OK so the weight loss video I made won’t embed in my blog for whatever reason (grrr!) so I’ve posted it over at Google Video.

So first off please go and take a look by clicking here.

After you’ve finished watching, please come on back here for the rest of the this post…

Watched it?

OK, so to summarize -

What I’m suggesting is a 4 week challenge for a highly limited number of people. During that time you will have access to a password-protected area on this site where we can meet daily to share information and tips. You will have your own blog to post updates to and a discussion forum. You can ask any questions you have about your weight loss and I’ll do my best to answer them - though I can’t guarantee I’ll know the answers to everything.

I’ll also do my best to motivate you (and myself!) and basically our small group hopefully can feed off each other and all lose a load of weight! It doesn’t matter if you want to lose just a few pounds or if you have 20 kilos you want to lose - if you’ve got the right attitude I want to hear from you.

I will provide you with food lists, exercise suggestions etc. based on my own experiences of what has worked so you’ll be following a plan I myself have successfully used, plus having my help if things don’t go quite as you’d hoped.

You must:

1) Be able and willing to exercise for around 1 hour per day for a month with one day off a week

2) Be motivated enough to be visiting the password-protected area each day for a month and posting about your experiences

3) Be willing to be supportive of others and help keep the team on the straight and narrow

4) Be willing to post before and after details (no real name or face required if you don’t want) to show us how you did. Not only does this make it more fun but it’s a real motivator knowing the others are going to be seeing you change (or not, if you don’t follow the plan).

Finally the cost is zero - this is for my benefit as much as yours and I think should be a lot of fun.

What I’m asking for initially is any questions you may have on this. Please post them in the comments box at the bottom of this page so I can answer any that I haven’t covered in my rambling blog post and video.

Even if you just want to make a comment (get your name in early, anyone?!) then leave a comment.  

Then I’ll email you again in a few days time (probably Monday or Tuesday) just to let you know the doors are open. It’s at that point that you’ll be able to access the short little application form I’ll build. I’m hoping to get the group rolling a week on Tuesday (20th of May) at the moment so the application process will need to be reasonably swift over the next week or so.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Popularity: unranked [?]

Now, unfortunately I don’t have 6 pack abs - though I’m working on it and it’s my current goal.

But what I find so frustrating is that whenever I say I’m aiming for a six pack people start telling me about how I need to do loads of sit-ups.

SIT UPS! Not even crunches, for goodness sake!

Well I’m please to see a post over at the Fitness And Weight Loss Journal that backs up what I have said all the time - yes exercising your abs is important in the equation but buring off the layer of fat around your midriff is the primary factor in getting that washboard stomach.

Popularity: 22% [?]

On days off last year, or when I managed to start work late or finish early, I used to take pleasure in visiting the gym outside of “peak hours” - 5pm-8pm I would suggest.

This peak time is when most people come out of work and the gym brims with people. It can be a great networking time but it can also be so frustrating because there is so much competition for so few resources.

Your workout takes twice as long as you stand around for weights or machines to free up.

And if you’re unlucky, while you’re working out, someone will be hovering around you like a fly waiting for *you* to get off that machine so *they* can use it.

Not my idea of fun I’m afraid.

In the past I have visited the gym in the early morning - as in 7.30am in the early morning. You find the real hardcore there. It’s quiet. And the people there have dragged themselves up at 6am to work out before they begin a days work. That’s dedication for you.

I loved those early mornings, but I’m naturally a night owl. Given a choice, I won’t be up till 10am.

So it is with great pride that I can tell you I have just become self employed. I won’t tell you about what I’m doing - that’s not the focus of this blog. But what *does* matter is that I can now go to the gym at *any* time of day.

That means I can get a cheaper monthly subscription by going off-peak, everything is much quieter and I can go at a natural pause in my day.

It’s such a pleasure! The mums who go to the gym while they’re kids are at school don’t know how lucky they are

Popularity: 43% [?]

I travel quite a bit - for work and for pleasure - and that means I’m often away from the gym for days, sometimes weeks at a time.

You obviously can’t go taking barbells and running machines with you for a week away, but what can you do to keep up with your fitness plan?

Well firstly of course many of the better hotels these days will either have a gym or at least a pool you can use so consider trying to locate one of these in your target destination.

Otherwise, you can take a few small, lightweight supplies with you to help you keep in shape.

Here is a list of accessories you might like to consider. Some are bigger and bulkier than others so it’s a matter of personal choice what you decide to go for but hopefully this list will give you some food for thought…

Workout Mat - Padded mat so you can do crunches, situps etc. in comfort.

Skipping Rope - Easy aerobic exercise whenever you need it.

Dumbells - Heavier so you wouldn’t want to carry these on the train but you could take them in the car to do bicep curls, flyes and so on.

Chin-up Bar - Fits into the frame of a door allowing you to exercise back, shoulders and arms.

Swiss Ball - Deflate before you go then reinflate when you get there. Hassle, but useful for all sorts of exercises.

So there you go. Also remember you can do crunches on the bed, you can do press-ups and so on (and just go for a run) which requires no real equipment apart from your workout clothes.

Consider what you are currently trying to achieve with your fitness regime and therefore what exercises are going to help you best achieve that goal.

Popularity: 42% [?]

Incase it’s of use we’ve just branched out a tiny bit by listing fitness equipment for sale.

Let me know via the comments if there’s anything you’re looking for but can’t find.

You’ll find the links half way down the right-hand navigation bar on each page and here, specifically, are the pages:

Popularity: 11% [?]