The Biggest Loser is getting even bigger and accomplishing new feats. This season we meet oldest man (62 years old), the youngest man (18 years old), the biggest woman (379 pounds), and the biggest contestant ever (454 pounds). As you can see there is lots of weight to be lost.

Within the first 10 minutes of the show, the oldest contestant Jerry collapses during his work out. After he was rushed to the hospital they find that his blood pressure dropped which made him pass out. He didn’t let that stop him and continued on with the show.

The first challenge was somewhat of an obstacle course with the black team winning by a foot making them safe for elimination.

The next part is what confuses me and didn’t make sense with the ‘couples’ theme. There wasn’t an ‘elimination’ but 9 people were sent home. It was determined by the percentage of weight loss by the team. One team would be safe, while the rest of the teams have to choose one member who will be going home.

After all the teams weigh-in at a combined 382 pounds lighter, Ron and Mike are safe from elimination. Ron, losing 32 pounds, sets the record for the most weight lost in a single week on the Biggest Loser.

Each team then chose who would be going home that night. The only way back in for these contestants is to have their ‘couple’ stay in for 30 days.

Do you like this twist? I would have preferred it be couples the whole way through.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

The Biggest Loser Couples Season 7, Episode 1 Recap

To maintain health and vitality, every individual should implement a plan for exercise. Specifically for elderly individuals, fitness can help prevent a variety of symptoms of aging, as it can also help boost both physical and cognitive performance.

Benefits of Fitness and Exercise

Regular exercise can help individuals of all age groups, providing seemingly endless benefits. Examples of these benefits include improvements in conditions such as osteoarthritis, blood pressure, diabetes, lipid profile, memory and osteoporosis

With regular exercise, individuals can also expect an increased life span, as early mortality and age-related morbidity rates decrease when individuals choose to engage in active lifestyles. While exercise and fitness can stimulate benefits, it is estimated that nearly 75 percent of elderly Americans do not engage in sufficient amounts of activity in order to receive the intended benefits.

In order to engage in a beneficial fitness program, elderly individuals should strive to maintain a specific routine that includes three specific components:

• Aerobic exercise

• Strength training

• Balance and flexibility

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise includes activities such as walking at a brisk pace, jogging, swimming, biking and elliptical exercises.

To engage in these activities, seniors can utilize machines and classes at a local gym or wellness center. Also, for individuals who may suffer from specific areas of joint and / or muscle pain, many facilities offer water aerobics classes. These classes teach minimal-impact movements to provide each individual with specific health benefits and decreased risks of pain and injury. To experience benefits, people should strive to engage in aerobic activities approximately three to five days a week.

Strength Training

To improve posture, bone strength, and stamina, strength training should be implemented into everyone’s exercise regimen. Strength training can be achieved by lifting weights and/or working with resistance bands and machines. Strive for weights that allow you to feel challenged, but that also allow for a full range of motion, as this will help build muscle and strength safely and effectively.

Balance and Flexibility

The focus on balance and flexibility will help individuals to gain core strength with reduced pain and injury. Individuals can engage in these activities both before and after a workout, as research shows that stretching helps boost flexibility as it simultaneously helps prevent specific exercise-related injuries. For guided help in this area of focus, individuals can also participate in a Yoga or Pilates class. Yoga focuses on teaching movements that incorporate fluid balance and core strength. Similar to Yoga, Pilates also focuses on balance, core strength, and flexibility; however, Pilates also utilizes additional tools and items for added physical support and challenge. These classes tend to be widely available at most local fitness facilities, and are also available at many community school areas, such as community colleges.

Make fitness a life choice, no matter what age you are.

Editor’s note: This is a guest article from Zane. He runs a website called Best Diet Pills that provides consumers with no b.s. reviews of diets and diet pills.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Elderly Fitness

First off, Happy New Year every one! It’s been a good start to the year, except for the fact that I couldn’t post or even load the site for the past 2 to 3 weeks. That should be behind us from now on.

I have some cool things planned for 2009, the best of which is a whole new design. It’s practically done, but needs a few more tweaks. I will be launching the new design soon, as well as some other cool things, authors, series, etc.

I have a whole new outlook for my health this year. I had some time to think since I wasn’t online too much the past few weeks. For that, I am grateful. What a sec, that actually means that this blog has even helped me when I am not blogging. Pretty cool.

Well, I wanted to keep this short. But Fat Man Unleashed is going to go into 2009 with a renewed sense of self, and I hope you all come along for the ride!

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Wow, I’m Back. Finally.

Happy Holidays

I can’t believe it’s already Christmas Eve 2008. It seemed like just yesterday it was Spring time and we were at the beach enjoying the sun. It just goes to show you how important it is to live in the now (but still plan for tomorrow). As Santa approaches all of our homes today, I want to wish you all a Happy Holiday season and a great 2009 New Year.

Holiday Health Posts from Health Bloggers

Here are some holiday posts from around the health blogosphere, if I missed your holiday post let me know in the comments with a link to the post and I will approve it. I read these blogs frequently for their health tips and sometimes candid writings about their health. Feel free to subscribe to their feeds.

A Jewish Mizfit’s Guide to Making It Through Xmas & Cruising into the New Year @ MizFit

Secret Guide to Eating ANYTHING You Want at Christmas @ Diet Blog

It’s Holiday, Not Holimonth @ Get Fit Slowly

3 Quick & Simple Holiday Eating Tips @ Mr. Low Body Fat

Diet Holiday Cookies…..I Wish @ Fatty Weight Loss

A Couples History in Ornaments @ Roni’s Weigh

Dear Santa! @ The Anti Jared

OFF ON HOLIDAY! @ Discipline or Regret

Blizzards, Cabin Fever, and My Parents @ 4XLT

Dashing Through the Snow @ Diets In Review

Christmas Gift Ideas for Fitness Fanatics @ Families Fitness Blog

An Awesome Christmas Gift… @ Total Transformation Test

Healthy Christmas Dinner Ideas and Variations @ Former Fat Guy Blog

Bashing Holiday Stress + Happy Hanukkah! @ Diabetes Mine

Easy Exercises To Do During the Holidays @ Weight Ladder

It’s Christmas Time In The City @ Big Fat Deal

The CF Holiday party: Yule be surprised @ Cranky Fitness

Holiday Giveaways @ Health Bolt (not necessarily Holiday posts, but they are giving away prizes each day of the month).

Well, that’s about it. Make sure to watch yourself this holiday season and maintain those good habits you’ve built. It’s okay to eat whatever you want, just control how much of it you do eat.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Happy Holidays, Health Posts from Health Bloggers

Okay. So, I’m super excited to try Crossfit for the first time. I do some Googling and come up with a few Crossfit results here in Tampa, FL. One of which is Crossfit Tampa. I contact the guy and he gets back to me so that I can take my first class last Tuesday. I get ready (mentally and physically), but there is no Crossfit class that day. Time wasted: 1 hour 45 minutes.

This pisses me off. I had been looking forward to it for a week. I get let down. No worries, I chalked it up to life. I then make arrangements to go to the Saturday Crossfit Tampa class. Guess what?

The damn Crossfit class wasn’t there. I wasted another good hour of my time for this just to get let down again. Not good. So far Crossfit has dissappointed me and I haven’t even had a chance to take a class. I know I will like it when I do attend a class and that is why I am giving it one more shot. I really wanted to take my first class before I went on vacation to New York, but I won’t be able to do that. Instead, I will need to wait until January for my first class…that is unless someone in NYC can hook me up with a Crossfit class. Hint, hint.

Otherwise, I will just continue to do my own thing. I just really wanted to learn some Crossfit madness and add that to my own routine. Oh well.

So that’s my Crossfit experience so far. I’m pissed!

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Crossfit Tampa Keeps Messing With Me

It’s true. Hostess will slim down the Twinkie and follow suit in the newest low-calorie version trend sweeping the snack food industry. Hostess has unveiled a repackaged 100-calorie version of the iconic Twinkie, called Twinkie Bites. How good will it taste? Probably just as deliciously fattening as the original, but I don’t want to find out! I recall eating these up as a kid and loving every artery clogging bite.

See them for yourself on Hostess’s site: Twinkie Bites

From the Hostess site:

“In each pack of Twinkie Bites you’ll find three deliciously moist mini sponge cakes with all the rich creamy filling and great Twinkie taste you’ve loved since you were a kid, now with just 100 calories per pack.

Try new Strawberry Cupcakes and satisfy your cravings with three indulgent strawberry mini cakes, all with cream cheese icing, creamy filling and only 100 calories per pack.

Look for new Twinkie Bites and Strawberry Cupcakes in the Hostess section of your favorite store.”

So, I suppose it will taste like the original.

Twinkie Pop Quiz: Test your Twinkie knowledge, don’t fret boys and girls it’s multiple choice. Answers will be posted in the comments.

1) How many calories are in a Twinkie?

A) 427 calories

B) 89 calories

C) 150 calories

D) 305 calories

2) How many Twinkies are eaten each year?

A) 89,789,987

B) 150 Billion

C) 305 Billion

D) 500 Million

E) A Quadrillion

3) Which Hostess snack has less calories than a Twinkie?

A) Brownie Bite

B) Ding Dong

C) Ho Ho

We want your feed back!

What is your favorite snack food? Write us back or leave a comment and tell us why!

Here’s a CNN article on Twinkies.

Spread the Health News - Get all of the latest health news, submit your own, and vote them to the top at HealthRanker.com.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Twinkies on a Diet? Say It Ain’t So!

Quick update on Crossfit: I drove to meet the guy for the class but the class was canceled for the day. I’m going to the Saturday class…the anticipation is gnawing at me!

So back to the MJ Morning Show story. I’m sitting in the car driving my daughter to school this morning. Up the road from her school there was an overturned truck, clogging up traffic. Well, thanks to that truck I happened to catch the folks from MJ’s Morning Show talking about a guy that was homeless and needing to make money. He also happened to be really fat. Something I can relate to. So they got him on the line and are ragging on him about his size and his “loserness” when someone calls in saying they want to offer him a job. It happened to be some telemarketing crap job, which I hate!

I was hesitant at first, but after hearing yet another person call in offering him some kind of telemarketing gig, I decided to call in and help him out. How, you ask? Well, for the longest I have been planning on expanding Fat Man Unleashed and one of those areas will be food reviews. I offer Billy Bob, the homeless fat guy whose real name is Jimmy, the opportunity to go eat and review the foods he eats. So one of the shows interns take my info and my offer down and that was that. I figured it would be lost in the shuffle with all the offers he probably got.

Then I get a call from a buddy that my site was mentioned on the show. SWEET!!! I am not sure what was said, but knowing the cast they probably ragged on the site and on me for being fat. That Fester dude is a fat bastard that lost weight the easy way, with surgery, and he takes it upon himself to belittle (albeit jokingly) fat people. In a weird way I understand how he can diss fat people, he was fat himself…so I don’t hate him for it. Plus, he’s pretty funny most of the time. My favorite on the show is Froggy! Hilarious.

Anyway, just an hour or so ago I got to speak with Billy Bob about the position and he seemed really excited about it, as was I. Hopefully he can start reviewing food soon and we can all see what he has to offer. Plus, he can get some food in his belly.

Spread the Health News - Get all of the latest health news, submit your own, and vote them to the top at HealthRanker.com.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

The MJ Morning Show in Tampa and Helping Out

For the last few days I have been looking into trying some new group workouts. Working out with other people motivates me. Maybe it’s the football, military background…

I came across CrossFit, which seems to really kick peoples ass. There are a couple of CrossFit affiliates in the Tampa area that I have contacted, making arrangements to take my first class on Tuesday afternoon. Soreness and pain, here I come! I’ll let you know how I did ASAP. And by ASAP, I mean as soon as I can move my limbs without too much pain.

Have you drank the CrossFit Kool Aid or taken a sip? Let me know in the comments, please.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Thinking About Drinking the CrossFit Kool Aid

ZocDoc is a website that focuses on providing its visitors with the ability to find a dentist or doctor and then scheduling an appointment online for free.

ZocDoc Interview

1. What is ZocDoc?

If you’ve ever needed a doctor and didn’t know how to find one, or couldn’t find a good one, or couldn’t find one who would see you right away, then you already know why we created ZocDoc. We created it for you.

2. How can it help people with their health?

ZocDoc provides an online way for you to find and book appointments with doctors and dentists instantly. You can come to our website and with a few simple clicks, find a practitioner who accepts your insurance, and is in your neighborhood. You can also read reviews from previous ZocDoc patients and book appointments – for free!

3. What was the inspiration for the idea?

Our Cofounder and CEO Cyrus Massoumi thought of the idea for ZocDoc after rupturing his eardrum during a flight. He tried to find an ENT specialist, but outdated insurance websites and full schedules made him live in pain for 4 days before he could finally see a doctor. He knew there were available appointments, however he just couldn’t find them. So he came up with the idea for ZocDoc to make it easier for patients to access the care they need, when they need it.

4. What makes it stand out amongst similar sites/products?

Think about it: How do you find a doctor right now? Insurance website directories are a shot in the dark. There’s no way to know which doctors are good, or if office addresses and phone numbers are even accurate. Other online doctor directories don’t allow you to book appointments, and reviews on these sites can be entered by anyone, giving you no sense of trust.

5. What are you plans for the future?

ZocDoc fills a need that has been too great for too long. We provide accurate information on each practitioner, reviews from ZocDoc patients only, and the opportunity to book appointments, all in one place. Quick, convenient, and trustworthy, our first priority is always you.

More On ZocDoc

You can search for many dentists and doctors specialized in various fields of expertise. The searching process makes it convenient and relatively fast to find a doctor or dentist within a few minutes. The site states you can find just about any doctor or dentist within the New York area but you can search in other cities and states. They plan on expanding into more territories as demand dictates.

If there are no doctors in your area ZocDoc will encourage you to inform them of where they aren’t supported. This will cause ZocDoc to begin providing their services in your area in the future. Be sure to fill out the simple form that pops up when there is no doctors or dentists in your area. Doing so you will be opted in to be notified once they are supporting your area. In due time this site will support the United States nation wide. Right now they focus on New York, here are specific listings for Brooklyn Dentists. Do keep in mind however that ZocDoc is still currently in BETA stage, meaning it is still in testing. It functions perfectly for the most part so it performs a lot better than other usual beta sites.

Once a doctor or dentist is found in your area a list of them is displayed. Each professional has detailed information such as address, specialties, practice name, and insurances accepted listed. There is also a rating system so if the ratings are low then it is recommended that you do not deal with that person. Some new people will not have a rating.

Each doctor/dentist has a professional statement which gives you some idea about the person. They even show you the person’s educational background displaying the college and specialized institutions they graduated from. They also display the languages they can speak so if you have someone that only speaks Spanish you can refer them to a doctor or dentist who can speak Spanish making this detail convenient to people who’s first language is not English. This section also showcases certifications that have been achieved and professional memberships of specific associations. You can view patient reviews of each dentist or doctor on ZocDoc. If you’ve been a patient of any of these doctors or dentists you can post a review of them yourself to help others decide who would be best for them.

Convenience is key with ZocDoc so after you’ve found the perfect doctor or dentist that suits your needs you can then select your reason for visiting and the schedule will automatically change to the date times that are opened for that particular reason. Simply click on the time you wish to book an appointment and you will then be transferred to the verify details page. Just reconfirm everything such as the specialty, reason, and insurance details. If you are logged in you will then be booked. If not then you will need to either login or sign up for a new account. This process is free of charge so no worries of needing to pay to use these services.

Simply put, ZocDoc fills a need. It’s convenient and free. You can’t beat that. Visit ZocDoc.com today and let me know what you tihnk about it.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

ZocDoc Interview, Online Dentist and Doctor Appointment Booking

This is a question I have pondered for some time now. We all have different body types and some individuals are naturally more muscular while others are predisposed to be more rotund. So this fact got me thinking what if some of us are descendants of a cave man clan of fatties? Is the huskier portion of the world’s population actually an evolved version of an original group of fat prehistoric peoples? Perhaps this type of early human held on to extra body fat to preserve their own lives in times of food supply shortage.

One organ that is scientifically proven to have been utilized for internal food storage is the appendix. If the appendix served as a back up calorie source in times of need why wouldn’t fat storage as a whole be equally valuable? We have all heard the joke: “Hey, I may be fat but I’ll survive a food shortage!” I have used that line once, twice, or trice in my life time.

So can having extra fat keep you alive in a post apocalyptic nuclear crisis? I say yes! When Earth’s food crops are molecularly incinerated and the local Taco Bell is nothing but a pile of rubble sound filled sour cream fat folks will rule the Earth. I can definitely imagine a slow trekking group of chubby cave people. I think we better craft new depictions of what early man’s body looked like, less muscle more flab. Extra large on the Woolly Mammoth skin pimp trench coat please!



Extra FAT Facts:

Our genes determine the fat and muscle composition in our bodies. Genes and heredity even call the shots when it comes to where on our frame we carry fat. If your mom has a fat butt chances are you will have one. But I advise all male readers not to blame your mothers for your man boobs.

Extra FAT Facts:

Extra fat can serve as a shock absorber during weight training. Most competitive body builders hold on to body fat during intense training to help prevent joint injuries. Of course muscle heads eventually shed the excess fat and water weight the closer they get to contest day. Nevertheless fat and water can do wonders to keep you injury free during heavy lifts and mass building. Drink at least half a gallon of water before and after training. So take that skinny people!

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Is Being Fat in Our DNA?

So there I was, turning on Skype to see who was on. I was minding my business when I saw a buddy of mine who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. His name is Alejandro Reyes. I met him a while back online and we’ve been cool since. Flash back to about 2 months ago or so: I recall asking him about losing weight. He said he was planning on it, but it was sort of like a shrug off. So I left it alone.

Back to now and my Skype session. I visited his site and was pleased to see that he was starting on a weight loss journey, complete with videos, a new blog got posts, and enlisting as many people as he can to help steer him straight. I was ecstatic!!!

Alejandro is extremely motivated/motivating about everything. If you check out his videos you will see what I mean. I love stuff like this, especially when you put yourself out there in front of tons of people. Accountability man, it’’s such a motivator. He’s already been at it for a week and dropped 11 lbs. Is that motivation or what? I’m going to be honest here and say that he has restored something that has been missing in me for a while. I don’t know why but I’m re-inspired!!!

Check out his new weight loss motivation blog and welcome him to the community! He is doing some cool live streaming of his journey, so check his Losing Rocks Ustream channel too.

We all need as much help as we can get when it comes to dropping the weight.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Losing Rocks: Motivation and Inspiration

Race: X - Country Half Marathon, Alafai State Park, FL

Time: 1 hour 31 minutes and 40 seconds, 10th of 178

I was really pumped for this race, I had been training hard and running about 40 miles a week. I ate well the week prior to the race and had a solid training week. End result: worst half marathon ever by two minutes.

Everything started as planned race morning. I got up early , had my powerbar and, got to the race early. After paying to park (arghhh) I had to walk 1 mile to register which suddenly put me behind schedule and barely at the starting line on time. I took off well and was cruising until I realized there were no timing or mileage markers on the course. I figured I could live without these but apparently not.

Overall, I was not happy with the race for many reasons but I need to put the blame all on myself. For myself and others I recommend thorough research of the event you plan to attend. I also recommend a positive attitude which I know I did not have once at the starting line.

Physically I felt fine but mentally I was not there. I took some days off after the race and did some reflecting and am back in the full swing of training with another half coming right up. I got down on myself but know I would be even angrier in the future if I do not achieve my goals of besting my half marathon time and completing a full marathon.

Oh yah, I also am growing the beard back so I can be a badass like Chuck Norris!

–

“Prefontaine” is a Team Fat Man sponsored athlete based out of Tampa, Florida. To learn more or join the team, visit TeamFatMan.com

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

X - Country Half Marathon, Alafai State Park, FL

Fact: Vitamin A is good for your eyesight. It contains retinoid, a group of compounds that has been proven to have a positive effect on vision, bone growth, and cell division amongst other things. Found in many vegetables and dairy products, Vitamin A is also referred to as anti-infective, because it strengthens the body’s immune system. And if your body is left without Vitamin A you may experience vision problems.

Carrots are perhaps the first primary product that comes to mind when talking about foods that are good for your eyesight. Containing significant amounts of Vitamin A, the foodstuffs below all have a positive effect on your eyesight:

• carrots

• lettuce

• pepper

• sweet potatoes

• pumpkin

• grapefruit

• apricot

• broccoli

• cantaloupes

• winter squashes

• fish

• egg

• liver

• milk

• butter

Why Vitamin A is important for eyesight

Retinol is the form of Vitamin A that plays an important role in your current and future vision. Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin, closely related to the retinoid family and is furthermore required for the body’s production of rhodopsin, a visual pigment of the retina.

The retina is the light-sensitive part of the eye’s inner layer. Ingesting Vitamin A thus has a rather direct chemical effect on our eyes. Without it, rhodopsin cannot be produced for the retina and our eye’s ability to absorb light will decrease. That is why a lack of Vitamin A often leads to a worsened state of your vision.

Can you lose your eyesight without Vitamin A?

By eating regularly and keeping a healthy diet, you will consume your daily need of Vitamin A. Most of the listed products above are part of our daily food ingestion. However, if you do not eat fruits, vegetables and the occasional fish, lack of vitamins may lead to:

• Nyctalopia - night blindness, due to insufficiencies in the eye’s rhodopsin production for the eye.

• Lowered immune system - without Vitamin A the body’s immune system is weakened increasing the risk of infections and viruses.

In conclusion, Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyesight. But vision deficiency may also be caused by other factors, so getting your eyes checked regularly is strongly advised. An eye examination by a licensed eye doctor will determine the state of your current eyesight and whether or not you will need glasses or contact lenses while consuming your daily dose of Vitamin A.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Vitamins for Eyesight

As you may already know, it’s Thanksgiving today in the USA. For some it’s a time to share thanks with your friends and family, for some it’s a time to enjoy each others company, but for some like me, it’s a time to eat and then eat some more.

I love eating. That is why I’ve had problems with my weight. Even when I was in the best shape of my life I ate a lot. Food tastes good. Especially my grand ma’s cooking. She has that special touch that you acquire from years of cooking from memory. While I won’t be with her this year, I will definitely be thinking of her food. This year we are driving up to Fort Lauderdale to spend the next couple of days with friends. I sure hope that they can cook!

What’s my plan for eating this Thanksgiving? My plan is to eat until I don’t want to anymore. It’s simple. I keep reading about how you should not eat this or not eat that on Thanksgiving.

Eat whatever you want. Just today, not tomorrow, not the day after. Take today and let it be your cheat day. Once it’s over you get back on track with your exercise and proper eating. It’s worked for me in the past and I plan on doing the same.

There was one Thanksgiving when I hadn’t eaten all day (I was saving up for the feast later that night). By the time dinner came around I could barely eat half the plate. I was so pissed! The food was especially good that night and I was there all full.



So let’s recap:

1. Eat whatever you want, TODAY. Don’t think too much about proteins, carbs, calories, processed, unprocessed…just eat and relax. It’s your cheat day.

2. Tomorrow you get back on track. Remember, today is your cheat day. This is your one day of the week, or month, to let loose and feast. Unleash that beast within!

3. Done. Gobble, gobble.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Thanksgiving Binging…Get Over It!

Time is of the essence. A cliche for sure, but oh so true. Not having the time to workout is one of the most common excuses people use to let their fitness levels deteriorate. The five workouts that follow will not only crank your metabolism into a fat burning furnace, but they can also be done in 8 minutes or less. Some of them much less.

1. Tabata Sprints - Find a track or a long straight road. Run as fast as you can for 20 seconds. And I mean HAUL ASS! Walk for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 times. You might want to arrange for a ride home from this one. I’m serious. If you do this with maximum effort you should be seeing stars and begging for mercy. Total time: 4 minutes.

2. Burpee - Push Up Opposing Ladders: Do 9 burpees, then do 1 push up. Do 8 burpees, then do 2 push ups. Do 7 burpees, then do 3 push ups. You get the picture. Continue until you complete burpees 9 through 1 and push ups 1 through 9. Do not underestimate this one. It’s a BITCH! Total time: 5 - 8 minutes depending on fitness level. Reduce the number of repetitions as needed according to your current state of fitness.

3. Deadlift - Box Jump: Load a bar with 60% of your current 1 rep max on the deadlift. Deadlift for 10 repetitions, then immediately hit a 20 inch plyo box for 20 box jumps. Repeat the cycle three times. Total time 4 - 8 minutes. Your legs will love you for this one.

4. Squat - Pull Up: Load a bar with 60% of your current 1 rep max on the back squat. Squat for 10 repetitions, then immediately hit the pull up bar for maximum repetitions. Kip your ass off on the pull ups if you want. Repeat for 3 - 5 sets with little or no rest between sets depending on fitness level and time available. Total time 5 - 8 minutes.

5. Power Clean and Press - Load the bar with a weight you can use for about 12 repetitions until muscle failure. Perform as many reps as possible in 8 minutes. Rest as needed but work as hard as you can for the 8 minutes. Record your number of repetitions and try to increase the reps in 3 - 5 weeks.

Don’t have enough time to work out? Lame. You can get a great workout in during the time it takes to watch the commercials for your favorite reality TV show. Kick the “no time” excuse to the curb and get started today with one of the 5 kick-ass fat burning workouts that can be done in under 8 minutes.

Train Hard!

Editor’s note: This is a guest article by Vic from Gym Junkies. Gym Junkies is a hard core, intense method of training. They provide videos, iPod workouts, and great articles.

How To Lose Weight Like A Pro

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

5 Kick-Ass Workouts That Can Be Done In Under 8 Minutes

“Snacking” is a term which many people love to hate. It’s normally used to describe the hunger binges that many people (including the strictest of dieters) indulge in, and is something that has been seriously misinterpreted over the years. Heavily influenced by the media and reinforced by pushy diet groups, snacking has quickly become a taboo in our society because of the “unhealthy stereotype” that it’s been tarred with. Because of this, hundreds of thousands of people are inadvertently ruining their metabolisms – and chances to lose weight – by not snacking.

Today, I’m going to lay down the truth about snacking so that you can finally free yourself from the mid-morning, mid-afternoon and night-time hunger pangs that haunt every single one of us.

You see, snacking isn’t this “monster” that needs to be avoided. It’s a gentle, caring creature which you can use to your advantage. Because your body digests complete meals every 3-4 hours, you start to feel hungry every 3-4 hours… This means that if you had your breakfast at 7:00AM, you’re going to start to get pretty hungry around 10:00-11:00AM. Likewise with lunch – if you have it at noon, you’re going to start getting hungry again at 3:00-4:00PM

Because of the way we’ve evolved, our bodies NEED food every 3-4 hours otherwise they start to break down stored fat – and that slows down your metabolism. Although this might seem like a good thing, believe me when I say that a slow metabolism is the LAST thing you want, especially if you’re trying to lose weight… It means that in the long run, MORE of your food will be stored as fat and it will be HARDER to burn that fat off.

To combat this inescapable problem, we’ve got to resort to snacking. However, regardless of all the horror stories you’ve heard, to keep your figure and metabolism in check, you just need to keep your stomach “topped up” with simple, healthy snacks.

By eating small, healthy portions of food, you will give your body the fuel it needs to keep on ticking over until the next meal. Your metabolism will remain fast because it thinks you’ve got plenty of food to last a long time and you will be able to concentrate and enjoy your day more!

Some of the most popular diets in the world actually get you to eat smaller meals but 4-6 of them a day… just to boost your metabolism. You can mimic these diets by eating healthy snacks when you feel hungry.

But what food can you snack on without the guilt of over-indulgence?

Put simply, you’ve got to keep your snacks as filling but healthy as possible. Typical examples of great healthy snacks include all types of fruit (and anything with a lot of fiber in) and smoothies.

You can get away with almost anything as long as you keep your consumption of it to a bare minimum, just to keep your stomach ticking over.

Editor’s note: This is a guest article by Richard Peck, an Internet author and fitness fanatic. His latest project, 100 Calorie Snacks, is proving to be extremely popular as it shows people how to make delicious, healthy snacks which are all under 100 calories.

*Photo Courtesy of s2art

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This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

The Truth About Snacking

Want to get in some simple exercise that has great benefits? I have a solution for you…go for walks during your lunch break. It’s way better then sitting around eating. All you have to do is pack some sneakers, or comfortable footwear, and schedule a walk for your lunch hour.

The AARP has a list of benefits that walking provides. Obviously, it is a great way to get in some cardio while enjoying yourself. You can even set up lunch break walking groups with your co-workers. Supporting each other while tackling your health. That’s a cool initiative!

It doesn’t necessarily need to be your lunch break. Maybe it’s the last 15 minutes of your day, or the first 25 minutes. Or maybe it’s right after you get home from work where you go for a walk with your entire family. There really aren’t too many limitations. Just be creative and think up ways to walk. The key take-away here is to walk, no matter when you do it. Just walk. Make it a habit and you will start seeing, and feeling, the benefits.

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This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Walking For Lunch, or Any Other Down Time You Have

How Do I Find The Right Gym?

If you’re in the market for a gym membership, there are plenty of details and amenities that may help boost your motivation and success. Today, fitness facilities aim to provide individuals with unique and wide-ranging services, from group fitness classes to child care support, you should check out the specifics before signing any gym contract. Below is a list of questions to pose when you are seeking a new gym membership.

What Specific Details Should I Look For?

When investigating gyms, consumers should always check for 8 details. When investigating these details, consumers can also ask a gym employee or salesperson specific questions to provide further insight and information.

Location - Is the location convenient to your home or place of work? Will the location be convenient to access during rush hour traffic?

Cost - Can you afford the cost of the membership? Are there any promotions? Are there any added membership fees or sign up fees? Can you pay the full year’s membership up front for an added discount?

Hours - What time of day do you like to work out? Do the gym hours accommodate your workout preferences? What hours are the busiest times

Equipment - Does the equipment suit your needs? Are there both cardio and weight machines? Are there free-weights? Is there enough space in the workout area to comfortably exercise and utilize the equipment?

Group Fitness - Are group fitness classes available? What are the types of classes and times of classes? Is there an added charge for group fitness? Who are the instructors, and are they certified and professionally licensed?

Amenities - Are there childcare services, and is there an added cost? Are there towels and personal care items included in the membership? Are there spa services included? Is there a pool and/or Jacuzzi and sauna available? Does the gym provide personal training services?

Staff - Do the instructors and trainers seem qualified? Are staff members licensed and professional? Are staff members friendly and welcoming?

Atmosphere - Is the gym more family oriented or adult professional oriented? (In other words, do you personally prefer a gym that incorporates child care and children’s activities, or do you prefer a gym that caters only to adults?) Is the atmosphere friendly and social, or is it quiet and reserved? Does the gym promote any social functions, such as community races or holiday gatherings? (Many gyms are involved in the extended community, which some potential members may prefer and enjoy).

Before Signing the Contract

Ultimately, before signing your gym contract, try to find out if the gym offers a free trial pass, or a free guest pass. Oftentimes gyms will allow potential members to test out the facilities before signing up. If this is an option, you’ll be able to personally assess the quality of the facility. Adding to this, try to speak with fellow-members before joining the gym; find out what their insight is about the pros and cons, so you’ll be able to make a more informed and educated decision.

Have anything to add? Leave a comment!

Editor’s note: This is a guest article from Zane. He runs a website called Best Diet Pills that provides consumers with no b.s. reviews of diets and diet pills.

*Photo Courtesy of djwhelan

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

How Do I Find The Right Gym?

So, you need to lose a few pounds, eh? Well don’t we all, luckily managing that extra something on your stomach doesn’t have to be too much trouble by following a few careful but important steps.

1. No more late eating. Seriously. Try to keep yourself from consuming foods or sweats past 9 p.m. or four hours before bedtime. This is crucial to maintaining a healthy metabolism and not allowing your body to store the extra food overnight as fat.


2. Set some realistic goals. Losing 10 pounds in one week is not only unrealistic, but darn right unhealthy. If you fail to achieve your goals there are only so many times you will want to get back up; so do yourself a favor and set goals that are easily attained. Start out with two pounds in the first week and work up from there.


3. Take before and after photos. Ouch, nobody likes to see themselves in a photo with their shirt off and their chunk hanging around, however, I bet if you saw it, you would get off that computer seat and start doing some push ups. By documenting your progress by photos, you can actually see the results more clearly, giving you motivation. So get on it, tubby! I did it with my weight loss pictures.


4. Stop comparing yourself to others. So what if Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are stick thin! Every body is different and by now you probably know if you have a slow or fast metabolism, if your weight goes to your hips or thighs, and what your favorite binge food is (sugar cereal anyone?). Keep your goal in sight and do not be discouraged if someone is showing better weight loss than you are.


5. Monitor your calories. When I followed a strict regimen of counting my calories during the course of a week I realized something, I was eating way more calories than I thought. By keeping tabs on what you eat and counting the calories each night you will be shocked and just how much food you consume in a day. This is an easy, fun and eye opening effective way at cleaning up your bad diet. Try counting the amount of protein, fat, and carbs you consume too.

Remember that everybody has a different body and different goal in mind. Remember to stay on task and to be consistent, consistent, consistent. By following a strict regimen of exercise and diet using these five simple tips, you will see a drastic change in your health, mentally and physically.

A bonus tip is to drink green tea. It’s does a body good! Just make sure you get the good, all natural kind.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Weight Loss in 5 Important Steps, Be Consistent

This is the first of many Team Fat Man athlete contributed articles. Prefontaine, the first Team Fat Man athlete ever, ran a great race and finished in 12th place out of over 400 runners. Entering a race is big enough, but finishing so high (or finishing at all) is amazing. Congrats Prefontaine! You made Team Fat Man proud and that medal is pretty sweet too (he finished first in his age group)! Woop, woop! Boston here we come.

Race 1- Rattlesnake Run, Saint Antonio, FL 5 Miles, 30mins 57secs, 12th out of 408

By Prefontaine, Tampa, FL

Ran my first race in about 18 months this past Saturday, and wow. I think I was more nervous the prior night and ten minutes before the race began. Not only was I nervous my heart probably beat three times faster at the starting line than any point in the race.

My preparation has consisted of running on a regular basis, five to six times a week, and keeping a solid but not restricted diet. In training I try to keep in line with the norm: distance, speed, legs, endurance, etc. However, when eating I am not as stringent and follow a rule of my mom: eat what your body wants. Sometimes it’s fruit, sometimes it’s beer and pretzels; you’re body is the best diet indicator.

Overall, I was happy with my race but thought I had two areas for improvement.

One, be more diet conscious the day before the race. I ate one of my regular breakfast bars that is very fibrous, and I definitely felt it before the race. Port-a-potty to the rescue!!

Second, the race was at 8 am and I do not like getting up early, plus the race was 30 miles away and I still had to register. Next race I’m pre-registering.

Coming up I’ve got two half marathons and then the full in March, maybe more depending on how I feel. Some things I will be doing to stay focused through March include tracking my results, listening to the iPod, keeping others involved for motivation, setting regular difficult but attainable goals, having fun, and possibly join a running group.

–

“Prefontaine” is a Team Fat Man sponsored athlete based out of Tampa, Florida. To learn more or join the team, visit TeamFatMan.com

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Team Fat Man’s Prefontaine Wins a Medal…Boom!

I was asked to make a video explaining what motivated me to start blogging about my health. It’s pretty simple really so I grabbed the video camera and made a quick video to blog it up. Enjoy! What motivates you?

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

What Motivated Me to Blog About My Health

This is a guest article written by Dr. Michael A. Snyder, MD, FACS, creator of FullBar.

The major barrier to weight loss is accepting the need to change your diet, behaviors, AND relationship with food. These changes require a commitment. And, all of us know that commitments are very difficult!!

In life, there are very few life transforming commitments that “stick”– some examples: deciding to have kids, getting married, moving across country for a job. These are big changes that have major life ramifications. And, even these sometimes do not work out because of our inability to keep up the commitment. So, how do we expect to ever get our head around the realities of having a successful weight loss experience?

First of all, you have to have a good reason to lose weight. A good reason to change your life. Saying “I want to lose 10 lbs.” or “I want to wear that little black dress” or “I want to look hot for the lady in the office next door” may not be good enough reasons to change your life. Really focus on WHY it is important to you to lose weight. If the reason is not important enough for you, you are not ready to change.

Secondly, realize what has not worked in the past. The often repeated saying bears repeating again: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result!” It is crazy to think that the strategy that has failed you a million times will “work this time.” It won’t. You need something else. Time to investigate what may really work for you. You use tools for so many parts of your life that you do effectively– e-mail and cell phones to communicate, internet to research, cars to get where you are going, etc. Tools are critical to your success in so many arenas. Why do you think that you will not need such “help” with your weight loss efforts?

Third, all diet programs expect BIG changes to get big results. And, you have clearly found that they are not sustainable. Take the Atkins Diet, for example. It is easy to lose some weight with severe carbohydrate restrictions. But, when I did it I literally dreamed of having a banana. I had to white-knuckle it through every carbohydrate temptations. And, as expected, I ultimately let my restraint fade away. I bet many of you had the same experience. Test out different strategies. (I can give more suggestions if you so desire.) Do not make big changes that will fail. Make small, “do-able” changes. And, over time, the results will be great.

Weight loss can ONLY come when you have mastered these 3 steps. And, as you may have noticed, all require you to prepare your mind. I did not ask you to buy anything, join any health club or get on any program. It is your mind that has allowed you to become defeated in the past, but it is your mind that will help you win the fight.

Be honest with yourself. Do not try to be superhuman. You will fail if you “change everything.” All I ask is that you realize that you are human and have limits to the severity of what you can do and sustain. If all you learn is this and, if this allows you to avoid the dreadful spiral of disappointment and failure that most of the weight loss programs force upon you, then you are way ahead of where you started this weight loss journey. And, now you can be realistic and successful.

I realize that this is just the first set of steps in the process. But, when done successfully, it is the only way to succeed. Keep me posted. I trust that you can do this!!

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Explaining the ‘Mental’ Side of Weight-Loss

Runner’s Hangout is a community focused on people who like to run or get started in running. There are useful links to check out other running web sites. They even have a supplements link to purchase different types of herbal supplements to aid you in your running. Keep in mind that this community website is still very new. On the other hand, they already have over 300 members. So if you like small communities where you can actually get to know someone, which is harder in larger communities, then this is the perfect place for you.

There is a Running & Training section filled with various tips and training methods. Many members are running in races and encourage others to join races and post their results for added support. There are threads that even discuss gym routines and cardio training. Let’s say you have a question on your hurdling form, fellow members will try their best to help you perfect your form with detailed information and tips. Got a marathon to train for? There are number of interesting and helpful posts you can find by either using the search feature or just browse through the thread pages.

The Health & Nutrition section is dedicated to becoming or staying healthy for your running. You can find various posts concerning nutrition. You can find vitamin supplements that others recommend as well as different foods and drinks you could apply to your diet. Some members also share informative articles with everyone and give recommendations on what your diet should consist of in preparation for races.

Should you decide to sign up and join this community be sure to stop by the Introduction section and make a quick post there. Everyone is pretty friendly so they will be sure to give you a warm welcome. There are members from all over the world at Runner’s Hangout so you will be able to get a wide variety of tips and support. Be aware however that it sometimes takes time to get replies, so just be patient.

Be sure to check out the Hangout section when you are done discussing and reading anything running related. It’s a place to mingle with people and share each other’s interests like sports, music, etc. It’s a good getaway from the more serious threads that mostly concern running and training. Runner’s Hangout occasionally hosts random cash giveaways so be sure to check the forum sections regularly for that. They recently had a random drawing in August which they gave away two $20 gift cards to random members that entered just by replying to the thread.

Registration is free so no worries of buying anything. You can visit Runner’s Hangout today and become a part of the community at no cost. Also if you are someone that is new to running or interested in getting involved then this is a good start for you. Free information and support is what you can expect from Runner’s Hangout.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Runner’s Hangout - A Running Discussion Forum

Editor’s note: This is a guest article from Zane. He runs a website called Best Diet Pills that provides consumers with no b.s. reviews of diets and diet pills.

Weight Lifting for Weight Loss, Fitness and Health

In addition to cardiovascular exercise activities, research reveals that weight lifting will also provide individuals with added weight loss and health benefits. According to research, weight lifting exercises not only boost the body’s muscle tone and strength, but they are also shown to increase the body’s metabolism, fat burning abilities, and energy levels.

Benefits of Weight Lifting

Metabolism

One of the key benefits of weight lifting comes from the fact that weight lifting increases the body’s metabolism. The metabolism is essentially the body’s ability to burn calories; therefore, the faster your metabolism is, the faster you can burn food and ultimately avoid weight gain. Essentially, your metabolism is boosted when lifting weights since the increased muscle fibers burn off calories more efficiently and effectively. Therefore, by lifting weights regularly, individuals are able to teach their bodies and metabolisms to process food more efficiently.

Lean Muscle Tissue

Weight lifting provides benefits for both men and women, although the body’s ability to increase muscle mass varies between the two sexes. Essentially, women’s weight lifting activities will increase the body’s appearance of tone, while also boosting the body’s strength and abilities. On the other hand, men’s weight lifting activities will actually increase the size of various muscle groups; therefore, both men and women benefit, yet only men are able to significantly bulk up from weight lifting activities. Also, lean muscle tissue is where the bulk of calories are burned when being processed, so individuals who begin a weight lifting regimen early on in life often lose about ½ to ¾ of a pound more than non-weight lifters each year.

Improved Aging Abilities

As humans age, the body naturally slows down, as the metabolic rate also slows its processes. As a result, it is common and normal for humans to gain relatively small amounts of weight each year as they gain. By lifting weights, however, dieters are able to prevent this weight gain, as the muscle tissues and fibers promote weight loss at every age throughout one’s lifetime.

Why Dieting Alone May Not Work

• By dieting alone, without exercise, the body begins to burn muscle stores; therefore, while individuals may experience weight loss, nearly 25% of the amount lost may come from muscle tissue and fibers.


• Exercise and weight lifting boost metabolic levels; therefore, dieting alone can actually hinder the body’s ability to efficiently and effectively burn fat and calories from one’s diet.


• Even cardiovascular activities have been shown to not completely boost one’s metabolic rate. Traditionally, cardio exercises include activities such as running, jogging, walking, etc. These activities are effective calorie-burning exercises, but only increased muscle can effectively boost one’s metabolic rate.

How to Begin Weight Lifting

Individuals interested in weight lifting can take advantage of various fitness opportunities, such as:

• Attending weight lifting / muscle building group fitness courses.


• Joining a gym with various weight equipment machines to help provide support and guidance.


• Hiring a personal trainer who can guide an individual through specific and effective exercises.

Add weight lifting to your workouts today, if you haven’t already!

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Weight Lifting for Weight Loss, Fitness and Health