SELF

CONFRONTATION: HOW TO STICK UP FOR YOURSELF

Posted January 29th 2014, by Ali Roff

From furious road rage to intimidating supermarket disputes, it’s easy to have your day ruined by a total stranger. But how do we deal with these public incidents without feeling like a trembling mess and walk away with a smile on our face? Afraid to stick up for herself but sick of feeling like a pushover, Ali Roff decided to find a foolproof plan for dealing with stranger-rage.

DENMARK: THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH?

Posted January 29th 2014, by Michael Booth

Denmark is supposedly the happiest country in the world, but what is it like to live there? Grumpy curmudgeon Michael Booth tried and failed – and tried again – to fit in, learning an interesting lesson in the process.

DENMARK: THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH?

Posted January 29th 2014, by Michael Booth

Denmark is supposedly the happiest country in the world, but what is it like to live there? Grumpy curmudgeon Michael Booth tried and failed – and tried again – to fit in, learning an interesting lesson in the process.

SHELF HELP: SHARING STORIES AND BEING HEARD

Posted January 21st 2014, by Psychologies

Shelf Help; a collection of titles carefully curated by literary journalist Alex Clark, have been chosen for their particular focus on twelve areas of mental, spiritual and physics. January’s book is Stephen Grosz’s The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves; a brilliantly told compilation of accounts from a psychotherapist about his sessions, focusing on the importance of sharing our stories and having someone listen.

SHELF HELP: INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN GROSZ

Posted January 20th 2014, by Ali Roff

Every month we delve into the The Shelf Help list, composed of that have the power to make life brighter. January’s book is Stephen Grosz’s The Examined Life. We spoke to Grosz about how important it is to share our stories and to have someone listen, and what he has learnt from his patients about his own life.

10 TIPS FOR A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER LIFE

1 Eat ‘primally’

Common sense dictates that the best diet is one based on foods we’ve been eating the longest in terms of our time on this planet. These are the foods that we’ve evolved to eat and are best adapted to. Studies show that a ‘primal’ diet made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, as well as meat, fish and eggs, is best for weight control and improvement in risk markers for illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes. This ‘go primal’ food philosophy will enable you to cut through the marketing hype and dietary misinformation, and allow you to make healthy food choices quickly and confidently.

2 Keep hydrated

Water makes up two-thirds of the body and performs a plethora of functions, including acting as a solvent, carrier of nutrients, temperature regulator and body detoxifier. Maintaining hydration can have a profound influence on our vitality and energy levels, including mental alertness. Aim to drink enough water to keep your urine a pale yellow colour throughout the course

of the day.

3 Eat mindfully

In our fast-paced world, there can be a tendency to eat while distracted and shovel in more food than we need and, at the same time, miss out on culinary pleasure. Many of us will benefit from eating mindfully. Some things to think about here are avoiding eating when distracted, eating more slowly, and taking time to taste food properly. One particular thing to focus on is chewing your food thoroughly – not only does this help us savour food, it also assists the digestive process.

4 Get plenty of sunlight in the summer…

Sunlight, and the vitamin D this can make in the skin, is associated with a wide spectrum of benefits for the body including a reduced risk of several forms of cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis, as well as improved immune function. As a rule of thumb, vitamin D is made when our shadow is shorter than our body length, ie when the sun is high in the sky. While burning is to be avoided, get as much sunlight exposure as possible for optimal health.

5… and in the winter

Low levels of sunlight in the winter can cause our mood to darken. Even when it’s cold outside, it pays to get some external light exposure in the winter, say during lunchtime. Another option is to invest in a sunlight-simulating device and use this daily from October through to March.

6 Get enough sleep

Sleep has the ability to optimise mental and physical energy, and optimal levels of sleep (about eight hours a night) are linked with reduced risk of chronic disease and improved longevity. One simple strategy that can help ensure you get optimal amounts of sleep is to go to bed earlier. Getting into bed by 10pm or 10.30pm is a potentially useful investment in terms of your short- and long-term health and wellbeing. Shutting down the computer or turning off the TV early in the evening is often all it takes to create the time and space for earlier sleep.

7 Walk regularly

Aerobic exercise, including something as uncomplicated and low-impact as walking, is associated with a variety of benefits for the body and the brain, including a reduced risk of chronic diseases, anti-anxiety and mood-enhancing effects. Aim for a total

of about 30 minutes of brisk walking every day.

8 Engage in some resistance exercise

Resistance exercise helps to maintain muscle mass and strengthens the body. This has particular relevance as we age, as it reduces the risk of disability and falls. Many highly useful exercises can be done at home, such as press-ups, sit-ups and squats. Invest in a Dyna-Band or dumbbells to extend your home routine to other exercises, too.

9 Practise random acts of kindness

Random acts of kindness are good for givers and receivers alike. It could be a quick call or text to someone you care about or have lost touch with, or showing a fellow motorist some consideration, or giving up your seat on a train or bus, or buying someone lunch or giving a spontaneous bunch of flowers.

10 Practise the art of appreciation

Modern-day living tends to be aspirational and we can easily find ourselves chasing an ever-growing list of goals, many of which can be material. Some of us could do with spending more time focusing not on what we don’t have, but on what we do. Our mood can be lifted by giving thanks for anything from our friends and family to a beautiful landscape or sunset.

Fruits And Vegetables Tips

 

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a child's diet.  We know that most children do not eat enough of these two food groups

My Plate reminds us that a healthy plate has half of the plate filled with fruits and vegetables.  But sometimes getting your child to eat more fruits and vegetables can be challenging.  

 

Here is a list of helpful tips that

• give you ideas on how to get your child to eat more fruits and vegetables
• provide easy recipe and meal tips for adding more fruits and vegetables to the meal
• give helpful suggestions on how to make fruits and vegetables fun and interactive for kids so they are interested and want to taste it!

 

List of Tips To Help Kids Eat More Fruits And Vegetables In Their Meal

 

1. ¼ cup of dried cranberries is great with a salad for added taste and vitamins and counts as a serving of fruit.
2. Try leaving the peal on an apple for more fiber.
3. Broccoli is the superhero of vegetables with vitamin A, calcium, folic acid and vitamin C.
4. Have the kids help wash the fruits and vegetables.
5. Cut up some fruit with a low fat dip.
6. Cabbage is a rich source of Vitamin A, C, E and B! So serve it up with your kids' favorite meal.
7. Share a story about your a favorite green veggie or fruit.
8. Decorate your plate with the colors of the rainbow.
9. Teach kids about the lucky green vegetable.
10. Pick a new fruit to try this week.
11. Enriched grain and dark green, leafy vegetables are high in iron.
12. Kids are more likely to eat fruit that is already cut up. Have a plate ready on the table for snack time.
13. Try to arrange the fruit bowl so you have many different colors showing- make it a game.
14. Fresh squeezed orange juice is loaded with vitamin C and no extra sugar.
15. Make vegetables and fruits fun. Cut them in different shapes and let your child create faces before eating it.
16. While canned fruits are a great source of vitamins and minerals, they are lower in fiber because they are missing their skin.
17. Broccoli is a powerhouse green veggie!
18. Show your kids the many varieties of melons and try a different one each week.
19. Kids love to eat food on a stick. Have them help you prep a fruit kebob.
20. A pomegranate is high in vitamin C and potassium.
21. Add some color to your salad with seasonal fruits.
22. Wash fruit the night before so they’ll be ready for a healthy afternoon snacks.
23. Try making the kids a honeydew smoothie with non-fat yogurt and crushed ice.
24. Bring a healthy side dish of grilled asparagus or broccoli with salsa to the 4th of July Barbecue gathering.
25. Look for fruit packed in its own juices or light syrup.
26. Let your kids make faces with the fruit before eating!
27. Get a cherry pit remover and let the kids have fun with the cherries.
28. Salads are a good way to introduce new foods to your child.
29. Let the kids help put the fruit or vegetable into the grocery cart.
30. Teach them how fruits and vegetables gives us clues on how ripe they are.
31. Put rinsed and cut fruits and vegetables on a shelf in your refrigerator where your child can see them.
32. Add slices of lemon or squeeze a little bit of fresh orange juice to add some flavor.
33. Raspberries and blackberries have only 60 calories in one cup and are both excellent sources of fiber.
34. Try melon slices for breakfast for a change.
35. Take an outing to a local farmers market to teach kids about where their food comes from. See what fruits and vegetables are in season.
36. Parsnips look like white carrots. They are sweet and are a good source of fiber. Try them this fall; eat them raw on salads or bake them in the oven like fries.
37. Let the kids enjoy pomegranates this fall.
38. Decorate the table with the colors from veggies and fruits.
39. Be patient and positive when encouraging children to eat their fruits and veggies.
40. Offer fresh fruit for dessert.
41. As they are putting away the fruits and vegetables, guess where they came from.
42. Plan a healthy Halloween party using sweet fruits.
43. Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber.
44. Cranberries are in season and a great source of vitamins and antioxidants!
45. Provide 100% fruit juice and be careful of marketing clams
46. Choose foods in their natural state like oranges instead of orange juice.
47. Enriched grain and dark green, leafy vegetables are high in iron.
48. Have a fresh salad or soup before you head out the door.
49. Have the kids help pick the fruits and veggies for Thanksgiving.
50. Eat one orange vegetable every day! Pumpkins, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and yams are full of Vitamin A.
51. Ask them “What is this banana telling us?” “Is it ready to eat yet?” “Should we pick that bunch?”
52. Teach your kids how to color their plate like a rainbow of vegetables
53. Encourage your child to put a small quantity of vegetables on their plate, even if they won’t eat it.
54. Try new recipes, often kids will try vegetables when mixed with other foods or special sauces
55. Frozen fruit added to non-fat vanilla yogurt makes a great thick smoothie.
56. Introduce new foods, vegetables and fruits at mealtime.
57. Slice a kiwi fruit in half and teach your child to use a spoon to scoop it out.
58. Have a contest on which plate is the most colorful (fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of color!)

Healthy Proteins Tips

 

Proteins are an important part of a child's diet.  Quick tips for helping children choose healthier, low fat proteins.

 

Beans are now listed in the "meat group" because they are packed with protein.

Choose lean meats such as chicken breast, lean ham or roast beef.

Go lean with protein with a handful of nuts.

Salmon has omega 3 heart healthy fat.

Choose lean meats such as chicken breast, lean ham or roast beef, instead of salami or bacon.

                                           If your 4 year old gets 4 tablespoons of protein, he has met his daily protein needs.

Lean cuts of beef have the words, “round” or “loin” in the name.

Choose lean-meats and fat-free hot dogs on whole grain buns.

Try hummus or bean spread as a dip for veggies.

Nuts are a great source of protein and healthy oils.

Healthy oils come from fish, nuts, and liquid oils like grape seed, olive oil, avocado and hemp oil.

Black beans are a better choice because they have less fat than refried beans

Healthy Holiday Snacks and Desserts High in Fibre 

 

Adding fiber to holiday treats is a great way to add a healthy blast to your recipes. Fiber has a variety of health benefits for the whole family. It keeps your digestive tract working good and it is good for your heart! It also makes you feel full and less likely to overeat.

 

Here are some tips on how to add fiber to your seasonal snacks and desserts:

•  You can substitute white flour for 100% whole wheat baking flour. If you think your kids might not like it, then start with using half white flour and half whole wheat flour. Your kids won’t even notice and you have instantly made it more healthy!
• Crackers and cheese are a tasty snacks. Replace white crackers with whole wheat, multi-grain, or sprouted wheat and you have added a ton of healthy fibre to the snack. (Replace the cheese for low fat and double the healthiness!)
• Making cupcakes from a boxed recipe (me too!) just pour a cup of bran or oatmeal in the mix and you have added fiber easily. It's filled with vitamins, minerals and fiber. You may need to experiment with the amount.
• Fruits and veggies are great sources of fiber. Add sliced pear to salads, offer pomegranates as after-school snacks, and bring in a tray of grapes and sliced persimmons to a class party.
• Bring in bean dip (check the label to make sure it is low in fat) and salsa with some 100% whole grain chips or baked chips. Beans are a great source of fiber!

Have a Happy Healthy Holiday to you and your family!

Sore Throat - Topic Overview
Sore throats can be painful and annoying. Fortunately, most sore throats are caused by a minor illness and go away without medical treatment.

Several conditions can cause a sore throat.

Viral infections
Many sore throats are caused by a viral illness, such as:

The common cold, the most common type of viral infection.
Infection of the voice box (laryngitis).
Mononucleosis (mono, "the kissing disease"), a viral infection that tends to cause a persistent sore throat.
Other viral infections, such as mumps, herpangina, or influenza.
Bacterial infections
A bacterial infection may also cause a sore throat. This can occur from:

Strep throat, which usually does not occur with congestion or a cough.
An inflammation or infection of the tonsils (tonsillitis) and sometimes the adenoids (adenoiditis).
Inflammation of the epiglottis (epiglottitis).
Inflammation of the uvula (uvulitis).
In rare cases, a sexually transmitted disease (STD), such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. If you have engaged in high-risk sexual behavior, consider whether gonorrhea or chlamydia may be present. For more information, see the topic Exposure to Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
Irritants and injuries
A sore throat that lasts longer than a week is often caused by irritants or an injuries, such as:

Throat irritation from low humidity, smoking, air pollution, yelling, or nasal drainage down the back of the throat (postnasal drip camera).
Breathing through the mouth when you have allergies or a stuffy nose.
Stomach acid that backs up into the throat, which may be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Although GERD often occurs with heartburn, an acid taste in the mouth, or a cough, sometimes a sore throat is the only symptom.
An injury to the back of the throat, such as a cut or puncture from falling with a pointed object in the mouth.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition that causes extreme tiredness.
Treatment for a sore throat depends on the cause. You may be able to use home treatment to obtain relief.

Because viral illnesses are the most common cause of a sore throat, it is important not to use antibiotics to treat them. Antibiotics do not alter the course of viral infections. Unnecessary use of an antibiotic exposes you to the risks of an allergic reaction and antibiotic side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and yeast infections. Antibiotics also may kill beneficial bacteria and encourage the development of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Use the Check Your Symptoms section to decide if and when you should see a doctor.

Cold, Flu, &                                           Cough Health Center

Calm Your Nighttime Cough

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Cold and Flu Overview

The common cold, including chest cold and head cold, and seasonal flu are caused by viruses. Use over-the-counter cold medications to relieve symptoms including sore throat, runny nose, congestion, and cough. Flu symptoms are similar, but include fever, headache and muscle soreness. See a doctor who may prescribe antiviral medications Relenza or Tamiflu

Clean Eating diet
What is it: The idea that you eat food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. Clean eating diet review - Women's Health & Fitness
The Good: According to health coach Jessica Nazarali, from livehealthysimply.com.au, “Clean eating suggests that you avoid processed and sugary foods, which is something I am sure everyone in the health industry would agree is a good thing.”
The Bad: Cost is about the worst of it.
The Ugly: Nazarali says that incorporating clean eating into your diet is a positive step all round – not only for weight loss.
“As a whole, the clean eating diet is pretty good. My only concern is that it doesn’t take into account any intolerances or allergies, and that it advocates five meals a day, which may or may not work for everyone.”

Additive-free sports drink recipe

If you’re intolerant to additives, commercial sports drinks are off the menu. The carbs and sodium in this home made tonic are comparable to those in top selling sports drinks, to keep you well-hydrated without sparking a reaction.

INGREDIENTS

• 1L water

• 40g Glucodin (available at pharmacies), or 60g if minimising fructose

   • 20g fructose (found in health food stores and large), assuming the lower quantity of Glucodin

• 1.5g sodium chloride (salt)

(For flavour, add half to one teaspoon of citric acid.)

METHOD

Mix it all together, throw it in a drink bottle, and you're ready to go!

Strawberry and black pepper granita

A delicious dessert to keep you cool on hot summer days.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• ½–1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  150g granulated sugar
  600ml water
  1 lemon
  350g fresh strawberries
  Strong or sharp flavours work best with the large icy crystals of the granita.
  Method
  Put the pepper, sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan over a low to medium heat and dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and simmer for four to five minutes until the syrup has reached 100°C on a sugar thermometer and has a ‘vaseline’ feel and thread.
  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Juice the lemon. Blend the strawberries until smooth in afood processor or mash them to a puree, then push them through a sieve to remove the seeds. Once the syrup is cool, strain it into the puree, add the lemon juice and stir well.
  Place the mixture in a shallow container and freeze for approximately one to two hours, or until beginning to solidify at the edges. Remove from the freezer and stir with a fork to mix the ice crystalsevenly.
  Return it to the freezer until the puree is again beginning to solidify at the edges. Repeat this stirring process two or three times, or until the granita has an even consistency of small ice crystals; it should be grainy but not mushy. Serve immediately.
  Note: If you want to store the granita overnight, remove from the freezer two hours before serving and leave to soften for 30 minutes. Stir thoroughly with a fork, then return to the freezer. After a further 30 minutes, stir once more and refreeze

Fan Page Spotlight- Hungry Healthy Happy

3 years ago, I got the scare I needed to realise that something needed to change. I was having health problems, mainly heart related, due to my weight and it was effecting my life. I was only young, that should not of been happening to me. I shouldn’t have been missing out on all the things my friends were doing just because I couldn’t control what I was eating. I was an emotional eater, and that needed to change.

I started small. I cut out junk, processed foods and stopped getting takeaways. I gave up alcohol for 6 months (which really helped kick start the weight loss) and I started cooking everything from scratch. I had never really cooked before, I was just putting things in the oven, or turning the microwave on. I started buying fresh foods, some I had never tried or even heard of before. I changed the taste of things with herbs and spices, rather than covering it with fatty sauces and I discovered a love of cooking. I actually became pretty good at it. After 6 months, of not really trying, but just cooking more healthily, I had lost 40lbs. I hit a plateau at that point and I knew I had to kick it up a gear, and that meant exercise.

Again, I started slowly, as I knew that I couldn’t just head out and run a 5K. I got a Wii Fit and did some gentle yoga everyday. Not only was it stretching my muscles, ones I didn’t even know I had, but it was relaxing me too. It was great for my mental health and that was something that really helped with my emotional eating. I then started going swimming too. It is a gentle exercise that doesn’t put too much pressure on your joints, which is perfect if you are overweight, and it is a brilliant cardio workout. I moved out of the plateau and the weight started coming off again. I then needed more, so I started going to the gym, picked up a few workout classes with Zumba and step aerobics and with a LOT of hard work and dedication, I reached my goal in February 2011 – in time for my wedding in May. It wasn’t easy. There were times when I wanted to give up, and times when I did give up and ate too much, but I never let one bad day turn into a bad week. I always got straight back on the wagon. No matter how tough it got though, I always kept my goal in sight, and that was improved health. With each pound, I could breathe better. When I reached my goal, I felt amazing, like a different person.

The battle did not stop there. I have been maintaining since then (up and down a few lbs here and there) and I truly think that is the hardest part. I can never eat whatever I want all the time, as I will put on weight so much quicker than other people, because of how much I have lost. That doesn’t mean I don’t treat myself, I do, but I still have a structured exercise routine to burn it all off and I eat clean 95% of the time. The recipes on this site are all about healthier alternatives to the foods I love. So, healthier cakes, and healthier alternatives to takeaways play a big part.

I started this website and the Facebook page back in June. I wanted to help other peoplewho are in the same situation. It isn’t just about weight loss, it is about making lifestyle changes so you can be healthier. That includes eating better and exercising more. This website and the Facebook page keeps me on track with maintaining as well and it allows me to pass on all of the things I have learnt along the way. If you ever have anything to ask me, just head to the Facebook page and post on the wall or go to the contact section of this website.

Feel free to have a look around the website. You will find lots of recipes for healthier alternatives to the foods you love, blog posts, diet tips, exercises you can do at home, general news, products I love and even a 3 week kick start plan.

Yoga linked to fat loss

Yoga helps with stress reduction AND weight loss

Yoga linked to fat loss

Yoga helps with stress reduction AND weight loss.

 Yoga linked to fat loss - Women's Health & Fitness

Can’t blame you for following the path of sweat to cardio yoga class, but you can save yourself the grief.

A gentle form of yoga used for stress reduction has been linked to significant loss of stubborn subcutaneous fat in a new study.

When overweight women took restorative yoga classes twice a week for 12 weeks, then twice a month for six months before practising solo, they shifted more subcutaneous fat than a stretching group.

Researchers pinned the effect on slowed production of stress hormone cortisol, which promotes fat storage.

Nia Shanks shows you how you can build the body you want with heavy weight training. It's time to pick up the weights, get toned, and even lose weight! Check out the plan.

Want to Look Better? Want Results Faster? Want More Motivation? Here’s the Solution: Lift Heavy and Get Strong(er).

Back in the day the primary focus and reason for weight training was to get stronger. Just think about that for a second. That is a much different reason than why people join gyms in this day and age. For whatever reasons, the focus has undoubtedly switched from getting stronger to just looking better.

Here’s a quote from Brooks Kubik’s book Dinosaur Training on this very same topic:

. . . they always looked better as a result of their training, but gains in appearance were viewed as a natural by-product of training for strength (my emphasis). You trained for strength and you ended up looking better as a by-product of your strength training. You didn’t train to look better.

Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look good. Heck, it’s nice to feel confident in a swim suit, in your clothing, and when you’re naked. But my concern is that most people focus too much on looking good, and that is solely what drives their weight training goals.

Here is something most people fail to realize, and it’s the driving force behind Fat Loss Detour – if you focus your efforts in the gym on getting stronger and improving your performance in big, compound exercises and you eat smart CONSISTENTLY, your physical appearance and body composition will change for the better.

Yes, it really is that simple.

I no longer concern myself with training for pure aesthetics. I’ve been there and done that, and the results weren’t near as great as what I achieve now. My main focus when I am in the gym is not on “toning up” or “shaping” my body; it’s on getting stronger. My priority at the gym is to either:

• Put more weight on the bar.
• Perform more reps with the same weight.

And the best part about focusing on those two things is that they will force my body to change for the better aesthetically without me directly intending to do so. As long as I’m eating properly and resting, my body composition does, and will continue, to improve.

Another great thing about training for strength: it is much more motivating and enjoyable than simply training to look good. Well, at least in my opinion, and those of the people I train.

Think about it. What’s more motivating? Setting a new personal record in the deadlift, or going through the motions and just getting the workout over with hoping you see the fruits of your labor in the near future?

With all that said and out of the way, let’s delve a little deeper into the whole “Lift Heavy. Get Strong(er) and Look Better” title at the beginning of this post.

What Do I Mean by “Heavy”?

First of all, the term “heavy” means different things to different people. Conventional deadlifting 255 pounds for four reps is heavy for me. But, for some people that would be considered light weight. “Heavy” is a relative term depending on the individual and the exercise being performed.

When I tell people to train “heavy”, I simply mean use as much weight as possible for a given exercise for the prescribed reps with perfect form. It doesn’t matter if you’re performing a set of triples on the deadlift or 10 reps on overhead presses. Just make sure you are working very hard with whatever weight you are capable of using.

What Exercises Will Get Me Strong(er) and Make Me Look Better?

This is something I have mentioned on numerous occasions, and one being Back to Basics for Better Results. Here’s a fact for you: if you had nothing to use for your training except a barbell, some weight plates, a bench, and a power rack, you could get far better results than 99% of people who have access to fully equipped gyms.

Too many people get so caught up with the “latest and greatest” exercises (I’ve been guilty of this myself) that they lose sight of what will help them achieve great results in the least amount of time – hard work on the basics! They begin to suffer from “paralysis from analysis” because “this trainer said to do this”, and “this trainer said I have to do that”, and “this is the latest and greatest training technique”, and what ever else it’s popular at the moment.

Well, here is something the vast majority of great trainers and strength coaches would agree on: the basics are what matter most and what will deliver the greatest results. Yep, that’s right. Nothing is ever going to replace squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, chins, and dips. (Note: yes I am vividly aware of the fact that some people have limitations that keep them from being able to squat and/or dealift properly. However, most people can, and should, squat and deadlift).

If you have limited time to train or simply want the “biggest bang for your training buck”, then you need to focus on the basics. Forget about the specialty exercises for the time and bust your butt on those primaryexercises. You won’t be disappointed.

Let me put it another way: if you train hard, increase the weight you use for your exercises, and train consistently on the basic exercises, and you are eating smart, then you will have a body that most people will only dream of achieving. AND you’ll do it in much less time than you might think is possible.

There’s a reason for you to focus on the big, basic, compound exercises mentioned above – because they work! And there is a simple explanation for why I don’t tell you to work hard at isolation exercises such as triceps kick-backs, cable pec flyes, leg extensions, lateral raises, and other isolation movements – because they are NOT nearly as effective as the basics.

Brooks Kubik once again sums things up nicely in Dinosaur Training on why you can’t build a strong and great looking body with nothing but isolation exercises:

If you don’t believe me, then train for three months on a program that consists of nothing but leg extensions, leg curls, pec deck movements, concentration curls, and tricep kickbacks . . . After that period of time, train for three months on a program where you do nothing but bench presses, squats, and pull downs on Monday and nothing but presses, deadlifts, and curls on Thursday . . . At the end of the second three month period you will be enormously bigger and stronger than when you started the program. The first program will be a waste of time while the second program will be very productive, solely because you have focused your attention on the important exercises.

Here’s a quick note for all of the ladies who read the “enormously bigger and stronger” part and freaked out – that message is for men, and Dinosaur Training is written for men. However, I train with the same big, basic exercises and train as heavy as possible, and so the women that I train. No one, and I repeat, no one, has gotten “enormously big” or “big” in any negative use of the term when applied to a female. In fact, they look far better when training in this manner than they did when following the typical “women friendly” workouts that are so prevalent in magazines, books, and TV shows today. Ladies, heavy lifting with the basic exercises is your ticket to a better looking body. If that wasn’t true, then I would be out of a job.

Tony Gentilcore had an excellent post on this the other day, and if you want more information about lifting heavy and NOT getting big and bulky, you can check it out here.

Bottom line: man or woman, training hard and heavy with the basics WORKS.

Why YOU Should Train for STRENGTH

This is something I go in depth about in Fat Loss Detour, and it is something I feel very strongly about. But the question remains: why should you train for strength, even if your only concern is to look better in a swim suit?

Simple: because it’s a sure fire way to actually make progress in the gym, and making progress through improved performance in the basic exercises is the fastest and most effective way to transform your body. Combine that with smart eating principles and you will be well on your way to building not only a great looking body, but a strong body as well. What could be better than that?

Look. There is no stock or secret club for hard and heavy training with basic exercises. I have no ulterior motive in making these suggestions. I am sharing with you the information that I have seen produce results time and time again, without fail. If wimpy isolation exercises would transform your body, I would tell you to do them. But I’m not here to lie to you or give you warm, fuzzy feelings about changing your body. If you want results, you’re going to have to work HARD on the basics.