HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

Friday, December 31, 2010




Dear Martin,

Happy New Year, my fitness friend!

New Year’s Day is right around the corner and you know what that means … time to make your resolutions to get a fit body, mind and spirit! And I’m here to help you keep them this year.
New Year’s resolutions fail for various reasons. Sometimes they’re too broad, sometimes they’re unrealistic, or sometimes you just don’t know what to do to achieve your goal.
So here are four ways to help keep your New Year’s resolution on improving your fitness this year:
1. Put yourself first. You make time for other people every day, but you might not give yourself the attention you need (and deserve!). Give yourself a portion of your day all to yourself … even if it’s only 20 minutes. Devote that time to improving your mind, body and spirit by doing one of my great fat-burning workouts or taking some time to meditate.
2. Make it mandatory. You brush your teeth every day without exception … well, hopefully ;) … you shower … you walk the dog … Why? Because you have to, and it’s part of your daily routine. This year, switch exercising and eating right from “optional” to “mandatory” and see how quickly your body, confidence and overall health improves. No excuses!

3. Set mini goals. Instead of saying I won’t ever eat chocolate again or I’m going to work out every day for the rest of the year, start small. Take it one day at a time. This way, you can be happy you accomplished something and have the motivation to keep going strong. You could start by trying one of my online training courses for simple, easy-to-follow workouts that are broken down into daily segments. So every day you follow the program, it’s like you just reached another goal!

4. Learn how to set goals. To reach your goals, you’ve got to know what to do and how to stay motivated. And I have the perfect video clip for you. It describes a sure-fire way to accomplish your goals. All you need is some guidance and inspiration. Click here to watch it.
Lots of Peace, Love, Energy and Happiness!

Yarixa "Coach Yari" Ferrao



P.S. Keep in mind, change is key when making resolutions. Don’t be afraid to try new things until you find what works for you. Doing the same thing you’ve always done won’t give you the results you’re looking for. Have an amazing 2011!

Top 10 steps Tips to Tighten that Tush

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Dear Martin,

Whether, you’re a guy or gal, having a great rear end is definitely in style. Big or small, luscious or lean there is nothing wrong with improving on nature.
The first thing to do is to get yourself in the proper mindset … whatever you can use for positive reinforcement. Maybe hang up a picture of someone who has the kind of rear you would like to have one day. Or buy those skinny jeans you just can’t wait to get into. Imagine all the new attention you are about to receive from the opposite sex. Whatever you can find to use for motivation is entirely up to you. You can be successful in having a spectacular rear end. Thousands of people already have.
Some of the best exercises I’ve found come from Dr. Al Sears, MD – the creator of the patented PACE 12-minute fitness program and fitness instructor Yarixa Ferrao (better known as Coach Yari). She’s helped dozens of people tighten and lift their butts with her booty bootcamp.
Their exercises below have helped me get a tighter tush. And if you’re willing to give these exercises a reasonable amount of time and attention, you’ll see the results you want and will take the first step in getting a bodacious booty.
1. Try not to rush through your exercises. Hold each move for at least 30 seconds. Focus exclusively on tightening your behind. Every single move and thought is directed on nothing else. Believe it, and make it happen.
2. If you can do more than 15 reps without muscle fatigue, it’s time to increase your resistance. Add a little extra to your sets whenever you can. Also, it’s very important you rest and recover between each set. Make sure you push yourself a little harder each day. Try to feel the burn, create an oxygen debt with each set and progressively challenge yourself the next time
3. Squats and lunges are the most typical of all the butt-exercise moves. They can also be a little boring, and if not done properly, can be a little painful. Make sure to keep your back straight and knees in line with your feet. Press into the floor as you rise out of the lunge/squat while squeezing your butt. Do it slowly. The good thing about theses exercises is they will also work your quads.
4. The “Bridge” is my all-time favorite. You can even do it while lying in bed. Lie face up with one knee bent and the other extended toward the ceiling. Lift your hips as far up as you can and hold and squeeze for five seconds. Repeat this move 10 times and pulse it for 5 and then rest. Switch legs and repeat. The results will be absolutely beautiful, but with a burn like you wouldn’t believe! Check out Coach Yari’s instructions on The Bridge here.
5. Step Ups are also great exercises. Find a step and climb off and on repeatedly. If the steps are short, you could use the same leg to lead for a set and then switch legs.
6. Skipping is also one of the best entire body workouts ever. It’s excellent for your heart and lungs, too. Jump as high as you can and as fast, for a period of one minute, then rest and recover. Repeat three times.
7. When attempting dead lifts (using dumbbells or barbells), don’t forget to keep your knees straight but not locked. Slowly bend forward at the hips until you feel a nice stretch in your hamstring. Contract your glutes while you rise back up into a standing position.
8. Standing and laying abduction exercises will target the outer part of those cheeks. Any extra fat on those hips will soon disappear. By keeping your legs straight, slowly raise one of your legs as high as possible to the side of your body. Do your desired number of reps and repeat with the other legs
9. Try parking a little further away from your destination and hoof it whenever possible … This works whenever you’re going to the mall, supermarket and even the office. There’s no reason to sit and wait for closer parking when you could get a little extra moving time. You’ll be surprised at how good that feels and how much easier it is to get in a little workout.
10. Another tip from Dr. Sears: After you’re finished with your workout, add some extra protein powder to your recovery drink. This will help reduce muscle damage.
Keep on Stylin’!
Anesta Dawkins
[Ed. Note: Anesta Dawkins is Owner and Founder of Salon Hottie in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is an accomplished hairstylist, platform artist, and instructor. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry and a satisfied network of clients, Anesta is dedicated to keeping you current with the latest and most innovative products in the beauty industry.]

There are two new things we now know about chocolate.

Friday, December 24, 2010
Dear Martin
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard about chocolate’s benefits. I’ve seen it reported in magazines and on the evening news. But I have new evidence that makes chocolate even sweeter.
There are two new things we now know about chocolate
First, I have evidence that eating chocolate can cut your risk from dying of stroke nearly in half.
In one study, people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 percent less likely to have a stroke.1

Another study found that people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46 percent less likely to die following a stroke than those who didn’t eat chocolate.2

About 80 percent of strokes occur when there isn’t enough blood getting to the brain.3 Your brain is starved of oxygen and nutrients and begins to die immediately.
Chocolate helps to counteract that in two ways. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps to increase circulation.
You may get a rush of pleasure when you bite into a piece of chocolate. But chocolate gives you more than instant gratification. It’s filled with antioxidants called flavonoids. And flavonoids protect the body.
Which leads me to the second new thing about chocolate. These flavonoids found in chocolate fight silent inflammation, which is the leading cause of chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke as I mentioned above, among many others.4
You can find flavonoids in vegetables, tea and red wine, but cocoa has more flavonoids.5 In fact, dark chocolate contains up to four times the antioxidants found in tea.6

But that’s not all this holiday treat can do.

The flavonol-rich cocoa in chocolate is also a vasodilator meaning it relaxes your blood vessels. It widens blood vessels so circulation is improved. This brings an increased blood flow to the brain. It also helps to lower blood pressure and improve heart function. Vasodilators like the cocoa in chocolate also help to increase circulation to sexual organs so they’re ready to respond when you are.
No wonder the scientific name for cocoa translates to “food of the gods.”
When you’re looking for a good source of chocolate, keep this in mind:

• Look for chocolate that contains 70 percent or more cocoa. This is the ingredient that contains health benefits.
• Check how much sugar is added to the chocolate you choose. Keep it as low as possible. But choose sugar over artificial sweeteners or chocolate labeled “sugar free.”

• Beware of other chemicals in the chocolate. Choose a brand that has pure ingredients and no chemical additives.
• Make chocolate your special treat of choice once a week.
• You can find good quality chocolate at a health-food store but more and more of the “good stuff” is finding its way into grocery and drug stores.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
PS: We want to wish you and your family very happy holidays from me and the Ageless Beauty Secret panelists – Coach Yari, Anesta Dawkins and Tara Smith, ARNP, NP-C. Have a beautiful new year!