Fitness Formula

Most of us have been at a place in our lives where we are struggling to regain our physical fitness. The accumulation of a few - or many - pounds over a few years, a sedentary lifestyle spent sitting at a desk, and a chaotic schedule that has not allowed much time for ourselves have all contributed to an unhealthy body. But for those of us looking to right the wrong and get healthy, there can be no greater connection between diet and fitness.

Overall health comes with a strong body that is being fed nutritiously and is physically active. Most of us understand that in order to lose weight and get healthy we must combine diet and fitness through a concentrated and consistent implementation of a healthy food plan and exercise regime. There is no way around this formula; for all the magic diet pills and get healthy quick schemes - it all comes down to this simple combination. And if you ignore the combination then you will ultimately fail at achieving long term health.

To begin a diet and fitness regime you must first know where you are starting. Begin with your food intake and look for ways on a weekly basis to begin eliminating those food groups that are contributing to weight gain and an unhealthy lifestyle. Many people, when embarking on a new diet plan, will eliminate everything right away, and while this may hold up for a few days or even weeks, eventually that person will go right back to their old eating habits. The key word here is "habit" and in order to establish a new habit you must do it slowly. For the first several weeks focus on removing those food groups that are high in saturated fat, or greasy, fried foods. Begin adding more fresh fruits and vegetables and lean proteins into your diet. Following this, begin to eliminate those items containing sugar including products made from white flour. Instead, introduce products that contain whole grain or wheat. Move towards a diet and fitness program that focuses on whole, natural foods and avoids any food that is processed in any way and is therefore likely to contain sugar and preservatives.

A diet and fitness regime must also account for physical activity and this should be moved into gradually as well. Begin by incorporating small amounts of physical activity into your daily life - taking the stairs, taking short walks, stretching in the morning - and build from there. Work towards a consistent and weekly regime that includes cardiovascular exercise - such as walking, running, and aerobics; stretching and core work - such as yoga or Pilates; and weight training - such as the lifting of free weights or the use of machines.

If you proceed gradually and begin to take control of your life through food and exercise, you will soon find that your diet and fitness regime has paid off in weight loss, increased energy, and overall health.

Tired of hearing confusing and misleading advice from your friends or buddies in the gym? Get the facts by reading this article and discover the truth about these long-cherished fitness myths. This will help you weed out worthless advice so you can make the most out of your workouts.

'Excessive sweating while exercising means you're not fit.'

If you're fit, the more you'll sweat. Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself. This mechanism improves as you exercise regularly.

"As you get in better shape, your body learns to cool itself more efficiently. Blood is shunted to the skin's surface more quickly via tiny blood vessels that dilate and radiate heat away from the body. At the same time, the sweat glands increase their output of a fluid-and-sodium mixture, which cools the body as it evaporates. While fit people produce more sweat than sedentary folks, they lose less salt, because more of it is reabsorbed by the body's cells as it travels from the sweat glands to the skin's surface. The result: More copious and diluted sweat, and more rapid cooling," said Royce Flippin in American Health magazine.

'You should exercise everyday to stay healthy.'

If God Himself rested on the seventh day after creating the world, we mortals deserve a break too. You don't have to exercise vigorously everyday to stay fit since even minimal physical activity like gardening or housecleaning can work wonders on your body.

In fact, experts say you can cut your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments by 60 percent just by working out three times a week for 20 minutes. In between this, do what you want.

"Some beginners - in their zeal to make up for 20 years of neglecting their bodies - vow to exercise everyday for the next 20 years. This is not a good idea. If you're trying to get fit, your workouts are only part of the equation; rest is just as important," said Suzanne Schlosberg and Liza Neporent in "Fitness for Dummies."

'To build muscles, eat high-protein foods.'

This myth appears to have originated with the ancient Olympics. Early athletes thought they could acquire great strength by eating the raw meat of lions, tigers or animals with great fighting skills.

While meat is a good source of protein, loading up on it won't make your muscles bulge since the latter actually contain 72 percent water and only 22 percent protein. Besides, most of us consume adequate amounts of protein from daily meals. Getting more from foods, powders or supplements won't turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger and may even damage your kidneys and liver.

"There is no scientific evidence supporting the popular belief that athletes require massive amounts of protein-rich foods or protein supplements. Surveys show that athletes often consume four to five times their actual requirements. Yet there is absolutely no health or performance benefit from high-protein eating," according to Dr. Ellington Darden in "The Health Robbers."

To build more muscles, you have to lift weights or perform some kind of weight-bearing activity religiously. In short, you have to work out instead of relying on the promises of protein drinks and pills.

To enhance your diet and exercise program, use Zylorin. This natural formula can energize your workouts and speed up your metabolism for maximum fat loss. For details, go to http://www.zylorin.com.

1. BETTER POSTURE - If you have rounded or hunched shoulders and want to improve your posture, here are two things you can do. Backward shoulder rolls and shoulder squeezes with short sustained holds can help strengthen you upper middle back and stretch your chest. Think of your chest as if it were the headlights of a car and always keep your head lights up. Avoid arching your back. You'll soon walk straighter, stronger and be on your way to better posture for life.

2. METABOLISM - Exercise not only increases the metabolic rate for the duration of the activity, but also for many hours after completion. Studies have indicated that the resting metabolism is still elevated some 18 hours after the exercise period. That means you're still burning calories long after you're finished working out.

3. WEIGHT LOSS - "It's hard to lose weight and keep it off". How many times have you heard that? The recent release of information saying that we have a fat gene is very depressing. It would be so easy to believe the "doomed to be fat" editorials or the notion that there's little that we can do about how much we weigh. But don't you dare for a minute, buy into that kind of thinking. If you watch what you eat and stay active, how much you weigh will be "OK". Think about it, there are people you know who have been successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Think positively.

4. FLAT ABS - Don't get too hung up on having the perfect flat stomach. For some people, this goal may be impossible. Even if you are very thin, your internal organs may give a slight roundness in your abdominal region. The flatness of your stomach depends, in large part on your genetics. That is, whether or not your body tends to store fat around your midsection or elsewhere.

5. HEART - Exercise has been proven to protect the heart. A moderate amount of exercise increase HDL cholesterol. It also lowers blood pressure, makes you less likely to gain weight, increases insulin sensitivity in the muscles and lowers the risk of formatting blood clots. Fit individuals have a lower risk of heart disease.

6. BMR - Our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the number of calories burned at rest, decreases with age. Researchers have realized that a person's lean body mass is the key to compiling a definitive figure. The best way to maintain lean body mass is by including strength training to your workout regime. Without strength training, the BMR may drop by 100 calories per decade, starting at age 20, so build those muscles and burn more calories.

7. STRENGTH TRAINING - Is an excellent way to slow down the aging process, In fact, one researcher indicates that much of what we call aging, is nothing more than the accumulation of a lifetime of inactivity. For example, muscles shrink due to inactivity - a process we call atrophy and body fat increases as a result. Also linked with inactivity are risks of diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis. By preserving muscle mass, we may prevent these problems from occurring.

8. SPOT REDUCING - It is a myth that abdominal exercises like sit ups burn fat deposits around the waist. The fact is, abdominal exercises can strengthen your abdominal muscles which in return help burn fat overall but it won't selectively burn abdominal fat. You can't spot reduce, which means to lose weight from specific regions of the body. However, this is not to say that doing abdominal exercises is a waste of time. When properly done, they strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles which are otherwise hard to exercise. Strong abdominals muscles provide better support for the back and may alleviate some back problems. The best way to lose fat is exercise combined with a low fat diet.

9. INFLEXIBILITY - in the quads can alter pelvic alignment, which in turn contributes to problems in the lower back. Lack of muscular coordination in this area increases risk of accidents and falls. Remember to include flexibility and coordination exercises when working out.

10. WOMEN - generally lose between 3 and 6% of their bone density annually just before and after menopause. Researchers estimate that in the women they studied, waling generally delayed osteoporosis by about 7 years and also conveyed cardiovascular benefits.

11. WOMEN & HEALTH - Women who exercise regularly experience as much as 60% reduction in the risk of breast cancer. Those who participated in at least 4 hours of exercise per week appeared to reap the greatest benefit.

12. WEIGHT TRAINING - Research has found that as women become stronger and fit with weights, they begin to spend time pursuing other physical activities, such as team sports like tennis or join a cycling group, all because their stronger.

13. HEALTH - Did you know that strokes are rare in women 25-44? Under age 45, only 10/100,000 women lose their lives to stroke or other brain disorders. After 45, however, the rate zooms to 65/100,000 and continues to increase with age. The best way to avoid stroke is to control your blood pressure by keeping weight and cholesterol in check through healthy eating and regular exercise.

14. AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN - More than 40% of African American women weigh more than 20% above their ideal body weight, which gives them a 90% greater chance of developing heart disease. This extra weight, combined with a lack of exercise, contributes to other conditions that weaken the heart and one's overall health, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. So get movin'!

15. WEAK MUSCLES - A recent study indicated that half of women age 65 cannot lift 10 pounds. Women have less muscle mass to begin with, and they start to lose muscle strength more rapidly after age 60. Often times they become so profoundly weak that they must be put into nursing homes because they are unable to perform their daily functions. So start pumping those weights.

16. EXERCISE DURATION - How much exercise is enough? Well, fitness experts say at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day. If you don't have 60 straight minutes, break it up into 6, 10 minute workouts or 30 minute workouts 4 to 6 days a week.

17. MUSCLE MASS - More muscle creates a higher demand for energy. In order for muscles to maintain itself at rest and during exercise, you'll need to eat more foods high in nutrients. How do we create this formula…resistance training builds strong muscles, and eating foods low in fat will help to prevent the loss of muscle mass.

18. TOTAL BODY - just like baking a pie, you need all the ingredients to have a beautiful and tasteful pie, same with your body, it's not one without the other, taking care of your body means as a whole, mentally, physically and spiritually!

19. HEALTHY FOODS - Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants are better for your skin, cells and body. Think organic, non-chemical foods that are not loaded with toxins. Eat fewer calories

20. REST - Your body needs rest to repair itself. Also, a rested mind is a happy mind that can think more clearly and has more energy. Active minds are more likely to remain healthy.

21. LIVE LONGER - Be active and live longer! Physical activity is critical to longevity and independent living. Death rates in non-active people double the rate of those that live an active lifestyle…so keep moving!

22. ADVICE - Eighty percent of women rely on their friends for advice and support when trying to improve health habits. Eating healthier diets and increasing physical activity are the main ways that women attempt to improve their health and succeed.

23. WORKING OVERTIME - Women who work overtime consume more high fat, high sugar snacks and caffeinated beverages, smoke more, and get less exercise. People snack more when they work in hostile, high stress environments. Snacking at work is not necessarily bad if you choose healthy foods such as fruit, low-fat yogurt, or high-fiber crackers.

24. MAGNESIUM - Calcium and vitamin D get all the glory when it comes to promoting bone health. While they are the major nutritional players in bone metabolism, minerals such as iron and magnesium are also important. Good sources of magnesium include fruits vegetables and whole grains. You can also beef up magnesium intake by taking a good multivitamin that contains it.

25. METABOLICALLY FIT - Sixty percent of Americans are overweight, while 25 percent are obese. Many of these people exercise regularly, some vigorously, but are still overweight. A few extra pounds are okay if you are metabolically fit- as long as you exercise regularly. It's best to be lean and active, but you get some health benefits from exercise no matter how much you weigh. It's easier for a fat person to increase physical activity than to lose weight through diet alone.

26. VITMAMIN D - Skin doctors have been telling women for year to stay out of the sun and avoid tanning beds to avoid wrinkled skin and skin cancer. While the bronzed tan look is still popular, many women cover up or use protective sun lotions to protect their skin. Avoiding the sun's rays completely is not a good idea. The body gets vitamin D largely from a reaction that requires sunlight. The vitamin is essential for building strong bones, preserving muscle strength, and preventing multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. It also helps regulate cell growth, immunity, and energy metabolism. Dermatologists (skin doctors) countered that people with vitamin D deficiencies can take supplements and should avoid excessive sun exposure.

27. STRESS - Stress can literally give people gray hairs and cause cells to age and die faster than normal. Cells can only reproduce a limited number of times. Stress shortens that interval, which makes it more difficult to repair injured cells and fight disease. University of California, San Francisco found greater cell damage in women who were under high levels of stress compared to women who weren't. Stressed women had cells that were judged 10 years older than the cells of unstressed women of the same age. The scientists speculated that free radicals- destructive chemicals produced normally during metabolism- were responsible for stress-related cell aging. Try to reduce the stress in your life- you might live longer.

28. WHOLE GRAINS - Eating more high grain foods contributes to weight loss and prevents disease. New FDA food guidelines recommend five to ten servings of grain products- at least three of which should be from whole grains. They also urged people to eat fewer servings of refined grain products. Whole grain foods must contain all three layers of the grain- the endosperm, the bran and the germ. Read the label carefully when shopping for these foods. Dark bread does not necessarily contain whole grains.

29. DARIY FOODS - Most women know the importance of calcium intake for building and maintaining strong bones. Dairy foods, such as milk and cheese, are the best sources for calcium. Dairy foods may also help fight fat. Iranian scientists found that men and women who consumed the most dairy products are 80% less likely to be obese and have a lower body mass index. Try to consume three servings per day of non-fat dairy foods.

You’ve seen this entrepreneurial force of nature on her highly rated Bravo television series “Work Out”. Her SkySport&Spa fitness empire has recently expanded to include a new DVD, a 100% organic green blend protein shake, an apparel collection and forthcoming projects which include a nutrition bar and a book. And she still has time to find new ways to kick your butt into shape.

 Recently I was privileged to undergo a rather humbling experience at her Beverly Hills SkySport&Spa Bootcamp. That adventure was shortly followed by a workout to her new 60-minute fitness DVD. If you think she’s tough on TV, you haven’t seen anything yet.  She is no other than fitness innovator Jackie Warner.

Jackie is a big personality whose no-nonsense, bottom-line approach exudes both confidence and compassion. Her message is direct, focused and purveys choices – the rewards and consequences. When it comes to getting into shape and leading a healthier lifestyle, Jackie states, “There are no excuses. Don’t over think it. Just do the work.” Her compassion comes through with her evangelical soliloquies about the sort of empowerment that anyone can achieve by simply making the choice to change through exercise and eating right. That change, which begins as soon as you take action, will propel you to carry yourself with more strength, confidence and positivity, which will permeate the energy around you. Her infectious plea is delivered with passionate authenticity.

Jackie’s Workout Philosophy

Her fitness journey and self-proclaimed “stronger purpose” began when she helped a former colleague achieve a major body/life shift through diet, counseling and training. Since then, she’s honed her skills training celebrities for red carpet events with nearly impossible timeframes, such as one week, to garner visible results. Through these assignments, she developed Power Circuit Training (PCT) which works muscles to exhaustion. PCT is the premise for her 60-minute bootcamps, which combine cardio, resistance training and mat exercises to simultaneously work the upper and lower body with no rest. Every move is performed with contracted abs – her secret to a great mid-section. 

Essentially, the PCT method is weight training followed up with an exercise that uses the same muscle groups with your own body resistance to fatigue.  Example #1: Perform a set of chest presses with dumbbells to fatigue. Then repeat with a set of push-ups to fatigue.  Example #2:  Do a set of leg presses with weights. Next, perform squats – until you can’t stand.

These exercises are based upon her fitness “F” trifecta: 1) performing the ideal function 2) with perfect form 3) to reach total muscle fatigue. When the trifecta hits, your body chemistry starts changing, your muscles immediately respond and the transformation begins. Jackie’s a stickler for excellence and emphasizes that perfect form and technique are critical.  When you perform exercises with the proper technique, you shorten the timeline to obtain results.

Her Inspiration

Exaggerated timelines are what make most people give up on big life changes. Jackie attributes this to people lacking tools. “They will join a gym and then don’t know how to use the equipment to maximize results. At that point they generally give up.”  So, at SkySport&Spa, she makes sure that she has the best tools for her clients to use in order to achieve results. 

Over the past few years, Jackie noticed a growing and underserved clientele that most likely lacked many tools they needed to make changes that they deeply desired. She dedicates a large portion of her time and energy to her SkyLab project which is an all-inclusive, life-changing camp designed for overweight clients. This program has become her source of inspiration. “I’m addicted to seeing people transform their bodies and lives. This translates to their love lives, families, careers - everything.” 

By featuring the SkyLab program on “Work Out”, she has exposed it to approximately a million people. This audience includes people who fly in from all over the world to meet and train with her. Within five minutes, she can emphatically ascertain what is holding them back from progress. She actually credits “Work Out” for her development of empathy, which she says was a weak point for her prior to the show. Now, she can really connect with people on a deeper level to help them break through their obstacles.

The next SkyLab camp begins in the last week of August and is a six day program with follow-up support. A maximum of 50 people are accepted after screening with physician approval and release.

Jackie’s Nutrition Prescription

One of the three prongs to SkyLab’s success recipe is nutritional education. She has been a staunch and loud opponent to sugar, which she vehemently describes as “the Devil”.  She says that sugar intake should be capped at 9g for any food. So, learn to read labels! Studies show that refined sugar cravings actually decrease with more whole fruit consumption. 

 Another of Jackie’s observations about the American diet in particular is its lack of essential nutrients.  Her solution to these key missing nutrients is her new product, The Perfect Shake, which is exclusively distributed via her website,  http://jackiewarner.com/”>http://jackiewarner.com/.

The formula infuses amino acids (muscle builders) and mega greens into a shake. “People can add this to their diet without taking anything away and start seeing results. The nutrients will decrease weight and detox the liver to burn more fat,” according to Jackie. 

Caloric intake is also a progress barometer. For example, an average woman should eat about 1,500 calories per day. She suggests eating three meals with about 400 calories and then two snacks with 150 calories each.  On the 6th or 7th day, she recommends rewarding yourself with a cheat meal.

Cheating our bodies is something that most people have learned to do by overeating processed foods. However, when your body is clogged with processed foods, it can’t tell us that we are full and then we begin to overeat. That is because our naturally excreted chemical “full” trigger, leptin, is not released.  This debilitating cycle can be broken. “When we start making a connection with our body, we will begin to see changes. For instance, drinking three liters of water daily burns 75 calories. By doing just this, you burn a pound of fat per month,” advises Jackie. 

Her fascination with the body and in particular the science of our body is the cornerstone of her upcoming book. It will discuss the metaphysics of diet and exercise along with the principles of energy and exercise in a compact, easy to read presentation.

Jackie Warner is quickly becoming a one-stop healthy lifestyle sensation backed with substance. By my observation, Jackie is just getting started.

 

The Arm-Throbbing, Butt-Blasting, Gutt-Busting Bootcamp

Here’s a taste of the fitness experiences of her Bootcamp workout (abbreviated) and new DVD “Workout: One-on-One Training with Jackie.”

 

The sunny, breezy day and a 360 degree view of LA provided a beautiful backdrop for an excruciating Bootcamp. If you want to whine, call your mom. This woman is not having it. She gets down to it (without yelling) and pushes you to another level you may not have envisioned. Plus, she is a bit intimidating so you dig in and do it.

 

The session started off with two trips up and down the stairs from the SkySport Penthouse (13th floor) to the bottom of the building. On the way back you, you were to take two steps at a time.  This is when I knew my hour was going to be really interesting.

 

After that slight warmup, we dropped and pumped out push-ups for one minute. Those were quickly followed by up and down planks. Start in plank position which is with your arms under your shoulders, back straight, hips slightly tucked in and your legs extended straight behind you on your toes. You lower down to your elbows, one arm at a time, and then rise up one hand at a time to the starting position for 20 sets. You don’t drop to your knees, break form or stop. Repeat the entire arm training set for the second time.

 

Everything is done twice in this class. Smile!

 

Now it’s time for another refreshing set of stairs. But you get a break and only go down to the 5th floor twice.  By this time my class was in serious trouble, holding up the walls of the 12th floor and panting like desert dogs.

 

Naturally after our legs were turned to rubber, her focus shifted to working the legs. We started with 20 reps of alternating front lunges. Keep your knee over the ankle, chest out, shoulders back and hands clasped in front of your chest.  The next exercise was squats. Assume the squat position with your chest out and shoulders back. Stick your butt out and squat down deeply making sure all weight is on your back legs/derriere with your toes slightly lifted off the ground. Squeeze up at both the top and bottom. Do 20 reps.

 

The squat position is retained with a Jackie move coined UFC’s. Start in the squat position. Lower your right leg down as you twist your waist and move your knee in towards the center of your body. Repeat with your left leg. Come back up to squat position only by twisting your abs and lifting the right knee/leg and then the left knee/leg to its starting position. Your body should be open and low. Do not stand up. Do 20 reps of these (down and up is one set). This was a new move to me. Even though it was hard, it was actually fun. She’s great at creating new, signature moves like this to keep your workout fresh.

 

Next, do 10 Russian lunges which are similar to front lunges but instead of stepping forward you jump up a few inches, switch legs in the air and then land in a lunge position. You never fully land; you keep in motion while maintaining form.

 

After we could barely stand, she moved on to mat exercises. At first I thought thank goodness but again quickly realized that her intensity was not subsiding. Our mat work targeted our core. Here are a couple of burners:

 

·         Bicycles. Lying on your back, arms behind your head and legs stretched in front of you, you begin alternating arm to knee while keeping your shoulders off the mat, abs engaged and a strong oblique twist. Twenty of these hit multiple spots.

 

·         Side Plank with a Twist. Start in plank position but twist to your side keeping your feet stacked and create space between your torso and the mat. Keep your supporting bent at the elbow with your forearm on the mat. Bend the opposite arm placing your hand by your ear. Now, staying up high, twist your top side so that your elbow touches the mat, if you can and come up to starting position. Repeat for 20.

 

The workout ends with total body stretches.

 

By this time, you are shell-shocked into a new physical and mental plane that inspires you to take quick stock of your physical condition. You are relieved that the pain is over but you counter intuitively run over to thank her and sign up for the next butt-kicking Bootcamp.

 

Note: If you want to mimic this workout, run up and down stadium stairs in a zigzag line at your local high-school or college track.

 

“Workout: One-on-One Training with Jackie” DVD Review

This is definitely not another exercise video. In my personal stash of hundreds, this one is at the top of my list for a serious workout. Jackie doesn’t tone it down just because you are doing this at home. She brings it full force. It is up to you to step up to the challenge.

 

The DVD is divided into three, 20-minute workouts targeting your arms, legs and core. You can do just one work out by body group or combine them for a challenging 60-minute throw down.

 

The set is contemporary and warm and the music is on point. With Jackie and her top trainers working alongside you, it feels as if you are training with a group of friends.

 

The pace is just right. It moves quickly, but doesn’t lose you. She achieves her one-on-one training appeal by rotating her trainers through various exercises during which they naturally interact. Jackie portrays herself as a demanding but encouraging coach and not a talking head.

 

She works each muscle group with warm ups and cool downs. She incorporates cardio moves intermixed with resistance training throughout. The cardio blast sessions repeat the muscle groups worked prior with resistance training.  She introduces new exercises to keep the movements fresh. Her innovation of moves really shines through and keeps you engaged.

 

The DVD has an energetic vibe that pushes you to the next level yet honors you for where you are now. From beginning to advanced fitness levels, Jackie and her trainers provide modified exercises to accommodate a range of abilities. She also gives you the option of incorporating weights, but doesn’t provide guidance for the actual poundage which is left up to your discretion.

 

She explains the exercises and the names of each are scripted in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. She gives you tips for results and improving your performance. And she motivates you to finish each move once you’ve reached the point of exhaustion.

 

The DVD is a mere $14.95 which is less than an unused gym membership or four gallons of gas.  If you want a strong, ripped bod, then just plug and play.

 

For more fitness tips, workouts, her products (shake, apparel, DVD and more) plus her facility, visit, http://jackiewarner.com/”>http://jackiewarner.com/

 

 

 

95% of all personal trainers are making a huge mistake in their fitness marketing strategy.

Specifically there is one major mistake fitness professionals are making and that's trying to promote your fitness business without knowing who your best leads are, how to best communicate with them, and why they should choose to work with you over your competitors.

Unless you figure this formula out you're never going to get what you want out of your fitness business. What you want is to identify the most competitive advantage that you have and then turn it into your most compelling fitness marketing message then make it available to your prospects as in irresistible offer, one that they simply can't refuse. But for that to happen you have to have three things dialed in.

MARKET: Who is your ideal client? Is it the housewife at home or the busy executive? What are their biggest fears, frustrations, and desires? What problem do they have that you can solve? The more you know about your target marketing the easier it will be to get personal training clients. One thing to remember is that people don't buy on logic they buy on emotion so it's only more important that you find their hot button before going to the next fitness marketing step.

MESSAGE: This is the part that can get a little sticky. Once you know who your marketing is you can't just simple send out a random marketing message. You message need to convey two things.

The first is your USP or unique selling proposition and the second is an irresistible offer. Your USP answers this question: what makes you unique compared to your competitors (hint: your USP needs to be benefit rich). The right message to the right marketing is critical. Here's an example from Dominos pizza: "hot fresh pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less or it's free", remember that?

Your irresistible should be a hook. It should get the target market's attention and get them to want to pick up the phone and call you. Once you have your USP and irresistible offer down you can move on to the last step.

MEDIA: How do you plan to deliver your message? The options are limitless; direct mail, print ads, website, search engine ranking, email, radio and TV, referrals, telephone scripts? The answer is simple you've got to test which way your market wants to receive your message. Often time's personal trainers will want to buy local mailing address by the 1,000 or more and just mail out a letter or postcard. That's fine IF you know that your marketing piece will perform but if it doesn?t then you just lost a bunch of money. My advice is to test fist with 200-300 addresses and then roll out to bigger numbers if it the test was a success. This goes for all of your fitness marketing strategies.

Competition in the fitness industry is growing. You've got to be a better, smarter, and more organized with your fitness marketing system if you want the upper hand.

It was February of 2001 and there I was, about to turn 41, when it hit me: "I'm not 20 any more!"

OK, self-realization has never been my strong suit. Not only was I out of place on the basketball court, I was out of place climbing 2 flights of stairs. There were lots of friends telling me, "you're not as young as you used to be, you have to give up on that stuff."

Give up? I grew up watching a nation decide to land on the moon, and then they did it. This was a country that had less computer power at all of NASA than most people have today in their cell phones, and yet they decided to go to the moon, and then did it.

So I figured that surely by 2001, 30 years after the moon landing, people had figured out how to make fitness easy. Well, 6 months, 5 magazine subscriptions, 2 gym memberships, 3 personal trainers and a basement full of fitness equipment later... I realized that fitness is a different kind of problem than landing on the moon. It's a problem that people lie about.

I'm not even talking about the intentional lies that some marketers make about products they know won't work. I'm talking about the lies people tell themselves, that government agencies tell us all.

People treat fitness like it is solved, like all you have to do is work out 3 times a week and you are set.

Well sure, someone who works out 3 times a week is better off than someone who doesn't work out at all. By "better off," what they mean is that they don't deteriorate as fast.

But I wanted more than that. I wanted an actual solution, like when you put toast in the toaster and it gets toasted, reliably.

I looked and saw people going through the motions. Maybe they were looking better than they would have looked and feeling better than they would have felt. But, they weren't feeling good, weren't getting strong, and weren't becoming athletes.

I didn't see 40-year-olds playing full court basketball, or taking up extreme sports, and at first I thought that was just because they weren't trying hard enough. But then I started trying, started following the plans: doing the workout programs, taking the vitamins, and following the diet formulas.

They didn't work. And that's when I learned the big lie.

The big lie is that fitness is easy if you'll just get up and move. It's not true. Fitness isn't easy, not at 40. Your body is complicated. It's not as simple as standing in line and waiting your turn on the elliptical.

Here's what my 40 years of life experience had taught me:

- If you Want to build a straw hut, trial and error will get the job done.

- If you Want to build a skyscraper, you need to understand the problem and put the right pieces in place.

OK, I was 40. Maybe I should have wanted to just be able to get around better and to fit into clothes well. But I wanted to play full court basketball, to learn to play ice hockey and how to downhill ski, and to actually accomplish things that most 40-year-olds gave up on. I wanted fitness to be as solved as using a microwave oven.

Well, it can be. But there's a lot I had to learn to determine that. Here are some of the things I figured out.

1. The foundation, just like in the skyscraper example, has to be there before you start worrying about what paint to put on the exterior. For fitness this is muscle.

Aerobics worked fine for me when I was 20-years-old because at 20 I naturally had a high percentage of lean muscle mass. But, at 40, I had to focus on it and had to build that foundation first before focusing on aerobics. The reason is that aerobics, while great for your heart and your waistline, slows down muscle growth and even stops or reverses it at extremes.

So the first trick is to begin by causing your muscles to grow. And overshoot your muscle goals before layering on the aerobics. Understanding this can save you lots of frustration, and get you back to the "I want it all" mindset that we all deserve from our fitness efforts.

2. All workouts are not created equal. Different methods of working out accomplish different things. Just like you wouldn't take art classes to learn business, you don't run to build muscle, and you don't lift heavy to burn fat. Knowing, and planning for, the different types of effects of different types of exercises can save you tons of wasted time.

3. Your body isn't on internet time. I've tried for a long time to find a different way to put this, but I still haven't come up with a clearer analogy: from conception of a baby to birth takes nine months. This is true regardless of how many couples there are or how enthusiastically they try. In each case it simply takes nine months.

Your body's transformation takes time as well. Knowing what is realistic will put you on the consistent improvement track. Trying to do things that aren't realistic will not achieve faster results, but worse ones.

You can have it all. I'm about to turn 49 now and last year I learned to ski. In fact, I not only learned, but I was swooshing down the black diamond slopes along with the 20-year-olds. I haven't slam-dunked a basketball yet, but it's just a matter of time.

Physical fitness is a very big part of today's society. Not just for those directly involved in the sports industry but also for the common person. With information rife about deadly infections and bodily diseases becoming the main killers amongst us, many have opted for a healthier lifestyle with physical fitness topping the poll of being healthy.

What actually is being fit? It is the ability of the body to endure pain or not feel pain or discomfort whenever it is engaged in physical activities. There is actually five main areas in which fitness can be measured. They are :

- The ability to do some kind of physical activity that requires aerobic endurance. This helps to show how your heart is reacting and if it is, indeed, reacting well to supplying enough oxygen during the activity. Physical activities that measure this well are running, kayaking and an aerobics workout.

- Another form of fitness test is weight lifting to test muscular ability. The idea is to lift a specific weight for an amount of time. This is then repeated so that it becomes less challenging. More weight or repetitions of lifting is then added to the test until target has been achieved.

- Fitness is also assessed by muscle strength. Observe the heaviest weight that can be carried by specific body parts such as arms or leg.

- The flexibility of your limbs and elasticity of your muscles. The measurement of how supple you are generally is another measurement of your physical fitness. Along with the ability to hoist yourself up on your arms, your fitness is also judged by how easily you move from one position to another.

- The total body mass index as in the proportion of fat in your body. This is measure according to formula and is not reflected in how your look or how much you weigh. Factors that are taken into account are your height, weight and age and within certain proportions, may or may not be acceptable.

It is not possible to judge a person's physical fitness level purely by appearance. While a muscular person is more likely to be physically fit, he or she may very well just be bulky with mass but have a low fitness level. You are considered physically fit if you can satisfactorily pass all 5 levels of measurement as mentioned above.

For most athletes, heightening physical fitness and performance is a professional aim. And one of the most common ways of hastening this achievement is through sports supplements.

Multivitamins are the type of supplements that will boost the immune system. It will make you less likely to be taken ill as well as get better in no time if you do fell ill. Other benefit of it is that it helps build muscle mass to help improve stamina sn strength.

Sports supplements can be either nature-based as in the form of herbs, minerals and plants, or synthetic. The former has always been considered safer than the latter as they are plant-based. However, as these are limited in their benefits, the combination of natural and synthetically produced supplements is the result.

Exercise is the one thing that is constant when one speaks of physical fitness and achieving physical perfection. And whether or not it is a strenuous run on the treadmill or a yoga class, it is important to have the proper sports apparel. As with anything in the sports industry, however, attire that was created solely to provide comfort and support during exercise has become a fashion statement.

Apparels don during sports or any physical activities are meant to provide support for the body therefore, it is important that one wear a good one so that the body will be able to perform at its best without distraction. Track pants or suit, leggings, tank tops, shorts, running shoes or trainers, and for women, a good sports bra will have their own functionalities such as the sports bra will provide help prevent the breasts from being hurt or traumatized during physical activities. The track suit will help maintain body heat during warm up so that the body does not release heat all too quickly. You also will need a good pair of running shoes if you intend to jog because it will help protect your calves and ankle for the said activity.

All of your attire during exercise should be made of natural materials to allow your skin to breathe and perspire. A lack of good sports apparel may result in bodily injury and discomfort, which may be a demotivating factor for you to get physically fit.

Starting a fitness program without testing your fitness level is like beginning a journey without knowing exactly where you and having no map to guide you to your destination.  Fitness testing establishes your starting point. Plotting out check points along your fitness pathway can direct you toward achieving both short-term and long-term goals.  

Seven reasons for fitness testing before and during your exercise program are to:

1.    Establish your baseline.  When you know initial fitness status, you know how far you have to go to reach your goals.  Testing helps you set specific, achievable yet challenging goals with realistic target dates.

 2.    Compare yourself to others.  Many tests are standardized.  They provide norms, so you know where you stand in relationship to the "average" person's score.   

 3.    Individualize your program.  Knowing your fitness level springs you out of the one-size-fits-all exercise mold and jumpstarts your personalized, streamlined training path.

 4.    Know how hard to work.  You can estimate your optimum training range using maximum or predicted maximum fitness scores.  For most phases of training, exercise intensity is typically performed within a target zone of 60-85% of your maximum cardio or strength level.  

 5.    Evaluate your progress.  When you measure your progress regularly, you can see how far you have advanced from your baseline fitness level.  Each milestone that you achieve is a great confidence booster that propels you on toward your goals.

 6.    Revise your program.  Regular fitness evaluations indicate areas where you are make great strides, and other areas that demand more emphasis. Intermittent testing drives data-driven decisions, eliminating much of the guesswork about how to adjust your program to keep you on target.

 7.    Achieve your goals.  The concrete path set by the fitness score patterns leads you on a nonstop journey to your final fitness destination.  Once you achieve your goals, continued testing helps monitors your fitness level maintenance.

While some assessments are more complex, many fitness tests are simple to conduct.  For example, your resting heart rate (RHR) is an indicator of cardiovascular fitness.  As you exercise, your heart gains the capacity to pump more blood with each stroke, so it beats fewer times per minute. Take your pulse as soon as you wake up in the morning and note the weekly changes over time.

For weight loss, use an online calculator to estimate your body mass index, an indicator of body fat based on height and weight.  Online calculators (i.e., basal energy expenditure and physical activity calculators) can also estimate the number of calories you expend each day. This allows you to more accurately plan exercise activities and food intake over time. Remember, every 3500-calorie deficit equals one pound of body fat loss.

For strenuous performance tests, it is not advisable to attempt maximum efforts before you have completed a conditioning phase, unless you are supervised by a health professional.  For strength, use submaximal attempts (e.g., maximum weight lifted for 5 or 10 repetitions).  For cardio, use a calculator (or the Karvonen formula) to determine your maximum predicted heart rate based on age.

Treat test results as estimates--not absolutes.  All measurements are subject to error.  Look for consistencies and trends over time.  Do not be discouraged by minor deviations in your scores that may well be due to testing error.

Keep a journal to record your quantitative (numeric) test scores, as well as qualitative results—your perceptions and observations about exercising.  You can accelerate progress toward your goals when you (a) follow your fitness testing mile markers, (b) listen to your body, and (c) revise your training program accordingly.

Many people ask us about our fitting protocols and how we have come to be recognized as one of the best in the world. I wrote this article explaining what we do so one can have a better idea of the depth we go to in order to find an exact position for a rider.

I have studied bicycle fitting for over 25 years and have the expertise and technology to fit bicycles to clients more accurately than was previously possible. I also specialize in fitting people over the age of 40 as well as extremely short and extremely tall individuals. In these years of research, I have studied fitting systems and have discovered the pitfalls of other systems as they relate to the human bicycle rider. While other systems rely on equations and formulas, we are aware of them but place the rider first and create a unique environment for them to develop a unique fitting solution.

At KGS Bikes we have proprietary techniques to help the client become aware of the subtle differences in bike fit. By nature, humans are very adaptive and as such will ride any bike within an acceptable range of sizes. Some people have larger acceptable ranges and some have very small effective ranges.

Our technique is the reverse of traditional fitting systems. We create an environment whereby the rider can perceive small differences in saddle and handlebar placement. This information is used to tell us where to position the saddle and handlebars, making the bike adapt to the client. Because neither I nor the client is restricted by traditional fitting standards and our system is both double-blind and repeatable, which is the basic definition of good science.

KGS protocols include a custom sizing cycle that makes every single interface with the rider easily adjustable - from crank length to saddle height, setback and angle, to handlebar location. The size cycle is equipped with a power meter to accurately determine effort intensity, and repeat the intensity when we change one variable at a time. The variables are changed dynamically so we can quickly determine whether the change is a good one or not. We also use video analysis to help the client see how he or she rides a bike. The video analysis is further used as a biofeedback aid to help retrain a rider's form. Our fitting system represents the best technology we have found to date.

We follow a strict protocol of fitting processes that begins with an extensive interview and documentation of the client's current setup and riding style. We then optimize the cleats on their shoes and set up the sizing cycle identical to their current bike (unless serious problems exist that make that impractical). Our system coaxes the client to give us feedback so we can then dynamically adjust the saddle and handlebars to a perfectly fit, unique position.

We realize that riders balance differently on a bicycle based on their size, weight, fitness level and riding style. As one rides faster on a bike, more power is transmitted through the legs pressing on the pedals, ostensibly lifting the torso and changing the balance point. A power meter on the sizing cycle accurately measures how much wattage is created, so that the saddle can be set up at the right height and the correct setback. The setback of the saddle is the primary factor that makes the rider comfortable; conversely, an inaccurate setback distance can cause the rider to have too much hand pressure and/or pubic pressure.

The KGS custom fitting process stabilizes the ankle first, then fully defines the saddle height, all while the rider is performing at their desired pace. The client warms up on the sizing cycle and begins the process of observing his individual riding technique on the monitor, becoming aware of how the body actually feels on the bike. Multiple short sessions prevent the client from premature fatigue, and allow the brain to process all the new information it receives. We build a solid foundation of cleats, ankle and saddle before moving on to handlebars. At the end of the session the client then practices and reinforces the new techniques using our video analysis.

After the correct fit is attained, a cross-hair laser allows us to accurately document the custom setup. The captured data can be applied to the existing bicycle (if the bike can be adjusted to the new dimensions) or can be used to create a new bicycle.

This proprietary fitting technique has earned KGS Bikes a reputation around the world for building bicycles with 100% satisfaction, since the bike is truly an extension of the owner.