So enough about me.  The reason I am writing this was to let you know things I truly believe have helped me.  So without further ado here is my top 11 list, and it is in no specific order of importance.

This is an actual snapshot of my daily log in my fitness pal from today.

1. Use a calorie counter application.  My personal favorite is myfitnesspal and I use this for not only tracking what I eat but my calories burned from exercises.  I use it on my phone and it has neat features such as multi-add, barcode scan of any food, and making a custom meal so next time you just enter in the meal name and itauto-populates all the foods.I found myfitnesspal to have decent values but I wanted more accurate numbers for how many calories I burn whether its a 15 minute walk with the dog or a one hour p90x workout.  So that is why I bought…
2. Get a Heart Rate Monitor watch.  My personal favorite is from a small start up Alpha Mio. There is no comparison of watches on the market today and I did a lot of homework on this.  This one you just put on your wrist and go.  It’s deadly accurate and works with many cools apps (but not myfitnesspal, argh!).
3. Drink lots of ice cold water!  I ran across this by sheer accident when I was doing some research for someone.  I came across something Dr. Darden posted called SuperHydration.  I won’t go into the details as his article does all that. It explains everything and you should really take the time to read it.  Even without going to his extreme there are many places that say drinkings lots of water helps lost weight like CNN Health and WebMDs articles.  Read them!
4. This one is a double tip in one and I do both.  Park in the farther spots of parking lots and take the stairs!  For me this adds about 12 minutes of exercise a day during work weeks.  That is 60 minutes of moderate to high level of exercise that burns for me 720 calories a week!  And All I did was park further away in the parking garage and take 12 flights of steps up.  I couldn’t do all 12 flights of stairs on day one but now I can do steps two a time, but I mix that up too.
5. My next tip is simple. Cut out 1 item from your normal meals.  We are creatures of habit.  I will often go to my favorite deli shop and get my favorite sandwich with a bag of kettle chips and a diet coke.  I eliminated the bag of kettle chips.  That’s 160 calories and 10 grams of fat gone.  So you are going out to dinner, which folks is allowed!  A typical dinner out with family for me is Longhorn steakhouse where I get a Filet.  But this comes with a salad with blue cheese and one side which for me is normally a loaded bake potato.  We also usually get an appetizer of cheese fries and bread comes to our table too.  Now I skip the cheese fries and bread, but I also change the dressing from blue cheese (sometimes) to a vinaigrette and my loaded bake potato now comes with some butter on the side.  So cutting out the 1 item isn’t a strict sense but its a start.  I quickly learned to adapt.  Now some days you just need to treat yourself and it’s ok to load up on all your favorites, but track it in your calorie counter and the self-guilt over time makes you do this less and less and less.
6. Don’t weight yourself more than once a week! I mean it! One of the many problems all of us face is failure.  If you get on the scale and see your weight fluctuate and it goes up, and boy does this happen, we all tend to lose inspiration.  You really need to limit time on the scale.  I am now on the scale every 2 or 3 weeks tops.
7. Workout Variety!  I can’t stress this enough.  After Christmas I started with p90x.  I grow bored quickly so I introduced workouts using my Elliptical machine and pushups.  After that I started to swamp out a workout for a run but had injury issues so I borrowed my friends P90x2.  I have also bought touchfit and do that now on some workouts.  The main thing is keep yourself interested in what you doing!  Now that it has warmed up I found some people online and neighbors and co-workers to play tennis with.
8. However – Keep to a schedule on workouts.  My workout variety doesn’t mean you shouldn’t workout on a fairly regular schedule.  For me I workout Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.  Why?  This just works with my schedule.  I also make sure to not workout the same body area in two consecutive workouts but with all the routines I mentioned in my workout variety that isn’t an issue.  However, you need to be aware of this.  Give your muscles time to recover. Sometimes I am busy on Tuesday so I will workout Thursday but I have this planned out (in my head) all in advance.  I try really hard to never miss my 4 workouts a week.
9. Walk or Ride instead of using your car.  For me this means I walk to lunch on days at work.  This accounts for about 22 minutes a day or about 109 calories a day, 545 calories a week.  It adds up folks!  I do this even in the winter when I am freezing!
10. Try new things.  For me this is like workout variety but on all aspects.  For example, I am doing the 8 hour diet now.  This is a form of intermittent fasting.  I only allow myself to eat during an 8 hour window and the other 16 consecutive hours of the day I fast (just water or coffee or tea, no sugar!!!).  This required no other change to the other things I do.  I just don’t eat outside of this 8 hour window.  Other things I have tried were all those workout types.  Some I like and keep doing, others, like running, I really don’t do anymore because I was getting injured with pulled calf muscle.
11. Last, but not least.  Eliminate sugar substitutes.  The only one I think is OK is purge steeva.  Be careful not to buy the ones that add other crap like truvia. Back in the early 2000′s I bought a book by Dr. Atkins.  His first edition book which I believe is out of print.  One of the fascinating things he discussed and cited studies on was how aspartame and all these other sugar substitutes hurt your metabolism.  Here is an article called “Gain Weight by ‘going diet?’  Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings”.   There are literally dozens of articles I could cite that show harmful reasons, if not for your diet but your health, to avoid sugar substitutes!!!

I have many other pointers/tips but this is probably enough to overload you!  Feel free to use the comments form below to add your own tips or to ask me questions.  I will certainly be responding! — Glenn Ford

It is designed for professional athletes, beginner athletes, and even those who are not in shape can see significant results. In this UFC Fit review, I will give you the basics for this at-home fitness system. I will also compare this new extreme workout system to other mixed martial arts workout programs.

Comparison at a Glance

UFC Fit Basics

This is a 12-week workout system that stresses an importance on nutrition.

Equipment

You will need a set of light dumbbells and a set of heavy dumbbells. Women should use 3 to 5 pound dumbbells and men should use 5 to 8 pound dumbbells for the light weights. Women should use 5 to 10 pound dumbbells and men should use 10 to 15 pound dumbbells for the heavy weights.

Fitness Program

The UFC Fit program is divided into four 3-week segments. Each segment builds upon the next increasing in intensity with each segment. Each week, a new high intensity routine is introduced. There are 12 workouts that combine strength, flexibility, and conditioning exercises.

UFC Fit Mike Dolce before after picture. He lost 100 pounds from 280 to 180.

The exercises are non-contact in nature; however, sports do play a role. The moves are based on the non-contact version of actual UFC techniques that can be seen in the octagon. They are designed to isolate and target those muscles that are essential for performing the techniques used within the octagon.

The moves created by Mike Dolce are designed to activate the muscles in your entire body. While you may be learning how to perform an actual UFC technique, such as throwing an elbow combined with a Muay Thai knee, you will also be activating the muscles in your core, calf, hamstring, and glutes without having any contact.

According to Mike Dolce in a May 6, 2013 article from MMA Junkie News, these moves are inspired by famous UFC techniques but modified for a home workout system. Mike Dolce says, “That’s where I think we really stand above the other systems out there: Its true techniques. It’s based on effective results with the athletes, but it’s modified for the in-home use that everybody can use.” I think this statement clearly describes the goal for this exercise system.

Nutrition Program

The 132-page lifestyle program guide is based on the views of the Dolce Diet. The Dolce Diet is more of a lifestyle change rather than a diet. I did a review on the Dolce Diet and found that it is not just another diet forcing you to eat a ton of leafy greens and completely eliminating all of the tasty, but potentially unhealthy foods from your life.

It focuses more on balance and actually learning how to include healthy foods into your life. By reducing the amount of processed foods and increasing the amount of earth-grown foods, you will begin to lose weight and feel healthier. Within the UFC Fit Dolce nutrition guide, there are sample meal plans, grocery lists, and recipes.

There are plenty of success stories and before/after pictures which all good workout programs have and Mike Dolce himself lost 180 pounds and became a successful coach and diet expert.

UFC Fit vs. RushFit

While these are both full body MMA style workouts, the exercises differ a little. UFC Fit appears to contain more actual UFC moves than RushFit. RushFit is designed to prepare you for the rounds with a lot of intense cardio based moves, while UFC Fit displays the moves you would see in the octagon. However, the moves you learn are non-contact.

RushFit consists of 5 minute rounds of high intensity circuits with 60 second rest periods. I am not sure of the breakdown of the UFC Fit workouts at this time. Both workouts have you burning fat while building muscle. You can read my Rushfit comparison article here.

UFC Fit vs. Les Mills Combat

In both of these workouts, you will see actual mixed martial arts moves. As UFC Fit combines UFC style moves, Les Mills consists of a combination of 6 martial arts disciplines including:

• Karate/Kung Fu
• Capoeira
• Jiu Jitsu
• Muay Thai Kickboxing
• Taw Kwon Do
• Boxing

While UFC Fit uses a concept called Full-body Intensity Training, Les Mills uses a special concept called Fast Twitch Integration Training. It targets your fast twitch muscle fibers as they are stronger and more powerful than slow twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers are activated by short bursts of explosive moves.

As UFC Fit has a system that builds in intensity with each segment, Les Mills has three different calendars to choose from depending on your fitness level. These include:

• Combat Warrior (beginners)
• Supreme Warrior (intermediate to advanced)
• Ultimate Warrior (advanced plus four extra workouts)

You will find a lot of fun music in this workout. I am not sure if there is any music in the UFC Fit workouts. You can read my Les Mills Combat article here.

UFC Fit vs. Tapout XT

Both of these contain mixed martial arts style moves. The difference is that UFC Fit contains exercises specific to what you would find in a UFC fight, while Tapout XT contains a variety of different fitness styles and each workout targets a specific area of fitness. Tapout XT does contain some Yoga, cardio, sculpting, etc. The program is based on RIPP (Rapid-Fire, Interval, Precision, Power). Tapout XT is designed to improve flexibility and balance as well as burn fat, define muscles, and improve concentration.

Both programs do have a jumpstart program. UFC Fit includes Mike Dolce’s 3 Day Shred and Tapout XT has a 10-Day Slim Down Guide that is designed to help you lose ten pounds and ten inches in the first ten days. You can read my Tapout XT article here.

UFC Fit vs. Bas Rutten MMA Workout

The main difference between these two is that the workouts for Bas Rutten are actually on CDs as opposed to DVDs. UFC Fit is a larger program providing a much more in-depth system. However, Bas Rutten fans really like the way they can do the workout anywhere. They are not restricted to a room with a television. While Bas Rutten does not offer as many workouts, it is intense. Each CD has two different versions, which are:

• 10 – 2 minute rounds
• 7 – 3 minute rounds

The workouts are around 30 minutes in length. You can read my Bas Rutten article here.

Final Thoughts

I believe that all of these MMA workouts are excellent. According to reviews, all of these mixed martial arts home exercise programs provide quick results. All of them, except for Bas Rutten MMA Workout, have a set program length designed to provide total body transformation.

While all of these workouts are effective, I believe that the UFC Fit workout appears to me to be the closest system that provides actual techniques found in the octagon. You may not become a MMA champion with the UFC Fit Mike Dolce workout, but you will likely feel like a champion after you complete this intense program.

This book focuses on making lifestyle changes, rather than dieting. If you are one that is constantly fluctuating with your weight, then this book may be what can break the cycle. In this Dolce Diet review, I will give you an idea of what types of tips and advice can be found inside.

The Lifestyle Approach

Diets, in general, have proven not to work because people will lose the weight and once the time period for the diet is done, they gain it all back. I do believe that there are many diets on the market today that are counter-productive and even life-threatening. Those diets that are too restrictive on calories can seriously impact your health.

However, I also believe that many of the so called “diets” available are also simply a guide to changing your lifestyle. They are called diets, but they incorporate healthy foods and exercise into them to show people how to make these changes that will last a lifetime, rather than a few weeks.

Concept

The concept of the program is simple. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re not. This does not mean stop when you are full. Mike focuses on providing a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise. He has gathered the most recent nutrition and fitness information and has created a program that will help you lose pounds fast by making life changing choices.

Video with Vitor Belfort and Mike Dolce on the Dolce Diet

The Plan

In this book, you will be given sound nutritional and fitness advice that you can apply for life. This system is basic; however, it is effective. The focus is on eating less processed foods and eating more earth-grown foods. There are not any powders or pills in this diet. You will be eating whole, healthy foods. How simple is that?

The great news is that you will not only be eating fruits and veggies, although you definitely will be eating an abundance of them. I was surprised to learn that there are some pretty tasty foods listed on the plan. Here are just a few foods:

• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Fajitas
• Stir Fry
• Pancakes
• Burgers
• Pasta
• Eggs

I was really surprised to see pancakes on this list! I am sure there is a special recipe for them, but it is nice to see. I also love eggs, pasta, and burgers! I think this is my type of diet! I could not find any specifics on the actual exercises found in the book. I do know they are cardio and strength based.

What’s Inside?

• Plan Methodology
• Sample Meal Plan
• Pantry Lists
• Basic Diet Tips
• Recipes
• Snack Ideas
• Exercises (with photos)

Final Thoughts

While I realize the process may be simple, this does not mean it is easy to do. It is all about making choices. Dolce is giving us the key to living a healthier life, it is up to us to actually take his advice and implement the changes. A book cannot do that for you.

What this book can and does offer you are the tools you need to make the changes necessary in your life to achieve ultimate weight loss and health. Not only do you receive guidance on making healthier choices, you will also find easy to follow recipes containing real, whole foods. The cardio and strength exercises seem to be highly effective.

The Dolce Diet: Living Lean is a little more expensive than most diet books; however, this is more of a guide to healthy living. People really like how Mike expresses himself and shares his stories and views. It is easy to follow, and according to many reviews, it provides significant weight loss results.

If space and time are a factor, this portable video based workout will help you overcome these obstacles. If you are looking for more of a personal based workout rather than general routine, TouchFit is for you.

I love that I can customize the exercise program to my personal needs. It will help me to keep track of my individual goals, which is a motivator in itself. If I know that I was able to do 10 push-ups, I will strive to do one more each time! I will cover the basics in this GSP TouchFit review so that you can decide if it is worth buying.

Basics

• Compatibility: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod Touch 3^rd to 5^th generations, and iPad.
• Available: Apple App Store, iTunes App Store
• Size: 26.7 MB

Concept

GSP bases many of his routines on the CrossFit style technique. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program used by professional athletes, martial artists, and police academies. You will see different variations of this style of training throughout the TouchFit system. The system incorporates Smart Fitness into the app, which is the personalized training program that tailors to your strengths and weaknesses. It works based on your specific performance.

Here is a quick video Teaser Trailer of TouchFit

How it Works

You will do a fitness test to help determine your level. The majority of the content is video based allowing you to attempt different exercises to the best of your ability. After an exercise is completed, you may then rank how well a specific exercise was achieved. The choices you have for this includes:

• Easy – Able to complete with maximum effort.
• Tough – Able to complete, but it was challenging to get through.
• Impossible – Were not able to complete the exercise at all.

By recording whether you were able to complete the rep and how difficult each rep was to perform, this Smart Fitness app can then calculate the best selection for your next workout based on your recordings. Georges provides nutrition tips to keep your performance up and also gives information on injury recovery.

Exercises

There are over 500 exercises that provide the following areas of fitness:

• strength
• explosive power
• endurance
• flexibility

These are just a few of the exercises you will find on the app.

• burpees
• jumping jacks
• squat side touch
• modified skater touch
• pigeon stretch
• modified push up
• tuck-sit
• side kicks

Each exercise is demonstrated by Georges St. Pierre himself making it much easier to know what is expected for each move. A perfect form is more important than the number of reps performed. Once you can get the form down, then you can start working on increasing your repetitions.

Benefits

• improves balance
• enhances coordination
• increases speed

Final Thoughts

I would say this is definitely a great way to fit in an exercise routine at any time of day. Not only will you be exercising, but MMA champion Georges St. Pierre will provide moves that could completely transform your entire body.

While it claims you can do it anytime and anywhere, an Internet connection is required at all times. You also must have the equivalent of an iPhone. Android smart phones cannot support this app. There is minimal equipment required and not a lot of space needed. I noticed Georges using resistance bands for some of the exercises. A matt is also recommended.

GSP TouchFit costs only $6.99. This is an amazing deal for a customized fitness plan. I do believe this little app has the ability to give you the results you want, and it is unique in that it is designed specifically for your individual fitness needs, which is an excellent motivator to keep pushing forward towards your fitness goals!

This Choose More, Lose More for Life review will give you a sneak peek into what you can expect from this weight loss plan. I expect nothing less than the best from this famous fitness and weight loss advisor.

Weight Loss Philosophy

The concept behind this plan is carb-cycling, which basically alternates low and high carb days. The carb cycle solution is designed to supercharge your metabolism, blast fat, and prevent plateaus. In this new book, Chris focuses on giving you choices. There are different options available for the diet and exercise programs.

Diet

In this new weight loss transformation book, Chris takes the carb-cycle concept to a higher level providing four different cycles. This allows you to customize the program based on your individual needs. The four cycles include the Easy Cycle, Classic Cycle, Turbo Cycle, and Fit Cycle.

Easy Cycle

This is for those of you who are just beginning the carb-cycle process. It is the easiest one to understand. There is a reward meal allowed on the high carb days to help to satisfy cravings.

Classic Cycle

This is the basic plan that will boost your metabolism for fast, steady weight loss. There is an entire day every single week where you are allowed to satisfy your cravings. You will actually still be able to lose weight, even though you can eat your favorite foods one day a week. There are some minor side effects you may experience during this cycle. These include nausea, headaches, and low energy.

Turbo Cycle

This is more intensifying, which speeds up the weight loss process. This cycle takes off the weight the fastest of all of the cycles because instead of alternating the low and high-carb days there are two low carb days against each high carb day. You will then burn fat for two days in a row. It is important that women consume at least 1,200 calories per day and men consume 1,500 calories per day. You may feel a little less energy on the low carb days.

Fit Cycle

This is for people who are extremely active but want to lose a little weight. This cycle is designed for athletes who train for long periods of time. It eliminates fat while giving you the fuel you need to get through vigorous training of any kind.

This cycle is different in that it only has two low-carb days per week. Athletes need that extra high carb day to give their muscles more glycogen (fuel). By the time you get to the low carb days, your glycogen will begin to deplete.

On the low carb days, your muscles will develop insulin sensitivity. The extra high carb day will help your insulin sensitive muscles to soak up more carbs. This will allow your body to burn the extra fuel instead of storing it as fat.

Exercise

This section of the book includes 20 workouts. They are called 9-Minute Missions packed full of effective moves designed to provide maximum results. Each mission will target one part of your body, either your upper body, lower body, or core section.

I love that I only have to work out for 9 minutes and still see results. I am not sure how the calendar works for this system; however, I think you will see even better results with a combination of these workouts.

What’s Inside?

• 9-Minute Missions
• Carb Cycle Plans
• Easy Recipes
• Portion Control Tips
• Advance Preparation Tips
• List of Ingredients to Add Spice to the Meals
• List of Food Substitutions
• 4 Week Personal Log
• Inspirations Stories

Final Thoughts

I like that this book gives you choices so that you can customize it to your own personal needs. Whether you are just beginning the carb-cycle process, need to lose weight extremely fast, or are an athlete with special needs, there is a plan for you. Choose More, Lose More for Life seems to be an extension to the original carb-cycling diet offering you more choices to make it even more effective at producing the fastest weight loss results.

Package Contents

• 12 Workouts on 3 DVDs
• Workout Calendar
• Nutrition Tips

Equipment Needed

• Chair
• Mat
• Something to Jump Over

Workouts

All of the workouts range from 10 to 15 minutes. Add in approximately 14 minutes for a warm-up and cool-down plus 8 minutes geared towards the abs. These workouts are perfect for the person who does not have a lot of time to put into getting into shape.

I love the fact that I can get in a workout in just minutes per day. I personally think you will need to do more than just the one routine to get maximum benefits. However, you could space them out by doing them at different times during the day.

DVD One

This DVD consists of the first four workouts. The concept for these workouts is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). HIIT involves alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense “rest” periods. Tabata Training is introduced, which is a form of HIIT that stimulates fat burning.

DVD Two

This DVD consists of the next four workouts. This series has extreme exercises designed to melt the fat and get your heart pumping. It includes some of the following unique exercises:

• High Knee Chair Toe Touches
• Superheroes
• Reptiles

This workout does not require any extra equipment. The routines are not choreographed. You simply do the exercises at a fast pace.

DVD Three

This DVD consists of workouts 9 to 12. Some of the exercises you will be performing include:

• Mountain Climbers
• Competition Burpees
• Pike Jumps

I found other popular exercises included in the workouts. I am not exactly sure which DVD they are included on but I do know you can expect to see them. These include: tuck jumps, pistol squats, jump lunges, kick ups, and jack kicks.

All of the workouts have a countdown timer. I have to admit. Counting does keep me going when I am doing a workout. If I know I only have four more lifts or 10 more seconds, I will push myself a little harder to achieve that goal.

Form is the Key to Success

Form is extremely important. You are given a breakdown of the moves emphasizing proper form so that you can perform each exercise in perfect form. Form trumps reps. Performing a large number of reps in bad form is not as effective as performing fewer reps in perfect form.

It may be difficult to do these exercises in perfect form at first. I can guarantee you that I will not be able to do a lot of these exercises. The key is to do them to the best of your ability at a slower pace until you can get them perfectly.

Practice makes perfect! I know that it can be frustrating trying to get a move down right. I found that if I made small goals for myself I would eventually catch up to the speed of the exercise routine. It is always a sense of accomplishment when you can beat those small goals.

Workout Calendar

The rotation calendar for the first month is included in the package. For the second and third months, go to Zuzka’s WarriorZ website and download the calendars. In the first month, you will be working out for five days per week. Expect to be working out for 6 to 7 days in the second and third months.

Nutrition Tips

This exercise program does not come with a full meal plan; however, it does give you excellent nutrition tips. Zuzana suggests using your hands as a measurement tool. She recommends the following hand measurements:

• Lean Protein – palm size
• Veggies – 2 hands cupped together
• Fruit – 1 cupped hand
• Carbs – 1 cupped hand if earned through your workout

It is also recommended that you eat 3 to 5 meals per day. These are the basics. There are a few other tips to help increase your fat loss results.

Final Thoughts

I do believe this cardio series can give you a full body transformation. My favorite part is that the workouts are short, yet are still extreme enough to give you fast and supreme results. There is not any music on these workouts, which allows you to use your own. This could help to provide variety and prevent boredom. ZCut Power Cardio is very inexpensive at only $15.95 from Amazon.

In this Jillian Michaels Hard Body review, I will discuss the setup of this workout and some of the exercises you will be performing. Either way, I can tell you up front that this workout will will produce some great results.  It is intense and I would expect nothing less from Jillian workouts.

Contents

• Level 1 – 45 Minutes
• Level 2 – 50 Minutes

Equipment Needed

• 3 to 8 pound weights (depending on your fitness level)
• Mat (optional but recommended)

Workout Setup

There are two cardio/toning workouts included in this challenging program. You can expect to be constantly moving! If boredom has ever been an issue with prior workouts, Jillian tackles this obstacle by changing combinations every 30 seconds!

The cardio is high impact and the toning is demanding. Both workouts consist of a 20-minute circuit that include six mini aerobics/toning circuits with smooth transitions. You will perform this series twice resulting in 40 minutes of high cardio/toning routines.

There are four other trainers in the background with one that performs many of the beginner modifications. The other three provide modifications for those at an advanced level. In this workout, you can actually see the DJ. This is Jillian’s business partner Giancarlo.

Here is a preview of her workouts just to get an idea of what to expect.

Exercises

Each routine begins with a warm-up and cool-down. These will be repeated twice. Here is a list of exercises you will find on both workouts.

Level 1

• Speed Squats
• Pushups
• Speed Rope (3 pound weights optional)
• Straight Legged Sit-Ups/Superman
• Rows/Lunge-Bicep Curl
• Suicide Runs
• Scissor Crunches
• Chest Press and Fly/Triceps Head Banger in Bridge Position
• Calf Raise with Shoulder Press in Sumo Squat Position
• Leg Raise in Downward Dog
• Weighted Burpees
• Bicep Curls in Crescent Pose/Curl into Warrior 3 with Tri Kick Backs
• Side Lunge with Bicep Curl/Squat with a Front Raise
• Torso Rotations
• Traveling Pushups/Lateral Jumps
• Pushup/ Rows/Mountain Climbers
• Crab Kicks
• Lunges/Punches (includes weights)
• Surrenders/Camel
• Squat/Spin/Lunge
• Side Plank Crunches
• One Legged Bridge (weights)

Level 2

• Spring Lunge
• Pushup on Knees
• Squat Jump/Arm Raise
• Dead Lift/Bicep Curl
• Star Jumps (Cheerleader Jumps)
• Chaturanga/Goddess
• One-Legged Squat/Row
• 180 Jumps
• Angel-Fly with a Pass
• Crow Pushups/Grasshopper Pushups
• Chair Squat/Jump
• Sprint
• Halo into Curtsey
• Static Lunge/Row
• Single Legged Squat/Pike Pushup
• Pigeon Squat/Front Raise
• Dumbbell Swing/Jump
• Reverse Squat
• Curl and Jump
• One Arm Mountain Climber
• Jumping Squat/Fly
• Pike Crunch (with weights)/Curl
• Traveling Side Plank
• Lateral Hops
• Jumping Donkey Kicks
• Traveling Planks
• Around-the-Worlds
• Reverse Planks

Final Thoughts

I have to say that Jillian has once again provided a calorie burning, body blasting workout that will help you shed the pounds fast! From what I can tell, Level One is pretty intense and is likely more for people at an intermediate fitness level. However, it does provide modifiers that will be perfect for beginners.

I like that she includes a variety of different moves to prevent boredom, which is one of my biggest obstacles for sticking to a workout regimen. You will be moving fast and making lots of transitions; however, these transitions are smooth.

Most of the trainers were using 5 pound weights. The modifier would usually use 3 pounds or no weights at all. There were times when 8 pound dumbbells would be used. I think if you have a 3, 5, and 8 pound set of hand weights, you will be ready to begin this extremely challenging cardio/toning workout! Meet your personal weight loss and sculpting goals with Jillian Michaels new Hard Body workout!

Developing a strong lower body and core is important for your health. This Donkey Booty review will give you the basics to help you decide if this exercise program has what it takes to give you tight abs and a firm, nicely shaped butt.

First Up….What is a Donkey Booty?

Personally, I have never heard of the term “donkey booty” until today. Apparently, it means nicely shaped and perfectly round behind. Some people may think it is a huge butt; however, this is not the case.

You can develop this shape even if you have a flat one now. It takes some work; however, you can build the muscles in your glutes that will give you curves. This workout will help you reach your booty goals. I am not sure if I am looking for a “donkey booty”! However, a firm, lifted one would be nice!

Fitness Types

The workout routines in this exercise program include a mixture of the following types of exercises:

• aerobic dance
• cardio training
• strength training
• core toning

While the focus is on toning your lower body and core, you will also be working your heart. Aerobic and cardio exercises will not only work your muscles, but they will also increase your heart rate and breathing rate. Both of these types of exercises increase your endurance allowing you the stamina to continue on with the core and strength training sections.

Here is a video with Phaedra and Apollo at Atlanta FitFest

Program Schedule

This comprehensive workout routine starts off with energetic cardio training full of controlled, but fun dance moves. By control, I mean you won’t be jiggling your body parts. Instead, you will be performing dance moves that are effective for toning.

I have been searching for a simple exercise routine that is fun, yet effective. A workout that simply has moves that I must perform truly bores me after a few times of doing it. No matter how dedicated I am in the beginning, I just can’t keep doing it! I know these types of workouts can be effective, but not if I am inevitably going to stop doing it after a few days from sheer boredom!

After the fun dance routine, you will begin the toning and body sculpting exercises followed by a stretching cool-down section. I have to admit, I always knew strengthening your core was an important factor for complete health. However, I did not realize the importance of strengthening your lower body.

Benefits of a Strong Core

Each movement you make originates from your core. The core consists of the pelvic floor, spine, abdominals, internal and external obliques, and lower back. They all work together to sustain the movements you make. Here are some benefits a strong core can do for you:

• Improves appearance
• Aligns the spine
• Reduces back strain
• Improves mobility

Eliminating excess belly fat is also an important factor for visibly toned abs. You can eliminate belly fat by eating a healthy diet and incorporating aerobics into your daily routine. I like that this workout does include aerobics to help you blast the fat while also helping you tone your abs.

Benefits of a Strong Lower Body

You larger muscles are found in your lower body and consist of the gluteals (buttock muscles), abductors of the thigh, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles. They are all necessary for helping you perform daily activities, such as walking, running, and/or jumping. Strengthening your lower body is important as they not only help you move, but also support your entire body. Here are some other benefits:

• Improves balance
• Improves stamina
• Increases bone strength
• Decreases risk for injury to knees and hips
• Decreases risk for falling
• Slows down physical weakness due to the aging process
• Increases agility

This workout DVD is designed to strengthen your core and lower body; therefore, these are benefits you will likely experience.

Final Thoughts

It appears this workout routine is becoming highly popular. According to Examiner, it has outsold many of the Jillian Michaels workouts. Phine Body producers have developed highly successful workouts in the past including videos for Madonna, Billy Banks, and Jane Fonda. These are all icons of ultimate health! It appears Parks and Nida can be added to the list of successes for Phine Body.

This is Volume 1 of a series. I look forward to seeing the workouts that follow this highly effective lower body and core training workout. I do believe it will definitely tighten up your abs and firm up your behind.

I also like the fact that cardio is included to help you melt the fat. I really like that it contains fun dance elements by Phaedra and Apollo! I think Phine Body: Donkey Booty would be a fun workout to add to your library to help you fight the booty battle and work on that 6-pack!

The Drop 10 Diet Cookbook

You are not seeing things. I did say you will lose inches by eating! I’m not talking about only consuming green leafy plants! The weight loss cookbook includes foods such as yogurt, eggs, steak, and chocolate! With my sweet tooth, I was intrigued by the concept that I could eat chocolate and still lose weight. Sweets are one of my greatest obstacles for losing weight!

In this Drop 10 Diet Cookbook review, I will discuss the original plan, as well as the cookbook. I really can’t believe that I can actually blast the fat without sacrificing all of my favorite foods! And not only that, there are some excellent health benefits to these superfoods.

The Original Diet Plan

The idea behind this fat melting plan is to help you lose weight without deprivation. You do not have to sacrifice all of the foods you enjoy, and you may learn to love a few more foods in the process.

Here are some of the superfoods you can enjoy:

• eggs
• yogurt
• steak
• chicken
• wild salmon
• Parmesan
• cherries
• blueberries
• kiwifruit
• apples
• broccoli
• quinoa
• edamame
• lentils
• olive oil
• dark chocolate
• coffee

These are just a few of the superfoods you can include in your daily diet to trigger weight loss. I am not saying this is all you will eat. You will still be able to eat a lot of your favorite foods. You just need to also include foods from the list in the book.

The original book gives you ideas for 101 breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks including 40 full family recipes. Each meal incorporates one superfood. You are allowed 1,400 extra calories on top of the Drop 10 meals and snacks each week. This is the time to splurge! I would definitely try to spread the calories out, so choose wisely.

Also included in the original book are 8 exercises that can be done either at home or at the gym. They are designed to boost your metabolism and tone your body. The following exercises were created by fitness instructors Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn:

1. Butt Shaper
2. Turbo Twist
3. Back It Up
4. Waist Cincher
5. Cobra Chiseler
6. Pink Flamingo
7. Reach For It
8. Heat Wave

I recommend combining these with a cardio workout of some kind if you want to see quick and long lasting results.

The Cookbook

This diet cookbook contains over 100 easy to follow recipes for all three meals, snacks, and drinks. They are designed to help you naturally burn fat. In the first 50 or so pages of the book, you will get an overview of the Drop 10 Diet. However, it appears that the plan is not discussed in detail. Therefore, you will likely need to buy both books in order to know how to follow the plan.

The recipes are clear and simple to prepare, and there are color photos of the recipes. They are divided into four categories including breakfasts, main dishes, snacks, and cocktails/desserts. You will find a listing for the calories, grams of protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and sodium. I love this! It is frustrating when you finally find a recipe you like, but you can’t tell if it contains loads of calories or not.

Because I am such a picky eater, I am always leery about buying cookbooks. I figure I will not like any of the recipes. I found a recipe on the SELF magazine website. This will give you some idea of what types of recipes are listed in the cookbook.

Spicy Chicken Burgers (436 calories)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt (plain, low-fat)
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ red onion (small and divided)
• 1 avocado (ripe, cut into 1 inch sections)
• 1 cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 1 Portobello cap
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame (thawed)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, quartered)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (reduced sodium)
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 whole grain buns (split)
• lettuce leaves

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk yogurt, vinegar, and sugar.
3. Dice half the onion.
4. Add onion, avocado, and cucumber to yogurt mixture.
5. Add Portobello, edamame, garlic and other onion half to a food processor.
6. Add in the chicken, soy sauce and pepper.
7. Pulse until chicken is chopped.
8. Form mixture into 4 patties.
9. Cook in a skillet until both sides are browned.
10. Place in oven and bake 12 to 14 minutes or until cooked through.
11. Add lettuce and top with the yogurt mixture.

I have to admit that I do not like too many veggies. I would probably adjust this recipe a little bit. However, I do like the fact that this recipe is not just some type of salad indicating that there are other types of foods listed in the book.

Health Benefits

These healthy foods reduce the risks for the following:

• diabetes
• heart disease
• cancer
• inflammation
• and more….

Final Thoughts

The idea that I can eat and still lose weight is appealing to me. The diet claims that you could lose up to two pounds per week. I believe this is a healthy amount to lose and promotes long-term weight loss.

I think you will have to purchase both the diet plan and the cookbook in order to fully benefit. I recommend starting with the diet plan first because it does come with over 40 recipes. Once you are sure the diet works for you, then you can buy the Drop 10 Diet Cookbook to add more variety to your diet.

The Body Reset Diet: Power Your Metabolism, Blast Fat, and Shed Pounds in Just 15 Days,

Get ready to reset your mind and body! In this Body Reset Diet review, I am going to share some of Harley’s views and some information about the diet itself. This will help you decide if this book is finally the one that will help you lose those pounds and blast the fat!

Harley’s Views

Harley is a celebrity trainer to many stars like Halle Barry, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, Ashley Greene, Rihanna, Megan Fox and more. His work on the hit television series, The Revolution, has changed his views on dieting and exercise. He realized that while instant results are not usually the answer to long term weight loss, instant gratification was a great motivator to continue a healthy lifestyle.

While many fitness trainers would generally tell you to increase your exercise while dieting, Harley feels that over-exercising likely contributes to your weight issues. Not having to exercise as much? This definitely sparked my attention!

Pasternak believes that the more strenuous the workout, the hungrier you will become resulting in more calories being consumed. He believes that we overestimate the amount of calories that are burned during an extreme workout and that people tend to eat more under the impression that the workout they just did will counteract the calories they are consuming.

This does not mean you should not exercise at all. You will need to implement some type of exercise routine into your day. A sedentary life will simply add pounds to your body. You can’t eat the wrong foods, sit at a desk all day long, and then lounge on the couch all night long without expecting to gain some weight.

He also has a different view for detoxification than you may have heard. While it appears that he does feel detox is a great way to eliminate toxins, he strongly opposes long detox sessions. These excessive detox programs can have serious negative health impacts. Some of these include:

• vitamin deficiency
• muscle breakdown
• blood sugar issues
• loose stool
• weakened immune system
• elimination of good bacteria
• headaches
• irritability
• fatigue
• dehydration

Harley’s form of detox does not involve fasting to cleanse. You will receive the nutrients you need to sustain your body and keep your energy levels up.

A good interview with Mr. Pasternak on The Morning Blend.  Definitely worth your time to watch.

The Body Reset Diet Plan

This 15-day 3-phase nutrition plan starts with a five day blended diet consisting of smoothies, stews, and soups. This is not the same as a juice cleanse or liquid diet. A blended diet contains the same fats, carbs, and proteins that the solid ingredients would. Blending them together simply improves your body’s ability to digest, which increases your metabolism.

In the final 10 days, you will prepare blended and non-blended recipes. Every five days, you will replace a blended meal with a solid meal. The blended meals will reset your body’s metabolism and digestive tract.

Smoothies are the main source of nutrition with this diet. Here are the steps taken to create a blended meal:

1. Choose a liquid base. This can be milk, water, zero-calorie drink, tea, or flavored water.
2. Choose a protein. Add in nuts, protein powder, low-calorie Greek yogurt, and/or tofu.
3. Choose a healthy fat. Consider adding avocados and/or nuts and seeds. Stay away from processed foods and hydrogenated oils.
4. Choose high fiber carbs. This will include fruits and veggies. All vegetables are okay to add to the mix; however, leafy veggies tend to blend the best. Some fruits that are high in fiber may also be high in sugar. Try cranberries, blackberries, strawberries, and lemons. They are low-sugar, high-fiber fruits.
5. Choose a flavor accent. You are allowed to add in spices, such as ginger and cinnamon or herbs, such as mint and basil. Vanilla is also a popular flavor that is allowed.

You will not only be drinking smoothies; however, they are a huge part of the reset plan. You will start off with smoothies and gradually add in solid foods over the 15 day period.

Exercise

In the last two phases, exercise will be incorporated into the plan. This will not be a strenuous exercise regimen, but will get you up and moving. This simple exercise plan includes a five minute resistance routine and walking. You simply have to get in 10,000 steps per day.

I know this may sound like a lot, especially if you are used to sitting on the couch! However, I know it can become an addiction trying to get those steps in! Before you know it, you will be parking at the end of a lot just to try and get your steps in.

Final Thoughts

This is an interesting approach to weight loss. I like the idea that I don’t have to spend hours a day or tons of money working out. The smoothies are a great way to detox and improve digestion because you are still getting nutrients. I like that you can make the smoothies out of a number of different liquid bases.

Harley understands the need for people to lose the weight fast, but does it in a healthy way so that your body will adjust for long term weight loss. You are not starving your body only to gain the weight back in a few weeks. It may be worth trying The Body Reset Diet, especially if you need to lose weight fast, don’t like to exercise for long hours, and/or if you want the weight to stay off forever!