It’s possibly the most difficult bodyweight movement for women to learn. One of the fundamental building blocks of many calisthenic movements. The white rabbit many of us have been chasing through the metaphorical wonderland known as the gym for months, if not years.

So you can clean & jerk a horse, good stuff that’s awesome, but can you pull your own bodyweight? The pull-up is a basic-yet-advanced movement that we will all need when the zombie apocalypse happens. If you haven’t made it to one yet, keep reading.

Why Should You Care About Pull-Ups?

Besides the fact that they are 100% badass, they are actually an amazing exercise for back strength and endurance, can improve your posture, muscular development, and help you move more weight safely. Convinced yet? Here is a quick list of how doing pull-ups can more specifically benefit your lifting.

Improves pulling motion in deadlift

Helps push the bar off the chest in the bench press

Helps secure barbell on the back in back squats

Helps stabilize spine and torso during front squats and overhead lifts

Improves overhead mobility

Improves grip

Increased ability to engage and recruit fibers in the back

Better core strength and stability

So for those of you who think pull-ups won’t make your deadlift any better, I hate to break the news, but it is worth your time mastering the pull-up. It’s largely a lat exercise, and these massive muscles are great for stabilizing the spine and they contribute to better core stability for squats, deadlifts, and the bench. They are very influential in the pulling motion of your deadlifts and the push motion during the bench press.

Dead Hangs

Dead hangs are an amazing exercise and are great for all levels as there are numerous variations. Why do dead-hangs? They have many benefits such as grip strength, shoulder health, and spinal decompression. If you’re looking for a pull-up progression, this is the starting point.

How many of us have gone for a heavy deadlift and our grip is what fails us, not our pure strength? One of the best ways of increasing your grip strength is to do basic dead hangs. The correct form for a dead hang is to hang from the pull-up bar in a hollow position with your shoulders packed and activated. You want to avoid swinging and make sure your entire body is tensed. Squeeze the bar as you’re hanging to activate your muscles so that you learn how to use the muscles on your back.

Try to build to a 30-second hang, rest 60 seconds, and repeat six times. If this is too easy then you can hang for longer or add weight to your dead hangs. If you really want a challenge you can use fat grips to make the bar thicker or hang a towel from the bar and hold each end. (This gets spicy!) Other variations include L-sit hangs and flexed arm hangs.

If this is something you want to incorporate into your training then try for three times a week to start off, and avoid doing it on deadlift day. You can mix it up and one day do 30 seconds on with 60 seconds off for 6 rounds. Another option would be EMOM (every minute on the minute) for 6 to 10 minutes hang for 30 – 40 seconds and rest the remaining time. Finally, and in my opinion, the hardest is max effort hangs with 90-second rest in between for five sets.

If hanging is a bit too rough right now, then you can train your grip by deadlifting and then holding a barbell. There are three ways you can do this: a) maximal effort method which involves maximal loading for 3 to 5 sets of 1 to 3 reps, b) dynamic effort method which involves submaximal loading and explosiveness for 6 to 10 sets of 2 to 4 reps focusing on speed, and finally c) the repeated effort method where you lift a submaximal load to failure for 4 to 6 sets.

Using all three methods will have your crushing walnuts in your hand in no time. I suggest resting two days between each of the methods so you can get the best results.

In case you needed even more reason to start your pull-up journey, dead hangs and pull-ups, in general, are incredible for your core strength. They’re almost full body movements. Your lats, traps and other muscles in your back are activated but so are your abdominals, especially if you throw in some L-sit variations. Your abdominals have to work hard to stabilize your center and your other muscles get their strength and support from a strong center.

If you want to lift more then having a stronger core is essential, and remember when we say core, we don’t mean six-pack. Your core refers to the individual muscles that surround the spine for stability and protection, which is pretty important when you want to lift hundreds of pounds off the ground.

Negative Pull-Ups

There really is no better way to improve your pull-up strength then to do pull-ups, and one of the best ways to get there is to reverse the movement. Instead of dead hang to pull-up, negative pull-ups are the place to start.

The negative involves only performing the eccentric phase of the standard pull-up. You start in the flex hang and lower into the dead hang position. Working with gravity instead of against it makes this portion of the exercise easier than the pulling phase, but it will still help develop the muscles and skills you need to progress to the full movement.

It might seem like doing a pull-up backward won’t make you better at them, but actually eccentric movements are key to building muscle and strength. When you talk about the eccentric movement you refer to the amount of force produced when a muscle lengthens, which is the opposite of contraction where a muscle shortens. It’s interesting to note that there are fewer motor units involved in eccentric movement, meaning there is actually more mechanical load per motor unit. In other words, there’s more tension than in a concentric movement. The more tension, the more stimulus on the muscle fibers which results in some really impressive muscular adaptations — such as getting enough strength to do your first pull-up.

For this exercise, the aim is to do it as “slow and controlled as possible”. You can use bands to assist you in the very beginning until you can lower yourself in a controlled manner. Start off slow, week one might only be three days where you perform 4 sets of 3 negatives aiming for 6 to 10 seconds on the descent. Build on this each week, adding either another set or more reps. How often you should do this exercise depends on the individual. Start with three times a week, from there you can either hold for longer or add an extra day but be sure you are well rested for these sessions!

A quick look at negatives versus machine assisted pull-ups. I’m not trying to bash the good old assisted pull-up machine, but using negatives or even banded pull-ups is much more effective than using this dinosaur machine in your gym. Negatives elicit more muscle activation than the machine can. It is also very easy to go easy on the machine but with negatives, you really have to try hard.

80% of packaged food contains added sugar, which makes it a pretty difficult substance to avoid.

Sugar has been used as a base ingredient for centuries as a way of enhancing flavors in many foods we’d expect it to be in such as baked goods, candy, cookies and more. However, various foods have had more and more hidden sugars added to them over the decades to make them tastier and to ensure we will keep coming back and buying more.

The perfect amount of added sugar to increase the sweetness of a product to just the right level, where it isn’t too sweet but is just sweet enough that we’ll keep coming back for more, is known as the “bliss point” within the food industry.

When we consume sugar, it lights up the pleasure centers in the brain and makes us feel good. A chemical called dopamine gets released which is why we experience this pleasurable sensation. We, of course, enjoy this feeling and continue to seek out more sugary foods (even if it’s a hidden sugar!).

It’s this control of the brain’s reward and pleasure centers that make sugar so addictive and hard to give up.

So, if you’re consciously trying to quit sugar, make sure you’re not sabotaging your efforts by consuming foods with lots of hidden sugar

1. SAUCES, CONDIMENTS AND DRESSINGS

A typical savory food that you wouldn’t expect to be full of sugar, but jars of pasta sauce can be full of sugar and some companies even advise eating their products once per week.

The same goes for ketchups, BBQ sauces, salad dressings and various other condiments.

A plate with green salad and tomatoes

2. CANNED VEGETABLES

When I quit sugar for a month, I was surprised to see sugar on the ingredient list of many cans of beans, peas, tomatoes and more.

It’s used to enhance flavor and prolong shelf life. Just because it says organic vegetables doesn’t always mean sugar-free!

3. DIET FOODS

This one tricks many people due to clever marketing.

Typical healthy-looking snack bars often look like they’re good for you due to their packaging; however, they can actually be full of hidden sugar. Fat-free or diet foods may look and sound healthy, but typically when something is taken out of a product (e.g fat), something else gets added.

If you read the ingredient list, sugar will be there under one of its many hidden names.

4. BREAKFAST CEREAL

Many cereals are also full of hidden sugar. If it’s brightly colored and tastes sweet, then it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it contains sugar.

Some healthy-looking breakfast cereals contain more sugar than a slice of cake.

Make sure you aren’t starting your day wrong by sending your blood sugar levels rocketing.

Breakfast food

5. SUSHI RICE

Sushi often gets branded as a healthy choice, but it also contains sugar.

To make sushi rice, you need to add sugar to the rice as part of the recipe. So, this one isn’t a hidden sugar – but perhaps not widely known.

6. BREAD

Many breads, especially white breads, have sugar added to them. Processed, “healthier” brown alternatives on the supermarket shelves can also be full of hidden sugar and worse than white bread.

It can be very hit and miss but aim for 4g of sugar per 100g.

Alternatively, head to your local bakery for healthier options or better still, make your own!

7. DRIED FRUIT & SMOOTHIES

While fruit contains the naturally occurring sugar fructose, when fruit is dried, the sugar becomes concentrated. So, dried fruits can end up being a source of highly concentrated sugar when you start to snack on them.

Smoothies are the epitome of healthy living, but they can also be sugar traps, especially ones from the supermarkets which can have extra sugar added in. Fruit smoothies are high in fructose and the fiber gets pulverized, meaning it can’t act as a barrier and slow down absorption

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), "stress is an expression of the body’s natural instinct to protect itself. While the stress response may warn us of immediate danger, like a fast-approaching car, prolonged stress can negatively affect your physical and emotional health".

 

How Does Stress Affect a Woman's Mind and Body?

While men and women can react similarly in many situations, stressful or otherwise, there does seem to be some difference in how men and women react to stress. While the exact mechanisms aren't clear, and findings are conflicting, some research suggests that differences in the brain and body may make women more physically and emotionally sensitive to certain types of stress.

 

“Women tend to react to stress differently than men," says Dr. Rosch. "They don’t respond with the fight or flight response — they’re more apt to negotiate.”

 

In previous research, psychologists have called this the "tend and befriend" response. This may have come about, theorize scientists, because it would have been evolutionarily adaptive for women to protect offspring rather than attack or flee from predators.

 

The "tend and befriend" response, some think, may be mediated by oxytocin, an anti-stress hormone produced in women during childbirth, breast-feeding, and in both sexes during orgasm and other moments of human connection. This hormone may help women more than men, according to Rosch.

 

Studies have shown that frequent hugs from a partner can increase levels of oxytocin — and lower levels of blood pressure — in women. Research has also found that women who have positive contact with a partner before a stressful situation show lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower heart rates.

 

How Does Stress Affect a Woman's Health?

The particular challenges that women face at home, in society, and at work may increase the amount of stress you experience.

 

“Your stress may vary, but if you have stress with your work, your kids, your neighbors, and marriage all at once, that’s a big deal,” says Lori Heim, MD, past president and chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians . “In women, I see this in changes in menstrual patterns — nothing else is going on except a huge increase in stress, and all of a sudden, they may be losing their hair or having menstrual irregularities, and everything points to stress as a factor.”

 

According to the National Women’s Health Information Center, the effects of stress on women’s physical and emotional health can range from headaches to stomach trouble to back pain. Specific stress effects include:

 

• Stomach Ailments Stress: can make you reach for junk or comfort foods, or upset your stomach to the point that you feel like you can’t eat. Common stress-related stomach troubles include cramps, bloating, heartburn, and — according to a study published in November 2017 in the journal Frontiers in System Neuroscience — even irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which affects more women than men. Depending on how you respond, these can lead to weight loss or weight gain.
• Skin Reactions Stress: can lead to breakouts, and even itchy rashes and hives in some people.
• Emotional Conditions: From being in a blue or irritable mood to more serious mental issues, like depression, your emotional health suffers when there’s stress in your life.
• Sleep Problems: Trouble falling or staying asleep is common in women affected by stress, and this is particularly counterproductive since a good night’s sleep can help ease stress.
• Difficulty Concentrating Stress: makes it hard to focus and be effective in your responsibilities at home or work, and that can compound your problems if the stress comes from your job to begin with.
• Heart Trouble Stress :can negatively affect the entire cardiovascular system, and while it doesn't directly cause high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack, it can definitely contribute to them.
• Lowered Immune Response: One of the more complicated physical reactions to stress is your body’s lessened ability to fight off disease, whether it’s a cold or a flare-up of a chronic condition.

1. EAT FIVE OR SIX MEALS

Despite diet experts and new research constantly telling you otherwise, many people still consume the bulk of their calories in two or three large meals each day, often—in an attempt to slim down—going for hours at a time eating nothing in between. Sure, you can lose weight on a reduced-calorie three-meal plan, but you can't make your body burn fat more efficiently, which is key to long-term weight loss.

A nutritious meal or snack about every three hours keeps blood-sugar levels stable, feeds your body a steady stream of necessary nutrients and helps control hunger-induced cravings for less-than-slimming snacks like sweets and fats. It also leads to more effective glycogen storage in the liver and muscle tissues, ensuring your body won't cannibalize muscle as an energy source during your workouts. So make your meals mini and spread them out. If you have trouble fitting in extra eating times at work, prepare food ahead of time that you can zap in the microwave or eat cold. And stock your kitchen right: Shed fat in just days with these essential 9 Flat Belly Superfoods!

2. DON'T LET HUNGER BE YOUR GUIDE

The human body is a bit confusing: By the time it tells you it needs nutrients, it's already deficient. In fact, those hunger pangs are your body's last-ditch efforts to convince you to eat.

Stay ahead of the curve by eating before your stomach starts growling. If you're pressed for time, consider the following: A meal can consist of 100 grs. chicken breast, a small baked sweet  potato and a salad, all of which can be made the night before and require minimal preparation time. Dining can also be as simple as a low-sugar nutrition bar—make sure to look for one substantial enough to replace a meal—or a small protein shake and a banana.

3. PINPOINT YOUR PROTEIN NEEDS

How much protein is enough? If you're working an 8 hrs desk job that you commute to by car, protein isn't an issue. But for someone who's active in sports and trains regularly, adequate protein is essential for losing fat and building lean muscle. Your safest bet is to get between 0.8 and 1.5 gram of protein per kgs of lean mass .

When calculating that amount, use the weight you think you would look good at, especially if you're 50 kgs or more overweight. For example, if an ideal weight for you would be 60 kgs, multiply that number by 1-1.5 grams: Your daily protein requirement turns out to be about 60 - 90 grams per day.  

4. POWER EVERY MEAL WITH PROTEIN

While eating anything raises your metabolic rate, protein boosts it the most. Chicken, turkey, beef, egg whites and cottage cheese are just a few of the choices you have for high-rev foods. Protein is also essential to building muscle, and the more muscle you carry, the more efficiently your body will burn the fat you're trying to fry. And don't forget about breakfast! Get an early jump on your protein.

Muscle burns calories even at rest. Fat, on the other hand, just sits there. So the last thing you want from your weight-loss program is loss of muscle tissue. You can minimize this loss by getting enough protein delivered in relatively precise doses throughout each day. And for your body to put that protein to work for muscle building, you've got to log weight lifting time regularly.

5. ADJUST YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE

Keep track of your intake for a month or so and then make adjustments. If your fat loss has hit a plateau and you aren't suffering from overtraining syndrome—ironically, too much time at the gym will slow your fat furnace—bump up your protein a little. If you're gaining a little fat, cut back slightly. There should be little need to go beyond one gram of protein per kg of lean mass. 

6. DIVERSIFY YOUR CARBS

When planning meals, you may be tempted to stick to a few familiar sources of carbs. But your system works better when you keep it guessing, so don't let yourself get caught in a routine. Eating a variety of carbs, even some simple sugars, is desirable for athletes, according to the Journal Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.

Foods like potatoes, brown rice, pasta and vegetables should make up the bulk of your carbs. As a rule, you shouldn't eat more than two or three grams of carbs per kilo of body weight. Many people overdose on carbs, thinking them "safe" simply because they're low in fat. But your system doesn't discriminate: It stores any excess calories—whether from protein, fat or carbs—as fat.

7. ALTERNATE CARB VOLUME

Once you've figured out your daily carb requirement, the tendency is to eat equal amounts of carbs at every meal. This approach works quite well in the early phase of a weight-loss plan because it trains your body to expect a certain amount of essential nutrients on a regular schedule. But over time, your body will achieve homeostasis, meaning it will adapt to the pattern and work just enough to maintain its current balance of lean mass to fat stores. To continue getting leaner, you must continue adapting.

8. GIVE YOURSELF A CARB SHOCK

Assuming you're not diabetic or prone to hypoglycemic episodes, another way to keep your body guessing is to restrict carb intake (about 125 grams per day) for 48 hours every two or three weeks. Your body will search for alternate energy sources, breaking its rhythm and revving the metabolism. Because it has been glycogen-depleted, your body will quickly use sugar carbs for energy when you return to taking in normal levels.

Do not go low-carb for more than a couple of days or take in fewer than 125 grams per day. Critical heart and brain functions rely on carbs. Depleting sugar stores can make you lethargic, foggy-headed and, yes, even hangry, so try this phase on weekends when you don't have to deal with workweek stressors like deadlines and demanding coworkers. 

9. DRINK UP

You body cannot efficiently change carbs into energy without ample water. And, according to the Journal Physiology of Sport and Exercise, you can't deliver essential amino acids to muscle tissue without adequate water, either. Not only will your workout sessions suffer, but insufficient liquids in your body will also hinder fat breakdown.

Don't wait until you're thirsty-thirst signals the first stage of dehydration, which means you're already too late. You must stay hydrated. Drink often throughout the day, and especially before and during a training session. Try to get at least 10 cups of water per day, although up to a 2.5 éiters is okay.

10. START RIGHT

Your first meal when you wake up and after working out should contain your largest carb intakes of the day. Your body's glycogen stores are depleted when you wake up; replenishing them quickly is crucial to physical and mental functioning. A serious weight-training session depletes glycogen stores. Consume a mix of simple and complex carbs along with a protein within 60 minutes after a workout to restore your energy and ensure long-term muscle recovery.

11. FINISH LIGHT

Your last meal (or two, if you're eating more frequently) of the day should emphasize protein rather than typical slow-burning carbs like pasta. The carbs you do ingest should be the "wet" kind contained in high-water, medium-fiber foods such as cucumbers, leafy green salads, tomatoes and steamed asparagus. High-fiber, low-water foods leaching water out of your system; wet carbs, on the other hand, allow you to maintain relatively adequate levels of water during the night since you can't drink while you sleep.

Here's a bonus tip: Get in the habit of eating fish as part of your last meal of the day. Fish makes for a lighter meal, and it's a good way to replenish aminos while getting essential fatty acids. Fish is healthy as well: The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of fatty fish (such as salmon and tuna) per week.

Blast those abs,

WITH LOVE

JOJO

Each move is a "compound" exercise, meaning it targets multiple muscle groups, so you get a really big bang for your strength-training buck! Rest for 30–60 seconds after each set.

1. Squat to Overhead Press

Works quadriceps, hamstrings, butt, abs, shoulders

A. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, elbows bent, optional weight  at shoulder height, palms forward. Lower into a squat (don’t let knees go past toes); hold for a moment.

B. Push through heels to stand up, pressing weights overhead. Return to starting position. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

2.Single-Leg Dumbbell Row

Works back, shoulders, biceps, abs, quadriceps, hamstrings, butt

A. Stand holding optional weight in left hand. Hinge forward so back is flat and almost parallel to floor; rest right hand on a chair or low shelf for support. Extend left arm toward floor, palm facing in; lift straight left leg behind you, so body forms a T.

B. Slowly bend left elbow and draw weight up until elbow is even with torso; hold for a moment, then lower weight. Do 15 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

3,Step-Up With Bicep Curl

Works quadriceps, hamstrings, butt, abs, biceps

A. Stand with left foot on a sturdy bench or step, optional  in each hand.

B. With weight on left foot, lift to standing on the step, right thigh raised so it’s parallel to floor; at the same time, curl weights up toward shoulders. Return to starting position. Do 15 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

4. Dolphin Plank

Works back, abs, shoulders

A. Lie facedown with toes tucked. Keeping forearms on floor, pull bellybutton in toward spine, and raise hips to come into low plank position.

B. Inhale while lifting hips further so body forms an inverted V; pause, then slowly return to starting position. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

5.Curtsy Lunge

Works hips, butt, quadriceps, hamstrings, abs

A. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Take a giant step diagonally back with left foot and cross it behind your right; bend knees (as if curtsying) as you reach your left hand toward floor on the outside of your right foot.

B. Return to starting position. Do 15 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

6. Superman

NO! NOT THIS SUPERMAN

Works the back, butt

Lie facedown with arms and legs extended, toes pointed, palms down. Inhale while raising arms and legs as high as you can; pause, then exhale while slowly returning to starting position. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

Keep fit,

JOJO

There are so many types of cardiovascular workouts that it can be difficult to determine which one is best for your fitness goals.

 Find below three of the most frequently used cardio exercises and the best way to incorporate them into your fitness routine.

Steady State:

Even though most people hate doing steady state cardio, it needs a place in everyone’s training plan. Steady state cardio focuses on your aerobic system. This is the system that will help improve your resting heart rate, your cardio endurance, and help improve fat loss. The goal of steady state cardio is to reach your target heart rate (formula below) and keep it at that rate for 20-60 minutes.

First you must calculate your max heart rate: eg: for 30 year old - like me

200-(your age x 0.67) = MHR

Then your target heart rate: 200- (30 x0.67)=180 MHR

180 x 0.70 =126 (Target Heart Rate)

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training):

To truly benefit from HIIT training you must first test yourself to see your MAX performance in a specific area.

Example: how many burpees, mountain climbers, how high you can jump or how fast you can sprint. Then you do your intervals near that maximum intensity. Tailor your workouts using a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio of intervals based on that maximum intensity. This ensures that you will be getting stronger, faster, and burning the max amount of calories for your fitness level.

Typically you want to do HIIT for 15-30 minutes 3 times a week for best results

Tabata:

Tabata is a type of HIIT training but with a more specific set of rules and guidelines. Tabata should be 5 minutes or less with 20 seconds work and 10 seconds rest. Since you are forcing yourself to work at max intensity it is possible to increase your anaerobic capacity by 28 percent, and your VO2 max and aerobic power by 15% according to a six week study made by Sport Insitute of Colorado.

Tabata workouts will burn more calories than a 60 minute steady state workout if you are doing it correctly. You must be at MAX intensity for a tabata to work. Since it is such a highly anaerobic workout it can burn calories for up to 24 hours after the workout.

Choose wisely,

JOJO

AS I AM A VEGETERIAN I NEEDED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION!

It has been a huge debate that has been going on between meat eaters and vegans everywhere.

Does broccoli really contain more protein than meat?

According to the activist group VeganStreet.com, “Beef has 6.4 grams of protein/100 calories” and “Broccoli has 11.1 grams of protein/100 calories.”

On first thought, you might think: “Holy cow! I need to eat more broccoli!”

But this can be  a bit misleading!

It seems like this simple little “fact” would solve the debate once and for all, but is there more to the whole story than just numbers? Remember that not all proteins are equal!

According to beefitswhatsfordinner.com:

“Not all foods contain the same type of protein. Meat, eggs and dairy products are considered complete high-quality sources of protein that provide the full package of essential amino acids needed to stimulate muscle growth and improve weight management. Plant proteins such as grains, legumes, nuts and seeds are incomplete proteins in that they do not provide sufficient amounts of essential amino acids. In fact, research indicates that increasing consumption of high-quality complete proteins may optimize muscle strength and metabolism, and ultimately improve overall health.”

“Lean meats contain heme iron, which is much more easily absorbed by the body than nonheme iron found in plant foods. Heme iron is an important dietary component for promoting cognitive health, including memory, ability to learn and reasoning. Heme iron is particularly beneficial for growing children because research indicates that some toddlers are at higher risk for iron deficiency, and childhood iron-deficiency anemia is associated with behavioral and cognitive delays.”

Let’s be real. Comparing a meat to a vegetable is is almpst impossible.. Obviously, both-being totally different, organically, and are going to have different amino acid ratios when compared to each other. There are certain amino acids needed to SUSTAIN a healthy, functioning quality for everyday life.

ABOBE is a fantastic chart via Earthropology which highlights the differences between the two, when compared. Earthropology even states: “In reality, it takes twice that much broccoli, or over 18 cups, containing nearly twice as many calories, in order to get anywhere near meeting all essential amino acid requirements.”

At the end of the day if you lean towards the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle broccoli would fit like a glove in your diet. Nevetheless above the chart a you can see another reality: One would have to eat nearly twice the amount of broccoli to even remotely touch where the beef is.

So if you are not vegetarian, your best option would be to mix the 2    

Enjoy!

JOJO

Running isn’t ‘for’ everyone. If you are one of those people who would rather eat rocks than go for a jog, you’re in for some good news. Running is not the most efficient method of burning calories. The average person burns an average of 10 calories per minute while running. Here are 10 exercises that rank higher than running when it comes to calorie burn.

1. Kettlebell Swings

These exercises help you burn calories and sculpt a lean figure. They are great for sculpting the glutes and quads while giving your body an overall workout.

2. Burpees

Burpees are great for reducing excess body fat. The American College of Sports Medicine found that a 180 pound man could burn almost 1.5 calories per burpee. Those numbers only get better when you ramp up the number of burpees you do in a short time. Try for 10 burpees/60 seconds.

3. Jumping Rope

Jumping rope gets your heart rate up and improves balance and coordination. A moderate intensity jump rope session burns 13 calories a minute.

4. Battle Ropes

These workouts seem to the be the key to ramping up fitness. These exercises achieve a calorie burn of nearly 10.5 per minute.

5. Walking Uphill With A Load

Walking on an incline gets difficult. Walking on an incline while carrying weight is even more difficult. You can burn around 415 calories an hour while walking at a moderate pace. AND, this is a pretty cost effective exercise as all you need is a strong backpack, some rocks and a hill.

6. Dancing

Dancing is great fun AND it burns calories. Dancing can  burn up to 700 kcal per hour! So, next time you’re in the club, hit the floor!

7. Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is a fun, challenging workout that ramps up adrenaline and overall fitness. Climbing can burn you up to 455 calories an hour.

8. Skating

Although it seems easy, skating provides a really intense calorie burning workout that serves as a great substitute for running.

9. Rowing

Rowing burns an insane amount of calories. Per hour, you can burn up to 682! Rowing is one of the most intense, and effective, exercises you can add to your routine.

10. Boxing

Boxing doesn’t just make you feel tough, it will make you super fit. The average boxing session burns around 727 calories per hour.

Which one will you try first?

IM CHOOSING BOXING OF COURSE

Whether you're setting your first fitness goal or your fiftieth   , this guide to setting SMART fitness and nutrition goals will help you succeed!

We live in a society of instant gratification, so rather than setting aside time to gather resources, gain knowledge, and set up a feasible plan, people tend to look for quick fixes. What happens when you don't reach their goals in the first few weeks?... You lose interest and quit.

With constant exposure to diet and nutrition “mis”information coming from social media, celebrities, gimmicky infomercials it's no wonder you can find yourself making the same goals year after year. If you want to succeed, you simply have to set realistic goals, follow sustainable nutrition practices “Condense” your goals and determine which ones are realistic and sensible for you to achieve with the resources you have and be SMART:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time-bound

SPECIFIC

The first principle of the SMART method mandates that your goals be specific. Establishing a clear, concise goal.. Define your goal. Write down your goal. Why do you want it? How will you achieve it? When you physically write down your goal, you condition your mind to work toward that goal.

If your goal is to improve body composition, start by determining how many calories you need per day to achieve your goal. Answering that question depends on several factors, including age, gender, activity level, training experience, and your specific goals. You can get an idea of how many calories you expend each day by using several websites that can calculte this for you free of charge. Below find one:

LINK TO CALORIE CALCULATOR

If you want to add lean body mass, you'll need more calories to support growth of new tissue. If you want to lose fat, you'll need fewer calories per day. Start by adjusting your diet in increments of 100-200 calories above or below maintenance. Determining how many calories per day you need sets the framework for nutrition specificity in your transformation goal. Not only is a daily calorie quota quantifiable, it's also measurable.

MEASURABLE

By establishing specific criteria for monitoring and tracking your progress, you are more apt to stay on track. For most beginners embarking on a transformation journey, simply logging your dietary intake on paper is a great place to start. An established calorie quota, based on your calorie estimate and goals, is measurable data.

ATTAINABLE

Attainable nutrition goals relate back to what you are willing to do, and what you are capable of doing, to reach your goals. For example, if you want to increase your fruit and vegetable intake but do not like the taste of certain fruits and vegetables, it's highly unlikely you will stick to a nutrition plan that incorporates five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

However, if you are willing and able to try new foods and food preparation methods, experimenting with new fruits and vegetables can expand your nutritional benefits. Establishing short-term goals will ultimately make your long-term goals more attainable. Attainable goals ultimately spring from your current resources and mindset. Knowledge is a valuable resource, and becoming an educated consumer is paramount in attaining any goal. Knowledge is power.

REALISTIC

Realistic goals are goals you truly believe you can achieve. Setting extreme goals only sets you up for failure. You have to set attainable expectations. In doing so, you'll be more apt to stay motivated and work towards your desired outcome. If your goal is to lose 5 kgs in 2 months and you are currently eating fast food three times a week because of a hectic work schedule, you have to acknowledge what you need to change.

Planning your meals ahead of time so you aren't running to the store at the last minute or settling for fast food is vital for sustainability and practicality in a transformation journey. However, if you honestly think that planning ahead is too difficult, you have to be honest with yourself and rethink your goal. Don't kid yourself!

TIME-BOUND

All goals—both short- and long-term—should have a set deadline by which you wish to achieve them. Human beings are less likely to procrastinate when faced with a target date by which we want to accomplish a specific goal. Not only should a nutrition and health goal be timely, the goal should also be sustainable and life-enhancing. For instance, fad diets deliver results quickly, but are not sustainable nutrition practices. Stay clear of any diet that claims to help you lose 5 kgs in one week! If your goal is fat loss, aim for losing roughly at ½ kilo per week.

GET "SMART!"

As you can see, all the components of the SMART method build on one another. You need to harness all five to be successful. In addition to using the SMART method when establishing fitness and nutrition goals, remember to take ownership and accountability. You have control over the outcome you want. The journey of achieving a goal is always a fun ride. You will have obstacles. You will have small wins. You will have setbacks. And you will have moments of pure bliss. Learn to fall in love with the process. Enjoy the ride, put in the work, and the results will follow.

Be smart,

JOJO

No more wimping out on your workouts.  Lose the excuses, make over your motivation, and finally score the body you want. Many casual exercisers want to sweat more often, but they struggle with finding the workout motivation to make fitness a part of their daily routine.

Use a Line of Questioning

Everyone needs a little extrinsic (or external) motivation now and then.  Think about your physique goal. Then break it down into smaller goals, like getting to the gym 3 days a week for a certain number of weeks. When you can't find the drive on a particular day, ask yourself questions like, "will skipping this workout help me or hurt me?" You know the answer already, but having to admit it will help you refocus on the smaller goal you need to achieve on your way to the larger goal.

Be Positive

In your own training, reframe the way you think about success and failure. Instead of beating yourself up about missing a lift, think about the things you've done well ­ like, at least, getting into the gym that day ­and build on those things. Simply thinking in a different way will help you realize how effective positive reinforcement can be.

Hold Yourself Accountable

When you fall a little short, think about how you could have done something different. If you don't know your own potential, you'll never reach it. You won't even come close. But pushing yourself each and every day will help you figure out how good you can be.

Work on Your Work Ethic

 You might have good genetics, and maybe you can still see your abs despite a few unhealthy meals and habits that are persisting. But it won't stay like that forever, and the way you can make sure you succeed at staying fit is continuing to work hard in the gym, and in the kitchen.

Know Your Goals

 Those looking to lose weight will get most of their calories in breakfast and lunch. There's a specific percentage of carbs to protein to fat that the individuals eat at each meal. . For those looking to gain weight, safely, without adding a ton of body fat, they'll take in more calories around their workouts. In general, regardless of your goal decide what you want to achieve before you get to the gym and start warming up, and make sure you're eating the right way at all your meals. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time seeing changes in your body.

Keep focused,

JOJO