Exercise Less, Not More!

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

[ Editor's Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

If I had to pick out the number one reason most people fail to achieve good results in the gym, guess what it would be?

Over-training. Exercising too much.

Sounds counter-intuitive, but trust me: It’s quite real.

Folks write to me all the time and say…

“Jon, I don’t get it. I cannot lose bodyfat and I’m running six days a week for an hour and training in the gym five days a week for 45 minutes!”

My answer back is usually:

“You are training 4x more than me, and I’m a fitness pro!”

Look, do you take 21 aspirin for a headache, thinking the more you take the faster your pain will go away?

No?

So why apply the same logic to fitness? Only a certain amount is required. Beyond that, you are spinning your wheels.

When I wrote 7 Minute Muscle (available here:  http://www.jonbensonfitness.com/go/joeyd255/7mm) I exposed all the lies about training too long and why this is not the best way to achieve the results you want. Check it out if you want the facts.

One more thing:  75% of your progress will come in the kitchen, not in the gym or on the treadmill.

As for me, I would much rather eat smart and train less than train all the time and be forced to eat 6-8 times a day just to recover from it all.

That makes no sense to me at all.

You?

 

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Exercise And The Brain

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

If you ever needed another good reason to exercise, I’ve got one for you:

Exercise makes your brain bigger.

Actually this isn’t entirely accurate. To be more specific, exercise was found to increase brain size slightly, but far more important to increase “spatial reasoning.”

This is the ability to recognize patterns, remember phrases, numbers, and so-on. This was discovered by researchers at the Universities of Chicago and Pittsburgh.

It is also one of the most important factors to the prevention of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

My mom suffered with dementia the last ten years of her life. But unlike most dementia patients she was fully functional thanks to exercise. She drove and had a mind that was unbelievably sharp right up until an accident injured her beyond the ability to exercise.

After that, she mentally went downhill rapidly. Thankfully, she passed in peace… and she had ten wonderfully active years thanks to her willingness to take up weight training at the age of 71.

She eventually walked up to 3 miles per day and trained in the gym 3 days per week.

That kept her mind sharp, along with fish oil and N-Acetyl L-Carnitine, a wonderful brain nutrient.

Once again, we see the power of exercise. It increases the QUALITY of your life.

Quantity is no where near as important to me as quality.

The links at the bottom of this newsletter are to my books on exercise. Pick the one that appeals to you most and take action.

Your brain will thank you, as will the rest of your body.

One of the best ways to start exercising when you are over 40 is by using the routines covered in “Fit Over 40″.

This book profiles 53 different men and women, age 40 to 80, all sharing their workouts, nutrition plans, and mental empowerment techniques.

It is a MUST-HAVE for anyone wanting to begin exercising or improve their level of fitness after the age of 40.

For a free fat-burning course from Fit Over 40, go here –

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How Long To Rest Between Sets

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

[ Editor's Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

A lot of my readers ask me how long to rest between sets while exercising.

The answer is: It depends on your goals.

If you are training to increase strength, I recommend resting a bit longer – up to two minutes for exercises like squats and heavy dumbbell work. But if you want to burn the most amount of bodyfat and gain lean muscle, I recommend resting for very short periods of time.

“The Iron Guru” Vince Gironda used to recommend leaving your hands on the bar between sets — now THAT is short rest intervals!  He would frequently rest only 15-20 seconds between sets.

This is similar to the strategy I use in 7 Minute Muscle — very short rest intervals and very intense training. Smart, short, efficient. That’s the way to go.

A good place to start is simply reducing your rest intervals by 10 seconds. No matter what workout you’re using, decrease your rest by 10 seconds between sets. You may not be as strong on the last few sets (if you are training traditionally… if you use 7 Minute Muscle your rest is “built-in” and not an issue.) Over time you will work your way back up to the same amount of sets and reps but done in far less time.

This means more work output, which means more muscle if your nutrition is good.

This is the best way to train most of the time:  Limited rest, intense sets, and short workouts.

They are the ones that produce results.

Go here for more information –

http://www.jonbensonfitness.com/go/joeyd255/7mm <— Short, effective workouts

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3 simple in-home tests for heart attack RISK (article)

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Joeyd | Permalink 1

intended), I need to discuss some seriously great news:

My good friend Joel Marion just hit the #1 bestseller spot for a digital

publications immediately along with his launch of The XTreme Fatloss Diet.

Lots of my subscribers had taken me up on his 25-Day Challenge.

What’s the 25-Day Challenge?

Joel worked well with me to support motivate my audience dropping up

to 25 lbs in 25 days… and that he proceeded to go the one step further by discounting

his complete System by $30.

That price cut was meant to end Friday, however, if you go Below…

http://www.FatlossXtremePlan.com <— Weekend discount page

… you can get it discounted until Sunday. Joel’s celebrating his #1
spot and extending this a bit longer. What I suggest is picking up
the System and starting the plan the day after Memorial Day. Don’t
worry about it until then. But get it now while it’s discounted.

In 25 days, let me know how you look!

————————————————
About Your Heart
————————————————

On to more serious matters:

There are 3 simple tests you can do yourself to determine your
risk for sudden heart attack.

These are tests that ‘very’ few doctors use, and honestly I have no
idea why.

Yes… yes I do:  Money.

It’s far more lucrative for them to prescribe drugs and focus on
“lowering cholesterol”, an important thing, rather than look at
other important things that cost you nothing.

Anyway, here’s what science has revealed…

————————————————
Heart Rate Test
————————————————

Even if you have normal cholesterol levels, your risk for sudden
heart attack increases dramatically if your resting pulse rate is
over 75 OR if your heart rate recovery is below 25 beats per minute.

A study came out a few years ago that I will never forget. You see,
I have a naturally high heart rate. Even in peak shape, my heart
rate is usually above 75 beats. This study showed that those with
resting heart rates over 75 were 2-3 times more likely to die of
heart disease.

Scary stuff.

Since then I’ve been working on lowering my heart rate through more
walking, some intense cardio (about 25 minutes a week tops), and
meditation techniques.

This is an EASY test for you to perform at home. Simply take your
heart rate before you get out of bed in the morning. Then, take
your heart rate in the middle of the afternoon after sitting down
for 15 minutes. Do this again at night. Then average the three
numbers together.

If they do not average out to be lower than 75 then increase your
exercise and consider yoga, meditation, or more stress-free time in
your day as a solution.

————————————————
Recovery Heart Rate Test
————————————————

The other studies I dug up looked at “recovery” heart rate, or RHH.
This is an oft-overlooked number that is really as predictive of
heart attack “despite” normal cholesterol levels, and heart disease
risk in general, than your traditional lipid panels.

To measure your RHH, you need to get clearance from  your doctor to
exercise up to your maximum heart rate. Usually is about 220 minus
your age, although that’s just a good guess.

Once he/she agrees, and after you’ve been exercising for at least 6
weeks well at about 65-75% of your max heart rate, get your heart
rate up to near your maximum. Do this gradually on a treadmill by
increasing elevation and speed until your heart rate approaches
max. You should be wearing a heart rate monitor (Polar makes the
best) to perform this test.

The studies I’ve read tested RHH using one of three methods after
max HR was reached. Ask your doctor which one you should use.

The first is to immediately stop exercising and sit down. This CAN
be dangerous, so make sure you check with your doctor. Take your
heart rate at 60 seconds post-exercise, and again at 120 seconds.

If your heart rate does not decrease at least 25 beats during the
first minute, and another 25 during the second, your risk for heart
attack and heart disease is elevated. Statistically, if your HR
decreases 40 beats or more during each minute, your odds of
having a sudden heart attack decrease to .01%.

Pretty powerful stuff.

The other two methods were to keep walking rather than stopping
cold. This is probably safer. If you take this approach (the “cool
down method”) then your HR should drop 15 or more beats per
minute for the first 2 minutes.

Finally, there was lying down on your left side with your arm under
your head. This is how they do it when you have an stress/echo test
done. This is by far the most dangerous way and should only be done
in a cardiologist’s office.

I personally take my HR using two methods:  I sit down (I feel safe
doing this) and I walk very slowly. I take the averages of these
two numbers.

You can radically improve your RHH by focusing on these simple
tests and by increasing cardio and resistance training. This is the
cardio that I DO believe in — the kind that can save your life.
You do not need 30-45 minutes a day to do this. Using the GXP
cardio method, you can usually increase your RHH in a few months.

Click Here to check it out!

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Burn More Body Fat With Spices

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Joeyd | Permalink 1

It’s the spice of life.

Food that is. Or opinions. I guess there is a lot of things that are officially “the spice of life.”

I think spices are the spice of life.

I have a new-found love of spices since hanging around a killer healthy-food chef for the past week.

Wow oh wow… I had no idea.

And hey — I’m helping her put her recipes into to a book that will be out soon.

I’ll send you all a video of this woman doing her thing too in a week or so… prepare to be blown away.

Back to spices:

Not only can spices save an otherwise boring healthy meal…. turns to find out spices can help you burn more body fat.

The January 2006 issue of The Journal of Physiology and Behavior cited numerous studies on several spices that increased thermogenesis in the body.

Thermogenesis is simply heat — and since a calorie is a unit of heat, guess what?

More thermogenesis = more calories burned

Less bodyfat.

Pretty cool stuff this thermogenesis.

In fact thermogenesis is the foundation of my upcoming handbook “The Radical Fat loss Blueprint.” Out in late February.

I’m giving this book away for free for 21 days to anyone who owns a copy of “The Every Other Day Diet.”

The book comes out in late February… and it is… well, radical.

Up to 21 pounds in 21 days.

But you can only do it for 21 days. Fair deal, right?

If you want the book for free, make sure you have “Every Other Day Diet” so I can send it to you the last week of February.

Get EODD here –

http://www.jonbensonfitness.com/go/joeyd255/eodd <— more thermogenesis, less bodyfat

For now, here’s the spices that work the best to help you burn body fat:

1. Capsaicin, the compound gives red chili pepper its heat, increased energy via heat expenditure by up to 23% after ingesting it at breakfast.

2. Black Pepper increases body heat (thermogenesis) by bonding to TRPV1 receptors in the brain.

3. Turmeric has both anti-cancer and pro-thermogenic support. Best of two worlds if you ask me.

Combine these three spices:  Red chili pepper, black pepper and turmeric, and use them liberally (as you can handle them) on your lunch and dinner meals.

Just be careful not to overdo the spices, otherwise you’ll end up with more heartburn than fat burn.

I’ll be including FAR more powerful ways to burn body fat radically in “The Radical Fat loss Blueprint” — and you can get your copy free the last week of February if you own Every Other Day Diet.

Get it here –

http://www.jonbensonfitness.com/go/joeyd255/eodd <— more thermogenesis, less body fat

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How To Gain Muscle And Burn Bodyfat At The Same Time

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

by Jon Benson

I remember a friendly argument with my co-author of Fit Over 40 Tom Venuto. It all started when I told Tom how I was eating and training for my last peak. A peak is where you lower your body fat and try to maintain as much muscle mass as possible.

“There’s just no way I could ever get in shape eating and training like that,” says Tom. “Sure you could man…what are you, a mutant?” Tom fires back, then me, then Tom….and so it goes. (I really didn’t call Tom a mutant. That was creative liberty.)

So why are so many fitness pros like Tom freaked out about my training and nutrition plan? Simple: I claim it burns fat while building muscle at the same time. Every time I read an article by some doctor or expert claiming it’s “biologically impossible” to gain lean muscle mass on a hypo caloric diet (a diet low in calories) I just laugh.

I do more than make claims–I have proved this to be true many times. I’ve had my body fat hydro statically measured during several peaks. In all but one I showed an increase of muscle mass and a decrease of body fat during a 12-16 week period. The one time I didn’t show an increase in muscle mass when was I was training the most in the gym. That may not make sense right now, but it will in a moment.

Article Continued Here –
http://www.jonbensonfitness.com/go/joeyd255/7mm/gain-muscle-burn-fat

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2 Quick Recipe Tips

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

[ Want to read a great fitness article? Then check this one out... it was sent to me by Jon Benson. I have his thumbs-up to forward it to you. Enjoy! ]

One of the most surprising benefits I’ve discovered for being engaged to a gal from the Middle East, other than the vast cultural exchange, is the cooking.

Oh, yes ladies… my gal COOKS!

Which is good since I am a lousy cook. : )

Hanna enjoys it… and she brings a Middle Eastern flair to some really boring fitness/bodybuilding foods that I want to share with you today.

Here’s just two quick tips from Hanna on making the ultimate in “boring” foods — egg whites and tuna (yuck) — taste incredible.

TIP 1:
Lively Egg White Omelette

Let’s face facts: Egg whites suck. At least that’s what I USED to think until Hanna decided to experiment with my morning omelette.

Now I eat this stuff like it was candy.

Here’s what she does:

1. She cooks the veggies separate from the egg whites. You’d think this would be common sense, but I never did it and I’ve seen a lot of people just toss it all in together.

2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil to the veggies. This alone improved the taste tremendously.

3. Add 1/2 egg yolk to the veggies after cooking for 1 minute. This, again, is primarily for taste.

4. Garlic! If you love garlic, here’s your chance. Garlic ROCKS in egg white omelets.

5. Use Pam or another non-stick spray for the egg whites and cook them like you would a normal omelette. Then pour the almost-cooked veggies in the middle. Do the omelette dance.

6. Here’s the SECRET SAUCE… literally. This will sound nuts until you try it:

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Okay… Hanna’s bright, but this was an accident. She thought it was salsa. But I’ve NEVER gone back to salsa after stumbling on this incredible treat! I have no idea why it tastes so good, but it makes the omelette.

Try these tips and see if your egg white omelette doesn’t become your favorite meal of the day.

TIP 2:
Canned Tuna Extraordinaire

Again, I have the lovely Hanna to thank for this.

Like egg whites, I used to HATE canned tuna. Now, again, I can eat this every night without complaint.

Here’s what she does:

She cooks the veggies the same way as in the omelette above and then pours the tuna from the can into a skillet. That’s IT.

I’ve never had “tuna ala skillet” before… and I have no clue why this tastes so smooth and delicious, but it does.

If you hate canned tuna for being dry or tasteless, try this. You’ll never go back.

If you want 40 pages of recipes like this… very yummy and VERY healthy… then be sure to pick up my EODD “Favorite Foods” Dieplan.

Here’s more about it:

Favorite Foods Diet + Recipes <-- click.here.for.more

Remember:
Don’t Quit. Get Fit!

P.S. Most of the recipes that come with my EODD book can be prepared in 15 minutes or less… so do not let the clock become your enemy when it comes to getting lean!

And remember: You can eat your favorite foods several days per week on my plan and still get rid of excess bodyweight.

Why give up living when you don’t have to, right? : )

Favorite Foods Diet + Recipes <-- click.here.for.more

[ Learn more about Jon and his methods by clicking on the links and/or banner in the article above immediately... and get yourself started on a fast-track path to body transformation! ]

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[audio] Insane amount of free diet information!

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

[ Jon Benson writes some of the most entertaining fitness stuff on the Internet, so I know you\'ll love this recent article from him... ]

Scott Colby, CPT just interviewed me recently for “Fit Pros Against Cancer.” My job: Help give away a TON of free fitness information to his listeners as they called into the show.

And I think I did a pretty good job.

You tell me… ; )

Here’s what we cover in just about 30 minutes…

  1. How much fat can you burn (and inches can you lose) in just 6 days?…
  2. How to make fatloss “easier” (not ‘easy’… but easier!)…
  3. What to do about perimenopause and menopause stress and the fat-gain that comes with it… AND…
  4. The “Stress-Free” dietplan for women who fight the “pooch” or who are going through perimenopause or menopause!
  5. Is exercise worthless if you sit down while you work?…
  6. What about fitness for “seniors”?… Can you gain muscle and shed fat past the age of 60?
  7. An inhome exercise that lasts 7 minutes but that can increase the lifespan of women by up to 60%! …
  8. The shocking truth about whole grains and disease…
  9. The “myth” of shaping/building muscle AND dropping bodyfat at the same time… hear the TRUTH about this once and for all! …
  10. How you can have your cake (literally!) and eat it too (i.e. get all the fatburning benefits while still enjoying desserts)…
  11. How to “reboot” your key fatburning hormone using nothing more than the food in your refrigerator!…
  12. This freee substance uses 90% or more of your calories… and you need more of it… find out what it is!…
  13. The “Food Purist” versus the “Food Rebel”… which one are you?…
  14. The one thing you can to TODAY without hardly any effort to improve your appearance and your health!…
  15. 2 simple exercises you can do at work to remove back strain and improve your abs (yes… ABS!)…
  16. Why the “baby boomer” generation is literally being left out of most fitness plans… and a plan that’s perfectly suited for all boomers!…
  17. The 1 trick I use to workout without nagging injuries! …
  18. Why exrercise decreases 1 critical sex-hormone… and what you can do to prevent it (even increase it!) …
  19. The importance of strength over the age of 30 (it’s not what you think… and it’s VITAL!) …
  20. And more!

Listen By Clicking The Play Button Below!

Products + Free Video Mentioned In Audio Include…

[ Like what you read today? Then visit Jon Benson\'s latest by clicking on the links or banners in this article now... ]

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“Micro-Session” Cardio Works Best

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

[ Sometimes I read an article so great I have to all my readers. This recent post by fitness expert Jon Benson is one of those articles. See if it doesn\'t help you with your weight loss goals. Thanks! ]

Several recent studies have pointed to the validity of doing very short cardio sessions (10 minutes) several times a day as being as beneficial… or even better… than one longer session. I agree, assuming you do some form of interval work in your cardio sessions. In fact, unless you want to drop a lot of bodyfat, you can get by with one 9-minute session a day if you do it right.

Quick Start: Try three super-short sessions with at least a 2-3 minute higher-intensity ‘burst’ in the middle. You do not have to go to the gym to do this. You can do this by walking stairs, stepping up and down on a low platform, or even walking outside. Let’s face it: 10 minutes is a lot easier on the brain than 30 minutes… and just as good.

For More Information: When you pick up my book The Every Other Day Diet you’ll have a chance to get my book 7 Minute Body for 1/3 the retail price for a limited time only.

In 7 Minute Body, I cover my personal 9 and 15-minute cardio sessions, my 3-minute abs workout (no kidding… I do not train my abs for more than 3 minutes!) and more.

Watch the presentation on my Every Other Day Diet homepage or just click here now to just pick up 7 Minute Body now.

[ More from Jon Benson in upcoming blogs... but you can get more info and some freebies by taking action now and checking out Jon\'s pages found in the article above or the banner below. Thanks! ]

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The “Cost” of Eating Healthy

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Joeyd | Permalink 0

[ You learn something new every day, right? Well, today I learned something new from fitness author Jon Benson. He has given me today to share it with you. Let me know what you think by commenting below! ]

One of the biggest myths out there is the myth that eating healthy costs too much.

Just the opposite… and I’ll prove it to you in three ways.

#1: Cash

Here’s some sample figures courtesy of my friend Scott Tousignant’s fitness blog…

2 medium size sweet potatoes $1 or… small fries from a fast food joint

2 red peppers $1 or… a can of pop

Bowl of oatmeal with fruit & protein powder $2 or… large bag of chips

6 Chicken Breasts $10 or… a sub combo from a fast food joint

18 eggs $3.50 or… a burger from a fast food joint

2 salmon fillets $15 or… large pizza

Loaded chicken salad (homemade) $3 or… bag of cookies

Large bag of oatmeal $3.50 or… 4 chocolate bars

Not much of a comparison, it is?

Yet the foods on the left would feed a family of two or more for 4-7 days… the foods on the right? 2-3 days if you live through it.

Tips to make the most expensive part of eating healthy — the cost of quality meats — go further include…

1. Use tofu fillers in chicken and beef recipes. Even if you hate tofu, you can barely taste the difference when combined properly.

2. Buy your meats in bulk online. You can find less expensive grass-fed beef and naturally-raised chicken and have it delivered to you if you live near a large city. If not, check the local farmers.

3. Eat meat only 3-4 times per week and use black beans with rice or inexpensive tuna for your other days. I eat tuna cooked in a skillet with lots of veggies and some olive oil almost every night and I LOVE the taste!

My book The Every Other Day Diet has over 40 pages of recipes in it to help you eat healthy and cheap… and you can still eat out and consume your favorite foods several times per week.

#2: Your Health

Do we ‘really’ need to talk about buy new (usually larger) clothes every year or two? Or about the health care costs associated with being even 20 pounds over your ideal weight, let alone more? How about the time you miss from work with excessive colds?

Eating healthy and taking care of your body adds years to your life… and for the record, the years eating poorly takes away from your life, on average, costs each American over 80,000 in medical expenses.

Want to add that to your food budget?

#3: The Big Picture

Anyone who has been fit knows the joy it brings… the freedom you feel from wearing whatever you want… the productivity you see from increased energy… the pace at which you move during the day.

Not only are these gifts priceless, but they are also massive cash-savers. Your productivity alone can add thousands to your bottom line each year, well off-setting any costs associated with eating quality food.

The Bottom Line…

Like any good accountant would suggest, you need to look at your ROI (return on investment) if nothing else.

What does investing in a better body, greater health, and vibrant energy do for your life? How can that actually translate into more income AND less expense?

You will be surprised.

Remember:
Don’t Quit. Get Fit!

P.S. If you want some tips on getting started with shedding that excess weight… go here for a short video… and prepare to take some notes! …

it’s freee….

Weight Loss Tips <--- click.here

[ Want to dive into even more fat-loss and body transformation info? Then shoot over Jon\'s page by clicking on the links in the article above (or in the banner below) to get started today on reshaping YOUR body! ]

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