Interview with Gavin Henson - Welsh Rugby Player

Gavin Henson has truly become a household name throughout the UK and is fast becoming recognised as a world class player who thrives on pressure within the international scene. Notoriously one of the toughest sports, rugby can take a tremendous toll on the body and image conscious Henson with his trade mark spikey hair and gold and silver boots which he alternates is well aware of this and knows that using quality nutrition is the key to looking good off the pitch whilst ensuring he is able to perform at his best on the pitch. He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008. He has also played for the British and Irish Lions, touring in 2005 to New Zealand but has never appeared at a World Cup. MH: If you hadn't played rugby what would you have done? GH: Probably gone into the family business working with my father. MH: What has been the highlight of your career so far? GH: Hard to pick one, the end of last season was immense, winning the Six Nations Grand Slam, winning the Celtic league and then being selected for the Lions tour to New Zealand all happened in a short space of time! MH: What is your weekly training programme? GH: Strict diet, early mornings, a lot of gym time, a lot of relaxation, massages etc and of course structured team training with both the Ospreys and Wales. MH: What do you concentrate on when training in the gym? GH: Muscle definition and strength building. MH: To be able to maintain the physique you have, is your diet strict? GH: Yes. When I'm in training and playing I try to stick to a very strict diet; using Maximuscle products assists with this and my recovery. Chocolates, cakes, takeaways, anything with a sauce, crisps and chips are all off the menu. Strictly Cyclone and Promax. MH: You have to be very fit to train and play rugby, do you find sports nutrition products help and how do they help? GH: The Maximuscle products that I use are essential to my routine for recovery and maintaining the fitness levels I need.

Workout with Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox - Budokon Fitness

There is a new fitness craze spreading through the celebrity ranks in America a fusion of martial arts, yoga and meditation called Budokon. The celebs that have started training in the Budokon way include Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Chris Tucker and Amber Valletta. Budokon is a physically challenging fitness regime with aspects of yoga and meditation. Budokon is designed to "create balance and permanent change in the entire system," according to Cameron Shayne, the founder of the system. Budokon is influenced by the Japanese martial arts - the name budokon can be translated as "the way of the spiritual warrior" - bu (warrior) - do (way) - kon (spirit). Budokan is very intensive - it is not uncommon for people to burn up to 900 calories in a session, which is 50% more than a spinning session. And unlike spinning classes, Budokan is dynamic, exciting and far more socialable, like many other martial arts. Every class involves three disciplines: meditation, martial arts and yoga. The order varies depending on the day, as Ryan believes in working with the mood of the class. This is actually how all good martial arts instructors teach. A class can be planned, but the students' needs can change from week to week, and a flexible teacher makes a more engaging class. It is inspired by the centuries-old training systems of Buddhist monks and it offers an emotional, physical and spiritual work out. Really Budokon has a very similar philosophy to Tai Chi Chuan and Bagua. Budokon has not only impressed celebrities, but also professional athletes, including Kerri Walsh, who won an Olympic gold in women's beach volleyball. A Budokon warm up is again similar to a martial arts warm up - the joints are loosened and stretched - this helps prevent injury. Then a series of yoga postures, often incorporating elements of the sun salutation routine, are done to help warm the body up. Budokon has gradings, like many other martial arts, so students can progress. The main thing that makes martial arts such a good way to get fit is that the grading system keeps students motivated and competitive. Healthy competition is essential to avoid becoming bored with a fitness regime. Budokon has recently started to become more popular in the UK, and Cameron Shayne is aiming for it to become a leading fitness regime in the Britain. "I'd like to see British cities becoming thriving hubs for Budokon. My sense is a lot of people in the UK are like: get up, go to work, go to pub, go home, then get up and do it all again. There's so much more to life." The is certainly very true if many British people. The big question is, is Budokon differnt enough from the plethora of martial arts, yoga styles, Pilates and Jazzercide, Boxercise and military bootcamp training that is already available? Buy an instructional DVD:

Belly Dance like Shakira for Fitness and Fun

There are many fitness crazes coming out at the moment, which seems to be due to the increasing amount of awareness surrounding the importance of exercising to help combat the obesity epidemic. Along with pole dancing, capoeira and simulated horse riding, belly dancing is another fitness activity which was until recently only practised by professional dancers and people from the middle east. Here we have a belly dancing tutorial video from YouTube, which helps to explain some of the aspects of belly dancing, as well as explaining some of the techniques and movements. Belly dancing helps strengthen the core abdomen muscles, as well as provide a good all round workout. The origins of Belly Dancing is actually uncertain, but there are several theories: Many dancers subscribe to one or another of a number of theories regarding the origins of the form. Some of these theories are that the dance form: It descended from indigenous dances of ancient Upper Egypt It descended from Greece, spreading with Alexander the Great It descended from a religious dance Temple Priestesses once practiced It had been a part of traditional birthing practices in the region(s) of origin It had spread from the migrations of the Romani people (also called "gypsies") and related groups, descended from the Banjara of Rajasthan[citation needed] in northwestern India. It originated in Uzbekistan, traveling to India through the slave trade. Most of the basic steps and techniques used in belly dance are circular motions isolated in one part of the body; for example, a circle parallel to the floor isolated in the hips or shoulders. Accents using "pop and lock" where a dancer either shimmies or makes a striking motion in her shoulders or hips are common, as are feats of flexibility, rolling one's belly muscles, balancing various props like baskets, swords or canes, and dancing with chiffon or silk veils. With its growing popularity in the western world, belly dance classes are thriving throughout the UK, though the belly dance culture has been evidenced since the early 1960s, with many styles being taught including traditional, modern, tribal, Persian, Oriental, Turkish, Greek, Egyptian, American Tribal. Many festivals and workshops are held over the various regions, with two of the most popular being the Annual Glastonbury Majma and Raqs Britannia. September 2007 sees the first Annual International Bellydance Congress being held in the UK. Various celebrities, including Catherine Zeta-Jones and Paris Hilton, have been reported to belly dance for pleasure and to stay in shape, however the most famous belly dancing celeb must be the beautiful Shakira, who also taught Beyonce Knowles how to belly dance. The "Bootylicious" singer told PEOPLE magazine: "Shakira taught me how to belly dance, she taught me the whole routine. I used to watch her videos and I thought she was so cool. When she was teaching me the moves I thought, 'This is crazy, Shakira is showing me how to belly dance!' You can see Shakira dancing in her video Whenever, Wherever on YouTube. "I got the best teacher. We didn't have a lot of time to come up with the choreography - most of it was done on the spot. I was just watching her and learning from her. It was so much fun, the best energy. She was really easy to work with, so sweet and humble." Beyonce also reported recently that she has regained the weight that she lost for her role in Dreamgirls, and is very happy with her current figure. In February we reported on Beyonce's maple syrup diet, and were a little concerned with such extreme dieting. We are glad to report that Beyonce has her sexy curves back, but is still in excellent shape.

The Most Influential and Inspirational Sporting Heroes

It was only in the late twentieth century, during the post-war period, that athletes and sports persons really became celebrities in their own right. There were many famous athletes, that would be reported in the news, but the average person would marvel at their athletic performance in sport, but generally would not idolise them or become fanatical followers of theirs. However, in the the last 50 years, some people have become athletic icons, fitness role models and sporting heroes. So, who are the greatest athletes, sport personalities and fitness icons of all time? Which people are still admired today, who still give people the motivation to train, to fight, to win, and strive to follow in their heroes footsteps to become the greatest themselves? Here is Motley Health's Greatest Sporting Heroes: 1. Bruce Lee Bruce Lee will always be the greatest martial artist that ever lived. No-one can replace him, because he was the first to popularise martial arts in film. He wrote books, gave interviews, and set up schools to teach his methods. But most importantly, even 37 years after the release of his first great films, The Bigg Boss, Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon, he is still admired by youngsters today. People still wish to know how he trained, what he ate, how he fought, what he believed in, and how he conducted his life. Bruce Lee, is the true Legend of Martial Arts, the epitome of fitness and strength. His skill was exceptional, his speed unbelievable, and his training routines were legendary in their intensiveness. Bruce Lee is our number one. 2. Roger Banister Roger Banister is a bit different from Bruce Lee. Roger Banister was an athlete, born in 1929 between the wars, and lived in a time when athletics was only a pastime for gentlemen and scholars. He attended Oxford University, and later became a distinguished neurologist and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, where he continued to work until 2001. However, Roger Banister is famous for being the first man to break the four minute mile. There was a time that break world records really was something to be marvelled. Nowadays people break world records and it hardly makes it into the mainstream news (unless there are drug tests to invalidate the record). Bannister started his running career at Oxford in the autumn of 1946 when 17. He had never worn running spikes previously or run on a track. His training was light, even compared to the standards of the day, but he showed promise in running a mile in 1947 in 4:24.6 on only three weekly half-hour training sessions. He went on to compete in the 1952 Olympic games, but failed to win. After his poor performance. he decided on a new goal - to be the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. Accordingly, he intensified his training. On May 6, 1954, at a competition in Oxford, he did the impossible and broke the four minute mile, in 3 min 59.4 s. What makes Roger Bannister so great is that well educated people strongly beleive that it was not possible to run a mile in less than four minutes. However, his determination and spirit resulted in him proving the doubters wrong and achieving what was beleive impossible. Since his success, thousands of others have followed in his footsteps. 3. Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in humble surroundings in Austria in the 1950's. Born in 1947, and had a strict Catholic upbringing. He was a sporting child, and started weight training in 1960 as part of his football training. He soon took up bodybuilding, and was so dedicated that he went AWOL during while serving in the army to attend the Junior Mr. Europe contest in 1965, which he won. As a result he spent a week in an army jail: "Participating in the competition meant so much to me that I didn't carefully think through the consequences. When I got to Stuttgart, I was all confused. I forgot my posing routine, I had to borrow posing trunks, but still I won!" By 1967 he was a strongman, winning the Munich stone-lifting contest. Schwarzenegger's goal was to become the greatest bodybuilder in the world. In 1970 he won his first My Olympia contest, and at 23 years old was the youngest ever winner, a record he still holds. He then followed this up by winning again for the next five years, until 1975, where he announced his retirement after beating Franco Columbo (who later won, and also trained Sylvester Stallone). In 1980 he competed again, simply because he was in such great shape as a result of because of the running, horseback riding, and sword training he had been doing during the filming of Conan the Barbarian. He won. Arnold Schwarzenegger later developed an successful acting career, where he reinvented the action hero. He has been an inspiration for thousands who have started bodybuilding after seeing his films. Many say that his success is due to his will to succeed, and his fighting spirit. 4. Sylvester "Sly" Stallone Sly Stallone is possibly America's favourite action hero. He brought emotion and feeling to the characters he played, Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, as well as great athleticism, and became an international icon of machismo. Stallone is an actor first, and bodybuilder second. He started to improve his fitness and started building more muscle for his role in Rocky 2. He employed former Mr. olympia Franco Columbo to aid him in this task, and the result was a body of a professional heavyweight boxer. People the world over love Stallone's portrayal of Rocky Balboa. A story of how a nobody can work hard and become a somebody, is something that gives inspiration to millions of people today. The Rocky training montage music is still heard in gyms and fight clubs to help motivate and inspire people. Whereas Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Lee were athletes before becoming movie legends, Stallone build his physique to become a movie legend. For this he has earnt our respect. 5. Brad Pitt Although Brad Pitt has not made many action films, his performance in Fight Club and then later Alexander has motivated many people to strive to develop a body like his. For his role in Snatch, as a gypsy boxer, he trained for the role, and honed his boxing skills at a boxing gym in London, rather than employing an A-list fitness coach. Brad Pitt has a very well toned, and ripped frame. He has kept muscle mass down, but has great muscle definition, and always looks in great shape. We will be discussing our other heroes of athletics and fitness in later editions. Following these three are: 6. Muhammad Ali 7. David Beckham 8. Lance Armstrong 9. Billy Jean King 10. Michael Jordan 11. Pele 12. Joe Weider 13. Ricky Hatton 14. Paula Radcliffe 15. Kelly Holmes

Josh Lewsey Rugby Workouts - Rugby's Most Athletic Player

Josh Lewsey MBE (full name, Owen Joshua Lewsey) is an English rugby union footballer who plays fullback, wing, centre or fly half for Wasps and England. He is also one of Rugby's most athletic players, with an incredibly toned physique. Rugby is a rigorous game to play, and requires speed, strength and stamina, i.e. you need to be very athletic to excel in Rugby. Many rugby players carry a bit of extra padding (body fat) to cushion the blows during the game. However, some players, such as Josh Lewsey, prefer to take a different approach. That is to be stronger and faster, to ensure that you do not find yourself in a dangerous spot to start with. Bio for Josh Lewsey: For London Wasps he has participated in many major title victories, the latest being the Heineken (European Cup) win for the 2006/2007 season. Lewsey featured heavily in England's campaign to retain the Rugby World Cup in 2007, scoring the only try against France in the 14-9 victory which put England into the final. However, just before half-time in the same match he picked up a hamstring injury which ruled him out of the final. Josh Lewsey's Rugby Fitness Training Program: Josh's weekly training schedule is very busy. It includes a lot of weight training, Rugby specific training with the Wasps team, army training, track techniques for speed, abs and core training plus a lot of cardio. It is not surprising that Josh is one of the most athletic players in Rugby today. Here is his typical weekly schedule: Monday: 05:30 - 07:00 Power weights and sprint drills 07:00 - 11:00 Lessons 11:00 - 14:00 Wasps training and skills 14:00 - 18:00 Lessons Tuesday: 07:30 - 11:00 Army (endurance session) 11:00 - 14:00 Wasps training and skills 14:00 - 18:00 Army lessons 18:00 - 20:00 Track speed endurance Wednesday AM - 40 minutes CV and abs PM - Hams & Calfs Thursday AM - 40 minutes CV and abs PM - Delts Friday AM - 40 minutes CV and abs PM - Bi's & Tri's Saturday AM - 40 minutes CV and abs PM - Quads Sunday AM - 40 minutes CV and abs PM - Off Josh's Sports Nutrition: Josh uses Promax Meal bars as convenient, high protein, low-carb meal replacements. He also uses Recovermax for rehydration and recovery, and Promax which is vital for muscle building. Josh attributes the role of diet supplements to much of his athletic development over the years. Josh has been using Maximuscle products for over 7 years in his fantastic England & Wasps career. He says "I have been taking Maximuscle products for over seven years now as an important part of my balanced diet which, together with my rigorous work in the gym and on the training field, has enabled me to reach and maintain my level of fitness. Maximuscle products have significantly helped me in reaching my fitness goals and helped me become faster and stronger than ever. He also says that "supplements have been one of the biggest things to come into the game in recent years" says Lewsey. "If you train all day you can't get enough calories inside you from food without feeling bloated". "The difference between using them and not using them is 10 or 20% and that's the difference between winning and losing the European Cup" London Wasps' Fitness Coach Paul Stridgeon adds, "Maximuscle products provided excellent support for our athletes. The excellent range of supplements continually meet our high standards. This support was crucial in our pre-season overload period and we believe the products helped our athletes to make further strength and power gains." Like any competitive sport, whether it be full contact kick-boxing, long distance cycling, or track and field, a competitive advantage is essential for success, and ensuring that your body receives all the required nutrients, at the right time, in the correct form, provides a very good competitive advantage.

LL Cool J - How to Get Ripped like the Rapper

LL Cool J is one of the most athletic and toned rappers around, and knocking on 40, he is proof that dedication to a good workout plan can keep you in shape into your middle age. LL Cool J stands for "Ladies Love Cool James" and he certainly ensures that he keeps the ladies interested by sticking to his workouts. LL Cool J has co-written "The Platinum Workout" with his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig. LL Cool J's routine focusses on chest and arms to get the toned and ripped look, without looking too bulky. His routines are very much old-school orientated with bench presses and bicep curls, with a lot of intensive interval training added to rip muscle and burn fat. The key to getting a ripped body like LL Cool J is to ensure that you are burning fat and building muscle, and for this both compound weight training and intense cardio sessions are required. What does LL Cool J do in his workouts? LL Cool J uses a combination of free weight exercises, plyometrics, boxing workouts, callisthenics and endurance training. This approach to fitness training has been shown to give good results for many years now. Many professional fighters and athletes use this combination of fitness methods to build muscle, burn fat, and to improve physical fitness. The method used is different from a normal weight training session. LL Cool J has developed a circuit training routine for his fitness. The advantages of this routine are that it allows for a quicker workout, and also keeps the heart rate up in the fat burning zone, while also giving enough stimulus to promote muscle growth. Each circuit is done without resting between stations (exercises). At the end of the circuit, 60 seconds rest is taken, and then the circuit is repeated, and then next circuit is done. The routine actually consists of three mini circuits, two for the chest, and one for the biceps, with each chest circuit being done twice, and the biceps circuit being done three times. In total, the workout is 7 circuits, and 20 sets of exercises. The whole workout should take about 45 minutes. You need to be reasonably fit to complete the whole circuit, so halving the number of sets to start with may be a good idea. LL Cool J Circuit Training Chest Circuit 1: Barbell Bench Press - 12 reps Explosive press-ups - 10 reps Skipping - 1 minute of skipping Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat once before moving on to the next circuit. Chest Circuit 2: Barbell bench press - 12 reps Cable crossover - 10 reps Hanging running man - 10 reps Treamill run - 1 minute on an incline, with heart rate in fat burning zone. Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat once before moving on to the next circuit. Biceps Circuit: Standing barbell curl - 6 reps Preacher curl - 15 reps Mountain climber - 1 minute Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat twice. That's it. Simple, but intensive. If you want to look like LL Cool J, and have the ladies love you too, then do this routine three times a week, and within a month you will start looking more athletic and ripped. LL COOL J'S PLATINUM BODY - By LL Cool, Dave Honig, Jeff O'Connell Buy from USA Buy from UK

Madonna Stays in Shape With Ashtanga Yoga Workouts

"Yoga is a metaphor for life. You have to take it really slowly. You can't rush. You can't skip to the next position. You find yourself in very humiliating situations, but you can't judge yourself. You just have to breathe, and let go. It is a workout for your mind, your body and your soul." Madonna. Madonna practices Ashtanga (aka astanga) yoga, which is a style which encourages more dynamic movements and transitions between the postures. Astanga yoga can be an effective cardio workout as well as a isometric bodyweight bearing exercise. Madonna began to practice ashtanga yoga (the Vinyasa style) to get back in shape after the birth of her daughter, Lourdes, in 1996. At this time she was with fitness trainer Carlos Leon who became her personal trainer. He may have been the source of her inspiration to adopt yoga as a way to stay in shape. Now almost 12 years later, she is still in great shape, and has recently started a new world tour. For a 49 year old (50 years old this August) she is doing very well. So, what does Ashtanga yoga involve? Ashtanga yoga practice consists of six progressively difficult series of linked postures, each requiring between 90 minutes to three hours to complete. Each sequence typically begins with 10 Sun Salutations and the standing poses. This is referred to as the "opening sequence". The student then moves to either the Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, B, C, or D, depending on his or her skill level, a back-bending sequence, finally closing with a set of inverted postures, referred to as the "finishing sequence". Ashtanga Yoga is traditionally taught in Mysore style (supervised self practice), where each student moves through the practice at his or her own pace and level. So, astanga yoga is not like the average yoga class you are likely to find in your local gym or village hall. It is much more dynamic, and requires a greater level of strength, coordination, balance and flexibility than other styles. This is why this form of yoga keeps Madonna in such great shape. Madonna's enthusiasm for ashtanga yoga has since appeared in her work; Madonna chanted the opening ashtanga chant on her Ray-of-Light album, and also played an ashtanga teacher in the movie The Next Best Thing. However, she does not limit herself to yoga. She also enjoys horse-riding and gyrotonics, which is a set exercises derived from swimming, yoga, gymnastics, and tai chi, and is intended to improve flexibility and balance as well as muscle strength, and to increase overall flexibility and mobility in joints. It has been compared to and contrasted with Pilates but offers much more flexion. So, if you wish to look slim, toned and sexy like Madonna when you are 50, you need to make a fitness routine, like Ashtanga yoga, a daily event. Learn more about yoga.

How Britney Spears Keeps In Shape

Britney Spears has been in a press recently for all the wrong reasons. She has had a troubled divorce, custody battles over her children, and the media spotlight has generated a very stressful environment for her. However, it appears that she is starting to take control of her life again, and getting herself back into shape, and slimming down and toning up to the figure that she once was a few years ago. So, how is she doing it? Britney is a very active woman, her stage performance demand high levels of physical fitness. For this, she performs intensive gym workouts. Her regular haunt is Bally Total Fitness in Los Angeles. Bally Total Fitness is famous in the USA for its well structure workouts and the motivational staff that ensure that club members stay on track and keep working hard. Britney would most likely have followed a combination of the Bally Total Weight Loss plan and the Bally Total Muscle Toning Plan. Here are some typical workouts that Britney Spears would be doing to get in shape for the stage: For Weight Loss, the follow 3 sessions per week routine is popular: 5-10 minute warm-up 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity at 55%-75% of predicted maximum heart rate* 5-10 minute cool-down 10 minutes stretching and toning 1-3 sets (depending on desired musce growth and toning) of 8-12 repetitions: Leg extension Leg curl Chest Press Shoulder Press Seated row Bicep curl Tricep extension Abdominal crunch *For the cardio part of this workout heartrate should be maintained in the fat burning zone, which is the Predicted maximum heart rate (MHR) is 220 less your age. For example, for Britney, a 26 year old, the MHR = 220 - 26 = 194. This is a classic all-round workout which provides a good cardio warmup followed by some weight training to help build and maintain muscle, which is essential for intensive dance routines during concerts. Britney's weight has fluctuated due to poor diet. Britney had developed a junk food addiction and her daily diet consisted mostly of empty calories. She has been seen consuming Red Bull energy drinks, Starbucks Frappuccinos and Marlboro Lights, all of which are neither healthy or help control the waistline. Britney's trainer has instructed her to follow these simple rules: Six small meals a day of specially prepared organic food - chicken, salads, vegetables and other low-fat fare. Cut out barbecue sauces and gravies Eat more protein - especially on tour Eat complex carbs such as brown rice, vegetables and wholegrain breads So this is a diet akin to an athlete or bodybuilder. By having several small meals per day, you ensure that your body is always receiving a good supply of proteins and nutrients to help rebuild and repair muscle, and to fuel further workouts. Carbs are essential to maintain a very active lifetsyle. Although to quickly lose weight, a low carb diet generally works best, not everyone can stomach just fat and protein for weeks on end. Sticking to wholegrain carbs ensures that more of the food consumed is in the form of dietary fibre rather than sugar. Recent photos of Britney in the press show that she has lost weight and is looking much fitter and sexier. The below photo shows her on the beach at Mel Gibson and his wife's ranch in Costa Rica. Photo Source: Daily Mail.

Mariah Carey's Diet and Fitness Workouts

Mariah’s secret weight loss weapon is her nutrition and fitness coach, who helped her reshape her body, but also makes sure she follows her strict diet. Mariah Carey revealed to Oprah that her workouts usually last for 1 - 1.5 hours and combine cardio with resistance training. To tone her arms, Mariah uses her own body weight and stretches, taking exercises form yoga and pilates. She generally swims for the cardio part of her workout. About swimming, she said the benefit of working out in the pool is that the water acts as resistance, you’re actually exercising twice as hard without feeling it." Mariah has also started to deal with her insomnia, which had been a problem since childhood. Years ago she revealed that she rarely went bed before 5am, and described herself as a girl of the night. She also rarely got up before 2pm, and her first meal of the day would be a slice of pizza rather than a proper breakfast. She told Oprah that "I talked to a nutritionist who helped me in terms of what foods I can eat that will help me sleep at the end of the day. Sleep deprivation is not good for your physical health—you can die—and I didn't realize it before!" Mariah's workouts are rather long, possible longer than required, although the stretches most likely offer her an opportunity to relax and unwind, as well as tone. Swimming is a great way to get fit, but you have to be disciplined to workout intensively in the pool, and not to just enjoy frolicking in the water for a while. Swimming lengths, and improving times, is a great way to stay focussed in the pool. Her Diet: Mariah follews the rules set out by her nutritionist and trainer, Patricia. She typically eats "lighter" meals, meaning less starch, bread, high Gi foods, such as baked clams, fish, vegetable soup, plus fruits such as blueberries and strawberries. The basis of Patricia's diet is: Everything in moderation No mixing of carbs with proteins and fats Eat berries - blueberries, strawberries - good snack foods Read more about Mariah Carey at IMDB.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Fitness and Diet Methods

Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love, Se7en with Brad Pitt, The Talented Mr. Ripley with Matt Damon) appeared on the Jonathan Ross show last Friday, and revealed some of her secrets to staying in shape and keeping fit. Gwyneth Paltrow's main fitness workouts revolve around both yoga and Pilates. She also spoke of how important yoga is for strengthening the pelvic floor after giving birth. Gwyneth Paltrow's yoga routine starts at 4:30am each morning. She says "I'm really not a morning person at all, it's just sheer determination. I'm very strict with myself. When I practice six days a week and eat clean food, I feel much better." She also adhered to a strict macrobiotic diet for four years. The diet involves eating local, seasonal, organic food; no sugar, no meat, no processed or refined foods, i.e. a way that is closer to nature, how humans would have eaten a few hundred years ago in fact. Followers of the macrobiotic approach believe that food and food quality powerfully affect health, well-being, and happiness. The macrobiotic approach suggests choosing food that is less processed and more natural, and employing more traditional methods of cooking for family, friends, and oneself. - Source: Wikipedia Macrobiotics is considered an approach to life rather than a diet. General Guidelines for the diet are: Whole cereal grains, especially brown rice: 50-60% Vegetables: 25-30% Beans and legumes: 5-10 % Miso soup: 5% The remainder is composed of fish and seafood, seeds and nuts, seed and nut butters, seasonings, sweeteners, fruits, and beverages. Other naturally raised animal products may be included if needed during dietary transition or according to individual needs. This has similarities with the "Ape man diet". She admitted that she stopped this diet during pregnancy, as she started to feel sick at the site of brown rice, and crave grilled emmental sandwiches, ice cream, yoghurt and cookies - all strictly not allowed on a macrobiotic diet! But since giving birth she has resumed part of her macrobiotic diet, although she now eats ice cream. She avoids meat, but eats fish, and fried foods. Giving up sugar and wheat is the akin to adopting a "natural diet", and the early phases of the Atkin's regime involve avoiding sugar and wheat. It has been suggested that the obesity epidemic is caused by a large extent to over-consumption of sugar and carbohydrates. Gwyneth Paltrow also enjoys drinking red wine and Guinness stout ale, so her diet is certainly no longer strict. In the past she has described her methods as - "I eat weird health food, exercise and I meditate. I do yoga every day and I no longer eat sugar or wheat. Some people think it's weird and extreme, but you have to do something weird and extreme to balance the fact that you're living an extreme life." Even though she has given up parts of the macrobiotic diet, her sensible eating and yoga certainly help to keep her looking young and sexy - essential for both Hollywood actresses and the rest of us alike.

Paris Hilton's Workouts to Get Fit and Toned

There is one thing that generally unites all celebrities, and that is they all work to ensure that they always look good for the cameras. Generally, being a celebrity is about looking perfect, or as close to perfect as possible. OK, some do not fall into this category, but generally unless you are a very well respected male actor, looks are essential. Paris Hilton is an example of this. She is not an respected actress, or a top model, or a television presenter of any great fame, but yet she is well known and chased by the paps. Maybe a few sordid porn videos were her ticket to the celebrity spotlight, but she has built a career, mostly due to her looks and her body. Paris Hilton has become an American "IT" girl, meaning that she is famous for being famous, and hangs out in the social circles of the wealthy and famous. She is not dissimilar to Tara Palmer-Tompinkson in these respects. Paris Hilton actually began modelling as a child, initially at charity events. When she was 19, she signed with Donald Trump's modelling agency, T Management. Hilton has also worked with Ford Models in New York, Models 1 Agency in London, Nous Model Management in Los Angeles, and Premier Model Management in London. She has appeared in numerous advertising campaigns, including Iceberg Vodka, GUESS, Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Dior, and Marciano. In 2001, Hilton began to develop a reputation as a socialite, being identified as "New York's leading It Girl" whose fame was beginning to "extend beyond the New York tabloids". Hilton was voted the second "Worst Celebrity Role Model of 2006", behind Britney Spears. However, saying all that, which is mostly negative, even though she is a multi-million dollar one woman business, she is still human. And many people still aspire to achieving her fame and good looks. So, how do you workout like Paris Hilton? Paris Hilton's fitness instruction mostly comes from trainer Teddy Bass who trains many of Hollywoods celebs. Teddy Bass has toned a lot of famous Hollywood tums, including Christina Applegate and Lucy Liu. He is famous for motivating the stars to greater fitness levels. What does he do? Paris Hilton is unlikely to be seen performing a clean and jerk, or snatch, as hardcore bodybuilding training would not suit someone of such a small frame, but lighter weight training and bodyweight training suits her well. Body weight exercises, such as those of Pilates, help tone and strnegthen without bulking up. Not all celebs want to look like Madonna or Angelina Jolie, many are happy with a slim, petite and feminine figure. Generally the usual core body workouts - weight training, resistance training, and cardio workouts. Even slender framed models do some lifting to stay in shape. But mostly Paris Hilton goes for short intensive cardio sessions. She is reported to practice yoga and Pilates with Mari Winsor at Equinox in Los Angeles. But other than that, it seems that Paris Hilton does not do a lot to stay slim. She once admitted in an interview that she eats "at McDonald's or Taco Bell" and that she generally drinks Red Bull, as she hates the taste of alcohol. So is she healthy? Probably not. Unless she want to portray an image of being an unhealthy celebrity, there is little evidence tat she is indeed fit or healthy. She just seems naturally slim. It was also reported that she did Pilates in jail. In fact, Pilates is the perfect exercise for a jail bird with limited space and no weight training equipment. One source reported that she was doing jumping jacks and her own little Pilates exercises and stretches to keep herself in shape while doing her time. So, how do you get a sexy body like Paris Hilton? The real answer is, you need to have her genes. It seems that she is one of the lucky ones. Maybe it will all backfire on her when she reaches middle age, but for now, she is just naturally talented in the fit body department. The rest is uncertain, as she rarely discusses her fitness, and keeps her training activities confined to her private gyms. One thing is sure, she knows how to stay in shape and show off her body. Paris Hilton has "got it", and she knows how to flaunt it.

David Beckhams Football Fitness Workout

David Beckham is probably the most famous footballer (soccer) of the current day. He has risen through the ranks from a schoolboy hopeful, to team captain, to win caps for England, play in two World Cups, and now helping to increase soccer awareness in the USA, playing for LA Galaxy. But in addition to this, he has become something of an icon, a style guru, and a model for male health and fitness. So, the big question is, how does he do it? How do you get a body like David Beckham? How does he train, what does he eat? Many years ago professional footballers moved on from relying on a few Sunday morning training sessions to get themselves in shape for a game. Superior fitness is now essential in the modern football game. David Beckham's well toned physique is due to three essential components to a perfect body: strength training, cardio/endurance training, and diet/sports nutrition. In some ways David Beckham's body is similar to that of the greatest fitness icon of all time, Bruce Lee. David Beckham has minimal body fat, well toned, but not overly bulky muscles, and a lean and lithe appearance. The three parts to David Beckham's body can be summarized as follows: David Beckham's Diet To ensure fat is kept to an absolute minimum, but muscle can still grow, it is essential to ensure that you have a fast metabolism that burns fat (body fat and dietary fat). To do so requires a well balanced and healthy diet - plenty of green leafy salads, low GI vegetables, lean meats, fish and poultry. Avoiding sugar, high GI carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, flours, sugars, cakes, and general junk food) is essential to keeping the fat off and the metabolism fired up. David Beckham's Strength Training The key to athletic and functional strength is compound weight training. Bodybuilding exercises which focus on individual muscles are only for show. To build functional strength for sports and athletics, compound training is essential. Compound exercises include the dead-lift, squats, bench press, bent-over/cable rows, shoulder presses and standing barbell curls. The picture on the right shows him performing a free weight inclined bench press. As there is no safety cage and no sign of spotters, David is likely to be lifting a lighter weight, with higher reps. This provides more muscular endurance. Most athletes train with heavier weights for increased upper body functional strength, but for footballers, the main strengths are skill with the ball and speed. However, by bench pressing the upper body is kept in muscular balance with the lower body, and overall athleticism is increased. David Beckham's Endurance Training For David Beckham, the bulk of his cardio fitness training probably comes from football training sessions, but supplemented with some running and cycling. The main training routine for footballers is a specific circuit training routine. Footballers include in their arsenal speed work and plyometric training routines, as well as classic old school circuit training, such as shuttle runs, squat thrusts, jumping jacks, skipping, jogging forwards and backwards, plus abs/core workouts and upper-body conditional with crunches, leg raises and press-ups (push ups). Take a look at our circuit training section for more in this type of training. Soccer players require excellent strength and conditioning not only to perform well on the pitch, but also to help prevent injury during a game. Keeping the joints strong and flexible is essential. Here diet plays an important role, and supplementing a diet with cod liver, lucosamine and chondroitin, and other vitamins and minerals is essential to ensure supple but strong joints. Flexibility training is a vital area of physical training, with stretches both before and after workouts. Combine these three elements of training and you can get a body like David Beckham, and strive to perform as well on the pitch as he does. We cannot help you with looks and style, but for fitness, endurance and strength, this should get you on track to have a "Beckham Body".

How Do Celebrities Stay Fit?

Oprah Winfrey used the "Total Body Makeover" from personal trainer Bob Greene. Lauren Graham does four-mile runs on the treadmill. Kirstie Alley lost more than 50 pounds on the Jenny Craig Plan. Jennifer Garner of Alias enjoys martial arts workouts and.... Halle Berry follows a nutrition and fitness routine known as 5-Factor Fitness. Celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, and Meg Ryan follow the teachings of Hollywood's most sought after fitness expert: Michael George. In fact, Michael has helped sculpt some of the best bodies in Hollywood. However, his programs are certainly not for the weak of heart. To get an actress ready for the big screen, he perscribes a strict diet, five days of weight training per week and six days of cardio. Like many of today's nutritional experts, he promotes eating five small meals per day versus two or three large meals. By eating every three hours, the metabolism is put into overdrive, helping the body to burn fat at an optimal level. Other fitness celebrities swear by the power of Pilates. Rebecca Romijin is one of them. In fact, she's been doing Pilates for the past seven or eight years. She also works the treadmill and the elliptical machine for about 40 minutes each. Julia Roberts shed much of her extra weight after pregnancy with regular Pilates workouts. Other celebrities using this incredible workout routine include Madonna, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Anniston and many more. One of the most popular celebrity fitness trainers is Kathy Kaehler, who has trained the likes of Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Ellen Degeneres, and others. To get Julia Roberts ready for her role in America's Sweethearts, Kathy designed a program centered around strength training, Yoga, and Pilates. Kathy Kaehler also helped Drew Barrymore get in peak shape for her role in Charlie's Angels. Although exercise is certainly an important part of staying in peak shape. You will never reach your fitness goals without proper nutrition. While starring in the popular TV show "Friends", Jennifer Anniston chose the Zone Diet to look her best on screen. The Zone diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears and promotes eating a ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat. He advises you choose low-starch fruits and vegetables as your carbs and lean protein sources as well as healthy fats. Pork and red meat are certainly not on this menu. So, do these whole foods and healthy portions work? I'd say so, and I think Jennifer would agree, along with other celebrities who have used this diet, including Renee Zellweger and Cindy Crawford. However, keep in mind that not every body is the same. Some have a lower tolerance of carbohydrates and may have to limit their carbs more than others. The key is finding out what works for you and forming good habits that last a lifetime. OK, so how about the men? They are also working hard to keep their bodies camera-ready. However, their workout routines look very different from the women. Let's take Bruce Lee as an example. He not only has an incredible physique, but also incredible strength and style. Here is one of his favorite workout routines: Shoulders: Clean and presses: 2 sets, 8 reps Lats: Barbell pullovers: 2 sets, 8 reps Biceps: Barbell curls: 2 sets, 8 reps Chest: Bench-presses: 2 sets, 6 reps Lower Back/Glutes/Hams: Good mornings: 2 sets, 8 reps Quads: Squats: 2 sets, 12 reps Abs: Waist Twists: 4 sets, 90 repetitions; Sit up Twist: 4 sets, 20 repetitions; Leg Raises: 4 sets, 20 repetitions; Leaning Twist: 4 sets, 50 repetitions Bruce Lee would perform this weight-lifting workout every other day while filling the rest of his time with stretching and aerobics. And then there's LL Cool J. Certainly a very different style than Bruce Lee, but his physique is incredible. What's the answer to his huge biceps and ripped abs? Hard Work. Heavy Lifting. Strict Diet. LL Cool J does lots of cardio, weightlifting and boxing. He also works in lots of pushups and a lot of running. In fact, he's running 12 miles per day. Although you don't have to go to these extremes to stay slim and fit. A healthy lifestyle certainly requires dedication. Healthy habits are the key to a lifetime of fitness, energy, and vitality.

Workout Like Jason Bourne

Matt Damon's character, Jason Bourne, from the Bourne Trilogy, is in fantastic shape. In the films Jason Bourne combines weight training with intensive cardio exercise to maintain his fitness and strength. Although we can only speculate whether Matt Damon performs a similar workout as seen in the films, there are several clues that can be gathered to help guess what Jason Bourne / Matt Damon do to get in such good shape. At first appearance Matt Damon does not seem to be your typical body-builder/athlete. However he is in excellent shape in the Bourne films, and in earlier films such as Good Will Hunting (co-written by Matt Damon), there are clues to his fitness regime. For example, on Will Hunting's first meeting with Sean Maguire they discuss weight training, specifically bench press. Sean Maguire makes a joke about Jazzercise, and Will asks him "Do you lift?" (meaning lift weights), and he says that he does. Will asks if he uses Nautilus (a popular brand of home gym equipment), and Sean says "free weights". Most serious weight training enthusiasts use free weights rather than resistance machines. Will confirms that he too uses free weights, and then asks "What do you bench?". Sean benches 285 (pounds) which is equivalent of 130kg. Will is impressed with this. So, what can we determine from this? Well, if the script were written by anyone else, then it would not really mean much at all. But as the script was written by Matt Damon, it is very possible that this is an insight into Matt Damon's training philosophy, i.e. train with free weights, and go heavy, with powerful compound weight training exercises taking precedence over high rep resistance weight training. But this is Matt Damon from his time before making Good Will Hunting in 1997. The Bourne Identity was made in 2002, and the final film, the Bourne Ultimatum, in 2007. 10 years have passed since Good Will Hunting, and Matt Damon has bulked up considerably. He has the physique of someone that has continued to concentrate on weight training, with some emphasis compound training as well as bulking the upper body, with plenty of bicep curls, tricep extensions, and shoulder/bench presses. In the first film, the Bourne Identity, a free weights bench, set in the inclined position, can be seen in one of his apartments. Once again the free weights are out, and bench presses seems to be "advertised" as his preferred exercise. However, judging by his biceps, Jason Bourne also works hard on his arms as well as chest. The second film of the Bourne series, The Bourne Supremacy, starts with Jason Bourne sprinting flat out along a beach in India. Jason Bourne spends a lot of his time running, so cardio fitness is essential. One of the best ways to improve cardiovascular fitness is through interval training. Long distance jogging is not the best method, as the body falls into a slow, steady rhythm. With interval training, where periods of gentle exercise are interspersed with periods of extreme energy, such as sprinting, the entire cardiorespiratory system is pushed to its limits. If you doubt the effect of extreme high intensity training, then consider how exhausted 200m runners are after 20 seconds of extreme exercise. Even Athletes at the absolute prime of their fitness can become exhausted in a very short time when performing high intensity training. Jason Bourne's weight training workout would probably be something like this: Squats Deadlifts Bench Press Shoulder Press Bent Over Rows Pull Ups / Lateral Pulldowns Chin Ups / Bicep Curls Tricep Extensions Jason Bourne is also an excellent fighter, so martial arts would play a role in his training. In an interview during the making of The Bourne Identity, Matt Damon used boxing training and Kali style martial arts (Escrima), which is a martial art from the Philippines involving a lot of grappling and breaking and ground work, as well as standard strikes. "I learned to box because Doug had a theory that I thought was really interesting and turned out to be right. He wanted Bourne to walk like a boxer because he felt there was a real economy of movement in the way those guys carry themselves, an assuredness in their posture. I'd never boxed before but I had six months to learn. I went and trained and it really changed my body and even the way I walked a little bit." Matt Damon. Matt Damon confirmed that he continued his boxing training after the filming of Bourne Identity, as he enjoyed it so much. Boxing is an excellent way to get fit, especially if you train like a boxer - read our article on Training Like a Boxer for more information. Jason Bourne has in some ways surpassed the likes of James Bond and Bruce Lee as the ultimate action hero, as he combines all the aspects of a action hero - fitness, strength, fighting and intelligence. He is as cunning as James Bond and as lethal as Bruce Lee, and a good looking guy too. To be like him, you have to train like him - martial arts, weight training and extreme interval training.

Beyoncé's Maple Syrup Diet

Recently in the news was talk of how Beyoncé Knowles lost weight quickly for her role in the film Dreamgirls. Beyoncé went on what is more commonly known as the Maple Syrup Diet, which is in fact a form of fasting, rather than dieting. Beyoncé's Maple Syrup Diet simply involves eating no solid food at all. Instead, a mixture of lemon juice, Grade B/Medium Maple Syrup, water and Cayenne pepper is drunk. This mix can be taken cold, as a cordial, or hot, as a tea. The mix contains some essential vitamins and minerals. As solid food is not eaten it is necessary to help the digestive system eliminate material and avoid constipation. This is achieved in two ways: laxative tea is taken every night, and in the morning, 32 ounces of lukewarm sea salt water serves as a top-down enema. This passes through the digestive system extremely quickly—30-60 minutes. The diet is for a recommended minimum of ten days, although it is not uncommon for people to stay on the cleanse for longer periods of time. Fasting for such long periods requires careful breaking, as intestinal cultures need to re-develop and mucus linings re-build. This usually involves drinking "full strength" juices for a day or two, while slowly adding in soups, then fruit, vegetables and nuts before resuming a regular diet. This fast break is an ideal time to add probiotics to re-establish a healthy intestinal culture. Beyoncé's Maple Syrup Diet is said by Stanley Burroughs and later authors to eliminate toxins and congestion that have built up in the body. Because it is not a complete source of macro-nutrients, it should be considered as another form of fasting, rather than a diet. Supporters of the Maple Syrup Diet have credited it with helping them lose weight, increase energy, and even alleviate some chronic diseases. Some in the entertainment industry have misunderstood fasting as a weight loss diet. Recently, the Maple Syrup Diet received media attention as a result of being embraced by some celebrities. The singer/actress Beyoncé did it for 14 days and lost 22 lb (9 kg) for her role in the 2006 movie Dreamgirls. Howard Stern's cohost Robin Quivers claims to have lost 73 lb using the Master Cleanse. Similarly, Jared Leto says he lost the weight he gained to play 'Mark David Chapman' (he gained 62 lb) all from the Maple Syrup Diet The Different Juice Fasting Stages of Detoxification Stage 1 (Day 1 To Day 2) On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl. To restore the blood to the normal glucose level, liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood. This reserve is enough for half a day. The body then reduces the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The rate of internal chemical activity in resting tissue is lowered to conserve energy. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen is pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, bad breath, glazed eyes and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period unless the enema is used which quickly assists the body into the fasting state by ending digestion in the colon. Stage 2 (Day 3 To Day 7) Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the glyceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. Ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats. It is suspected that the ketones in the blood suppress the appetite by affecting the food-satiety centre in the hypothalamus. You may feel hungry for the first few days of the fast. This effect is temporary. The desire to eat will disappear. Lack of hunger may last 40 to 60 days, depending on whether you are on water or juice. The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing and healing. White blood cell and immune system activity increases. You may feel pain in your lungs. The cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. Periodically, the lymphatic system expels mucous matter through the nose or throat. The volume excreted of this yellow-coloured mucus can be shocking. The sinuses go through periods of being clogged, then will totally clear. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted faeces on the intestinal wall start to loosen. Stage 3 (Day 8 to Day 15) On the latter part of an extended fast, you can experience enhanced energy, clear-mindedness and feel better than you have felt since childhood. On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body's increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 years before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body's ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle. If you lived on a junk-food diet, the body's natural healing ability was compromised. During fasting, the body's healing process is at optimum efficiency. As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older, damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a re occurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain is good as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected, as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth. Daily gargling with salt and water will prevent or heal cankers. Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30) The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homoeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time. Memory and concentration improve. Stage 5 (Breaking the Fast) The sticky, toxic, mucous coating on the intestinal wall is loose, and the first meal frees it from the intestinal wall. Toxins enter the blood through the colon. The gallbladder dumps its waste in a heavy discharge of bile. This can cause an instant bowel movement upon eating followed by intense diarrhoea. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, an enema will help. Some critics point to lack of essential nutrients in Beyoncé's Maple Syrup Diet, citing a deficiency of protein, vitamins, and minerals. As a result of these deficiencies, individuals on the diet may experience dizziness, delirium, and fainting in the short term, with possible damage to the body occurring in longer-term applications. Many authors assert the benefits of fasting are related to its lack of nutrients, particularly macronutrients. People with intestinal conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome may experience added discomfort while on the cleanse. There is a risk that the saltwater flush may remove both beneficial and harmful bacteria from the body. A no-food diet may cause the gut to stop passing food, resulting in constipation, or may make the consumption of food immediately after the fast painful. These are the important reasons to follow the fasts' instructions correctly. Beyoncé Knowles said of her decision to adopt the Maple Syrup diet: "My nutritionist suggested the only way to do that was the maple syrup fast. As soon as it was over, I gained the weight back. "I'm very conscious of being a curvy woman and I'm very happy that I am a curvy woman." She added: "I would never recommend it to anyone unless you are doing a movie and it's necessary, and you have proper help." Remember that people like Beyonce Knowles have a great incentive to lose weight fast, as this ensures that they win contracts to appear in films, commercials and television. These diets are not really that healthy, and it is recommended that a longer term approach to weight loss is taken. Crash diets can be a useful way to kick-start yourself into a healthy lifestyle, as quick results can give you the boost of confidence that is often needed. However, they should not be considered long term solutions to weight problems. We recommend a good balance of healthy diet and regular exercise. Also, remember to consult your family doctor before embarking on a period fasting or extreme dieting. If you revert to your old ways after this fast, you will gain nothing, and maybe actually put on more weight. Yoyo dieting is not good for your health, and cannot be sustained long term. Eat healthy, exercise hard.

Daniel Craig and Brad Pitt Workouts

Daniel Craig is the new icon for the ideal male body. Back in 1999, in the movie Fight Club, Brad Pitt attained the ideal physique. It has been 9 years, but I would say that James Bond might be the new role model for men to shoot for. While both have similar physiques, Daniel Craig carries a little more muscle. For a physique like Brad Pitt, I would recommend splitting your time working out to 25% lifting and 75% cardio. The James Bond Workout would emphasize lifting more 40% lifting and 60% cardio. Daniel Craig's Nutrition for the James Bond Body James Bond is packing a bit more muscle than Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt's Character) did in Fight Club. When Daniel Craig was interviewed about his diet before Casino Royale, he said he was on a high protein diet. Brad Pitt was on the Zone Diet, before Fight Club. The Zone Diet recommends that 30% of daily caloric intake comes from protein. For the James Bond workout, I would bump that number up to 50% and cut back on carbs and fat a bit. James Bond Should Eat More Calories Than Tyler Durden Make no mistake about it, Brad Pitt had very low body fat for Fight Club. I am good at estimating body fat percentage and I would say that Brad's percentage in Fight Club was around 4-6%. In Casino Royale, James Bond looks closer to 8% body fat. While both are impressive, Daniel had it a bit easier. In order to get down to the 5% body fat range, you really have to keep calories low. Since James Bond was bigger and more of a realistic body fat percentage, he could allow himself to eat more than Tyler Durden. For the James Bond Workout plan, you could eat 6 meals per day with ample protein and low carbs. Compared to Tyler Durden, James Bond has it good. I guarantee you that Tyler Durden eats much less than James Bond, probably 4 really low calorie meals per day. Moderate Cardio for the James Bond Workout In order to get down below 6% body fat like Tyler Durden, you need to really concentrate on High Intensity Interval Training to naturally increase your HGH levels. In addition to that, you need to perform moderate cardio for longer periods of time. For the James Bond Workout, you probably will be able to skip the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). To maintain 8% body fat, you can get away with sticking to the traditional moderate intensity cardio for 30-45 minutes or so after each workout. In the James Bond Workout, you will only need to add High Intensity Cardio, if you reach a sticking point in burning body fat. The James Bond Workout, Shaken Not Stirred! About the Author: Rusty Moore is an avid trainer who gives advice to men and women who want a physique that attracts the opposite sex. While most trainers focus on gaining as much muscle mass as possible, Rusty focuses on the lean "sleek model look". For men who want the build of Brad Pitt -or- Matthew Mcconaughey and women who want the build of Jessica Alba -or- Jessica Beil, Visit his Website by Clicking this link... Lean Muscle Fitness

Sylvester Stallone's Strength Workouts

Sylvester Stallone is one of modern cinema's great action heroes. He first shot to fame in Rocky in 1976, and then continued his success through the Rocky franchise as well as the Rambo series, which started with the drawing of First Blood in 1982. Stallone's physical appearance altered significantly between his first and second Rambo films, from 1982 to 1985. Sly Stallone actually only started working out for Rambo: First Blood Part II, six weeks before filming started. He hired Franco Columbu, an Olympic weight lifter who won the title Mr. Olympia several times from 1974 to 1981, to help him bulk up and develop his muscular body that he became most famous for in Rambo: First Blood Part II and the later Rocky films. Sylvester Stallone's weight training routines were intensive, and therefore split over the week. He also trained twice a day, training different body parts each time. To undertake such a training program strict adherence to diet, rest, sleep and good form in training is essential to avoid over-training and injury. Stallone's Split Training Schedule: On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays he split his training into two sessions per day as follows: Morning: Chest, back and abs workouts, including bench presses, lateral pull downs and crunches. Afternoon: Shoulders, arms and more abs, including military presses, lateral raises, bicep curls and tricep extensions, and more crunches and leg raises. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays he also trained morning and afternoon; Morning: Calves and thighs, including calf raises and squats. Afternoon: Rear deltoids, traps and more abs, including rear delt / bent-over rows, shoulder presses, upright rows and more crunches. Stallone's routine was a very intensive six days per week with a double split, which is the style of weight training that professional bodybuilders use when competing - not surprising seeing that he employed a professional bodybuilder to guide him. Sly followed a standard 8-12 repetition with 3-4 sets pattern. He did 3 to 4 exercises per body part. Each day he varied the exercises using instinctive training, to keep the muscles form falling into a routine, and ensuring a plateaux was not reached too soon. He also exercised his abs furiously, with abdominal routines daily. His ab routine consisted of a total of 1000 repetitions, by training four different areas with combinations of sit-ups, leg raises, side leg raises and side bends. Often 50 reps of each exercise would be done for each for 5 sets, i.e. 5 sets of 200 exercises. This was old school circuit training done to the extreme, which any military training instructor / drill sergeant would be proud of. Sylvester Stallone learnt how to train like a professional with the help of Franco Columbu, and he built on these training routines throughout his career to build himself up into one of Hollywood's greatest action heroes. In 2002 he brought out a book on fitness and weight training, called Sly Moves. Here is one readers review of the book: "I am a fitness instructor and a huge "rocky" fan and wanted to see what sly recommended in his training guide. As expected we get the usual, "exercise changed my life" comments and a few really interesting insights from the man who was once named "body of the 80's". The book itself is excellent reading, with good exercises. Even the diet is humane, with none of the "egg-whites only" expected from a Hollywood star, and he even recommends seeing a trainer before beginning the exercises shown. All in all, thoughroughly worth buying, please write more SLY!" Buy in the UK / Buy in the USA Slyvester Stallone's is certainly one of the 20th Century's great action heroes, and by following his workouts and nutrition advice, you too can sculpt the body of an action hero.

Sienna Miller Working Out for Baroness role in GI Joe

Sienna Miller, the 26 year old actress most famous for her role in Stardust, is currently in London training to improve her physique in readiness for her part as The Baroness, head of COBRA Intelligence Operations, in the new film GI Joe. Prior to her professional acting career, Miller worked as a photographic model, and featured on the covers of Vogue and Vanity Fair. In one controversial publication of Vanity Fair Sienna Miller posed topless while smoking a cigarette. Sienna Miller is most famous for her party lifestyle, but has started an intensive four month fitness and weight training program to build muscle and tone up to play a muscle-bound soldier. Sienna Miller has been called a "size zero" actress, so beefing up will take a lot of hard work and determination. It was reported today that Sienna Miller has already put on five pounds (2.5kg) of muscle, and her biceps are already showing good improvement. She is receiving professional training from a former MI6 agent. Her training schedule includes an hour of boxing everyday with a boxing instructor. In addition to Sienna Miller's boxing workouts, she is also following an intensive weight training program, with emphasis on legs, arms and shoulders, to build core strength and develop the physique similar to a real female soldier. Focus is likely to be on squats to build and strengthen the thighs and glutes, and other free weight compound exercises such as rows, lateral pull downs and bench presses to build core strength. Sienna Miller is reported to be somewhat alarmed at the speed at which she started growing muscle after the training began, but now lovers her chest as her breasts are getting larger as a result of working on the chest machines. Her boyfriend Rhys Ifans has said that he loves her new athletic figure too. If you wish to follow in her footsteps, check out our boxing workouts and beginners weight training articles. Find more information on IMDB's GI Joe page.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout

Arnold Schwarzenegger was certainly the greatest bodybuilder of his time, and will be remembered as one of the greatest bodybuilders of the 20th Century. His movie career has immortalized his body in a way that no other world class bodybuilder has accomplished. He won the Mr. Olympia 6 years running from 1970, beating Franco Columbu (who Sly Stallone employed for his training) in his final contest of 1975. The following weight training routine is one that Arnold Schwarzenegger used later in his career. It is typical of the training style that Arnold Schwarzenegger preferred, i.e. many sets, lots of work, lots of time in the gym. 1. Arnold Schwarzenegger Chest Exercises: Bench press - 5 sets, 6-10 reps ; Flat bench flies - 5 sets, 6-10 reps ; Incline bench press - 6 sets, 6-10 reps ; Cable crossovers - 6 sets, 10-12 reps ; Dips - 5 sets, to failure ; Dumbbell pullovers - 5 sets, 10-12 reps 2. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Back Exercise: Front wide-grip chin-ups - 6 sets, to failure ; T-bar rows - 5 sets, 6-10 reps ; Seated pulley rows - 6 sets, 6-10 reps ; One-arm dumbbell rows - 5 sets, 6-10 reps ; Straight-leg deadlifts - 6 sets, 15 reps 3. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Legs: Squats - 6 sets, 8-12 reps ; Leg presses - 6 sets, 8-12 reps Leg extensions - 6 sets, 12-15 reps ; Leg curls - 6 sets, 10-12 reps Barbell lunges - 5 sets, 15 reps 4. Arnold Schwarzenegger Calves: Standing calf raises -10 sets, 10 reps ; Seated calf raises - 8 sets, 15 reps One-legged calf raises (holding dumbbells) - 6 sets,12 reps 5. Arnold Schwarzenegger Forearms: Wrist curls (forearms on knees) - 4 sets, 10 reps ; Reverse barbell curls - 4 sets, 8 reps Wright roller machine - to failure 6. Arnold Schwarzenegger Biceps Workout: Barbell curls - 6 sets, 6-10 reps Seated dumbbell curls - 6 sets, 6-10 reps Dumbbell concentration curls - 6 sets, 6-10 reps 7. Arnold Schwarzenegger Triceps Exercises: Close-grip bench presses (for the all three heads) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps Pushdowns (exterior head) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps ; Barbell French presses (interior head) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps ; One-arm dumbbell triceps extensions (exterior head) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps 8. Arnold Schwarzenegger Shoulder Training: Seated barbell presses - 6 sets, 6-10 reps ; Lateral raises (standing) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps Rear-delt lateral raises - 5 sets, 6-10 reps ; Cable lateral raises - 5 sets, 10-12 reps For more authoritative information on Arnold Schwarzenegger workouts, we recommend that you purchase one of his many books on weight training - Arnold Schwarzenegger Books

Bruce Lee, The Greatest Martial Arts Action Hero

Before Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme, there was Bruce Lee. In a way, it is a real shame that many of today’s generation of action film fans have never been exposed to Bruce Lee because he was perhaps the greatest martial arts action hero of all time. His martial arts on film may not have been as fancy as say Jackie Chan’s or Jet Li’s but his on screen ferocity and charisma are unequalled. Even more important was the impact on martial arts that Bruce Lee had which still endures today even over 30 years since his passing. Bruce Lee always considered himself a martial artist first and an actor second. As a martial artist, he was way ahead of his time in developing his own style of martial arts he called Jeet Kune Do. His martial arts incorporated the most practical techniques from various combative disciplines as he moved away from the traditional and classical techniques. His martial arts abilities were real and respected by other prominent martial artists like Jhoon Rhee, Chuck Norris, Ed Parker and Joe Lewis. His name was inducted into the prestigious Black Belt Hall of Fame twice, once while he was alive and the other after his death. These are honors that no other martial arts action hero has ever come close to. Martial arts schools in North America enjoyed a huge growth in enrollment because of Bruce Lee. North America got an early glimpse of Bruce Lee when he played Kato in the Green Hornet television series and a bit role in the movie Marlowe. He went to Hong Kong and made a few films like Fists of Fury (called the Big Boss in the Asia market) and the Chinese Connection which made him a huge star in Asia. Bruce Lee also wrote, directed and starred in his own movie production called the Way of the Dragon which featured perhaps one of the greatest martial arts fight scenes ever. This scene took place in the Roman Coliseum and was with Chuck Norris which gave Norris his first film start. It was Enter the Dragon that broke him to North America. Unfortunately, he died tragically at the age of 32 in 1973 before he was able to witness the success of that movie. At the time of Lee’s death, he had completed the fight scenes for another movie called Game of Death which featured basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabar, who was actually one of his martial arts students. Other students of Bruce Lee included actors Steve McQueen and James Coburn. Game of Death was completed with look-alike actors later on. One of the most significant contributions Bruce Lee made is that he opened the door for other Asians in the entertainment industry worldwide. He was the first Asian to achieve any significant success in the North American entertainment scene. He became a star in North America and the rest of the world by playing heroes rather than past stereotype roles for Asians such as like servants, gangsters, laundry workers or other ‘pigtail coolie’ characters. On an even greater scale, Bruce Lee gave Asians, particularly the Chinese people worldwide, a reason to be proud. Bruce Lee influenced them to be confident in pushing forward to achieve their goals no matter what field they were in. Related Articles Bruce Lee's Diet Bruce Lee's Strength Training Workout Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do Find a Kung-fu School

Bruce Lee's Abs Workouts

This article describes Bruce Lee's exercise regime, and specifically his abdominal exercises. The main rules are: Diet is the most important thing when building abs. Learn how to eat in order to build muscle and keep off fat. The Atkins approach is a great way to lose the fat. Losing fat is the second key. If you have a layer of fat over your abs you will never see them no matter how good they are. Work your abs like any other muscle. Add weight constantly so you don't stagnate. Bruce Lee Abs Tips Bruce Lee himself often used to comment on how he trained his abs. In doing so he helped people build their own. One of the best tips that he offered and which has been tried and tested is that one should always curl your body up as if rolling up a newspaper when doing a crunch. Do not sit up and down like a see-saw but curl your upper body up starting with your head, then neck, then chest. Keep your abdominals engaged (tensed) and your attention focussed on them at all times. Do not simply go through the motions. Bruce Lee’s Success with Abs Training In addition to what we have learnt from Bruce Lee, there have been many other tried and tested methods of exercising and bodybuilding. Here is a summary of the concepts required for developing excellent abs: Bruce Lee preformed both cardio and weight training (high and low intensity) every single day. In doing this he lost a lot of muscle but mainly he burned off fat. This was the main reason that his abs looked so good. There was barely a shred of fat covering them. Bruce ate a good diet and a lot of protein. He was an advocate of eating a post workout protein shake and used to experiment with lots of different ingredients. Recent research has proven that post workout shakes drunk within 30 minutes of exercise provide maximum benefit. He did a lot of martial arts and was especially adept at kicking. Lots of the muscles used to power a kick come from the stomach region and as such he worked his abs out in different ways. He was constantly changing his abs routine which kept his abs guessing and helped him to achieve a very complete development. With the new year comes new challenges. If one of your goals is to attain well defined abdominal muscles, then the Bruce Lee Abs Workout is a great place to start. Also check out the details of Bruce Lee's diet and Bruce Lee's weight training routine. Find a Kung-fu School