There have been tons of exercises and programs developed over the past decade that put a heavy emphasis on core training. If you’re a member at a local gym or fitness center, they probably have a core training class available. You might want to take one of these classes, but you don’t have to in order to develop strong core muscles. It only takes a few basic exercises to start improving your core strength immediately.

Here are a few exercises that are simple to add to any workout routine to improve your core strength.

• Planks. There are lots of variations on the plank, but the basic version does the job – if you practice it consistently. To do a basic plank, get into the top position of a push-up and hold your back and abdomen straight and tight. This isometric pose should be held for at least 30 seconds and up to two or three minutes. As you hold the plank pose focus on your abdomen and back muscles; don’t think about your arms. If you are having problems keeping your arms extended, you can hold the same position using your forearms flat on the floor as your base.

• Sit-Ups. A few years back the standard sit-up got a bad name. Everyone started doing crunches instead and insisted that sit-ups were bad for your back and neck. Doing sit-ups isn’t bad for you if you use proper form. Don’t yank on your neck or try to use momentum to get to the top. Secure your feet under something to provide stability and go through the full range of motion, even if you can only do a few. Sit-ups are great for core strength.

• Back Extensions. A lot of people skip over lower back training when they do core workouts. You have to achieve balance to have really strong core muscles. To do a basic back extension, lie down on the floor on your stomach and lace your fingers behind your head. Slowly extend your chest and head off of the floor and hold for a few seconds. Lower slowly and repeat. Avoid doing this movement quickly. You will be surprised how much stronger this movement makes your core muscles.

Add these three exercises to your weekly workout routine to achieve true core muscle fitness and strength.

Written by Sally Smith. A great P90x Chin Up Bar, and your top source for the Insanity Workout online.

Finding the Right Diet for You

If you have decided that it is time to go on a diet to lose weight, you are probably wondering which diet is the best one. After all, every day we are bombarded with new fad diets, each one guaranteed to “melt away the pounds”. Okay, some of these diets do just that, but they are extremely low calorie diets, and as soon as you go off the diet and eat regular foods again, you will see the weight you lost come right back. The best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to follow a healthy diet that is loaded with all of the nutrients we all need to stay healthy, and make sure that you are eating enough so that you do not feel hungry. This is one of the first things that make people go off their diets – they are never satisfied with their meals.

If you are not sure how to go about getting started on a healthy, well-balanced diet, you can speak with your physician. He or she will know exactly what you need, and will help you make healthy dietary choices that will keep you completely satisfied while helping you to lose weight and keep it off. No matter what type of diet you plan to use, it is important to first discuss it with your physician to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need.

Treat Yourself

Make sure that when you are on a diet, that you allow yourself the occasional treat. This will help to keep you from binging, which often happens to those who are on extremely low-calorie weight loss diets. Actually, there are all kinds of healthy foods that also make delicious treats, such as nuts (unsalted is best), fruit, dried fruit, diet soda, and even dark chocolate, which is loaded with healthy anti-oxidants. With all of these great snack options, and more, you should have no problem at all sticking to your diet, and you’ll see those pounds falling off in no time at all.

Written by Stephen Bradley of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your best source for Insanity With Shaun T. Get insanity now.

You body composition represents your physiological make-up in a ratio of your lean body mass to your fat body mass. Regardless of what the scale says if your fat body mass is too far in disproportion to you lean body mass you are in line for some serious health issues. Having too much fat can that heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and other serious illness may be looming on the horizon.

Often by simply analyzing your weight you are subject to missing some of the implications that might be present in the larger view. Many people who believe themselves to be in good health are in fact not. Even if your weight is low or your dress size small you could potentially have an unknown, high fat body mass which makes you subject to having larger health issues. On the other side of this, there is the potential for some people to consider themselves overweight, when they may in fact see a large number on the scale while still remaining very lean and quite healthy. In short, the measurement of your weight isn’t everything.

Your body fat is pretty water dense. It is comprised of about 10% water. This means that your changing level of hydration can have a significant effect on the body fat reading that you get.

This is especially significant after completing a vigorous workout routine. If you measure your fat body mass after sweating profusely you will inevitably have a lower percentage of body fat. Your fat is typically going to be the same as it was before your workout, your body is just less some valuable water.

Having body fat reading performed will give you the best insight into your present state of health. Being in the know about how water can affect the results of these reading can give you a clear understanding of why this method of assessment works, and when to have it performed so that it can be most accurate. Knowing the composition of your body can help you structure your workout and diets according to your actual health needs.

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Food that is in easy access will always be eaten no matter what time and what instance. If you place 10 candy bars at your desk just about several inches from your mouse, chances are you will be consuming the entire batch within the day. Keeping it in your drawer will decrease your consumption to 10% while keeping it in an area where you have to stand up and walk will give you a decrease of 25%-30%. As long as they are within sight and within reach, you will be constantly eating without you realizing that you have eaten a considerable quantity of food. Try to limit the amount that you eat by not stocking too much on your desk. If you have a locked drawer, store your other supplies inside it so you will have to take extra effort to access them.

Bigger portions in bigger plates mean bigger consumption. If you have a lot of food on your plate, you will definitely be consuming a lot within minutes. Large soda with large fries and a huge burger seem like heaven, but they are actually heavy in calories as well as saturated fat that can lead to weight gain. These portions are often served in fast food restaurants that are just virtually everywhere and can be accessed at your convenience. What’s more, they are also offered cheaply, making you order as much as you want within our budget. Do not put too much time in ordering outside as you do not know what goes into your food.

Eating while working, studying, or watching TV can also distract you from noticing the amount that you eat. You will be consuming that large bag of chips within minutes instead of hours or days because your concentration is elsewhere. Eat a satisfying meal full of fiber and vegetables plus a little protein and little fat before you do your job. Your stomach will be filled with enough food to sustain you for hours without you craving for instant gratification while you do your work.

Skipping meals is also a major culprit of overeating. Eating lunch way beyond your usual lunch hour will make you want more food because you are getting hungrier by the second. You will be too ravenous to enjoy your food and you will also be rushing to eat so you can get back to what you are doing immediately. Always make sure that you eat right and on the hour so you will not be eating too much to satisfy severe hunger pangs.

Article written by Steven Jackson of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your top source for the Insanity Workout routine online.

If you have tried working out on an empty stomach then you know that it is not always the most effective way to go. A lot of people believe that if you exercise without consuming anything then you will burn a lot more calories. This is true, but then your body has to get its fuel from somewhere. While you burn calories you are depleting your natural source of energy stored in your muscles. If you had something before working out, you would be fueled by that, first, and your natural source of energy, second.

Now, if you eat too much before working out that can be hard on the body during a workout as well. Many people complain that when they eat or drink before working out they get cramps during their routine. This is not good. Those cramps can really take their toll and you will not be able to complete your session, in most cases.

The best solution is to have a little something to drink that will give you the energy that you need to sustain a workout routine. What I use is Prograde Workout both before and after my workout. It has the right amount of carbs to protein ratio to help optimize your workouts. You could also get what you need by consuming a healthy fruit juice with some protein. For example, you can get protein powder and mix it in with pomegranate juice. Pick a juice that is one hundred percent natural.

What you do after you are done exercising is almost as important as what you do before. When you are finished working out you need to replenish what was lost during the routine. The sooner you give your body what it needs the faster the recovery time.

Anything in liquid form is going to be the fastest way to get you the energy your body is now craving. You can consume any energy drink or juice. You will also need some protein. You can have a meal replacement drink. These drinks can give you exactly what you. They have calories, but after working out you need to take in some calories.

Whether you are looking to burn a lot of calories or build mass you must consume something before and after you exercise. If you take care of your body, your body will take care of you. You will get the most out of your routine by making sure your body is fueled properly.

Saturdays workout was pretty brutal. I took 10 of what I thought were some of the most difficult exercises that we do and put them together into a workout!

So we did 60/15′s with 2 rounds of the following.

1. X Band Hip Walks

2. Side to Side Ski Jump

3. Back Pillar

4. Jumping Jacks to Toes

5. Slam Ball (my favorite!!)

6. Wall Sit

7. Tricep dip Leg Lift

8. Pullover Crunch

9. Reverse Lunge Knee Up

10. Alternating Superman

I’m almost positive they LOVED it!

Try it out for yourself and see what you think?

So far meals have been cleaned up about 80%. I know I can do better and I MUST do better if I want to achieve my goal!

My biggest thing is having my meals prepared ahead of time. With my busy schedule, I need to be able to just grab food out of the fridge and warm it up to eat. So that is my biggest goal and plan for this next week.

My workouts went great! Did workout with the Fit Chicks on Wednesday and Thursday morning and Thursday night. The thursday night class has been asking me to workout with them for a while, so I did and gave them a intense workout!

30/30 NO BREAKS! I combined cardio with strength and it looked like this:

1. Squat press (bands)

2. Frog Jumps

3. Scap Push ups

4. Cross over toe touch (abs)

5. Swings

6. Pillar Jacks

7. Belly Blaster

8. Hopscotch

9. Sumo Deadlift (bands)

10. Step ups

We ran through the entire thing and ended with 30 seconds of side shuffle! GREAT workout!

My workout this morning was just body weight cardio.

30/10′s

Jumping Jacks

Speed Skate

Bands

-Side shuffle right (30)

-Side Shuffle left (30)

Jump Rope

Crossover

Bands

-Side Shuffle front (30)

-Side Shuffle back (30)

I did 4 rounds. My legs were dying, probably due to the 2 workouts the day before. (Squat jumps and frog jumps!)

I can honestly say that body weight cardio works much better than running on a treadmill or any other type of equipment. At least for myself. I feel I work harder and sweat more. Plus its easier on my knees.

So if you are using the excuse that you don’t have equipment to get in a good workout, you are are just lying to yourself! Even the Fit Chick workout we did Thursday night only required bands, and one DB the rest was all body weight!

Try it out for yourself and see which you like best!

While doing this special for my Fit Chicks, I decided I needed to “slim down” myself as I am going to be going to Vegas in just 4 weeks.

I made a bet with someone and my goal is to hit 18% body fat in just 4 weeks. I think it can be done, with some good butt kicking workouts and very strict eating habits.

So I thought why not post it, and be accountable here as well as with my challenge partner.

There are certain questions I like my clients to answer when they decide they want to make some changes, so I am going to answer those questions here.

1. What is your goal and be specific and make it measurable:

My goal is to reach 18% body fat by April 22nd, 2010. I will also write this on paper and tape to my desk to read every day.

2. How will I achieve this goal?

I plan to do 3 main meals and 3 shakes per day. I plan to add more fresh veggies and lean protein, cut back a bit on my fats and starchy carbs, such as breads.

3. How will I keep my self on track and accountable?

I plan to post on here my workouts most every day and post how well I am doing with my meals. I will also be tracking my body fat and measurements once a week.

4. How will I reward myself?

I will look amazing when I have to wear a bikini in Vegas!

So I guess I can post my beginning measurements:

These were from 3/24/10

Weight 126

BF 21.3%

Waist 25′

Belly Button 27.25′

Hips 36.5′

Thigh 21.75′

I would so be  happy to drop a few inches in the hips and thigh area as well..so who know!

Todays workout was killer! I just came back from a 4 day recovery period, so I was so ready to bust it up and I did!

I did 30/10′s with 4 rounds of the following

*Burpees (did them on 12 inch bench to protect my lower back just starting out again)

*Snatches

*Side Shuffle with bands

*Swings

*Burpees

*Cleans

*Side Shuffle bands

*Jump squats

KILLER, but so effective!

So I started a challenge group on the Fit Chick Express Forum if you would like to join us! Here are the details!

This challenge is going to help motivate you to get out there and add more cardio…Myself included!

Cardio, or should I say intervals/ body weight exercises are the ultimate way to burn off that belly fat and get that lean, sexy look!

What will this challenge include?

Each week you will set a goal for the week. Whether it be to do intervals on the treadmill for 20 minutes or bodyweight exercises for 20 minutes, or some type of cardio that will help you to move closer to your goal!

Along the way I will give you some mini challenges to help give you some ideas.

This was my first weeks goals:

So my goals for this week are to get in 3-15 minutes of intervals on the treadmill. My plan is to do it Tuesday, Friday and next Sunday. I did 22 minutes on Tuesday and 15 minutes on Friday, and 15 minutes on Sunday.

My intervals will consist of 2 minute warm up, 1-2 minute high intensity at or around 6.0 to 6.5 and 1 minute low intensity at 3.5. Continue on and end with a 2 minute cool down, totaling 15 minutes. These varied a bit, but I pushed myself even harder each time. I did treadmill two days and decided to do band intervals onSunday (video to come).

So far I am off to a great start! But as we all know, its can’t just be exercise that helps us to lose that belly fat or drop body fat. I need to clean up my eating a bit as well as cut back on the alcohol intake. Not that it’s been all that bad by any means, but I know if I want to get results, I need to cut back or get rid of it all.

OH…..and if you have been reading my blog or following me at all, you will know that I have been working on a Fit Chick Express Workout DVD! Well it’s finally done!

With the DVD, you will receive 6 Workouts, 3 Superset Workouts with added cardio and 3 Circuit Workouts, which totals 3 MONTHS worth of Workouts all for just 29.95!

Each workout contains Modifications for Beginners up to Advanced Fitness Levels and Each workout includes Proper Form to ensure you get the most out of each and every workout! Along with Warm Up and Stretches to be done before and after each workout.

Check out how Julie lost over  60 pounds using Fit Chick Express Workouts!