Dark Chocolate Goji Berries Are Healthy And Delicious

By William Edgar

Who'd have thought that is would be possible for a chocolate treat to actually be good for you? Well now you can buy dark chocolate covered goji berries, which have a huge amount of health benefits. Goji berries have been part of the diet of Tibetans for centuries and are also a part of Chinese medicine. The health benefits of dark chocolate goji berries will allow you to treat yourself without the guilt, and improve your health at the same time!

The Goji berry, also known as the Wolf-berry, is the fruit of the boxthorn plant. It is a native species of South-east Europe and Asia. They are a small orange berry with most of the commercial supply being cultivated in China, in the north central region and the western regions. The fruit is mainly prepared in dry form, although it is also possible to make a delicious drink from its juice.

Goji berries are jammed packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and immune-enhancing polysaccharides. They are said to slow down the effects of ageing and many people in Tibet swear by them. Dark chocolate also has many health benefits. Combine the two, and you have a sweet healthy snack!

This fruit contains copious amounts of nutrients and phytochemicals. These include, antioxidants, plysaaharides, monosaccharides, phytosterols, caroenoids, amino acids and essential vitamins and fatty acids.

Goji berries are very high in antioxidants which have anti-aging properties. Antioxidants work by minimizing any damage from the free radicals that can cause harm to DNA and cells. This can seriously reduce the risk of disease. The fruit is also high in vitamin A, which also has anti-aging properties as it boosts the immune system and helps prevent heart disease.

Recent studies into the fruit have revealed that they can be extremely good for mental well-being and can even help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Other recently discovered health benefits include, increased happiness, and improved sleep. Goji berries contain 15 times more iron than spinach and has high levels of calcium, zinc and selenium.

Dark chocolate is also highly beneficial to health. Although it is high in fat, it is also high in antioxidants. having ingredients that are very good at slowing down the effects of ageing helping to lower blood pressure and improve overall blood flow. In turn, this helps the brain function and reduce the risk of strokes; it can also help prevent blood clots from forming.

Dark chocolate coated Goji berries are not only a tasty treat, they can also significantly improve your health. There are many excellent suppliers of these sweets, some of which offer fully organic products. Naturally Goji are one of these suppliers and are globally trusted. Feel free to check out this tasty new treat also with significant health benefits.

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If you are searching for the best goji berries available on the market, take a look at our recommended web page for info. Find out the health benefits of superfoods with the help of our online website today.

The Power of Protein For Fat Loss

Make no mistake about it; protein is the key metabolic currency of your body. In other words, it drives virtually all aspects of metabolism. The secret to getting lean is replacing some of the carbohydrates in your diet with protein that is low in saturated fat.

Numerous studies have shown that simply by replacing the majority of starch carbohydrates and processed sugars in your diet with protein, people can create fat loss even without changes in their energy expenditure through exercise. There is no denying the metabolic effect protein has on your body.

Your objective is to condition your body to use more protein and gradually replace your cravings and dependency on starch carbohydrates and sugars. This can be accomplished by eating more protein from both plant and animal sources. I've personally found it to be extremely difficult relying solely on these sources which is why I recommend protein supplementation.

It's a good idea to include protein powders as a way to increase your metabolism. The most successful dieters incorporate protein powder into one or more meals per day.
Here are some simple ways you can use protein powder in your diet.

• Add a scoop of protein powder to your oatmeal
• Add a scoop of protein powder to low fat yogurt or cottage cheese
• Add a scoop or two of protein powder to ½ cup frozen fruit, water, yogurt, and ice for a smoothie.
• Add a scoop or two of protein powder to water or unsweetened almond milk for a shake.
• Add a scoop or two of protein powder to your favorite casserole or other recipe

Facts on protein
• Protein is the most thermic (heat producing) macronutrient burning 4-5 times more calories during digestion than carbohydrates.
• Protein helps suppress hunger better than even starch carbohydrates and fats.
• Protein is the primary nutrient responsible for building lean muscle.
• Insufficient protein intake effects bone cell synthesis, red blood cell production, and immune system function.
• Increased protein consumption can help promote growth hormone release in the body leading to lean muscle development and fat burning.

As you probably already know fish, lean red meat, chicken, turkey, nuts, legumes, and eggs are the most widely recommended choices for dietary protein. While these are all excellent choices I believe the typical dieter trying to burn body fat should consume around 1/3 of their daily protein from supplemental protein sources. The reason is I've found the average individual with a busy lifestyle will simply not eat enough protein from whole foods to support lean muscle development.

I'm all about finding what works best with your busy lifestyle and not pushing some idealistic philosophy you probably won't follow. The reality is most people probably won't eat a chicken breast at 10:00AM so what can you do? A supplemental protein shake or quality meal replacement simply works best.

If you'll eat the four ounces of tuna fish and piece of fruit at your mid-morning snack that's great, but if you can't stay consistent with that kind of strategy you should look to use supplemental protein powder. That handful of nuts and a few crackers won't cut it for supporting lean muscle development.
I'm a firm believer in the importance of increasing lean muscle tissue when looking to lose body fat. The nutritional strategies I endorse will always be highly favorable for lean muscle development.

Post Workout Protein Requirements
You'll need a modest amount of essential amino acids available through out the day if you want to support muscle and burn fat. This is especially true "post-workout" when protein synthesis is required much faster than you could manage by eating whole foods.

By the time you digested and assimilated the protein from whole foods a significant amount of cellular recovery would be lost. It is extremely important that you provide your body with the right nutrients following a high intensity resistance workout in order to begin the recovery process in the muscles.

Resistance training breaks the muscles down which is the first step in creating lean muscle development. The recovery process is equally important and is dictated by proper nutrition and rest. If you want faster results you must give your body every advantage you can on improving recovery.
The best way to do this in my experience is to drink a protein shake immediately after your workout with the right ratios of protein. Not just any type of protein and not just in any amount.

My recommendation is whey isolate because it has the highest amount of essential and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA's) while also being the fastest protein to be assimilated by your body.
There is some variance in opinions on the amount of carbohydrates and protein you should consume but I have found that a good rule of thumb is to consume around 20-30 grams of protein and very little to no carbohydrates immediately following a high intensity resistance workout if you're overweight.

Carbohydrate loading post-workout should be reserved for those who are already lean or for individuals finishing long-duration endurance type events or workouts.
Post workout protein should not exceed 20-30 grams as too much protein is counterproductive. Excess protein will promote the release of glucagons (which is the antagonist of insulin). Since insulin is needed to shuttle the glycogen and amino acids into the muscle cells you'll need it to do its job during this important time.

Stay away from protein shakes and drinks that contain more than 20-30 grams of protein. You'll be much better off with a lesser amount as your body simply can't assimilate and use that much protein at one time.

Any way you go about it, just look to increase your protein consumption and you'll be on your way to better weight loss results.
 

Shane Doll is a certified personal trainer, fat loss expert, speaker, and founder of Shaping Concepts, a personal fitness training studio that specializes in Charleston weight loss programs for body transformation. To learn more about the strategies he uses to help clients lose weight and get in shape visit http://www.shapingconcepts.com. You can also download his free e-book "The Lean Code Method Quick Start Nutrition Guide."
 

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Fat Loss 101 - 'Commit to Making Better Choices'

In today's world it seems like everyone wants to lose weight when the goal should be fat loss. Losing fat isn't complicated it takes only a few things: a commitment to make better choices, a technology that works and a belief you can do it. I will tackle each topic separately. First topic: A commitment to making better choices.

A commitment to make better choices is priority number one. Every choice you make will lead you down two paths. One being the path your currently on. This is the path to unwanted weight and fat gain. The other path will take you to a leaner, sexier, healthier and more attractive you.
Making better choices is not rocket science. In fact when I question clients about what choices are better for them they choose the right answer 100% of the time. For example:

• What is healthier for you a; chocolate chip cookie or an orange?
• What is healthier for you a; green pepper or a Kit Kat Bar?
• What is healthier for you a; roast beef sandwich or a chicken wrap?
• What is healthier for you a; Big Mac or a happy meal?

Remember the question is, "what is healthier for you?" Not what do I like more.
It has been my experience; both as a person and personal trainer that our choices come down to this: Do we give ourselves permission to fail or succeed? For most it is failure. How often do you give yourself permission to eat an item not on your diet? I am insisting that you give yourself permission to be successful. When faced with your next meal choice give yourself permission to make the healthier choice.

I have looked at hundreds of food journals. Do you realize most eat the same meals from week to week? This means we are not looking to change 30 days worth of meals. In fact most also eat the same thing for breakfast, snack(s) and lunch. Dinner is typically the meal that varies most. Given this scenario you only need to work on making better choices for 3-4 meals.

Commitment to better choices also extends to physical activity. I will discuss working out in the next section. For now I want to focus on staying physically activity. Staying physically activity is a choice. It is a choice that many fail to make. I am no exception. If I am at home and can't think of any I want to do I can easily find myself lying on the couch and watching T.V. Now, look I realize from time to time we are tired and we need to rest.

But if you find yourself resting more than you are staying active there is a problem. Give yourself permission to get up and move. Do the dusting, vacuuming, cleaning, play with the kids, take a walk, clean your car, make healthy meals, enjoy a hobby, learn something new, but by all means avoid just becoming a lump on the couch. It never ceases to amaze me what we can accomplish when we give ourselves permission to be successful.

Making better choices in and of it self is a choice. It is you giving yourself permission to be successful. Step our of your comfort zone and make yourself proud of YOU. Be excited about what each day has to offer. Commit to making better choices today.
Next article I will discuss a technology that works.
 

Stay tuned for the second article in the series, Fat Loss 101 'A Technology that Works'. For more information visit http://www.DBJFitness.com
 

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Strength Circuits for Fat Loss - Say Goodbye to Stubborn Fat

In one of my previous articles I stated that 'there is no fat loss exercise'. By that I meant that there is no standalone exercise that will torch body fat just be completing it alone. However, there are fat loss exercise protocols; it is the way that you piece together the exercises, the rest periods and the number of reps/sets that will determine the effectiveness of a fat loss exercise protocol. Resistance strength circuits are one such protocol that are excellent for torching stubborn body fat and helping push you through your physique plateaus.

You've heard of circuit training, right? There are circuit classes at your gym, there is BMF, boot camps to name but a few. These are great in their own right for fat loss and improving your conditioning levels, but the chances are there is not much external resistance involved. Adding strength based exercises into a circuit will bring you massive benefits to your health and fitness.

What are Strength Circuits?
Circuit training involves grouping a series of exercises together into one long set with minimal rest periods (typically 15-30 seconds) between exercises. Once you have completed the prescribed exercises a longer rest period (60 seconds-3 minutes) is given before the circuit is repeated.
Your aim should be to work every muscle in your body in the circuit. Bicep curls, triceps extensions, ab curls and some light jogging will not cut it. Choose big compound moves such as squats, deadlifts, rows, kettlebell swings and pull ups. These exercises will give you more bang for your buck and have you working at a good intensity within a very short period of time.

Why does circuit training work?
The main aim of fat loss is to hold onto any lean muscle mass you currently have and drop stored subcutaneous fat (the fat you can 'see') and visceral fat (excess fat around your organs) and circuit training does a very good job of doing this.
The high intensity nature of circuits coupled with the added resistance aspect brings to great benefits to your training:

i) Higher Growth Hormone (GH) production: GH is a great for fat burning and muscle maintenance/growth.

ii) Increased Insulin sensitivity - insulin is the hormone that is responsible for shuttling blood glucose into our cells. The problem with low insulin sensitivity is that our bodies release more insulin than is required to 'do the job' when we eat a carbohydrate laden snack. This results in inevitable fat gain which then lowers our insulin sensitivity, which then causes more fat gain and so on - you can see the problem. Circuit training helps by allowing your body to use less insulin to carry out it's role effectively. Your body can return to 'fat burning mode' more quickly.

iii) Muscle retention - if you have read my blog before you will know how precious lean muscle mass is. It is important for posture, strength and enhancing your metabolism. Non-resistance based programs couple with low calorie/protein diets will cause muscle breakdown, which in essence makes your fat loss goals that big harder.

iv) Time efficient - It is a great form of training as well if you are short of time. Well planned circuit training sessions can last from anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes. This is exactly what you are looking for when you are trying to burn fat - short, intense and effective workouts.

How should I fit it into my schedule?
In my opinion there are two ways you can successfully incorporate strength circuits into your routine.

1. As a standalone 4-6 week program - carry out 3 circuits a week with a days rest in between each workout.
2. As an addition to your strength training program - I would recommend 1-2 strength sessions and 1-2 circuit training sessions each week.

Listen to your body. If you are feeling weak or low on energy in between sessions, allow yourself more rest time and evaluate your nutrition and sleep regime.

Strength Circuit Example
A1 - Compound leg exercise i.e. squat: 6-8 reps
A2 - Upper body compound exercise i.e. pull ups: 6+ reps
A3 - Full Body Exercise i.e. kettlebell clean and push press: 6-8 reps on each arm
A4 - High Intensity Exercise i.e. kettlebell swings: 15-20reps
A5 - Core exercise i.e. Kettlebell rack walks: 30 seconds or 10-20 reps.
B (Optional) - 20 minutes of steady state cardio

Protocol - rest 15-30 seconds between each exercise. Once you have completed all five exercises allow yourself 90-180 seconds rest. Aim to complete the circuit 3-5 times in total depending on your current fitness levels and exercise experience. Choose weights which allow you to work at a high intensity, but not to failure (this will keep injury risk lower and long term performance higher)

The "Takeaway"
Strength circuits are a great standalone protocol or addition to your current regime to help you break through plateaus and enhance fat loss. Sessions should be kept short and intense more maximum effectiveness. Remember to keep rest periods to a minimum and intensity to a manageable high.

Are you fed up of complicated health and fitness information? Are you fed up of of not seeing

results? Head over to our website at http://www.revolutionpersonaltraining.co.uk for regular fitness and nutrition information and articles as well as excellent offers on our personal training and boot camp services.
 

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The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure Reviews

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure program was introduced to me back when I had excess fat that I needed to get rid of. I have tried several times with other programs with little success. I know first hand how losing weight can be a big challenge in the beginning.

I received a copy of the fat loss cure program to give it a review either good or bad. It was the first time trying this program and was a little skeptical at first. There are many products on the market clamming to have the best program for losing weight.

Vic Magary the founder of the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure diet program is a physical fitness trainer as well as being an ex-solder who has worked with hundreds of customers so far to lose weight. He has dedicated himself to helping people lose that extra weight in the easiest most efficient way.

He has worked with both men and women, young and old shed off that excess weight and live a healthier, happier long lived life. His program not only talks about how to eat healthier but short workouts that produce faster long lasting results.

He has a long list of customer reviews that quite impressive. People were very happy with their weight loss and the new approach that he teaches. I liked the fact that the workouts were shorter and more intense because of my busy schedule.

His site is easy to navigate through and his videos are well done and a breeze to follow. I actually enjoy watching his videos and find them inspirational. His workout program is very straight forward and you will see results if you just follow what he teaches.

While there are many ways to lose weight people still struggle to lose those extra pounds were they need it. This may be one reason why people lose faith at an early stage and give up. His program is well done but it is up to you to follow what he teaches in order to get the results a lot of people have already achieved.

Will you see a change in your belly in 31 days of using this program? Yes you can and I'm proof of it. My stomach is shrinking and I can now feel my six pack coming out. This is something I haven't felt since I was a high school student so It is very cool.

Many people do not realize that weight loss is only hard because what we have held on to beliefs. I wasn't getting the results I wanted and this product has worked for me.
Albert Einstein once put it very simple by saying "the description of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. You have to sometimes try different things to get your body to perform and do what you want it to do.

In my experience most exercise and weight loss programs which are heavily marketed today are the same old way they have been doing it for years. My body really responded to this one exercise approach and I have been very pleased with the results I have received so far.

If you try this product it will open your eyes to ways of getting results fast, effectively and in the time frame we can all live with. That is why my review of this at home fitness program is a great fit for me and you should go now and learn more about it for yourself.

To get more information: http://www.the31dayfatlosscurereviews.org
 

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An Effective Walking Fat Loss Program

Many people have belly fat. Despite their efforts to try and get rid of it, they still struggle with the problem every day. Everyone would like to have a flat tummy. Well, you can achieve this dream through different fat loss programs.

One of the common exercises involved in such weight loss programs is walking. Yes, some people might think that strolling is ineffective when it comes to weight loss. Well, they might have a point, since despite walking every day to work or school, they still have huge tummies. However, it has already been tested and proven that with the right walking exercises, tummy fat loss is possible.

Walking is one of the simplest weight busters available. All you need is to follow an easy routine. You will notice that it has a very good effect on the waistline. In fact, walking can flatten your stomach better than sit ups. Here are some simple guidelines to help you in your workout and make it more productive.

The first thing you need to do is pace yourself. If you are not a very active person, there is no need for you to enter into the workout routine blindly. You might wear yourself out before even making any progress. Begin with 15 minute walks every day. You should walk fast, but not like you are in a marathon. At this point you are just acclimatizing yourself to the workout.

When you get used to the routine, increase the distance and the time you take to perform the exercise. Eventually you will be able to walk briskly for an hour. This does not mean that you have to walk continuously for an hour. You can divide up the time into two if you are comfortable with it. The point is to get you full daily workout routine.

For better results, change the routine every now and then. Do not go on the same trail daily. Covering the same ground will become boring and kill your zeal to continue doing the routine. Select other new interesting places to walk. Pick places that have beautiful scenery and nature. The soothing atmosphere will play a good role in losing some of the tummy fat.

If you are not the outdoors type of person, just go to the mall. Go to the boutique and do some window shopping while at it. This spices up your walking fat loss program, making the whole exercise interesting and worth looking forward to.
 

Visit Fat-loss-diet-program.com for a fat loss diet that will help you lose weight quickly. With our fat loss diet you will learn how to keep the weight off for good. Let us change the way you think about dieting today!
 

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Muscle Gain and Fat Loss - Exposing the Top 4 Muscle-Building Myths

I've said it a thousand times before, but I'll say it again: If you want to lose fat and keep the fat off, you need to build some quality muscle. This is why muscle gain and fat loss are so closely connected with each other. In fact, it is difficult to have one without the other. However, there are a lot of myths floating around on the Internet and in the gym relating to muscle gain. I am going to expose 4 of them for you here.

1. Protein Digestion - It is commonly touted by many bodybuilders and even many personal trainers that I know, that the human body is only capable of digesting 30 grams of protein in 1 sitting. However, this just isn't the case. There is no magic number: Everybody is different. Things to take into account include your own body's ability to digest food and how much stress you have placed your body under through training.

2. No Food After Dinner - The myth here is that if you eat after dinner, you are only going to put on body fat because your metabolism has shut down for the day. Where as there is some truth to this, it doesn't mean that you can't consume protein after dinner. As a matter of fact, you should consume protein after dinner and especially before bed. You need all the protein that you can get and by having dinner and not eating until morning, you have been without fuel for quite some time.

3. Cardio After Weights - Apparently if you perform cardiovascular exercise after weight training, you will put your body into a catabolic (muscle wasting) state. However, new research indicates that the entirely opposite is the truth. By performing cardiovascular exercise after weight training, you burn more fat due to an increase in growth hormone. The trick is to have a protein shake straight after the weights to encourage recovery and then move onto the cardio.

4. If You're Sore, Don't Train - As long as you have left it 72 hours since training a particular muscle group and have taken in enough nutrients for recovery, you can and should train a sore muscle. Both muscle gain and fat loss require consistency. If you are constantly skipping workouts just because you are sore, you will not see appreciable results. Try stretching more or get a massage, as these have been shown to decrease muscle soreness.

Now that you know that these 4 myths are in fact just myths, you have less reason to worry and more opportunity for new muscle gains. Never forget, that muscle gain and fat loss are interconnected and therefore you need to be doing everything you can to building some quality lean muscle mass. So start eating more protein, eating after dinner, doing cardio after weights and training when you're sore.
 

John Stamford is a personal trainer, nutritionist and an expert in everything relating to fat loss. Visit his website in order to discover "One Tip That May Be Preventing You From Losing Fat", plus receive Free Updates for life at:
http://www.FatLossEnigma.com
 

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Truth About the Customized Fat Loss Program

The Customized Fat Loss program is totally designed to suit individual needs so as to achieve their desired body shape. By enrolling in this program online and starting it immediately, you will gradually shed off your excessive fat without any internal organ injuries no matter what gender you are, male or female. This tailored weight loss software will guide you to a favourable destination. As long as you stay on the top of the program, you won't fight against your frustration created by the excessive fat.

The most important thing is that you should understand is how this program works. Many people mix the two points - slimming down and losing fat. Fat is connected with the system skin and associated with muscle tissues.

The excessive fat is the layer that covers your actual weeds so as to make your system look fat. Slimming down is to not only burn fat but also damage the muscle tissues so as to lose weight. The Customized Fat Loss program is to only burn your excessive fat without damaging your muscle tissues. Therefore, when you go on a fat loss program, you can still train your muscles.

Many people consider burning fat and building muscles never happen at the same time, however, the experienced body builder coupled with state of the art technology makes this impossibility a reality. The 2nd aspect in this software based program is you are not required to give up your current diet plan. Instead, Kyle Leon, a nutritionist, will assist you to apply this well developed software to run a healthy diet plan with a vivid chart and graphs so as to enable you to eat almost any kind of foods you need at any time. This additional feature of healthy food aid sounds like a bonus to all users, which is another main reason why so many people are in favour of this program.

There are many weight loss or fat loss programs in market place; however, the trick is only the name of the program is different. Users are required to sacrifice either their favourite foods or weight to obtain a result, which really creates a huge amount of struggling against the users themselves. From the first moment anyone paid a little attention to this customized fat loss program, they realized this practical program never requires your sacrifice; instead it encourages you to stay where you are and provide you a real-time result to stay on top of the program. This ground breaking approach has attracted many new users; as a result, this customized fat loss program has been awarded the number one selection by users in favour of Kyle Leon.

With such an inspiring outcome, how can it be rated as a scam? If you doubt and are concerned about if you will obtain an encouraging result, please go online to view those reviews to judge how and what those current users' feedback and comments on the program. The truth will not tell you a lie. In addition to those, the refund policy is another value-added point. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you are guaranteed to receive a refund in full. Are you ready and have decided to approach? Once you get on board with this program, sooner or later your desired body shape will become a reality.
 

If you want to learn more visit Kyle Leon Customized Fat Loss where you will get the most useful advice on weight loss. Be sure to visit www.kyleleoncustomizedfatlossreview.net today!
 

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The Best Boxing Training Secrets For Fat Loss

CB: How do boxers get so lean, and what lessons can us average folk take from their regimens?
RP: I know this point is redundantly made but it's true.

People spend to much time training with cardio equipment. I have seen people train on cardio equipment, and their body's still look the same months later!
When the average person has had enough of walking around in their body they are in they usually think of hitting the pavement running. Or people will train with the typical cardio circuit of elliptical and treadmills etc...Training for long and very casual intensities. Raising cortisol levels, preserving fat, etc...

People who perform a boxing workout get lean from the intense anaerobic way they train. Boxers fight and train in rounds lasting from 2 minutes to 3 minutes in duration. The training done for that duration is generally at a higher intensity. The training equipment also demands you get lean by the way the bags have to be worked.

Put it this way to maximally work and move the heavy bag in the right manner burns allot of calories and takes allot of effort to do. Your body then takes the lean shape from the aftermath of this demand of it to put forth the work. Same thing for the punch mitts when used correctly your whole body is moving and working and in a more anaerobic and intense manner than aerobic training.

Many times people who cross train or want to learn boxing for self defense are amazed at how sore they are in different areas of their body from the workout. They are waking and working muscles that have been dormant for some time in a unison intense manner.

Metabolically speaking, as stated several times above since the training is predominantly anaerobic and because we use allot of intervals our metabolic rates are greatly increased.
Unlike the aerobic way people train where they only burn calories for the duration of their aerobic activity or training. With anaerobic interval work your metabolic rate is increased for hours even after training is complete as you obviously know.

CB: What's the role of slow cardio in stripping fat from a boxer's body?
RP: Not much at all....

We condition using sprints, sled work, sledge strikes, change of direction runs, sprint and run drills, but really speaking from a fighters perspective, nothing beats intense sparring to get in shape. We also perform intervals of heavy and fast punching on the bags and punch mitts.

As far as the average client, I'll never forget when I was working in Syracuse NY I was training an older guy named Tom. Tom couldn't lose any more weight in a satisfying way. He was on a plateau.
He was training aerobically only for the last 2 years playing musical chairs with the cardio equipment. He was very frustrated and bored that he couldn't drop and shed any more fat.

So upon working with him. I had him jumping rope, working the punch mitts, working the heavy bag and VERY easily he lost 14 pounds in 6 weeks! Not bad for previously being on a plateau! The pounds literally melted off. Because of the intense anaerobic way he trained and the muscles and movements he was using in training this way.

Fortunately for me communicating with the best strength and conditioning coaches and constantly reading and studying the best books keeps me abreast of what methods work best.

CB: How do you and other boxers get lean for fights in terms of nutrition?
RP: We start cleaning house!

Or should I say cleaning the fridge, freezer and cupboards. I have them get rid of the processed boxed, package, frozen packaged, canned foods. I have them stop eating then sugary cereals, soda, sugary juices, white breads, refined carbs, margarine, just garbage food period! This goes along way with improving performance, vitality, and weight loss obviously.

I then have them start to eat real whole foods. Foods that actually have a life source and will deliver nutrients and vitality to them.

So for weight loss having them eliminate the garbage foods and drinks and having them eating smaller meals frequently throughout the day works big time for weight loss on top of the kick butt training their doing.

It still amazes me on how many people skip breakfast. Or if they do have it, the typical sugar water called orange juice with a pop tart doesn't do it. I have them eat a better breakfast and make sure their dinner isn't the biggest meal of the day as their stomachs would suggest if it is.

My point is, typically people skip breakfast, eat a rather large lunch, and when they get home have a feast for dinner. That's obviously insane if you want to drop weight and get lean!
Don't eat less meals. Eat more meals frequently with less food for weight loss. Their blood sugar levels are more balanced and their moods and energy levels are far more enhanced by eating more frequently, like 5-6 times per day if possible.

I also have them drink half their body weight in ounces of water per day. (Many people are dehydrated) and I have them consume fish oils at their meals.
I also keep critiquing their eating habits and food choices for weight loss as needed...

CB: Do you use boxer's training techniques in your client's workouts? If so, what could I do to speed my fat loss?
RP: Boxing workouts are BIG in my clients workouts.

It's no wonder that the most popular classes in commercial gyms are martial arts classes.
Unfortunately many of those are watered down. By getting your eating habits under control and cleaned up and by jumping rope, shadow boxing, working the punch mitts, heavy bag, double end bag and speed bag you literally melt that fat off your body in a quick manner.

That's why I like to use boxing training techniques. Boxing training gets results.

People can get bored with the cardio equipment. You can be totally uncoordinated and not improve upon before or after getting on the bike or stair master.

Not when you jump rope and perform the rest of a boxing workout. That's why it delivers so much in one workout. All those bio-motor abilities you improve on top of shredding the fat from your body.

CB: What methods of strength training do you prefer? Do you use free weights or a lot of body weight exercises?
RP: Strength training methods will depend on the persons training age, background, weaknesses, needs, goals, and were we are from a fight.

So I have a lot of tools in the tool box I can use depending on the above scenarios.
Generally I start off with body weight exercises. I totally agree with what Alwyn Cosgrove says, "If we cannot stabilize and move our own body weight, we have no reason to use external resistance"
Once a person can handle there own body weight we use different strength exercises. We use squats, I'm particularly fond of front squats since we can work the often times weak thoracic extensors while also strengthening our legs. A boxer that has been at it for a while will will have an increased kyphotic posture along with pronated shoulders. So we need to correct this if we want to improve performance.

We also use dead-lifts, single leg work, posterior chain work, core strengthen with more transverse plain exercises, but we also perform reverse crunches they are a great abdominal strengthening exercise that also help in improving posture.

A lot of unilateral work. Also presses, split stance single arm pushes, pulls, rows, chins, pull ups, you name.

We use equipment ranging from db's, barbells, med balls, sand bags, kegs, sled, sledge hammer, I'm going to start using kettle bells more. Once again, these are all great tools we use depending on the situation.

Corrective exercises are used to keep the fighters muscle imbalances and posture in check.
I will say that generally fighters are bloody weak! So I like to improve and focus on maximal strength training. Hypertrophy training can be used if I have a fighter that wants to move up a weight class or needs a little more muscle.

For our dynamic training, I like to used med balls and other plyometric exercise for explosive power.
That pretty much sums it up as our training is ALWAYS evolving and improving as I continue to study and learn and as we progress in our own training.

CB: Do the boxing workouts require any special equipment?
RP: Yes the workout uses special equipment that is very affordable and can be purchased at sporting stores, or boxing equipment magazines.

You will need hand wraps, a jump rope, gloves, punch mitts, a heavy bag, double end bag, speed bag and a small timer that you can by at any store. You don't have to get all the bags at once you can still burn allot of fat with the jump rope and heavy bag alone. The other equipment just really speeds the results.
 

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Rob Pilger of http://www.Pilgerstrainingsystems.com is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Level II USA Boxing Coach. He has successfully trained people using the boxing workout for improved fitness levels, and improved performance in their chosen athletic endeavor. Rob is also creator of The Ultimate Boxing Workout DVD. Please visit http://www.TheUltimateBoxingWorkout.com to begin your quest for an improved physique.
 

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