Abs challenge may seem like an empty promise.

But if you stick with it, and complete these ab workouts, one a day, for the next thirty days, you'll be surprised and pleased with just how much better your abs look and feel. 

Well defined abs are recognised as the most desired measure of fitness, but it isn't easy to achieve.  This abs challenge is designed to gradually progress in intensity, firming and building strong abs that are functional and sexy.

So get started, stay consistent, and in thirty days, hello abs!

The three exercises included in this 30 day abs challenge are reasonably simple, but with daily repetition and the gradual increase in quantity, they are designed to target and tone your abs.

If you're not familiar with these ab exercises, I've recorded a quick demonstration on each below.

The elbows to knees (otherwise known as the bicycle) works both the upper and lower abdominals.

Lie on the ground / mat, with your hands behind your head supporting the neck.

Pull your stomach muscles in toward the spine and lift your knees to a 90-degree angle.

Twist bringing one elbow to meet the opposite knee as that knee is pulled further toward the chest. The opposite leg will straighten.

From here, twist to the other side pulling the straight leg toward the chest and straightening the already bent leg, essentially making the legs mimic the motion made while riding a bicycle.

It is important to keep your breath at a regular pace and to use your hands to support the head, not pull on it. It is not necessary that the elbows actually touch the knees as long as the twisting motion still occurs.

This exercise targets the lower and middle abdominals.

Begin by lying on the floor with your hands resting along the sides of your body.

Bend your knees and keep your feet raised about two inches off the floor.

Slowly bring your knees up toward your chest, contracting your abdominals while raising the pelvis off the floor.

Hold for a second, and then lower your pelvis and legs back to the starting position.

The movements for this exercise should be done slowly and deliberately.

The plank is not only a great exercise for your upper, middle and lower abdominals; it is great for the entire body.

Start in the push-up position.

Next bend your elbows and lower down shifting weight from your hands to the forearms.

Pull your stomach into the spine to keep the body in a straight line.

Do not let your hips drop or your rear rise.

Hold for the time noted in each days workout. If this is not possible, hold for as long as possible, then take a five second rest and repeat until the time held in the position reaches a minute, or longer as per that days workout.

The plank is a strength move; the more it is done, the longer it will be possible to hold the position.

Beginners may find it easier to drop the knees to the floor until the muscles have built up enough to hold the plank while resting only on the forearms and toes.

Those more advanced might like to make the plank more challenging by extending an arm and the opposite leg in the air. Hold for a set time, and then change sides.

So now you've got the exercises down and dusted for the 30 day abs challenge, but if you really want people to see those defined abs, you need to get your diet right as well. 

You can train as much as you like, but if your diet isn't good, your body will struggle to make any meaningful changes. 

A good clean eating diet, with the correct amount of macro nutrients like protein, fats and carbohydrate, worked out to suite your personal body and goals, will ensure great results. 

For a full guide on how to calculate your macro nutrients check out this post on sports nutrition.

I'm sure you'll enjoy completing this 30 day abs challenge, and I invite you to keep going after you've finished your first thirty days. 

Why stop there?

Reset, and start another thirty day challenge.  Just select some different ab exercises so that your workouts will have some variety, and your body won't get used to the same training.

Keep at it, and before you know it you'll be sharing #fitspo selfies to be proud of!

Myths about strength training have been around since people started training, there’s nothing new about that.

But it seems to me, that there’s an imbalance, with most of the myths being about women and strength training, often mostly believed by women, who therefore avoid proper strength training.

Let’s debunk some of these myths and find the truth behind them.

‘Don’t bench press with so much weight! You’re already obese, if you lift weights the fat will become more solid and it will become even harder to lose’

‘You can’t lose weight with weight training. No one becomes thin while doing weight training; everyone gains weight.’

These two statements bring back teenage memories when I had illiterate mentors! Now I can probably write a book on this single myth about strength training alone.

The fact of the matter is that strength training is a form of exercise. You lift weights, you move your body and to do this, you need energy which is derived from the food you eat or from the fuel reserves (Fat) you have.

Strength training can help you lose weight in the following ways:

• Strength training increases lean mass which needs energy to maintain. As a result you end up using calories just maintaining your muscle mass! This inevitably results in increased metabolic rate.
• Calories are burnt during a particular workout.
• Calories are burnt during the process of muscle hypertrophy

‘What happens is that once you give up weight training, the muscle mass you gained, starts to store excessive amounts of fat and you start to gain weight’

Repeat this sentence in front of anyone who knows basic human anatomy and they will probably call you an idiot! 

Muscle mass needs maintenance.

Once you stop working out your muscles, the body feels no need to maintain the same amount of muscle mass so your body starts to lose excess muscle mass that is not required by your daily routine.

The lean mass drop is very gradual.

This decrease in muscle mass doesn’t mean that fat starts to rush into the so called empty spaces.

Most weight trainers get fat because they give up weight training but they don’t give up their eating patterns which were designed to supplement their training routine.

This becomes simple mathematics, they start to eat more than what they burn and as a result they start to become fat.

‘If you lift weights daily, you will probably dislocate your spinal discs.’

This would have to be one of the all time biggest myths about strength training.

Really, you may or may not; it all depends on how safe you play.

If you lift with proper form for each exercise and the weight you use is well within your control, chances are that your spine will be alright.

The other thing to remember is that weight training actually strengthens your spine.

I’ve known many people with reported back problems whom I suggested light dead lifts coupled with a few other back exercises and the results were very satisfying. Most of them reported that their pain had improved or disappeared altogether.

When I stopped training for a number of years, and my muscles “relaxed” I developed bad back pain, both from previous sporting injury which became active because of the lack of muscle support and just the fact that I was spending hours sitting at a desk. 

I developed bad problems in my lower back, which progressed to my upper back, and then the middle of my back.  I was in my late twenties and sometimes felt crippled by the pain.  I fixed that by weight training to increase my muscle strength.

I told a champion power lifter, I don’t think I should do dead lifts because of my bad back. 

He asked me;

Are you crippled? Do you ever pick up your luggage, or the shopping? 

​I understood the point. 

I refused to accept my fear of doing more injury to my back, which was a natural protective instinct, just the same as when you have bad back pain, you don’t want to brush your teeth or sit in the one spot for too long.  

I started dead lifting, and never looked back. (No pun intended) Yes, sometimes I feel some weakness in my lower back.  Anyone training seriously with dead lifts usually will.  And I listen to my body and adjust my training sets to suite, but I always make sure that I’m working properly.  

As a result, after a period of about six months, I didn't have any more back pain. It feels strong and stable, and I have stopped paying the physios and chiropractors for what used to be almost weekly visits.

Yes, you will find lots of advice from physios and chiropractors, that will tell you to stay well away from moves such as the dead lift, and I’m not saying they’re always wrong. 

But please use some of your own judgment as well, and even just try some gentler strengthening moves for your back first.  

As you feel it improving, your confidence will also improve and you can continue to advance.

As you do that, you will leave the back pain behind.  I’m sorry, but your back pain will be replaced by sore leg muscles if you are dead lifting, but I’m sure you’ll find that positively enjoyable, when you start to see the muscle gains that change your body.

In fact, I have known a chiropractor who is a power lifting champion, who has set dead lifting records. 

Yes, he handles extreme weight, and so puts his joints out from time to time, but I’m sure that he doesn’t advise people to stay away from weight training to protect their joints.

The secret is that weight training improves muscle mass and bone density. Your spine is supported by multiple muscle groups and these muscle groups improve their muscle fiber density by virtue of strength training.

Stronger and larger the muscle, the safer is your spine!

This article by the Harvard medical school actually says that weight training increases the strength of bones in the hips, spine and wrists, which they also say are the points most likely to suffer fractures.

Although steroids are strongly associated to body building (the same way rock n roll is associated with drugs.) there are a plenty of body builders, weight trainers, and fitness enthusiast who do it without steroids; some even do it without any supplements; there are a few who even do it without meat (Vegans)!

Keeping this in mind, you will not start using steroids unless you really want to, and I certainly won’t recommend that you do.

There are countless athletes who have a considerable amount of muscle mass but they are equally flexible.

There is no particular relation between lean body mass and flexibility.

Watch a replay of Usane Bolt running the hundred meters, and see flexible muscle mass working like a fine symphony.

Yoga being all about flexibility of the body; there are numerous Yoga instructors that are as flexible as Gumby but as buffed as He-man!

Forgive my analogies but if there’s any relation between strength training and flexibility, it is that strength training actually improves flexibility.

When you train, your joints go through a full range of motion. Your muscles contract & relax and these movements actually improve flexibility.

Just don’t be lazy, and remember to incorporate a good stretching regime into your program.

This one actually elevates my blood pressure whenever I hear it!

Taking into account, eleven clinical trials that have been conducted on Cholesterol and strength training suggest that strength training helps in reduction of LDL Cholesterol.

This kind of Cholesterol (The unhealthy kind) is responsible for clogging the arteries and increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. This is true for most anaerobic exercises.

This evidence suggests that strength training is actually good for the heart.

On the other hand, if we analyze aerobic exercise, we see that this kind of training additionally helps improve HDL cholesterol (Healthy kind).

This isn’t true for anaerobic exercise. So we may conclude that aerobic exercise is healthier for the heart than its anaerobic counterpart but nevertheless anaerobic exercise like strength training improves the heart’s health.

Another thing to consider is blood flow. Strength training helps reduce blood pressure.

This is true for aerobic exercise as well.

This article from Medical News Today lists some more hearth health benefits of strength training.

‘If you do weight training you will end up with hollow joints!’

I actually got this suggestion from a running coach; maybe he was trying to get me into his running team.

Weight training involves controlled, non-impact movement which improves the health of your joints, ligaments and the muscles surrounding the joint.

So yes, the myth is actually a myth.  

Just a note of caution, some Olympic lifts can put incredible strain on your joints, but we aren’t talking about that type of training here.  

Unless you are gifted, and training to compete in Olympic lifting competitions, you won’t encounter those problems.

If you are, then you should already be aware of what the future holds for some of you.  If you’re not, ask your coach at your next session, and make an informed decision about how much you are prepared to sacrifice.  

It’s a similar decision that most professional athletes will have to make in one way or another.

Due to the lack of testosterone, and the presence of estrogen, around 90% of women will never be physiologically able to build the amount of muscle that it takes to look bulky.

So all you are doing by avoiding proper strength straining, is cheating your body out of the results that is could be achieving which would result in a feminine physique with curves in all the right places.

Women can often be seen spending hours at the gym running on tread mills, developing scrawny run down systems, sometimes to the extent that they end up suffering from overtraining.

They are likely suffering from this myth.

The truth is that your muscles continue burning calories for longer even after you’ve finished strength training, as apposed to a cardio session.

And someone with a more muscular physique can burn up to an extra 50% more calories than that of a runner, just moving around throughout the day. 

I really like incorporating calisthenics into my training routines, and think that disciplines like yoga and pilates have loads of benefits, but nothing can beat the shear bang for your buck that you get from time spent progressing a proper strength training program.

Lots of people think that they should feel sore after every weights workout, and that if they don’t then it mustn’t have been a good workout.

While beginners will almost always feel soreness because their muscles are not at all used to handling these types of stresses, as your body becomes more adapted, fitter and stronger, it’s recovery will become better as well.

You will likely still feel soreness after you make changes to a workout routine, or add significant volume or intensity, but if your body is sore all the time, then you may need to allow more time for recovery. 

It is during recovery that your body strengthens and grows new muscles fibers, so this is a critically important part of the process. 

If you are not recovering properly, your progress will suffer.

Instead of using a really bad arbitrary measure like, “how sore do I feel” to gauge how effective your workouts are, you should follow a proper program, and measure your results to ensure that you achieve progressive overload.

Doing this will ensure consistent progress, and avoid improper over training, because you don't want to end up here;

In most commercial gyms anywhere around the world, you will find trainers who are putting their male clients through workouts that include squats, deadlifts, military presses and bench pressing all with reasonably heavy weights. (most should go heavier)

In those same gyms, and often with the same trainers, women are being “worked out” using light dumb bells, weight machines with only a few plates on the peg, and loads more cardio.

This is rubbish.

There is absolutely no reason that women cannot, and should not complete the same type of exercises that men can.

In fact, training that way will give most women the best chance of obtaining the body which they really want.

While a man may train with weights in a certain way, to grow bigger, a woman training in the same way will achieve the tight, toned look that most want.

That’s almost as bad as saying that sex is only for young people, and we all know that’s just not true, because we’re never intending to stop doing that.

Do we ever really intend to stop doing the things we enjoy?

Well, why would picking an age when it suddenly becomes unsafe to lift weights be any different?

 Unless your doctor has advised you, or told you outright to stop strength training, then it’s pretty safe to expect that you will still actually be achieving great benefits from it.

Decreasing the risk of osteoporosis, better balance, weight loss and better mental health are all assisted by strength training, which makes it a great thing for older people to be doing.

This article lists 13 benefits for people over the age of fifty achieved by strength training.

You might be able to find more myths about strength training if you go looking and really research it, but if you are motivated enough to do that, then the reality is that your commitment to being lazy and fat is just far too strong.

If you are ready to get started, this post on leg workouts or this one about weight training for body sculpting will help.

Sports nutrition isn't just for top athletes, because you deserve to have the best body you can as well! 

You do want the best body you can have don't you?

You might have never been to see a sports dietitian or nutritionist, thinking that they are just for sporting teams or top athletes.  That's not the case, and in my experience pretty much everyone can benefit from their expertise.

They can help us become a healthier happier version of ourselves, so we can live our best life, and stay beautiful for longer. Because that's important too!

You are what you eat - It is a simple philosophy that I endorse.

What you eat and what you do, defines your body. If we work this theory the other way around, what you look like, defines what you eat and what you do.  

When I look at an obese teenager, I’m quick to jump to the conclusion sedentary lifestyle, eats a lot of junk food.

Often people ask me how I rate nutrition vs. training and my answer is 50% vs. 50%. I know a lot of trainers who would say it's more like 70% vs. 30%.

This is usually hard to digest for most people, but it is one of the uneasy truths in the field of fitness, especially weight training.

You don’t make muscles in the gym; you make them while you’re resting, by the help of whatever you’ve eaten.

Similar is the case of fat loss. Most of the fat is lost while you’re resting.

The math is pretty simple; work really hard in the gym, eat healthy, and rest plenty! You can’t lose weight without proper nutrition, hell; you can’t even breathe without proper nutrition!

When you dig into the world of sports nutrition, you sink into a deep abyss of Do’s and Don’ts. There is no easy way to wrap it up into a few pages or a few chapters or even a few books.

There is so much that can be said and done when you talk about Nutrition; What you eat, how much you eat, when you eat… are a few questions we can start off with.

Another thing, that is specific to women trying to lose weight, is that there is a common feeling that sports nutrition is detrimental to their weight loss effort.

First of all, by ‘sports nutrition’, I don’t mean ‘eating a muffin’. By sports nutrition I mean making accurate food choices.

It is true that excessive eating isn’t going to help you lose weight or sculpt your body but you can’t quit eating altogether!

Starvation is never the solution. What you need is an eating pattern that can be followed for a life time! It has to be healthy, it has to make sense and it has to cater for your fitness regimen.

If you take into consideration, these simple pointers, you’ll be able to successfully hit each defined milestone and target.

"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”

This quote pretty much sums up what I intend to do in this blog post. Rather than providing you with a custom diet plan, I'm going to teach you everything that you need to know in order to create your very own diet plan.

It is always a hard job to write content that applies to every reader. If I was to consider the needs of each of you I'd probably have to come up with 20 - 30 odd diet plans! Why not create your very own?

Why not learn what ever there is, that helps you to create your very own?

The philosophy is simple but knowledge is infinite. Even after years in the field I learn something new every day. So, to cut it short, I'll teach you how to catch the basic fish. You may use the method or customize it or improve it and catch a whale!

Macro nutrients come in three broad categories. They are known as Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats. 

Each of these Macro nutrients can be subdivided into a hundred different subcategories! Each macro nutrient has a particular function and purpose in the body.

Broadly speaking, the general purpose is to provide our body with energy. How much energy does each Macro nutrient provide?

It is quite simple.

The favorite macro nutrient of anyone who weight trains!

Proteins are made up of smaller biological units called amino acids. Amino acids come together to form polypeptide chains of varying shape, size and compactness.

A typical protein may consist of 20 Amino Acids, other Proteins may contain thousands of these Amino Acids. Protein is present abundantly in the body. It is present in your hair, tendons, muscles, ligaments and even skin.

Talking about dietary protein; this protein has multiple functions:

• Improves Immune system function
• Required for growth
• Required for tissue repair
• Needed for the production of enzymes & hormones
• Needed for lean muscle mass

• isoleucine
• threonine
• tryptophan
• valine
• leucine
• methionine
• phenylalanine
• histidine

We often hear the phrases 'Animal Protein' and 'Plant Protein'.

Ever wondered what the difference is between the two?

Animal proteins are called a high quality Protein or complete Protein because it contains all essential amino acids. On the other hand, plant protein doesn't contain the complete profile of essential amino acids.

But that doesn't mean plant protein is useless. Taken with a combination of sources, the amino acid profile can be easily completed.

For example, rice together with lentils contains the complete essential amino acid profile. Similarly, chickpeas with bread or potatoes with lentils complete the essential amino acid profile in the same way a grilled steak does.

Next up we have the self sacrificing Carbs! To keep things simple, we'll divide the Carbohydrates group into 2 categories:

Simple Carbohydrates or mono-saccharides are ready made sugars. These types of carbohydrates cannot be further broken down into simple sugars.

Examples of simple sugars include glucose and fructose.

Complex Carbohydrates or poly-saccharides contain strings of simple sugars.

This means that these Carbohydrates need to be broken down in order to get digested or to be used as fuel.

Some examples of complex carbohydrates include lactose, maltodextrins and amylopectin.

The human body is a master of converting carbohydrates into energy.

Carbohydrate is the body's preferred source of fuel. The brain constantly needs glucose, the liver needs and stores glycogen, the muscles store glycogen as well.

This way, carbohydrates are needed by the entire body in one form or the other. Basic functions of Carbohydrates include:

• A major energy source for the body

• Helps to maintain bodyweight

• Prevents Fat accumulation

• Helps in digestion and bowel movement

• Involved in organ repair

• Food for the brain

Dietary fiber is another form of Carbohydrates.

Dietary fiber is a form on non-starch Carbs. Dietary Fiber consists of indigestible parts of plant food (Cellulose).

This property of dietary fiber helps us with our gastro intestinal tract.

The indigestible fiber ensures a good transit time (Time interval between eating a particular food and excreting it!), avoids problems like constipation and protects us from serious problems like colon cancer.

How much Carbs does a healthy person require?

Dietary guidelines recommend a range of between 45% to 65% of your total daily caloric intake. 

In a sports nutrition plan that focuses on higher protein intake, your carbohydrate intake will likely be towards the lower end of that range.  

Obviously sports nutrition can cover a wide variety of sports, and depending on the particular requirements of each, some may need higher Carbs to provide quick energy replacement. 

The quality and type of carbohydrate that you're eating will have an impact on your results as well.  some further tips about proper carbohydrate intake can be read in this article by the Mayo Clinic on nutrition and healthy eating.

No one likes them, everyone avoids them yet they are responsible for many important bodily functions.

Fats have gotten a really bad rap for the past few decades, based on guidance from government organisations.  That's changing, and much of that guidance is being seen as based on advice from lobby groups or studies sponsored by other food groups. 

Who would have thought, special interest groups misleading the government, who then mislead the rest of us. Even about our diets!

Their is a growing body of research which contends that healthy natural sources of fat in our diet are actually really good for us. 

There is also a growing movement that says that high fat diets have advantages and can be best for weight loss. Many people following sports nutrition plans for body sculpting will in the later stages of their preparation, start following a Keto diet, with the intent of achieving a Ketogenic state in their body, intended to help burn the last of the fat off their frame.

The scientific jury is still out on that one too. (they just love continual studies!) But some interesting research on the topic is discussed in this article by Brad Deiter Phd on, Science Driven Nutrition.

Just look at the comments his article received for an example of how controversial this topic is.  I'm glad he closed the comments before it got really nasty:)

One quality of fats that sets them apart from Carbs and proteins is their energy density.

Unlike carbs or proteins, 1 g of fat yields 9 calories of energy. This may seem spectacular but fats are the hardest to burn for energy.

They are energy-efficient yet slow, meaning that they are an ideal candidate for energy storage. This energy store comes in handy on a rainy day when there aren't enough calories present from carbs and proteins. Under such circumstances, the body burns fat for energy.

Other functions of fats include:

• Protects vital organs

• Act as a solvent for absorption of many vitamins and minerals

• Important for formation of hormones (E.g. Estrogen)

Fats can be subdivided into 4 categories. These subcategories are made on the basis of the double bond present between carbon atoms.

My apologies for diving deep into the world of biochemistry but this knowledge will come in handy when you are looking for healthy fats to consume during your training regimen.

Saturated Fats: 

These fats are saturated, meaning, they have no double bonds. This tells us that the fat is already fully saturated with Hydrogen atoms.

These kind fats are usually solid at room temperature. Examples include animal fat, Lard, fat found in cheese.

Saturated fats are important as they are a basic building block of a variety of hormones and cell membranes. The downside is that an excess of these fats can raise blood cholesterol levels.

Monosaturated Fats: 

These fats only have a single double bond.

These fats are usually liquid at room temperature. Examples include olive oil and canola oil.

The specialty of Monosaturated fats is that they help us protect against heart disease and blood cholesterol build up. 

Polysaturated Fats: 

Polyunsaturated fats have two or more carbon double bonds.

Polyunsaturated fats are known to reduce the risk of Coronary heart disease. They are liquids at room temperature as well. Polyunsaturated fats can be subdivided into 2 important subcategories:

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Have a positive impact on cardiovascular health. Sources include Oily fish (Salmon, Mackerel), Soybean and rapeseed.
• Omega 6 Fatty Acids: Have a positive impact on brain function and normal growth. Sources include seeds and nuts (Peanuts, walnuts, Cashews)

Trans Fatty Acids: 

Trans Fatty acids are chains of unsaturated fats combined together in a Trans configuration.

This is done mainly by hydrogenation of vegetable oil. This is a seriously unhealthy type of fat that must be avoided at all costs. It is usually found in foods like margarine and baked goods (biscuits, cakes).

Trans fat intake elevates the risk of heart disease.

Micronutrients and macronutrients are equally important for the body. The body cannot function properly without both.

The difference between the two is the quantity in which they are consumed.

Micronutrients are required in minute quantities by the body. Any imbalance (Usually deficiency) in these quantities can cause problems in bodily functions.

Vitamins and Minerals make up most of the micronutrients. This list can be further divided into 30 (Approximately) different Vitamins and minerals that the body extracts from the food we eat.

Each Vitamin and mineral has a different part to play.

For example, Vitamin A is responsible for physical growth, immunity and development of white blood cells. Similarly, all 30 vitamins and minerals have a different story to tell.

To acquire all these micronutrients along with the required macronutrients, we are required to eat a variety of food.

Nature has been kind enough to supply these micronutrients abundantly in raw fruits and vegetables but unfortunately, the modern woman isn’t a big fan of the Broccoli! 

For this reason we are forced to go with the artificial alternative – supplementing vitamins and minerals.

The following table shows the normal daily requirement of various vitamins and minerals.

As a general guide line for people doing strength training, a good idea would be to go with the RDA’s recommendation of the listed dosage just to be on the safe side.

To make it simpler, go for a broad spectrum multivitamin that covers most multivitamins and minerals.

Try to get the RDA recommended dosage from the multivitamin pill itself. The rest you can extract from the diet you’ve opted for.

But be careful, anything in excess can create toxicity for the body. For this reason I wouldn’t go for supplements that provide 4000% of a typical micronutrient that is famous among the body builders; for example, Nitric Oxide (NO2) supplementation.

I’ll start by a typical statement: It depends on your goals and your current body type.

​The statement holds; the number of calories you take daily depends on what your current body is like. Your height, age, BMI and weight can narrow down what your current body type is like.

Next comes your goal. What do you want to achieve?

Personally, I’m a big fan of mathematics. It allows you to quantify exactly what should be done.

Nutrition is no different. By using a few equations and simple Mathematics we can work out almost everything that is associated with Nutrition.

Let’s start by working out your daily caloric requirement.

​​Step 1 - Calculating Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

Step 2 - Finding Your BMR Multiplier

Find your body fat percentage. This can be done by using a body composition analyzer, or by measurement of skin folds.  Once you’re certain about your body fat percentage, refer to the table shown to find out the multiplier that applies to your body type.

From the chart, we can draw a few important conclusions.

The first one is that people with a higher muscle mass have a higher BMR and thus, a higher metabolic rate.  Secondly, women have a slightly greater body fat percentage as compared to men.

Step 3 - Determining Caloric expenditure with respect to daily physical activity.

Steps 1 and 2 helped us to accurately calculate our BMR.

BMR, as we already know, signifies the amount of Calories we burn by doing absolutely nothing. It is our resting Caloric expenditure.

In step 3, we’ll calculate the number of Calories we burn by the physical activity we indulge in.

This step includes identifying the category you fit best. The categories are based on how much physical activity you perform on daily basis.

Step 4 - Final calculation: Compiling results.

Your Caloric Needs = (Value in Step 1) x (Value in Step 2) x (Value in Step 3)

Putting this into perspective, let’s see what the Calorie indicator suggests.

The word to remember here is ‘maintenance’. Maintenance means that you don’t want to gain or lose weight. Anything above this caloric intake will prompt your body to start gaining weight while anything seriously below this intake and you’ll start to lose weight.

Determining the right ratio of Carbs, protein and fats from your diet isn't less than a work of art!

A person consuming 2600 calories in a certain ratio could be losing weight but alter the mix while keeping the calories constant, he/she may start to gain weight.

You can never underestimate the effectiveness of the proportions by which you take your Macronutrients.

Another thing to remember is that Macronutrients are sometimes very unforgiving. An extra 100 calories of fat consumed daily adds up to 36500 calories a year which can be translated into 4.7 Kg of fat!

Of course, the body has its own regulatory system which will resist it to gain this exact 4.7 Kg as fat but a 2 Kg gain resulting from 36500 excess calories annually doesn't seem like a far fetched assumption.

After all, the human body has a limit to its resilience.  

I usually start off with my favorite macronutrient (The protein).

RDA recommends a meager 0.8 grams per Kg of body weight for an individual. This usually works fine for a couch potato who doesn't do much throughout the day.

For athletes and people who train/workout daily, this recommended dose of Protein isn't enough. Let's go with another table that categorizes Protein intake for different people (See previous page):

Going back to the example of Jane, her maintenance calories were 2255. Consulting the Protein chart, she would likely fall into category 4 which means that he requires around 2.2 g / Kg (Bodyweight) of proteins. Protein requirement for Jane:

Next comes the fat intake. You fat intake must be around the 20 – 30% mark of your total calories.

This means that Jane’s calories from fat equal:

So far;

These resultant calories will come from carbohydrates. 266 grams of carbohydrates will be included in Jane’s diet. Her final Macronutrient breakdown looks something like this:

I’m certain that your head must be spinning due to the mathematics I’ve been throwing your way. So to wrap it up, let’s summarise how you would go about, determining your macronutrient breakdown.

The discussion so far in this post deals with how to calculate your base caloric intake and macro-nutritional needs.

This means that if you continue to consume these amounts of calories or macro-nutrients, your Body Composition will remain pretty much the same; hence the word ‘Maintenance’ is used time and again.

Once you understand your base requirements, it becomes easy to tweak your diet plan according to your goals.

For example, if your goal is to lose fat while maintaining your current lean mass, you tweak your diet plan, do a few adjustments to your protein and carbohydrate and there you have it; a diet plan that helps you lose the fat without compromising on your lean body mass.

One of the most useful supplements is protein.  When on a high protein diet, it can be a challenge sometimes to get the correct amount of protein from your natural foods, so supplementing with a high quality protein powder as a snack can really help.

Now that we have done the mathematics, now it’s time to convert those numbers into food items!

Now you can easily read food labels and decide what you’re going to eat. You can easily translate 6 g of protein into ‘An egg’ or 60 grams of carbs into ‘A cup of boiled rice.’

Nutrition is a very vast field and I’ve tried to squeeze in as much practical information here as possible.

I’ve tried to provide you with a starting point and an understanding of how to design your diet plan, following a sports nutrition pathway. However, most of the discussion has revolved around numbers and percentages.

Once you know your numbers, you can choose your food alternatives more wisely

Remember that the more you can get your nutrients from fresh wholesome food, like animal proteins, vegetables, grains and fruits, rather than from a packet or a tin, the less artificial additives you'll be eating, and the better you will feel. 

Get your sports nutrition right, and the results from your training will accelerate.  Focus on both, and achieve your body sculpting goals!

For those of you who are interested in the science of nutrition for weight loss, this Tedx talk by Ruben Meerman on the mathematics of weight loss makes for entertaining and interesting viewing.

*Nothing in this article is intended or should be understood as specific nutritional advice for you.  Before commencing any new nutrition plan you should consult with a qualified medical practitioner and nutritionist about your own particular circumstance to receive personalised advice on a sports nutrition plan. 

Weight training if the truth be told, and you really want to sculpt your body, is really the only way to get the results you need.

The great thing about weight training and muscle mass is that you can tweak individual muscle groups and change the shape of your body, the way you like it.

If you want to, you can work on your Gluteus (The butt as it is commonly known as!) while keeping the rest of your body pretty much the same. If you want to work on your abdominals without changing how your shoulders look; that can be done as well.

It’s similar to working on a specific part of the painting while not touching the rest of the canvas.

This can only be done through weight training and this is one cosmetic, or pure vanity reason why weight training is advantageous over other forms of exercise.

Moving you onto hardcore strength training, but just a few notes of caution here though.

If you’re a beginner, it’s best to focus on building overall body strength, before shifting any focus onto sculpting individual muscles.  

Advanced lifters and body builders will focus on fine tuning specific muscles through isolation movements, but they already have a well developed foundation, which they will continue to maintain, by continuing with their compound lifts, while adding additional isolation moves into their program. 

If you maintain your focus on the big compound moves I would recommend to you, you will develop your muscular physique far quicker.

These gains will then allow you to progress onto specific fine tuning once your body has developed to a stage where you will be able to recognize the areas which can benefit from more specific focus, incorporating isolation exercises.

Compound exercises use your entire body (or multiple parts of your body). They span over multiple muscle groups and joints that work together in the given exercise.

You will maximize the gains achieved from weight training, as the multiple major muscle groups engaged in compound exercises can move more weight, thereby having a greater impact on the body. 

The amount of stress / impact your body goes through during training, triggers a corresponding recovery process, where the magic happens.  Your body adapts and improves itself to allow it to cope with the additional stresses which it is encountering. 

It's therefore only logical that.  If you don't put your body under much stress while training, it won't need to adapt and improve, and there wont be much change. 

A very good example of a compound movement is the Push-up.

When you’re doing push-ups, you’re immediately targeting your Pectoral region. But your shoulders come into play too, you use your core for stabilization, and your triceps get pumped up as well. This is a classic case of a compound movement exercise.

Good examples include:

• Push-ups
• Squats
• Bench press
• Bent-over rows
• Shoulder press or military press
• Pull-ups
• Bar dips
• Dead lifts

Isolation exercises are different in this respect. Isolation exercises put all the stress on a particular muscle.

There is no sharing of load with other muscle groups. Isolation exercises mostly work on muscle groups that are smaller in size E.g. Biceps, Triceps, Calves.

We often talk about ‘definition’ when we talk about isolation exercise.

The truth of the matter is that isolation exercise concentrate on smaller muscle groups. Hence, it is true that isolation exercises help to define your body.

Another factor of isolation moves is that you can’t lift as much weight as you do in compound moves.

For example, you can’t lift 120 Kg on a Barbell Bicep curl but 120 Kg seems plausible when you’re lifting it off the floor while performing the dead lift. 

Obviously you are not going to be able to continually progress to heavier weights in the same way that you can with compound exercises which are using multiple major muscle groups, and it's therefore important to continue training your compound lifts, for greater progressive overload.

Good examples of isolation exercises include:

• Triceps push down on a pulley
• Barbell preacher curl
• Front shoulder raises
• Leg extension
• Dumbbell flies
• Calf raises

If you're not sure what compound moves to start with, try these five strength training exercises.

By that stage, when you're adding isolation exercises into your program, you will find that you already have people in the gym asking you for training tips, because the body you’re developing tells them that you know what you’re doing.

Spend less time in the gym, but spend it wisely doing effective training, which means feeling some pain while you’re training, and you’ll have more time to rest, relax and do other things in life.  And your body will thank you for it, by making better gains.

You will also see many women who shape up certain parts of their body but lack in others.

A common example is toning your arms and shoulders but the love handles never seem to go away.  

They may give you meaningless reasons like, “I’ve always had love handles and it is a genetic thing!”  

The reality is, they are most likely avoiding, or not doing enough of the hard work that needs to be done.  

This is where your personal judgment and knowledge, or the advice of an experienced strength coach comes in handy. You can always reconfigure your workout plan according to the situation.

I hope you're aware, about how good the muscles on your back can look, before I mention how good the muscles on your front can look.  

There’s method to that.  Don’t fall into the habit of only training what you can see in the mirror.  

You need to train both the rear chain and the front chain of your body, otherwise, you will almost certainly end up with posture problems through muscle imbalances.  This leads to injury, including back and neck pain.  You’ll also just end up looking funny.

Remember that other people can see you when you are going as well as when you are coming!

And also, the muscles on your back comprise some big slabs of your lean mass, so work it hard, and you will be rewarded.

Don’t think that I am saying that isolating a muscle group will cause you to lose fat on that part of your body first either.  

So many “fitness guru” programs that are sold, are marketed in a way that makes you think that you can target fat reduction on a certain part of your body, to melt the fat and see the abs, by some incredible abs magic move, or the like.

Don't ever waste your time or money on such false promises. 

Your body loses fat in a mostly even pattern, with the reality being that the last fat to be lost from your body will be from your stomach, or sometimes for women your legs and butt.

It's a bit cruel, I know. What you'd probably most like to fix first, will be the last thing to achieve satisfactory results.  But lets remember, these areas will continually improve, you just won't be satisfied with them too quickly, in most cases. 

Train your body with compound moves, remembering that it’s all about how much weight you’ve moved, because that’s what weight training is all about, and you’ll expend the most energy (calories) to lose the most fat. 

Let’s be clear on one thing; your ‘gender’ doesn’t define how hard you should work out!

The equation is simple, you need to push, you need to exert yourself and you need to feel like you gave all you had to give, after each workout.

If you don’t out-do yourself in each following workout, you won’t be progressing forward in terms of sculpting your body. It's a really important fundamental of proper weight training.

You can read more about this principle, including how to make sure you are achieving progress, in this blog on progressive overload.

‘Women don’t need to go at it with such intensity’; I’ve heard this phrase from fitness trainers to common folks and it is another misconception that plagues the fitness industry.

Throughout this blog we talk about “training” not “working out”.  

There is an important reason for that too.  

While many people commonly refer to “working out at the gym” if you spend time around professional athletes from any sport, you will hear them refer to all the work that they do as, “training”.  

So do you think that you will get a better result doing things the way that the majority of people “commonly” do, or by doing things the way that athletes do?

I know which group I’ve always been inspired by.

Even if you don’t aspire to become a professional athlete, by adopting similar approaches to training as they do, you will be using your time more effectively, and producing far better results. 

The professional athlete will simply spend more time every day training, because it’s their job, and usually their all consuming passion.

So what do we mean when we say “training”? 

We mean consistently setting and monitoring “smart” goals, which are achieved because we ensure that our performance and therefore our results are improved upon, each time we train.

This concept is just so critical, if you want to achieve significant improvement.  It doesn’t mean that you will never have a bad session where you don’t manage to achieve what you set out to. 

Sometimes even the best athletes have off days, but you need to recognize it as such, work out what was wrong (did I not get enough sleep / rest, was my nutrition not good enough, was I not quite over a cold, did my technique let me down today, etc) and fix it for the next session so that you are training effectively. 

When you do weight training like this, you will see continual improvement, and this will continue to motivate you, and you will find that it also inspires others around you.

If you would like some inspiration for challenging weight training workouts take a look at these 20 killer leg workouts.

If you are training properly, you need to ensure that you are also eating properly.  You need to fuel the body properly so it can perform during your training sessions. 

It's really a whole other topic to study and perfect, but as a guideline;

• You need to be eating a consistent diet with a proper balance of the three main macro nutrients; Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. 
• Know what your overall caloric intake should be, to achieve your goals, including consideration of energy expended completing your weight training sessions and any other intense activity, along with regular daily calorie burn.
• When you're shopping for food, remember to read the nutrition labels, and wherever possible, buy fresh food; I.e food that's not processed or comes from a tin.
• Remember that everything that you put into your body, will have an affect on it.  Good food will have a good affect, and bad / junk food will have a negative affect.  It's your choice!

Once you have been "eating clean" for a while, you will really start to feel the positive affect of good nutrition on your body, and will find that you have less and less desire for bad / junk foods. 

Good nutrition has a massive positive affect on your body, and even on your mental health. When your body is healthy and operating well, you'll feel better energy which leads to a happier more positive life.

Make sure that you are getting plenty of rest and recovery as well.  Our body repairs itself while we sleep, so it's just common sense that if you aren't getting enough sleep, then your body is not able to recover properly. 

If for some crazy nonsensical reason, you still don't think that strength training is for you, then read this research article from The American College of Sports Medicine, who tested 35,754 women and found that strength training reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30% and cardiovascular disease by 17%.

I'm sure you'll agree they're good reasons to give it a try.

So, get fit, inspire others and help others attain the same fitness level. That has been part of my own journey, and I continue to learn from and be inspired by others!

How do you find inspiration to train? 

Let me know in the comments below.

Kettlebell workout routine that will give you amazing toning benefits, with kettlebell exercises for the whole body. 

Designed to sculpt your body, these awesome kettlebell exercises are also a great way to introduce some fun into your training routine. 

**This is only an example exercise routine, and is not providing any specific advice to any person. As with any new exercise activity, you should check with your own medical and health professionals for advice on your own personal condition prior to commencing any new activity

*Instructions for each kettlebell exercise follow below.

Depending on how much training you've done before, and whether you've ever used kettlebells before, you might find this workout to be a bit challenging.

If that's you, then just double the rest between sets to 30 seconds, and cut back on the amount of sets you do to say three instead of four.  But try to at least some sets of each exercise, so you get the benefit of a whole body workout.

But it you'be been training for a while and are in good shape, you might want to add some ab exercises in between sets, or following your kettlebell workout routine.

I came across this strange looking piece of equipment in 2010.  I know, lots of people discovered it before me:)

It appeared very crude to me, and I was reluctant to use it for exercises initially. I started with standard squats and lunges where I was focusing for leg training routines.

Then I moved on to start a few 'swinging' moves for my core synergistic muscle groups and after a little while I became familiar with this brilliant piece of equipment. Ever since, I've been recommending kettlebells for  an alternate to traditional strength training workouts. 

Firstly, there's the advantage of the handle. Women who are lifting a great deal of weight often come across gripping problems. Whether it’s the barbell or the dumbbell, the firmness of your grip will play an important part in how well you can perform an exercise. In the case of kettlebells, the handle does the magic and you don't face any problems due to grip.

Kettlebells are cheap to buy as well. They don't cost as much as fancy 'Aluminum coated' dumbbells so you can always go ahead and buy new one's when you grow out of your old pair!

If you are interested in more information about the history, terminology and rules of kettlebell lifting, you can find that here, and here.

Then comes the question of using kettlebells for exercises; 

Performing kettlebell workouts can be very beneficial for a large number of muscle groups at a given time. 

Kettlebells enable you to improve on your core. The core becomes involved when you complete actions that involve 'swinging' the weight. With dumbbells and barbells, swinging actions are usually negative and should be avoided, but with kettle bells, moves like 'Double windmill' will strengthen your mid section. 

Your bodies ability to engage it's true strength can be limited by the strength of your mid section, but this fact is often forgotten in the world of weight training. Stability and swinging moves can be incorporated using kettle bells to strengthen your core, and you will feel the improvement in your traditional lifts in the gym.

Kettlebells engage your forearms a great deal, as compared to the dumbbell or barbell.

For most exercises, the grip is such that your arm is not in its natural straight line. The classic 'briefcase grip' engages the forearm and the stronger grip causes strengthening of your forearms.

The same holds true for functional strength. A Kettlebell workout routine is great to add raw strength to your armory. Since almost all of the moves are compound moves, anything involving the kettle bells will be a complete body workout.

The best thing about kettlebells is the size of the equipment. You can keep it anywhere; Under the bed, in your closet or just by your bedside table. Since it is a single piece of equipment, it doesn't require much space but this brings us to a problem as well.

Since kettlebells are fixed weight equipment, you'll probably have to upgrade to a heavier one every once in a while. If you keep working out with the same resistance level for an extended period of time, chances are that you'll hit a plateau. So, this is a major down side of kettlebells training and body weight training which needs to be kept into mind.

As mentioned in my post on progressive overload, your muscles need to 'overload' in order to hypertrophy. The same level of resistance, over and over again doesn't overload the muscles as the body becomes accustomed to the same resistance level. In order to progress, you'll need to increase the resistance level somehow.

A good analogy between 'kettlebell workout routine' and a traditional 'weight training session' would be that of a classic muscle car and a new generation sports car! If you need raw strength, grunt and power without worrying too much about external looks, you go with a muscle car. But if you want a car that performs and has a clean look with exquisite styling, you'll be happy with a new BMW rather than going for a Chevy Impaler! Same logic applies to kettle bells training. You may not achieve the very best muscle isolation with kettle bells but it does wonders with functional strength, core stability, muscle endurance and even flexibility.

The workout routine that follows contains some of the best kettlebell exercises you can do.

As you've no doubt heard before, proper form is the key. Sacrificing form for even a single repetition can end up in an injury that can haunt you for months so always be wary of what you're about to do. Belts and gloves are there for a reason, so use them when it makes sense!

Also, it is best to work out with a spotter even when you're working out with body weight or kettlebells. Your partner can help you with your form and can assist you in performing additional repetitions which are crucial for muscle growth.

Kettlebell swings may look clumsy, but it is one of the most effective total body exercises you can do with the kettlebell.

It gets your shoulders engaged in particular, not to mention the balancing act of your core to oppose the swinging motion of the kettlebell.

This move will strengthen your lower body as most of the stress is endured in your mid-section and your legs during the 'return swing' of the kettlebell.

• The proper starting point of this move requires you to squat with your feet shoulder width apart. 
• The kettlebell is extended downwards and your arm must be placed between your legs. Use the overhand grip for this move. 
• Your back must be taut, avoid excessive hunching. This is the starting point of this move.
• Now, swing the kettlebell under the hips and swing it in the opposite direction while raising the upper body.
• Extend the legs and help yourself with the swinging action. The kettlebell should swing back and forth between the distance of your legs and slightly above shoulder height.

The move is similar to Front shoulder raises, but with kettlebells the move is more 'dynamic' and compound engaging your entire body.

This move is similar to the classic single dumb bell row. 

The difference is that double kettlebell bent-over rows focuses on both sides (Left and right) simultaneously and the grip is a little different as compared to the conventional dumb bell row. 

• For the correct starting position stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and straight back. 
• Squat down from this position and grip two kettlebells like briefcases and return to your starting position with the kettlebells hanging freely, vertically downwards.
• From here lift the kettlebells by bending your elbows, like you would in the class dumb bell row.
• Make sure that you lift both kettlebells simultaneously and bring them towards your ribs.
• The only difference in this move is that due to the changed grip, you may not perform much of a 'swing'; rather, it'll be more of a vertical 'lift'. 

The benefit is that this move is a better stressor for the lower back as you're lifting more weight and using both sides of the body simultaneously.

This is a great exercise to consider if you're looking for an alternate to classic single dumbbell rows for the back.

This is a squatting move which can be executed with the help of a kettlebell.

• To start off, stand with your feet shoulder width apart (or a bit wider). 
• Next important thing is how you hold the kettle bells for this particular exercise.
• The kettle bells are to be held right in front of the shoulders whereas the arms should be kept really close to the body for the correct execution of the starting point.
• From here, you need to bend your knees and squat down (The way you do in the classic squat or weighted squats).
• Keep lowering your body, keeping your back straight and bent hips.
• Lower yourself until your butt is as low as it can go, in a full squat (ass to grass). Once you hit this point, elevate your body by extending the knees and hips, standing back up straight.

The kettlebell grip is important as well, hold them as you would hold a barbell in a shoulder press.

This is similar to the snatch performed in weight lifting.

The idea is to pick the weight up from ground level and raise it above your head in one quick action.

For this two major moves are required; the squat compounded with shoulder raises.

This is a very useful move for building functional strength but without proper form or care, this move is prone to injuries. Here is the proper form:

• Straddle two kettlebells (Which are placed on the ground) with both hands (Single KB snatch can also be done) and stand with your feet shoulder width apart; 
• Squatting down to grasp the kettlebells.
• Your back should be straight and your shoulders shoulder be vertically above the kettlebells.
• Without jerking, pull the kettlesbells off the floor by extending your knees and hips, to stand up straight.
• This initial motion is quickly followed by ballistic upward movement of the shoulder and arms to raise the kettlebells further.
• While the kettlebells reach their maximum height, extend your arms straight above your head and aggressively pull your body right beneath the kettlebells to support their weight.
• During this 'pulling the body underneath the kettlebells, you should go into a squat to 'catch' the kettle bell without any impact. 
• Once the kettle bells are stably held over your head, extend hips and knees to come out of the 'cushioning' squat and stand straight holding the kettlebells straight over your head. 

This is the first repetition, lower the kettlebells back to the floor by doing a partial shoulder press followed by a smooth dead lift and repeat!

This is similar to the clean and jerk performed in weight lifting.

If you've already performed the kettlebell snatch, this will become pretty easy. 

The moves are quite similar and the idea is to pick the weight up from ground level and raise it above your head in two quick actions.

For this two major moves are required; the squat compounded with shoulder raises, with a little pause in between (Unlike snatch).

This is a very useful move for building functional strength but without proper form or care, this move is prone to injuries.

Here is the proper form:

• Start with 'Clean'. Straddle two kettlebells (Which are placed on the ground with both hands) and stand with your feet shoulder width apart; 
• Squatting down to grasp the kettlebells. 
• Your back should be straight and your shoulders shoulder be vertically above the kettlebells.
• Without jerking, pull the kettlebell off the floor by extending your knees and hips.
• This initial motion is quickly followed by folding of the elbows and brings your arms beneath the kettlebells to support their weight. This is the 'Clean'.
• Now rest briefly with your shoulders and arms supporting the weight of the kettlebells.
•  Continue with the 'Jerk'; continue with a ballistic upward movement driven by the legs and supported by shoulder and arms to raise the kettlebells further. 
• 
  
• Extend your arms straight above your head and aggressively pull your body right beneath the kettlebells to support their weight. 
• 
  
• Once the kettlebells are stably held over your head,  stand straight holding the kettlebells straight over your head. 

This is the first repetition, lower the kettlebells back to the floor by doing a partial shoulder press followed by a smooth dead lift and repeat.

The Turkish get up; they don't make exercises any weirder than this!

Well the goal is to lay down with a raised kettlebell and then lift your whole body into an upright standing stance.

For this, your body transitions into many different postures and for this reason it is a total body workout.

There are many different variations of the kettlebell Turkish get up but with this version, we'll be starting while lying on the ground.

• For the starting position, lay down on the floor, fold your right knee and abduct your left leg slightly away from your body. 
• Hold the KB in your right hand and raise it vertically above your right shoulder.
• Your left arm should be placed comfortably on the floor.
• From here, while keeping your right arm raised, crunch towards your left elbow, shifting your bodyweight to your left elbow and raising the right side of your body.
• Also use your folded right leg to power yourself to the left side.
• Now, shift your bodyweight to the left hand, keeping your chest up and out.
• From here it's time to get your butt off the floor!
• From the hand supportive position, drive your body into a high bridge.
• The key to this position is to really squeeze your right side glutes, keep your chest out and position your body in such a way that you turn into a tripod with your bodyweight being supported by your feet an left hand while your right hand is still extended vertically upwards.
• Now sweep your left leg and position your left knee on the ground, try to get up into a lunge position with your left knee supporting the weight of your body, right knee folded at 90 degrees, left arm hanging freely and right arm holding the kettlebell.
• Now, one simple lunging move and you're standing up straight! 

Let's not forget that you've performed only 1 repetition. Let's repeat the whole thing in reverse for more!

I hope that if you haven't tried kettlebell workout routines before, that you will now, as I'm sure you'll find it fun and will feel the benefits. 

If you'd like to try more kettlebell routines and learn more about training with them, then I recommend that you check out Greg Brooks site.  His Complete Guide to Kettlebell Workouts for Women will give you instructions on a few more different kettlebell exercises and some further examples of kettlebell workout routines that are really good.

And if all this throwing around of kettlebells is just making you hungry, that ok. Good nutrition is a must for anyone who wants to maintain good health and shape up, so I'm with you there.

I'd love to hear about anyone else's experiences training with kettlebells, because it's always great to get different perspectives and keep learning, so leave a comment bellow, and let me know how you like to use kettlebells in your own workout routines.

Running makes most strength athletes cringe. 

Perhaps you're the same, and hate anything that even looks like cardio.  Often, once the benefits of strength training are experienced, running and cardio training are easily forgotten, and relegated to the scrap heap of, things we shouldn't do.

But; Do you really want to be the person who lives through, "that awkward moment when you're wearing Nikes, and you can't do it"?

The reality is, the right kind of cardio including running when combined with a proper strength program, can help improve performance and results. 

It's often like there are two separate worlds, that can't co-exist.  "Running world" and "Lifting world".  I've observed that people living exclusively in either "world" have sub-optimal health and performance.

Runners who don't lift, are falling apart, even if they're still awesome runners. And lifters who don't run, have little to no endurance and are puffed out even climbing a set of stairs.

The right mix of both training modalities in a smartly constructed program will help either athlete be the healthiest version of themselves, while producing optimum performances for their chosen sport. 

And if you're simply training for appearance, the combination of running with strength training will produce the type of body that most desire.  Most are not chasing the results achieved at either end of the spectrum of running and lifting, which can be like skelator, or the Hulk. 

We just don't want that.  So find the right balance and enjoy your training, and the results that come with it.

Obviously, you can run indoors on a tread mill or outside in the fresh air.  I find mixing it up works best, so I run indoors when it's cold or rainy outside, but really enjoy outdoor runs when the weather is good.  

Running outdoors also has a different feel and impact on the body to tread mill running, so it's good to not let the body settle into a rhythm just doing one.  Repetitively training the same way can  produce less results over time as the body becomes accustomed to it, and taken to extreme can lead to over training more easily than a varied program.  

So mix it up, and enjoy yourself as well.

Spend a few minutes to read this post, and I think you'll see how giving some running and cardio a try as part of your strength program is a good idea.

The list of reasons to integrate cardio into your training program is endless, and so are the advantages of running.

Smart bodybuilders and weight training enthusiasts have been long using running to supplement their workout routine so that they can burn fat more effectively.

The main aim is to increase the daily caloric expenditure, and improve general conditioning.

Endurance type running is typically defined as the 'common jogging'. Your heart rate is in the 50% - 75% of the Max HR, your breathing rate is high but stable, leg muscle contractions are not that intense, range of motion of your muscles is limited as well.

Such endurance type running conditions your heart and increases cell capacity to absorb oxygen (VO2 Max). One problem with endurance running is that some muscle loss along with fat loss is inevitable (Yes, the body has funny ways to get on your nerves!).

Muscle loss becomes a threat especially when you hit a stage where Glycogen reserves are nearing depletion. This is the primary reason why bodybuilders who want to pack on mass try to avoid endurance runs.

In my opinion, avoiding endurance running altogether is not a good idea. It's all about how you 'manage' your workout schedule. One long distance endurance run in the range of an hour isn't going to impact your body in a negative way, given your nutrition is impeccable and your workout schedule is flawless.

Let's not forget that you're pounding iron rest of the week which means that you'll be packing on muscle mass rest of the week.

I'm not recommending marathon or half marathon runs (or God forbid, Ultra marathons)! Endurance running is a perfect example of Low Intensity Training (LIT) for Cardiovascular strength.

How one should incorporate LIT Cardio Training in their weight training schedule?

LIT Cardio which lasts about 30 minutes can be performed on weight training days.

A good idea is to separate your weight training session and your LIT cardio by 6 hours. I personally recommend doing Cardio in the morning while hitting the weights in the evening.

 Same day LIT Cardio shouldn't exceed the 30 minute mark and make sure you make up for the increased physical exertion via proper nutrition and rest. Same day LIT Cardio can be pursued as a means of rapidly losing weight while staying in control of your muscle mass.

If back to back LIT and weight training session seem unavoidable, try to do your LIT session after your weight training session. You don't want to feel listless once you hit the weights.

Your energy level should be optimal to lift as heavy as you can whereas a low intensity run can be performed even after a hard training session. But again, the best practice is to split them by an interval of 6 hours or you can go for LIT on alternate days if you don't aim for rapid fat loss.

The second form of running is Anaerobic running.

Classic example of Anaerobic running is the 100 m sprint. Physical performance of such order demands a high volume of Oxygen which can't be supplied.

Anaerobic running can be considered as a form of 'Strength training' as the same energy and muscular system comes into play.

Therefore Anaerobic running is another great alternative to LIT.

Anaerobic running and the term HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) are often used interchangeably. A classic example of HIIT would be 'Performing a 100 m sprint, walking balk to the start line and repeating 10 times (100m X 10 sets)'.

This is known as High Intensity Interval training. The quick burst of energy associated with the 100 m sprint is High Intensity, followed by a rest interval.

This is quite similar to what you do in a particular weight training session (Rest followed by each set).

The great thing about HIIT is that it is Anaerobic and keeps your body in the anabolic state.

The risk of losing muscle mass is much less than that of LIT. For this reason, this form of running is favored by most fitness trainers whose aim is to build muscle mass.

Your HIIT can be different. You may go with 200m sprinting followed by 300 m walk or you may go with the 100m spring followed by a rest interval. The choice is yours really. Here are a few examples of HIIT that I usually recommend.

• (100m Sprint + 400m Jog) x 10
• (100m Sprint + 100m Walk-back) x 15
• (200m Sprint + 300m Jog) x 10

The only thing you need to remember is that the high intensity interval needs to take your heart rate above 75% of your HR Max and the low intensity interval needs to be such that your heart rate falls back to at least 50% of your Max HR.

Usually, a good idea is to wear a device that can monitor your heart rate and time interval. A heart rate monitor along with a stop watch can do the magic.

You can even do it without these gadgets, all you need is a track (Or a well calibrated pathway) and good pair of running shoes.

The time you spend in a HIIT should be somewhat similar to the time you spend in a normal strength workout. Ideally, a 30 - 45minute HIIT workout (Including warm-up, cool-down and rest intervals) will leave you exhausted.

To sum it up, a few workout schedules have been illustrated following;

Good for you .... You made your health and weight loss resolutions for 2018, and remembered to include healthy dessert recipes? 

That's a really smart choice!

At this time every year, so many people try to follow a clean eating diet and fail, because it ends up being too boring, and not giving their taste buds enough treats to keep life interesting. 

That's a real shame. 

There are so many healthy options which you can include in a balanced clean eating diet, that will satisfy your cravings for something sweet, and won't affect your waist line. 

Following are 31 of the best healthy dessert recipes that you can follow in 2018.  yes, that's a new recipe for every day of the month.

Click on each healthy dessert recipes title for the full recipe.

With just 23 calories, no sugar, melted chocolate or heavy cream involved, you wouldn't think this would be such a tasty treat.  

Just trust me, it is!

Only four ingredients needed to make this oh so simple recipe.  It's easy to make, and a great guilt free healthy treat. 

If you take a look at Amy's blog while you're there, you'll see that she's a real chocolate lover, and has some great recipes for tasty chocolate treats, that are healthy as well. So, I'm a fan!

At just 15 minutes baking time, and only a couple of minutes prep time, this healthy dessert recipe won't keep you waiting. 

It's a great treat to cook, because you can really add whatever you would like as a topping on the oatmeal, so you can add your favourite fruits or other flavorsome treat, to add some variety.  

Some countries actually have a second breakfast tradition, which I think is really cool. 

Even if you only have one breakfast, you should make sure that it gets your day started well.  

Ensuring that there is a good serving of protein included, will keep you feeling full, satisfied and with good energy for longer.  

This recipe ticks all those boxes, with a good dose of protein in the yogurt (I use high protein yogurt) and healthy grains which add fibre to your diet and help with good digestion. 

Packed with 18 grams of protein and a good dose of fibre in every serving this is one satisfying healthy treat. 

Sugar free, gluten free, keeps you guilt free!

Just make sure you don't top them with too much cream if that's what your taste buds are telling you to do.  These are full of flavour already, and are great on their own. 

Bananas are a great food if you are into fitness, as they help recover electrolytes, and prevent cramps, and are a source of long lasting energy.

So baking a cake that contains a few bananas is a great idea for a healthy treat.  

Bake a good size cake, as it keeps for a while, and is a handy treat to have on hand.

This is such a simple healthy recipe, with just seven minutes of prep, and 20 to 30 minutes cooking. 

I just love the taste of cinnamon with the cooked apples, it's got a bit of zest with the lovely smooth apple texture. 

I like to eat these hot or cold.

Another recipe with apples, just has to be healthy. Remember the saying? An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 

Well this simple recipe gives you a healthy treat that is super tasty as well. 

With 18.6 grams of protein per serving, this healthy dessert recipe is a great choice to keep you feeling satisfied for longer. 

When I tried this recipe, I added custard on top with some chopped bananas and it was even more filling and gave me a great energy boost. 

Try it with your favourite added topping as well. 

My husband loves baked apple pie, and I was worried that this recipe from eating well just wouldn't pass muster with him. 

It was actually a great hit. The wanton pastry just changes the taste experience, and compliments that apples so well. 

These are great eaten on their own, but adding some healthy yogurt is yummy as well.

With 23 grams of protein and some great long lasting energy from the bananas this healthy treat is sure to satisfy both your appetite and taste buds.

I actually swapped the ricotta cheese out with high protein yogurt as a healthy option, that actually increases the protein content as well. 

This is another option for a breakfast dessert, to get your day started the right way. 

In fact recent studies have shown that eating breakfast desserts can be good for weight loss.  See the scientific study here.

And for those people who are including an extra protein supplement in their diet, this is a great way to include it as part of a meal. 

You can top this with any chopped fruits that you like.  I like to have it with chopped strawberries or whole blueberries. 

Such a simple recipe with only two ingredients. 

As someone who loves peanut butter, now that I've tasted this healthy treat, I can't believe that I never thought of making a fudge like this myself.  I'm so glad that I found Laura's recipe!

If you love dessert recipes then you should spend some time on her site, because she's like the queen of healthy desserts.

This is another great recipe from Laura. Desserts are really her passion, and the recipes that she comes up with I think are just divine. 

Bananas are a great food for sustained energy, and I just love nuts, so given this recipe contains almonds, walnuts and cashews it's like it was just made for me:) 

Mangoes are one of my favourite fruits, and rice is a great source of lean carbs, so as far as healthy dessert recipes go, this one definitely keeps me happy. 

I use brown rice, and I actually replace the brown cane sugar with a tablespoon of honey.  

I just love honey as a natural sweetener, which I believe contains so much goodness for our bodies. 

Annie's healthy desert recipes are a real treat. She seems able to find some of the yummiest, healthy fresh ingredients and combines them  to create recipes that will have your taste buds singing her praises too. 

I love the chopped walnuts, as I'm nuts about most nuts really:) 

These are great on their own, or you could try them with some healthy high protein yogurt, or protein ice cream for an extra good treat.

I think that these are a great healthy dessert alternative to an apple pie.

These bars are really quick and easy to make, are super tasty either on their own, or sometimes I like to have them with a high protein yogurt or protein ice cream.

Just note that they should be eaten at home, as they get soft and so don't travel well. 

Who doesn't love some​ coconut?

Erin's recipe is super simple to make, with some really healthy ingredients and you can make a big enough serve to keep for several days.

Who doesn't love chocolate cake? 

Problem is that usually when looking for healthy dessert recipes, you won't find a chocolate cake recipe that's actually going to create a truly delicious taste experience for you. 

When I tried this recipe from Mary's blog, barefeet in the kitchen, it was just the best.  With a lovely smooth moist texture and fully flavoured, this is healthy, but real, chocolate cake, so try it and enjoy!

Ice cream has to be one of the all time favourite desserts.  Most people wouldn't think of it being healthy for you, but with some creative twists it can be. 

This recipe from cookery author Roz Purcell ticks lots of boxes.  With high protein bars, banana's for a long lasting energy boost, and honey for energy and a shot of pure goodness, this dessert is really tasty and the energy hit leaves you feeling great.

This is probably one of the simplest healthy dessert recipes that you will ever find. 

It's just two ingredients mixed together and frozen.  I use a high protein vanilla yogurt, and add some cinnamon spice for some extra taste.

The original recipe doesn't include the pastry base shown, but I just use a simple biscuit base pastry in a pie dish for this. 

Chocolate and mint together are an awesome combination, that's sure to give your taste buds a blast of satisfaction.

I found this recipe on the Sarah in shape blog, and couldn't wait to try it for myself. You will find on Sarah's blog that she has been through her own journey developing an interest in healthy but tasty desserts. I'm so glad that she came up with this one, because it's just so decadent, but doesn't ruin your diet.:)

If you like chocolate then you should do yourself a favour and check out more of the healthy dessert recipes from this cook.  Her blog is actually called "Chocolate covered Katie", and if that isn't enough to convince you that she truly is worth following, then what if I told you that she believes in eating dessert every day. 

That certainly convinced me to try some of her recipes!

This recipe for workout brownies sounded just right for me, and it has become one of my favourite recipes. It's great to keep some of these on hand, as they are a good protein snack if I'm feeling peckish. 

I really love nuts!

So finding this recipe from Lauren Kelly made my day. Lauren is a nutritionist so I knew I could trust her saying that this was a healthy recipe, and I knew that I'd love the taste with the pecan nuts included. 

I like to add about double the cinnamon, but that's only because I really like it's flavour, so I'm adding extra to the original recipe.

I love avocados, and they contain healthy fats which are an important inclusion in your diet. 

I use honey in the recipe, which I also consider to be a healthy way to add sweetness. 

Surprisingly the end dessert doesn't taste like avocado, but still contains all the goodness.  Not that I'm against the taste of avocado's, it's just surprising given that's the main ingredient.

Chocolate and coconut are such a great combination of tastes, and they really make this dessert a divine healthy treat. 

This recipe contains a good serve of protein and fiber.  Fiber is really important for your digestion and gut health, so I'm loving the combination. 

I add a spoon of natural bush honey to add some extra sweetness to the recipe as well.

I often get caught eating peanut butter straight out of the jar.  I know, that's not a real healthy snack, and I'm  being naughty. 

So, I was really happy to discover this recipe by Lee.  She's obviously into fitness as well, so knows what it feels like to have to fuel your body properly. 

Containing protein and an egg, these healthy treats will keep you feeling satisfied, with a good energy boost.

This recipe by Faith is truly one of my favourites, because you get to use up those over ripe bananas.  Let's face it, they are always getting over ripe. 

These are super tasty, and I love to have them as a small guilt free treat with my coffee.

Ice cream is such a treat especially during summer, but it's usually a guilty treat.  

This protein yogurt ice cream recipe is completely guilt free.  With a healthy serve of protein for long lasting energy, you can eat it on it's own or with your favourite fruit. 

Chocolate, coconut and peanut butter.  Can you think of any three treats better than these together? 

I love this recipe by Shelly of Two Healthy Kitchens. It's loaded with taste with a great texture, and is gluten free, which is great for me because gluten can really mess with my stomach.

I love almonds and coconut, both of which give you a serve of healthy fats in your diet, so this recipe by Kelly of Life Made Sweeter is a great choice if you are looking for a healthy treat.

With no baking required, this is a super simple recipe, and you can make up a batch and keep them refrigerated to have one with a coffee whenever you feel like a quick treat.

Another gluten free paleo recipe which is kind to my stomach, I just love these cakes. 

I came across this recipe on A Healthy Life For Me, and Amy has done wonders with this recipe, that's healthy but still has heaps of flavor and a great texture.  There's lots of great recipes on her site, so do yourself a favor and take a look around once you've read how to make this cake.

I like being able to make the several small cakes and keeping them to eat as snacks when my sweet tooth calls. 

I love trying new recipes, and I just love healthy food in general.  I'm so glad that I also love to workout.

A lot of the "diets" that people are following, thinking that they are doing the right thing in their quest for weight loss, or the perfect body, I think are just depriving them of both proper nutrition, and the joy of good eating. 

I hope that sharing these healthy dessert recipes with you, will help show that you can really enjoy eating tasty treats, while still maintaining great levels of fitness.  I know that I do:) 

These are really some of the easiest to make, but most enjoyable to eat recipes that I have tried, and I hope that you enjoy some of them too.  

If you've got any other healthy dessert recipes that are personal favourites, please share them with me in the comments below.  I'm always happy to try new sweet treats!

Protein yogurt ice cream makes a great snack, or healthy dessert, that won't ruin your training goals.

Sometimes when you're chasing new health and fitness goals, whether they are related to weight loss, or gaining muscle and strength, you can start to feel that your meal plans are a bit bland. 

That leads to cravings, which leads to unplanned cheat snacks, which leads to feelings of guilt and affects your progress.  That's a bad path to follow. 

It's much better to plan to include some healthy treats in your diet, so sweet tooth cravings are taken care of, while still eating clean. 

If you need any extra convincing that yogurt is great for you, see all the details here.

This protein yogurt ice cream recipe is a perfect healthy dessert, as it's full of protein, which actually keeps you feeling full and satisfied for longer, and helps with muscle recovery from your workouts. 

This is a really easy recipe to make, with just a couple of minutes prep time, and pop the ice cream into the freezer.

Just a few easy steps;

1. Chop the banana into slices
2. Add the yogurt, banana and water into a blender
3. Add protein powder
4. Add cinnamon spice
5. Blend until smooth
6. Pour mixture into plastic cups and freeze

I really like the cinnamon spice, but you can consider that optional if you just like a really pure vanilla taste.

The protein yogurt ice cream will freeze really hard, so I usually shift a cup into the fridge for about 15 minutes before eating, so it's a bit softer.

My husband has a real love affair with ice cream, and always has a tub of it in the freezer, so this recipe has given us a great healthy option so he still has a tasty treat that he can enjoy, while getting a good hit of healthy protein and yogurt.  That keeps everyone happy:)

If you are looking for some healthy dinner recipe ideas as well, then you'll enjoy these 31 clean eating recipes.

Enjoy, and stay healthy!

Breakfast desserts might sound strange, but it's actually a great idea!

Why start the day being boring? 

In some countries within Europe including Bavaria, Hungary, Poland, Vienna and Austria, they traditionally even have a second breakfast.  So if they can create a tradition like that around breakfast, why can't we start our own?

I vote that we all start creating breakfast desserts, to get our days underway with a tasty treat.

Anyhow, fire up your taste buds with this super tasty and simple recipe, which is also great for your digestive health and keeps you feeling full for longer with a hit of extra protein. 

Soak the 1/2 cup of grains in 1/2 cup of water kept in the fridge overnight, to activate the grains so that they are easy for your stomach to digest quickly. 

Prepare a serve each of sliced mango and strawberries.  I include a fairly generous serve of both, because I just love sweet fruits, and they provide a real burst of flavour combined with the vanilla yogurt. 

Place a serve of high protein yogurt in a bowl

Add the healthy grains.  They will have absorbed the 1/2 cup of water and have swelled up a bit.  

mix the yogurt and grains together till the grains are well blended into the yogurt. 

add the sliced fresh fruit on top, and your healthy breakfasts desserts recipe is complete and ready to enjoy. 

How quick and easy is that! 

While I've called this a breakfast recipe, it's actually really handy to make this up and keep some in a container to eat as a filling snack throughout the day as well.

It's a tasty treat, that due to the high protein yogurt, will keep you feeling satisfied, with good energy, for longer.

If you are constantly craving sweets in your diet, it's a good indicator about your food personality.  if you'd like to find out more about your own food personality, try taking the simple test below;

A food quiz can tell you a lot about your food persona, and how you really relate to food. 

Are you really a healthy eater? 

Or do you cave in to emotional hunger occasionally. 

Take the quick food quiz and find out!

Cravings for different types of food, whether it's spicy, salty, sweet, fast food or natural organic can have as much to do with your personality as it does your taste buds. 

But whatever the reason, you can be very sure that your food preferences are going to have a major impact on your life. 

The foods you choose to eat will have an affect on;

You get the idea.  What you eat will to a very large degree influence what kind of health and enjoyment you achieve in life. 

Food has an affect on us all, physically, mentally and many would say spiritually as well. 

In Ayurvedic medicine practice there is a strong belief in eating to balance your dosha.  The spiritual nutrition principles are based around three doshas;

• Vayu
• Pitta
• Kapha

By eating the correct foods for the dosha which is in most alignment with your shakra, you maintain harmony within the body, by soothing the dosha. 

Recommendations for each are;

Vayu - warm foods with moderately heavy texture. See more here

Pitta - cool or warm with moderately heavy texture and bitter, sweet and astringent tastes. See more here

Kapha - warm and light foods without much water. See more here

I hope that you're convinced that it's worth having an understanding of your food personality, and you've taken the quiz to find out. 

If not, jump back to the top of the page and start the quiz.  Whether you are really serious about it, or just curious, it only takes a couple of minutes to do, and just might help you to understand why you eat the way you do.

If you're ready for some great healthy eating, check out some of the easy to prepare dishes in these clean eating recipes.