Margaret Richard has been in the fitness business for more than thirty years, and her “Body Electric” TV program has been a staple on PBS for twenty-two years. She appeared before the U.S. Senate's “Special Committee on Aging” and was recently inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame where she now stands alongside Jack LaLanne, Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, Kathy Smith, and Jake Steinfeld. Margaret Richard is the author of Body Electric and has produced numerous exercise DVDs.

Margaret Richard--

A toned abdomen in 7 minutes...Flat!

The beauty of the Body Electric program is that the exercises can be effectively accomplished at home with a minimum amount of equipment, all of it inexpensive, and totally effective.  Work your abdominal muscles with correct form and a full range-of-motion for maximum results.

As a general rule, it is most productive to work a muscle every three days.  Honor your time to exercise as sacred, and ignore everything in your environment that rings, whistles, or buzzes--except for your kitchen timer.  Just know that when the buzzer goes off this time, it's not about your pot roast.

Kitchen Timer

Using a kitchen timer rather than counting repetitions allows you to concentrate on correct form.  Set the timer for three-and-a-half-minutes per exercise.  A given movement, performed with correct form and adequate resistance will effectively fatigue the muscles during this time period.

Towel or Exercise Mat

Comfort during floor exercises is a good thing!

Optional Equipment

Exercise variations keep your mind and body energized, adding enjoyment to your workout experience.  A bench, or chair, and a small playground-type ball (unweighted) offer limitless possibilities.

Upper Abdominal Crunch

(1) Lift your upper body by contracting your abdominal muscles.

(2) Release and lengthen your abdominal muscles to lower. 

For variation place a ball beneath your upper back or elevate your feet on a bench or wall.  Maintain your head, neck and chest in a straight line throughout the exercise.  Feel the weight of your head on your hands.

Lower Abdominal "Crunch"

Set your timer: Expand and contract your abdominal muscles through a full range-of-motion for 3 1/2 minutes.

(1) Lift your upper body and extended leg.

(2) Lower your body and leg toward the floor.  Repeat for 1-1/2 minutes each leg.  Your back remains pressed to the floor.

My book, Body Electric, features 3 1/2 minute exercises that tone and strengthen all major muscles.

Caffeine Does Boost Metabolism

Wedding Shape In Six Weeks

Dubbed “An Apostle for Fitness” in her profile in the Wall Street Journal, Carole has been a featured guest on more than sixty radio and television shows, including NBC’s Today show, CBS’s Early Show, MSNBC’s Countdown, and CNN News. Carole has been featured in magazines such as American Fitness, Diet & Exercise Magazine, and Today’s Health & Wellness, as well as in newspapers such as the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Tampa Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Baltimore Sun and the Los Angeles Times. Carole’s book, From Fat to Fit, was named a finalist in the health and fitness category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Besides teaching and consulting, Carole has produced a weekly community television show, The Tipping Point and a reality show, Go Fat to Fit. This, fall Carole will serve as mentor to the national AARP Fat to Fit Community Challenge, a new virtual community devoted to fitness and healthy weight loss.

Carole Carson--

I’ve interviewed dozens of people who’ve made significant lifestyle changes—from being sluglike to exercising regularly, from overeating to consciously eating, from being fat to being fit. I’ve also interviewed individuals who’ve faithfully followed a healthful regimen their entire lives.

Whether a lifetime practitioner, a recent convert to fitness or a world-class athlete, all of us have one thing in common. At some point, a UFO lands in the backyard of our lives.

UFOs, or Unexpected Fitness Obstacles, are not pleasant surprises. Some involve minor injuries, like a sprained ankle, while others are life threatening. Fame and fortune are no protection. But unlike Tiger Woods, whose knee injury was reported in the New York Times, or Roger Federer, whose mononucleosis triggered speculation that his tennis career had peaked, we face ordinary fitness obstacles that make headlines only in our own lives.

Whether we’re famous or not, the obstacles throw our exercise routine off track and challenge our resolve to stay fit. Once sidelined, some of us never recover our exercise routine.

My friend Vicki Hisaw is an exception. Vicki hurt her foot shortly before her first bodybuilding competition. Discouraged after months of preparation, she planned on withdrawing. Because of her excellent condition, Vicki’s foot healed faster than expected. Vicki was able to compete and won first place in women’s bodybuilding in the Grand Masters division in northern California. Today, she’s a member of Team USA and will compete internationally. Beverly Glen, another friend, regularly exercised through ballroom dancing when a car accident caused by a drunk driver nearly killed her. Through perseverance, Beverly slowly recovered. Her stamina is almost back to normal, and she’s dancing again.

Some UFOs involve medical problems. Gayle Lossman, a friend, marathon runner and personal trainer, went to the emergency room with severe stomach pain, diagnosed as diverticulitis. While taking care of this problem, doctors discovered a spot on her kidney. After surgery revealed no cancer, Gayle began to rebuild her stamina.

While re-building her stamina, Gayle continued to have problems with her stomach and intestines. The medical consensus was that scar tissue was causing the problems. Another surgery was scheduled. The procedure became life-threatening when Gayle had a rare allergic reaction to the anesthesia.

Recovering from this trauma was difficult; nonetheless, Gayle was determined to get back on her feet. A few months later, she noticed pain in her chest when she tried to exercise. Ultimately diagnosed with an 80 percent blockage in one of the arteries leading to her heart, Gayle required surgery to insert a stent—yet another trauma to her body.

Once again, Gayle faced the challenge of recovery. Determined to resume running and teaching exercise classes, Gayle was able to compete in a 5K charity race, and she is teaching her full schedule. Because her level of fitness helped her survive and recover, Gayle is also more determined than ever to teach the value of exercise to her students.

Most of us don’t have to face as many obstacles as Gayle did—and certainly not in such a short time. Still, we have our own roadblocks.

Since I lost weight and committed to a regular program of exercise and careful eating, I’ve had several UFOs land in my backyard. A week in intensive care following esophageal spasms left me weak as a kitten. Arthroscopic knee surgery for a torn meniscus took me out of commission for six weeks. Acupuncture for tennis elbow kept me from playing for two months. Eye surgery to correct cataracts has currently put my tennis game on hold.

Fortunately, these conditions are not life threatening. Even so, every time I’m sidelined and face a recovery period, I’m in danger of losing my resolve and commitment to exercise regularly and keep my weight down.

The key, I’ve discovered, is to redefine UFOs. Instead of viewing UFOS as Unexpected Fitness Obstacles, I’ve started viewing them as Unrequested Fitness Opportunities. For example, since I can’t play tennis until my eyes heal from surgery, I’ve begun walking with a friend on a nearby steep hillside. I’m determined to use my rehab period to increase my aerobic capacity and strengthen my legs.

None of us can keep UFOs from invading our lives. When the alien obstacle arrives, we have to resist the temptation to surrender. Instead of becoming captive, we can redefine the obstacle and make it an opportunity to challenge ourselves in a new way. When we do, we once again reaffirm our lifetime commitment to fitness.

Food As Medicine--A New Idea?

Wanted: A Fitness Protection Program For The United States

Author and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Luftman has always felt that there is an important connection between overall health, skin health and emotional well being. Her mission is offering cutting edge medical care while retaining the art of medicine-always communicating with her patients.

Dr. Luftman is often called upon in the press as an expert in cosmetic medicine, and has appeared on Good Morning America, and EXTRA TV as well as other television programs.  She is frequently quoted in the NY Times, LA Times, Vogue, W, InStyle, Oprah Magazine, National Public Radio, just to name a few.  She is also the co-editor for the medical text Glycolic Acid Peels, Published by Marcel Dekker.  Debra Luftman co-authored The Beauty Prescription with Eva Ritvo M.D.

Debra Luftman--

6 weeks prior- Start a healthy skin care regime. Use a glycolic cleanser, spf, and antioxidant night cream- a good one is revaleskin night cream. Visit your aesthetician or dermatologist for mild peels or microdermabrasion every 2-4 weeks. Eat well, don't forget to get omega fatty acids- either in a supplement or salmon fish.

2 weeks.- Anxiety can cause an increase in the hormone- cortisol which can stimulate acne breakouts. Make sure you are prepared, have at hand Therapeutix emergency out break stick, or visit your dermatologist for cortisone injections for unsightly blemishes before they scar. Its important to work on stress relief at this stage, get plenty of sleep and try stress relievers like yoga or warm baths.

2 days - your skin should be in pretty good shape if you followed the previous plan. A hydrating mask could be used if you are dry , if you have a tendency to breakout, a mild Silkpeel, or home dermabrasion, will brighten your skin.

1 day before- don't mess with your skin- you should be glowing from excitement, drink lots of water, an Emergency Vitamin C pack, and sleep will prepare you for your big day.

Morning of--do your usual regime, make sure makeup is oil free, or mineral. If your wedding is out doors don't forget the spf.  Walk down the aisle--- You are radiant, stand up tall, smile --- Your skin is beautiful!

Wedding Shape In Six Weeks

How To Have An Eco-Friendly Wedding

A former marathon runner and champion bodybuilder who competed on the national level, Wendy has since focused all of her attention on spreading the ForeverFit® message. From her corporate offices in Central Florida she divides her busy schedule between running her individual NUTRITION Boot Camp™ classes and nurturing a full speaking schedule, holding seminars and workshops for the likes of FedEx, AT & T and Disney.

Wendy Chant--

We all want to look great on our wedding day, but with time at a premium – and free time a thing of the past – how can we be our best AND look our best on the happiest day of our lives?

6 Weeks Before:

It might seem like you have a lot of time to spare, but in “wedding time,” six weeks just seems to fly by. But there’s still plenty of time to tone up, trim down and look great for your wedding day. Here are some great ways to start setting a strong foundation for looking your best on your big day:

• Diet – Clean up your diet by eliminating all processed and packaged foods. Stick with whole grains, fruits and veggies and lean meats. Keep sugars to taste testing that wedding cake and eliminate alcoholic beverages to just once this week. Increase water intake to 6 - 8 glasses daily.
• Weight training – One key to effective, quick fat loss is weight training. Hit the weights 3 times this week and focus on the lower part of your body with higher reps.
• Cardio – Do 30 minutes of cardio training 5 times this week, first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.
• Supplements – Take 1000mg of flax or fish oil daily to improve skin glow, hair luster and nail strength. Use multivitamins and anti-oxidants to combat the inevitable stress related to your wedding planning.

5 Weeks Before:

Great; you’ve set up a super base for your six-week program, but you’re one week down. That’s okay – you’ve still got five to go. Let’s spend them building on what you’ve already started and keeping the pace through the big day:

• Diet – Pattern food intake to 5-6 small meals each day and splurge a little on Saturday or Sunday. Make sure each meal contains a protein source such as eggs, turkey, chicken, fish or lean beef; consider adding a whey protein shake to keep blood sugar in check to keep your body in a fat loss mode. Choose low glycemic carbs instead of high ones. For instance, use brown rice instead of white rice, choose sweet potato over white potato, etc. Also, continue to drink lots of water and eliminate soft drinks – even diet soft drinks. Instead, drink hot or cold tea.
• Weight training – Consider hitting the gym every other day this week and focus on lifting as heavy as you can with high intensity; this burns the most amount of fat. Choose exercises that specifically focus on the deltoids (shoulders) and arms, such as triceps curls.
• Cardio – Increase cardio to 30 minutes of the HIIT method (High Intensity Interval Training). This is a method of interval training, where you go from your normal pace to a fast pace and back again in interval fashion. So maybe 30 seconds fast, then 1 minute slow, etc.

4 Weeks Before:

Here we are at the one month mark, and things are heating up. Hopefully you’ve nailed down the vitals on your wedding planning to-do list, but even if you haven’t stick to your program. People won’t know that you wanted to serve salmon instead of tilapia or that the tablecloths were supposed to be teal, not fuchsia, but you don’t get that many chances in this life to be a bride, so stick to what’s important: looking and feeling your best on that big day:

• Diet – Only one month, ladies, so it’s crunch time! Eliminate all starches after 3 p.m., so for dinner only choose a lean protein source and veggies. Continue “patterning” your meals with 5-6 small meals per day. Plan only one “cheat meal” this week to keep your brain chemistry balanced and your metabolism cranking.
• Weight training – Continue with high intensity weight training, but now add a daily regimen of the following exercises:

• Walking lunges – 3 sets of 25 strides.
• Ball squats – use an exercise ball against the wall, keep knees and feet together and squat down – Do 50 reps
• Crunches – do them for timed workouts, working up to 10 minutes non-stop
• Lateral raises – for nice cuts in your deltoids raise your arms out to the side and raise up until you can no longer do it
• Dips – for your triceps, find something to push off of – like a step or ledge in your house – then put your feet forward, lean back on your arms and lower yourself in a dip fashion.
• Cardio – This is where you really need to begin to kick it into gear! Do 30-45 minutes daily and at least one day this week add a long duration walk of 1 – 1 ½ hours.
• Supplements – Add green tea extract to heat up your core temperature and aid you in the fat loss process. Look for an extract or authentic green tea from an asian vendor. Green tea is also great for the complexion.

3 Weeks Before:

Wow, now I know you’re feeling the heat; less than one month to go but don’t sweat it. Or, in this case, DO sweat it; keep up the pace and you’ll be happy you did as you look at those wedding pictures again and again over the years:

• Diet – No more alcohol or cheat meals – we’re on the home stretch. Take 2 days each week and eliminate all starchy carbs for added fat loss. So maybe Monday, Thursday or Tuesday, Friday. Increase protein and fibrous carbs to help you on low carb days.
• Weight training – continue with the same exercises you started doing last week.
• Cardio – Increase cardio to 1 hour every morning and 1 hour again in the afternoon every other day. Make sure to do one-long duration walk this week as well.
• Supplements – use a lipotropic product or L-Carnitine prior to morning cardio to aid in fat loss. Continue with green tea.

2 Weeks Before:

We’re getting down to the wire, girls, but I have faith that you’ll be prepared if you stick to the routine and follow these helpful tips as you hit the 14-Day point and counting:

• Diet - Stay strict on your diet by avoiding all sauces and toppings, brown bag it as much as possible so you know what you’re eating. Eliminate dairy products like cheese from your diet as well. Increase water to 12 glasses daily
• Weight training – Move to high-rep workouts this week. Keep reps above 20 reps for all body parts. And continue to do daily exercises.
• Cardio – 1 hour of cardio twice daily, first thing in the morning and again in the late afternoon or evening.
• Supplements – Continue with the same program you’ve been doing since week 3.

1 Week Before:

Wow, one week away! Can you say, “Stressed”?!? But you don’t have to be. Not only are eating healthy and exercising a great way to get in shape for your wedding day, they’re a great way to relieve tension and bust stress. So kill two birds with one stone – look AND feel great – as you take your diet and exercise plan down to the wire:

• Diet – Eliminate all fibrous veggies except asparagus, and try to have two serving per day. Asparagus is a natural diuretic and it will begin to help you drop water. Keep water intake extra high until 4 days prior to the wedding, then cut it by half each day until your wedding day. Cut carbs to 15 – 20 grams daily until the day before the wedding, just in time for the rehearsal dinner. Enjoy eating what you want that night, as long as carbs were low all week you will look incredible on your special day!
• Weight training – Stick with upper body workouts this week. No leg workouts; this is important since blood will remain in the lower region of the body for about 5-7 days and make your legs appear bigger, so do your last leg workout 8 days prior to the big day.
• Cardio – Keep up the double sessions all the way to the morning of the day before. Doing cardio the day of the wedding will not do anything to change your body at this point, so skip it – AND the stress of fitting it in!
• Tanning – Consider a spray tan, especially if your gown is backless or sleeveless. Be careful of self tanners; they can make you have an orange glow instead of a tan. You may want to try out the spray tan a few weeks prior if you’re concerned with how it will look, because this really isn’t something you want to experiment with at the last minute.

The Day Before:

And… we’re off! 24-hours to the big day and you don’t just have COLD feet; you may even be having HOT flashes thinking about all you have to do. Well, I can’t tell you to stop thinking about all that but I CAN offer you the following quick tips for those last-minute preparations you’ll need to be the best looking – and feeling – bride ever:

• Do your morning cardio then relax by doing some yoga before getting ready for the rehearsal dinner.
• Watch the fibrous carbs still; they will bloat you – so go for the meat and potatoes that night, not the veggies or salad.
• Try your best to get plenty of sleep, even if you just have multiple short naps.
• Looking well rested goes along way.

The BIG Day is Here!

At last; your BIG day is here. First of all, congratulations! No matter how much of this advice you’ve taken, I know that it wasn’t easy to stick to a six-week program – especially when they can be the busiest six weeks of a gal’s life. And since you have a million other things to worry about, I’ll keep today’s tips short:

• Make sure to eat some breakfast and keep some food in your stomach to keep your blood sugar from dropping, as nerves will contribute to this as well.
• If your gown is sleeveless, purchase some exercise bands ahead of time and do some exercise for the deltoids, triceps and back rows to have you looking incredibly fit as you walk down that aisle.

33% of Americans Are On a Diet

Three Truths About Men

How To Have An Eco-Friendly Wedding

. The focus of the book explores the relationship between the clutter in homes and how it affects weight, eating habits, and health. As part of the Oprah & Friends network, Peter Walsh hosts a weekly national radio  program characterizing himself as part-contractor and part-therapist. During the last three years, the author also starred as the tough-love professional organizer of the TLC show Clean Sweep.

Peter Walsh--

With the weather improving, May is a great month to think about getting organized for spending more time in the great outdoors.

Here are some tips for the month from It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff. Enjoy the decluttering!

A clutter-free and organized home frees you from stress and enables you to spend more time doing the things you want to do. Spending time outside your house is harder than just hanging around at home. It requires initiative, planning, and energy. But the rewards are great—it’s not like you’re going to build a lifetime of memories by sitting in front of the TV. Take some time this month to focus on spending time outside of your house.

Prepare for the great outdoors

Check and fix outdoor play equipment: swings, slides, bikes, etc. Fire up the grill to make sure it’s in working order. Hose off outdoor furniture and (if you’re lucky enough to have one) make sure your pool equipment is in working order for those long, hot days ahead. Be realistic about which outdoor stuff you do and don’t use.

That picnic backpack someone gave you as a wedding gift? It may be stylish, but if you haven’t used it yet, it’s time for it to go. What about the bikes, Rollerblades, or the basketball hoop you never put up? These are big items that take up lots of space. If they’re only fantasies, now’s the time to enact the fantasy or ditch the item.

Plan a summer vacation

Now’s the time to use all that money you made at yard sales or saved by not buying things you didn’t need. Gather the whole family together to talk about summer possibilities and plans. Involve everyone in the planning and decision making. Divide tasks so that everyone has a role to play in organizing the family vacation.

Organize kids’ summer activities

Work with your kids to schedule their summer vacation activities. A simple weekly chart of what’s happening can create a great deal of enthusiasm and help you plan ahead. Involve other families in the neighborhood to share the load. If you plan day trips to the pool, beach, or museums in advance, schedule play dates and picnics, and create anticipation for any family trips or camp, then your kids will have a clear sense of how the summer will pass. This sense of order is both reassuring and exciting - and very helpful when it comes time for that “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” back-to-school essay.

ON THE OTHER HAND …… IF IT’S MAY AND YOU’RE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - IT’S TIME TO MAKE THE SEASON SWITCH

As winter approaches, it’s time to open up space in your closets for those bulky sweaters and to make sure that your summer items are properly stored out of the way.

Make space in your closets

Use a closet in the guest bedroom or another suitable space in the basement or attic to store your off-season clothes. Make sure the storage location is cool and dry and that all stored clothes are clean. Mothballs or cedar blocks will help keep moths and other pests at bay.

Discard what you no longer wear

Every time you switch clothes for the season, you should give your closet a quick once-over. If you didn’t wear it this summer, are you really going to store it all winter only not to wear it next summer? Get rid of it. Also discard summer clothes that are torn, soiled, or just out of fashion.

Whether you’re coming into summer or coming into winter, the message is the same – declutter and get organized to live a richer, fuller life!

Best wishes to you and yours!

Peter

Peter Walsh Launches On Oprah!

Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?

Dance is a type of exercise and exercise is the number one antiaging medicine.  That's a pretty strong statement, but Dr. Liponis says the research stands behind it.  Dance and other forms of rhythmic movement benefit the cardiovascular system, which in turn boosts the immune system.  Studies also have revealed that dance lowers C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation in the body, perhaps indicating diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease. 

Rhythm is within.  We synchronize with the beat.  The heart beats, breathing is rhythmic, waves contracting and relaxing flow through the digestive system.  Most interestingly, the brain is affected by music, rhythm, and dancing.  It sends messages along the spinal cord to the immune system.    Other bodily functions follow a beat:  the menstrual cycle, circadian biorhythms, contractions of the uterus during delivery, hormone release from glands, and sleeping/waking. 

Rhythm is without.  Dr. Liponis refers to the beat around us as The Dance of Life:  sunset/sunrise, the changing of the seasons, rotation of the planets, the ebb and flow of the tides, the waxing and waning of the moon, a bird's wings flapping, and a suckling infant.

Whether waltzing or doing the swing, you can also bet on an elevated mood. Dr. Liponis notes the boom of the iPod, the positive effects of music on Parkinson's disease patients, and the addition of music to aerobics classes and gyms. A significant stress reducer, Alzheimer's patients have less anxiety while listening to music.

Historically dance and music span both time and cultures. Dance improves muscles, builds bone, induces weight loss, and helps to lower cholesterol, leading to a longer, healthier life.  Dance, the music of life, is both the universe without and the kingdom within.

Hear Music    Dancing With The Stars Tour    Learn To Dance

Another benefit of circuit training is the aerobic aspect.  You move quickly from exercise to exercise, which elevates the heart rate while burning calories.  Not only will the fat come off, but people typically feel better emotionally.  Studies show that you'll be less anxious, depressed, and stressed.

A significant workout can be accomplished in 30 minutes, and research shows that 368 to 540 calories are burned per hour!  Circuit training's intense workout has the additional benefit of further calorie reduction through EPOC--excess post-exercise oxygen consumption--or the calories burned after exercise is finished.  With circuit training, the benefit lasts up to 38 hours after working out.  Furthermore, just 8 weeks of circuit training (only 2 months) will shrink abdominal fat--the tell tale sign that you're at high risk for diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. 

Circuit training helps control blood sugar, reduces heart disease risk, improves overall fitness, enhances the lungs, builds bone and muscle, and makes you feel better. Be a Big Loser!   

Personal Trainer Harvey Walden, the drill Marine instructor on Celebrity Fit Club  knows just what to say.  With him there are NO EXCUSES, he is the motivator.  Everyone, he says, needs one.  His own personal motivators are his children.  To better take control of your own life, Harvey Walden recommends you locate your own hidden motivator--in essence, what you'd die for. 

"The good things in life don't come easy.  If they did you wouldn't appreciate them."

He believes that obesity can be conquered through daily exercise and proper nutrition.  Well, you think, "Harvey's a Marine, one of the few, the proud--he can do it."  But Harvey Walden IV has a secret; he says that he too has difficulty getting up in the morning and motivating himself.  And by the way, he's not perfect.   His mantra: "Stay in the fight."

"Win the battle today and set yourself up for winning the war against fat and obesity."

Harvey Walden's NO EXCUSES! Fitness Workout is brand new to bookshelves.  Inside, Harvey includes a chapter on fighting flab.  Recalling from his childhood how his grandmother often tried to overfeed him, this drill instructor cleaned his plate by hand-feeding the pet dog, who patiently waited underneath the table for the tastiest tidbits.  Harvey also uses a George Foreman grill, eats boiled egg whites--disposing of the saturated yolks, and thrives on salads.  

NO EXCUSES provides "Get off your butt!" inspiration and photo depictions of cardio and strength-training routines for all who wish to "stop whining and start making some money."  Three stages of fitness are outlined using simple thirty-minute workouts for each level.

"Move out of that comfort zone and don't stop when you hit the wall."