Cross-training instantly adds spice to a stale fitness program. Here’s how it can work for you.

Cross-training is a combination of two or more kinds of fitness training. If this is starting to sound complicated or expensive – don’t worry. Cross-training is an easy way to instantly bring variety to a stale fitness program, no matter if you are just looking to live a more healthy lifestyle or even if you are a serious, hardcore athlete who is looking for a more challenging training regimen.

So, just what is cross-training?

If you are tired with the same old boring workout, you are at a loss to lose those last 10 pounds or you are geared up to bring a better level of fitness to your exercise program, cross-training will help you reach your fitness goals. Examine these ways to add cross-training to your fitness program:

Multiple physical activities. In this strategy for cross-training, two or more kinds of activity are combined with the same fitness goal in mind — like aerobic conditioning — in the very same training session. Example: swimming twenty laps before your morning fitness boot camp.

Rotating days. Another strategy, you should choose is to rotate two or more kinds of physical activities during the week. Example: jog on Monday and Wednesday and play racquetball on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

It’s best to choose the kinds of physical activities that you like and make them an integral part of your exercise plan.

And, what will be the pay-off for cross-training?

Cross-training definitely will enhance your overall performance and fitness, but wait, there’s more:

• Keeps you healthy and injury free. Cross-training alternates the stresses on your body giving your bones, muscles and joints a rest from stresses that come from too many repeated motions. Rotating between high-impact activities, like running, and low-impact activities, like  swimming, will help you avoid repetitive injuries and reduces the risk of overall injuries.
• Keeps you motivated. Exercise is always more fun when you are switching up your activities every day. Variety is the key to sticking with your fitness program.
• Blasts extra calories. By continually challenging your body with a cross-training program, you will burn more calories overall. Your improved health and fitness will produce better overall performance numbers.
• Gives you fitness options. If your racquetball racket breaks, you can still bicycle. If you strain your ankle, you probably still be able to swim laps.

Sounds great, how do I start cross-training?

To start a cross-training program, make a strategy based on physical activities and sports that you love. Above all, be creative! Think outside the gym, in addition to walking, swimming and cycling, don’t forget that you can get a great workout from physical activities likes dancing, jumping rope and fitness boot camp. Ideally, your exercise regimen should include variations of aerobic conditioning, resistance training, strength training and flexibility.

With your strategy in place, choose your physical activities and make sure you have good quality gear, including appropriate athletic shoes for specific fitness activities. Begin slowly, allow your body to adapt. Regularly pace your fitness sessions throughout the week and avoid consecutive days of high-impact exercise. As with any quality fitness program, always warm up before your workouts and cool down and stretch afterwards.

If you have always wanted to cross-train, have at it! You will find that experimenting with different exercise strategies and schedules will keep you moving and grooving.

—Michael Arnone is the TigerFit Blog Health and Fitness Writer & Fitness Ambassador for Tiger Fitness Los Angeles.
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The Cheat Meal should be an Integral Part of Your Diet and Exercise Program…Here are some strategies.

I love to look forward to a weekly cheat meal, but it can easily get out of control and can lead to a whole day or whole weekend binge if you are not careful. Though very occasionally it’s OK to have a whole day binge (holiday’s, vacations, etc), 14 times out of 15 times I eat normally for breakfast and lunch and at dinner—I let it fly. As long as you limit it to just one meal per week, it will not have any negative effect and you have something fun to look forward to each week. Try to eat something bad that is very, very good—ie: the best pizza, fried chicken, ice cream, burger or baby back ribs that you can find! My current favorite is a slab of baby back ribs at Baby Blues Bar-B-Q – in Venice. Mmmm!

From my experience, this meal actually helps you to continue weight loss by sending signals to your brain/body that these foods are not that rare and it’s OK to use your body fat stores for energy (my progress is always better when I have a cheat meal). Also, timing is important, it’s better to have a cheat meal at dinner because after that you will go to sleep—having a binge at lunch can easily lead to a binge dinner too…believe me it happens.

Good cheating!

—Michael Arnone is the TigerFit Blog Health and Fitness Writer & Fitness Ambassador for Tiger Fitness Los Angeles.
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Want to Lose 10, 20, even 50 pounds – and keep it off forever? Adopt these ultimate weight loss strategies now!

You already know that thousands of fad diets and rapid weight-loss scams promise quick and effortless weight loss results. But the basis of every successful, permanent weight-loss strategy still includes a healthy, low-calorie diet combined with a comprehensive exercise program. You must make permanent changes to your lifestyle and stop your bad habits in order to lose significant weight and permanently keep it off. So, how do you make your lifestyle changes permanent?

The 6 Ultimate Strategies:

1. Decide to Be Healthy

Permanent, lifelong weight loss does not just “happen”, it is a conscious decision that takes time and effort. Weight control requires focus and an enduring commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Be sure that you are ready to take on permanent lifestyle changes and that you are making this choice for all the right reasons. Nobody and nothing else can make you lose the pounds. The fact is, outside pressure — from family, friends and mates — makes you much more likely to resist change. The only reason for you to make diet and exercise changes must be to make yourself healthier and happier. While you are creating new lifestyle changes, it is important to try and resolve related problems in your life. Changing your habits takes a lot of mental and physical energy, so make sure you are not distracted by life issues that can derail your progress. Success timing is the key to your success. Be sure you are prepared to take on the serious challenges of weight loss and lifestyle change.

2. Choose Your Support System Wisely

Help yourself lose weight by taking complete responsibility for your lifestyle choices. However,  that does not mean that you must do everything by yourself. When you need an extra push, get support from your mate, friends and family. Choose people you know who really want you to be successful and who will keep you on track. Better yet, choose people who care about your feelings and challenges, will workout with you, and who share the priority you have placed on creating a healthy lifestyle.

3. Steady Short-Term Goals Win the Race

When you are deciding what results you would like from your new eating and exercise program, be completely realistic. Successful, long-lasting weight loss is a slow and steady process. Healthy weight loss translates to 1 to 2 pounds per week. In order to accomplish this, you will need to burn between 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume every day, by eating a low-calorie diet combined with regular exercise. Create “action goals,” like working out on a regular basis, instead of “end-result goals,” such as losing 40 pounds. By making steady changes to your habits, this will become your foundation for permanent weight loss. Again, make sure that your action goals are attainable, focused and measurable, for example, you’ll jog for 45 minutes a day, 4 days a week.

4. Re-Discover Healthy Food

By adopting a new eating program that encourages weight loss you must lower your total calorie consumption. But reducing your calories does not mean giving up flavor, fulfillment or even simplicity of meal preparation. You can immediately lower your caloric intake by eating a lot more plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A variety of foods is the key achieving your weight loss goals without having to give up either nutrition or taste.

5. Move-it, Move-it, Move-it!

Dieting by itself can help you lose weight. Removing 500 calories from your daily caloric intake can help you drop about one pound per week: (3,500 calories equals one pound of body fat). However, when you add a 55- to 65-minute vigorous walk 4 days per week, you can actually double your weight loss. The goal of exercise is to burn more calories for weight loss, but exercise offers many, many other healthful benefits. However many calories that you burn is dependent on the duration, frequency, and intensity of your workout program. The the best ways to lose body fat is through interval training (combining walking and sprinting) and aerobic training (such as walking or jogging) — for more than 40 minutes for most days per week. Though regular aerobic exercise is optimal for fat loss, all types of movement helps burn calories. A variety of lifestyle activities makes it easier to fit exercise into your day. Create strategies that help you increase your physical activity throughout your day. Example: take extra trips up and down stairs, park farther away from your destination and take walking meetings at work.

6. True Healthy Lifestyle Change

Temporarily eating nutritious foods and exercising for just a few weeks or even several months will not create permanent weight loss. You have to adopt these behaviors permanently into your lifestyle. In order do that, you must to change every behavior that contributed to making you overweight. Lifestyle changes begin with taking a truthful look at your dietary habits and daily exercise routine.  Examine your individual challenges to weight loss and design a strategy to slowly alter habits and feelings that have sabotaged your past weight loss efforts. Admitting your own challenges will not get you past them entirely, but it will help you plan ahead, control them and help you finally succeed in permanent weight loss. You probably will have the occasional setback. Instead of giving up, start fresh the very next day. Never forget that you are making important lifestyle changes and it will not happen all at once. Just stick to your healthy new lifestyle and soon your long-term results will all be worth it.

—Michael Arnone is the TigerFit Blog Health and Fitness Writer & Fitness Ambassador for Tiger Fitness Los Angeles.
TigerFitnessLA.com TigerFitPersonalTraining.com TigerFitBootCamp.com TigerFitBlog.com

Click to check out How Alexis Lost 50 Pounds of Body Fat
While Being a Busy Mom with 2 Very Active Boys! >>

Fitness Tip: Visualize Clearly and Often – Design your new body in your mind first. You cannot achieve your idea of the perfect body if you don’t have an idea of what the perfect body means to you. Take 10 minutes when you are sure not to be disturbed by people or phone calls, get comfortable, fully relax, and then begin to dream about what you will look like when you have achieved your goal. Be specific, what will your calves look like, your legs, your butt, your lower back, your stomach, your chest, your upper back, your shoulders, your neck and your face. Then review this image as often throughout each day as possible (never less than 3x/day).

Exercise of the day: The Ball Tummy Flattener is the perfect fitness ball movement to help tone and tighten your midsection area.

The All New & Improved…Tiger Fitness Los Angeles!

The premiere Personal Training and Boot Camp Company in Los Angeles and surrounding cities has just massively expanded it’s fitness programs with a whole gym bag full of FAT BURNING, MUSCLE TONING, CORE STRENGTHENING AND BODY REVITALIZING fitness programs!

The NEW TigerFit Personal Training System is the ultimate program for building the beach ready body that you want. You will experience muscle building improvements and weight loss results that you have not seen in years, if ever. Fat will burn, muscle will tone, energy will increase and your body will transform back into its youthful shape. You will finally be able to pull that belt a few holes tighter and make your skinny jeans your regular jeans. It’s that effective, it’s that amazing.

The best part of the system is that it is adabtable and flexible. We have applied the dynamic principles of the TigerFit Personal Training System to three high-octane fitness programs that run the gamut from one-on-one to group training, from outdoor to indoor, from affordable to premium.

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TigerFit Advanced Personal Training

For people that need the one-on-one attention that having your own personal trainer provides. Clients are always amazed how easily they get into incredible shape with this system. With Advanced Personal Training there is no guess work, and most importantly, you don’t have to go it alone. With a seasoned professional by your side, guaranteeing your success, results tend to come faster.

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T3 Small-Group Personal Training

For clients that want to workout with a few friends. Each T3 session is a small group, limited to 3-6 clients, with similar fitness focus (weight loss, bridal party tune-up, etc). The best part is the training costs are shared while you attain your fitness goals. You can put together your own group or I can match you with other fitness minded people that share your goal.

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TigerFit Boot Camp

TigerFit Boot Camp is perfect for clients looking for a team-oriented, alternative fitness experience. We call our boot camp a kitchen sink fitness program because we throw in everything that we can think of; challenging body weight exercises, yoga, circuit training, pilates, weight training. You name, we use it. Not only does using the best of every fitness method get our clients into amazing shape, it insures that the program stays fresh, and that our clients enjoy the experience. TigerFit Boot Camps make it hard to believe you are getting in such great shape because you’re having so much fun.

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Tiger Fitness Los Angeles offers Personal Training and Boot Camp fitness program in the following locations:

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Interval training is a powerful fitness strategy for new exercisers and hardcore athletes alike.

Your workout routine is getting stale (again) and the dreaded plateau is setting in. What can you do to burn more calories without spending hours and hours of grueling hours of cardio at the gym? The answer is boot camp style aerobic interval training. Once the go-to fitness program of choice for hardcore athletes, interval training has become a powerful ally for the average boot camper.

So, just what is interval training?

First of all, calm down, this is not brain surgery. Interval training is a simple way of alternating intense bursts of activity (sprinting, jumping, etc.) with intervals of light activity (walking, jogging, etc.).

For instance, let’s say walking is your exercise of choice. If you’re a novice exerciser, you should  incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular vigorous walks. If you are not as fit, you should alternate easy walking with intervals of quicker walking. As an example, if you are walking outside, you should try to walk quicker between regularly spaced trees, city blocks or street lights.

So, what can interval training do for my love handles?

Whether you are a hardcore elite athlete or beginning exerciser, interval training can help you supercharge your fitness program. The health benefits speak for themselves:

• You will burn many more calories in a given amount of time as you would steady state exercise (walking, slow jogging). The more intensive your exercise program, the more calories you will burn — even if your intensity is increased for just a few minutes at a time.
• You will improve your overall aerobic fitness. As your overall cardiovascular capability improves, you will be able to workout longer and with more stamina and intensity. You could finish your 1-hour walk in 40 minutes — or you could stick with the full 60 minutes and burn tons of extra calories.
• You will keep your motivation on high. Adding variety by increasing your intensity in short intervals can add a needed shot in the arm to a stale exercise routine.
• You do not need any special fitness equipment. Just modify your current fitness program.

How will my body adjust to an interval training program?

During intense exercise programs, your muscles create waste products (lactic acid) that can lead to sore muscles. A large accumulation of waste products can make continuing your fitness program a painful, tiring experience. However, by alternating bouts of intensive exercise with less challenging intervals, you will help decrease the buildup of waste products in your muscle fibers. More comfortable exercise should be your result.

Do the principles of interval training work similarly for everybody?

In a word yes. But interval training can be taken to many levels. If simply want to shake up your exercise routine, you can decide the speed and length of each high-intensity interval based on how you are responding to the exercise, This fitness approach to interval training is known by the Swedish term fartlek, which translates to “speed play.”

After your warm up, you could increase your intensity for one-half minute and then go back to your regular pace. The next period of more intensive exercise may last one to four minutes. The intervals can be varied throughout your workout, how much you increase your pace, how often and for how long is entirely up to you.

If you have a specific fitness goal in mind, you should take a more scientific approach. A fitness boot camp instructor or certified personal trainer can help you time your intensity and duration of your interval periods — which could include similar movements to those you will use during your chosen sport or activity — based on your target heart rate, the proficiency of your lungs and heart to bring oxygen to your muscles (VO2 max) as well as other metabolic factors.

You will add huge amounts of variety to your fitness program with this type of interval training program, but you should know that it requires more structure and focus, so be sure to plan shorter periods of intense activity as well as shorter recovery periods.

Are there any risks associated with interval training?

Interval training is not right for everybody. People with chronic health conditions or have not been exercising regularly, should consult their doctor before trying any type of fitness program.

Like any fitness program, keep the risk of overuse injury in mind. By rushing into a strenuous workout before your body has had a chance to adapt, you could hurt your tendons, ligaments, muscles or bones. Be sure to start any new fitness program slowly. Start out with just two or three higher intensity periods during each workout at first. If you think you are overdoing it, slow yourself down. When your stamina improves, try challenging yourself to vary the speed. You will be surprised how quickly you maximize your fat burn with the addition of interval training.

Fitness Tip: Increase the number of meals consumed per day – On average, you should be eating some form of protein and vegetable combination that’s low in fat and high in fiber every 2 -3 hours of the day. Doing so will give you an almost unfair advantage over those who only eat the normal 3 meals (or less) each day.

Exercise of the day: The Ball Core Twist will help focus on your side abdominal muscles to help develop and tone your mid section with the use of a stability fitness ball.

Stacy and Stefanie Trujeque, the athletic dynamic duo of TigerFit Boot Camp
take a moment to say how much they love getting in shape with Tiger Fitness.

Most people know that Boot Camp fitness is great for you — but do you know how good? From lifting your mood to charging up your sex life, discover the 7 Fitness Boot Camp secrets that can change your life.

Want to feel great, get endless energy and live healthier, longer?
Look no further than a fun and effective fitness boot camp.

The benefits of regular physical exercise like fitness boot camp, prevents chronic health conditions, promotes weight loss and can gives you a better night’s sleep. These healthy advantages are yours for the taking, regardless of your gender, age or physical aptitude. Need more evidence? Check out the 7 secrets how fitness boot camps can change your life.

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Secret #1: Fitness Boot Camp burns off stress and makes you feel better!

Need to blow off some steam from all of the stress and anxiety that is a constant challenge in your life? A whole body workout that increases your heart rate can help you calm down.

Fitness Boot Camp workout stimulates brain chemicals that leave you feeling happier and more content than you were before your workout. Not incidentally, you will also look and feel better when you exercise regularly, which boosts confidence and improves self-esteem. Performing fitness boot camp at least three days a week can even help prevent depression.

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Secret #2: Fitness Boot Camp is your best weapon against chronic disease.

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Physical activity might be the ticket.

Regular physical activity can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular physical activity boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.

And there is even more. Regular fitness boot camp can prevent type 2 diabetes, improve osteoporosis and important types of cancer.

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Secret #3: Fitness Boot Camp helps you manage your weight.

Want to drop the fat and build lean tined muscle? Get off the couch, away from the computer and sign up for an outdoor fitness boot camp.

This is a no-brainer. When you engage in fitness boot campy, you burn fat calories. The more intense the boot camp, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to control your weight. You don’t even need to set aside hours and hours of time for working out. Fitness boot camps jam pack a fun and effective workout in about 60 minutes. Comprehensive fitness boot camps include cardio training, resistance training, yoga,  isometrics, plyometrics, pilates and more to continually challenge your body keep you burning fat.

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Secret #4: Fitness Boot Camp supercharges your energy levels.

Winded by bounding up a flight of stairs or even bending over to tie your shoes? Don’t give up, this is your body we are talking about and you only get one. Participating in a regular fitness boot camp can leave you breathing easier.

Physical activity, like fitness boot camp delivers oxygen and nutrients to all of your bodily tissues. In fact, regular fitness boot camp helps your whole cardiovascular system, the circulation of blood through your blood vessels and heart, work more efficiently. Is that a big deal? Yes it is! When your lungs and heart work more efficiently, you will have a lot more energy to do all the things you enjoy doing.

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Secret #5: Fitness Boot Camp gives you a good night sleep.

Do you struggle to fall asleep at a decent hour? Or even stay asleep? Participating in fitness boot camp workout at least three days a week can help.

A good night’s sleep (7-8 hours) can improve your focus, productivity and overall mood and is the key to better sleep. Regular physical activity, like fitness boot camp helps you fall asleep faster and deepen your overall sleep. One bit of caution, however. Do not exercise too close to bedtime, you will be too energized to fall asleep easily. If you are experiencing sleep problems, exercise earlier in the afternoon or move your workout to the morning.

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Secret #6: Fitness Boot Camp transforms you into a sexual athlete.

Too tired to have sex or feeling too bloated and lumpy to enjoy physical intimacy? Fitness boot camp to the rescue again.

Regular fitness boot camp leaves you feeling energized and more attractive, which has a positive effect on your sexual life. But there’s more to it than that. Regular fitness boot camp exercise leads to enhanced arousal for women, and men who exercise regularly will have less problems with erectile dysfunction (ED) than are men who do not exercise — especially when they reach their 40s and 50s.

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Secret #7: Fitness Boot Camp…is a BLAST!

Wondering what kind of exercise to do in the mornings or after work? Look no further than fitness boot camp, the fun and fitness just keeps on coming? So get physical!

Fitness boot camp is fast fun and efficient and eliminates the need for hours and hours of grueling cardio. Find a fitness boot camp that you enjoy, and go for it. In no time your pants will feel a little looser, your posture will straighten and the checkups from your doctor will improve.

Are you convinced? Good. Start a fitness boot camp today!
Check out TigerFit Boot Camp>>