you gain strength and ability. This is crucial. Many times, we believe we need more than necessary to get started.

Powerblock Dumbbells enable you to start with a basic set, maybe only up to 45 pounds, and grow later as your needs dictate.

When you’re working out at home, for most of you space is at a premium. Powerblocks only take up about two square feet. So you can have a complete set of dumbbells, from 5-130 pounds, complete right in your bedroom. In a space a little larger than your night stand.

The Bowflex Dumbbells give you this benefit as well, only with less weight.

If you know that you’re never going to need more than 50 pounds per dumbbell, and don’t mind spending a little more, Bowflex Dumbbells are an acceptable choice. Just make sure that you factor in where you might be strength-wise in a year or two.

Powerblock Dumbbells also have a 50-pound set, cheaper than the Bowflex Dumbbells, so the only reason to go with the latter would be because they look so good. And they do look good.

As adjustable dumbbells go, I don’t have any thing bad to say about Powerblock Dumbbells. That doesn’t happen very often, I’m pretty critical when it comes to recommending equipment, especially to clients.

Powerblock Dumbbells is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

Best dumbells

Using Dumbells Equal The Best Results and Overall Health

What’s the best way to build strength in weak areas while burning a huge amount of calories? Funny you should ask, because this page is all about dumbells, what they are, how they come and what they can do for you.

Dumbells are your complete workout system. Every muscle, angle and position can be strengthened with this one tool.

If you are looking for selectable dumbells, check out my review of adjustable dumbells.

It’s the single best investment you could make for your home gym versatility.

So why is it so important that you use dumbells?

• They provide resistance in all planes of movement
  
• They don’t force unnatural positions
  
• They force the body to develop in balance
  
• They require the maximum amount of stabilizer recruitment
  
• They burn way more calories than machines
  
• They will fit anywhere
  
• They will build an injury resistant body
  
• They’re very inexpensive

Dumbells Equal Real Movement

How Many Machines Actually Replicate A Real-Life Movement?

Do you want the short answer? Okay, I know you might want to disagree, so consider this.

Most of the movements we do in “real-life” that involve pushing or pulling are done standing up. How many machines allow you to do that?

With the exception of cables, (cable cross / cable X are on my recommended list) strikingly few.

One more thing, this might be a bit wonkish but bear with me.

97% of all gym equipment (this is an estimate of course)have you working in the Sagittal (front and back) plane of movement, while only 3% of all injuries occur in the Sagittal plane.

On the other hand, the other 97% of injuries occur in the Frontal side-to-side) and Transverse (horizontal, or rotational) planes. Any guesses how many machine movements occur in the Frontal and Transverse planes? Not many, maybe the remaining 3% of equipment, maybe

Why does that matter? Why would you spend 97% of your time working in a plane of movement in which only 3% of all injuries occur? Doesn’t it make more sense to do more work in the planes that have the highest probability of injury? Thereby reducing your likelihood for injury altogether?

Best Dumbell Choices

Personally, if you have the space I think you can’t beat the good full set of pro-style dumbells. Each pair set out on that two tier dumbell rack just waiting for you to come and push ‘em around. Especially when you haven’t touched them in a while, they seem to call for you. They need you, and you need them.

When you walk into a room where there’s a full set of dumbells on a two tiered rack, you can almost feel the work. The effort, the sweat that’s been expended in the pursuit of a forged, hard, carved-out-of-wood physique.

Having the freedom to quickly put one pair down and grab the next lightest set, (sniff..) you can’t replace that.

The best way to go are the pro style which you can get (from the right dealer) for $1 a pound. That’s a steal, and well worth it by the way (those things will last forever).

If that ‘s too steep but you just can’t stand the thought of not having the full bore, the irreplaceable two tiered dumbell set strewn across the wall of your basement, then go with a set of hex.

Hex dumbells are a solid cast dumbell with a hex shaped head on both ends. You can get these for about $.49 a pound.

Either way you go, look on them with pride, use them often and always drink responsibly.

Best Dumbells, Why Are Dumbells Better is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

No replacement for displacement

Better Results, Fewer Injuries

The Best Weight Training At Home Equipment…

For those that feel training at home is more practical, I’m going to show you how to set your home gym up as a practical weight training center. This will be simple, functional and effective.

This is the EXACT same equipment I have my in home clients get.

Here’s your shopping list.

• Adjustable Dumbells – These are the best sets for the best price I can find ANYWHERE. Here’s my review of adjustable dumbells.
• Squat Rack – This Rack is sturdy and safe, and stands 6’8″ tall. 51″Lx 50″W x 82″H with a lifetime warranty. Also gives you the ability to do pull ups and dips (ESSENTIAL!)
• Adjustable Bench (0-90 degrees) – This bench is a little more expensive than some you may see, but it’s because it has full adjustment range. (essential)
• 300lb Olympic Weight Set – Don’t worry… I realize this may seem like overkill, but if you’re a man, it’s ESSENTIAL, if not, you still need the bar, and smaller weights, (5lb,10lb, etc.) for those long, lean legs you want
• Exercise Ball – [5' 0" to 5' 5"] – 55 cm (22 in.)…[5' 6"- 6' 1"] – 65 cm (26 in.)…[6' 2" - 6' 8"] – 75 cm (30 in.).

Believe it or not that’s it! That’s all you need to be completely “free weight functional”.

Naturally there are other things you could buy to increase functionality, but with what’s listed above you don’t need them.

If you combine that with one or two pieces of cardio, then you’ll have all you will ever need. Of course if you add more, results may be faster or easier, but THIS SYSTEM WILL OUT DO ANY MULTI-GYM OUT THERE.

Cardio I recommend:

• Concept2 Rower – This is the KING of cardio. Only get this if you REALLY want to actually reach a goal, because it works!
• Jump Rope – No Joke. Don’t say you can’t afford it. And it works. You know why you don’t want to do it? Because it’s HARD! That’s why it works so well.
• Stairmaster – Okay… If you insist, this will do. For only $1400 more you can not do as much work, but still feel good about doing something

Something you should remember: If it’s not hard, you’re body doesn’t have any reason to change!

Now you’re talking! That’s a fat bustin’, muscle buildin’, time bomb waitin’ to explode!

I’m getting fired up just thinkin’ about it!

Don’t be so surprised, practical weight training with free weights equipment works great for everyone, they’re cost effective and safer than you ever thought.

In fact whether you’re working out at home or at a gym, weight training is by far the best use of your time. If you are working out at home, free weights equipment is the best investment you can make. No matter how much money you can spend, weight training will give you the best return on your investment!

Practical weight training with free weights equipment:

• Burns more calories
• Prevents injuries
• Develops far more strength
• Best prepares your body for “real world” applications
• Is the #1 best choice for rehabing any type of injury
• Builds a much harder, leaner body
• Is the best way to increase flexibility and range of motion in any joint

“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”
– Thomas Jefferson

Practical weight training delivers results faster then any other equipment.

Why are free weights the best choice for women?
How does weight training develop your body into an injury resistant unit?

I know, I’ve heard it before, “They’re dangerous”, or “Weight training messed up my back”. Or, “Yeah, I used to workout until I hurt myself using free weights.”

Did you catch the key part of that quote? “I hurt myself.”

Don’t fall prey to fitness popaganda. Can you hurt yourself weight training? Of course. Can you hurt yourself using an automobile?

I guess we assume a certain amount of responsibility when we get behind the wheel? Just be responsible and honest with yourself about what your capabilities are. (Don’t try to do more than you’re able to control.)

Accept that weight training is a skill, you have to start somewhere, and you can’t make up for years of neglect by trying to do too much too soon.

And most of all, don’t mistake safety, for not having to do anything.

I have written a separate page on why weight training is better than machines. I highly recommend it for anyone who may considering buying a home gym.

Practical weight training is one of the most effective tools in the fitness arsenal.

The perfect place to jump into our next topic…

Adjustable Dumbells!

Not just for wall pounders any more.

“A man would do nothing, if he waited until he could do it so well that no one at all would find fault with what he has done”. — Cardinal Newman

Practical Weight Training With Free Weights Equipment is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

It's a numbers game

This is a basic food calories list. Trying to use this alone to help you count your calories would be a mistake, because there’s an easier way.

Looking at the food calories list below, you’ll see it’s Breads and Cereals. This is basically a carb list.

You would be thinking correctly. It’s a difficult task for anyone, especially if you’re one of the busy people out there.

Perhaps this food calories list can best show you the need for a better way to lose fat from your body.

BREADS & CEREALS	Portion size *	per 100 grams (3.5 oz)	energy content
Bagel ( 1 average )	140 cals (45g)	310 cals	Medium
Biscuit digestives	86 cals (per biscuit)	480 cals	High
Jaffa cake	48 cals (per biscuit)	370 cals	Med-High
Bread white (thick slice)	96 cals (1 slice 40g)	240 cals	Medium
Bread wholemeal (thick)	88 cals (1 slice 40g)	220 cals	Low-med
Chapatis	250 cals	300 cals	Medium
Cornflakes	130 cals (35g)	370 cals	Med-High
Cream crackers	35 cals (per cracker)	440 cals	Low / portion
Crumpets	93 cals (per crumpet)	198 cals	Low-Med
Flapjacks basic fruit mix	320 cals	500 cals	High
Macaroni (boiled)	238 cals (250g)	95 cals	Low calorie
Muesli	195 cals (50g)	390 cals	Med-high
Naan bread (normal)	300 cals (small plate size)	320 cals	Medium
Noodles (boiled)	175 cals (250g)	70 cals	Low calorie
Pasta ( normal boiled )	330 cals (300g)	110 cals	Low calorie
Pasta (wholemeal boiled )	315 cals (300g)	105 cals	Low calorie
Porridge oats (with water)	193 cals (350g)	55 cals	Low calorie
Potatoes** (boiled)	210 cals (300g)	70 cals	Low calorie
Potatoes** (roast)	420 cals (300g)	140 cals	Medium
Rice (white boiled)	420 cals (300g)	140 cals	Low calorie
Rice (egg-fried)	500 cals	200 cals	High in portion
Rice ( Brown )	405 cals (300g)	135 cals	Low calorie
Spaghetti (boiled)	303 cals (300g)	101 cals	Low calorie

The Easier Way

Even if what you were looking for was on that food calories list, you would still need to get the grams of protein, carbs and fat for each serving.

I also noticed this food calories list didn’t include any levels of nutrients in these foods. Do you know if your diet is even balanced?

With the Strip That Fat program, everything is explained and laid out for you in a clear, easy to understand manner.

It’s a complete system. No guesswork involved, and things might even become clear about why you have struggled so much up to this point

Food Calories List is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

550sf Home Gym Layout

Designing a Home Gym That Delivers Results

Critical for success, home gym designs make a difference with your home fitness goals. There are three things to consider when designing a home gym layout. They will determine your designs, layout and setup.

Determine Your Goals, determine your budget, and choice of weapons.

Determine Your Goals

When I sit down with a new client, I must be able to help them set realistic goals. The best home gym designs in the world won’t matter without planning. Goals are good, realistic goals are best. I can’t stress this enough, your goals should be specific, well thought out and written down.

Garage Gym Sample Layout

You must factor your goals into your home gym designs or you won’t succeed. Have you ever tried to get somewhere when you didn’t know where you were going? Sounds kinda silly, doesn’t it? That’s home gym designs with no end in mind.

Your goals will determine what needs will need to be met in your home gym layout. Basically all home gym designs should include four elements…

• Cardio Piece (s)
• Resistance Pieces
• Specialty Equipment (If Needed)
• Sufficient Space

More on the specifics of these later.

These will vary a little depending on your specific goals. That’s why it’s so important to know your goals before you begin. If your goal is mainly going to be about losing weight, your home gym designs should be focused around comfort and access.

Yes, I said comfort. Meaning inviting, easy to go there and be there. Care should be given to mirror placement, motivational posters, etc. Maybe some things that will help you to stay focused on proper eating, nutritional articles to read while putting in your time on the bike.

On the other hand if your goal is about getting bigger, leaner or harder that is not such a concern. Your home gym designs should be more utilitarian. Less comfort oriented, more work oriented.

This is okay though, because you won’t be spending as much time in there as a person with weight loss as the goal. Each goal has different time requirements per day and per week. Home gym designs should take that into account.

Hopefully you’re pickin up what I’m puttin’ down. (That means, I hope you understand what I’m saying.) Lets move on.

Once you have your specific goals written down, you’re ready for the next step toward your fitness dreams…

Determine Your Budget

How Much Is Your Health Worth?

Not much you can do with this one. It is what it is, only you know how deep you’re willing to dig for a healthy lifestyle.

Designing a home gym successfully requires you to plan in advance what you’re going to be able to buy.

So as your home gym designs advisor, let me give you some things to consider before you shortchange your fitness dreams.

• If you eat out (dinner) 2 times per week,
  after 1 year you’ve spent $5200.
• The average home theater system will run you about $4500.
• 1 venti cafe vanilla frappuccino per day at
  Starbucks is $1820 per year.
• My friend’s last vacation to Hawaii (6 days
  7 nights), $5600.

So with that in mind, how much is your health worth to you?

I strongly recommend that you go with a budget that allows you a representative of each of the four basic elements listed above.

Remember, this is an investment in your future. I have seen far to many people put mis-placed priorities ahead of their own well-being.

As I tell people who are trying to decide if they should hire me…

The same holds true when trying to decide how much to spend on your home gym setup. This is not the thing to skimp on.

I didn’t come up with that little nugget, but it sure hits home.

Choose Your Weapons

The Right Ones Can Make Ya, The Wrong Ones Can Break Ya!

My favorite part. Now you’ve gotten to the point when it all starts coming together.

The ideal (by ideal I mean if your budget allows) home gym setup will include…

Major strength piece:

This can be a multi gym (like Total Gym or Bowflex), a selectorized multi gym (Vectra or Precor, select weight by moving a selector pin through a weight stack), or a plate loaded rack type setup, my personal choice

1 or 2 Cardio Pieces:

These will also be best determined by what your specific goals are. I recommend 2 of these strictly in the interest of the ideal home gym design.

Two people can workout at the same time, if you and your spouse will both be using the gym, it’s far easier to be consistent if you make it an appointment.

In addition, the body will get used to the same cardio movement eventually. At that point it becomes harder to burn calories, you have to go longer and harder to get the same results.

Having two pieces allows you to mix up the cardio schedule every workout, increasing your results and decreasing your boredom!

Dumbbells or Power Blocks:

These would be even more important than most major strength pieces. There is simply no replacement for dumbbell work.

In calorie burning, stability benefit and muscle recruitment they beat every machine hands down. People often shy away from dumbbells, especially in the home gym layout department.

They may think that bells are dangerous in a home gym environment. I don’t buy it.

For one thing, the common sense rule applies when using dumbbells. There’s no one watching you at home so there should be no reason to try more than you can handle.

No, dumbbells are just harder work, and folks don’t like that.

But now you, know the secret… HARD WORK’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT!

Specialty Equipment:

This is the fun stuff. Designing a home gym was never this much fun. Boxing equipment, exercise balls, golf swing trainers, etc.

Actually the exercise balls would be more of a necessity, but there’s literally tons of stuff out there for whatever you want to train.

Most of it is junk, but read on and I’ll let you in on some things that only trainers know…

We’ll start with, Home Gym Review!

Home Gym Designs is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

5lbs of muscle vs 5lbs of fat

Okay, there are about 3500 calories per pound of fat. There are 9 calories per gram of fat. By comparison, protein and carbs each are worth 4 calories per gram.

I know, if you do the math it doesn’t seem to add up right. The difference is in the blood, blood vessels and other tissue within the fat itself.

So now what do you do? There are a few things you need to know to get the most out of this information.

• What is a calorie
• How is fat used by the body
• What’s the best way to get rid of it

A calorie is a measure of heat. It takes one calorie to raise one gram of water to one degree Celsius. Knowing this, we know we need to raise our metabolism, or our metabolic rate. This would be the amount of calories we burn at rest.

Once we know your metabolic rate we can calculate more accurately your daily calorie use.Knowing the daily use, simply subtract 400-500 calories per day in intake. After seven days, you’ve cut 3500 calories out of your diet. If there are 3500 calories per pound of fat, you’ve just lost almost a pound of fat. (Assuming you were exercising while dieting.)

A couple things on this, first it’s important that you not cut your daily intake by more than 500 calories. Any drop below this will trigger your body to store more fat as a defense against starvation. I know, you’re not really starving, but your body doesn’t have a conscious mind that reasons that way.

Second, this is why “cheat days” don’t work. You sacrifice all week, making those decisions every meal, putting yourself to the test just to blow it all in one day.

The average cheat day will run you on average about 2800-3200 calories. After six days of successful will power and determination you have saved your body from about 3000 calories. One more day will be 3500… But instead, you’ve done so well, you deserve a reward. So you celebrate with a cheat day.

At the end of the day you’ve erased your entire week of work. That 3500 calories per pound of fat is right back in your body. That is why so many people have trouble losing weight. So, no cheat days!

Before going further, It’s important to know that your body works a certain way. It’s designed to stay alive. You’re barking up the wrong tree if you’re trying to change the way your body works. You can’t. No, you just have to operate within the rules of the way the body works.

• The fat that’s on your body, was put there on purpose- That’s right, it wasn’t an accident. You gave your body more than it needed, and it took some of that and stored it away for future use. If you only eat one or two meals per day, you’re storing even more than someone who eats five times per day. At 3500 calories per pound of fat, you only need to over eat by 500-600 calories per day to gain a pound of fat per week too.
• Fat is not your body’s preferred source of energy- And, fat is your body’s last line defense against death, It won’t get used for the household chores. Your body always prefers sugar to fat. Sugar, you know, “carbs”. See carbs are just sugar in the body, and for the purposes of this discussion its primary role is to fuel activity. Oxygen is the other half of the fuel equation. So, the majority of your activity by far (unless you spend at least 3 days per week 25 minutes or more sustaining an elevated heart rate) is fueled by carbs.
• Your body will not burn fat unless it absolutely has to- And why should it if you’re constantly feeding it all the fuel it needs? You must create an environment that will force your body to use fat for fuel. Hence, the low carb diet. Don’t make the mistake of thinking of carbs as the enemy however. Don’t stop eating all carbs. That will only work for a while, and you’ll feel horrible.

How Do You Get Rid of It?

It just means you have to have a plan before blindly consuming. Yes, it will include preparing your meal plan in advance. It doesn’t have to take a long time, but it does have to be done. There are plenty of convenient foods and supplements that make this easy to be done on the go.

Here are some other tips:

• Don’t eat starchy carbs in the last half of the day.
• Eat five small, evenly portioned meals per day. Breakfast being the biggest. (Yes, I know it’s an adjustment)
• Drink your daily allotment of water, (1/2 your bodyweight in ounces per day, plus an additional 16 ounces for every cup of coffee, tea or soda).
• Choose low glycemic index carbs for your carb portions
• Weight training is a must for losing fat. The more muscle you stimulate, the more fat you’ll burn.
• Get your full 8 hours of sleep. Studies now show that people who are obese sleep an average of 5-6 hours per night. By contrast, people at their ideal bodyweight sleep 7-8 hours per night. It’s for real. Brain chemicals do a lot of work in the metabolism department. Many of these chemicals require stage four sleep in order to be produced or secreted. Stage four sleep is only reached deep into the sleep cycle.

Now that you know how many calories per pound of fat there are, and armed with some insider tips you should be able to move forward to success. I find many people need help with all the figures and variables, My advice for those who don’t have the time to devote to research and planning is to get a meal plan that will help you.

Here’s a great resource for the “low down” on fat loss. If you’re looking for more information, Click Here!

Calories Per Pound of Fat is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

Adjustable dumbells rock

Complete Set of Adjustable Dumbells
In Two Square Feet

Your new best friend, adjustable dumbells. Several choices here, both are fantastic.

The Powerblock Adjustable Dumbells and the Bowflex SelectTech Dumbells. Both are adjustable dumbells, and both are quality products.

The Best Adjustable Dumbells

Powerblock Adjustable Dumbells – Easily the winner. They are better balanced, VERY comfortable to hold, solidly constructed, and the most expandable. You can go from 3 – 21 lbs set to 5 – 130 lbs set, all in the same footprint! That is a BIG deal. You’ll be amazed at how fast you will need more challenge. In the world of adjustable dumbells, these are king.

This is the best vendor I’ve found for these, Lowest price anywhere.

They have roughly a 18″ x 22″ footprint and are about 24″ high.

They are high quality and will last forever. Never any question about how solid they were or if they would stay together. Also, they were very easy to put back, no matter what the weight selection was. Something I was surprised would be a concern, until I worked with the SelectTechs. When you’re tired and you just want to put them down (if you’re working as hard as you should) you don’t want to have to worry about putting them back on the rack just right.

Another thing that surprised me was how much I like the stand. What a difference! Who knew. Aside from that the biggest surprise was how good the handles were. You can’t see them at all in the pictures, but they are the perfect blend of soft and hard, if that makes any sense. They are coated with grip material that is awesome.

The Bowflex SelctTech Adjustable Dumbells

If you’re looking for something that will work well and value form over function then go with the Bowflex dumbells(SelectTech). For me, they weren’t what I would want, but I could see why some people choose them.

The Bowflex® SelectTech® adjustable dumbells, are very slick. They look good. They are available in sets from 5 to 52.5 pounds, or 10 to 90lbs. This offers enough versatility for men and women.

Would I recommend them to a client? Nope.

What about a girl client who was never going to lift anything heavy, just wanted to buy the lighter set, and really liked how they looked?

Sure.

The SelectTech Adjustable Dumbells while a good product, I found them to be rickety. By that I mean, because of the weight selection mechanism, it’s easy to see how these would wear out. I also found them to be hard to trust. A big concern when you’re pushing 90lbs over your head! It felt like I kept wondering when one of the weight sections was going to fall off one of the bars.

The thing that really annoyed me though was how they have to fit together just right to get back into the rack. If you are using any variation other than the whole rack, you need to slide them back on just right. Something I’m not in the mood to do when I’m done with a set. Ever.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for maximum functionality with room to grow for a long time, the Powerblocks are for you.

Both of these also come with a specially made dumbell rack (which will run you about $120 for the Powerblocks and about $150 for the Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbells).

Shipping on both of these adjustable dumbells can get pricey too, so don’t forget to factor that in.

The way I see it Powerblocks are the best choice. I can’t recommend them enough, and I feel completely comfortable with any of my clients using them for any movement knowing they’ll always stay together.

you can call them changeable dumbells, select weight dumbells, home dumbells, select dumbells, interchangeable dumbells or selectable, whatever you call them, they equal adjustable, and Powerblocks are the best adjustable dumbells.

Best Adjustable Dumbells

Adjustable Dumbells, What’s The Best Adjustable Dumbell Set? is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

Healthy Choices

Free Diet Meal Plans Virtually Guarantee Results

I’ve often told my clients I could unconditionally guarantee their results if I could control what they ate.

Grocery List: 1300 Calories Low Carb

Bars

• Balance Bar Honey Peanut  3.00 each

Beans, Lentils

• Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, without salt  0.50 1 cup

Beverages

• Orange juice – 100% pure , Tropicana  12.00 ounce(s)
• Vegetable juice – V8, no salt  34.00 fluid ounce(s)

Breads and baked goods

• Pita – wheat  2.00 each
• Rolls, hamburger or hotdog, mixed-grain  1.00 1 roll

Cereals

• Oatmeal – instant pkt.,plain Quaker Extra  2.00 pack

Dairy

• Cheese, mozzarella, part skim milk  1.00 1 oz
• Cream Cheese, Light, Phili brand  1.00 ounce(s)
• Egg substitute, liquid  1.00 1 cup
• Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled  1.00 1 large
• HEALTHY CHOICE Mozzarella String Cheese  4.00 ounce(s)
• KRAFT 2% Cheddar Cheese, Reduced Fat  5.25 ounce(s)
• Milk – skim, no fat  4.00 cup
• Parmesan, grated, KRAFT  1.00 ounce(s)
• Yogurt – Yoplait, Light, all flavors  18.00 ounce(s)

Dressings

• Italian – fat free, KRAFT Free  11.00 table spoon

Fats & Oils

• Olive Oil (sesame,soy bean, sunflower)  0.25 table spoon
• Olive oil – pure  0.75 table spoon
• Salad dressing, KRAFT Mayo Light Mayonnaise  2.00 1 tablespoon

Fibrous Carbohydrates (Healthy)

• Asparagus/ Fresh – Boiled  1.50 cup
• Green beans – string boiled & drained  4.00 ounce(s)
• Salad – lrg. garden w/tomato & onion  1.00 large
• Salad – sm. garden w/tomato, onion  5.00 small

Finfish and Shellfish

• Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat  1.00 3 oz
• Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids  1.00 3 oz
• Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids  1.00 3 oz

Fruits & Fruit Juices

• Apple – medium with peel  1.50 each
• Banana – med 8″  1.00 each
• Blueberries, raw  0.75 1 cup
• Grapes, american type (slip skin), raw  1.25 1 cup
• Melons, cantaloupe, raw  1.50 1 cup, balls
• Orange – medium  1.00 each
• Peaches, raw  2.00 1 cup slices
• Strawberries, raw  1.00 1 cup, halves
• Watermelon, raw  2.00 1 cup, ballsFood Quantity Measure

Jams/ Spreads/Sauces/ Syrups

• BBQ – Healthy Choice  2.00 table spoon
• Catsup – tomato  0.50 table spoon
• Peanut Wonder -low fat peanut butter  3.00 table spoon
• Relish – pickle  0.50 table spoon
• SMART BALANCE Buttery Spread  1.00 tea spoon
• Soy sauce – Kikkoman ‘Lite’  2.00 table spoon
• Spaghetti sauce – mushroom, Ragu, ‘Homestyle’  0.25 cup

Meals, Entrees and Sidedishes

• STOUFFER’S LEAN CUISINE Glazed Chicken w/vegetables  1.00 each

Misc. Meats

• Flank – fat trimmed off, braised  4.00 ounce(s)
• HEALTHY CHOICE Beef Franks, Low Fat  1.00 each

Miscellaneous

• STOUFFER’S LEAN CUISINE Salisbury Steak with Macaroni and Cheese  1.00 each
• Tortilla – flour, soft, 7″ diam.  2.00 each

Noodles & Pastas

• Angel hair – whole wheat, cooked, De Boles  0.50 cup

Nuts & Seeds

• Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, toasted, without salt  0.50 1 oz

Pork Products

• Pork, fresh, loin, tenderloin, separable lean only, cooked, roasted  2.00 3 oz

Protein Snack Foods (Healthy)

• Cottage Cheese – 1% fat  1.50 cup

Proteins (Healthy)

• Chicken Breast / White Meat  8.00 ounce(s)
• Swordfish – cooked dry heat  4.00 ounce(s)

Red Meats – Standard

• Beef, top sirloin, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0″ fat, choice, cooked, broiled  1.00 3 oz

Rice, grains, flour

• Spaghetti, cooked, enriched, without added salt  0.50 1 cup

Sausages and Lunch Meats

• HEALTHY CHOICE Bulk Deli Turkey Breast  4.00 ounce(s)

Seasonings

• Mustard, prepared, yellow  2.00 1 teaspoon or 1 packet
• Spices, garlic powder  1.00 1 teaspoon

Soups and Gravies

• CAMPBELL’S Healthy Request Chicken Vegetabel Sou[  0.50 cup
• Chicken vegetable soup – Campbell’s, prepared  1.00 cup
• Sauce, ready-to-serve, salsa  0.50 0.5 cup

Vegetables

• Broccoli, raw  1.00 0.5 cup, chopped or diced
• Carrots – baby, raw  20.00 medium
• Carrots, raw  0.50 1 cup, grated
• Cauliflower, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt  2.00 0.5 cup (1″ pieces)
• Celery – raw stalk, trimmed  4.00 each
• Green beans – string, boiled & drained  4.00 ounce(s)
• Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw  0.25 1 cup, shredded or chopped
• Mushrooms, raw  0.75 1 cup, pieces or slices
• Onions, raw  0.50 1 cup, chopped
• Peppers, sweet, red, raw  0.50 1 cup, chopped
• Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt  0.75 1 cup
• Spinach, raw  3.25 1 cup
• Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average  7.00 1 slice, medium (1/4″ thick)
• Tomatoes, sun-dried  0.25 1 cup
• Vegetables – mixed, frozen, boiled  0.50 cup
• Zucchini, Frozen, Boiled, Drained  0.50 cup

The Problem

The problem that many of us have, is the inability to make intelligent food choices from day to day. That is important, because that’s where the battle is won or lost.

It’s a mistake to think that you can go ahead and have that extra serving potatoes, or say yes to those M&M’s after lunch, and think that we can just “make it up” on the stairmaster or “in the gym” tomorrow. After all, if that were true, we probably wouldn’t be looking for healthy meal plans online.

The Fact Is…

The simple fact is, we’re pretty disconnected from the reality of what foods are “worth” calorie and nutrient-wise, but especially calorie-wise. That’s not my opinion, that’s the fact. Just look around you. It’s even gotten to the point where kids are by-in-large (sorry) overweight.

I’m not one of these guys that will tell you it’s not your fault either, because mostly it is. I’m not trying to be harsh, but I don’t think anyone is doing us any favors by pointing the blame finger at any one else.

Besides, if you don’t take responsibility at some point, things will never change. You need to start here, and you need to start now. Your body is a direct reflection of what you put in your mouth. Period.

If you want to look and feel different, you’ll have to change how and when you make those choices. As I said before, we all have difficulty passing on impulse urges. So what’s the answer? Take the impulse out of the equation. When you have a meal plan, there’s no impulse. There’s no going to the refrigerator and wondering what you’re going to eat. Which, by the way is where we most often lose the battle.

Nope. If you’ve got a meal plan, you already know what you’re going to eat. You don’t have to think about it. You’re free to think about other things, which is another thing you must retrain yourself to do in order to succeed.

Ready To Go

The meal plans above are ready to go. They even come with a grocery list! Everything you’ll need to get at the store to follow the plan! It doesn’t get any easier than that. You can start today. Go to the store and buy your supplies for the next seven days, and be on your way!

Each Plan is complete for 7 days. Everything that you need, every variable accounted for.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that most of us basically eat the same stuff from week to week, but it’s nice to have variety when your working for a change. After you enter your credit card information, you will be taken to your download page. You’ll receive instructions via email immediately.

I just want to encourage you, trying to change your body with exercise alone will help you feel a lot better, but you won’t look that different without a change in your eating. That’s why having a plan is so important.

Start by getting one or a few of the meal plans below, or go here if you are interested in the online personal training membership.

Free Diet Meal Plans is a post from: Personal Fitness Training

This ab workout is not recommended for everyone. Be careful… and remember, the “common sense” rule applies.

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There you have it. Now that’s a killer ab workout!

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Killer Ab Workout is a post from: Personal Fitness Training