Stew Smith Fitness News

This week I received an email titled, "LOVE-HANDLES!! Help me lose them." I have been working on a routine that incorporates exercises that will help you work your love handles (the oblique region of the torso). Personally, I like to work my "obliques" on days I work my legs, so I created the Legs and Love Handles workout seen below. As with any abdominal exercise, you need to concentrate on three areas to help firm your mid-section. These are: 1) Healthy Diet,2) Cardio-vascular and resistance training, and (arrangement of workouts too will help burn fat)3) Abdominal exercises to firm muscles...

We all are susceptible to lower back injuries– military, law enforcement, advanced athlete, beginning exerciser, or sedentary person – we all get back injuries of some sort. The back injuries seen most in doctor’s offices and chiropractic clinics world wide involve the lower back / hip region and can occur from a variety of different causes. According to Dr. Steve Erle D.C. and physical therapist of the Maryland Disc Institute, most of the injuries in the region are lower back muscle pulls or tears, disc inflammation, or the spine itself. These three types of lower back injuries can occur from...

I typically receive an email like this week's article subject several times a week. In fact more than HALF of the emails I receive are of this nature!!!“Help! I need to lose 40 lbs. before I can join the Army. I also need help with running and I cannot do any pushups. How do I get fit and fit into a uniform?” It is a fact that many (too many) of America's men, women, as well as teenaged youth are overweight. Recent alarming statistics conclude the following:• Not meeting Height / weight standards is biggest issue the military deals with...

To lose weight, there are a few factors that you must consider for any weight loss program to be effective. If you remember the following formulas, you should be able to lose weight in a healthy manner and better yet, KEEP IT OFF!Formula #1: Calories OUT > Calories IN = Weight LossThis formula is as basic as weight loss gets. Though not all calories are equally nutritious. You need to limit your sugar - NOW! If you expend more calories than you eat at the end of the day, you will lose weight. Creating a calorie deficit at the end...

This week, I received an email from a future military enlistee who is preparing to serve his country in the Marine Corps. He writes, “I need to lose ten more pounds before I can join the military. I was wondering if taking a diuretic and laxative and working out in a plastic suit will help me lose this last ten pounds?” You must have been talking to a wrestler from the 1970-80’s. Depleting your body of water will create a loss of weight, but it is ONLY water weight. Of course the exercise you are doing to sweat is helpful...