6 Pack Abs - Different Opinions

By Dan Solaris

Getting 6 pack abs means eliminating enough belly fat to expose the contours of the muscle tissues around the abdomen. Since fat can't really be spot-reduced through exercise, the trick is to just work on shedding all-around body fat through calorie burn. Programs that include some form of cardio exercises are proven to be the fastest way to achieve this.

It's a well-known fact that a combination of body-building exercises and cardiovascular workouts are the most effective in developing the muscles and facilitating fat loss at the same time. Since there are two types of cardio exercises, the question here is which type is the best for getting 6 pack abs?

A lot of folks use the low-intensity approach for the simple reason that they're easier to do. Even beginners, the elderly and the extremely obese can benefit from low-intensity aerobic workouts.

Another aspect the low-intensity cardio theory has going for it is that it's a proven fact that exercises done at low-moderate intensity over an extended period targets body fat as the only source of calories used up. Exercising at intense levels actually cause the body to use up carbohydrates as well as fat for energy also.

Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate that is necessary for muscle repair and development. Since muscle helps in proper metabolism its retention is essential for losing body fat. For this reason, folks that belong to the low intensity cardio faction say high intensity exercises can lead to loss of muscle tissue- delaying the process of getting 6 pack abs.

Experts who swear by high-intensity cardio exercise for forming 6 pack abs say the sheer amount of calories burned working out hard offsets glycogen loss which can be replenished through post workout food. Of course, the faster the calorie-burn, the shorter the workout sessions.

High intensity folks also say hard cardio exercise causes muscle development because it works the whole body hard. In addition, intense workouts kick-up the body's metabolic rate hours after leaving the gym. The more calories spent throughout the day, more fat loss and faster 6 pack abs.

Another disadvantage of low-intensity exercises is it takes 10 minutes before the heart rate goes high enough to be able to start burning calories. It's clear that choosing between the two cardio 'schools of thought' depends on how much time a person can allot to exercising each day to get 6 pack abs and how developed his cardiovascular system is. - 17273

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Beware: PT & Master Trainer is giving away fat loss workouts and they will melt fat more quickly than any program you've ever seen!

6 Pack Abs - Core Based Exercises

By Dan Solaris

The primary reason a lot of people decide to start working-our regularly is to lose weight and tighten their bellies. A less than solid stomach is a sign of lack of exercise and having a potbelly is one of the most potent confidence busters a person can get.

Most exercise buffs, despite having spent years in the gym or working-out at home are still unsatisfied with their physique. An overwhelming number that don't see clear results even stop going to the gym- disheartened and bored with their workouts.

In order to get fast results and keep having fun with your workouts, the right exercises have to be done. If your goal is a nice rippling set of 6 pack abs, core based exercises should be incorporated into your weekly workout schedule.

Developing the center or core of the human body is arguable the best way of forming the contours and striations that give that 6 pack appearance to the abdomen. Conventional workout sessions should be augmented with exercises for the core muscles in order to hasten calorie burn. The more calories burned, the faster the fat loss and abdominal muscles exposed.

Furthermore, focusing too much on the ab muscles (a way too common mistake) leads to an imbalance of power. A strong stomach with a weak lower back will ultimately result in strain on the lower part of the spine- leaving us prone to injury.

Our core is our body's center of gravity, our center. Exercising all of the core muscles will improve our balance and prevent strain on our lower back. Strong abs, lumbar muscles and obliques will also let us go about our daily activities like lifting luggage or swinging a golf club with less effort.

For those trying to lose weight, doing core strengthening exercises to complement their aerobic and bodybuilding exercises will facilitate rapid calorie-burn and hence fat-loss. The only way to flatten a flabby gut is to concentrate on burning as much body fat as possible every work-out session. This not only means doing whatever is necessary to prevent the conversion of calories into body fat, by maximizing the amount of calories that we burn each time we exercise.

True, the proverbial road to 6 pack abs is paved with a lot of sweat, hardship and sacrifice. Knowing which exercises are most effective in eliminating body fat can help speed-up your journey however and get you to your goal of a lean, rippling midsection faster. - 17273

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Beware: PT & Fitness Professional is offering free fat loss workouts and they will melt fat faster than any program you've ever seen!

The TBow Review

By Carol J Bartram

Many people have asked me what a T-Bow is. My answer is that a T-Bow is a wolf in sheep's clothing; a home exercise device that looks like nothing you've ever seen before. All it appears to be is a piece of strong plastic in the shape of a small humpback bridge. It is bright orange and has a blue mat on the curved side. Believe it or not, this T-Bow is the only piece of home exercise kit that you will ever need! The only extras you will need are some inexpensive elastic exercise bands and perhaps some hand weights, to vary your exercise routine. Not only can the T-Bow be used for cardio-type exercises, improving heart and lung function and aiding in weight loss, it is also perfect for strength exercises which are an essential part of any full-body exercise routine, helping to build lean muscle and burn more calories even when you are not exercising.

The T-Bow can be used in several ways, meaning that it can give you a varied work out and you are less likely to get bored. All you need to do to get started is lift the T-Bow up by the easy-to-carry edge and lay it down on the floor. It does not even need a mat to stand on, carpet is perfect. When the curved side is facing up, the T-Bow will not move when you stand on it, giving you confidence and allowing you to do step workouts. Step is very good for weight loss and fat burning, and you can do step even if you are out of condition, a mature adult, or even quite overweight, as the T-Bow is very strong. Just by stepping you will tone the fronts and backs of your thighs, the harder to get at area inside the thigh and also your calf and butt muscles.

But this is only part of what you can do with the T-Bow. If you turn it over, it becomes a rocking platform, and can be used for further cardio exercises, challenging your balance and coordination as well as working or your thigh, calf, and bottom muscles in a totally different way for even greater calorie burn. You can rock from side to side or turn through a right angle and rock forward and back. It is harder than it looks, but you do not feel unsafe as you are never far from the floor. It also makes your workout feeling like playtime!

With the T-Bow it is easy to do a toning workout as well as cardio exercise. The T-Bow is carefully designed so that the special exercise bands can be attached in seconds, meaning that you get the most out of your workouts in the shortest possible time. Exercise bands add resistance to your exercises, meaning that you can strengthen the muscles in your legs, arms, shoulders, chest and back for a perfect all over tone. And toned muscle means increased fat-burning 24 hours a day!

Once your cardio and toning workout on the T-Bow has been done, you can move seamlessly to floor level and use the amazing T-Bow for Pilates-based exercises. Experts have proved that is doing Pilates regularly shapes and strengthens your body from the inside out, improving your posture and your balance, mobilising stiff joints and strengthening the spine. And I know of no better method than Pilates for flattening the problem area of the lower stomach, that seems to bulge no matter what you do! All workouts should ideally finish with a couple of minutes stretching all the major muscle groups to lengthen and relax them. All your stretches can be done using the T-Bow, and this is a perfect way to end an exercise session. - 17273

About the Author:

Carol J Bartram is a Personal Trainer with an interest in at home exercise equipment. A lot of equipment you see advertised in the infomercials is worthless and won't help you with your fat loss goals. The T-Bow is different. It will give you a great all round cardio and strength training workout in a very short space of time, meaning that you'll get results quicker. The T-Bow rocks!

The Many Uses of Noni Juice

By William Kendricks

Grown in hot, humid tropical climates, usually in black lava soil beds, along sandy, rocky, or lava-ash covered beaches, in the rich soils of shade forests, and in limestone outcrops is where we can find the noni tree. It averages a height of around 30 feet. It is native mostly to the Hawaiian Islands but can also be found in Polynesia, the Dominican Republic, Asia, Tahiti and the Pacific Islands. This plant comes from the Rubiaceae Family, the coffee tree family.

It has been called the starvation or famine fruit because it quite frankly tastes pretty bad on it's own. It has a knobby texture on the outside, very similar to that of a pineapple, and a white skin and is shaped like a gourd or heavy white potato. It has been called the Cheese fruit because it gives off an odor like curing cheese when it is ripening. The fruit itself is quite ugly and really doesn't look like a fruit at all. It has been known by many different names, including the Great Morinda, Indian Mulberry, Mengkudu, Beach Mulberry, Tahitian Noni, and Cheese fruit. Its scientific name is Morinda Citrifolia.

The main use of the fruit is the juice and ground powder. The powder itself is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium with trace amounts of sodium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and carbohydrates. Noni is said to have boosting power for your metabolism. This fruit also contains a sufficient amount of essential fatty acids, flavanoids, polysaccharides, indoids and phytoestrogens.

Noni has a trace element called beta-sitosterol, an anti-cholesterol ingredient. Many health food stores carry other parts of the plant in ground form for the making of natural herbal medicines and remedies. Some countries, like China and Japan use the flowers, fruit, bark, leaves and roots, which is basically the whole plant in their home made remedies. They say it is good for fever, eye irritations, throat and gum infections, bowel, intestine and general stomach problems and lung problems.

The Malaysians make poultices from the leaves of the Noni Plant to aid in the relief of coughing, nausea, general colds and respiratory ailments. Indochinese make poultices for broken bones and sprains to relieve the pain. They also insist that parts of the plant help in lumbago and asthma.

This Queen Fruit or Canoe Fruit as it was named by early Polynesian tribes, traveled with them wherever they went. Because of its healing and health benefits it was one of the things the tribe would consider essential to travel or take with them. They would eat the fruit, drink the juice, use it for medical purposes and save the seeds to plant. - 17273

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Searching for the honest truth about the almost too-perfect sounding noni fruit? Simply swing by the noni fruit site to discover for yourself all of the noni fruits' factual benefits and product reviews, all with pictures, that you'll ever want in order to know the truth about noni and its best use for your healthly lifestyle.

7 Fat Loss Tips to Get You on the Right Track

By Thong M. Dao

If you are like many people who are trying to lose weight, you have probably tried diet after diet only to find out that the diet you are currently on is not helping your fat loss plans. The reason for this might be that you are using fad diets and weight loss programs that do damage to the body instead of helping it achieve its ideal weight. If you want to lose fat and stay healthy, follow the following tips to help you achieve your goal.

1. Figure out how you got here. You may need to learn to eat better, or you may need to overcome problems that are encouraging you to eat. Whether it's a lifestyle change or an emotional problem, you may need to do something about it to encourage fat loss. There may even be a hormonal problem that's responsible for your weight - to find out, you'll need to talk to a competent doctor who doesn't have prejudices against you. Once you know what circumstances have caused your gain, you can deal with the problem more easily.

2. Learn to be in control. You need to be the one to decide what you will eat. Don't eat food just because it is there. Learn to choose wisely when you eat out, and learn to resist pressure by family and friends to eat "just one" food item. Come up with a long-term plan that will help you be healthy physically and mentally, and don't fall for fad diets that come and go and don't work long term.

3. Eat every 2-3 hours. The recommendation used to be to eat 3 big meals. However, today we know that eating frequently is better for your metabolism. Beware of snack foods that are high in fat and calories. Instead, choose to eat healthy snacks and stay away for high-fat processed treats or sugary sweets.

4. Eat slowly and savor the food you are eating. When you eat fast, your body doesn't get a chance to realize that it's full until you've eaten too much. When you chew your food thoroughly you will eat less and enjoy it more.

5. Don't make huge changes. Many fat loss diets want you to eat totally unfamiliar foods or make big changes in your lifestyle. Those are pretty hard to maintain, and can be frustrating. Instead, start out with small, manageable changes in what you're already doing. Once you've been doing them for long enough that they've become a habit, you can move to other healthy changes. Never starve yourself - that can actually make matters worse by lowering your metabolism.

6. Eat a balanced diet and don't eat processed food. Eating processed food is really bad for you because it is high in fat and sugar. It will cause you to gain weight and put you at risk for diabetes and other physical problems. Foods like lean protein, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables are much better for you and will help you stay healthy in the long run.

7. Make sure you drink throughout the day. Sometimes when you think you are hungry, you are actually thirsty. Hydrating yourself properly will make you feel full, and will help your body cleanse itself. Water is the best beverage, so make sure to drink as much water as you need. - 17273

About the Author:

Thong M. Dao is a natural bodybuilder who has been exercising since 2005 and is experienced in weight control. Visit his website for free fat loss information and fitness training advice.

Choosing the Best Weight Loss System for You

By Max Loser

A well-prepared weight loss system is able to suppress appetite, decrease food cravings, and lower blood cholesterol. This is your guide to lasting weight loss for a complete lifelong solution with all the tools for success.

So what goes into a good weight loss system? The weight loss system you choose should combine a good selection of foods with lots of variety, and it should fit easily into your lifestyle. If the weight loss system you pick has a very limited choice of foods, you might get bored from it quickly and give up on trying to lose weight. In general, if you can focus on less snacking, eating only when you're hungry, and eat healthy foods, you'll achieve your weight loss goals.

Both a diet plan and an exercise regiment will be included in a good weight loss system. It's best to have both for safe and effective weight loss. It is recommended that you speak with a doctor before attempting any new weight loss system. What is right and what works for one individual might not be advisable for you. A doctor can help tailor a weight loss system to make it more appropriate to your needs.

It's good to have some motivation for losing weight. You'll want your reason to be strong enough to motivate you to stick with your weight loss system, continue exercising, and continue eating healthy. You have to be persistent and really work at, but it'll be all worth it when you lose the weight you want. Get some help from friends and family; they can be a great support system for you.

Check with your doctor to make sure that you're healthy enough to being the weight loss program you've selected. Your doctor can also help modify the program if necessary to make it better suited for your needs.

If the weight loss system you're considering sounds too far-fetched then it probably is. Pick a weight loss program that makes sense. If you're thinking of augmenting your weight loss program with a diet pill or weight loss supplement, make sure you do some research. Find out everything you can about the product before you try it. Consult with your doctor to make sure it's safe.

Don't expect to see results in a few days - weight loss systems that promise that are too good to be true. Losing weight will take determination, discipline, and effort. The only option that can offer immediate results is surgery, and that is not advisable unless explicitly recommended by a doctor because of dire health.

Try to pick a weight loss system that you might enjoy. There are a lot of weight loss systems available on the market today - all of them promise the same thing - but choose one that you can incorporate into your existing lifestyle. You want something that will work with the way that you live.

Following a good weight loss system can be a life-changing experience. If you are steadfast in your efforts to lose weight and change your lifestyle, you can accomplish those goals with the support of friends and family. You can turn to them in times of doubt, when you feel weak and unsure. Create your own support network of people you hold close. - 17273

About the Author:

Max writes articles about weight loss systems and techniques for losing weight.