Do you know your own strength? These two people sure do. Meet the incredible winners of the Gold's Gym $45,000 Know Your Own Strength Challenge ("the Challenge"). In just 12 short weeks, they collectively lost 100 pounds and 26½ inches from their waistlines through good old-fashioned hard work (no fad diets here!). Find out how they did it, and how you can too.
This past January, thousands of Gold's Gym members nationwide joined the Challenge. They had 12 weeks to transform their bodies through the classic, no-fail formula of eating right and working out. Then, Gold's Gyms from around the country submitted their best male and female success stories in five different age categories.
Just 20 minutes of explosive high-intensity exercise will turn your body into a powerful calorie-burning machine.
What if we told you there was a workout that will jack your metabolism, tone your entire body and build unparalleled strength in just 20 minutes? What if we also told you that pro athletes have been secretly using this workout for years? No, we're not joking. We're talking about plyometrics . fast, powerful exercises designed to boost athletic performance . and we're here to show you how to get in on the action.
"Explosive movements target the fast-twitch muscle fibers that don't get accessed during traditional training at the gym,"
A strong core is critical for everything from running and lifting to rocking a bathing suit. Find out how to sculpt yours NOW!
Regular cardio exercises can help keep you fit, but strengthening your core is an essential, age-defying activity that should be a consistent part of your weekly routine. Having strong lower back, ab and waist muscles not only will help chisel your body into a bathing-suit-worthy physique . it will make other activities like holding your kids, climbing stairs and carrying your groceries much easier down the line.
"Your core is the central component of your entire existence," says Mike Ryan, a personal trainer at the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute.
Train for a bike event with a workout plan designed just for you.
Whether you're riding 10 miles or 100, each one counts toward a cure.
In an effort to make a difference in the lives of the more than 23 million Americans with diabetes, Gold's Gym has once again teamed up with the American Diabetes Association to sponsor Tour de Cure, a series of fund-raising cycling events held nationwide. Last year more than 43,000 cyclists raised nearly $17 million to support the ADA's mission, in riding events held in 40 states.
Sign up to ride in your area at diabetes.org/tour-teamgolds.
Bust your gut with the right foods and you can actually lose weight. Health.com reveals the best menu for your metabolism.
Eat more. Yes, really. But you have to nosh on the good stuff, according to the Framingham Nutrition Study. This ongoing research has found that women who consume 400 more calories per day and eat healthier foods are 2½ times less likely to develop abdominal obesity than women who take in fewer calories but consume more saturated fat and less fiber.
"What this means is that healthy women whose habitual diets are higher in fat and lower in fiber, protective nutrients and desirable carbohydrates
If you skimp on healthy fats . omega-3s in fish, supplements, and some plant and dairy products . you're missing out on a great way to help prevent a host of common problems. Here's a quick look at how good these fats really are, and the best ways to work them into your life.
1. Fight those aches
How omega-3s help: Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center found that nearly two-thirds of patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain stopped needing anti-inflammatory pain pills after taking fish-oil pills for 20 to 30 days. The key may be omega-3s' ability to fight inflammation.
It's 9 p.m. and you know just where that bag of peanut M&Ms is . it's stashed in the pantry behind the ultravirtuous oatmeal and seriously fortified cereal. Out of sight, but not out of mind. How can you be hungry, you wonder, when you ate a mere hour-and-a-half ago? The answer isn't so simple. Everything from stress to hormones to people, places, and situations can kick your appetite into overdrive. The good news: Whatever the cause, you can beat your hunger pangs. Here, the latest stay-full strategies from the experts.
Whip up a side of potato salad
Surprise! White potatoes aren't the dietary demons Atkins devotees led us to believe.
If you're trying to lose weight or stave off chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease, it's not only the type of food that's important . it's also how much is consumed and when. Learn to gauge the portion size correctly so you know how many calories and carbohydrates you're taking in.
Learning what a portion size actually is and consuming that amount, however, is tricky. People are notoriously bad at estimating what, say, a cup of breakfast cereal looks like . particularly in a world where cereal bowls are now as big as serving platters.
You've heard of the cold shoulder, but we'd like to introduce you to the hot one. With the help of Gold's Gym's Ramona Braganza's quick four-step workout, your shoulders will be in show-off shape for the summer sun.
Tank top season is back, which means guys and girls need to start working out their shoulders to get ready for the beach. Not that looking hot in a swimsuit should be your only motivation . strong shoulders help you fight the effects of cubicle crunch. "Jobs that require working at a desk all day result in shoulders that round forward," says celebrity trainer and Gold's Gym Fitness Institute member Ramona Braganza. The solution? A workout Braganza designed that targets all three major shoulder muscles,
In honor of National Cheat Food Awareness Month, we're here to show you how cheating responsibly on your diet can be the thing that saves it.
Let's face it: Restrictive diets, the ones that rule out a good portion of the nutritional pyramid . leaving you with a food rectangle? . are rarely successful. You're hungry, cranky and far more likely to wind up on the couch with a bag of potato chip dust than you would be if you simply allowed yourself a "cheat" food every now and then.
Why? "The feeling of deprivation is so intense that the diet is impossible to keep up," says Belisa Vranich, a sports psychologist at the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute.
To make sure life's journey is a long and fulfilling one, follow these tips to stay healthy and strong through all your decades.
You enjoy this whole living thing. That's why you look both ways before crossing the street, buckle up when you get into the car and think twice before going bungee jumping. Since living a long, healthy life is a far better option than, well, the alternative, we asked longevity experts to weigh in on what health and fitness measures you should be taking now . whether you're 20, 80 or somewhere in between . to make sure you'll be securely in the upright position for as long as possible. Here's to blowing out 100 candles in the not-so-near future.
In Your 20s: Establish Good Habits
Gold's Gym Fitness Institute orthopedist Evan Ekman decodes common workout pains so you can tell the difference between "Ow!" and "Out for a month."
We've all heard the saying "No pain, no gain," but not all pain is created equal. Many motivated gym goers have been put out of commission because they couldn't tell the difference between post-training soreness and a serious injury.
"Many people don't pay attention to their body, and as a result the pain can last the rest of their life," says Evan Ekman, a South Carolina-based orthopedic surgeon and Gold's Gym Fitness Institute member. He believes much of the problem stems from not being in tune to the location of the
Feeling panicked about the coming summer heat? We heard your distress call . and we have a solution. This routine from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute will get your body streamlined for that swimsuit just in time for the Fourth of July.
This tone-all-over circuit takes six proven and powerful moves . lunges, planks, pushups, squats, crunches and dead lifts . and amps up their difficulty each week to keep your muscles challenged. Pair these exercises with active rest (keeping your heart rate up during your "rest" time between sets) and you'll be eager to jump into that bathing suit long before the fireworks start.
Don't hold out for a New Years resolution to whip your legs into shape. Follow this powerful seven-step circuit to build strength and tone from your quads to your calves.
Before you begin this legs workout, start with five to 10 minutes of cardio or stretching to warm up your muscles. Perform the exercises back-to-back, quickly moving from one to the next in 30 seconds or less. Do the whole routine twice, resting for two to three minutes between the first and second set.
LEG PRESS (machine)
10 to 12 reps
Sit on a leg-press machine with feet hip-width apart. Set the
Gold's Gym's experts can help you optimize your strength training
We all know that strength training and weight lifting provides a huge benefit to your overall health. Improper form, though, can neutralize those rewards and, over time, even pose a few risks. According to weight lifting and strength training expert Mike Ryan, too often people focus on the amount of weight that they're moving instead of targeting specific muscle groups in a controlled manner. "We're not here to try and lift as much as possible," says Ryan, a Gold's Gym Fitness Institute member. "It's all about form and technique - that's how you get the most gains."
The ultimate guide for beginning your new fitness routine. By Robert Reames, Gold's Gym Fitness Institute Member and Author of the book, Makeover Your Metabolism.
Congratulations! By deciding to get in shape you've taken the most important step toward leading a healthy lifestyle. Now, you need the ultimate roadmap to get you started. Well here it is! We've put together a simple, easy routine you can use to get you going and get you results!
Our goal is to make the best use of your time. You want maximum bang for your buck every time you go to the gym. And keep in mind...that this is just the start. Your fitness and wellness program
Bryan wanted to get out of a rut and not only change his health for the better, but also the health of his family.
Have goals? Don't know where to start? The Gold's Gym Workout Builder is here to help you make a plan.
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