FREE Fitness Articles For Your Website! Increase your site traffic now! Use the professionally-written fat loss, muscle-building and exercise articles you find in the BetterU News Archive FREE on your website. Click here for details

NOTE: All articles in BetterU News are written by Nick Nilsson -
http://www.fitstep.com/ unless otherwise credited.

---

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!! Learn The Truth About Fat Loss and Muscle Building eBooks at Fitness-eBooks.com! You work hard for your money and you deserve to know whether the training information you're going to spend hard-earned money on is right for you. At our new-and-improved site, http://www.fitness-ebooks.com, you'll get honest, unbiased reviews of the most popular fat-loss, muscle-building, strength training and supplement eBooks on the Internet! These reviews will help you make the best decisions about the training information you want to get. Current reviews include: Train Smart - By Peter Sisco Massive Growth - By Rob Maraby Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss - By Nick Nilsson Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle - By Tom Venuto Flatten Your Abs - By David Grisaffi The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of - By Nick Nilsson And there are plenty more reviews on the way! You'll also have the opportunity to suggest eBooks you're interested in and would like to see reviewed. Plus, if you've got an eBook of your own that you would like to submit for review, we'd be happy to have a look at it as well! We're constantly on the lookout for new and innovative training information. And be sure to check out our "Free eBook" section, where you'll be able to download totally free eBooks as well as demo versions of several of the full programs. Throughout this newsletter, you will find excerpts from reviews of a number of the eBooks I mentioned above. Be sure to read them all! Click on the following link right now to learn the truth about fat-loss and muscle-building eBooks! http://www.fitness-ebooks.com

---

When One Side Of a Muscle Group Is Smaller Than The Other - How To Train to Fix It Have a left bicep that's noticeably smaller than the right? Is your chest significantly more developed on one side? Find out how to even out your muscles now!

Everybody's got them. Sometimes you notice them, sometimes you don't. But there is nothing strange about having one side smaller or less developed than the other! It can happen for a variety of reasons, including genetics, reduced circulation or innervation (which is basically the amount of nerves going to the muscle) to the smaller muscle, previous injuries, or even small anatomical differences.

If you've got a significant size or strength difference between sides, this information is for you. The following techniques will help you to even out those lagging bodyparts once and for all!

These techniques can be incorporated into your regular workouts very easily, allowing you to quickly bring up those smaller, less-developed bodyparts. Several of the techniques work by increasing training volume, some work by increasing resistance, while others work by targeting the specific physiological causes of the difference (circulation and innervation).

1. "One and Two and One" Reps

This is a dumbell technique that increases the training volume for the smaller muscle. For this technique, you'll use the same dumbells in both hands.

Start with one rep with the one arm of the smaller part. For example, if you're doing curls, do one dumbell curl with your left arm. Now do a single rep with BOTH arms (right and left) at the same time. Immediately do another rep with the smaller arm again.

Your smaller bodypart will end up getting 50% more work than the larger side.

2. "One and Two and One" Sets

This approach is very similar to the rep technique explained above. This time, however, you will do one set of an exercise for just that single side, rest, then do a set that works both sides. Then you'll go back and do a set with just the smaller side again. This will also increase the "smaller-side" workload by about 50%.

This approach also utilizes dumbells rather than barbells in order to allow for single-limb movements.

This "staggered set" approach is more effective for leg exercises than the "staggered rep" technique explained above simply because it's tough to find an exercise that you can do the "rep" technique effectively with. For legs, you will follow the exact same routine, doing a single-leg set, then a double-leg set, then a single leg set.

3. Uneven Weights

To do this technique, hold a dumbell that is somewhat heavier in the hand of your weaker side. This can be a 5 to 10 pound or more difference, depending on the exercise. Do your set as you normally would but stop completely when your weak side can't continue.

This technique increases the resistance on the weaker side, helping to bring it up to the level of the stronger side. Stopping the exercise when the weak side is fatigued ensures that the strong side does not get stimulated as much. This allows the weaker side to more easily catch up.

4. Use Dumbells For All Your Exercises

Dumbells force each side of the body to take full responsibility for their part in the movement. When using machines or barbells, the strong side can have a tendency to take over the movement and assist the weak side, limiting its development.

Simply switching to completely dumbell-based training for a period of time can help bring up the lagging part quickly without even having to use these special techniques.

5. Targeted Negatives

Finish each bodypart workout with a single set of negative training for the weak side limb. For example, if your left bicep is weaker, when you've finished your regular bicep workout, do one set of negative-only training for the left bicep.

One of my favorite ways to do negative training for biceps is using the Preacher Bench. The bench allows you to stabilize your upper arm more effectively than if you are standing.

Sit in the bench and hold a heavy dumbell in one hand (the weight should just a little higher than your 1 rep max). Now use your other arm to help with the "up" phase of the movement.

Once you're at the top, start to lower the weight down. Fight gravity all the way down - don't just try and slow the weight down...actively try and lift it up while gravity is forcing it down. This is the most effective way to execute negative training.

Have your free hand ready to slow the dumbell to keep it from slamming your arm down if you lose strength.

This technique will help to build strength in the target muscle, helping to address the innervation issues that may be causing the lagging development.

6. Targeted High-Rep Training

Start each bodypart workout with one light, high-rep set for the weak side muscle. For example, for a smaller or weaker right tricep, start each tricep workout with one set of high-rep single-arm pushdowns. High-rep in this case means 50+ reps.

This very high rep set will help to increase circulation to the target muscle, improving its ability to gain mass. This increase in circulation means more available blood, which means more nutrients get to the muscle, which means more muscle growth!

---

If you've got a lesser-developed muscle on one side of your body, give these training techniques a try. They can help you rapidly even out differences between your two sides.

Want more articles like this? Subscribe to BetterU News now! E-Mail:

---

EXCERPT FROM REVIEW OF "MASSIVE GROWTH" by Rob Maraby Review by Rahul Alvares "Massive Growth" is one of the most amazing muscle gain books I have ever read. Before I got a copy of the book, I had seen the advertisement page to it and actually, I wasn't very impressed. The advertisement page had the usual one liners carved in bold - "Gain rock hard pounds of muscle," "Steroid like gains in six weeks"- and so on. There was, however, one mention that caught my attention. That was something about an "African Bodybuilding Secret." I was quite curious to know what this "African muscle secret" might hold, especially as the author claimed that the African bodybuilders have the best bodies in the world and that they build them without ever touching steroids or supplements. I read through this book like a racy thriller novel! What makes the book so interesting is Rob Maraby's excellent knowledge of bodybuilding coupled with a most straight-in-your-face style of writing. No beating around the bush, just hard facts and they make perfect sense. "Massive Growth" isn't just a very good bodybuilding book, it is a very different bodybuilding book.... Read the rest of the review of "Massive Growth" here: http://www.fitness-ebooks.com/muscle-building-ebooks/massive-growth-review.htm Click this link to go directly to the "Massive Growth" website: http://www.fitstep.com/goto/massive-growth.htm Read more eBook reviews at: http://www.fitness-ebooks.com

---

Secret Training Tip #995 - How to Effectively Work and Build The Upper Chest Surprise! This is NOT an article about incline bench pressing. Learn these unique techniques for filling out your upper pectoral area.

The upper chest/upper pec area just below the collar bones can be one of the toughest areas of the body to fully develop. The visual, proportional and functional benefits of building up this area are tremendous though!

Typcially, when you read about working the upper chest, you will hear a lot about incline exercises such as incline barbell or dumbell presses and incline flyes. While these exercises can be very effective, they don't work well for everybody.

If that sounds like you, these are the exercises that you've been looking for. These exercises are especially powerful when used in conjunction with or even supersetted with incline presses or flyes. They will help hit those hard-to-reach upper-pec muscle fibers that are generally not worked with standard incline movements.

At the end of this article, you will find links to view pictures of these exercises in action.

1. Upper Chest Cable Cross-Overs

You will need either a cable-cross over machine or a single high pulley for this exercise.

Get into position standing between the two high cross-over pulleys then take a small step forward. This small step forward puts more tension on the upper pecs at the start of the movement by increasing the stretch.

Bend over at the waist up to about 90 degrees.

The movement itself is very similar to the normal crossover. However, as you bring the cables in, you should push your hands forward of your body in a wide arc rather than bringing them directly down under your torso.

Essentially, you will be trying to bring the cable handles under your face rather than under your chest. This is the key to activating the upper pectoral fibers.

Keep your back arched and your chest puffed out and be sure to come around and forward as though sweeping your fist far out and around.

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue31-pecs.htm

2. Lying Cable "Y" Flyes

The reason I call these "Y" Flyes is from the position of your body and arms on the bench when you do them.

Set a flat bench in the middle of the cable cross-overs (this exercise can also be done one arm at a time on a single low pulley if you don't have access to a full cross-over machine set-up). The end of the bench where your head will rest should be about 4 to 6 inches forward of an imaginary line between the two pulleys.

Use a moderate weight for this exercise as we'll be focusing on the squeeze of the upper pecs and the feel of the exercise, not the amount of weight we're using.

Grasp the cable handles then sit on the bench. Shift yourself forward on the bench so when you lay back onto the bench, your head is set a few inches forward of the pulleys.

You should notice that, at the bottom of the exercise, your arms are angled up and back, just like the "Y" I mentioned above.

Be sure to keep your elbows slightly bent but stiff during the movement. Also, don't let your upper arms get pulled down past parallel. The real value of this exercise is at the contracted position at the top of the movement.

Do the cable flye movement from there, bringing your hands together directly ABOVE YOUR FOREHEAD. This is critical because the angle of your arms in this track will throw the vast majority of the tension directly onto your upper pec area.

Squeeze the pecs hard at the top, lower down slowly and repeat.

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue31-pecs.htm

3. Side Lying Incline Dumbell Flyes

Lie on your side on an incline bench (if you can set the angle, use about 30 degrees). Your shoulder should be set just off the forward edge of the bench so you can move the arm freely up and down. Your feet should be set somewhat apart on the floor to provide greater stability and pushing power.

If you are lying on your right side hold a dumbell in your right hand and let it hang down. Don't worry about losing tension here - the benefit of this exercise lies at the top of the movement.

Use a fairly light to moderate dumbell with this exercise. You don't need much weight to get a full contraction and using too much could cause you to lose your balance on the bench.

Keeping your arm slightly bent and stiff, raise the dumbell in a flye type motion in front of you, around and up until your upper arm is as vertical as you can get it.

Squeeze hard at the top. You should feel a sharp burning sensation in your upper-midle pec area right on the cleavage between the two pecs. To really feel the movement working, place your non-working hand right on the upper, middle area of your chest as you do the exercise. You should be able to feel that area of the muscle contract solidly.

This exercise will really hit the inner pec area, bringing out separation between your two pectoral muscles.

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue31-pecs.htm

---

Give these three exercises a try in your next chest workout. That sharp squeeze in your upper chest will let you know EXACTLY how effective these exercises are!

You can view pictures of all three of these exercises in action at the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue31-pecs.htm

Want more articles like this? Subscribe to BetterU News now! E-Mail:

---

I've Discovered A Product So Effective For Muscle Building and Fat Loss, I've Made It a Staple Of My Own Personal Supplement Routine! From: Nick Nilsson Editor and Author of BetterU News This new supplement helps you build muscle. This new supplement helps you burn fat. This new supplement even helps you keep valuable muscle while you're burning fat! It's so good, it's now an important part of my daily supplement regimen. This new supplement is not a specially-processed extract from the butt cheeks of an exotic mollusk. It's not a magically-prepared fungus from Uzbekistan that grows only on the antlers of a Panda Bear. This supplement consists of a product that everyone is already familiar with, only it's BETTER! What is this amazing, new supplement? 100% Pure Liquid Egg Whites. - It contains zero fat and zero carbs. - It's totally tasteless. - It's extremely convenient. - It's highly bio-available. This is a supplement I feel VERY good about recommending. It's actually one of the ONLY supplements, other than whey protein, creatine, glutamine and vitamins, that I would recommend without hesitation for anyone interested in gaining muscle and/or losing fat. I KNOW when you try it, you'll get the same great results I have! Click this link right now to learn how 100% Pure Liquid Egg Whites can help you rapidly burn fat and build muscle: http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/eggwhites-ideas.htm

---

Practical Exercise Ideas For the Time-Strapped Person Short on time but need to exercise? These ideas will help you fit a workout in no matter how much or how little time you have available.

What's the number one reason people give for not exercising? That's an easy one...not enough time!

Quite often, the trouble lies in mindset. If you think you need to FIND the time to exercise, you're already a step behind. You must MAKE the time to exercise, be it 20 minutes or 2 minutes.

These practical, ready-to-use ideas will help you make that time, no matter how busy you are.

1. The Daily One-Set Workout

If you can spare 2 minutes a day from your schedule, you can do this workout. All it consists of is one single set of one exercise, done to muscular failure. This could be push-ups, curls, calf raises, or anything (I will explain in more detail below) for as many reps as it takes to reach the point where you can't do another rep. Do this one set workout every single day without fail.

Though you can certainly do this once a day and get benefits, my preference is to do this 2 minute drill twice a day...first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

These very quick workouts are beneficial because they are intense and frequent. Pushing your muscles to failure has several benefits: it will help you maintain and build muscular strength and it will release a spurt of Growth Hormone (a potent muscle-building and fat-loss hormone).

If you'd like to focus on improving a single bodypart, you can follow a Daily Specialization program for it:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue27.htm

For best total-body results, focus on primarily on exercises that work the back, chest and legs (the smaller muscles such as biceps and triceps will also get worked when you do exercises for these larger parts).

For example, on Monday, do push-ups (morning and night, if you're doing twice a day). On Tuesday, do pull-up rows. On Wednesday, do squats, lunges or bench step squats.

Pull-Up Rows:
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue28.htm

Squats:
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue17.htm

Lunges:
http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Lunges.htm

One Legged Bench Step Squats:
http://www.fitness-ebooks.com/bench-step-exercise.htm

2. Multi-Task Exercising

If you can do some form of exercise while you're doing something else, you'll save time. For example, if you're carrying groceries, do some bicep curls with the bags! If you're watching TV, you can do crunches or lunges or even squeeze a tennis ball to work your forearms.

There are many ways to incorporate activity or exercise into normal daily activities. Feel free to use your imagination! Even though it may not be conventional "exercise" in a gym setting, your body doesn't distinguish between lifting a heavy bag of groceries or lifting a dumbell. Your body will respond just the same!

3. Maximal Stair-Step Interval Training

Only got 5 minutes to do a cardio workout? That's all you need for this stair-stepping workout. All you need are some steps or a low bench. Here's how it's done:

Stand in front of some stairs. There should be at least 2 stairs that you can step up and down on. A railing to balance yourself on is also useful for when you become fatigued. Be sure you have a clock or watch that you can keep track of time on (you may need to have someone shouting out times to you if your watch doesn't have a timer alarm).

Step up and down the first two stairs for 1 or 2 minutes as a brief warm-up and to practice the pattern. The stepping pattern is as follows:

Right foot up on Step 1
Left foot up on Step 2
Right foot up on Step 2
Left foot down on Step 1
Right foot down on floor
Left foot down on floor
Repeat

For pictures of this pattern, go to:
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue31-stepping.htm

Go through this pattern until it becomes second nature to you. It can be reversed by starting with the left foot on Step 1 as well. Try both and work with whichever is most comfortable to you.

Now comes the work...

Now you're done! That short workout is extremely effective for burning fat and boosting your metabolism. It's quick and it gets the job done when you're in a hurry.

4. Weekend Warrior Training

Got little or no time during the week to workout but more on the weekends? Here's a training schedule that may suit you. You will do one training session mid-week (e.g. Wednesday) and two on the weekend (one Saturday and one Sunday). This gives you 3 sessions per week, which is plenty to make good progress!

On Wednesday, you will do a total body workout. Do 2 or 3 sets for each of back, chest and thighs and 1 or 2 sets each of shoulders, biceps, triceps and calves. This is more of a maintenance workout.

On Saturday, work half of your body (however you prefer to split your bodyparts up, e.g. back, chest, biceps and calves). On Sunday, work the other half of your body (e.g. shoulders, triceps, thighs and abs). This split will allow you to do more sets for each bodypart, e.g. 5 or 6 sets per bodypart.

You can also include cardio training on the weekends as well, either as separate sessions (if you have time) or immediately following your weight training (the 5 minute cardio workout I explained in #3 is an excellent way to go!).

5. Isometrics

"Isometric" basically means "without movement." To do an isometric movement, you can push or pull against any immovable object.

For example, to work your chest muscles isometrically, press your palms together in front of you and push them together as hard as you can for 30 seconds.

To work your back, grab a solid railing or post with one hand and brace the other one against something solid. Now pull as hard as you can for 30 seconds, squeezing your back muscles hard.

Simple isometric contractions can also be very effective and convenient to do. These are done without working against objects but just by flexing the muscles.

Want to tone your glutes? Clench them hard and unclench them while you're driving in the car (though if you're not alone, you may have some explaining to do). Actively squeezing and contracting muscles for 20 to 30 seconds is a great way to keep the muscles active and toned.

Isometric contractions are very techniques to incorporate into the "Multi-Tasking" exercise technique I mentioned previously.

Conclusion:

While there always seem to be plenty of reasons why a person can't find the time to exercise, there are also plenty of reasons why a person should MAKE the time to exercise.

These ideas should allow even the busiest person to make that time and reap the benefits of regular exercise!

Want more articles like this? Subscribe to BetterU News now! E-Mail:

---

Another Question About The "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" Program - "How Much Time Is Required By The Program?" The "Metabolic Surge" program is all about losing fat as quickly as possible while keeping and even BUILDING muscle mass. If you haven't read about it, you can do so here: http://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-surge/metabolic-surge-rapid-fat-loss.htm QUESTION: How much time am I going to have to put into the training program to get results? Am I going to be working out two hours a day, every day? ANSWER: Every single day of the training program with the "Metabolic Surge" program is designed to be completed in less than one hour. In fact, several of the training days will only require about 20 to 30 minutes of actual training! Spending your life in the gym is counterproductive to our goals with the program. Get in, work hard, and get out! Training sessions are not done every single day of the week, either. It's important to give your muscles appropriate rest when they need it. The program is carefully plotted out to not only work your muscles thoroughly but to also allow them the chance to recover and thrive on the program. Quite honestly, it's the very first fat loss program I've ever used that has actually allowed me to GAIN strength and muscle mass while rapidly losing fat. It will do the same for you! Click the link now to get your hands on the most powerful fat-burning program you will EVER use: http://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-surge/metabolic-surge-rapid-fat-loss.htm

---

A Bitingly Sarcastic Look at Useless Supplements and Worthless Training Equipment Read hilarious and brutally honest reviews of some of the worst supplements and exercise equipment on the market today.

Infomercials, stupid ads, terrible products and useless supplements are here to stay. Just because they're there doesn't mean we have to buy them. But it does mean we can (and should) have a laugh at their expense...

Please keep in mind, these are my own opinions, with which you might agree or disagree. I may change my mind about these things in the future but I will still be right.

1. Cortisol-Reducing Fat Loss Supplements

Ads for cortisol-reducing pills are all over the place these days. Cortislim, Relacore, CortAid, Cortisyn, Cortless in Seattle, I Can't Believe I'm Not Cortisolless, etc.

I have nothing but "respect" for a company that shamelessly shames people into buying their product by telling them they're a "member of the unhappiest club on Earth - the overweight club." I think it's wonderful how the cure to stress-related fat gain can be found in a glorified Vitamin C pill. The people peddling this stuff like that need to be knocked on the head WITH an overweight club.

Relacore's strategy? Herbal relaxants make you less reactive to stress so you don't secrete as much cortisol and therefore lose weight. Great theory! At least unlike other substances that make you "herbally relaxed," it doesn't give you the munchies.

I don't know about you, but I'm just plain sick and tired of products that say "Let's treat the symptoms and not the root cause! That way, people will have to stay on this stuff forever or all the weight will come back on because NOTHING ELSE HAS CHANGED IN THEIR LIFE." What a genius of a marketing technique. It's like putting a band-aid over your nose when you have a head cold. Sure, it stops your nose from running, but when the band-aid comes off, you're going to be up to your elbows in it.

2. The Ab Lounge

This is a "fabulous" new ab exerciser that's making the infomercial rounds. It claims to allow you to develop six-pack abs while lying in a reclined position. Just fold yourself up like a human omelette - it's just that easy! It's basically a Craftmatic adjustable bed without the mattress or the motor.

Unfortunately, the function of the rectus abdominus (the six-pack area of the abs) is spinal flexion (curling the spine forward) not hip flexion (bending at the waist like this machine forces you to do). Sit-ups work the abs isometrically (without movement) through hip flexion like this as well.

Don't waste your money on this unless you want to have somebody you don't like sit in it and be folded in half as a practical joke. They should have designed this thing with a clothes hanger built in to save everybody the time.

3. Carbohydrate or Fat Blocking Pills

Here's a newsflash - if you have to block your body from digesting something, maybe you shouldn't have put it down your gullet in the first place. And besides, what do you think happens to undigested, unused stuff like that as it makes its way through your digestive system? Bingo. Your body puts it out the back door in a "green apple quickstep" hurry.

If the focus of your diet is on getting away with as much as possible, you're simply not going to succeed in the long run. But on the bright side, at least you'll be able to catch up on some reading by spending half your day in the bathroom.

4. Electric Ab Belts

If you don't already know how useless these things are, let me be the first to tell you how useless these things are. They won't even keep your pants UP (at least a regular belt will do that much) much less help you make them looser.

You can't see your abs unless you burn fat. You don't burn fat by making muscles twith for a few minutes. If you really want to lose weight using this thing, hook up the electrodes to a metal knife and fork and try and eat with them.

5. Fat-Loss Creams

A topical fat-loss cream that actually worked would be a dream come true for so many people. Too bad they stink and I'm not just talking about the smell.

What would it take to convince me that one of these worked? Have a test subject use it on only HALF of their body. If they look like a stitched-together "before and after" picture, I'd believe something was happening there (heck, that's a good enough idea that I might just try it on myself someday!).

You want a fat-loss cream that works? Smear some fresh Wasabe (Japanese hot sauce - kind of like biting down a hot chili pepper) on EVERYTHING you eat. I can guarantee you'll lose fat because soon you'll hardly be able to eat anything!

6. Massive Weight Gain Formulas

It's always struck me as ironic that all the "massive weight gain" formulas show pictures of big, LEAN bodybuilders on the front. I guess the big, fat, bloated reality of it just wouldn't sell. Do we really need 3000 calories in a serving of anything?

If a supplement comes in a 40 pound bag and, if it was taken according to directions, this bag would last you only 2 weeks, it's no longer a supplement...it's an alternative source of natural gas (if you or anyone you know has tried these supplements, you'll know EXACTLY what I mean!).

A number of years ago, the "Weider" supplement company did a research study on its "Mega Mass" weight gainer and saw an impressive increase in bodyweight. What they didn't include in their big glossy ads (for obvious reasons) was that people who took an equal number of calories in the form of TABLE SUGAR gained exactly the same amount of weight and muscle mass!

I'll let you draw your own conclusions but at least Hardee's restaurant, with their new 1500 calorie fat-burger bomb, isn't trying to fool people into thinking it's good for them. I can respect that honesty. If you bite into that hamburger thinking it's going to do you any good in any way, shape or form, then push the meat back in as it slides out the back of the sandwich and go buy your cardiologist a nice Christmas present.

7. Ready-To-Drink Protein Shakes

I want to shake the hand of whoever it was that first came to the realization that people will gladly pay FOUR TIMES AS MUCH for the exact same protein powder if you just add the water for them. He or she is a marketing genius.

8. "Proprietary" Supplement Formulas

"Proprietary" can be a very "clean" way of saying "we don't want to tell you how LITTLE there is of anything useful in this product so we'll call it a 'secret' and not tell you."

Granted not all proprietary formulas are like this - some are legitimate and useful. But if a product comes in a small 1000 mg capsule, and has 18 ingredients in it, I suggest you find out the effective doses of each of those ingredients. They may be included and listed just to make the product look good.

For example, Phosphatidylserine is an excellent (and scientifically-proven) cortisol-reducing supplement. It's included in many cortisol-blocking formulas. But consider this: an effective dose is 800 mg. If you can explain how they can possibly fit an 800 mg dose in a 1000 mg pill that has 17 other ingredients in it, I want you doing my taxes next year. On second thought, maybe not...

9. The Majority of Informercially-Sold Exercise Equipment

Normally, I don't like to make blanket statements about entire classes of exercise equipment but then again, sometimes I do. Bottom line, much of the stuff sold on TV and infomercials is just simply plastic-and-elastic junk pedalled to desperate people looking for a quick fix.

I'm sure this does not really come as a terribly mind-blowing, earth-shattering shock to you.

Until I watched these commercials a few times, I really never realized how much of an awful hardship it was to lie down on the floor and do a regular crunch. What a fool I was. Wouldn't our hunting and gathering ancestors be proud.

And judging by the demonstrators on TV, some people can't apparently even do a crunch without wrenching on their neck like they're trying to pull their head out of something (or someplace - I'll let you figure out where that might be).

---

Conclusion:

The world will never be without terrible supplements or lousy exercise equipment. As long as there's a buck to be made off of people's laziness and insecurity, those things will exist. Your best defense is knowledge, a willingness to do what's necessary, and a good sense of humor when these things get just too stupid to believe!

Want more articles like this? Subscribe to BetterU News now! E-Mail:

Want More Powerful Fitness Information? Read another issue of BetterU News now!