Amazing Lower Abs Training

Hi!

Do you know what April is?

If you guessed "Ab Workout Month" at Turbulence Training,
you were right!

Men's Health expert and Oxygen magazine advisor Craig
Ballantyne just released his exclusive new Turbulence
Training for Amazing Lower Abs Workout.

It's what we ALL want. And need. Just in time for the
final few weeks before summer unofficially kicks off
with Memorial Day.

Will your stomach be flat and ready for belly-shirts,
tank tops, and bathing suits?

I know it will be if you use his latest program that
not only works your lower abs with fun, challenging
lower ab exercises, but
it also
is PROVEN to burn lower belly fat.

BUT...

Here's the deal.

You have to take action immediately. When you get started
with Turbulence Training, you'll get access to TWO
killer ab workouts,
including his latest workout, Turbulence Training for
Amazing Lower Abs.

However, this program is ONLY available for a limited
time. You MUST
act immediately, because the TT for Amazing Lower Abs
program will
be removed at the end of April.

You'll find these two ab workouts in Craig's TT membership
section.
(You get 3 months bonus access to the membership section
when you get started with Turbulence Training.)

Plus, in the member's area, you can access his brand new
forums and have your #1 fat loss questions answered.

You'll also read Craig's
interrogations of other fat loss experts, download Craig's
weight loss teleseminars to listen to anytime and anywhere,
and learn insider secrets from other Turbulence Training
success stories.

But perhaps most importantly, you'll benefit from the
#1 factor overlooked in fat loss programs today,
"The power of social
support" - It really is the secret to your fat burning
success.

Get started today at www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Sincerely,
Brian Morgan CSCS

PS - Don't wait!

Summer is getting closer and this amazing deal is only
available for
a short time. Get started on flattening your lower abs
today!

Do Supplements Help You Lose Fat?

You've probably heard all the "too good to be true" claims from the different supplement manufacturers. As a trainer and fitness enthusiast, I've tried several over the years - some that make a little difference and others that didn't.

You should be wary of any supplement that tells you that you can lose weight just by taking their pills and not exercising. There have been a few stimulants that have worked for some people to help accelerate fat loss, but not for others.

Often, these stimulants leave you jittery and anxious, and are not always healthy for you. Trying to lose weight without exercising is an uphill battle. Very few can do it and keep it off long term.

I have been training fairly intensely the last couple of months. After many injuries that kept me from training consistently for several years, I am back to where I want to be with my workouts. Much of the reason for that is all the joint mobility training I have done the last few years.

But that is a story I will share with you another time.

I've been combining sled pushing, bodyweight exercises, kettlebells and sandbag exercises for some really demanding workouts. Using multiple muscles and joints in all my exercises creates a greater stimulus for change than if I were doing bodypart isolation exercises.

This is especially true if your primary goal is fat loss.

A highly respected trainer became involved with a new supplement that is supposed to increase your lean muscle tissue, burn fat, help you sleep better and help fight the aging process. In checking it out, it seemed almost too good to be true.

Having been in the same seminar with this trainer, I knew he wasn't the typical flashy, salesman type, so I did some reading and decided to give it a try. I figured if it was only half as good as they said, it would still be worth it.

After two and a half weeks, I can see a difference in my physique and feel stronger. Its no miracle pill..... I'm still training my butt off, but I haven't made any other changes in my diet and its the only thing I'm taking right now. Its helping me recover faster and sleep better.

At 42, I feel no different than I did in my twenties, but don't recover quite as quickly from exercising, so this supplement has definitely been worth while. By Summer time, I should be in great shape at this rate - probably the best shape in years!

I'll be the first to say that my diet isn't as good as it could be. So if you have trouble changing your eating habits, but have no problem with the training aspect, this might be the answer. Stay tuned as I share more about this all natural product and show some of my progress pictures.

If you would like more information, go to www.Stemulite.com.

Fat Loss for Busy Moms

I attended a fitness seminar a few months back and women's personal trainer Holly Rigsby was in attendance and also spoke during one of the sessions.

She is getting great results with busy moms who have limited amounts of time to exercise. Having seen her in person, I can say that she practices what she preaches.

Check out what she has to say:


Fitness Faux Pas: what NOT to do

By Holly Rigsby CPT
FitYummyMummy.com

Listen up Ladies– Just like the popular fashion show on TLC " What NOT
to Wear'" you are about to get a large dose of "What NOT to Do" if
your goal is to boost your metabolism, shed fat and achieve results in
the shortest time possible.

Is this you? Get ready, because I am about to call you out on the Top
3 Mistakes you are making that can destroy your metabolism, zap your
energy and keep your body soft and flabby.

Hours of Cardio?

Cardio is not the end-all be-all solution to fat loss. Working longer
and harder will not help you lose fat – in fact it can make you store
more fat! We have gotten hung up on the notion of "calories burned".
This causes us to obsessively look for ways to increase calorie burn
in the hopes that we are also burning more fat. Unfortunately you are
only risking the loss of muscle and receive little to no increase in
your metabolism once you stop.

Besides, why would you want to torture yourself with the unnerving
thoughts of minutes needed to burn fat. What if you miss a day or eat
too much? My buddy Craig Ballantyne refers to this punishment as the
"Cardio Confessional". We've all done it, but what results has this
habit rendered?

It's not how many calories you can burn per exercise, but how many
calories you burn 24-7. You already possess the most powerful fat
burner – your muscle! So why punish yourself and risk the loss of your
fat burning potential? Toss the notion of long bouts of cardio out the
window. INTENSITY is the KEY to getting the most out of your cardio in
the least amount of time. So revamp your cardio program with new,
energizing short burst intervals!

Target the Trouble Spots?

Jennifer Garner's toned arms and Fergie's fab abs are not created by
some "magic:" exercise that mysteriously melts fat off a particular
area of the body. It is time to banish the "Spot Reduction Myth" once
and for all.

There simply is no "one" exercise that acts like a "magic eraser" to
rid your body parts of unsightly fat. That's not how the body works.
If you want to loose fat, you instead need to challenge all of the
muscles in your body to boost your metabolism, so you lose fat all
over.

When it comes to fat loss, isolated, shaping exercises are a waste of
your time. Just because you "feel the burn" does not mean you ARE
burning the fat. One of the most effective ways in which to maximize
your fat-burning potential is through full body, short burst
resistance training. By working several muscle groups at once, short
burst resistance training saves time, skyrockets your energy levels
and incinerates fat and calories.

Resistant to Resistance Training?

"I don't want to bulk up, I just want to get toned"

Let's think about what you are saying here. Toned, simply means you
have shed the fat that once covered your muscles – so we can see your
muscle definition. Muscle gives your body a lean, tight shape.

No you will not bulk up like a man. Women simply do not have enough
testosterone to get "bulky" nor, typically do they spend enough time
with weights to look anything other than lean, toned and firm. The
only reason some women feel like they look bulky is because they have
excess body fat while building muscle, but are not eating in a way
that supports fat loss.

Plus, muscle takes up less space than fat. The quickest way to drop a
jean size is to incorporate short burst resistance training into your
fitness routine.

If muscle makes you cringe, then you need to get used to a thin, soft,
flabby body. For lean, toned, fit bodies have low body fat and a lot
of lean muscle.

Instead of working hours on end month after month for little if any
results, try eliminating these fitness faux pas from your program and
start letting your body work for you to achieve your fat loss goals.


Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America's #1 Fat Loss Expert for Busy Moms and
the author of www.FitYummyMummy.com . Holly has also worked with over
300 Mom's to help them lose the stubborn baby fat and get their
pre-baby body back.

Intense Home Workouts

Recently, I purchased some sandbags from Coach Josh Henkin. Sandbag training is sometimes considered a form of "underground training" as they aren't typically found in a healthclub.

If you are looking to burn fat and get in great shape at home, sandbags are a great tool.

I'll be starting some fitness bootcamp classes here shortly and wanted to include the sandbags with sled training, bodyweight exercises, and resistance bands. Again, this can easily be done at home, in your garage or at a local park.

These types of exercises involve multiple muscles, which burns more calories than isolation exercises. Since these exercises are also more athletic in nature, they appeal to us former athletes.

You can do numerous movements with sandbags, all of which work your core for a more efficient fat burning workout. The bags that Josh sells have several different handles for different movements.

One of the benefits comes from the increased core stability. The sand in the bags tend to shift when you lift them. This creates an increased activity in your abs and low back. Added strength and stability in these muscles is always a good thing.

Many years ago, my Summer job was doing concrete construction as an unskilled laborer. This meant plenty of time shoveling dirt and pushing wheelbarrows. Sometimes these wheelbarrows were loaded with wet concrete. Unlike dirt, wet concrete shifts all over the place when you move it.

This created additional stress on my core and I can proudly say that I was the only one of the crew that had never dumped a load of wet concrete while pushing it over rough construction terrain. The shifting load of the sandbag creates a similar effect on your core musculature.

I also occasionally use kettlebells in my workouts. Coach Henkin believes that sandbags are easier for the average person to learn than kettlebells. The technique requirements aren't quite as strict.

Here's an example of substituting dumbbell swings and sandbag swings for the kettlebell.


For more information on this type of training for home fat loss, check out Josh's site Sandbagexercises.com

You Can't Lose Fat Overnight

Many times I hear people ask about losing fat overnight or how long it will take to start losing weight. The answer is pretty straight forward and common sense, really. You didn't put it on overnight and you can't take it off overnight.

But... some exercise methods are more effective than others, so if you are in a hurry I'll give you the proper information. If you are looking for accelerated fat loss than interval strength training is your best bet.

You would do exercises that use multiple muscles, such as presses (pushups) and pulls (chinups), and lower body exercises such as squats and lunges.

By combining these exercises in the same workout with little rest in between, you can boost your metabolism and burn more calories after you are done exercising.

Using several muscles in an exercise done with adequate intensity, will burn far more calories than doing isolation exercises like biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, leg extensions, etc.

I remember one of my clients asking me on the start of our third week of training, when would she start seeing results. Trying not to laugh, I told her in a few more weeks she should start noticing a difference. She had been a college student for the last 4 years and not exercised the entire time.

In that kind of situation, results don't happen overnight and also require a change in eating for optimal results. Just because celebrity X gets a personal trainer for a movie role and gets in fantastic shape, everyone thinks having a personal trainer is all they have to do.

For one, most "out of shape" celebrities are still in much better shape than the average person.
They usually have great genetics also.

There's no substitute for hard work. Whether at the gym or at home, intense workouts are needed to lose fat. If you haven't exercised consistently for a while, you will have to ease in to it, gradually increasing your intensity as your body adapts.

If you have been doing cardio or other workouts and not seeing the desired results, interval training may be the answer you are looking for. Interval strength training combined with interval cardio routines will get the best results.

When you first start working out, you will see rapid strength gains as you are able to lift more weight. After a while, these strength gains start to slow down.

Then you would decrease the amount of rest in between sets to give your body a new stimulus. This is where you will also see optimal fat loss.

This type of program can be done with bodyweight exercises and dumbbells, making for a simple, but effective home fat loss workout - the ideal workout for busy people. Craig Ballantyne's patented Turbulence Training for Fat Loss would be an excellent program, featuring workouts for different levels of exercisers, as well as a top nutrition program.


Click here to learn more about Turbulence Training.

Why Cardio Doesn't Work for Fat Loss

If you have been doing loads of cardio exercise but still carry excess bodyfat, you might find this article interesting. I talked briefly with two women this weekend who are in training for a marathon.

One of them had just recently completed a run of nearly 20 miles! While she definitely has good cardiovascular fitness to accomplish this, her bodyfat levels were not what you might expect from this type of training. This article might help explain this phenomenon.

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it should work
so perfectly well for all men and women, but as anyone who has
tried it knows, the practicality of it just doesn't add up.

After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the other hand, it works just fine for others.

British researchers wanted to get more insight into this paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who weren't previously exercising.

(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).

Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That's a lot of
exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average of 8.2 pounds, which is great - I was positively surprised by the results.

So cardio will work for some people, however, in my experience, it works best in young men, who need the help the least!

Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between individuals was huge. Check this out...

The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks, while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.

The scientists think they know where things went sour. They
classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the "Compensators"
and the "Non-compensators".

The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio efforts.

Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge "compensatory" increase in appetite experienced by this group.

Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it does,
research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.

So if your cardio program is not working for you, check your
appetite and calorie intake to see if you are "compensating" for
your efforts. If you are, you might be better off using a program
of high-intensity resistance and interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your weight loss efforts.

As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research,
interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. And
increased catecholamines can reduce appetite, among other fat-
burning benefits.

In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks of
cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of 8 pounds with aerobic exercise.

So again, check your appetite, and consider giving high-intensity
exercise a go for your next workout program.

Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity Turbulence Training.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Learn about the "Dark Side of Cardio" in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. Craig is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Eating for Fat Loss

When trying to lose fat, changing your eating habits is a big part of your success. In some cases, its about eating less calories and also getting away from highly processed foods and avoiding sugar .....aka high fructose corn syrup (which is seemingly added to everything).

You've probably heard about eating small, frequent meals to keep your "furnace" constantly burning. Well let me tell 'ya, that requires a lot of planning and taking food or meal replacements with you. Not always easy or convenient.

I'll be the first to say that my eating habits aren't always what they could be. I love to train and that's not a problem for me. I've had more than my share of injuries but am very healthy and training intensely at the moment. I talked about doing some sled training for fat loss recently.

Believe me, that sled is kicking my butt, literally! I enjoy working hard and for me its not so much a workout as it is "training." I realize that this puts me in the minority, as most people see working out as something they have to do, but don't necessarily enjoy.

So if you need a little extra help with your eating program, you might consider the Eat_Stop_Eat system developed by nutritionist Brad Pilon. It makes use of short-term fasting in order to help burn fat. I had done a similar program called the Warrior Diet a few years back, but think this new program might be easier for most people.

This eating plan allows you to keep eating your favorite foods, just not at certain times. Giving up "comfort" foods can be difficult for many people, but this allows you to eat what you want when not doing the short-term fasting. I've tried it a few times and you can see it working.

Right now, the intense sled workouts allow me to eat what I want, but if you aren't using such an intense form of training or need some extra help losing weight, you might consider Eat_Stop_Eat. I've heard other success stories with this eating plan, such as one man who lost about 20 pounds in 9 weeks.

If you need a structured workout program for losing weight, I can highly recommend Turbulence Training for Fat Loss. There are many different programs available to help you reach your goals.

Interval Training on a Bike for Fat Loss

Whether working out at home or the gym, the stationary bike is better than trying to do interval training on a treadmill. Interval cardio training is a much more time efficient method for burning calories than doing exercise at a steady pace.

If you're more interested in losing weight than competing in an endurance event, don't train like an endurance athlete. Intervals on the bike are also an effective workout at home, as the bike is a fairly cheap piece of home exercise equipment. Interval training uses periods of intense exercise with periods of lower intensity.

For example, after a short warmup, you would increase the tension on the bike and pedal all out for 10-20 seconds and then decrease the tension as you pedal at a lower intensity. You would then repeat these intervals for the desired amount of time before doing a cooldown to let your body recover and your heart rate to decrease.

In this manner you rev up your metabolism and can burn more calories after you are done exercising. So if you have limited time available or don't want to exercise several days a week, you can get good results. Its not easy to do interval training on a treadmill, so the bike is the logical choice. There's also less pounding on your joints this way. Avoiding overuse injuries common to runners is a good thing.

You could combine this with a strength training workout where you did dumbbell and bodyweight exercises in a circuit. This way you can get an intense workout for fat loss without going to the gym. Combining 30 minutes of interval strength training with interval bike training is a pretty efficient and effective workout, as this can be done in less than 60 minutes.

Obviously, you have to be reasonably healthy and injury free for this kind of exercise. This type of training mirrors my own routines and allows you to see results without spending hours and hours to lose fat.

In the Summer I will do outdoor bike riding and do longer sessions to enjoy the Sunshine and warm weather..... something I am severely missing after a loooong Winter. I have a mountain bike and pedaling my 240 pounds is a pretty good workout. Mixing up your workouts every so often is good for your body as well as keeping your mind fresh.

Its funny how all the serious cyclists are riding touring bikes that have lighter, more efficient frames and all the guys who lift weights are riding the mountain bikes. An hour of pedaling at a fast pace and plenty of Sun does a body good.

Fat Loss and Expensive Equipment

Don't have access to expensive equipment? That's alright.... its not necessary or even desirable in some cases. Yesterday I was talking to a buddy of mine who recently broke up with his girlfriend. As he was venting about some of their issues, he mentioned that she wanted to buy an elliptical machine to use at home.

He tried to tell her that she didn't need one, and that she could get better results doing lunges and similar exercises. "But I don't like doing lunges," she replied.

Many people don't like doing lunges because they are difficult for them. That's exactly why you should be doing lunges, and squats, and step-ups. The more difficult an exercise is, the greater the results will be in losing fat. Turn up the intensity of the flame and watch the fat melt away.

Which is why so many people love doing the elliptical machine - the motion is so smooth and easy. Wherein lies the problem.... its too efficient! Because the effort is so low you don't burn as many calories. Because it is such an easy movement you can stay on it for 30-60 minutes with no problems.

Once again, most people think that this type of exercise is needed to burn fat. But it isn't. Your body gets used to this after a while and you don't burn as many calories. Doing more of this kind of cardio exercise won't cause you to lose weight.

You need to turn up the heat in the kitchen with more intense exercise. Interval strength workouts combined with interval cardio will get the best results in the least amount of time. If you have joint problems and have difficulty doing anything but the elliptical machine, that's another story. You have to do what you can do.

I'll finish with another story about weight machines versus free weights. At a healthclub I used to work at, the personal trainers took new members through 3 sessions to show them how to use the various equipment. Many of the over 40 crowd wanted to stick to doing the weight machines and were kinda scared of the free weights, such as barbells and dumbbells.

One of the new people I was going to work with had been following along with her sister, before she started our official sessions. As we walked past the exercise area to sit down and talk about her goals, she commented that the "skinny" people were over there (free weights area) and the fat people were over here ( computerized weight machines).

I thought that was very observant of her. Those computerized machines used a "key" that automatically adjusted to the person's height and the weight was preprogrammed from their previous session. Good old fashioned dumbbells got better results, according to her observations.

I couldn't agree more. Nothing wrong with machines, but they are not necessary to achieve your fat loss goals.

Inspiration for Fat Loss

For any of you struggling to lose weight or think that you just can't do it, here's an inspiring story that might make a difference.

Fat Loss Success Story from Juan Ruiz, perhaps the greatest Turbulence Training for Fat Loss success story of all time...

"I have been an obese male all of my life, in August of 2007 I weighed in at 315lbs; the most I have ever weighed. I have tried many diets and exercise plans and nothing has really worked well for me.

I was at the end of my rope, and really starting to look into bariatric surgery. Even though it has worked wonders for my friends and family, I never wanted that surgery for myself.

To have that surgery would mean that I would never know how good it felt to lose weight on my own, to find the discipline and mental fortitude to push myself and watch what I am eating. How long will it be before I gained back that lost weight after the surgery because I never learned how to really be healthy!

In early August I found Turbulence Training, and signed up for the FREE Report - The Dark Side of Cardio. I have to admit, it peaked my interest. I was so disgusted with what I read; because it was so true. I couldn't tell you how many hours I have wasted doing just cardio and staying away from weights just to watch my body stay the exact same.

I knew that I needed to get Turbulence Training. I knew that TT was going to change my life forever, I wasn't wrong.

I also knew though that any workout program I used wouldn't be successful if I didn't change my eating habits. I started eating a low carb regimen, eating only complex carbs, and allowing myself a cheat meal once a month.

I started TT in August 2007, since then I have lost a total of 86lbs (it is now March 3rd, 2008).

I have never looked better in my life, I have never felt better in my life. For the first time in my life I have signed up for my first fitness contest. Never did anyone, let alone myself think that I, of all people would be signing up for a fitness contest.

Yet here I am, I have gone through 84 days of this contest. During this contest I have had quite a few challenges. A month long plateau, final exams, and a bum shoulder, just to name a few, but I have also met some of the greatest people that are in this contest trying to do the same thing I am doing (trying to live a healthier lifestyle). They have been some of the most understanding, caring, and motivational people I could have ever had the pleasure to meet.

I started this contest using the Original TT workout, after that I went into TT 2k3, and finished this contest with the 4 week Intermediate Body Weight program. In this contest I have had gains and losses; I have learned the benefits of fasting and how to fast properly. I have learned how to truly eat balanced meals and how to keep pushing myself when I have nothing else left to give.

I have also learned how to cope with injuries, and how to not let them get the best of you. I have been able to do most of this mainly because of the great people involved in this fitness contest. Their inspiring words have kept me honest to myself, and have helped me keep my head up when I just wanted to hang it down in defeat. I have learned that you may lose a battle here and there, but the war is far from over.

I have lost 3 inches from my chest, 4 inches from my gut, 3 inches from my waist, ¾ inches from my biceps, ¼ of an inch from my thighs, and 25lbs since starting this 12-week transformation contest. I am far from being done, and even when I finally hit my goal weight, my journey will not end there. My journey will last me a lifetime, everyday will be another day to strive for a healthier, more active me.

When I think about living this way for a life time, it doesn't overwhelm me, I am grateful that my obesity didn't cripple my body, that I still have a chance to reverse the side effects, and that I am healthy enough to go to the gym and use my body to it's full potential.

Granted to win a prize in this contest would be sweet, but whether I win a prize in this contest or not, it doesn't matter I already feel like a winner. Throughout this contest I have learned so many valuable lessons, and I have met some of the most motivational people one could meet. I am a lot healthier today than I was when I started this contest, and I have joined my first fitness contest ever; and I have stuck with it through the end."
Juan Ruiz

Like they say in that shoe commercial, just do it..... get started on losing fat, that is. Click here for Turbulence Training.

Fat Loss, One A Day At A Time

Here's an article on fat loss for busy Mom's that you might find interesting. Holly Rigsby is the author of the Fit Yummy Mummy program that has helped many women achieve their weight loss goals. Having met her in person, she is walking proof that her system works.

By Holly Rigsby, CPT
www.FitYummyMummy.com

Rome wasn't built in a day and your fat loss won't happen that way either. Don't expect to start eating perfectly and exercising religiously tomorrow. Instead set yourself up for success by implementing at least one supportive habit per week. Make an effort to adopt the premise of "progress, not perfection."

By developing awareness that improvement is measured by your daily progress, you can save yourself a lot of grief and frustration from the beginning. Focusing on small, positive steps in everything you do is a vital component to change. It starts you moving in the right direction and the momentum of your amazing, transforming results will soon follow. With time, commitment and a willingness to continue to take those small steps, failure is not an option.

How to do it: Be mindful of the fact that you didn't gain it overnight so you're not going to lose it overnight. A safe and effective fat loss program will yield 1 to 2 pounds of fat loss a week, not 10. As you begin your weight loss journey, aim for 2-3 small improvements each week. Build up to eating more supportively and moving a little more than yesterday. These small changes will add up to big improvements over time.

Beware of supplements and "quick fixes" that promise accelerated fat loss. Instead, plan on losing fat weight slowly. Sure we all want instant results, but it's impossible to undo a years of inactivity and poor nutrition overnight.

Instead of only looking at the big picture, try to break it down into smaller bites. Set one-month goals, three-month goals, six-month goals and even yearly goals. Carry over each previous goal to make sure that you aren't stopping one to achieve another. Make sure goals are achievable and realistic and what you truly want. A half-hearted desire will produce half-hearted results.

Remember, life happens and we must face the challenges. Sometimes that means not getting to exercise or eat properly. The difference is we get it. We make it a point to view each situation, each setback as an opportunity to LEARN and ASK, "What could I do differently next time?" Then it becomes a matter of getting back on track as soon as possible. Leave the excuses and blame behind and forget about beating ourselves up – we're only human.

Strive to do a little better today than you did the day before. The key is to stay consistent, focused and take daily action. Make goals meaningful. Our minds cannot differentiate between achieving an enormous goal or a miniscule goal it only perceives success or failure. If you set a goal that is impossible to fail you'll only be setting yourself up for tremendous victory.

Don't be too rigid. Telling your self that you HAVE to workout for a set time to feel a sense of completion is ill fated. If you set out to workout for 30 minutes and you only get in 20, you'll more apt to be disappointed regardless of how hard you worked. If you simply set a goal to go to the gym at least 2-3 days a week and complete your resistance training and cardio you'll perceive yourself as a winner.

An additional goal idea: Have you ever wanted to participate in a race or sport that you've never had the endurance for? Then use that as a goal! When the end justifies the means it's easier to make it through the rough spots. It's a win-win situation if you are able to achieve a want and a need simultaneously!

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to http://www.fityummymummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."