We are approaching the time of year when many people have already blown their New Year resolutions. For example, according to the fitness industry, a ton of gym memberships are sold from December to February but attendance significantly drops from March and on when people who were hoping to get fit as a New…

With the new year fast approaching, there’s no better time than to tweak what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. So far in our New Tools for the New Year series, we have explored some new tools for the new year that can help you level up your…

Martial arts training is one of the best activities for fitness as well as for developing personal confidence and self discipline. If you have decided that you might want to take up martial arts, do not just simply walk into the closest karate school and sign up right away without doing some research. Not…

In ‘Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It’, Gary Tabues spends a lot of time debunking the theory that to lose weight we need to exercise more. He details many studies conducted on unsuspecting laboratory rats, of which I’ll spare you the details. But there was one study that really resonated. Danish…

If you get in your car in Los Angeles to drive to New York, do you just pull out of your driveway and start down the road? Or do you get a map and plan your route? The answer is obvious – careful planning pays off. So if your goal is to become fit, lean…

It’s May, and for most people that means its time to get serious about getting your body into better shape. Prime beach weather is closer than you think, and you’re probably starting to get serious about hitting the gym regularly. But overdoing your workout can do more harm than good. In fact, your athletic…

It’s the holiday season, which means those New Years resolutions are coming up fast. For those of you who are considering exercising more this upcoming year, here is a workout specially designed for the geek in you. The Problem with Traditional Workouts The number one problem with most workout plans for the life hacker is that they…

Do you sometimes wish you were fitter? And maybe slimmer? I do. In fact, I’m determined to lose 7 kg in four weeks and get really fit. But how to get fit in a hurry – without spending hours at the gym? One of the fastest ways to get fit is to start running. It can…

Sixty Eight Going on Thirty Three For those of you who have read my book Fattitude, you have already ‘met’ one of my favourite people; Jan Frazer. Jan is one of my personal trainers, has worked along side me at Harper’s Personal Training for about fifteen years and is sixty eight years young. She’s a…

A Recent Conversation Here’s part of a conversation that I had recently with a woman (SR) who had just fallen off the weight-loss merry-go-round for the millionth time – or thereabouts. She had started a new exercise program and eating regime on New Year’s day this year. As she does every year. (I’m CH below). CH: “So…

Leg Press All you have to do is load it up, strap yourself in (not really) and push as hard as you can.  I’ll admit, it can be pretty satisfying to see that much weight move because of your own strength and will.  Unfortunately, the leg press is not without its flaws. First of all, it can…

Trying to make 2009 your healthiest year to date?   I’ve compiled for you what I believe to be some of the best health conscience habits you can easily adopt. Habit 1:  Drink more water. Sure, I know about all the news reports that say it’s possible to drink too much water.  Surprisingly, this same story is…

Fat season.  That’s what we call it around my office.  It starts on Halloween, and it usually runs straight through January.  We are bombarded by holidays that require us to consume copious amounts of meats, pies, cookies, chocolates, and alcohol.  On top of that, for those of us living in the north, it gets dreadfully…

When I was very young—I can’t remember how old, but let’s call it six or seven—I was introduced to spreadsheets. It introduced me to the world of statistics, of using data to track progress and predict the future, to work towards tangible, measurable goals instead of lofty, obtuse and too-often forgotten resolutions that people so…

The Gluteus Maximus.  It’s the king of all the skeletal muscles in your body.  By sheer volume it takes up more space within your body than any other muscle.  This may be apparent in some individuals more than others.  But the fact of the matter is, no matter who you are, what you have…