Aikido is a unique form of martial art. Its emphasis lies on the harmonious fusion of mind and body with the natural laws of Nature. Aikido focuses on accepting and respecting the energy of life and nature and channeling this harmony onto techniques that expresses this energy in physical forms.

Aikido is often viewed as more of a defensive martial art since its techniques and teachings are designed for you to avoid or get out of trouble. On the contrary, Aikido’s techniques are very powerful and effective.

Basically, there are four levels of technique in Aikido training. These are the katai which refers to the basic training and is intended to build the foundation of body movements and breathing; the yawarakai trains the defendant to deflect attacks and fuse movements to take control of the attacker or situation; the ki-no-nagare which involves training the defendant to defend or counter attack by merging his movement with the attacker even before the latter makes contact; and the ki which is the absolute Aikido technique and involves establishing a link of ki or spirit from the defender to the attacker.

When training for Aikido, you need a sparring partner. The uke and the nage. The Uke is the initiator of the attack and receives the Aikido techniques, while the Nage is the defender and the one that neutralizes the attack.

Aikido basic techniques include ikky which involves control an attacker by placing one hand on the elbow and one on near the wrist giving an opportunity to throw the attacker to the ground; the niky which draws in the uke using a wristlock and twists the arm while applying painful nerve pressure; sanky which is a rotating technique aimed at applying a spiraling tension on the whole arm including the elbow and shoulder; yonky a shoulder control technique with both hands gripping the forearm; goky is another variant of ikky

wherein the hand gripping the wrist is inverted and is quite useful in weapon take-aways; shihnage or the four-direction throw; kotegaeshi or wrist return which involves a wristlock-throw that stretches the extensor digitorum; kokynage also known as breath throws or timing throws; iriminage or entering-body throws which resembles a “clothesline” technique; tenchinage or heaven-and-earth throw; koshinage or the Aikido’s version of the hip throw; jinage or the shaped-like-’ten’-throw; and kaitennage or rotation throw wherein the nage sweeps the arm of the uke back until it locks the shoulder joint after which the nage applies forward pressure to throw the attacker.

These are just basic techniques and from the list thousands of possible implementations or combinations can be drawn by the aikidokas. In Aikido, the strikes employed during the implementation of the Aikido technique are called atemi. For beginners, grabs are the first ones to be taught. It is safer and the aikidoka can easily feel the energy flowing from the uke to the nage.

Among the basic grab techniques are the katate-dori or single-hand-grab which involves using one hand to grab one wrist; morote-dori or both-hands-grab which uses both hands to grab one wrist; ryte-dori another both-hands-grab technique wherein both hands are used to grab both wrists; kata-dori or the shoulder-grab technique; and the mune-dori or chest-grab which involves grabbing the clothing of the chest of the attacker.

Mastering each technique involves discipline and dedication. To be a good aikodoka, one must master both the techniques and principle of the marital art.

People who are trying to lose weight but have a sensitive stomach should consider Ionamin. Unlike other appetite suppressants, it comes in the form of a time-release capsule. Ionamin can be very effective in helping you lose weight, but for permanent weight loss, it is best to combine your treatment with a plan of healthier diet and more exercise (particularly cardiovascular exercise).

What Is Ionamin Used For?

Ionamin is weight loss drug that works as an appetite suppresant.You should take Ionamin in combination with a general diet-plan to lose weight.

How Do I Use Ionamin?

You may break the tablet in half, but please do not chew or crush it. Ionamin may make it hard for you to sleep, so try not to take your dose late in the day.

What Are The Ionamin Side Effects?

Side effects of prescription Ionamin include irritability, trouble sleeping, dry mouth, upset stomach or constipation. These effects only occur in the first few days while your body adjusts to Ionamin. If the effects continue past this time, or becoming troublesome to you, please talk with your doctor.

Is Ionamin Safe?

While completing your consultation for an ionamin prescription, tell your physician your medical history in all completeness. It is especially important to let the doctor know if you have an over-active thyroid, diabetes, glaucoma, emotional problems, or high blood pressure.

If you think you are pregnant or are about to start breast-feeding, please tell your doctor. The consumption of alcohol can also increase the side effect of dizziness. Please limit your use of alcohol while taking prescription ionamin. This prescription medication is not intended for use in children. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn more.

What About Interactions With Other Drugs?

Please inform your doctor of all the prescription and nonprescription drugs that you use. This is extremely important if you take MAO inhibitors (such as furazolidone, phenelzine, selegiline, and tranylcypromine), medication for high blood pressure, or any other weight loss medication.

Avoid the “stimulant” types of drugs! These usually increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Examples of this type of drug include caffeine and decongestants, usually found in over-the-counter medicines for coughs and colds.

What If I Miss My Dose of Ionamin?

In the case that you miss your dose of Ionamin, do not take twice the normal dosage next time. Simply skip the dose you missed and start up again with the normal dose.

What Is The Proper Storage Of Ionamin

Make sure to keep your Ionamin prescription stored at room temperature and away from light and moisture/humidity. Also, please make sure that your medication is out of reach of children.

What Else Should I Know About Ionamin?

As with other appetite suppressants, your Ionamin prescription does not replace good eating habits. If you want the best results, use Ionamin along with a balanced diet and at least some type of exercise program. Do not let others try/sample your medication. Share our website with them instead.

Ionamin will help you lose weight safely, and has fewer unpleasant effects than Phentermine or Adipex.

Every weight loss surgery patient I’ve met said they at sometime during the weight loss experience felt like a fraud. A fraud is someone who pretends to be what they are not, an imposter. Given this definition, of course we feel like a fraud! Almost overnight we become the exact opposite of what we have been for many years. We are in fact a fat person masquerading in a thin body. Of course we feel like a fraud!

Weight loss following gastric bypass is so fast and consistent; there is no time to pause and become familiar with ourselves as our size diminishes and our health improves. So, while the body adjusts to its new healthy weight, our mind is slow to catch up. It still sees a fat person and this smaller body is alien and unknown. It is an imposter. A disguise. A fraud.

Be assured, this phase of fraud is normal and consistent among people experiencing rapid massive weight loss, it is part of the transformation. Be comforted knowing feelings of fraud will pass. As we become familiar with our down-sized dimensions the haunts from our morbidly obese days will pass. If a bariatric patient after several years of successful weight maintenance rapidly regained the weight they would feel as much a fraud in their new super-sized body as they did in their newly trimmed body. Feelings of fraud are certain to result when a change is as rapid and effective as gastric bypass weight loss.

For many patients, a different feeling of fraud is manifest when others start to notice and comment about the weight loss. In addition to managing our own feelings of change, we must manage feedback from others, much of which is unsolicited. Patients who have kept their surgery private feel fraudulent when they answer “I’m losing weight by eating less, controlling my sugar and fat intake and exercising” all of which is true. Patients who speak openly about their weight loss surgery may be told surgery was easy way out of obesity. They may hear about surgeries gone bad, get the warnings about regaining the weight, and be treated to a host of other myths. This feedback can cause us to feel fraudulent.

One weight loss patient said it best: “what I find both interesting and sad about bariatric patients: we are ashamed when we are fat, and we are ashamed when we do something about it.” It is not fraudulent to be medically treated for a disease that is killing you. The weight loss surgery patient who accepts this as fact successfully overcomes feeling like a fraud. That patient celebrates the miracle of modern medicine and a second chance at living.

I used to tell my husband, “I’m nothing but a fat lady masquerading in small clothes.” He didn’t like me to talk that way about myself and asked, “if your best friend succeeded at losing weight – by whatever means medically available to her – would you talk to her the way you are talking to yourself? If your best friend were treated for a life-threatening disease with the best medical science has to offer would you say she was a fraud for undergoing that treatment to save her life?” He made an excellent point.

I no longer feel like a fraud, but I miss the wonder and awe that was associated with the newness of rapid and massive weight loss. During that time I was shocked to see my own reflection and awed by the little clothes that fit me. I studied in wonder every body part, the way it moved and felt and looked. I counted my ribs and rolled my fingers over my hipbones – I’d never felt that before discovering the miracle of the human skeleton. Nowadays it’s all commonplace: this is who I am. It is no longer a surprising shock. I no longer feel like a fraud.

With weight loss comes a lot of dedication and change of lifestyle. We can start with exercise, which is vital to all weight loss programs. A healthy body is the result of proper nutrition combined with a regular pattern of physical exercise. You weight loss will depend on how you intend to make it happen. It does not have to be difficult and you do not have to take weight loss supplements or pills.

Exercise

Exercise improves the tone and quality of muscle tissue and stimulates the processes of digestions, absorption, metabolism, and elimination. It strengthens blood vessels, lungs, and heart, resulting in improved transfer of oxygen to the cells and increased circulation.

The key to any type of exercise is a strong will and a sincere desire to improve one’s physical condition by weight loss. The best way to lose weight is doing activities or exercises that you enjoy and can have fun with.

An ideal weight loss program may include many different forms of the following exercises. Calisthenics consist of light exercises including sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, which promote emphasis of building skeletal muscles. Dancing or rhythmic exercise is often an enjoyable way to exercise and lose weight, by toning the body. Isometrics involves the pressure of a muscle or group of muscles against each other or an immoveable object. It is good for spot reducing because it can be applied to a target area. Stretching is a natural exercise that should be practiced on a regular basis, and is a good habit to develop. It can improve energy and endurance, stimulate circulation, and alleviate stiffness. Walking is one of the best overall weight loss exercises, which help the entire system function better. Weight Lifting and exercise strengthen muscle tone, which is recommended with any weight loss management plan.

Above all, do not forget the recreational exercises as well; this will help to keep you on task with your weight loss goals.

Nutrition

The next step in that can help you is to add proper nutrition to your weight loss management plan. You need to understand what your body needs and how to consume the proper amounts of Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins, which are the primary sources of energy to the body. They supply the fuel necessary for body heat and work. This is essential to fast weight loss. Therefore, foods that are high in energy value are high in calories, while foods that are low in energy value are low calories. Fats yield about 9 calories per gram; carbohydrates and protein yield about 4 calories per gram.

By following the current food pyramid guide, you can reduce calories and with combined exercise (minimal), you take lose weight fast and easy. Remember to keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoid soda, fattening foods such as chips, and cookies, etc.

Tips

1- Eat six mini meals a day- this will allow your body to eat more frequently curbing your appetite for snacking.

2- Drink at lease 64 oz of water a day, but the amount you drink should be based on your weight and size.

3- Choose healthy foods from each food group.

4- Include some weight lifting in your weight loss management plan, this will allow you to remain proper muscle tone while losing weight.

With weight loss comes a lot of dedication and change of lifestyle. We can start with exercise, which is vital to all weight loss programs. A healthy body is the result of proper nutrition combined with a regular pattern of physical exercise. You weight loss will depend on how you intend to make it happen. It does not have to be difficult and you do not have to take weight loss supplements or pills.

Exercise

Exercise improves the tone and quality of muscle tissue and stimulates the processes of digestions, absorption, metabolism, and elimination. It strengthens blood vessels, lungs, and heart, resulting in improved transfer of oxygen to the cells and increased circulation.

The key to any type of exercise is a strong will and a sincere desire to improve one’s physical condition by weight loss. The best way to lose weight is doing activities or exercises that you enjoy and can have fun with.

An ideal weight loss program may include many different forms of the following exercises. Calisthenics consist of light exercises including sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, which promote emphasis of building skeletal muscles. Dancing or rhythmic exercise is often an enjoyable way to exercise and lose weight, by toning the body. Isometrics involves the pressure of a muscle or group of muscles against each other or an immoveable object. It is good for spot reducing because it can be applied to a target area. Stretching is a natural exercise that should be practiced on a regular basis, and is a good habit to develop. It can improve energy and endurance, stimulate circulation, and alleviate stiffness. Walking is one of the best overall weight loss exercises, which help the entire system function better. Weight Lifting and exercise strengthen muscle tone, which is recommended with any weight loss management plan.

Above all, do not forget the recreational exercises as well; this will help to keep you on task with your weight loss goals.

Nutrition

The next step in that can help you is to add proper nutrition to your weight loss management plan. You need to understand what your body needs and how to consume the proper amounts of Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins, which are the primary sources of energy to the body. They supply the fuel necessary for body heat and work. This is essential to fast weight loss. Therefore, foods that are high in energy value are high in calories, while foods that are low in energy value are low calories. Fats yield about 9 calories per gram; carbohydrates and protein yield about 4 calories per gram.

By following the current food pyramid guide, you can reduce calories and with combined exercise (minimal), you take lose weight fast and easy. Remember to keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoid soda, fattening foods such as chips, and cookies, etc.

Tips

1- Eat six mini meals a day- this will allow your body to eat more frequently curbing your appetite for snacking.

2- Drink at lease 64 oz of water a day, but the amount you drink should be based on your weight and size.

3- Choose healthy foods from each food group.

4- Include some weight lifting in your weight loss management plan, this will allow you to remain proper muscle tone while losing weight.

Exercise is always a do-it-yourself venture. No other person and no machine can do it for you. Hence, it is important to have those motivating factors so that a person who is into exercise in order to lose weight will hang about.

This is what people who are overweight should learn to understand. However, even if it so easy to set for instructions and easy to follow, this is not the same case for almost 35% of Americans who are unable to prevent being overweight.

Of course, once we are overweight, we usually want to trim down for a whole lot of reasons, some related to physical condition and fitness, while others would want to enhance their physique and appearance. And it is never too late to be fit.

In the past 50 to 75 years, physical activity has become the exception rather than the rule, both at home and on the job. People tend to drive where others once walked. People tend to flick a switch and machines do the hauling, lifting, pushing, and pulling for them.

However, people who try to lose weight tend to believe that weight gain is likely to happen if they will not take forward-looking steps to stop it.

The point here is that health experts believe that people lose their way, especially when it comes to dieting. They tend to go back to their old eating habits even after they learn to enjoy low-fat eating. They tend to return to sedentary ways even though they enjoy exercising.

But despite the momentum toward weight gain, you can stop it from happening, experts say. And there are plenty of good reasons to avoid excess pounds, reasons that go beyond vanity or social appearance. There are many reasons in order to keep you motivated to exercise and stay healthy for the rest of your life.

Ways to Lose Big

1. Have an explicit goal

A simple statement like, “I want to lose some weight,” is an ambiguous and an indefinite statement. It will not the least motivate you to start doing exercises right away.

What is important is to be precise on your goals. It would be better if you will set some detailed amount of pounds that you really want to lose. Envisage yourself what you will look like after reaching your desired weight. Doing this will inspire you to lose weight. In fact, maybe even more than what you have planned in mind. The idea is to use that figure to assist you to remain resilient and dedicated.

2. Develop a strategy

Strength of will does not work alone! To lose weight and stay with it, your strategy must comprise of both exercise and diet, and not either of the two.

Try to start motivating yourself by throwing away your clothes that have bigger sizes. This will put you in a situation where you only have your sexy clothes and that you have to make a choice by staying motivated to exercise or not wear any clothes at all. Which do you prefer?

3. Make out little, calculable measures

Put into practice actions that will suit your lifestyle. This means you have to implement moves that you and you alone will benefit from it and not somebody else.

The idea here is to opt for a more positive and attainable goal and not just to shun away from being plump and chubby.

4. Produce monitoring that has an important effect

It would be better to have somebody willing to take note of your progress or development. This will inspire you to keep on doing what you have started. Having somebody to listen to your achievements is definitely a better prize than just achieving your goal alone.

Besides, having an extra hand to support you and cheer for you when things start to fall short. It is that simple way of hearing somebody believing on what you do is one of the greatest motivations to keep you exercising for more.

5. Construct a vigorous, sensible timeline

What do you plan to achieve in a year? Try to suit your objectives to your calendar, and do not look forward to see the results in just a snap.

The bottom line is that in order to stay motivated to exercise entails a lot of hard work, which is contrary to what most people tend to think. The main idea is to let people change their lifestyle because it is only through this way that they will absolutely change their weight…for the better.

If you’ve been training, here’s a short list of bodybuilding fiction.

1. 12 Rep rule

Most weight training program include this much repetitions for gaining muscle. The truth is this approach places the muscles with not enough tension for effective muscle gain. High tension e.g. heavy weights provides muscle growth in which the muscle grows much larger, leading to the maximum gains in strength. Having longer tension time boosts the muscle size by generating the structures around the muscle fibers, improving endurance.

The standard prescription of eight to 12 repetitions provides a balance but by just using that program all of the time, you do not generate the greater tension levels that is provided by the heavier weights and lesser reps, and the longer tension achieved with lighter weights and more repetitions. Change the number of reps and adjust the weights to stimulate all types of muscle growth.

2. Three Set rule

The truth is there’s nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be base on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa. This keeps the total number of repetitions done of an exercise equal.

3. Three to four exercises per group

The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If your doing this much reps for a muscle group your not doing enough. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps.

4. My knees, my toes

It is a gym folklore that you “should not let your knees go past your toes.” Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.

But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.

Focus on your upper body position and less on the knee. Keep the torso in an upright position as much as possible when doing squats and lunges. These reduces the stress generated on the hips and back. To stay upright, before squatting, squeeze the shoulder blades together and hold them in that position; and then as you squat, keep the forearms 90 degree to the floor.

5. Lift weights, draw abs

The truth is the muscles work in groups to stabilize the spine, and the most important muscle group change depending on the type of exercise. The transverse abdominis is not always the most important muscle group. Actually, for most exercise, the body automatically activates the muscle group that are needed most for support of the spine. So if you focus only on the transverse abdominis, it can recruit wrong muscles and limit the right muscles. This increases the chance of injury, and reduces the weight that can be lifted.

As an employee of famous fitness star Kathy Smith, personal trainer of many movie stars, and best selling author, it came to my attention of a few things that prevented Hollywood types from losing the weight they wanted. Here they are;

“Exercise Resistance” or ER means a conscious or unconscious block against participating in a regular active program. Studies show that some people have barriers built up from past experiences that give them a negative mindset toward exercise and food. In many cases, this prevents a person from starting or following through on an exercise program.

RESENTMENT

I thought the golden years were supposed to be filled with relaxing things to do, not more activities I usually put off before?

Not wanting to exercise is one thing, but resenting exercising can be paralyzing. There are only a small percentage of people that truly like to exercise. And most do it for a sport or profession. That’s usually not true for the average person.

Building up resentment toward exercise goes much deeper than just not liking the effort it takes to do it. Resentment brings out a rebellious attitude in us.

“It is down right maddening that our bodies are aging and we can not do what we used to do!”

Every say or think that? We feel it and we see it happening right in front of our eyes. Inside, we are like children. We stomp our feet, cross our arms and say, “You can’t tell me what to do; I’ll show you.”

The sooner you accept the fact that exercise is going to have to be a part of the rest of your life, the more likely you will start — the more likely you will continue exercising. Resentment is usually fueled by his cousins: Denial, Pride and Laziness. The best thing to do is never let them play together. Resentment is a form of pride.

FAILURE

Why should I start exercising? I will not follow through—never have. It will be just another failure of mine.

The only failure is not starting. Success is not measured in numbers. It is measured in your growth through the process. Just because your track record may show some ups and downs has no bearing on your future efforts. Plus, your self-worth is not based on how many times you started an exercise program. Fear of failure is an excuse to never try.

PERFECTION

Why am I not doing this the way I know I can do this? I might as well not do it at all if I cannot do it right.

If you think for one second that you are going to be perfect in sticking to a plan, forget it. It’s not possible for anyone. The truth is you will never be perfect. Once you reach a goal, you will have another one. It’s a repetitive cycle, like running on a treadmill that will never stop. Perfectionism is an illusion.

COMPARISONS

Why does Jane look like she does and I have to work so hard at it. It does not seem fair!”

Life just isn’t fair, is it? For some, it seems effortless to look thin and feel healthy. These people may even do the exact workout plan as you and get totally different results than you do. For you, it is a constant trip to the dentist’s office. You dread it. You know it’s going to hurt, and it may even cost a lot in the end. You are right that it’s not fair, but that’s life. You need to get beyond this. Comparing yourself to others and your past is a losing battle.

EXPECTATIONS

Why is it so hard to balance my fitness goals and lifestyle?

Unless you have such paralyzing health problems that you can’t move, there is NO reason in the world not to get some form of exercise. However, you have to be smart about it and you have to be realistic in what you choose to do.

If your expectations are too high, you set yourself up for failure and then begin comparing yourself to others. In some cases, ER sets in before you even start. This is hurtful. Setting expectations that are too high is self-defeating before you even start.

Here is what I told them and I will tell you the same -

One out of three of you will break a bone. Half of you are on the verge of obesity and diabetes. A third of you will suffer a heart attack. Half of you will end up in a nursing home. And most of you are not living a life filled with confidence, good sleeping patterns, high energy or happiness. Why now? You tell me…why not now?

Do the math! Numbers do not lie. You either accept the road less traveled or you face the consequences. It’s just that simple. This may resemble a scare tactic, but the bottom line is this is your reality. If you think for one second you are exempt, above reproach, or just relying on luck or faith, think again. Your best defense is a good offense.

Why now? Resenting the need to exercise is a waste of energy. Never starting because you are afraid of failure is a copout. Striving to exercise perfectly is a bit unrealistic for anyone. Comparing your present condition with how you used to
be is a losing battle. And setting expectations so high that your lifestyle prevents you from accomplishing anything is a “bad attitude ready to happen.”

Why now? Because these are all just plain excuses. The bottom line is, you will pay the doctor eventually if you allow any of the excuses to get the best of you. Exercising and eating right is the best thing you can do for your mind, body, and your heart. It will take work, but the benefits are priceless.

Other than physical appearance weight affects a person in many ways. This could be the overall quality of life, self-esteem, depression, health risks, and physical incapabilities. There are a lot of positive changes once a person experience weight loss. It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for a weight loss technique that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body.

The first thing that an over-weight should do is seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss regimen. This will be done after a full physical examination, which leads to the determination of proper weight loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively four aspects of life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, behavior and activity level.

Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight’s life:

First: Fast weight loss composes of a multi-faceted technique that consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements. Begin by learning a diet food plan that can easily be accustomed with. Incorporate an exercise plan that allows even at least fifteen minutes a day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.

Second: Set realistic approaches. The ability to focus and have proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, a dieter will never be discouraged and lose focus.

Third: Listen as the body speaks. Each and everyone’s body metabolism reacts differently to different fast weight loss programs and plans. Try substituting one program for another to compensate the body’s reaction. Exercise program must be suitable to one’s body, as others are not able to exercise as rigorously as others can. If walking is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best exercise. Muscles burn more calories than fats so it’s also best to put on a little muscle and looking good too.

Fourth: Eat more fibers for it makes a person full sooner and stays in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion. A single serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system faster. Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body’s insulin level. Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body when it should stop burning fats or start storing.

Fifth: Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this contains a great amount of fat. Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried. It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

Sixth: Takes lots of fluid. Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed. Since weight loss depends on how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.

All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success. Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.

Some of you will not like what I have to say, even though it is the truth. And that may be where the problem of American’s health problems lies. No one wants to give you the truth. My responsibility as a high profile fitness expert lies not in if you like me, or even if you buy my e books. My responsibility lies in giving you straight talk with no sugar coating it.

You want quick fixes to your health problem that has taken years to develop. You get it by purchasing gimmicks that promise you fast results. Why do you think you are reading this. The title catered to your instant gratification.

You fall for it, and at the end of the day you are more frustrated than every. Why? Because you are denying the root of your problems.

I have counseled thousands of people over my twenty year tender as a personal trainer, health club consultant and best selling author. And in all my travels, the answers to people’s problems with weight come down to one thing: it’s a matter of choice!

My approach with people is, either you pay a price now or you will pay a bigger price down the road. I am really tired of dancing around and trying to pat people on the back and say, “It’s OK you can do it.” When all the while, most I know are in the least bit serious about their health, and have no idea what they are in for down the road.

If you are on the fence of whether or not to start an exercise and weight loss plan, I suggest you either become hot or cold. None of this luke warm stuff. You, America is on the verge of a health crisis. The longer you wait the more of chance you have of having a disease.

You also have a matter of choice on all these gimmicks out there. Don’t waste your money on products that are not long lasting and do not teach you anything. I know you want fast results but you will just waste your money. Let me remind you, until you deal with your approach to weight loss the other is pie in the sky. Here are the keys to weight loss:

Determine HOW you are motivated

Determine the REASONS behind the unwanted behaviors.

Develop a great support system

Eat for fuel not for taste

Keep being active.

I didn’t have much time to pack my bags that day; matter of fact, I‘m still wearing the same clothes I put on that morning.

I met all three of them on the way up here. They said they would hitch a ride, but they were not sure they would be welcome where I was going.

I thought it was unusual to learn how much they knew about me. Did I meet them at some restaurant my family and I went to? Did I see them at the doctor’s office? I know, maybe it was at a bunko party or the golf course? I just couldn’t put my finger on how I knew them until today.

It’s pretty nice here though—peaceful, always something to do, good conversation. However, I sure miss my family. I wish I didn’t have to leave them soon, but how would I have known?

The three of them said they warned me time and time again. How? When? Where? I wondered. I thought I read all the right books and talked to the right people. I even participated at times.

Lazy was probably the one I got along with the best during that short time we spent together. He was the only transparent one of the three. Others might have thought if they saw us together we were twins. We were so much alike.

The other two were much more reserved and timid. Don’t let those guys fool you. I learned quickly they were stubborn old boys with rough edges—two of the biggest know-it-alls I had ever met. They called themselves Denial and Pride. And if you ever met them, I think you would agree they were named correctly.

As I crossed the line, I will never forget what they said to me as we raised our hands to each other and waved goodbye, “If only you had known.”