Monday, Monday

We had a snowy, wet Easter. It was quite crazy!

From a Men's Health Abs Diet email
Get Out of a Rut
3 ways to start seeing results again

Dear Online Reader:

There's nothing more frustrating than working out and not seeing results. You have to wonder: How do I bust out of this slump?

You could do curls for eternity, but it won't make your muscles any less stubborn. What you need to do—whether your goal is to drop the last few pounds or keep your muscles growing—is focus elsewhere. Here are three ways how:

Do something every day. It seems like a lot of work, but how serious are you? A brisk walk with your dog or a half hour of light cardio can be the sore muscle relief—and endurance boosters—that you need.

Find your weaknesses. Isolating a muscle doesn't always work. Strengthen other muscles surrounding your problem area—for example, if you want bigger arms, try working these muscles.

Add weight. Crunches every day won't carve a six pack. Instead, add a few pounds to your current abs routine—which you should only do 3 times a week to allow downtime for your abs to grow.

And from Denise Austin:

Go at Your Own Pace!

Okay, here's a news flash: You're one of a kind! No one in the world is exactly like you. And being unique is a fabulous thing! It's important to keep this in mind whenever you start spouting gloom and doom about how much longer it's taking you to lose those last 10 pounds than your jogging partner, or why your legs aren't shaping up quite like your gym instructor's. Instead of thinking negative, be positive and have more faith in yourself and your hard work!

You have your own healthy-weight range, based on your height and metabolic rate, which determines how quickly your body burns calories. Furthermore, different body types respond to exercise in different ways. If you're pear-shaped, which typically means that you carry most of your weight in your hips and thighs, you may never achieve the same athletic tone as someone who's naturally lean. It's just not physically possible. And you know what? That's perfectly fine!

The last thing you should be doing is comparing yourself with others or obsessing about the number on the scale. Focus on achieving your weight-loss goals on your own timeline. Do what's right for you, and relish each and every accomplishment!