["All those pushups and you can't even lift up a bloody log!" - Alfred to Bruce, Batman Begins]

Alright guys and gals, for those of you who are still reading this blog (hey, hopefully I’ll be able to get the numbers back up) — I mentioned that I was going to start working out again. What I didn’t mention is that I was going to do an easy, or in my opinion great, at home workout routine WITHOUT equipment. If you want to start working out with me, feel free. It is probably the EASIEST exercise program you’ll ever see.

Why?

Because it’s only pushups and pullups. Pushups and pullups were enough for Batman, and they’re enough for us. Here’s the plan:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

[Above is essentially a video version of this blog with some images.]

Do as many pushups as you can. Get in pushup position, arms shoulder width a part, go down until your chest is only a couple of inches off the ground, and push back up. Keep doing this until you can’t do anymore.

Take a minute breather.

Do it again. As many pushups as you can.

Take a minute breather.

And again. As many as you can. This will be your third and final pushup set for the day.

If you can’t yet do pushups, then do “knee pushups” where you do pushups while on your knees. Keep doing those until you build up to real pushups.

Now for the pullups…

Now we’re done with the pullups, go to a pullup bar or a wooden beam or something safe that you can do pullups on (your hands will be facing away from you). Put your hands on the pullup bar a little further than shoulder width a part. Bring yourself up until your chin is above the bar, then back down again all the way without locking your elbows. Repeat until you can’t do any more.

Then take a minute breather, and repeat.

Then do as many pullups as you can again.

Then a minute breather.

Then for the last a third set – do as many as you can.

If you can’t yet do a pullup…

If you can’t yet do a pullup, get a friend to help you by pushing you up, or do a pullup from a chair so that it’s easier. If you’re using a chair, it’s preferable to have someone around to spot you in case you tip over the chair.

Do this 4 times a week, for 4 weeks…

Do this 4 times a week, for 4 weeks. You will get into very good upper body shape. After the 4 weeks, you can start adding some variations to the pullups and pushups to focus better on different muscle groups.

This is essentially the workout I’m planning for myself, and while simple — it really does work superbly. Sometimes simple really is better.

Let me know what you think, and what kind of workout you like or plan to be doing from home!

This is Rafi Bar-Lev. After a hiatus of around 2 years, I have returned to blog here, and this time — with a gusto!

Here’s the deal. I also stopped working out. Now I need to get back into shape, so we’re in this together. To start, I’m planning to work out with body weight workouts and possibly improvised weights for things like weighted pullups.

Here’s what’s on the agenda for Passionate Fitness: Basic workout tips/workouts, eating tips, and motivation to keep on going. You have those three things, and you have yourself a path to getting fit.

If there’s anyone still listening, I’d appreciate if you give me a holler and let me know and leave a comment. Looking forward to getting into shape with you all!

When looking to burn off fat, the critical component here is to put your body in the “fat-burning zone”. To help with that, I’m going to recommend a special training technique called High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT.
The idea behind HIIT is simple. By getting your heart beat up in a workout, you increase your body’s metabolism for a limited amount of time, allowing you to burn calories even when the workout is better. Now, here is a little more information about these exercises for belly fat:
We’re going to combine sprinting with body weight workouts, for a full toning and burning effect.

Here’s the workout:

• From 2-8 60 meter sprints depending on your level. 30 seconds to 1 minute of rest in between and light stretching. Before you start, do a 5 minute jog for a warm up:
• 100% max push ups, Rest for 30 seconds.
• 80% max push ups. Rest for 30 seconds.
• 50% max push ups. Rest for 30 seconds.
• 1 minute plank.
• 100% max pull ups. Rest for 30 seconds.
• 50% max pull ups. Rest for 30 seconds.
• 50% max pull ups. Rest for 30 seconds.
• 1 minute side plank (right side).
• 1 minute side plank (left side).
• Walk briskly for 5 minutes to cool down. This is the end of the fat burning workout.

This workout is pretty amazing for toning a stomach and burning fat. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you don’t know how to do these exercises, check out my post on body weight training for newbies for tutorials.

Hey guys, I just wanted to give you all a fat burning workout you can do for the weekend. The idea behind it is that it combines muscle building exercises with a cardio workout to get the full on fat burning effect.

Here it is:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Warm up: Jog for 5 minutes.  Light stretching after jog as well.

1. Do 5(beginner) to 25(advanced) push ups depending on your level, or kneeling push-ups if you can’t do a push-up.

2. Do anywhere from a 15 second (beginner) to a 2 and a half minute (advanced) plank.

3. Do anywhere from 5(beginner) to 30(advanced) body weight squats.

Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat two more times for a total of 30 times and then stretch.

If you still have some energy, after this workout do 4 fifty meter sprints outside. Rest for 30 seconds to a minute in between each sprint. Stretch when done.

Have a great weekend guys!

-Rafi

Chicken is an excellent source of nutrition. In general, it’s relatively low-calorie, has a lot of protein, and isn’t the “red meat” variety. It also tastes great!

Here are some of the nutrient facts for 100 grams, in this case for a chicken patty, according to the USDA:

Chicken patty, frozen, cooked

Refuse: 0%
NDB No: 05324 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

And here’s for chicken breast tenders, also 100 grams and according to the USDA:

Chicken breast tenders, cooked, conventional oven

Refuse: 0%
NDB No: 05325 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

So if you’re looking for a healthy, nutritious dish to add to your meal – chicken is definitely a great choice!

Also, the RSS feed had to be changed because of the site change – so please resubscribe to my RSS so you can keep getting new posts. (Sorry about that guys!) Without further ado, here’s Greg’s guest post:

["Lose weight? Does that like...require getting off the couch? Because I don't see that happening."]

As a kid, and young adult, I never spent much time thinking about fitness or weight management.  In fact, although I was physically active, I never “worked” at fitness.  It was a simple by-product of my lifestyle.  I was active, and fitness followed.

Graduate school, parenthood, and a career fixed that little oversight.  From the time I graduated college, until I decided to get my weight back on track, I gained a whopping 62 pounds.  Since starting my journey, I’ve picked up a handful of truths about losing weight and getting fit that I’d like to share.

If You Want To Lose Weight, Expect To Be Hungry

One of the most unpopular facts about losing weight is that the math behind the equation is simple.  Consume fewer calories than you burn.  While starting an exercise routine will certainly help you burn more calories, not being disciplined at the dinner table will quickly ruin all your efforts at the gym.

There are, of course, ways to mitigate this issue.  Eating small snacks throughout the day is a common tactic that works well; but it can backfire if you don’t pay attention to your food choices.  For instance, there are far fewer calories in an apple than just about any packaged food you’ll find.  Pick your snack foods wisely, with an eye toward fewer calories and high amounts of fiber.

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IMPORTANT NOTE FROM RAFI: I have to disagree with Greg here. You don’t exactly have to be “hungry” to lose weight – just let’s say…less full than usual. Also, apples and fruits in general aren’t great diet foods, since fruits actually have a lot of sugar and calories. So stick to vegetables like cucumbers and carrots and try not to eat more than one fruit a day in the first stages of your diet.

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Learn To Cook — Then Try New Foods

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe on business.  I happened to be in Germany during the asparagus harvest, which sounded terribly unappealing.  I despised asparagus, but I was proven wrong.  They found some of the most imaginative ways to serve this vegetable, and I gained a new appreciation for this unique member of the lilly family.  Shortly after returning home, I sought out, and learned how to cook asparagus.

When you start limiting your food choices by reducing your intake of high calorie foods, boredom at the dinner table can become a problem.  Take the time to explore your local Farmer’s Market.  You’re almost certain to find foods you’ve never tried before.  Start including the likes of kale, swiss chard, and kohlrabi in your kitchen to make it easier to lose weight.  Permanently.

Sugar Matters

According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes over 22 teaspoons of sugar every day, which is 2-5X the amount considered healthy.  Sugar sneaks into a wide variety of foods, some of which are obvious.  Others, less so.  It’s obvious to reduce your consumption of sodas and candy bars.  Less obvious is the amount of sugar found in hydrating drinks, juices, and even fruits.  Sugar, in all its forms, contributes calories.  It’s OK to have some, but do it in moderation.  And when you eat fruit, be sure to consume the whole fruit.  You’ll benefit from the added fiber.

Many times, weight loss is about making small changes that add up.  Include these three tips in your weight loss and fitness regimen, and you’re sure to lose weight, feel better, and have the energy for more enduring, powerful workouts.

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Getting enough fiber is also important for weight-loss. Fiber promotes digestion and, over time, can ease bloating. In higher concentrations, fiber can be combined with herbs to cleanse the colon of wastes and toxins.

Many people are looking for information on the nutrition facts for coca cola. But here’s the thing:

Coca cola has no nutrients. Depending on where you’re from, the average 12 ounce cola has around 40 grams of sugar. There is basically nothing else. There is water, and there is sugar. In fact, I’m going to teach you the secret recipe for cola:

Ingredient 1: Tons of Sugar

Ingredient 2: Dilute Sugar With Some Water

Obviously I’m joking, but it’s almost not an exaggeration. In fact, some experts say the leading cause of obesity is soda. Cut out the soda – and you can cut out a ton of fat.

Above is a video by Jack Lalanne from decades ago about sugar. He was ahead of his time and a true pioneer of fitness. Seriously, cutting out soda is a HUGE step in getting an amazing body and feeling great. It’s hard the first couple of weeks because your body is addicted to sugar, but after you’ll feel great!

(Once you’re in great shape – you can drink the occassional soda also. But you probably won’t even want to at that point!)

All right guys, I’m going to be taking a short break from my usual posts to do a series of posts on nutritional information on popular foods. Today I’m going to do mango nutrition facts.

Here they are, as according to the USDA Nutrient Database, supported by U.S. taxpayer money:

In general, I’d say that the average mango has a little over 100 calories. It’s got a lot of nutrients though, and isn’t a bad snack unless you’re literally a week before beach-time and are trying to get your body fat percentage down a few points.

So to sum up:

Are They Good for Weight Loss: Sorry ladies and gentlemen, but no. It’s almost up there with the avocado. That being said, if you’re just maintaining your weight or are working out HARD then go for it.

Are Mangos Good For You? Like any fruit, mangos have a lot of natural sugar. That being said, they have a lot of nutrients so they make an excellent, filling dessert. Just make sure not to overdue it if you’re on a pre-summer diet.

Why is Rafi talking about mangos!?!: Because people want to know about mangos and I give the people what they want!

Note: There is this crazy video on youtube with around 3 million views where these cartoon animations just sing about mangos. I found it looking for something funny or interesting to post here. I was going to link it, but then I decided it was just too ridiculous. If you’ve seen it, you know exactly what I’m talking about!

People are constantly asking what the most effective ab exercises are, which is why I decided to do a post on abdominal exercises for women and men.

Above I have a few pictures of four different exercises. One in the gym. One yoga exercise. One windsurfing, and one stretch. Do you know what is common among all of them?

If you said that they all of the exercises work the ab muscles, then you would be right.

That is the really crazy thing about the abdomen – you don’t need to work it specifically in order to get defined abs. Do stomach workouts speed up the process and make it go faster? Yes. But is it necessary? No. All workouts get your core going.

By the way, here are a couple of free videos that will show you how to get an amazing body. The first is for men, and the second is for women:

Video for men:

Video for women:

So if you have a low body percentage and workout routinely, chances are your stomach will be defined.

Okay, but you didn’t come here to get lectured about low body fat percentages and about how “core” exercises have been taken to the extreme by the fitness industry. You want the most best workouts for your midsection to get a toned, defined stomach by summer. Well, you asked, and I delivered. Here are the top 5 exercises:

#5. The Crunch. The most basic workout. Done like a sittup but only going up partially. This is by far the worst of all the exercises listed here.

#4. The Plank. Lay straight on your forearms and toes, keeping your head up and back straight. Hold for 30 seconds to 2 and a half minutes. This is an excellent exercise because it trains your midsection to be tone while you’re in standing position, and it’s also great for the spine. Here’s a video of the plank:

#3. The Side Plank. Lay on your side forearm and foot, raise your side for 30 seconds to 2 and a half minutes. Repeat on other side. Great workout for the side abs. Here’s a video of the side plank:

#2. The Leg Lift. Lay on your back. Raise your legs. Hold. This exercise is amazing for the lower abs. Here’s a video of a leg lift:

#1. Leg Lift On a Pullup Bar. Harder than the leg lift of #3, you hold onto a pullup bar and lift your legs straight up. You can also alternate to the sides for the side abs. This is an advanced exercise – but by far the best one if you can do it. It’s amazing for the lower abdomen.

A few extra notes:

I know a lot of you guys are looking to get ripped ab by summer time, and I want you to succeed, so I just wanted to give you a few tips outside of the above exercise.

1. Start a moderate diet now. Something you can handle but will allow you to lose weight. A week or two before beach time, go super low carb/no carb, high protein and add some more cardio. It’s slight pain for those two weeks but it will pay off at the beach big time.

2. Don’t forget the basics. These workouts help, but the main thing as always is consistency and low body fat percentage when you’re trying to tone up. Keep it up, and your body for adapt. Try not to skip workouts!

3. Remember – it’s really not that hard. A lot of people let themselves get “psyched out” or “intimidated” by the idea of working out and dieting pre-summer. Attention guys and girls – all this worry is about literally eating a little less (diet) and moving around for 10 minutes (working out). It’s not that big a deal. Just be consistent and you’ll look awesome for summer!