A new tool has been added to assist you on your pursuit to losing weight and staying healthy. I call it the “Personal Health Tool” because it gives you an individual status of your health. You can find out information concerning your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR), Body Mass Index (BMI), and Ideal Body Weight (IBW).

You can find the “Personal Health Tool” at the top of this page. Check it out now and get an instant look on where your weight and metabolism stands.

You may not know it, but strength and power are not synonyms.  In fact, they are very different.  Knowing the fundamental differences between the two can change the entire way you workout.

Strength

Strength is known as a consistent, slow, exertion of force over a period of time.  For example, if you were to bench press, your strength would be tested by completing one full repetition at the heaviest weight that you can handle (Commonly known as “maxing” or “maxing out”).  Someone highly trained in strength would usually have huge muscle mass such as a bodybuilder.

Pros
– Can lift heavier weights at the gym
– Greater raw force
– Larger muscle mass

Cons
– Not practical for many sports or athletics (except weight lifting competitions)
– Usually not aerobically fit

Fundamental training
– High resistance, Low repetitions
– SLOW, full-motion repetitions (4 seconds up [positive/concentric], 4 seconds down [negative/eccentric])

Power

Power is similar to strength, but it includes one other dimension: Speed.  The basic equation to this is Power = Strength x Speed.  Power can be seen as the explosive force exerted.  Athletes and Martial Arts fighters (ex. MMA) are some examples of people highly trained in power.

Pros
– Very practical for many sports and activities
– Greater control over strength
– Force has higher potential when there is control over strength and speed

Cons
– Cannot lift the heavier weights at the gym
– Less raw force

Fundamental training
– Low resistance, High repetitions
– FAST, explosive-motion repetitions (1-2 seconds up [positive/concentric], 3 seconds down [negative/eccentric])
*Important* – Power training requires fast motions to be effective.  Be sure to practice the motions of the particular exercise before training for power.

Conclusion:
I have always been a firm believer in whole-body, anaerobic and aerobic training.  When you go to the gym, you have a limited amount of time to spend.  Why spend your time only training for strength, especially when the majority of sports require power?  It’s not slow and strong pushes that win games, it’s the clutch plays with explosive bursts of energy that do.

Even if you don’t play sports, training for power is much more of a balanced approach to physical fitness. Not only will your muscles get stronger, but they will be better coordinated for quick, precise motions. Whichever path you choose, whether one or a mixture of both, you are sure to accomplish your goals if you’re driven.

“Hey, friend! Want to lose 5 pounds in just 1 week? It’s easy, all you have to do is take this pill before lunch and dinner, and you’ll be on your way to losing that hard-to-lose fat around your thighs!”

Sound familiar? Well, it should considering the oversaturation of diet pills on the market today. You can’t watch TV or open a health-related magazine without spotting yet another new weight loss pill. And why is there always a new pill on the market, you ask? Because “this” one really works! Sure..

Where did this all start?

Dieting Pills can find their roots all the way back to the early 1900s where ingesting tapeworms was thought to control weight. What we didn’t know or didn’t care to realize is that the tapeworm eats on the foods you eat and grows inside of you. Not only does this deprive you of precious vitamins and minerals, but it can actually be fatal. Thankfully, today, the FDA has banned them and the purchase or import of tapeworms is illegal.

In the 1950s, doctors first started prescribing diet pills. The pills they were prescribing were amphetamines, which are psychostimulant drugs that increased alertness and focus while decreasing fatigue and appetite. They were first extensively used in World War II on the German Army. Even Hitler used amphetamines for its effects. However, due to amphetamines’ intense break-down/crash period and a host of other problems including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory issues, the drugs were forgone.

In the 1970s, an “appetite-suppressant candy” was introduced called Ayds. This candy enjoyed great sales success until the early 1980s, when AIDS awareness became more mainstream. The Ayds company, Carlay Company of Chicago, reported sales drops of nearly 50%.

Our Modern-day Diet Pills:

Today, diet pills come in all shapes and sizes as there are literally hundreds of different brands. Most of these pills are either metabolism boosters or appetite suppressants. However, there are some serious problems related to both of these types of products:

Metabolism Boosters:

The Problem:

“Metabolism boosters” are what makes up the majority of diet pills on the market today. Hydroxycut, one of the most advertised diet pills, is a “metabolism booster.” I specifically put “metabolism boosters” in quotes because these products do not increase the body’s metabolic function in a natural way. The contents of these pills are primarily stimulants in the form of caffeine, guarana, or taurine. These stimulants will burn calories(unnaturally), but at the expense of your heart with dangerous side effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and anxiety.

When the main users of these pills are the obese, a group that already has overworked hearts and high blood pressure from weight, the pills become even more harmful. Obese individuals could face serious heart problems or permanent damage.

Not obese? Are you of the 9 out of 10 Americans that rely on coffee to get them through the day? One cup of coffee generally equates to 100mg of caffeine. Diet pills usually contain 200-300mg of caffeine, or 2-3 cups of coffee. If, on a daily basis, you have more than 500-600mg of coffee, you are likely to have problems like muscle tremors, nausea, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues.

The Solution:

Boost your metabolism the natural way. Eating smaller meals throughout the day, building lean muscle, exercising regularly, and getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night are just a couple ways of kick starting your metabolism.

Appetite Suppressants:

The Problem:

These products are a bit trickier to understand because they can actually help those that have a serious problem of eating more than their body needs. However, appetite suppressants are a double-edged sword. They will cut your caloric intake, but at the loss of vitamins and minerals. Your body gets hungry for a reason. Either it needs energy, or you are lacking essential vitamins and minerals. When you have cravings for something in particular like sweets or chocolate, your body really is in need of nutrients. Dr. Colleen Huber has compiled a list found here of what your cravings really mean.

The Solution:

Eating foods that are high in protein and fiber will fill you up faster than any other foods, and without spending too much of your recommended daily caloric intake budget. Also, taking a multivitamin and drinking plenty of water should crush any potential cravings.

Conclusion:

Let’s face it. We live in a society where instant gratification is all we want. We want to have perfect bodies, and we want it in 30 days or less. Like many decisions in life, we can choose the short-term, high-risk option with “easy come, easy go” results, or we can choose the long-term, safe investment with lasting results. The cruel truth here is your body isn’t worth gambling on.