Wow!

Today, it's been a year since we launched Fitbook.com.

First of all, I want to thank all of our customers for their support. We couldn't have done it without you all.

During this past year, we have helped thousands of individuals improve their health through proper diet and exercise.

We love to hear your feedback, it's really what keeps us going. 

We have grand ideas for the future and we are determined to improve every day and help you reach your fitness goals.

We just added a new feature to the Fitbook diet tracker!

At the bottom of the diet tracker you will now find a new button to click after you complete your food entry for the day.

Click the new button and it shows you how much you will weigh in 4 weeks if you consume the same amount of calories as you did that day.*

Hopefully this will help you stay motivated!

*Eating too few calories might show a significant weight loss with this feature, but in reality an extremely low calorie diet will slow your metabolism and decrease or even stop your progress.
We recommend staying as close to the calculated calorie goal for the day.

In your search for the most ideal fitness training program, you're constantly on the lookout for the best exercise.  Of course, you'd want one which could be the answer to all your fat and weight loss problems.

Relying on just one exercise, however, won't be the answer!  There isn't one best exercise at all which addresses all your requirements in just one package, but there's a combination of exercises which work best to meet all your different needs.  Thus, there are the best exercises for strengthening your hamstrings while there are those meant for toning your abs.

The principle behind this is that your exercise becomes more effective depending on the type of movement and the number of muscles involved.  The simpler your movements, the less work you do.  It naturally follows that the fewer muscles your exercise strengthens and the lesser calories your body burns.  In contrast, the more complex your movements are, the better your workout becomes.  As to quality and quantity, the more muscles you strengthen.  Also, as to the fat burning mechanism, the more calories you eventually burn.

For instance, let's compare two lower body exercises:  The leg extension and the lunge.  The leg extension is done in a seated position, usually with a machine.  The movement is isolated to the quadriceps which it aims to strengt...

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.  Even as you eat, you see yourself watching the clock as you take in your first bite and the next.  Busy as you are, every meal's always a race against time.  In a way, your mind's been conditioned to the habit of:  Ready, get set, eat!

Is this the way you've gotten used to starting every morning?  Would you rather order food to go than take time to eat in or eat out?  If you're always beating the clock each and every day, then it isn't exactly the best way to eat yourself thin.  On the contrary, it could only trigger you to overeat some time later in the day or late at night.

Another trigger to watch would be the way your brain works.  Come to think of it, how long does it take the stomach to signal the brain that it's already fed and full?  Scientists know for a fact that at least 15-20 minutes pass before the nerve endings in your gut transmit signals to your brain that your hunger's been satisfied.  If this doesn't guide you on how to eat food, then you'd be three times more likely to overeat and be overweight than someone who eats more leisurely.

If you have that desire to eat smart, then please stop and pause for a while.  Examine how quick it takes you to eat.  Unless you've already realized it, you're more likely to be overweight when you ...

When you're actively into exercise, you ought to beef-up your body with sufficient protein intake!  As one of the basic food groups, protein is clearly essential to a healthy body.  You shouldn't go low in protein or eliminate it completely from your diet, all in the hope of speeding up your weight loss.  Otherwise, all you'd lose is lean muscle and body mass.

Why proteins are important

Protein is an essential nutrient.  As we've said, foods with protein help build muscle in all the right places and they preserve your lean body mass.

As a nutrient, protein also supplies your metabolic needs especially if you're an athlete or runner.  Since these nutrients take relatively longer to digest, you wouldn't feel too hungry or tired at all.  You'd feel fuller much longer, and your blood sugar levels would remain steadier.

How much protein to take in

If you're a runner, for instance, your body requires at least 1/2-gram protein for every pound of weight.  So, for someone who weighs around 150 pounds, that intake would approximately equate to 75 grams.

When to consume it

The key to protein consumption isn't only in how much protein you target to take-in but also in when and how often you consume it.  Ideally, protein intake should be spread out durin...