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		<title>How Long Should My Workout Be?</title>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:05:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[In today&#8217;s edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine &#8220;Your Q and A&#8217;s&#8221;&#8230; Ross shares how long your workouts have to be in order for them to be effective, including 4 common workout types and their relationship to exercise length. I hope you enjoy this edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/how-long-should-my-workout-be/" title="Permanent link to How Long Should My Workout Be?"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2012/02/How-Long-Should-My-Workout-Be.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for How Long Should My Workout Be?" /></a>
</p><h2>In today&#8217;s edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine &#8220;Your Q and A&#8217;s&#8221;&#8230;</h2>
<p>Ross shares<strong> how long your workouts have to be</strong> in order <strong>for them to be effective</strong>, including 4 common workout types and their relationship to exercise length.</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy this edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine “Your Q and A&#8217;s”&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>And don&#8217;t forget to comment! <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </strong></p>
<p>Take care&#8230;Hugs..</p>
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<p>This is a question that has many different answers depending on the situation. Generally speaking, workout length is not that important compared to other variables, such as training volume and intensity. Volume equals sets x reps x weight for resistance training, total distance (miles/km) for endurance runners, and can be classified differently for other activities.</p>
<p>In any case, it measures the total work performed and there is a strong relationship between training volume and results. Higher volume leads to better results, as long as you get enough recovery. Otherwise, extra training becomes counterproductive and leads to overtraining and numerous negative changes (declining ability, illness, injury, burnout, etc.).</p>
<p>The actual length of your workout can have some additional importance, so let’s take a look at some exercise scenarios:</p>
<h2>Here are 4 common workouts and their relationship to exercise length:</h2>
<h2><strong>1 – Cardio for weight loss</strong></h2>
<p><img style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000006286874XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="282" align="right" hspace="5" vspace="5" />When people ask about cardio workouts, they usually want to know what length of workout is best for calorie burning and fat loss. People used to say workouts needed to be at least 30 or 60 minutes long to tap fat stores, but current research shows that shorter workouts are just as effective as longer ones.</p>
<p>For example, three 10-minute cardio workouts spread throughout the day can be just as good as one 30-minute workout. As long as the total intensity and length are similar, different length workouts are equally beneficial for calorie burning and fat loss.</p>
<p>This is important for beginning exercisers, because a common mistake is doing too much too soon. Some people are convinced they need long workouts to make progress, but excess exercise is counterproductive if your body is not prepared for them. It is much better to start with shorter sessions and increase the intensity and/or duration as your fitness level increases.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step:</strong> When doing cardio workouts for weight loss, the total daily/weekly time exercising and intensity (difficulty) are more important than the length of each workout. If you have a busy schedule and don’t have a long block of time for a cardio workout, multiple short workouts are the way to go.</p>
<p>I actually encourage people to perform cardio workouts of varying lengths and intensities throughout the week to maximize results. If you have more time on one day, you can plan your longest workout for that day and then do shorter/more intense workouts on days when you don’t have as much time.</p>
<h2><strong>2 – Cardio for Endurance</strong></h2>
<p>If your primary goal is to improve cardiovascular endurance, the length of your workouts is more important. Since endurance training is all about getting your body to perform for extended periods of time, longer workouts are a necessity. If you want to run a 26.2mi/42.2km marathon, doing 30 minute workouts is not an effective approach.</p>
<p>Your body adapts specifically to the type(s) of training you perform, so if you want to be good at running long distances, you have to train using progressively longer distances. This doesn’t mean every workout has to be longer than your last one or you should not do short workouts, but over time the length of your longer runs should increase.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step:</strong> When training for cardiovascular endurance, cardio workouts have to be longer than when training for weight loss or general health and fitness. If your current workout length is something your body is used to, at least some of your workouts need to increase in length if you want to continue improving.</p>
<p>Many people use total weekly distance to keep track of their cardio workout volume and determine when to change things up. There should be some variation (up or down) from week to week with a general trend that increases in length over time. However, too many long workouts or large distance weeks in a row can lead to overuse injuries or other problems.</p>
<h2><strong>3 – Resistance training for muscle gain (hypertrophy)</strong></h2>
<p><img style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000007927461XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="424" align="right" hspace="5" vspace="5" />When it comes to resistance training, the total time of the workout is not that important compared to the overall program design. Some people get a lot more out of a 30 minute workout than others get out of an hour one. However, if your primary goal is to increase muscle size, the length of the workout and the amount of rest between sets both impact your results.</p>
<p>Training to increase muscle involves performing many sets for each muscle group, with the whole body being trained over the course of multiple workouts. For example, one workout might only be exercises for the chest and shoulders, followed by a leg day, then back exercises, and the last one could be arms and abs. Then the cycle would repeat with days off included wherever necessary during or between each group of workouts.</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> This is not necessarily a recommendation, just an example of a traditional workout strategy for gaining muscle.</p>
<p>Within each workout it is important for each set to be done using a weight that can only be lifted 8 to 12 times and the rest between sets should be kept low (around 30-90 seconds). The goal is to completely exhaust the muscle group(s) you work each day. This training is very demanding and products high levels of lactic acid, resulting in that temporary burning feeling in your muscles.</p>
<p>More experienced exercisers may perform at least 3 to 5 sets of each exercise and 4 to 6 exercises per body part. This means they are doing anywhere from 12 to 30 sets for one muscle group during a workout. Obviously, new exercisers should not start with this high exercise volume, but if your goal is to gain a lot of muscle, this is the basic training strategy to use.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step:</strong> Training for muscle gain is different than training for other types of physical improvement. To be successful, workouts have to be fairly long to accommodate the high number of sets and reps. Additionally, reps are performed slower than during most resistance training workouts (about 5 seconds each) and 4 to 6 workouts are typically done each week. As a result, resistance training for hypertrophy requires time and dedication.</p>
<h2><strong>4 – Resistance training for Strength</strong></h2>
<p>Many people don’t realize that training to increase strength and training to increase the size of your muscles are not the same thing and they require different types of training to be done effectively. While some workout variables are similar, many are noticeably different.</p>
<p>Some similarities are that both types of training use a high number of sets per exercise and workouts are relatively long (an hour or more). Strength training typically involves 3 to 5 sets of each exercise or more, but the reps in each set are significantly lower (around 3-5 or less) and fewer exercises are performed for each body part during a workout.</p>
<p>Since strength training is all about increasing the maximum amount of weight you can lift, you have to lift heavier weight than you do when training to increase muscle size. If you are new to resistance training, almost any type of training will initially increase your strength, but as your fitness improves, gradually increasing the amount of weight you lift is required to continue increasing in strength.</p>
<p>While these changes are noteworthy, perhaps the biggest difference is the amount of rest between sets. Instead of the short rest periods between sets used to gain muscle, traditional strength training uses rest periods of 3 to 5 minutes or more between sets. Performing 20 sets in a strength training workout requires at least 60 minutes of rest time, which is why strength workouts take so long.</p>
<p><img style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/guywithdumbbell.jpg" alt="" width="276" height="416" align="right" hspace="5" vspace="5" />The rest time is important in these workouts, because it allows your muscles to fully recover (or get close), so they can produce the greatest amount of strength in each set. With muscle building workouts, strength production is not as important as fatiguing your muscle, which is why the workout designs are so different.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step: </strong>When training for strength, the most important element is lifting heavy weights, because without lifting weights greater than what your body is used to, there is no stimulus for further improvement. In other words, if you always lift the same weights, you will eventually stop making progress. However, this does not mean every workout should be as heavy as possible. You still need enough recovery and having lighter workouts mixed in actually improves your long-term results.</p>
<p>I have included brief discussions of four common types of workouts and from looking at the differences, it becomes clear that the length of the workout by itself is not as important as the rest of the components that make up the workout. In general, the best approach is to design workouts first around what you physically want to accomplish and then make them as long as they need to be for the task.</p>
<p>If time is an issue, you can still do shorter versions of any type of workouts and receive a lot of benefit, they just might not be as effective as they could be under ideal conditions. Finally, these are examples of traditional workouts for each type of training, but there are many other training strategies, especially for resistance training workouts. In any case, you can always find at least some workout programs to work for your lifestyle and needs.</p>
<p>By Ross Harrison<br />
VFT &#8220;Awesome&#8221; Fitness Expert <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /><br />
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<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p>Ross Harrison, <a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/tag/vft-fitness-expert/" class="st_tag internal_tag" rel="tag" title="Posts tagged with vft fitness expert">VFT Fitness Expert</a>:</p>
<p><img style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2010/09/Ross-Harrison-533x600.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="146" align="left" hspace="5" vspace="5" />Ross Harrison has been a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and involved in the fitness industry since 1996. He is a certified personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist, nutritional consultant, and has a BA in psychology from Grinnell College. He has also completed post-certification work in numerous areas including core conditioning, low back health, exercise (Swiss) ball training, exercise nutrition, and sports psychology.</p>
<p>Ross takes a holistic approach to health and fitness and believes a good program must address a variety of issues, including exercise, nutrition, injury prevention, posture, stabilization, and exercise psychology. He works to train and educate people of all ages to improve their quality of life through exercise and nutrition.</p>
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		<title>Full Body Blaster Circuit Workout &#8211; James VFT Fitness Expert</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:26:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Meet James Hutchison &#8211; VFT Fitness Expert! James has been working in the Health &#38; Fitness industry for well over a decade and has plied his trade in some of London’s finest personal training studios. And has recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology&#8230; &#8230;Which has allowed him to combine his expertise of functional fitness training [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/james-full-body-blaster-circuit/" title="Permanent link to Full Body Blaster Circuit Workout &#8211; James VFT Fitness Expert"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2012/01/James-Full-Body-Blaster-Circuit.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for Full Body Blaster Circuit Workout &#8211; James VFT Fitness Expert" /></a>
</p><h2>Meet James Hutchison &#8211; <a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/tag/vft-fitness-expert/" class="st_tag internal_tag" rel="tag" title="Posts tagged with vft fitness expert">VFT Fitness Expert</a>! <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </h2>
<p>James has been working in the Health &amp; Fitness  industry for well over a decade and has plied his trade in some of <strong>London’s  finest personal training studios</strong>. And has recently graduated with a <strong>BSc in Psychology&#8230; </strong></p>
<p><img style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/james2.png" alt="" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="358" height="348" align="right" />&#8230;Which  has allowed him to  combine his expertise of functional fitness  training with a scientific  knowledge of behaviour change and  motivation.</p>
<p>James has come on board at VFT as he shares our feelings that there are <strong>too many conflicting and  confusing</strong> messages about fitness, health and wellbeing being sent out to the  public.</p>
<p>AND is just as<strong> passionate</strong> as us about sharing his knowledge with  VFT readers.</p>
<p>So&#8230; to <strong>kick things off BIG-TIME</strong> I&#8217;ve asked James  to whip up a kick ass <strong>full body circuit workout</strong> for you.</p>
<p>You&#8217;ve been asking for  <strong>more advanced workouts</strong> &#8211; so you got it! Direct to your email address. <strong>See Video and Article Below!</strong></p>
<p>This workout isn&#8217;t for the faint hearted&#8230;  As always seek permission from your GP before you start any new exercise  or eating plan.</p>
<p><strong>Enjoy and don&#8217;t forget to comment!!</strong></p>
<p><strong>I can&#8217;t wait to hear your feedback after you&#8217;ve finished this workout!</strong></p>
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<p>Those  of us who have spent any time in gyms or health clubs over the years  will have noticed people who seem to spend hours in the gym but never  break a sweat.  Well, I believe that it is not about how long you  workout for, but how effective your workout is.  I personally never  spend more than 40 minutes working out.</p>
<h2>This is extremely effective for a number of reasons;</h2>
<p><strong>1)</strong> It is enough time to raise  your metabolism without turning your body catabolic, therefore not  breaking down important muscle mass.</p>
<p><strong>2)</strong> It allows you to put maximum effort without placing huge time constraints on your workout.</p>
<p><strong>3) </strong>It prevents boredom in your workout regimes.</p>
<p>This  particular workout is designed for strength and conditioning and does  not require much equipment, so can be done at home, in the gym or even  in the park.  The exercises are quite advanced, but as with all routines  you can find beginner, intermediate or advanced options for each.</p>
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<p><strong>So, the first thing to do is to</strong> prepare your workout station; you need a kettle-bell (weight is  dependent on your own preference), a pull up bar and a gym mat if you  don’t like laying on the floor.  It is then important to perform a 5  minute warm up, this can be anything from jumping jacks to a jog on the  treadmill, as long as it will gently raise your heart rate and warm your  muscles.</p>
<p><strong>Now its time for the main workout; </strong>this  will be done as a 6 station circuit.  Each exercise will be performed  for 30 seconds, making a 3 minute circuit.  Then a 90 seconds rest  period will be taken.  Repeat 4-5 times making approximately a 20-25  minute intense circuit.</p>
<h2>The 6 exercises are as follows (see video for demonstrations);</h2>
<p>- Kettle-bell swings  (Squats with weights or medicine ball*)<br />
- Jump Lunges (Static or dynamic lunge*)<br />
- Pull Ups (Assisted pull up or lat pull down*)<br />
- Spider man push ups (push ups*)<br />
- Burpees (star jumps or squat thrusts*)<br />
- Plank (plank on knees*)</p>
<p>(* = alternative exercises)</p>
<p><strong>Each exercise should be performed with a full range of motion</strong> and I always encourage correct technique in favour of number of  repetitions performed, so please make sure you watch the video to see  the demonstrations.  This will make the workout safer and more effective  for you.</p>
<p><strong>This workout targets</strong> the full  body; the Kettle-bell swings are a fantastic exercise for your glutes  (bottom) and your hamstrings.  The jump lunges target the quads and  those important bottom muscles once again.  The pull-ups hit the  lattisimus dorsi, or upper back muscles, the spider man push-ups work  the chest, arms and oblique’s.</p>
<p>The burpees are a full body exercise but also an  amazing heart raiser and the plank works on the transverse abdominus  (TVA), a sheet of muscle underneath the main abdominals that are  important stabilisers for the core.  As all of the major muscle groups  are worked, not only do you get an amazing strength and conditioning  workout but you will also expend an impressive amount of calories.</p>
<p><strong>This workout isn’t just good for your waistline, </strong>due to its functional nature it will improve your performance and strength on the sports field.  <strong>My workouts put the FUN in functional!</strong></p>
<h2><strong>Tips</strong></h2>
<p>- Keep hydrated throughout your workout.  Remember if you feel thirsty you are already approximately 15% dehydrated.</p>
<p>- Perform a full body stretch post routine to aid with recovery.</p>
<p>- Eat a protein meal or snack within one hour of  working out to help replenish energy supplies.  It is also a good time  to eat as your metabolism will be raised post workout.</p>
<p>- If you find the circuit too intense to begin with, give yourself 2 minutes rest between circuits.</p>
<p>- If you wish to increase the intensity of the workout, try adding an 800m run or a 1000m row at the end of the circuit.</p>
<p>So, the only thing left to say is good luck with  the workout, I hope you enjoy it and look out for more of my articles  and videos here at VFT.  Please feel free to leave any comments, all  feedback is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>All the best<br />
<strong>James Hutchison, VFT  Fitness Expert</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="../vft-fitness-experts/vft-fitness-expert-james-hutchison/" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 10px; border: 0pt none;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/jamesbio.png" border="0" alt="" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="153" height="183" align="left" /><strong>James Hutchison</strong></a> has been Personal Training in some of London’s finest studios for over a  decade and has developed a style that focuses on a functional fitness  and corrective exercise approach to his clients bodies.  This includes  using stability, resistance training, kettle-bells, TRX, bodyweight,  primal patterns and cardio vascular training.</p>
<p>James is also a graduate of Psychology which  allows him to use a scientific knowledge of motivation and behaviour  change to embed the principles of health &amp; wellbeing into his  client’s life as well as promoting a psychological approach to weight  management. James is looking forward to sharing his expertise with VFT  readers and helping them achieve their fitness goals.</p>
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		<title>Still Under the Influence of The Holiday Binge?</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[In today&#8217;s issue of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine!&#8230; As much as the Holidays may &#8220;officially&#8221; be over&#8230; are you still stuck in the &#8220;mode&#8221; of eating whatever you like (eg.. comfort food), skipping your workouts and putting off getting back into your fitness routine? Don&#8217;t feel bad&#8230; because it happens to the best [...]]]></description>
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</p><h2>In today&#8217;s issue of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine!&#8230;</h2>
<p>As much as the Holidays may &#8220;officially&#8221; be  over&#8230; are you still stuck in the &#8220;mode&#8221; of eating whatever you like  (eg.. comfort food), skipping your workouts and putting off getting back  into your fitness routine?</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t feel bad&#8230; because it happens to the  best of us. It&#8217;s so easy to just let all that work just go down the  gurgler. No need to stress, though&#8230; because we&#8217;ve got you covered! If  you&#8217;ve found yourself in this situation in 2012 then this email has  arrived just in time for you.</p>
<p>Sue Heintze, VFT&#8217;s on board Featured Body Transformation Specialist and natural Figure Competitor, shares her <strong>Tips For Beating The Rut of the Post Holiday Binge </strong> (scroll down)</p>
<p>Make sure you check out the next edition of <strong>FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine</strong> I&#8217;ve got some SUPER COOL NEWS coming your way!!!</p>
<p>Enjoy  today&#8217;s post holiday  &#8220;special issue&#8221;  and <strong>PLEASE leave a comment below by clicking on &#8220;Go here to comment on this article&#8221; </strong>!</p>
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VFT &#8211; NO BS Fitness!</p>
<p><strong>PS.</strong> If you missed my article and lesson on <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="../fun-hot-no-bs-fitness-magazine-issues/are-you-really-ready-for-2012/" target="_blank"><strong>&#8220;Are You REALLY Ready For 2012?&#8221;</strong></a> Then <strong>make sure you read it</strong> to help you reach your fitness awesomeness this year! This is exactly what I do to get prepared to conquer my goals!</p>
<p><img src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/quote-postnewyears.png" alt="" width="612" height="140" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2012/01/holidaybinge.jpg" alt="" width="443" height="144" /></p>
<p>Christmas  approached with trepidation. Of course you started with good intentions  and told yourself you weren’t going to pack on the kilos like last  time. Plans were made to continue your usual gym regime and stick  rigidly to your diet… then the parties started. Because you’d been so  strict leading up to Christmas, your body and mind started to rebel and  all those Christmas goodies looked more and more enticing as the parties  continued.</p>
<p><img class="alignright" style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/junkfood.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="459" height="306" align="right" />Deep  down, you knew that it wasn’t going to be long before you caved in to  the temptations and threw all your good intentions out the window. Once  this happened, you thought, what’s the point? You’ve ruined it all now,  so why even bother going to the gym? You may as well just enjoy yourself  now and start again next year!</p>
<p>Does this sound like an all too familiar story?  Your diet goes out the window along with your training, because you feel  it’s not worth it unless it’s ‘all or nothing’. But by the time January  (or February or March!) rolls around, you find yourself much worse off  than before the festivities began and you are in a deep rut, seemingly  unable to climb out.</p>
<p>Don’t give up hope! It will only take a few  weeks of being uncomfortable to climb out of your rut and be back with a  vengeance! Here’s how:</p>
<h2><strong>1.	Don’t Panic!</strong></h2>
<p>Forget about the past – you can’t change it! What you can change is  the future, so let’s wipe the slate clean and move on – you have control  from this point forward. There is no point in dwelling on what you  can’t change and wasting energy on guilty thoughts.. We all tend to over  think things and make them a lot more complicated than they really are –  keep it simple and realise that it’s all onwards and upwards from here!</p>
<h2><strong>2.	Make a firm decision and a total commitment to yourself!</strong></h2>
<p>So you have decided what it is that you want – but how badly do you  really want it? Are you ready to give it your all? Are you ready to make  sacrifices and put yourself first to achieve your goals? If so, then  sit down and make a written promise to yourself that you will give it  110%, you will not make excuses and you will NEVER give up. Remember, it  takes at least 12 weeks to significantly change your body shape.</p>
<h2>3.	Set Goals and get EXCITED about them!</h2>
<p>•	<strong>What</strong> do you want to achieve and <strong>when</strong> do you want to achieve them by? Perhaps you want to drop 2 dress sizes  before your son’s engagement, be able to jog for 30 minutes non-stop so  you can participate in a fun run next month, or enter and win a 12 week  body transformation challenge before your next birthday &#8211; or simply just  increase your flagging energy levels. Whatever it is, work it out and  make sure it’s something that excites you and just as importantly, give  yourself a deadline!</p>
<p>•	<strong>Why</strong> do you want to do this?  Do you refuse to buy size 16 clothes anymore? Does walking up the stairs  wear you out? Are you sick of feeling frumpy and older than your age?  We all need a valid and sound reason for wanting to reach our goals, and  you need to ensure you write it down so you remember it when your  motivation levels wane. It’s important to commit your plan to paper and  continually envisage yourself at your goal. See yourself wearing that  slinky dress in the cupboard, picture yourself crossing the finishing  line of your triathlon. Our minds are very powerful and we should use  them wisely to reach our goals.</p>
<p>•	<strong>How</strong> are you are going to  achieve it? You may choose to use the services of an online or  one-on-one trainer to set out your plan or help you work towards your  goals so that you don’t have to do the thinking. Or you may choose to  follow one of the various workouts/diet plans in your favourite fitness  magazine. Whatever you decide to do, you need to figure out a pathway to  get there.</p>
<h2><strong><img class="alignright" style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/strongladywithdumbbells.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="459" height="306" align="right" />4. Believe in yourself and banish negative self talk!</strong></h2>
<p>When I set out to achieve a goal, I truly<strong> believe</strong> and <strong>know</strong> I will do it.  I don’t ‘hope’ and I don’t “try” – “I can”, “I will” and  “I do”.  If you don’t believe you can do it, then most likely, you  won’t. If you find yourself using negative words, stop and replace them  with positives. If you continue to tell yourself you are fat and  hopeless, your subconscious will believe it and prevent you from  achieving.</p>
<h2><strong>5. Find a good support network!</strong></h2>
<p>You need positive influences in your life when focusing on your  transformation. All too often there will be negative friends, family and  work colleagues just waiting for an opportunity to bring you down.  Steer clear of these types of people as much as possible, and find  support and encouragement in other places such as internet fitness  forums, a trainer or coach, your favourite magazine, or other gym goers.</p>
<h2><strong>6. Be consistent AND patient!</strong></h2>
<p>Nothing above will matter if you do not practice consistency and  patience. You must be consistent with training and nutrition, and you  must be patient to see results. You will be changing even though the  changes may not yet visible on the outside. The number one reason people  fail in their attempts to lose weight, is that they simply give up too  soon. You cannot change your body overnight, but be consistent, give it a  good 12 weeks (not 4, 6 or 8!), and you will be astounded by the  results!</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" style="margin: 5px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/SueHeintze-Working-200x143.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="200" height="143" align="left" /><strong>Sue Heintze is Owner and Managing Director</strong> <strong>of Body Transformation company</strong> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/sueheintze/index.html">www.idealbodiesonline.com</a>.  As a Body Transformation Specialist, Sue has an absolute passion for  helping others achieve their fitness and fat loss goals. As Australia’s  premier online training  facility, the Ideal Bodies Online team has  helped an enormous number of people from all walks of life totally  transform their bodies and lives.</p>
<p>Sue has competed at State and  National level as a natural figure athlete for the past 10 years, and at  the age of 41 recently became a first time mum. She writes regularly  for Australian Oxygen magazine. Sue recently developed a cutting edge  range of instantly downloadable fat loss programs at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/sueheintze/index.html">www.idealbodyblueprint.com</a>.</p>
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		<title>Are You REALLY Ready For 2012?</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/are-you-really-ready-for-2012/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:09:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FUN HOT No BS Fitness Magazine Issues]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I know this might sound kinda deep… especially for this time of the year. Don’t worry I’m not going to lecture you… I’m going to QUICKLY HELP YOU GET PREPARED FOR YOUR FITNESS GOALS FOR 2012. This may be one of the most valuable **FREE** lessons you read and carry out. I’m not kidding. It’s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/are-you-really-ready-for-2012/" title="Permanent link to Are You REALLY Ready For 2012?"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/Are-You-Ready-For-2012.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for Are You REALLY Ready For 2012?" /></a>
</p><p>I know this might sound kinda deep… especially for this time of the year.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" style="margin: 15px;" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/Mandy-122-small-news.png" alt="" hspace="15" vspace="15" width="143" height="387" align="left" />Don’t worry I’m not going to lecture you… I’m going to <strong>QUICKLY HELP YOU GET PREPARED FOR YOUR FITNESS GOALS FOR 2012. </strong></p>
<p>This may be one of the <strong>most valuable **FREE** lessons</strong> you read and carry out. I’m not kidding. It’s <strong>super powerful </strong>and it works.</p>
<h2>THIS IS WHAT I PERSONALLY DO!</h2>
<p>All you need to do is answer the following questions – jot them down in your journal or wherever you prefer…</p>
<p>I was personally given these questions to  answer myself by my mentor Rich Schefren in 2010. This is my own take on  them… and I’m so grateful I did this.</p>
<p>I include personal, fitness and business into this. Because let’s face it, they all affect each other.</p>
<h2><strong>1. What have been the best moments for 2011 for you?</strong></h2>
<p>What cool things did you achieve in your life and your fitness efforts? What was it that you learned from each of them?</p>
<h2>2. What did you struggle with the most in 2011? What were your biggest disappointments?</h2>
<p>What did you learn from each of those mistakes?</p>
<p>We all make mistakes and by not analyzing  them and seeing how we can learn from them, is an even bigger mistake.  Think about what you could’ve done differently and how you can prevent  yourself from making those same mistakes in the future.</p>
<h2>3. I LOVE THIS ONE…</h2>
<h2>How did you limit yourself in 2011, and how can you remove those limits in 2012?</h2>
<p>Y’know when you talk yourself out of  something that you know you could or should do, but don’t… Because  you’ve convinced yourself that your self doubts and critical thoughts of  yourself are actually true, when they’re really just excuses and  reasons you’ve come up with so you don’t have to do stuff? Everyone does  this at one time or another.</p>
<p>Make a list of things you can do differently <strong>so you DON’T limit yourself</strong>. To help you break the cycle of what you would normally do.</p>
<p>Imagine the opportunities and <strong>wonderful things you could be experiencing in 2012</strong> if you changed how you limit yourself.</p>
<h2>4. What did you learn from your answers to the first three questions?</h2>
<p>What was it that you learned about yourself from the above three questions <strong>that you didn’t realize about yourself  before? </strong></p>
<p>&#8230;And along side that state what you can do to help with those issues.</p>
<p>It’s easy to lose focus on what your goals  are and end up getting side tracked. So be specific about what you’re  going to do, to not just help you stay on track, but the action beyond  that as well.</p>
<h2>5. How can you use this information to make 2012 your best year yet?</h2>
<p>Take everything you’ve learned from question 4 and implement it into your schedule.</p>
<p>All the takeaways and take action steps  you’ve come up with “book” them into your calendar – like appointments.  Also book into your appointments a time that you can, for example, every  week or couple of weeks go over your list that you’ve created from  today’s lesson. This will help remind you of your goals and the “fitness  awesomeness” you want to achieve in 2012.</p>
<h2>How are you going to make 2012 great for YOU?</h2>
<p>If you enjoyed today&#8217;s lesson&#8230; or want to  share your responses to the above lesson&#8230; then please click on the &#8220;Go  here to comment on this article&#8221; box below. I love hearing from you!</p>
<p>Hugs&#8230;</p>
<p><img src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/mandysig2.png" alt="" width="264" height="61" /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com<br />
VFT &#8211; NO BS Fitness!</p>
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		<title>Special Holiday Wishes from Mandy!</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/special-holiday-wishes-from-mandy/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:37:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FUN HOT No BS Fitness Magazine Issues]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I hardly know where to begin when it comes to the huge amount of appreciation I have for your support, loyalty and friendship. 2011 has been a big year! I’ve conquered challenges that I never thought I’d have the “balls” to do. I set specific goals this year for myself, committed myself to them and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/special-holiday-wishes-from-mandy/" title="Permanent link to Special Holiday Wishes from Mandy!"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/screengrabchristmasvidthumb.png" width="298" height="236" alt="Post image for Special Holiday Wishes from Mandy!" /></a>
</p><p>I hardly know where to begin when it comes to the <strong>huge amount of appreciation I have for your support, loyalty and friendship.</strong></p>
<p>2011 has been a big year!</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="640" height="360" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Xm1XG2KL9Y?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Xm1XG2KL9Y?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p>I’ve  <strong>conquered challenges</strong> that I never thought<strong> I’d have the “balls” to do</strong>. I  set specific goals this year for myself, committed myself to them and  even when I felt daunted by something I told myself  <strong>“Mandy, just do it  girl!”</strong>.</p>
<p>…Why did I push myself?</p>
<p>I truly believe that  if you get stuck in your comfort zone and not grab life with both hands  – you’ll probably <strong>kick yourself later</strong> and you could be <strong>missing out on  something wonderful</strong>. An opportunity to learn and grow from each  experience.</p>
<p>Just as I committed to being by your side,  <strong>helping you achieve your own goals of “fitness awesomeness”</strong> – you were  there by my side also.</p>
<p><strong>You’ve helped make VFT “Virtual Fitness Trainer” what it is today. Thank you so much!</strong></p>
<p>With our motto of <strong>“Fun, Hot, No BS Fitness”</strong>,  just like 2011, in 2012, I’ll be right here to help guide you. I can’t  wait to see you reach your new <strong>results</strong>, see <strong>your new progress</strong> and hear  your stories. I love – and feel honoured – that you feel comfy sharing  them with me.</p>
<p>And for my special subscribers, yes, that’s  you <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> , that have been requesting a higher level of coaching from VFT –  keep this to yourself…I’ve got something very special coming up in  2012. Shhhhhhhh! <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><strong>So here’s some super big hugs from me “HUGS!!”…</strong></p>
<p>Take care, and have a safe, happy and wonderful festive season&#8230;</p>
<p><img src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/mandysig2.png" alt="" width="264" height="61" /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com<br />
VFT &#8211; NO BS Fitness!</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/ChadHowse" target="_blank"><img src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/quote-holiday-2.png" border="0" alt="" width="550" height="284" /></a></p>
<p>﻿</p>
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		<title>10 Tips For Training and Dieting During the Silly Season!</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/10-tips-for-training-and-dieting-during-the-silly-season/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:18:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FUN HOT No BS Fitness Magazine Issues]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[In today&#8217;s issue of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine!&#8230; If you find yourself falling off the wagon during the festive season with your fitness efforts&#8230; Sue Heintze, VFT&#8217;s on board Featured Body Transformation Specialist and natural Figure Competitor, shares her top 10 Tips For Training and Dieting During the Silly Season. (scroll down) Enjoy [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/10-tips-for-training-and-dieting-during-the-silly-season/" title="Permanent link to 10 Tips For Training and Dieting During the Silly Season!"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/10-Tips-For-The-Festive-Season.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for 10 Tips For Training and Dieting During the Silly Season!" /></a>
</p><h2>In today&#8217;s issue of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine!&#8230;</h2>
<p>If you find yourself falling off the wagon during the festive season with your fitness efforts&#8230;</p>
<p>Sue Heintze, VFT&#8217;s on board Featured Body Transformation Specialist and natural Figure Competitor, shares her top <strong>10 Tips For Training and Dieting During the Silly Season</strong>. (scroll down)</p>
<p>Enjoy  today&#8217;s holiday  &#8220;special issue&#8221;  and <strong>PLEASE leave a comment below by clicking on &#8220;Go here to comment on this article&#8221; </strong>!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/mandysig2.png" alt="" width="264" height="61" /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com<br />
VFT &#8211; NO BS Fitness!</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/quote-holiday-1.png" alt="" width="422" height="284" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/10-tips-for-training.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4352" title="10 tips for training" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/10-tips-for-training.jpg" alt="" width="449" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>It’s  that time of year where many plans to follow a good diet and training  program fall by the wayside.  There are too many parties, events,  gatherings and many will decide it’s all too hard and let all or nothing  thinking rear its ugly head. They’ll just give up now, enjoy the  festive season, and start again next year.</p>
<p>Here are ten tips to help keep you active and maintain good nutrition over the festive season!</p>
<h2><strong>1.	Plan your meals and workouts in advance</strong></h2>
<p>Schedule your workouts and meal times in your calendar just like you  would any other appointment. If you try to &#8220;wing it&#8221; and squeeze in your  workouts and meals whenever you have time, you&#8217;ll find that your daily  activities, especially around Christmas time, always seem to &#8220;expand&#8221; to  fill the hours in every day.  A great time to exercise is first thing  in the morning before work – this time of day doesn’t usually interfere  with anything on your social calendar!  Just be sure to get to bed early  so you are getting adequate rest.</p>
<h2><strong>2. 	Maintain a consistent eating schedule</strong></h2>
<p>Continue with your regular pattern of eating small, frequent meals.   Many people allow this busy period to throw them off their regular  eating schedule.  When there&#8217;s a big dinner or party scheduled, many  people think that skipping a couple of their earlier meals to &#8220;save  room&#8221; for the big one later is a good idea.  It&#8217;s not. This is a  sure-fire way to invite a binge that could set you back for days.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t lose your consistency or your momentum.  Continue with your pattern of eating small, frequent meals all year  round.  When you are faced with a dinner out, just keep the meal  smaller.</p>
<h2><strong><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000018083017XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="347" height="346" />3. 	Give yourself permission to have “Free Meals” – and schedule them in</strong></h2>
<p>A planned &#8220;free meal&#8221; here and there helps you to stay on your program  better in the long run.  If you&#8217;re too strict all the time, you will  set yourself up for cravings and bingeing.</p>
<h2><strong>4. 	Don’t buy into the low standards and expectations of others</strong></h2>
<p>Most people have already planned in advance to fail at fitness  over Christmas. You&#8217;ve decided to stay strong. Don&#8217;t let their negative  influence drag you down.</p>
<h2><strong>5. 	If you fall “Off the Wagon”, get right back on it</strong></h2>
<p>Even if you fall completely off the wagon, don&#8217;t beat yourself up.  Just get right back to it without missing another beat.  Too many people  mess up once and then think their entire progress is ruined. They feel  as if everything they&#8217;ve done prior to that day was wasted and there&#8217;s  no sense going on. Even worse, they rationalize, &#8220;I already messed up,  so it doesn&#8217;t matter now, I might as well keep going.&#8221;</p>
<p>If you threw in the towel every time you didn&#8217;t  score 100% on your diet, most people would never get through more than a  few days on any structured program. You&#8217;re only human. Just because you  mess up once doesn&#8217;t mean you should quit!  Don&#8217;t let one small slip  keep you from achieving great things.</p>
<h2><strong>6.  Control your portion sizes</strong></h2>
<p>There&#8217;s no reason to deprive yourself of things you enjoy, just make  sure you don&#8217;t overindulge. As long as you enjoy your favourite foods in  moderation, and you keep training, it is less likely to end up around  your waistline.</p>
<h2><strong>7.  Don’t make excuses </strong></h2>
<p>May I suggest that just because it’s Christmas it doesn’t mean  you can’t continue your usual workout program!  Often it’s just an  excuse, so be wary if you start finding reasons you can’t make the gym.  If you really are stuck for time, make your weights workouts shorter by  incorporating supersets or tri-sets, for a more intense workout.  You  can get a great workout in 20-30 minutes utilizing these techniques.</p>
<h2><strong>8. Have a competition</strong></h2>
<p>Get a few friends together and see how much weight, cms or body  fat you can lose by Christmas.  What a turnaround – imagine actually  losing weight over the festive season! Take photos, measurements, and  write an essay.  Arrange a non biased person to be the judge.  Organize a  day of pampering for the winner – massage, facial, nails.  You will  look a million dollar on New Year’s Eve!</p>
<h2><strong>9. Go high intensity</strong></h2>
<p>Likewise, for cardio workouts perform shorter, high intensity  workouts rather than long, steady state cardio.  Try some 15 minute  sprinting sessions or stair running. If you have family at home for  Christmas get them involved by going to a park or the beach and playing  Frisbee, volleyball, cricket or football.</p>
<h2><strong>10. Exercise on Christmas Day!</strong></h2>
<p>Finally, try doing something different this Christmas – get up  early and do a cardio workout on Christmas and Boxing Day morning!!  You  might get some strange looks from passers by, but imagine how great you  will feel after showing so much dedication!</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/SueHeintze-Working-200x143.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="143" /><strong>Sue Heintze is Owner and Managing Director</strong> <strong>of Body Transformation company</strong> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/sueheintze/index.html">www.idealbodiesonline.com</a>.  As a Body Transformation Specialist, Sue has an absolute passion for  helping others achieve their fitness and fat loss goals. As Australia’s  premier online training  facility, the Ideal Bodies Online team has  helped an enormous number of people from all walks of life totally  transform their bodies and lives.</p>
<p>Sue has competed at State and  National level as a natural figure athlete for the past 10 years, and at  the age of 41 recently became a first time mum. She writes regularly  for Australian Oxygen magazine. Sue recently developed a cutting edge  range of instantly downloadable fat loss programs at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/sueheintze/index.html">www.idealbodyblueprint.com</a>.</p>
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		<title>Training Hard and Still Not Able to Lose Weight?</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/fitness-q-and-a/training-hard-and-still-not-able-to-lose-weight/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:12:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fitness Q and A]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever felt like you&#8217;re training your butt off, but nothing is changing? Do you get frustrated because you&#8217;re spending hours on the treadmill or doing resistance exercises every day, every week and you&#8217;re not reducing body fat? In today&#8217;s edition of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and A&#8217;s, we&#8217;re focusing on [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/fitness-q-and-a/training-hard-and-still-not-able-to-lose-weight/" title="Permanent link to Training Hard and Still Not Able to Lose Weight?"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/Still-Not-Able-to-Lose-Weight.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for Training Hard and Still Not Able to Lose Weight?" /></a>
</p><p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/BelindaBenn/"><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/bel-banner.gif" alt="" width="217" height="540" /></a></p>
<p>Have you ever felt like you&#8217;re training your butt off, but nothing is changing?</p>
<p>Do you get frustrated because you&#8217;re  spending hours on the treadmill or doing resistance exercises every day,  every week and you&#8217;re not reducing body fat?</p>
<p>In today&#8217;s  edition of <strong>FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and A&#8217;s</strong>,  we&#8217;re focusing on why you&#8217;re &#8220;<strong>Training Hard and Still Not Able to Lose Weight?</strong>&#8221;</p>
<p>Also in this issue&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>Are you overtraining?</strong> I&#8217;m not kidding&#8230;are you actually exercising too much?</p>
<p><strong>Is lack of sleep and stress preventing you from reaching your training goals?</strong></p>
<p>Do you have yourself convinced that <strong>you can never lose weight because you have a slow metabolism</strong>&#8230;</p>
<p>Then get cracking on reading today&#8217;s Q and A and you&#8217;ll see why <strong>you could be completely wrong about your metabolism</strong>.</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy this edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and A&#8217;s..</p>
<p>Take care&#8230;Hugs&#8230;</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/mandysig2.png" alt="" width="264" height="61" /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com<br />
VFT &#8211; NO BS Fitness!</p>
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<div><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4335" title="traininghard" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/traininghard-560x94.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="94" /></div>
<div>
<p>There  are a lot of health and fitness myths out there and many of them  involve exercise and weight loss. One common belief it that if you  exercise you will always lose weight, but there are many different ways  to exercise and working out is still only one part of the big picture.  In fact, it is certainly possible to train hard and not lose weight and  it can happen for many reasons, some of which are better than others.</p>
<h2><strong>Here are 4 common reasons for not losing weight while training hard</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>Reason #1 – Gaining muscle:</strong></h2>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000015884740XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="424" />This  is the best case scenario if you are training hard and not losing  weight. When this happens it means you are simultaneously gaining muscle  and losing fat (assuming you are not gaining weight). This is a sign  that you are doing a lot of things right and having positive physical  changes, even though the progress may not show up on the scale.</p>
<p>If this is really what is happening, you should  notice other positive changes, such as improved fitness/workout  performance, feeling better in general, and/or having more energy.  Additionally, people who gain muscle and lose fat often notice that  their clothes start fitting better and their weight starts being  redistributed so there is a visible improvement in their physique even  without losing weight.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step: </strong>Weight is not the  best indicator of success and it is possible to make progress in a lot  of different areas without changes on the scale. If you want to put more  emphasis on losing weight, work on improving your nutrition and/or  changing your exercise routine to focus loss on muscle gain and more on  fat loss.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, gaining muscle is not the most  common reason for working out hard and not losing weight and the  following three reasons all happen quite frequently. In many cases it is  a combination of some or even all of these reasons, so it is important  to look at all aspects of your health and fitness program to find out  what is happening.</p>
<h2><strong>Reason #2 – Nutrition:</strong></h2>
<p>Exercise burns calories and can improve your  metabolism to burn even more, but the calories burned during your  workouts don’t always translate into weight/fat loss. Weight loss is a  numbers game where the calories you consume have to be less than the  total calories burned by your metabolism, exercise, and other  activities.</p>
<p>The problem is many people think exercise is the  most important factor in the equation, but it is usually third behind  the calories you consume and your metabolism. Unless you exercise for  hours every day, the calories burned through exercise are far less than  the calories burned by your metabolism.</p>
<p>Some people think they can never lose weight  because they have a slow metabolism, but your metabolism is not solely  determined by your genetics and there are things you can do to make it  burn more calories. The most common strategy to increasing metabolism is  gaining muscle by working out, because muscle burns calories even at  rest, but nutrition plays a part as well.</p>
<p>In most cases, it is not an issue of eating  specific foods to boost your metabolism, but rather avoiding the  problems that cause your body to shut down your metabolism prematurely.  The most common things people do to decrease their metabolism are eating  too little, skipping meals, and not getting their required nutrients  (vitamins, minerals, protein, water, etc.).</p>
<p>The decrease in metabolism is often more  significant than the calories burned through exercise, so if you really  want to lose weight, you have to maximize your metabolism. Of course,  the other big issue is the number of calories you consume. While it is  possible to eat too little, most people simply eat and drink too many  calories every day.</p>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/foodinwok.jpg" alt="" width="472" height="337" />Even  the best exercise routine is not enough to overcome poor eating. If you  burn a significant number of calories through exercise, that hard work  can easily be undone by a moderate amount of junk foods. Of course, you  can still improve your fitness and feel better from the exercise, but  you may not lose any weight and if you eat a lot, you could continue  gaining weight.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step:</strong> If weight loss is  your main priority, the place to start is with your nutrition. Exercise  will improve your results, but if your nutrition has significant  problems, weight loss can be almost impossible. It is much easier to  consume calories than it is to burn them off through exercise, so your  nutrition really is your most effective tool for losing weight.</p>
<h2><strong>Reason #3 – Overtraining:</strong></h2>
<p>Many people believe that more exercise is always  better and the harder you push yourself, the better your results, but  these are only true up to a point. You definitely can exercise too much  or push yourself too hard and if you do, it can bring your progress to a  screeching halt.</p>
<p>Overtraining is the most common exercise problem  for people who workout hard and it usually involves a combination of  physical and mental/emotional symptoms. It includes things like  performance decreases, burnout, illness, weight changes, heart rate  change, and much more. Simply put, exercising too much causes lots of  problems and the more overtrained you are, the longer it takes to get  back to normal.</p>
<p>Since overtraining is such a big concern and so  prevalent these days, there is a lot of information about the signs,  symptoms, etc. Instead of restating all of this clinical information, I  will discuss a real world example of overtraining that I encountered  while working at a traditional gym.</p>
<p>A few years ago I met a person who was at the  gym most days of the week and probably spent about 10 hours a week  exercising (mostly lifting weights). He told me that he was having  trouble making any progress so I asked him about his workout routine,  health, training history, etc.</p>
<p>It turned out that during the last year and a  half he lost about 100 pounds (~45kg) and even won the yearly member  body transformation contest. Unfortunately, during the last four months  he did not make any progress and even started gaining back some fat. He  also said he was exercising as hard as ever and increased his number of  sets to stimulate more progress, but it was not working.</p>
<p>Overtraining is something I have dealt with a  lot and everything he told me (including doing the same exercises all  the time) made it clear that he was overtrained and needed a complete  overhaul of his program. I had him write down all of his  exercises/workouts and told him I would make him a new program to get  him back on track.</p>
<p>His new program had a lot of new exercises and I  significantly decreased the overall number of sets in each workout. I  would love to say that he was excited about his new program and started  making progress again, but unfortunately he was unhappy with the  program.</p>
<p>He did not like the fact that it had different  exercises and he wanted to keep doing the same thing he was doing,  except get better results. Since he previously made progress with those  exercises, he was determined that those exercises are why he succeeded  and different exercises would make things worse. He also didn’t want to  exercise less because he thought that would make everything worse as  well.</p>
<p>I left the gym to start my own business soon  after, so I don’t know what ultimately happened, but I would like to  think he eventually took my advice. Anyway, I share this story because  overtraining is fairly easy for an exercise professional to identify,  but it can be very hard to reverse, especially when you have to change  things that were previously successful.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step:</strong> If it seems like  you are doing everything right and exercising a lot, but not making  progress (or going backwards), you might be overtraining. Overtraining  can be complicated to correct, but start by reducing tour training  volume (sets, reps, weight, distance, etc.) and change up your workouts  and see if things improve.</p>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000006709008XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="426" height="282" />If  you are significantly overtrained, you may need to work with a  qualified fitness professional to get back on track. When people like to  workout hard, the last thing they want to do is perform easier  workouts, but that may be the only thing that corrects the problem. In  any case, if what you are doing is not working, you have to change  something to have any chance of future success.</p>
<h2><strong>Reason #4 – Stress and sleep:</strong></h2>
<p>This is usually combined with at least one of  the other reasons, but if you are not getting enough sleep and under a  lot of stress, it can make losing weight/fat much tougher if not  impossible. Some people experiencing high levels of stress do lose a lot  of weight, but this is usually not the case and it’s a bad way to lose  weight anyway. Essentially, the more stress you have and less sleep you  get, the worse your results will be.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step: </strong>If you have a lot  of stress in your life or do not get enough sleep, work on changing some  things in your routine to help reverse the problem(s). If nothing else,  take a few minutes each day to do some deep breathing and relaxation  exercises. Being overstressed and overtired really can negate an  otherwise effective exercise and nutrition program.</p>
<p>Losing weight/fat can be challenging and doing  lots of hard workouts is not always the answer and sometimes it even  makes things worse. If you are having problems losing weight, my best  advice is to take a close look at every aspect of your lifestyle  (nutrition, exercise, stress, etc.) and figure out the main roadblocks  to your success.</p>
<p>Finally, if you are already doing well in one  area, such as exercise, focus on the other areas instead of trying to  further improve something you are already good at. In terms of effort  and progress, this will give you a lot more bang for your buck.</p>
<p>By Ross Harrison<br />
VFT &#8220;Awesome&#8221; Fitness Expert <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>Ross Harrison, <a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/tag/vft-fitness-expert/" class="st_tag internal_tag" rel="tag" title="Posts tagged with vft fitness expert">VFT Fitness Expert</a>:</strong></p>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2010/09/Ross-Harrison-533x600.jpg" alt="" width="143" height="162" />Ross  Harrison has been a member of the National Strength and Conditioning  Association and involved in the fitness industry since 1996. He is a  certified personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning  specialist, nutritional consultant, and has a BA in psychology from  Grinnell College. He has also completed post-certification work in  numerous areas including core conditioning, low back health, exercise  (Swiss) ball training, exercise nutrition, and sports psychology.</p>
<p>Ross takes a holistic approach to health and  fitness and believes a good program must address a variety of issues,  including exercise, nutrition, injury prevention, posture,  stabilization, and exercise psychology. He works to train and educate  people of all ages to improve their quality of life through exercise and  nutrition.</p>
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		<title>VFT Fitness Expert &#8211; James Hutchison</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vft-fitness-experts/vft-fitness-expert-james-hutchison/</link>
		<comments>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vft-fitness-experts/vft-fitness-expert-james-hutchison/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:50:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VFT Fitness Experts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[James Hutchison fitness expert virtual fitness trainer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[James Hutchison vft fitness expert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[James Hutchison virtual fitness trainer fitness expert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vft fitness expert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual fitness trainer fitness expert]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Meet James Hutchison… VFT Fitness Expert and Team Member James has been working in the Health &#38; Fitness industry for well over a decade and has plied his trade in some of London’s finest personal training studios. James has recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology which has allowed him to combine his expertise of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4301" title="James1" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/James1.png" alt="" width="186" height="222" /></p>
<p><strong>Meet James Hutchison…</p>
<p><a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/tag/vft-fitness-expert/" class="st_tag internal_tag" rel="tag" title="Posts tagged with vft fitness expert">VFT Fitness Expert</a> and Team Member</strong></p>
<p>James has been working in the Health &amp; Fitness industry for well over a decade and has plied his trade in some of London’s finest personal training studios.  James has recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology which has allowed him to combine his expertise of functional fitness training with a <img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4314" title="James3" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/James3.png" alt="" width="243" height="325" />scientific knowledge of behaviour change and motivation.  James has found this approach not only help his clients achieve physical fitness, but also embeds the principles of health and well being into their lifestyles.  During his career James has seen results with complete gym novices, amateur athletes, marathon runners, those recovering from illness and injury, low back pain rehabilitation, he has guided effective weight management strategies, got brides in shape for their big day and new mum’s back into the gym and back in shape post pregnancy.</p>
<p><strong>James feels there are too many conflicting and confusing messages about fitness, health and wellbeing</strong> being sent out to the public, therefore is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others and hopes that he can help VFT readers as much as he helps his clients back in London.</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4308" title="James2" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/James2-560x393.png" alt="" width="302" height="212" />James writes articles for his own fitness blog; <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.hutchisonpt.blogspot.com/" target="_self">http://www.hutchisonpt.blogspot.com/</a> and has a twitter feed dedicated to advice and tips on health, fitness, nutrition and the psychology of weight loss, so please follow him; <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/#!/HutchisonPT" target="_self">http://twitter.com/#!/HutchisonPT</a>.</p>
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		<title>Q and A &#8211; How do I Control my Cravings? &#8211; Part 2</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/fitness-q-and-a/q-and-a-how-do-i-control-my-cravings-part-2/</link>
		<comments>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/fitness-q-and-a/q-and-a-how-do-i-control-my-cravings-part-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:26:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fitness Q and A]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[In today&#8217;s edition of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and A&#8217;s, Ross (VFT&#8217;s fitness expert and team member) is back with part 2 of&#8230; &#8220;How Do I Control My Cravings?&#8221; Discussing nutrient PLUS mental and emotional cravings. I hope you enjoy this edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/fitness-q-and-a/q-and-a-how-do-i-control-my-cravings-part-2/" title="Permanent link to Q and A &#8211; How do I Control my Cravings? &#8211; Part 2"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/How-To-Control-Your-Cravings-2.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for Q and A &#8211; How do I Control my Cravings? &#8211; Part 2" /></a>
</p><p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/07/vftqanda.png" alt="" width="274" height="325" />In today&#8217;s  edition of <strong>FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and A&#8217;s</strong>,  Ross (VFT&#8217;s  fitness expert and team member) is back with <strong>part 2</strong> of&#8230;</p>
<p>&#8220;<strong>How Do I Control My Cravings?</strong>&#8221; Discussing nutrient PLUS mental and <strong>emotional cravings</strong>.</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy this edition of VFT&#8217;s FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine Q and A&#8217;s..</p>
<p>Hugs&#8230;</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/mandysig2.png" alt="" width="264" height="61" /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com<br />
VFT &#8211; NO BS Fitness!</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/quote-27.png" alt="" width="621" height="176" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/controlmycravings2.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4287" title="controlmycravings2" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/12/controlmycravings2.png" alt="" width="581" height="55" /></a></p>
<p>Part  one of this Q&amp;A covered physiological hunger cravings and specific  food cravings caused by addictive ingredients or allergies (add link?).  This portion continues right where the first left off with two  additional types of cravings and finishes with some general tips for  controlling cravings.</p>
<h2><strong>Here are 2 more types of cravings plus general advice for controlling them</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>Craving #3 – Nutrient cravings:</strong></h2>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000016216189XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="282" />Nutrient  cravings are when your body craves foods containing certain nutrients.  These can take a number of different forms from a general craving (any  food high in protein) to more specific cravings, such as craving a  banana for potassium. In a way, the true hunger craving discussed in  part 1 is a type of nutrient craving, because your body needs the  calories to perform physiological tasks.</p>
<p>Your body tries to let you know when it needs more of a nutrient  and cravings are one way this happens. For example, if you exercise in  the heat and do not consume much salt/sodium, you may have a sodium  deficiency and start craving salty food.</p>
<p>The problem with this type of craving is it is  hard to distinguish from other food cravings and many cravings that make  people want specific foods have nothing to do with needing nutrients.  While it is possible to be deficient in salt, most people consume more  than enough salt, so when they crave salty foods it is not a real  nutrient craving.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step: </strong>When you crave a  specific food it may be your body telling you that you need more  nutrients (calcium, vitamin A, protein, water, etc.), but a nutrient  deficiency is just one possible option for the cause of the craving. On  the flip side, if you don’t have nutrient cravings it doesn’t mean you  don’t have nutrient deficiencies.</p>
<p>Nutrient cravings do not happen all the  time and they can be very subtle, but they are a possibility to be aware  of. The best thing to do is try to determine if a nutrient craving is  likely, based what you eat and drink, as well as your overall lifestyle.</p>
<h2><strong>Craving #4 – Mental/emotional cravings:</strong></h2>
<p>This category contains a wide variety of  cravings and is responsible, at least in part, for the greatest number  of major craving problems. There are many forms and symptoms of  mental/emotional cravings, but I am grouping them all together, because  they all require the same general approach to correct. That said, the  specific steps for improvement can be very different depending on the  person and the situation.</p>
<p>Emotional cravings are often tied to moods and  people can have cravings when they are feeling down, nervous, bored,  restless, etc. These are all cravings where people do not need the  calories/nutrients, but the eating is caused by an emotional state or  reaction. I classify a mental craving as something similar to emotional  cravings, but without the link to a specific emotion. These cravings  often stem from habit or routine.</p>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/manfedup.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="440" />For  example, if you have cookies every day after work, then your body will  start expecting or craving cookies after work. The craving could be  contextual (happen only after work) or it could be time dependent  (happen around the time of day you normally leave work regardless if you  worked that day or not). Again, there is no physiological need for this  craving, but they can be among the strongest cravings people  experience.</p>
<p>As with all cravings, the first step is to  identify the craving and figure out why it is happening. If you struggle  with cravings, you are probably already aware of what they are, buy may  not have thought about exactly why they happen. However, I know many  people who know about their craving and understand why they happen, but  still struggle to control them.</p>
<p>The most common thing I encounter is people  feeling as though it is too difficult to change their behavior in order  to improve the craving. In these situations the person’s attitude and  approach really makes all the difference. When people struggle with  cravings, they often sound like they are at the mercy of the craving and  have no control over the situation.</p>
<p>Regardless of the specific mental or emotional  craving, one of the most important steps for change is understanding and  more importantly believing that you can eventually control your  cravings. I am not saying that all you have to do is believe your  cravings will go away and they will stop, but you have to believe it is  possible. Unfortunately many people get stuck at this step and remain  slaves to their cravings indefinitely.</p>
<p>This is a self-fulfilling prophecy where the  belief that cravings are too strong makes it impossible to ever gain  control of them. Believing you can control them does not automatically  change them, but it does open the gates for real change to happen.<br />
Then the next step is to figure out what you should change to get things moving in the right direction.</p>
<p>There are many steps you can take to  control cravings and the key it to find the one(s) that work for you.  There are so many different situations and tactics that it is hard to  even scratch the surface, but I will briefly describe a few effective  strategies.</p>
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<p>If you want to routinely crave a specific food and  want to stop it completely, the simplest thing to do is to limit your  access to that food. Most notably, do not buy the food when you shop or  if someone else does the shopping, ask them not to buy whatever food(s)  you are trying to avoid. If the foods you crave are at another location,  such as work, you could bring your own food to eat, so you are not  forced to pick from the choices at work.</p>
<p>I worked retail for about 8 years and brought 3  small meals with me every day because I did not want to be tempted by  the unhealthy foods around. Since I made this a part of my routine, I  did not have to think about what I was going to eat and did not crave  other foods nearly as much.</p>
<p>Other options include making daily lists with specific tasks like  only eating a certain amount of _____ per day (where the amount is less  than usual of a craving food). If you plan for the craving, then you are  less likely to go overboard with the amount you eat. You can also keep  all of your foods in single serving containers to help control portions  of foods you crave.</p>
<p><strong>Action Step:</strong> Individual  differences make a huge difference in the approach you should take. If  you don’t know where to start, think about previous times you overcame  obstacles and examine the steps you took to succeeded. Then apply a  similar type of approach to your nutrition and cravings.</p>
<h2>General advice action steps:</h2>
<p><strong><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000010809941XSmall.png" alt="" width="283" height="424" />1. Keep a nutrition and cravings journal </strong>–  Make notes about what you crave, when you crave it, and how intense the  craving is. The nutrition component does not have to be complicated,  but include what you eat/drink and when. This is a great tool to help  you pinpoint the cause(s) of your cravings and gauge the success of your  intervention strategies.</p>
<p>By charting this information over time, you can  learn how everyday nutrition and lifestyle (stress, etc.) impact your  cravings. When cravings are most intense, try to think about everything  that is causing the craving at that time. This will help you figure out  where you need to focus your energy to control the craving.</p>
<p>People are often hesitant to keep a nutritional  journal, but they always end up saying that it is worth the effort. As  an added bonus, just the act of writing down everything you eat and  drink tends to make people improve their nutrition habits. Of course,  this only works if you make the effort to be as accurate as possible and  not allow yourself to cheat.</p>
<p><strong>2. Gradually reduce “bad” carbs</strong> –  For most people not all carbs are the enemy, but some cause major  problems. The more of the wrong carbs people eat, the more they crave  carbs. Bad carbs vary somewhat from person to person, but the most  common ones are processed grains and sugars. Foods containing high  amounts sugar (sucrose) or white flour (white bread, etc.) are prime  examples of bad carbs.</p>
<p>If you consider yourself to be addicted to carbs,  one of the most successful strategies is to gradually reduce consumption  of these ingredients over time. Try to replace some of the bad carbs  with healthier ones by switching from white rice/bread/pasta to whole  grain versions of some of the same products.</p>
<p>The whole grain products may taste strange if you  are not used to them, but your taste buds will adjust. It is just like  switching from whole milk to skim or regular soda to diet. At first you  may think they taste bad, but after a while they will seem normal and  the products you used to use will taste strange instead.</p>
<p>Another option is to eat the same type of carbs,  but decrease the amount you eat during your meal and add some protein  and/or healthy fat in its place. Adding protein or fat while decreasing  carbs can significantly decrease carb cravings. Just be sure to decrease  the carb calories by at least as much as fat/protein calories you add  or your total calories will increase, resulting in fat gain.</p>
<p>That’s it for the craving Q&amp;A. I hope it  gives you some ideas to help deal with your craving issues, but these  are just a sample of the types of things you can do to overcome your  cravings. Regardless of the strategy you use, be sure to stick with it,  because the more frequently you break from your strategy, the longer it  will take to get your cravings under control.</p>
<p>By Ross Harrison<br />
VFT &#8220;Awesome&#8221; Fitness Expert <img src='http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /><br />
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>Ross Harrison, <a href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/tag/vft-fitness-expert/" class="st_tag internal_tag" rel="tag" title="Posts tagged with vft fitness expert">VFT Fitness Expert</a>:</strong></p>
<p><img src="../files/2010/09/Ross-Harrison-533x600.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="130" height="146" align="left" />Ross  Harrison has been a member of the National Strength and Conditioning  Association and involved in the fitness industry since 1996. He is a  certified personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning  specialist, nutritional consultant, and has a BA in psychology from  Grinnell College. He has also completed post-certification work in  numerous areas including core conditioning, low back health, exercise  (Swiss) ball training, exercise nutrition, and sports psychology.</p>
<p>Ross takes a holistic approach to health and  fitness and believes a good program must address a variety of issues,  including exercise, nutrition, injury prevention, posture,  stabilization, and exercise psychology. He works to train and educate  people of all ages to improve their quality of life through exercise and  nutrition.</p>
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		<title>The Woman’s Guide to Exercise-Induced Hormones</title>
		<link>http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/the-woman%e2%80%99s-guide-to-exercise-induced-hormones/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:50:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mandy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FUN HOT No BS Fitness Magazine Issues]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[In today&#8217;s issue of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine!&#8230; Belinda Benn &#8211; VFT&#8217;s Featured Fitness Expert (International Fitness Model and Transformation Coach) - uncovers the mystery surrounding women and exercise-induced hormones&#8230; And the powerful affect they have on your ability to burn fat, increase lean muscle, your looks, health and your mood! Also in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/featured/the-woman%e2%80%99s-guide-to-exercise-induced-hormones/" title="Permanent link to The Woman’s Guide to Exercise-Induced Hormones"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/files/2011/11/Belinda-Benn-VFT-Featured-Expert1.jpg" width="638" height="425" alt="Post image for The Woman’s Guide to Exercise-Induced Hormones" /></a>
</p><h2>In today&#8217;s issue of FUN, HOT, NO B.S. Fitness Magazine!&#8230;</h2>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/iStock_000003213575XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="424" />Belinda Benn &#8211; VFT&#8217;s Featured Fitness Expert (International Fitness Model and Transformation Coach) -<strong> uncovers </strong>the mystery surrounding women and <strong>exercise-induced</strong> <strong>hormones</strong>&#8230;</p>
<p>And the <strong>powerful affect</strong> they have on your <strong>ability to burn fat</strong>, increase lean muscle, your looks, health and your mood!</p>
<p>Also in this issue&#8230;</p>
<p>If you are ready to make a <strong>major shift</strong> and walk through life <strong>with more confidence</strong> in your fitness lifestyle, see today&#8217;s &#8220;We Love This!&#8221;</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy  today&#8217;s lesson and <strong>PLEASE leave your feedback BY CLICKING ON THE COMMENTS box  below</strong>, we love hearing from you!</p>
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<p>I get a lot of questions about how exercise affects  hormones.  Some women are worried that they’ll start missing periods if  they exercise too much. Others are worried that they’ll get a shot of  testosterone that will make them look like a man. Still others wonder  how, exactly, exercise affects the hormones that influence our moods.</p>
<p>Here’s the good news: Exercise (especially the  right kind) generally affects your hormones in a positive way.  Read on  to discover how your exercise routine impacts your body’s natural  chemicals…</p>
<h2>Adrenaline</h2>
<p>I used the name adrenaline, simply because  that’s the term most lay people use.  And it makes sense, since this is  the hormone released by the adrenal gland. However, those in the medical  community usually refer to this hormone as epinephrine.</p>
<p>You’ve probably heard of adrenaline – it’s the  fast-acting hormone that enables the “fight or flight” response in a  dangerous situation.  It boosts your heart rate so that your heart can  get blood to your limbs more quickly.  It also helps your body break  down stored glycogen to fuel your activity.</p>
<p>Long-duration, intense exercise stimulates the  production of adrenaline. As you might guess, this shot of adrenaline  can help you get through a tough workout.</p>
<h2>Now here’s the thing…</h2>
<p>Adrenaline is normally thought of as a “stress  hormone,” which means you don’t want too much unused adrenaline floating  around your body. That’s not a big deal when you’re working out,  because you’re “working off” any adrenaline you produce.  However, even  normal stress in your life causes your body to create adrenaline.  Point  is, you can reduce this stress hormone in your body – and make yourself  feel better – simply by working out regularly to use up the excess  adrenaline!</p>
<h2>Endorphins</h2>
<p>Here’s another hormone you’re probably very  familiar with, especially if you’re used to working out hard.  This is  the hormone that produces the famed “runner’s high,” although any  long-duration or high-intensity exercise can trigger its release.   Endorphins increase your pain threshold, reduce hunger and generally  give you a feeling of well-being. 1</p>
<p>Bottom line: Endorphins are your friend! These  are the hormones that will get you through a tough workout.   The  endorphins will block the pain on that last set of squats or help you  blast through the last few minutes of high-intensity cardio. And the  more you exercise, the more sensitive you become to endorphins (meaning  you need less to feel good).</p>
<h2><strong>Estrogen</strong></h2>
<p>Estrogen is actually a class of hormones which  includes hormones such as estradiol, estriol and estrone.  Estradiol is  the hormone you’re most concerned about, because it’s the one found most  in non-pregnant, non-menopausal women.</p>
<p>Estrogen is linked to a whole host of functions,  including metabolism and fat storage. While estrogen is thought to  accelerate the metabolism, it’s also thought to increase the number of  fat stores and reduce muscle mass.  In other words, any metabolic boost  may be eating away at the muscle (rather than tapping into fat).</p>
<p>Another bonus to lowered estrogen levels is that  cancer (especially after menopause) is thought to “feed off” estrogen.  Thus women with lower estrogen levels may enjoy a reduced risk of breast  cancer.</p>
<p>So you want a low level of estrogen, right?  Not  quite.  That’s because low levels or wildly fluctuating levels of  estrogen can cause anything from depression to a bad mood to a poor  libido.</p>
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<h2><strong>The solution? </strong></h2>
<p>You want a natural, healthy balance of  estrogen.  And one of the best ways to achieve this balance is through  regular exercise.</p>
<p>Here’s why:</p>
<p>1.	Regular exercise promotes good health, which promotes a balanced production of hormones.</p>
<p>2.	Regular exercise also helps you deal  with stress. And since stress tends to cause an overproduction of  estrogen, handling your stress helps balance your estrogen levels.</p>
<h2>Insulin</h2>
<p>Insulin is a hormone that regulates your  blood sugar – that is, the amount of glucose you have in your blood.   When insulin is present, you’re more likely to store fat (often in your  abdomen).  You’re also less likely to use your existing fat stores for  energy.</p>
<p>When you eat, your blood sugar goes up.   Your body responds by sending out insulin to deal with this spike in  blood sugar.  Thus the bigger the meal, the more glucose you have in  your blood, and the higher your insulin response. The insulin tells your  body to store the extra sugar in your fat cells, liver or in your  muscles.  If these stores are already full, then you’ll have high blood  sugar.</p>
<p>Fortunately, exercise helps your body  regulate your blood sugar and insulin response.  In otherwords, regular  exercise (and weight training in particular) helps you “work off” the  sugar in your muscles, which helps lower blood sugar.  Plus, regular  exercise helps improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which helps  you regulate your blood sugar. Indeed, some diabetics can use exercise  rather than medication to regulate their blood sugar.</p>
<h2>Testosterone</h2>
<p>Quick, what do you think of when you think  of testosterone?  That’s right, you think of men – especially  bodybuilders and other high-intensity athletes.</p>
<p>But here’s the thing – even women have a  small amount of testosterone in their bodies.  This hormone helps burn  fat, build muscle, increase your bone density and contribute to your  confidence and sexual desire.</p>
<p>The good news is that vigorous exercise –  especially weight training with heavy weights &#8212; promotes the production  of testosterone.2  While you certainly won’t be able to produce as much  of this hormone as a man (which wouldn’t be good anyway, unless you’re  partial to a deep voice and other male characteristics), you may be able  to boost it enough to enjoy the anabolic and sexual side effects.</p>
<h2>Growth Hormone</h2>
<p>Some people call this the “anti-aging”  hormone. That’s because it contributes to fat loss and muscle building.  When you’re young you have an abundance of this hormone. But as you age,  this hormone decreases.  The “middle age” spread (added fat) and slowed  metabolism (less muscle) may be due to a lack of growth hormone.</p>
<p>But there’s good news: Researchers have  discovered that anaerobic exercise, like HIIT (high intensity interval  training) helps your body produce growth hormone naturally.3  As such,  regular high intensity exercise can seemingly reverse the signs of  aging, help you shed fat and help you build muscle!</p>
<h2>Bottom Line</h2>
<p>Almost any type of regular exercise is  beneficial to your overall health and wellbeing.  However, weight  training and high intensity exercises are especially beneficial when it  comes to your hormones.  These exercises promote the production of  testosterone, growth hormone, endorphins and the other beneficial  hormones mentioned above.  End result?  Your looks, health, mood and  even your love life get a boost!</p>
<p>References</p>
<p>1. Boecker H., Sprenger T., Spilker M.E.,  Henriksen G., Koppenhoefer M., Wagner K.J., Valet M., Berthele A., Tolle  T.R. (February 2008). &#8220;The Runner&#8217;s High: Opioidergic Mechanisms in the  Human Brain&#8221;. Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 18 (11): 2523.</p>
<p>2. Hatfield, F. (2004). “Repetitions, Sets, Frequency and Hormones.” Fitness the Complete Guide, 428 – 430</p>
<p>3. Godfrey R.J., Madgwick Z., Whyte G.P.  (2003). “The Exercise-Induced Growth Hormone Response in Athletes.”   Sports Med, 33(8):599-613.</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/BelindaBennBio"><img class="alignleft" src="http://virtualfitnesstrainer.com/vftfitmagimages/bel.png" alt="" width="175" height="282" /></a><strong>Belinda Benn:</strong> As someone who hadn’t exercised until I was 37, I know how tough it can be to get into shape—at any age.</p>
<p>In my 30s, I realized that my body had  paid the price for years of office work, eating a lot of sugar and fat,  and a lack of exercise. I made some drastic changes—both inside and  out—and after a few years backpacking around the world and learning to  surf with the pros, I hunkered down in my 40s to study nutrition,  leaning out, and body building.</p>
<p>It’s all paid off! Now I’m a leading  Fitness Expert and Transformation Coach and an internationally published  fitness model. My no-nonsense, down to earth approach to nutrition,  food preparation, and fitness has proven results for both men and women  who want to lean out, get fit, and be the best they’ve ever been—at any  age! <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mandyvft.com/BelindaBennBio" target="_blank">Get Lean Program.com</a></p>
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