How to get your bonus ebook

Follow this link to the download page.

Once there, you'll need the password "newyear" minus the quotes to access the download page.

When you reach the download page, click on the link to open your ebook.

Adobe Acrobat Reader will open the file, if you have Acrobat Reader installed on your machine.

If you wish to save the file for later viewing, right click on the link, and select Save Target As... from the pop up menu. Navigate to a place on your hard drive, and save the file.

I hope you enjoy the ebook.

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Nutrition: Taste, Texture and They Fight Cancer too!

A perfect mix of taste and texture, bell peppers come in vivid colors like green, red, yellow, orange, purple, brown to black.

Peppers are an excellent source of vitamin A and C. They also contain vitamin B6 and folic acid. These two B vitamins are very important for reducing high levels of homocysteine. High homocysteine levels damage blood vessels and are associated with a greatly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition to providing the vitamins that convert homocysteine into other beneficial molecules, bell peppers also provide fiber that can help lower high cholesterol levels, another risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

Red peppers are one of the few foods that contain lycopene, a carotenoid. Recent studies suggest that individuals whose diets are low in lycopene-rich foods are at greater risk for developing prostate, cervix, bladder and pancreatic cancer. For people worried about colon cancer, the fiber found in peppers can help to reduce the amount of contact that colon cells have with cancer-causing toxins found in certain foods or produced by certain gut bacteria. In addition, consumption of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid, all found in bell peppers, is associated with a significantly reduced risk of colon cancer.

Sweet red peppers also supply the phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been found to protect against macular degeneration, the main cause of blindness in the elderly.

So try this month's recipe for a tasty way to get this super vegetable into your diet.

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Q&A: Is jumping rope a good exercise??

Jumping rope is an excellent exercise to add to your program. It takes a bit of skill at first, but if you keep trying you will improve. Jump rope training will improve both your conditioning and your coordination. It is often called the most perfect fitness activity available. Plus its fun!

Jumping rope will increase your endurance, (once you master the footwork) improve your body composition, (its a great calorie burner) and as a weight bearing activity, builds strong, dense bones (osteoporosis prevention).

Jumping rope will also help to improve often overlooked aspects of fitness like, timing and rhythm, speed, power, balance and agility.

You can't beat a jump rope when it comes to a training tool that provides a quality workout at a great price. You can buy a rope for about $5. There's no reason not to try it. I highly recommend the addition of a jump rope to your weekly training program. You can jump rope several days per week.

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Tailored Fitness Research:
Should I jog or take a class?

This study looked at whether there was a significant difference between the energy costs (calories burned) of various aerobic classes. This research explored the unique aspects of 4 forms of classes (Bodycombat (kickboxing), Pump, Step, and Spinning) that are currently popular in a variety of settings and for a variety of participants especially interested in weight control.

The study found that Bodycombat, Spinning, and Step classes are more capable of meeting the recommended guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine for reducing body fat levels when performed at least 3 times per week, compared to Pump aerobics. In general, it is recommended that in order to achieve changes in body composition that an exercise program should expend at least 5.5 to 6.6 kcal·min for every 30–45-minute session. Each of the 4 classes tested in this study was estimated to expend well above this standard, with Pump(60 minutes), Bodycombat (60 minutes), Step (60 minutes), and Spinning (45 minutes)recording mean energy costs of 8.0 ± 1.62, 9.73 ± 2.0, 9.6 ± 1.79, and 9.88 ± 1.85 kcal·min, respectively. However, because of its lower energy cost, Pump classes would need to be performed 4 times per week in order to attain the same caloric cost as 3 sessions of Bodycombat, Step, and Spinning. In order to have successful weight management, performing these activities should be combined with an appropriate calorie-controlled diet.

It was found that the relative intensity of Bodycombat, Step, and Spinning could be classified as hard (70–89% of maximal heart rate), while Pump was rated as being of moderate intensity (55–69% of maximal heart rate). If weight loss is the primary reason for exercise, then greater frequency and duration are important, since only medium-intensity programs are recommended. All of the classes in this study are therefore capable of meeting these accepted guidelines for achieving weight reduction. Pump, however, appears to be more similar to circuit training and the least efficient at caloric expenditure. Since total energy expenditure plays such a major part in achieving weight reduction, then aerobic activities involving Bodycombat, Spinning, and Step programs would facilitate this change with less duration and frequency when compared to a Pump class. The results from this study point out the great deal of variability in energy expenditure that can be expected among different forms of aerobic dance classes. In addition, it should also be noted that individual classes involving any given form of aerobic dance can vary in intensity, which would then change the energy expenditure for any given session and possibly create a greater caloric deficit and play a greater role in changing body composition.

The study also demonstrated that the general energy cost of aerobics programs compares favorably to jogging at 8.05 kmh (5.00 mph); however, jogging at 8.37 kmh (5.20 mph) (to 10.30 kcal·min) is likely to expend significantly more energy than any of the 4 types of aerobic dance explored in this study. Hence, it has been estimated that the energy cost of Bodycombat, Step, and Spinning classes is equivalent to that of running at a pace between 8.05 and 8.37 kmh on a flat surface, whereas the Pump class may be more similar to a circuit training program.

In conclusion, with the exception of Pump classes (added resistance), there does not appear to be a significant difference in the energy cost of the 3 other forms of aerobic dance that were investigated (Bodycombat, Step, and Spinning). Therefore, from a weight-management perspective, no single class affords a better workout than the others. Furthermore, it appears that the energy costs of these aerobic dance classes are similar to that associated with jogging at a speed of between 8.05 and 8.37 kmh.

Analysis of the Assessment of Caloric Expenditure in Four Modes of Aerobic Dance Kendall P. Rixon and Peter R. Rehor Center for Human Movement, University of Tasmania (Newham), Launceston, Australia. Kendall P. Rixon and Michael G. Bemben Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 593–596.

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Tailored Fitness Recipe: Romaine Hearts with Grilled Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers and Tarragon Vinaigrette

This recipe serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
3 heads romaine hearts, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
6 grilled chicken breasts, sliced on the diagonal
2 roasted red bell peppers, from a jar, sliced into strips
6 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions
For the vinaigrette:
1. Place all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well.

2. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:
1. Toss the romaine with the vinaigrette in a bowl.

2. Transfer to a serving plate and top with grilled chicken slices, roasted red pepper slices and parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup of salad with 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving
Calories 159
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Protein 24 g
Total Carbohydrate 3 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sodium 289 mg
Percent Calories from Fat 32%
Percent Calories from Protein 61%
Percent Calories from Carbohydrate 7%

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Tailored Fitness Move: Lat Stretch on a Stability Ball

I see tight lats in many people. Here's a great lat stretch. ______________________________________________________________
Recommended Fitness Product
One program I really like and is the real deal is the one that Tom Venuto has put together. In Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle.

Tom explains precisely what to eat and how to exercise for permanent f*a*t l*o*s*s. It's an e-book that you simply download and read today (rather than wait for the hard copy to be sent to your home). If I could only have one program to follow, this would be it.

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