THE BENEFITS OF YOGA

The benefits of yoga provide both instant gratification and lasting transformation. In the fitness world, both are extremely important. Too much time with too few results can be incredibly discouraging, and monotonous routines week after week can lead to stagnation. Yoga can change your physical and mental capacity quickly, while preparing the mind and body for long-term health.

YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE

Most yoga studios and local gyms offer yoga classes that are open to all generations and fitness levels. It’s exciting to enter a room full of young teens, athletes, middle-aged moms, older gentlemen, and even fitness buffs and body builders. Everyone can feel accepted and included and, unlike other sports or classes that focus on niche clients, yoga tends to offer open arms. Whether you like to say "Om" or you can’t stand the word “yogi”; whether you are 92, 53, or even 12, yoga can help you.

YOGA ENCOURAGES OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Yoga is not just about working out, it’s about a healthy lifestyle. The practice of yoga allows students to find stillness in a world consumed with chaos. Peace and tranquility achieved through focused training appeals to everyone.

Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation practices help foster an inner shift from to-do lists, kids and spouse’s needs, financial concerns, and relationship struggles to something a little bit bigger than the issues you face. Yoga helps relieve stress and declutters the mind, helping you to become more focused.

YOGA HAS MANY FACES

One of the benefits of yoga is that you can choose a yoga style that's tailored to your lifestyle, such as hot yoga, power yoga, relaxation yoga, prenatal yoga, etc. Whether you prefer to practice at home, in a private session, while watching a DVD or at a studio or gym, there are a huge variety of options available to suit your goals and needs.

If you're a yoga beginner, hatha yoga, which focuses on basic postures at a comfortable pace, would be great for you. If you want to increase strength through using more of your own body’s resistance, power yoga may be right for you. If you're ready for a deeper practice, Bikram, also called “hot yoga,” may be just what you're looking for. In Bikram yoga, the room temperature is set to around 105 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in greater elimination of toxins from the body through the increased production of sweat. No matter your fitness level, fat percentage, or health history, yoga has a style for you.

STRENGTH TRAINING AND FLEXIBILITY

Yoga’s focus on strength training and flexibility is an incredible benefit to your body. The postures are meant to strengthen your body from the inside out, so you don’t just look good, you feel good, too. Each of the yoga poses is built to reinforce the muscles around the spine, the very center of your body, which is the core from which everything else operates. When the core is working properly, posture is improved, thus alleviating back, shoulder, and neck pain.

The digestive system gets back on track when the stretching in yoga is coupled with a healthy, organic diet, which can relieve constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and acid reflux. Another one of the benefits of yoga is that stretching and holding postures also causes muscles to lengthen, which gives the body a longer, leaner look.

HOW DOES POWER YOGA BUILD MUSCLE?

Adapted from the basic Ashtanga yoga, power yoga requires increased energy, focus, and strength. Although power yoga evolved from the basics, it certainly is not a basic course.

How does it help build muscle? Most poses are held for five full breaths versus the usual one to three breaths. Muscles are challenged as the mind and body have to work together simultaneously to hold a position without giving up. Breathing, posing, moving, and increasing flexibility happen together at one time, which unearths a new level of discipline in your mind and body.

POWER YOGA AND THE CORE

Isometric exercises are one of the best ways to build core strength. Isometric, stemming from the words “same” and “length,” simply translates to holding one position without moving. Power yoga uses isometric exercises along with other postures that are designed to make the core and back stronger. Flexibility and balance stem from your core, so it's important to train this area of the body. In turn, you can increase the strength and health of your entire body. Generally a high-temperature room is used in this practice to help keep the muscles warm and release additional toxins from the body.

POWER YOGA’S EFFECT ON THE BODY

Here's a list of some of the most beneficial aspects of power yoga:

• It increases endurance, strength, and flexibility.
• Mental endurance and physical stamina are tested through holding postures for extended breaths.
• Arm and shoulder strength is increased as you use your own body weight for resistance.
• Lats, traps, and other back muscles begin to support the spine better than before.
• Abdominals and obliques are refined and toned through building core muscles.
• Posture begins to correct itself over time.
• Hip flexors are stretched and strengthened.
• Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves are strengthened.

No matter what ails your aching body, or if you just want to take your fitness to a higher level, power yoga's ability to build muscle has an undeniable effect on the total body.

Do BCAA Supplements Actually Help You Gain More Muscle?

“You’re not taking your BCAAs?” Maybe you’ve heard some variation of this phrase tossed around the weight room. Heck, maybe you’ve even popped a BCAAs supplement without really knowing the ABCs of BCAAs. Here’s what you should know before you take the bulking supplement.

What Are Branched Chain Amino Acids?

BCAAs stands for “Branched Chain Amino Acids.” Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are nine essential amino acids in total, but there’s a key trio that helps you maintain muscle: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Of these three, leucine is the muscle-building powerhouse. To unlock the full effects of leucine, the latest research suggests consuming 2 to 3 grams a sitting, at least 3 times during the day. You’ll find that sweet spot of 2 to 3 grams leucine in 1 scoop of whey protein (of which about 25 percent is from BCAAs), 1 cup of cottage cheese, or 3 ounces of chicken breast. (We love this organic whey protein from the Men’s Health store.) In fact, any animal protein has the leucine, isoleucine, and valine you need—in doses that are actually doable.

So Do BCAAs Help You Build Muscle?

“Bottom line: If you’re taking in adequate protein, then BCAAs are a complete waste of money,” says protein researcher, Stuart Phillips, Ph.D., of McMaster University.

Men’s Health nutrition advisor, Mike Roussell, Ph.D. agrees. “It is important to realize that BCAAs are found naturally in the proteins that you are already eating, like whey or casein protein shakes, eggs, beef, fish, and chicken,” he says. “This means that for the average guy looking to get fit, there’s no need to add a BCAA supplement to your post-workout protein shake. It’s overkill and it won’t get you any better results.”

It’s not that taking more will hurt you, it’s just that those added aminos may not helpyou build any more muscle. In fact, one study in the journal Amino Acids (yes, there’s actually a research journal named that) found that the additional supplementation of leucine, one of the BCAAs, taken before and during anaerobic running, did not improve exercise performance.

On the flip, one study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that individuals were able to maintain lean body mass when supplementing with BCAAs during a calorie-restricted diet.

So, these study participants weren’t eating the recommended 2 to 3 grams of BCAAs per sitting in their low-calorie diet, but when they took BCAA supplements, it helped them retain muscle. And that’s hard to do when you’re trying to drastically slim down.

The final verdict? It’s not that BCAA supplements have no merit. You should take them if you’re not getting enough in your daily diet. But when you eat 2 to 3 grams of leucine from food sources at least 3 times a day, you don’t need them.

Whey Protein

Overview Information

Whey protein is the protein contained in whey, the watery portion of milk that separates from the curds when making cheese.
Whey protein is commonly used for improving athletic performance and increasing strength, but evidence to support these uses is mixed. Whey protein is also used to reverse weight loss in people with HIV and to help prevent allergic conditions in infants.

How does it work?
Whey protein is a source of protein that might improve the nutrient content of the diet. Whey protein might also have effects on the immune system.

Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

• Eczema. Research shows that infants who consume whey protein by mouth during the first 3-12 months of life have a lower risk of developing red, itchy skin by the age of 3 years.
• A condition associated with an increased risk for developing allergic reactions (atopic disease). . Research shows that infants who consume whey protein by mouth during the first 3-12 months of life are less likely to be prone to allergies and allergic reactions compared to infants who receive standard formula. However, taking why protein might not be helpful for treating atopic diseases once they develop.
• Weight loss in people with HIV/AIDS. Some research shows that taking whey protein by mouth can help decrease weight loss in people with HIV.
• Red, scaly skin (plaque psoriasis). Some evidence shows that taking a specific whey protein extract daily for 8 weeks can reduce psoriasis symptoms.

Possibly Ineffective for

• A lung disease called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Some research shows that taking a specific whey protein supplement daily for 6 weeks can improve shortness of breath but not lung function or quality of life in people with COPD. Other research suggests that taking whey protein supplements does not improve lung function, muscle function, or exercise in people with COPD.
• Osteoporosis. Research suggests that taking a drink containing whey protein daily for up to 2 years does not improve bone density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Insufficient Evidence for

• Muscle loss in the elderly. Whey protein might help to increase how much muscle older people have. However, it only seems to work when it is taken with other compounds like creatine or some fats, or with vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin D. Also, it is not known if whey protein helps build muscle in women or if it helps to increase strength.
• Asthma. Early research suggests that taking a specific type of whey protein daily for 30 days does not improve lung function in children with asthma.
• Athletic performance. Some research shows that taking whey protein in combination with strength training increases lean body mass, strength, and muscle size in healthy young adults. Taking whey protein also appears to improve running speed and recovery from exercise in untrained adults. But it does not appear to improve running speed or recovery in trained athletes. Taking whey protein also doesn’t seem to improve strength or muscle mass in overweight men with high cholesterol.
• Cancer. There is some evidence that taking whey protein might help reduce tumor size in some people with cancer that has spread.
• Cystic fibrosis. Early research suggests that taking whey protein daily for 28 days improves lung function in children, but not adults with cystic fibrosis.
• Diabetes. Early research shows that consuming a specific drink containing whey protein concentrate before a meal decreases blood sugar in people with diabetes.
• Asthma caused by exercise. Early research suggests that taking whey protein daily for 10 days improves lung function in people with asthma caused by exercise.
• Liver disease (hepatitis). Early research suggests that taking a specific type of whey protein daily for 12 weeks can improve liver function in some people with hepatitis B. However, it does not appear to benefit people with hepatitis C.
• HIV/AIDS. Early research suggests that taking whey protein for 4 months does not improve immune function in children with HIV.
• Infections developed while in the hospital. Early research suggests that taking a specific whey protein supplement daily for up to 28 days has a similar effect on the rate of hospital-acquired infections as taking a combination of zinc, selenium, glutamine, and metoclopramide.
• High cholesterol. Early research suggests that taking whey protein daily while participating in weight lifting exercises does not reduce cholesterol levels or body fat in overweight men with high cholesterol.
• High blood pressure. Taking 28 grams of whey protein or 20 grams of hydrolyzed whey protein daily for 6-8 weeks can lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. But taking low amounts of whey protein (2.6 grams daily) doesn’t have any benefit.
• Muscular disease (mitochondrial myopathies). Early research suggests that taking a whey protein supplement daily for one month does not improve muscle strength or quality of life in people with mitochondrial diseases.
• Liver disease not due to alcohol use (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, NASH).Early research suggests that taking whey protein daily for 12 weeks can improve liver function in patients with NASH.
• Parkinson's disease. Some research shows that taking whey protein doesn't help Parkinson's disease symptoms.
• An ovary disorder known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Early research suggests that taking a supplement containing whey protein daily for 2 months can reduce body weight, fat mass, and cholesterol in people with ovarian cysts. However, whey protein does not improve blood sugar and seems to decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol.
• Aching and stiffness caused by inflammation (polymyalgia rheumatica). Early research suggests that taking whey protein in a dairy product twice daily for 8 weeks does not improve muscle function, walking speed, or other movement tests in people with polymyalgia rheumatica.
• Weight loss. The effects of whey protein on weight loss seem to vary depending on whether it is used alone or along with dieting or exercise. Taking whey protein along with dieting might prevent the loss of lean muscle and increase the loss of body fat in people who are obese or overweight. This might improve overall body composition. But taking whey protein while dieting doesn’t seem to increase overall weight loss in most people who are obese or overweight. It’s too soon to know if taking whey protein without dieting improves weight loss. When used along with exercise, whey protein doesn’t seem to improve weight loss compared to exercise alone. In overweight teens, drinking a whey protein beverage for 12 weeks seems to increase weight and body mass index (BMI).
• Other conditions. More evidence is needed to rate whey protein for these uses.

Side Effects & Safety

Whey protein is LIKELY SAFE for most children and adults when taken by mouth appropriately. High doses can cause some side effects such as increased bowel movements, nausea, thirst, bloating, cramps, reduced appetite, tiredness (fatigue), and headache.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking whey protein if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Milk allergy: If you are allergic to cow's milk, avoid using whey protein.


Interactions

Major Interaction

Do not take this combination

• Levodopa interacts with WHEY PROTEIN
  Whey protein might decrease how much levodopa the body absorbs. By decreasing how much levodopa the body absorbs, whey protein might decrease the effectiveness of levodopa. Do not take whey protein and levodopa at the same time.
• Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

• Alendronate (Fosamax) interacts with WHEY PROTEIN
  Whey protein can decrease how much alendronate (Fosamax) the body absorbs. Taking whey protein and alendronate (Fosamax) at the same time can decrease the effectiveness of alendronate (Fosamax). Don't take whey protein within two hours of taking alendronate (Fosamax).
• Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics) interacts with WHEY PROTEIN
  Whey protein might decrease how much antibiotic the body absorbs. Taking whey protein along with some antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics. To avoid this interaction take whey protein supplements at least one hour after antibiotics.<br/><br/> Some of these antibiotics that might interact with whey protein include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).
• Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics) interacts with WHEY PROTEIN
  Whey protein contains calcium. The calcium in whey protein can attach to tetracyclines in the stomach. This decreases the amount of tetracyclines that can be absorbed. Taking calcium with tetracyclines might decrease the effectiveness of tetracyclines. To avoid this interaction take whey protein two hours before or four hours after taking tetracyclines.<br/><br/> Some tetracyclines include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).

The Importance Of Physical Fitness

A person who is fit is capable of living life to its fullest extent. Physical and mental fitness play very important roles in your lives and people who are both, physically and mentally fit are less prone to medical conditions as well.

What is Fitness?

Fitness does not only refer to being physically fit, but also refers to a person’s mental state as well. If a person is physically fit, but mentally unwell or troubled, he or she will not be able to function optimally. Mental fitness can only be achieved if your body is functioning well. You can help relax your own mind and eliminate stresses by exercising regularly and eating right.

Why is it Important to Be Physically Fit?

People who are physically fit are also healthier, are able to maintain their most optimum weight, and are also not prone to cardiac and other health problems. In order to maintain a relaxed state of mind, a person should be physically active. A person who is fit both physically and mentally is strong enough to face the ups and downs of life, and is not affected by drastic changes if they take place.

How Can You Become More Physically Fit?

Becoming physically fit requires a change in life style as well. You will have to incorporate a regular exercise routine in your life and also eat healthier. By avoiding junk foods, fizzy drinks, bad habits like smoking and alcohol and by getting adequate amount of rest, you will be able to become physically and mentally fit. Just by eliminating all these food substances from your life, no matter how temporarily, you will allow your body to detox and become stronger. Make sure that you spend more time outdoors in the sun, and fresh air and take part in more healthy activities. Fishing, bicycling, swimming, hiking, and even playing foot ball with your kids should be a part of your physically fit lifestyle.

What Are the Advantages of Being More Active?

By becoming more active you can increase your body’s fitness levels and also avoid health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure from developing. Exercise is also good for your joints and makes your body stronger overall.

The Importance of Detoxing Your Body

Another Inconvenient Truth

The human body is a self-healing, self-renewing, self-cleansing organism. When the right conditions are created, vibrant well-being is its natural state. We have departed from the ways of nature and live under less than natural conditions. Like global warming, the toxicity of our planet is undeniable. I call it “Another Inconvenient Truth.” The air we breathe, the water we drink and shower with, the foods we eat, the cosmetics we use and the buildings we live and work in, are loaded with toxic chemicals that alone or in combination cause disease, suffering and even death. When we remove these obstacles and add what is lacking, our bodies bounce back into health as if by magic. This is natural, common-sense medicine, enabling the body to heal, regenerate and even rejuvenate itself.

With this in mind, if you live in a modern city and want to stay healthy, there are two fundamental practices to follow: detoxification cleansing and eating real foods, just as nature intended food to be.

1. Detoxification Cleansing

Approximately eight hours after eating our last meal the processes of digestion, absorption, and assimilation are completed and the body enters into detoxification mode, a function we don’t think about often. A healthy body, used to eating natural foods, needs around four hours to cleanse and detoxify itself from all the waste products of normal metabolism. This is without counting the toxic overload of modern life. It’s a really good practice to fast every day for 12 hours after our last meal: Eight hours to complete food processing plus four to allow for detoxification. So if your last meal is at 10pm, don’t eat anything before 10am. Breakfast should be exactly that, break-fast, or breaking the fast. This would be enough in a toxin-free world. Since that is not the case, we should periodically make an extra effort to go deeper and catch up with the cleaning, as it were. This is where detox cleansing programs come into play. There are many programs available today based on different systems and philosophies of healing. Some are great, some dangerous. Make sure someone who understands and has experience guides you.

How often and for how long one should engage in detox programs depends on how clean one is to begin with. In addition to all of the above, one should educate oneself as to how to keep our environment toxin-free. Water and air filters, eco-cleaning utensils, chemical free cosmetics, green architecture, alternative fuel vehicles…

2. Eat Real Foods

We used to pick our food from trees and the earth, and hunt or fish for the rest. Now we buy it in modern supermarkets. Ninety percent of the products in supermarkets come in some kind of container. In order to extend shelf life, these food-like products are loaded with chemicals, preservatives, and conservatives that kill bacteria. Most products also contain additives to give them the color, smell, taste, and texture that will tempt us to buy and eat them. The remaining 10% of what is edible—the produce, the fish, the meats and the dairy products—are loaded with chemicals as well. All of these chemicals cause havoc inside our bodies, being the most intimate source of toxins for us since we throw this mixture in our bellies and soon enough it passes into our blood.

Returning to a more natural way of eating is the best way to avoid disease and premature aging. It also keeps the weight off. Buy organic foods, shop in your local farmer’s markets. Increase the consumption of vegetables, fruits, seeds, grains, and legumes. More raw foods are better for health (enzymes remain intact), the environment (smaller carbon footprint), and the pocket (lower utility bills).

To round things up, don’t forget to nourish your soul. The future of medicine is “no medicine.” If we return to a more natural life, our bodies become the best doctors.

10 Tips for Building Muscle Now

Maybe you’ve had sand kicked in your face. Maybe you’ve lost one too many attainable women to beefier guys. Or maybe you’ve read so much about weight loss that actually admitting you want to gain weight is a societal taboo.

Whatever the reason, you want to bulk up. Now.

But forget about your alleged high-revving metabolism, says Doug Kalman, R.D., director of nutrition at Miami Research Associates. “Most lean men who can’t gain muscle weight are simply eating and exercising the wrong way,” he says.

Here’s your fix: Follow these 10 principles to pack on as much as a pound of muscle each week.

1. Maximize muscle building. The more protein your body stores—in a process called protein synthesis—the larger your muscles grow. But your body is constantly draining its protein reserves for other uses—making hormones, for instance.

The result is less protein available for muscle building. To counteract that, you need to “build and store new proteins faster than your body breaks down old proteins,” says Michael Houston, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech University.

2. Eat meat. Shoot for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, which is roughly the maximum amount your body can use in a day, according to a landmark study in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

For example, a 160-pound man should consume 160 grams of protein a day—the amount he’d get from an 8-ounce chicken breast, 1 cup of cottage cheese, a roast-beef sandwich, two eggs, a glass of milk, and 2 ounces of peanuts. Split the rest of your daily calories equally between carbohydrates and fats.

3. Eat more. In addition to adequate protein, you need more calories. Use the following formula to calculate the number you need to take in daily to gain 1 pound a week. (Give yourself 2 weeks for results to show up on the bathroom scale. If you haven’t gained by then, increase your calories by 500 a day.)

A. Your weight in pounds: _____
B. Multiply A by 12 to get your basic calorie needs: _____
C. Multiply B by 1.6 to estimate your resting metabolic rate (calorie burn without factoring in exercise): _____
D. Strength training: Multiply the number of minutes you lift weights per week by 5: _____
E. Aerobic training: Multiply the number of minutes per week that you run, cycle, and play sports by 8: _____
F. Add D and E, and divide by 7: _____
G. Add C and F to get your daily calorie needs: _____
H. Add 500 to G: _____. This is your estimated daily calorie needs to gain 1 pound a week.

4. Work your biggest muscles. If you’re a beginner, just about any workout will be intense enough to increase protein synthesis. But if you’ve been lifting for a while, you’ll build the most muscle quickest if you focus on the large muscle groups, like the chest, back, and legs.

Add squats, dead lifts, pull ups, bent-over rows, bench presses, dips, and military presses to your workout. Do two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, with about 60 seconds’ rest between sets.

5. But first, have a stiff drink. A 2001 study at the University of Texas found that lifters who drank a shake containing amino acids and carbohydrates before working out increased their protein synthesis more than lifters who drank the same shake after exercising.

The shake contained 6 grams of essential amino acids—the muscle-building blocks of protein—and 35 grams of carbohydrates.

Basic things about fitness

Getting off the couch and into the gym can be an intimidating process, especially when everyone seems to know a lot more than you do. To be successful in your fitness goals, it's important to start off on the right track. Far too many beginners get started on the wrong foot, develop bad habits, and then struggle to achieve their goals of building muscle and burning fat.

I don't want you to struggle with more challenges than you already have to—many are avoidable! If you can make your first steps positive ones, you'll make excellent progress right away and avoid feeling lost at the start of your fitness journey.

Take the first step with these 10 must-read beginner training tips. Apply them to your burgeoning health and fitness regimen for early success!

1. Make Fitness A Habit

Going to the gym once is definitely a great start, but you won't see positive changes in your mind and body unless you make hitting the gym a habit. I know it might sound like an impossible task, especially if you feel you have a full day already, but working out 3-4 times each week for at least three weeks is absolutely essential to your budding success.

Building lifelong habits takes time, but once you've built those habits into your daily schedule you'll notice that missing them is irritating.

Building lifelong habits takes time, but once you've built those habits into your daily schedule you'll notice that missing them is irritating. "Experts say it takes 21 days to create a habit," says Barbara Bolotte, BPI athlete. "This means it won't be until after 21 days of consistent work at the gym that it'll bother you to miss a workout."

When skipping the gym is more of an annoyance than a relief, you know you're on the way to success. Give yourself time to make the habit stick. One week is not enough. Be consistent in your plan and you'll move forward very quickly toward your goals.

2. Control Your Lifts

Beginners often learn by watching. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you copy somebody doing a lift improperly, it means you're not doing it right, either. Most often, bad form comes from trying to lift too much weight too soon. When that happens, most people turn to momentum rather than muscle contraction to move the weight.

"Your efforts need to be focused and controlled," says James Grage, co-founder and vice president of BPI Sports. "The key is to isolate muscle groups and strategically work them through various exercises, angles, and techniques." The better you can actually contract each muscle group correctly during a lift, the more your muscles will grow.

More weight can wait. In the grand scheme of things, how much you can biceps curl matters very little. What's important is learning how to squeeze your muscles to move the weight rather than using your hips to thrust the weight up.

For a step-by-step guide on how to perform each lift correctly, check out our Exercise Database.

3. Do Compound Movements

Beginners interested in fitness can be easily distracted by complex training techniques found in magazines and online articles. If you've never stepped foot in a gym or haven't been in one for a long time, going right to isolation moves that work just one muscle group at a time won't bring you the best results.

"The key is to isolate muscle groups and strategically work them through various exercises, angles, and techniques."

To get the best results for muscle growth and fat loss, it's best to start with compound lifts like the squat, bench press, shoulder press, bent-over row, deadlift, pull-up, and lunge. These lifts require you to use multiple muscle groups at the same time. Doing them will allow you to lift more weight, hit more muscles, and increase your metabolic rate much better than you could doing dropsets of isolation movements like triceps extensions.

To start, select lifts that require you to use at least half your body to do them. You can add isolation work as you get going, but start with the moves that will give you the most bang for your buck.

4. Posture Perfect

How your spine is set during your lifts can have a huge impact on your body and the amount of weight you're able to lift. Unless you're a pro powerlifter or are being coached in a specific way, it's best to keep your lower back slightly arched, your chest up, and your head and neck in a neutral position, no matter which lift you're doing.

James says that a pronounced arch in the back during lifts can be dangerous.

James says that a pronounced arch in the back during lifts can be dangerous. "I see people arching their back in the shoulder press, bench press, and biceps curls. This may help you get through the exercise, but it's not efficiently working your muscles, and it'll ultimately lead to the biggest enemy of gains: an injury."

A healthy spine usually stems from a strong core. If your core is weak, then your spine doesn't have any support. When you're lifting—even during movements as simple as a biceps curl—engage your core. You might feel like you're just flexing your abs, but you're also engaging those deep, inner core muscles that protect your spine.

5. Diet Like You Mean It

Just because you hit the gym doesn't mean you get to spend the day eating pizza and doughnuts. What you do in your workout is just a small piece of the fitness puzzle. What you do with the other 23 hours you're not in the gym is much more important. "A clean diet is key for both your mental and physical well-being," says Bolotte. "Get your diet straight first before worrying about anything else."

The word "diet" can be a little scary, but I'm not telling you to have celery and water for every meal. Nutrition doesn't have to be difficult. To start, get rid of all the processed crap in your diet and eat protein and vegetables at every meal.

You can still enjoy good food, but make smarter choices. Instead of having pizza one night, try making chicken with quinoa and green beans. You can still make food that tastes good—it just takes a little more thought and preparation.

"Even if you're too busy to make it to the gym, eat healthy meals and you'll still see results," adds Bolotte.

6. Squeeze

Going to the gym and getting through a workout is a huge part of building your best self. However, it's just as important to make sure you get the most out of your workouts. An often-missed principle of lifting is a strong contraction—or squeeze—at the top of every movement. "This isometric element makes a big difference," explains James.

Whether you're doing biceps curls, triceps press-downs, glute bridges, or leg extensions, squeezing as hard as you can at the top of the lift will help you build muscle. You don't need to squeeze for more than a second or two, but challenging those muscle groups to work that much harder will pay big dividends.

7. Learn From Your Mistakes

Nobody started out as an expert. You're just beginning, so remember that you are going to make mistakes. That's the way it is with all things. The trick is to pay attention to these mistakes and learn from them.

Think about your body and how it responds to your lifts, your diet, and even your attitude. No two people are entirely alike. The better you understand yourself, the more you can tailor your workout program to your own needs. This means better results in your future.

A great way to keep track of what you do in the gym and the kitchen—and how your body responds—is to keep a journal or blog on BodySpace.

A great way to keep track of what you do in the gym and the kitchen—and how your body responds—is to keep a journal or blog on BodySpace. Write down your workouts, what you eat, and how you feel.

That way, you can look back and figure out what made you feel great, what made you feel sore, and what made you feel like you wanted to quit. Use this information to get better!

8. Finish Every Rep

Many beginners focus too much on the first part of the lift (the concentric or lifting portion) and forget all about the lowering (eccentric) part. I know it's fun to watch your muscles flex, but letting the weight drop quickly and without control can be disastrous.

"During the eccentric phase of any lift, the muscle is acting like a brake, slowing the weight down against gravity," explains James. "This is just as important as the contraction, or concentric phase, because your muscle is still engaged." You want your muscles to be strong all the way through their entire range of motion, not just the first half of the lift.

James says that if you cannot control the weight during the lowering phase, you're probably lifting too much weight. Lighten the load until you can control it on the way down again.

9. Ask Questions

"The gym can often be an intimidating place for any beginner," says Barbara. "Don't be afraid to ask someone about how to do an exercise or what muscle group it works."

As a beginner, you'll likely have questions. There's nothing wrong with that! The worst thing you can do is keep yourself ignorant. Failing to ask questions can lead you to develop bad habits, lift improperly, and find yourself working hard without seeing results. If you're too shy to speak up, consider booking a session with a trainer. It's their job to answer your questions.

"The gym can often be an intimidating place for any beginner," says Barbara. "Don't be afraid to ask someone about how to do an exercise or what muscle group it works. There are usually trainers and coaches who can assist you with machines and equipment. Knowing how to use the equipment correctly can go a long way toward increasing your confidence in the gym. Being confident will make you more likely to come back."

10. Think About Your Muscles

I know this might sound silly, but it's important to actually focus your mind on the muscle you're training. "Learn to really feel your muscles," advises James. "You can practice without even picking up a weight. While you're at home, flex your arm and feel your biceps contracting."

Being able to focus your mind on what your muscles are doing is often called the "mind-muscle connection." Consciously telling your muscles to move in a certain way will help you visualize and develop the target muscle group.

The mind-muscle connection is the way to maximize a workout, according to James. "You aren't just there to count reps. You're there to really feel the muscle through each and every segment of the movement pattern."