When you are looking for a weight loss program, what do you normally look for in a program? You would first look for a program that is balanced between nutrition and exercise as well as addressing any other types of health concerns that you may be having besides the weight issues that you are looking into. You will also want a weight loss program that addresses your specific needs as far as weight loss and health are concerned. When searching for a program, it is best to take into consideration your particular needs and wants as far as a program of this type goes.

Another thing to look at when looking at any type of a weight loss program is the cost of the program. There are many different programs that are available on the market today, but some of them cost quite a bit to get started. Some don't cost a fortune to get started with and come with all that you need in order to get started on a weight loss program without too much trouble. You will also want to look at the diets closely as some are low sugar, low Glycemic, lean protein and other such factors such as purchasing food and other dietary needs before starting on any type of program of this sort.

Most weight loss program offerings will have a balance between nutrients and will also recommend an exercise program to go along with the program in question. Ones to watch out for though are those that are based simply on supplements only such as the teas that are reputed to help you to lose weight. You have to have a balanced diet and exercise as well as possibly taking medication. Supplements alone, do not make a diet. Nor do they make a safe weight loss program by themselves. Proper medical supervision is suggested when embarking on one of these programs.

Any weight loss program can be good to use, but bear in mind that no two people using the same diet will lose the same amount of weight in the same amount of time. Look for a weight loss program that can be tailored specifically to your needs and for your level of health and fitness. Also bear in mind that the program needs to be tailored to you specifically. This includes any type of medication or supplements that would be used in the program in question. As each diet needs to be tailored to the individual, it goes without saying that a professional's help should be sought.

There are many different weight loss program systems out there and most of them are good for dieting. The choice comes in when you want the best weight loss program for you. A careful researching either online or by phone can give you more information as to what the best one is for you. By researching the facts, you can choose a program that best suits your weight loss needs and weight loss goals that you want to reach in a safe and effective manner. Safety is mandatory when dealing with weight loss and weight reduction for anyone regardless of size or weight.

Watching the Strongman competitions is a really entertaining way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. You watch guys toss kegs, press logs, flip tires, drag semis and lots more incredible feats of strength-sometimes they're even carrying around their wives or girlfriends. Though they've been around for ages-literally-it's only been in the last ten years or so that they've really started getting popular. In 1998, there were a total of six sanctioned strongman events (North American Strongman) held across the country-today, more than 60 are held just in the United States each year. There are lots more held every year across Europe.

Just like in most any other sport, competitors in strongman competitions can either be amateurs or professionals. And just like other sports the key difference between the amateurs and the pros is defined by the compensation. And finally, as in any other sport you can't just decide to make the jump from amateur to pro in strongman-you've got to earn it.

According to North American Strongman, "Amateur status is any strongman that does not currently have a recognized Pro Card by ASC (American Strongman Corp) or any competitor not qualified or ranked as one of the top professional competitors. The NAS National Heavyweight and Lightweight Champion will receive a Pro Card."

To begin the journey towards getting the coveted Pro Card you need to understand that there are four different strongman event levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus. You'll need to work through all of these events before you can get one though.

The Silver Level event is what you might call your local strongman contest. This is where beginners will usually start out. In these contests one overall winner in each weight class or division gets an invitation to the North American Strongman (NASM) Championship. Gold is the next level. These events can either be regional meets or state championships. Here, the top two winning athletes in each division or weight class are offered an invitation to compete in the NASM championships.

The Platinum Level competition can also be a state championship but it has to meet stricter guidelines like promoter history and the number of competitors. At these events the top three athletes in each division or weight class receive invitations to the NASM championships. The Platinum Plus Level is the king of strongman competitions-there are a maximum of six of these held each year. The winner of the Platinum Plus competition is awarded his Pro Card.

The benefits of getting your Pro Card are like anything else-mostly related to earnings and prestige. Though the earning levels in strongman competitions hasn't reached the level of some professional sports, the monies can still be pretty respectable.

A typical strongman competition can have anywhere from six to ten events. Some of the more common challenges include:

Farmer's walk: Like your standard farmer's walk except these guys are doing it carrying weights ranging from 180-330 pounds per hand;

Keg toss: Here, the guys toss kegs of varying sizes and weights over a bar suspended high in the air;

Tire flip: In this event the guys flip huge tires-weighing 400-500 pounds each-over and over for a certain distance as fast as they can. This is one of those events where the athletes really need to have endurance;

Loading events: This one requires the athletes to carry large objects-usually 4-6 objects of varying size and weight-from one place to another as fast as they can;

Deadlift: Your standard deadlift but with a lot more weight than most of us could ever possibly imagine lifting;

Truck pull: In this event one end of a harness is attached to the athlete-the other end is attached to a truck (usually a large one). Contestants then have to pull the track over a certain distance.

These are of course just some of the events you're likely to see. They vary from one competition to the next.

No surprises here but being a strongman is tough-a lot tougher than you might think. It's not just about strength and power-you've got to have endurance, speed and flexibility too. No two competitions are alike and each one can have a number of different events that require one or more skill sets. So a strongman can't just focus on one type of training-he's got to be prepared for just about anything. That means using multiple weight training techniques-no standard routines here-combined with elements of speed and endurance training as well.

The fitness industry is a rapidly growing business in Washington, DC, and all across America. Personal training itself is one of the fastest growing occupations in America. But this does not mean that quality personal trainers are a dime a dozen. The only reason the occupation is growing so quickly is that obesity is also growing at an alarming rate. The personal trainer business is simply trying to keep up with the demand. With over 300 million obese people in the world, and countless more overweight people, there is plenty of call for personal trainers.

Obesity is growing to epidemic proportions in Washington, DC. Obesity also leads to other problems which are often considered diseases. Among these are heart disease and diabetes. Heart disease claims more lives than any other medical issue. And diabetes is growing at a frightening rate among not only adults, but children as well. As the problems associated with obesity and being overweight come to light, more and more people are realizing that they need to get back into shape and get healthy. But for many of these people, weight loss can be a mystery. Some do not know how to go about losing weight, others cannot find the willpower. But there are answers.

For many of these people, simple diets and an exercise may show results. If the only thing wrong with a person's diet is too many calories or too much sugar, cutting some of these things can lead to weight loss when the body works to get itself to normal. If a lack of activity is causing weight gain, a personal trainer may not be needed either. For these people, the obesity problem is probably not a very important topic. It may not affect them as it affects so many others. It is the people who struggle with weight loss who need the help.

What personal trainers offer is more than just a diet plan and an exercise routine. Firstly, these routines are tailored to a specific person so they are much more likely to have the effect of maximized weight loss. A personal trainer also offers one on one guidance for people who may not know exactly what to do to lose the most weight. Personal trainers also offer a support system for people who may be struggling with motivation.

Certified instructors in Washington, DC can help someone who is struggling with weight loss in many ways. They offer a tailored workout and diet plan along with constant support and motivation. They can also give a person a much safer environment to work out in, since most certification processes call for CPR training. The better the instructor, the better the workout.

Are you tired of gaining back the weight which you worked so hard to lose? Well today I'm going to show ya' how to smack those extra 10lbs off your body for good! And not just any regular 10lbs, I mean 10lbs of fat. For those of you who know what I'm all about, you know that "weight loss" doesn't involve losing muscle. That is one type of weight I'd like to KEEP, and so I shall!

And I selected these 10 tips very carefully, to make it as fool-proof for as possible... because let's face it, there are some real dorks out there that love to play the weight-loss yo-yo. I bet if that was a product, I'd sell like hot cakes! But the point is, losing "weight" isn't that hard, in fact its VERY easy. Easier than you think... What's hard is keeping your body at a weight you want for the long run. That's way more challenging... But luckily for you, I've made the process as painless as possible.

The key to all this weight loss comes from boosting our metabolism. I give a more in-depth look on this subject in my fitness book, but here are some of my best kept secrets. This key aspect is why some people can "naturally" stay skinny, and we are about to mimic this process. So, let's being...

Tip 1: First thing's first, NO SKIPPING BREAKFAST WHAT-SO-EVER. No matter how many times I drill and repeat this concept into people, some still do it to this very day. Not sure how much more clearly I can state this... and I'm not willing to try. Just stop skipping breakfast. The reason being is because when you get up, your metabolic rate is HIGH... VERY HIGH.

Whatever you eat will be incinerated, so take advantage of this... But don't use it as an excuse to eat crap. The ideal breakfast should be lots of fruits + some form of protein (eggs, whey, milk, tofu etc.) along with a full glass of COLD water.

Tip 2: Do a kitchen-raid. Run through it like a tornado... But a tornado that sucks up and destroys all the junk food in it's path. YOU HAVE to do this if you are going to make your weight loss efforts last. Get rid of candies, high sugar granola bars, cookies, high-sodium crackers, ice cream etc. Leave no bad choice available and you wont cheat.

If you WANT to have goodies at some point, give yourself a "spoil day"... A spoil day is one day of the week were you can go OUT and in SMALL proportions enjoy some of the finer things that aren't so great for your health. But if you are really serious about losing these 10lbs, forget cheating all together. It's ok, you'll live, I promise.

Tip 3: Cut your sugar cravings by at least 65-70%. After performing step 2, you should have already cut out about 60% of your sugar intake, but now you need to go that extra mile and REDUCE your sugar intake where you can. But notice how I DIDN'T say cut out 100% of sugar.

That's bad, our bodies LOVE sugar, glucose is our PRIMARY source of fuel, but simple sugars is a cheap way of going about it. After following all the 10 tips I have listed here, your sugar cravings should go away within 2 weeks, but if you need something to get you by, here are some alternatives: Chewable 1g of Vitamin C, Frozen dark grapes (they taste like skittles!), Green Tea + Stevia ( A healthy sugar-alternative) or Baby Carrots.

Tip 4: Carbs are fine, as long as they are low-glycemic. This means that when you eat the following foods, it takes the body LONGER to metabolize them into blood glucose and therefore they don't spike your insulin such as a doughnut or a chocolate chip cookie. Here are some examples of carbs you SHOULD be eating: vegetables, fruits, whole grains & beans.

Tip 5: Eat foods that are thermogenic as often as possible. Optimally, it should be ALL the time, but that's a little unrealistic... Or is it? So you might be wondering, what are "thermogenic foods"? Well my future skinny friend, they are foods that cause your body to increase it's metabolism and burn fat! So imagine eating these types of foods every meal? You're practically GUARANTEED to shed the pounds.

Here are some examples of thermogenic foods: green tea, cayenne pepper, mustard, ginger, all types of protein (chicken, fish, egg whites, turkey, cottage cheese, soy, beef, yogurt etc). If you can't eat these types of "foods" during your meal, I'm going to show you a very simple way to make ANY meal thermogenic... ORGANIC HOT SAUCE!

That's right, most types of hot peppers will cause an increase in metabolism, so start training your taste-buds to handle some fire and you will be on your way to a more shredded body.

Tip 6: Nothing after 9pm. I don't care what you've done during the day, after 9pm you don't eat. If you're truly desperate, you may munch on HIGH-WATER content fruits or vegetables or green-tea. That is the only exception. This one technique alone will probably help you lose 2-3lbs per week. That's about 12 lbs a month with almost no other change at all!

Tip 7: This will sound counter-productive, but you need to eat HEALTHY fats. There is a more technical name for "healthy" fat... Its called monounsaturated fats, these include: avocados, olive oil, canola oil, omega 3 fats in walnuts, almonds, fish and fish oil).

I believe it was the British Journal of Clinical Nutrition which concluded that JUST switching to monounsaturated fats in your eating habits will result in a significant amount of fat loss. And really, how hard is it to substitute these things into your lifestyle? My guess is that its not.

Tip 8: Plan & Track! That's right, write down EVERYTHING you put in your mouth and then at the end of the day, read it over and see if you broke any of the rules mentioned in this article. When you see what you're doing wrong, its easier to fix. You might have a super sharp memory, but from my experiences, I've dealt with quite a few loonballs. They forget half the things they put into their mouths, so the best bet is to be on the safe side and write everything down.

Tip 9: Eat 5-6 small meals a day, NO EXCEPTIONS. This frequency is critical to keep your metabolic rate in high-gear. If you recall, I said that in the mornings, your metabolic rate is at it's highest, well if you don't do anything about it, it will drop like a rock. Eating small and consistent meals every few hours is a sure-fire way of making sure that your metabolic rate is maintained at a high rate.

Tip 10: And finally, do high-intensity resistance workouts as soon as you wake up. Before brushing your teeth, or having any food. Just drink one glass of COLD water and start doing a workout routine with targeted exercises guaranteed to target fat loss. This tip is the rocket-fuel that you should add to your weight loss fire. It is single-handedly responsible for giving me 7% body fat, after which I used nutrition strategies to drop to 6%.

If you want to know which workouts to do, or how you can create your OWN effective plan, then check out this free fitness book mini course. It includes a huge 3 week workout plan that you can use.

And one last tip... Have fun. Stop being boring, these are simple rules that you should follow... but that doesn't mean you can't bust out some creativity.

20-Minute Wedding Workout

If you are planning your wedding and working full time, I know how hard it can be to get a workout in. But I also know how important it is for a BRIDE to be in the best shape of her life for the wedding. This wedding workout is going to help you get fit even if you think you have no time.

Weight-training is the BEST way to get in shape. It not only burns more calories post-workout than cardio, but it is the only way to get tight, toned, lean muscles. So make sure you try this wedding workout.

The most important tip when weight-training is that the workout routing must change at least every 4 weeks. If you do the same workout routine your body and results with plateau. This wedding workout will give you a head start. There are no excuses all you need is 20 minutes 3 times per week, and you are going to start losing weight and getting toned.

20-Minute Wedding Workout

• 20 Plie Squats • 20 Push-ups • 20 Stability Ball Hip Extensions • 20 Dumbbell Rows • 20 Lateral Raises • Jump Rope for 1 minute

Perform this circuit for a total of 3 sets with 45 seconds of rest in between each circuit.

Start with this 20 minute wedding workout and you are well on your way to lean, sleek, and toned body! All it takes is 20-minutes 3 times per week.

STEP UP YOUR WEDDING WORKOUT

Add 20 minutes of interval cardio post wedding workout and burn even more calories and reach your wedding fitness goal sooner.

If you don't know how to perform these movements, you can purchase the "Virtual Exercise Library" CD ROM for only $39.95 which includes pictured demonstration of over 100 exercises with detailed descriptions of how to do the exercises. Click the following link to purchase it. Wedding Workout Demonstrations.

If you want the complete Wedding Workout & Wedding Diet Plan that will last you from 3 to 6 months, get your copy of "Vow to be Fit". With this Wedding Diet & Fitness Book you will get in the best shape of your life, GUARANTEED!!! Join the hundreds of BRIDES who have used "Vow to be Fit" to lose weight and get fit and toned for their wedding. Get it now for only $14.95. Click here to buy it. Wedding Workout & Diet Plan.