8 Week Cardio Interval Training Blast

Get Increased Fat Loss AND Take Your Cardio Fitness To A Whole New Level

This detailed cardio program will take you from an interval - training beginner to interval-training pro in only 8 weeks!

This step-by-step progression guides you through the most
effective types of intervals to maximize your results.

Interval training is one of THE most effective ways to burn fat while preserving muscle. When using cardio training for fat loss, I recommend it almost exclusively in my programs! This nice thing is, interval training is also one of THE most effective ways to improve your overall cardiovascular capacity as well.

There is a LOT of good information available on what intervals are and how to perform them. But what often seems to be missing is a detailed plan that helps you progress from Point A (just starting out with interval training) to Point B (performing the more challenging interval training techniques).

The trick is knowing where to start and how to progress from there. You can't just jump in and start sprinting up hills without knowing what you're doing and building yourself up to it. That's a good way to not only hurt yourself but exhaust yourself as well!

So in response to this, I've designed an interval training progression plan that gets you started with the more introductory-level types of interval training then gradually moves you into the more intense and challenging interval training techniques.

I'll lay out how many intervals to do, which style of interval training to do and how long to do it for. This progression plan will also give you good variety in your cardio training, which I'm sure you know can get VERY dull if you keep doing it the same way over and over.

You see, just like with weight training, you need to constantly challenge and even shock your body in order to continue making progress. Otherwise, your body simply has no reason to adapt and get better. This plan will do it for you!

The overall goals with this cardio program are fat loss and improving cardiovascular capacity. This type of training is NOT a plan I would recommend if you're trying to build muscle. When training to build muscle, you want to keep cardio training down to a lower maintenance level (once or twice a week at most) and this is not a program that does that.

The program is based on doing cardio training 3 times per week and can be applied to basically any method or apparatus of cardio training, be it running, cycling, elliptical machine, stair machine, etc. Any cardio based sports activity will work as well (e.g. swimming, rollerblading).

Choose whatever cardio activity works best for you, that you enjoy the most or that you'd most like to improve your performance in, e.g. if you're a runner, using running as the activity for your interval training.

You can certainly utilize different cardio activities as you go through the program, e.g. use treadmill running one day then the elliptical machine the next. The real key lies in the intensity with which you do the activities!

Before you start in on the program, I would encourage you to read through the following two articles. They'll help you understand what interval training is all about and introduce you to the different types of interval training.

Now it's time to have a look at the program!

The following link will take you to a page from the Trial Membership area of my site "Powerful Training Secrets."

You DO NOT have to sign up for anything to get the interval progression program, but if you haven't yet signed up for your trial membership, I'd definitely encourage you to do so!

When you get to the page, scroll down towards the bottom. That's where you'll find the full, step-by-step program for getting yourself from interval training beginner to interval training pro in only 8 weeks!

The program starts with a technique known as Aerobic Interval Training - basically, a way to begin learning how to increase training intensity without burning yourself out. Over the next two weeks, your intensity will gradually be increased within the context of Aerobic Intervals.

As you continue through the program, you'll notice how the intervals are continually getting just a bit more challenging - rest times are changing as are work times.

By the time you get to the final few weeks of the program, you'll be in great shape and ready for anything!

If, at any time in the program you feel you need to take a bit more time to adapt to it, feel free to perform another week of the same type of interval training you just did. This program isn't written in stone and you DO need to listen to your body.

So check out the program and if you have any questions about it as you're reading or as you're doing it, please feel free to drop me an email at betteru@fitstep.com!

Here's the link to the interval training program page once again:

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INTERVAL EQUIPMENT NOTE:

If you need a good timer for your intervals, check out the GymBoss timer. I've been using one recently and it really works like a charm. Unlike a lot of other timers, it actually has a vibrate feature that means you don't have to experience loud beeping to know when your time is up (great if you train with headphones on!).

You can set the timer to time different work and rest intervals (e.g. 2 minutes work, 1 minute rest can be programmed in), which is very nice. It's also not too expensive (about 20 US dollars). The timer clips on and is a neat little piece of equipment - very useful for intervals and also for timing your rest periods when weight training.

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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

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What can a personal trainer do for you - Improved Sport Performance

Personal Trainer to Help for Your Sport or Event Training

One of the most effective ways to improve your sport performance is to enlist the services of a professional, in this case a certified strength coach.

If you are interested in running the Peachtree 10K next year, or want to standout on the playing field this year and professional strength and conditioning coach can help you achieve your goals.

No matter your chosen activity, training for a marathon, a golf tournament or some other type of sport or event, an experienced trainer can help you in three very important aspects of your training. The first and most important is keeping you healthy. I say this because if you are hurt you are not able to participate, and could be sidelined forever. Every sport and activity carries with it a certain amount of risk, this risk can be minimized if the proper prehab and conditioning has taken place. If you play golf are you taking care of your back, if not you better get to it or you may be stuck watching the game on tv as apposed to playing.

Strength coaches can help you figure out what you need to do to stay strong without taking away from your other training. They can also help create a training programs that work with you up coming event so you perform your best when you need to.

If you are serious about your sport then it is in your best interest to work with a certified strength coach.

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BASIC Nutrition

A Quick, Common-Sense Guide To What You Should Be Eating to Stay Healthy and Get Results Right Now

By Nick Nilsson

Think proper nutrition is complicated? It doesn't have to be.
Follow these simple principles and you'll never go wrong.

I would bet that without even thinking, you could name 4 or 5 diets or eating plans that are in the popular media... Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Atkins, South Beach, etc. Every time you turn around, there's a fantastic "new" approach to eating. It's enough to make your head spin!

But it doesn't have to be that complicated. I've got some easy-to-follow nutritional principles that will help keep you on the right track. Beginner or advanced, these will work for you!

1. Focus your eating on natural, unprocessed foods as much as possible.
While I know it's not always possible to get fresh fruit and veggies and other unprocessed foods everywhere you go, your body will always respond best when you feed it foods that are not altered through processing. Your body has evolved over thousands and thousands of years to process foods in their natural state - it's only relatively recently that processed foods have appeared on the scene.

Your body has the digestive mechanisms for efficiently processing foods in their natural state. When you add in the fats, salt, sugar, additives, etc., your body starts having a hard time digesting and coping. Think of it like trying to put regular gas into a vehicle that runs on diesel. It may run, but it's not going to be very efficient with the fuel and it could cause problems down the road (no pun intended!)

Bottom Line: Eating foods that are not processed allows your body to function more efficiently. You'll lose fat without even trying.

2. Get plenty of good quality, lean protein sources in your diet
When you're training, your body has a much greater need for protein. During weight training and endurance training especially, your body is constantly breaking down muscle tissue. Protein is required to rebuild it. By regularly feeding your body good protein sources, you'll be able to hold onto and build muscle mass easier.

Good sources of lean protein include meats (look for leaner cuts like sirloin), poultry, eggs (while not lean, eggs will not shoot up your cholesterol as many worry), fish, low-fat dairy, soybeans, and various legumes (beans).

As far as how much protein your body needs, this will vary according to how much you weigh and your activity level. A level of around 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight is a good guideline (we don't count total bodyweight because fat is not metabolically active and doesn't require protein to sustain it).

3. Don't be afraid of "good" fats
Fats can be extremely beneficial, even when you're trying to lose weight! Fats are important in a tremendous variety of bodily processes including hormone production, immunity, joint and organ protection, and even burning bodyfat. Without the "good" fats, your body will not function as well as it could.

"Good" fats include sources such as fish, nuts, flax oil, borage oil, and olive oil (there are many other good sources as well). Increasing your intake of these good fats can help keep you feeling good and burning your own bodyfat more efficiently.

Your total fat intake should be around 30% of your daily calories. A good way to go about getting this is to try and keep your focus primarily on low-fat foods while purposefully adding the "good" fats into your diet (like eating a few almonds every day or taking fish oil or flax oil capsules).

4. Carbs are fine
Despite all the talk about carbs being the enemy, it's important to note that carbs and foods that contain carbs can actually be quite good for you! It's generally the refined sugar added to foods that is the problem, not the carbohydrate as a nutrient on its own.

5. Non-nutritious foods should be minimized
This is an easy one. More than likely, you already know that you shouldn't be eating Cheesy-Poofs or chocolate bars 3 meals a day. The calories you get from these foods don't come with any actual nutrients. When your body is missing nutrients, it craves more food (not to mention the insulin response to the sugar in many of these foods) and you tend to eat more of the poor food that doesn't have nutrients in it.

It's ironic to think that many overweight people are actually malnourished! When you eat nutrient-dense foods, your body gets the nutrients it needs and functions much better.

5. Salads, fruits and vegetables will give you lots of fiber, roughage and nutrition
Eat plenty of salds, fruits and veggies every day. This is usually one that everybody already knows yet doesn't normally focus on. The fiber in the foods helps keep you from getting too hungry and helps keep your digestive system clean.

6. Just do the best you can
It's not always easy or convenient to follow good eating principles. There are plenty of tasty temptations to be found every time you turn around.

The REAL key to proper nutrition is to focus on trying to do well MOST of the time, not all of the time. It's what you do most of the time that will give you the long-term results you're looking for. Determining that you MUST be perfect all of the time is a sure way to set yourself up for disappointment when the time comes that you don't eat a perfectly healthy food choice.

Sometimes, you just have to eat those Cheesy Poofs and not worry about it.

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Burn Fat Faster

Seven Quick Tips To Speed Up Your Metabolism and Burn Fat Faster

By Nick Nilsson

The speed of your metabolism is the real key to burning
fat quickly and efficiently. Here are seven easy tips
for boosting your metabolic rate.

Your metabolism or metabolic rate can determine exactly how quickly you gain or lose fat. Here are some quick tips you can put to use immediately to help crank up your metabolism and increase your fat burning.

1. Eat Breakfast

It's no myth that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you skip breakfast thinking you are saving calories or time, consider this...

Your body has been in a fasting state for 8 hours or more. When you wake up and don't give it any food, its natural reaction is self-defense. It thinks "famine" and automatically slows your metabolism to a crawl to conserve calories. Not only does everything you eat for the rest of the day have a far greater chance of being stored as fat, your chances of burning any fat off that day are low.

And here's the whammy... you're going to get really hungry later and will probably want to eat something that's not so good for you. With your now-slower metabolism (because you skipped breakfast), you're going to store a lot more of that "not-so-great" meal than usual.

2. Eat Frequently

Besides skipping breakfast, the next biggest metabolism-killer is long waits between meals. Every time you eat something, your metabolism ramps up to process the food. The more frequently you eat, the more frequently your metabolism will get a boost.

The real key, however, is to be sure you're eating smaller meals (eating 5 big meals instead of 3 big meals isn't good for losing fat!). Try to eat 5 or more times per day, even if it's just healthy snacks between meals.

3. Exercise With Intensity

Your metabolic rate is directly related to the intensity of the exercise you perform. Walking will burn calories while you're doing it and give your metabolism a small boost for a little while after but it doesn't compare to high-intensity interval training. That type of training can boost your metabolism for a full 24 hours or more after.

Even if you can't handle high-intensity training, you can always find ways to make the easier exercises such as walking more intense, e.g. walk faster, walk up hills, wear a weighted back-pack, etc.

4. Train With Weights

Weight training builds muscle and muscle is a huge factor in determining your metabolic rate. Muscle tissue is very metabolically active. Your body burns a lot of calories just to maintain it.

Weight training gives your metabolism a triple-shot. Not only do you burn calories during the exercise, you also increase your metabolic rate long after the exercise (provided the training you are doing is intense). Add to that the extra muscle you build from the training and you can see how effective weights can be for boosting your metabolism.

5. Eat More Protein

Of the three major macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats), protein requires the most energy to digest. Protein is also less likely to be stored as fat because of this. Protein will also help you to build up your muscle.

I don't recommend that you overload on protein, however, focusing on getting plenty of good-quality protein from a variety of sources (e.g. lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, soy, etc.) can help keep your metabolic rate high.

6. Take Your Vitamins

Your metabolic rate basically boils down to chemical reactions in your body. Vitamins and minerals (and water) are important parts of these chemical reactions. If you don't have enough of these components available for your body to use when it needs them, your body will have to limit itself to what you've got.

Think of your metabolism as a car assembly line. You can't build a complete car until you have all the parts available. If, for example, you only have enough doors available to build 100 cars but you have 200 doorless cars on the line, you're missing out on a lot of potential production.

By taking a multivitamin on a regular basis, you will not only support your metabolism but your health as well.

7. Reduce Your Fat Intake

Fatty foods take longer for your body to digest and they leave you feeling fuller longer. While not being hungry is certainly fine when trying to lose fat, eating meals that encourage you to wait longer periods between eating can slow your metabolism.

This goes back to the point about eating frequently. If you eat fatty foods for breakfast, you may not want to anything again until lunch, which could be 5 or more hours away. Ideally, you should eat approximately every 3 hours.

If you're looking to give your metabolism a boost, give these tips a try. A faster metabolic rate can help you tremendously with fat loss.

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Motivation to workout relates to success

Ohio State University News release:

Exercise Helps More When Emphasis is on Health, Not Appearance

A new study suggests that women with chronic issues with their body image are more likely to benefit from an exercise class where the instructor emphasizes the health benefits of the workout over improved appearance, even if those women chose the class in hopes of improving
their physique.

Researchers studied nearly 100 college-aged women who had social physique anxiety - a disorder in which someone chronically worries that others are critiquing his or her body.

"Women who have this disorder usually are interested in exercise to improve their appearance, but an instructor who emphasizes physique during a workout may deter such students from coming back," said Brian Focht, a study co-author and an assistant professor of health behavior
and health promotion at Ohio State University.

Women in the study reported that they enjoyed a step-aerobics class more when the instructor focused on the health-related aspects of the workout, telling them how exercise will make them more fit.

These same women were more likely to say that they would try a similar class in the future, compared to the women who were taught by an instructor who emphasized appearance by making comments about how the exercise would tone their legs or other body parts.

"We want to design the most beneficial exercise programs for different groups of people, and understanding how people respond to different approaches to exercise is key to doing so," Focht said. "We chose a very specific sample of women that we thought would be sensitive to the
comments made by instructors."

The study's results appear in a recent issue of the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise. Focht conducted the study with Thomas Raedeke and Donna Scales, both researchers at East Carolina University, in Greenville, N.C.

All women enrolled in a required physical activity course at the university answered a questionnaire on exercise and body image. A woman's answers indicated if she had social physique anxiety. Only those women with the disorder were asked to participate in the study.

The average age of the 99 participants was 19. Their average body mass index was 24.7, which is within the ideal range for body size. The women reported that they worked out at moderate or vigorous intensity about 3.3 times a week.

The women participated in one of four 45-minute step-aerobics classes. The same instructor taught each class, although she emphasized health over appearance in two of the classes. In the other two classes, she emphasized appearance over health. One class in each scenario included a
mirror.

"There is a fair amount of research that suggests that mirrors in a workout room can negatively affect how someone feels, particularly a woman who is concerned about her physical appearance," Focht said.

In the classes that emphasized health over appearance, the instructor wore a loose-fitting t-shirt and gym shorts. She also sprinkled health- oriented comments throughout the session, such as "Work it, let's get fit and healthy!"

She wore tight-fitting aerobics attire in the appearance-oriented classes. She made comments throughout the classes that drew attention to appearance, such as "Stand tall, you'll look five pounds lighter" or "Work it, let's get your legs toned so they look good!"

About five to 10 minutes after class each woman filled out the Exercise- Induced Feeling Inventory. This questionnaire measures how someone feels after exercising, whether revitalized, physically exhausted, tranquil, etc. The women also answered questions on the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, whereby each woman rated how much she enjoyed the
class, and whether she would likely participate in a similar class in the future.

The results of both surveys suggested that the instructor's leadership style directly affected the student's attitudes toward the class. The women in the health-oriented class reported that they felt more engaged in the workout as well as revitalized and less exhausted after class than did the women in the appearance-oriented classes.

The participants in the health-oriented classes reported that they also enjoyed the workout more and would be more likely to take a similar class in the future.

Focht and his colleagues were surprised to find that the presence of mirrors in the exercise room didn't influence how the women felt during class.

"We expected the mirrors to have some effect on these women, but that wasn't the case," he said. "It was the instructor's leadership style that had a direct effect on the students' attitudes."

Focht also said that fitness instructors don't need to throw out every appearance-related comment during class, but suggests that they be judicious in their use of such dialogue.

The study was funded by a grant from the Association for the Advancement
of Applied Sport Psychology.

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Need Help Looking for a Personal Trainer

A Simple Gide to Help Choose a Personal Trainer

Everyone has their own reasons for enlisting the services of a personal trainer. Regardless of the reason, your personal trainer has to possess the skills to help you reach your health and fitness goals. In Atlanta and other cities the listing of fitnesses professionals is lengthy, selecting the someone to help you can be a daunting task. To help you sort through the list I have compiled a few suggestions that may help you select the best personal trainer for your needs.

Credentials are not everything but they are an excellent place to start. This article describes outlines a few credentials worth your consideration when seeking a professional personal trainer.

There are a number of personal trainer certifications for a professional to choose from. There is not a government agency or any regulations involved in personal training, because of this there are many people offering certifications and it is up to you to ensure the certification is reputable.

Out of the many quality agencies in the US those listed below are considered to be among the most respected in the field. It is in your best interest is to find a trainer who is certified by one of the following:

* National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
* American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
* American Council on Exercise (ACE)
* International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
* National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
* National Council of Strength & Fitness (NCSF)
* National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)

All the above trainers with the above certifications have had to demonstrate basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology, exercise prescription, nutrition, and responsibility to the client. Plus they have to be certified in CPR in order to sit for the exams. Most of these certifying bodies require their trainers to continue learning enforcing a minimum amount of continuing education credits.

The above certifying agencies require their trainers to take an exam in person, some certifications allow their candidates to take home exams. If this is the case there is no way to ensure that the trainer in question actually took the exam, or cheated in some way. You can not be sure they have earned their certification.

Something else to look for - Do they practice what they preach? Would you go to a dentist with bad teeth? Why use a personal trainer that is not as fit or healthy as yourself?

I hope I have been able to point you in the right direction in your search for your private personal trainer.

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Open to Questions

Have a Question?
Free online personal trainer!

Hello, my name is Jason; I am a strength coach/personal trainer in Atlanta GA. I have started this site in hopes of helping others achieve their fitness goals and to help my client base expand.

I see lots of information on the internet, and overhear plenty of people giving advise around town. At times it makes me cringe when I take this advise in. Some of the information people are spreading is at best useless, other things I hear are frightfully dangerous. I hate to see people spin their wheels wasting their valuable time doing something that will not get them the results they are looking for. It angers me when people get hurt listening to that nonsense. I would like to do my part and help others get healthy in a safe and effective way.

I have heard that if you help enough people get want they want you will get what you want. I admit that I am looking to pocket a little bit of what is spent on the health and fitness industry every year. This site I hope will help me in that respect. I feel if I do my part and help as many people as posible I will be rewarded. Everyone is better off.

Now that you know a little about me and my aspirations feel fee to post questions or send private emails. I will do my best to answer your questions quickly and professionally. I am sure a question will arise that I am not able to answer myself or through my network and I assure you that I will be honest and straight forward letting you know that your particular question is not within my expertise.

I look forward to hearing from all those in and around Atlanta, plus those from around the world.

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Fat Loss Pills

How Fat Loss Pills Can Make You Fatter

By Nick Nilsson

What the diet industry doesn't want you to know can have
serious long-term effects on your health and bodyfat
levels.

There are many good supplements on the market today that are extremely effective for fat loss. Fat loss is big business and this has fueled tremendous developments in technology. There are more high-quality fat burning products out there now than ever before.

Properly used, these supplements can make a big difference in your fat loss efforts, helping you reach your goals far quicker.

Improperly used, however, fat burning supplements can actually make you fatter, no matter how effective they are! In fact, the more effective a supplement is, the worse off you could be!!

To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using supplements to help lose fat. I'm all for it. The main problem with fat loss supplements lies with how people use them (and how they are told and encouraged to use them).

Armed with the knowledge in this article, you will learn exactly what you can do to break the diet pill cycle and keep the fat off for good.

The Big Secret

The diet pill and fat loss drug industry is built on ignorance: not theirs, yours.

Many of these companies bank on that fact that people generally don't know a whole lot about fat loss or supplements. They are in the business of selling shortcuts to you so that you don't have to know anything about fat loss. The reason for this is simple: if people knew a lot about fat loss, they wouldn't need fat loss products anymore and the companies would go out of business.

As backwards as it seems, the diet industry can only stay profitable by keeping people fat.

Look at the typical business. They do their best to keep customers coming back to them. That's how they make money. Why would the diet industry be any different? If you lose fat and maintain that fat loss you won't need to lose fat anymore. You won't be their customer anymore!

As little business sense as it makes, the ideal situation would be to have companies that are dedicated to the goal of losing customers. If they do their job, you will lose fat and keep it off and never need them again! As a personal trainer, my goal has always been to train people so thoroughly that they don't need me anymore.

Is this sort of reform going to happen in the diet industry? Not likely. But there is something you can do to stop the cycle (you are doing it right now): LEARN!

How Fat Loss Pills Can Make You Fatter

The bottom line is...fat loss pills work. This is both the best thing about them and the worst thing about them.

When you take a good fat burning supplement, you lose a lot of fat, you feel better about yourself and you are happy, right? This is the best thing about fat loss supplements.

The worst thing about these supplements is that because they work so well, you don't have to change your eating or exercise habits to accomplish your goals. You get results simply by taking a little pill.

Does this phrase sound familiar: "Eat whatever you want and still lose weight!"

Here's the scenario: you take the pills and you lose all the weight you want. What happens when you stop taking the supplement once you've reached your goals? Since you haven't had to change your eating or exercise habits, you regain the weight. Then you buy their pills again and start the same cycle again! It is very similar to the yo-yo diet syndrome of weight loss and regain.

How do you break this cycle? The solution is very simple though it may not be glamorous or easy: you learn to eat properly and you exercise regularly.

When you remove your dependence on fat loss pills to lose fat (through education, nutrition and exercise), you free yourself to use them to enhance your efforts, not anchor them. You will be able to lose your extra fat and keep it off without having to depend on fat loss pills to make it happen.

For more information on fat loss and how to accomplish it through exercise and nutrition, I recommend the following articles, available in the BetterU News Archive:

1. What Do You Mean Low-Intensity Training Isn't The Best For Fat Burning?

2. 10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying

3. I Didn't Realize How Important Protein Was For Fat Loss Until I Discovered Something That Blew My Mind...

4. Seven Quick Tips To Speed Up Your Metabolism and Burn Fat Faster

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Why We Get Fat

Why We Get Fat - Hunting Big Macs and Gathering French Fries

By Nick Nilsson

Are we doomed by our genetics to gain fat? Is your inner
caveman causing your waistline to expand? What can we do
to work with our ancestry and not against it?

It is important to know why we get fat. Once you know the underlying reasons behind fat gain, you can take that information and apply it to fat loss. Knowing why something happens is the first step towards changing the result.

The one major reason we get fat is that we put in more than we burn off. This may be an overly simplistic view but it's also a very liberating one. It shows you that if fat gain is not that complicated, fat loss is not necessarily that complicated either.

But what are the origins of our body's amazingly efficient fat storage mechanisms? In a nutshell, why do we gain fat so easily?

Your Inner Caveman
Our earliest ancestors did not go to the supermarket to hunt for food. They didn't point at a cave drawing with a Big Mac on it when they were hungry. They did not sit at a desk all day. They didn't drive everywhere they went. In fact, fast food had to be chased down before it outran you!

The daily life of the earliest humans, whom we owe our genetics to, was consumed with getting enough food to survive. In order to eat, they had to either hunt it or gather it. As you can imagine, this burned a lot of calories.

With the start of agriculture, people no longer had to hunt down or forage for their food. They could stay in one place and grow it. Animals were domesticated. They could sell this produced food to others in return for other goods or services. This is known as the Agricultural Revolution and it was the start of our society as we know it.

Agriculture became the primary means of food production in the world. The story changes during the 1900's, however. As we progressed as a society, manual labor was no longer required of most people. Machines were starting to take over more of the hard labor jobs. This led to less and less physical activity by a growing number of people. It was the start of the modern obesity epidemic.

To sum it up: these days food is plentiful and easy to get and physical activity is no longer a part of daily life.

Thank Your Ancestors
The human body of 50,000 years ago when we were hunter/gatherers is exactly the same as the human body of today. Our body had successfully adapted to continuous cycles of feast and famine. How did it adapt? It adapted by developing extremely efficient fat storage capabilities.

By storing large amounts of fat whenever possible, the body would protect itself against the inevitable famine to come when food was scarce. By storing up large amounts of energy, our ancestors could survive the harsh conditions and thrive. In winter conditions, it would often come down to survival of the fattest, not fittest.

Our bodies are still programmed with this desperate need for storage even though, due to highly available food supplies, we don't really need it anymore. This is the reason you can often put on fat quite easily but have a hard time taking it off. Your body is protecting itself against the famine that it thinks is coming.

Compound this need for storage with reduced physical activity and readily available, calorie-dense foods and you have the recipe that has resulted in rampant obesity in our society today.

Diet = Famine
If you've ever been on a diet you've probably experienced that quick weight loss when you first start then the gradual slowdown and sometimes complete stop in progress that comes after a few weeks.

You can thank your ancestors for this one too. When you dramatically reduce your calories, such as when you begin a diet, your body starts using up the stored fat quickly. Your metabolism is still high and you are losing weight.

The trouble is, your body can't distinguish between the lack of available food known as famine and the voluntary reduction in food known as dieting. To your body "diet = famine." After a short period of time, your body will go into a panic state. You are losing your energy stores too fast and your body will do everything it can to slow down or put a stop to it.

-The first thing that will happen is that your metabolism
will slow down. You won't burn as many calories during the
day, regardless of how much you are eating or exercising.

-The next thing that will happen is that your body will
step up its burning of muscle tissue. Muscles are very
metabolically active and require a lot of calories to
maintain. Your body knows this and, in its effort to
reduce the drain on its energy supplies, will start
destroying muscle tissue. Your body will metabolize your
muscle into energy in order to hold onto its fat stores.

This vicious cycle will continue every time you further reduce calories in order to compensate for a slower metabolism. Your body will slow your metabolism down even more and destroy more muscle tissue to reduce energy usage.

How do we avoid this problem? There are a number of ways to approach it:

1. Reduce your calories slowly. If you are trying to lose fat, don't slash your food intake rapidly. This will throw your body into a panic, causing it to grind your metabolism to a halt.

2. Mix up your caloric intake. Don't eat the same things in the same amounts every day. Eat a little more on some days and a little less on other days. It's what you do in the long term that will really affect your results.

3. Exercise. Since most people don't actually have to exercise as part of their daily life, you must take the initiative and make it a point to exercise regularly. It helps by burning calories and giving your body the stimulus to preserve muscle mass (it's the old principle of "use it or lose it" at work).

4. Reduce your intake of processed foods. Your body is not readily equipped to efficiently process Twinkies. Try to stick to foods that are closer to their natural state, such as whole grains, lean meats, etc.

Remember, your body is an extremely efficient fat-storing machine but, with the right knowledge, you can very easily work with your biology and not against it and get the results you want.

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of". He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

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