Wanna burn 500 calories???

THE BIGGEST CALORIE-BURNING EXERCISES:
Calories burned per hour*
Based on a 160-pound person

986 calories burned: Running at 8mph
913 calories burned: Rollerblading
730 calories burned: Tae Kwon Do
730 calories burned: Jump rope
657 calories burned: Stair treadmill
584 calories burned: Jogging at 5mph, cycling at 18mph
511 calories burned: Backpacking, hiking uphill
511 calories burned: Racquetball. mountain biking
511 calories burned: Cross-country skiing, indoor cycling class
511 calories burned: High-impact aerobics, high intensity weight/circuit training
* Values from the Mayo Clinic Exercise for Weight Loss chart

Of course, these values are estimates, and actual calorie expenditure will not be the same for everyone. Your mileage may vary (so to speak) depending on many factors, such as the intensity of your workout, your weight (and more importantly body fat %) and your current fitness level.

Exercise of the week...split squat

Can I just say that I love this exericse! If you want your glutes and quads, this is an exceptional exercise! Also, I prefer and recommend doing this exercise with an upper body move. To perform:

1. Use a bench, chair, or even ball (harder) and place one leg back. Front leg should be out far enough that your knee doesn't go over your toe. Suggestion: hold 5-10 lb. dumbbells for extra resistance and for upper body combo.

2. Squat down to 90 degrees at knee, making sure front heel doesn't come off of ground. PUSH through heel and squeeze glutes as you come up. With dumbbells, you can either do bicep curls as you go down, or even shoulder lateral/front raises.

3. Do 15-25 reps/leg.

6 surprising reasons you're not losing weight

Here's some POSSIBLE reasons you're sabotaging your slim-down efforts, and how to get back on track.

1. You're LOADING up on whole grains. Let's be honest-while whole grain versions are a good replacement for the white flour variety, many of these snacks can still be high in fat, sugar, and sodium, not to mention CALORIES. People who eat the greatest number of servings of MINIMALLY processed whole-grain foods-not snack foods, like crackers, cookies, or chips-enjoy the biggest weight-controlled benefits. Solution: Aim to increase your intake of brown and wild rice, oatmeal, and other whole-grain cereals and breads. Not only do these foods contain fiber, which helps curb your appetite, but they're also low on the glycemic index (meaning they are absorbed in your bloodstream slower allowing you to go longer without feeling hungry).

2. You allow yourself a "CHEAT" day...or TWO. You've probably learned from experience that denying yourself all treats when you're dieting can set you up for a binge. Your solution? Being "good" during the week and allowing yourself to splurge on weekends. While this may seem like a moderate approach to weight loss, it's still a feast-or-famine mentality that can easily backfire. Dieters shed a small amount of weight each weekday gained most of it back between Friday night and Monday morning! Solution: When it comes to shedding pounds, consistency is KEY. In other words, you'll be more successful if you allow yourself a 150-to 200 calorie treat a few times a week, rather than waiting until Friday night to splurge.

3. You make your own meals. There's little dispute that frequently eating out can wreak havoc on a diet. That may be true, but if you're not vigilant about certain things like, not picking at food while you cook (a BIG one), adding just a bit of extra butter or oil, using a heavy hand with dressings and sauces, and nibbling leftovers as you're clearing the table can tack on hundreds of calories to an otherwise healthy meal. Solution: Pull out your measuring cups and spoons and use them throughout the entire cooking process. A food scale can help you weigh items that can't be measured in cups, like poultry, fish, and cheese. To keep from snacking or tasting your meal, try chewing gum or sucking on a mint! Lastly, when you're ready to eat, take a small portion of food and put it on a salad plate rather than a dinner plate. Then, put the rest of the meal into single-serving storage containers. Popping them directly into the fridge or freezer will deter you from polishing off a second dinner soon after finishing your first.

4. You squeeze in workouts. No matter how tired you are in the morning or after work, you still push through your cardio session. Better to burn a few calories than none at all, right? Not necessarily. If you're truly feeling exhausted, it's more beneficial to ditch your workout and allow yourself an extra hour of shut-eye. Why? When you're sleep-deprived, your hormone levels change, stimulating cravings for starches and sweets. Your willpower diminishes too. Solution: Few of us can get eight hours of sleep and have the time for an hour-long workout, so get seven hours of sleep and schedule your workout earlier in the day, as exercising within four hours of bedtime may hinder your ability to fall asleep.

5. You eat slowly, savoring every bite. While this works alone, lingering in a group situation seems to have the opposite effect. Studies have shown that people take in 40 to 70 percent more calories when dining with family and friends. Solution: When dining out with friends, have a dining strategy in place so you don't have to think about the calories at the table. For example, decide whether you'll have a slice of bread or a drink. You might also order an appetizer as your main dish instead of an entree. You want dessert? Skip the bread, pick a lighter meal like a salad and split a dessert with a friend.

6. You enlisted a friend to help. Teaming up with a buddy seems more fun than dieting alone, which is why you talked your best friend into joining that weight-loss program with you. Unfortanately, her uneuthusiastic attitude can take a toll on your goals. People who make the most successful weight-loss partners are those whoe are committed to losing 10 percent of their body weight and plan to stick with the program for a set period of time. Bottom line is if you have to convince a friend to join you in a diet or exercise regime, she probably isn't ready. Solution: You may be better off going it alone or finding someone who can pull her own weight.

Exercise of the week..the crab walk

Here's a great exercise that works all the lower body leg muscles, called the crab walk. It works the glutes, hamstrings, quads, etc. but really EMPHASIZES the outer thigh/hip muscles (way better than the hip abduction machine which only focuses on that one muscle). I also like to mix it up and add an upper body muscle exericise, like doing medicine or rubberband shoulder presses.

To start have a theraband (preferably tougher resistance) around your calves/ankles with feet spread shoulder-width apart. You should feel resistance the entire exercise, so it's important not to bring feet TOGETHER (hence band should be taut, not loose). Walk sideways (like a crab), in a SQUATTING position by stepping out to side with outside leg (the main leg working). Step inside leg in about half way and repeat for at least 25 reps each leg. To add in medicine ball press, hold ball at chest and press up as you step out.

Weight Loss Tools

I found this helpful website that you can calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), BMI (Body Mass Index), recommended daily calorie expenditure, body fat calculator, etc. They are basic and not 100& accurate (it would more accurate if you had your body fat % tested), but it's definitely a good starting point for those who are on the road for getting healthier, losing weight, etc.

http://www.weight-loss-center.net/weight-loss-tools.html

Let me know what you think!