Eddie Baran's Body Sculpting Blog

Last week at the dentist, I sat there in the waiting room reading the magazines. One of these I came across was your typical Hollywood gossip rag where they fawn and gush over a celebrity one day and then rip her to shreds the next, depending on whether said celebrity is popular or not. So I read an interview of
a popular TV actress on a top-rated TV show. She's an attractivewoman in her late thirties but something about her appearance has always struck me as weak, and feeble, almost sickly in part. She's thin but doesn't look healthy. Kind of like an old lady but not. When I read on, I had my answer.

She discussed her latest cosmetic surgeries to "keep her young and healthy." These were the usual Hollywood standards: implants, lipo, tummy tuck and some other physical augmentations.

You have got to be kidding me, right. This was her way to youth.

And how about exercise. Nope, never.

She told the magazine she hated exercise and would never do it. Too hard. Too much effort. Since she had money, she said, she could pretty much buy her physique and keep her youth.

I appreciate her honesty in this matter, actually admire it, as most Hollywood stars go under the knife and will never admit it. And I do respect her decision to improve her appearance. Nothing wrong with that, and there's nothing wrong with a little cosmetic surgery either if you don't go overboard like Michael Jackson.

But come one. Please. Don't give me this nonsense about having youth and health just because you got a nip and a tuck. Her body looks sickly, like she's never moved a day in her life. True, she hasn't much fat on her body, but neither does she have any muscle.

Muscle is what gives your body shape, and you only get muscle from exercise.

You cannot have health and youth if you do not move your body. No amount of cosmetic surgery in the world will give that to you. It's like taking your old junker car to Earl Scheib and getting the cheap paint job. It's still old and junky.

Avoidance and aversion to movement is actually the definition of being old and the opposite of youth and health. To her I say, Get a clue, lady: Youth is movement. Health is movement.

Move your body with the right movements like those found in my program Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com and you will always be young and healthy.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. They call this cosmetic surgery "body sculpting." What a crock. For real body sculpting go here http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:29 PM | Permalink

I was watching a TV show the other day about a weight loss challenge where 8 times a week they'd workout for about 1-2 hours a time. I truly applaud the people who went through this program and had the discipline and dedication to do this.They got some decent results so the program was working. Their program consisted of your typical fare: lots of cardio and weights. Nothing wrong with this approach. I say do whatever you do to get yourself in shape.

But 2 hours per workout and 8 times per week is a lot to do, especially for a beginner. I can see a burnout, both mentally and physically, happening to the participants very soon. And the choice of exercises was ok. There is supremely better way to sculpt your body into an athletic and beautiful work of art, and that is bodyweight exercises.

Bodyweight exercises are superior to the program they are on, and here's why:

1. Shorter Workouts - Long workouts are not necessary. You can get a better workout in 15-30 minutes a day if you know what exercises to do.

2. Fun Exercises - Bodyweight exercises are not boring. Hours onthe treadmill and lifting dumbells are. You'll actually look forward to your workouts and never dread them again.

3. Functional Exercises - Compound strength movements, where you are moving many body parts at once, tone more muscle, burn more flab, and increase Human Growth Hormone levels (your youth hormone) much, much better than weights. This also make use for functional fitness.

4. Multi-tasking Exercises - You can get your strength, flexibility, and cardio all in one exercise. This makes it much more effectivein sculpting the body.

5. Best Sculpting Exercises - Bodyweight exercises are used by women with the best bodies in the world, like gymnasts and dancers. This is how they get their phenomenal figures, not weights. In my program Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com I use versions of these same exercises but simplified so everyone can do them.

6. Safer Exercises - Bodyweight Exercises do not cause the injuries you get from weights or running distance.

7. Faster Results - Bodyweight Exercises give you the body you want faster than any other method.

I can go on ad infinitum but I think you get the picture. There is no better way to chisel your body into a fine work of athletic art than bodyweight exercises.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Like I said, there are lots of good ways to get a better body. But there is a best way to get your best body, and that way is Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women
http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:28 PM | Permalink

Here are a couple of letters from you with my responses.

Hi Eddie,
I bought your book Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com about a month ago and really love the bodyweight training. Actually feels like I am getting functionally stronger which is great with two big toddlers on hand.

But when I do the hindu squats my knees click. No pain or discomfort. Just the sound like knuckles cracking. Keep going with them, can I supplement (ie pills) to stop this or are there other exersises I can link in to help stop this. I can live with the noise - just don't want to do damage.

Many thanks,
Emma

Hi Emma,
You are right - the results you get from bodyweight exercises have many practical applications, such as carrying toddlers around. That's why the functinality of these exercises is so superior to anything you'll find in a gym.

As far as your knees clicking, as long as there is no pain, this is really harmless and doesn't indicate any injury to the knee and will not damage them. If, however, you do experience pain, then you should visit your
physician. Otherwise, continue training and just Supplements most likely won't stop the clicking if the noise bothers
you. But you can improve joint health by taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil whether you have clicking or not. Read up on all the other wonderful benefits of
fish oil here http://eddiebaran.com/fish_oil.html .

EB
---

Hi Eddie,
A few months ago I purchased Body Sculpting Body
Weight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com and love the results. Last week while traveling with my husband on a business trip, as I packed, of course, my book was packed along with all the necessities. While checking into the room our luggage was stolen from the trunk, I was upset, to say the least. I have already placed another order.

Thanks for the difference you have made in my workouts (I enjoy working out) and the new me.

Louanne S.

Hi Louanne,

Great to hear of your success with the program. Nothing pleases me more than to hear of someone reaping the rewards from the program. Sorry to hear your luggage was stolen, but glad you did the right thing and get
another book. It is the workout program you can bring anywhere and is perfect for the traveling woman.

Keep up the great work.
EB
---

Happy working out to all of you and enjoy the ride.

Best wishes,.

Eddie Baran

P.S. How would you like a new you and also enjoy working out. If so, then go here http://www.eddiebaran.com

P.P.S. For more information on fish oil, go here http://eddiebaran.com/fish_oil.html .

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:26 PM | Permalink

Everyday I train outdoors near a dog park, and everyday I notice all the dogs looking happy running around, just blissful to be outside moving and playing. Dogs can't move enough. They're so excited to get outside and play and use their bodies as they were designed to be used. It's their natural element. I know many an old dogs who are out
of shape and overweight but they still love to move, even though their bodies won't exactly do what their minds want them to.

Now compare that to the average human adult and you've got another story. Once a human reaches a certain age, they avoid physical activity like the plague. You can't get them to move unless it's absolutely necessary. And thus begins the dying process, not only physically butmentally and spirtually as well.

But those humans who are more dog-like and find joy in movement are more alive and happy, not to mention leaner, stronger, healthier and don't forget look better than their inactive counterparts. Moving your whole body, like you do with Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women program http://www.eddiebaran.com , gives you the energy and happiness of a dog, as well as a toned, sculpted body.

Next time someone calls you a dog, consider it a compliment.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. If you don't yet have the Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for
Women program, go here now http://www.eddiebaran.com

P.P.S. Today is the last day to get the Body Sculpting DVD's at the
reduced amount by going here
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_dvds.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:25 AM | Permalink

Many years back, my grandma was getting too old and sick to do her grocery shopping herself. I gladly volunteered for the job, as I was happy to help her and it gave me a good excuse to go over to her place and visit. She was always in good spirits and had a great sense of humor so it was always a lot of fun seeing her.

Before I hit the store she'd call me up with her grocery list with the exact items and brands. She was pretty particular and didn't like when I deviated from it. And I rarely would. She always preferred the most expensive brands because they were the best quality.

But one time I decided to try and save granny a few bucks. After all, I was a starving student at the time and knew a thing or two about shopping on the cheap. I once bought a can of generic spaghetti sauce for $1 and made it last a month by diluting it with water. So I was an expert at this. I didn't understand why grandma insisted on paying $3 for a can of tuna when there was one for $0.30 that would do just as well.

So I loaded up her cart with the cheap food and saved her quite a load of money. I was proud of myself, as I proved that I did learn something in college afterall.

When I got to her place and showed her what I bought, she wasn't exactly thrilled. In fact, she was kind of upset.

"Edward," she said to me, "I asked you to buy me specific brands for a reason. I know you were trying to save me money, and I appreciate that, but this stuff is garbage."

"But, it's all the same." I protested.

She went on to tell me that she didn't like the way the inexpensive food tasted and that it was poor quality. The cheap tuna tasted like the stuff they scrape off the bottom of the boat, she said. She wasn't about to put garbage into her body. Food was one of the items she wasn't going to skimp on.

And she was right. It took me a few years to understand this point but quality is important, and you shouldn't settle for something just because it's cheap. If something is worth having it's worth paying for, especially if it affects your body and your health.

The old adage "You get what you pay for" is true. The fact of the matter is that the more you pay for something, the more you value it, the more you'll use it, and the more you'll ultimately benefit from it.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. For the best quality in women's fitness, go to http://www.eddiebaran.com

P.P.S. The Body Sculpting DVD's are available at the discounted amount for only a short time longer http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_dvds.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:44 PM | Permalink

Here's a letter from a woman who has a couple of very common but good questions. My answers follow.

Q:
Hi Eddie,

I LOVE your book Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com . I purchased it about a month ago and I really enjoy it (my wrestler's bridge is well over a minute now). I sent my copy of Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning to my fiance (a U.S. Marine) who is currently deployed in the middle east. He said it kicked his butt (he he).

Anyways, I'm curious about two things:

1). Do I ever have to worry about "over doing it" with Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women? If I have the energy and feel good during the workout can I just keep going with these exercises or is there a point where you are actually doing more harm than good?

2). I recently turned 30 and I've had cellulite for a number of years (I know I ate terribly in the past). I would love to get rid of it all by next April (wedding/honeymoon), is this possible or just a genetic curse?

Thanks again. I love how my arms are strengthening and I really feel the muscles in my legs. I can't wait for my Marine to come home so we can workout together again.

All the best,
Theresa White

--

EB:
Theresa,

First off, tell your fiance "thank you" for his service to our country. We all appreciate it.

Glad you are benefiting from the book. Sounds like you're doing great. Here are the answers to your questions:

1. Yes, you can overdo any type of exercise but it sounds to me like you have enough energy to do more, which is exactly what you should do. It's very important to listen to your body. If it wants to do more, then it should. Many people do too little and under-train. This is a cause of poor results more than overtraining. Once they adapt to a certain amount of exercising they don't ever push themselves harder so the results do not come as fast.

Some days you will feel very energetic and powerful like you could train for hours. If this is the case then you should go for it. Other days your body might feel tired and not as strong; these are the times when you should go easier. This does not mean you should slack off if you're not motivated, only to take it easy if your body is tired. When you're body is tired and wasted, you'll be doing more harm than good if you do too much.

It can be a balancing act when you are figuring things out, but eventually you will know what your body needs and how much.

2. As you know, cellulite is plain old fat and it refers to the dimpling effect of the skin. It's pretty normal variation in people, although certain women tend to have it more than others. Yes, cellulite is genetic but you can do something about it to reduce it somewhat. Some people can be very fat and have no cellulite so it's really a matter of firming up your body as much as possible. Since you won't be able to smooth out the fat, you're just going to have to reduce the fat and build toned muscle instead.

The only way to do this is by doing fat burning, muscle toning exercises like those found in the program which you are already doing. These bodyweight exercises, where you're moving your entire body as one unit are the most effective for this. You will need to eat a healthful diet like the one in the Body Sculpting Eating
System that comes with the book, that will melt off any fat and build the toned muscle you need. But sounds like you are already following the program.

As far as getting rid of it by your wedding, I can't say one way or another as I don't know how much you will have. But you can reduce your fat greatly by then and keep it off. You have 10 months and this is plenty of time to completely transform yourself.

Keep up the great work. Continue what you're doing and you'll be amazed with your body.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. If any of you are wondering about liposuction, cremes or pills to get rid of cellulite, you can forget about those methods, as these don't work. Stick to the basics - diet and exercise - http://www.eddiebaran.com for the best results.

P.P. S. For those of you interested in taking your fitness to the top level, you will need to check out the Body Sculpting DVD's. They are now available for a reduced amount, but only temporarily. Go here now
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_dvds_order.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:22 PM | Permalink

The great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said "Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union." What this means is that the design and appearance of something is an indicator of how well it works, and vice versa. When form and function are done equally well, the combined effect is something of the divine.

This is especially true when exercising. When doing any bodyweight exercise, you should always make sure your form is as best as it can be. Doing so, we know we will get the most benefit out of the exercise. It means little if we can do 100 sloppy, formless, pushups. We won't get the same benefit as doing 25 beautiful, technically correct ones.

At first the correct form will not be there and might take a while for you to master it. Things might be a little out of kilter while you get your sea legs. And that's perfectly fine when you're first learning a movement. But take the time to learn correct form so you develop the correct function. It's worth the extra attention. Your intention should ultimately be proper form.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Make your exercises, or whatever you do, look like art. Master proper form and your body's form will become a masterpiece.

See what proper form and function look like with the Body SculptingDVD's here http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_dvds.html

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Get your Body Sculpting DVD's now before the price goes up - http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_dvds.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:21 PM | Permalink

Yesterday I was training in the park and I noticed a woman who was very obese, around 500 lbs, walking. I admit I did a double-take when I first saw her, as I've never seen someone that heavy in the park before.

She wasn't just walking to get from point A to point B. She was walking to exercise. She was in her workout shorts and she was doing laps. She'd walk about 20 yards and turn around and walk back. She'd stop to rest for a couple minutes, then she'd walk again for 20 yards and back again. She did this for about 10 minutes.

She was walking very, very, very slowly so she didn't do too many laps. I could tell she was doing the best she could do in spite of her circumstances. She was sweating, though not profusely, and breathing hard, though not gasping for air.

I have to say that I was really proud of her, although I'd never met her and don't know her from Adam. She was doing exactly what she had to do, and all that she could do for her ability. She was walking as best she could. She didn't just give up and sink into her depression like most people do; she probably did enough sulking and blaming and now she was ready to take responsibility for herself.

And she didn't try to overdo it by jogging herself to death, trying to make up for years of neglecting her body by running it all off in one day. No, she did the practical and smart thing by doing what she could do from where she was. She eased into it.

I sincerely hope she continues doing what she did today because that was impressive. I can't imagine the guts it takes to go out in public and do what she did when you know people are staring at you (like I was). Yes, she mademistakes in abusing her body in the past. But now, at least as far as I could tell, she's making ammends to
herself and treating her body like the temple it should be, by exercising it in a responsible manner.

I was impressed with her because she was challenging herself, getting out of her comfort zone, being determined to do what it takes to get fit, fighting her fears and shadows along the way. That is very hard to do and is very admirable. You don't have to do a perfect 10 routine on the uneven parallel bars or dance Swan
Lake to impress me. Fighting your weak spots and moving forward is what's impressive.

If I were her coach, I'd recommend she continue doing what she is doing. She could greatly benefit from the Body Sculpting Eating System which comes with my Body Sculpting program, as this will shed the pounds of in no time flat. Then, once she loses some weight, she should start with some of the easier exercises in my Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com . Then she can then progress to the more difficult exercises once she gets into better shape.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. This woman is starting with where she's at, and that says volumes. She might be farther away from her goal than most people right now, but I bet pretty soon, if she sticks with what she's doing, she'll be closer to it than most people because she is actually doing something about it . If you haven't yet started changing your life, now is the time. Go here http://www.eddiebaran.com .

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:19 PM | Permalink

For a while, quite a few people have been telling me to watch the HBO series "Entourage." Since I am living in the dark ages and don't have cable I had never seen it before. So I Netflixed the DVD's watched the first two seasons. And now I'm hooked. I was afraid this would happen, like it did with "Six Feet Under."

Anyway, in one episode, one of the characters was working outin the gym with weights. He asked his brother to join him but he instead opted to do yoga with his girlfriend, who said to the weight trainer "Strength is so 90's. Flexibility is what's in."

I had to laugh when she said this. I didn't know physical fitness had an expiration date like milk, or was in fashion or out of style like bell bottoms or mullets. But color me unhip and out of it. I do what works and I teach what works. I couldn't care less what's in style or not. To me, strength AND flexibility are always "in." Strength and flexibility
are key components to health and fitness (and youth), no matter what the exercise du jour is.

I know this particular character who said this was a parody of so many of these bubbleheaded followers of the trend-of-the-minute, but there are many people like her in real life. And for most people, unfortunately, it doesn't matter what works or even what they like. Instead, they do what's in style at the time, whatever they crowd is doing. These sheep don't think for themselves.

As a result they float from one exercise modality to the next, forever wandering in the darkness, ensuring they get no results whatesoever, forever spinning their wheels on the road of frustration.

If, instead, they decided they weren't going to follow what all the lemmings were doing at trendy health clubs and actually do what works and gives them phenomenal results, like bodyweight exercises
http://www.eddiebaran.com , then they will see that fashion mattersnot. The proof is in the pudding. Do the thing that works and you will get results.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Don't be a sheep. Stand above the rest of the crowd by actually getting a sculpted, lean, strong and flexible figure from Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:17 PM | Permalink

Last night a good friend of mine called me up on the phone pretty upset. She just had dinner with a couple
of her close friends and mentioned to them that she was considering a career change from her boring and
mundane job to something she really loved to do. To this they told her to stop dreaming and come back down
to reality. That since she's in her mid forties she's way too old to start thinking about changing horses in mid stream. "It's just not pratical or realistic," was their genius reply.

"Oh, and by the way," they made sure to add, "you're too old to get married... your ship had sailed long
ago... Stop dreaming." To these idiots, life is over at age 40. No sense in even going on with your life, I guess. Just call up Dr. Kevorkian.

Now, whether they wanted to crush her due to their own feelings of jealousy and inadequacy, or to "protect"
her from getting hurt from trying to climb higher, I don't know. But these dream stealers are unaware of
how much damage they really do. They are all around us. They'll try to make you stay with them at the bottom. How many people would actually follow their hearts desire if not for these so-called friends? And this nonsense that someone is too old. C'mon. There's no such thing. To me that's a huge coput.

My advice to her, and anyone for that matter, is to ignore them. They are losers and going nowhere, so
that doesn't mean she should stay down there with them. And in the future she shouldn't divulge her hopes and dreams to anyone unless she knows they'll support her no matter what. Most importantly, I told
her that life ain't even half over at forty and it's just beginning to get great.

And if you're thinking that physically it's all downhill after forty, then you're doubly wrong. This is the age when the right exercises can make you younger and reverse the aging process. Doing bodyweight exercises http://www.eddiebaran build
strength and flexibility; they increase your cardiovascular stamina and lung power; they give you grace and agility; and they chisel your body making it toned and sleek.

Gone are your saggy arms and buns; gone is your protruding belly. Now begins the best time of your life for getting your best body ever.

Don't let age be an excuse to get older. Get younger and a fitter body now by going here
http://www.eddiebaran.com

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Don't let age be an excuse to get older. Get younger and a fitter body now by going here
http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:15 PM | Permalink

Ever notice how some people just don't seem to be comfortable in their own body. It's like she doesn't belong in it or she feels completely out of place. You can tell this simply by the way she moves, be it walking, doing athletics, or even simply sitting in a chair.

This physical awkwardness is a lack of grace. Grace is strength
and balance moving in a certain way. Take a ballet dancer. She
is the epitome of grace - strong, balanced and in complete ease
with her body.

Grace can be learned. And if you don't have it, then you should get it. Even if you're clumsy and in your 60's, it's never too late.In fact, the older you are, the less graceful you become so it's even more critical that you become comfortable in your body.

Grace and agility are important to have for your own health and fitness. you will be comfortable in your own body and aware of your surroundings. Very few people have physical grace. Very few people are comfortable with their bodies and how they move.

In my program Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com - I have many exercises that give you the grace, balance and agility that all humans, men and women, need. Once you are graceful you'll then be more comfortable in your body doing any activity - sports, work, or walking around on a date.

You won't get grace and agility from aerobics or weight training. You can only bcome graceful by moving and doing the right exercises in the right way.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Even if you have two left feet, grace and agility can be learned by anyone, and should be. They're key components to health, fitness and youth. Get your grace here http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:08 PM | Permalink

It's a horrible thing to think about but there are many predators out there looking for a woman to victimize. Self defense classes are great and so are the martial arts for learning how to defend yourself, but these
require lots of time, energy and practice, and really years of dedication. And
then you have to remember some fancy complicated technique that might not have ever been tested in the real world.

But what if there were a way for a woman to defend herself that didn't take years to learn and didn't require any fancy techniques or years of study. And what if all you need to know were four simple techniques that you
could learn in a fraction of the time. Sounds too good to be true, but it's not.

There is such a system out there and it works. Go here
http://www.eddiebaran.com/personal_defense.html to read more about this incredible self defense system that is incredibly easy and quick to learn, but very effective

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Here's the link again to the self defense system all women should have http://www.eddiebaran.com/personal_defense.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:06 PM | Permalink

Here are a couple questions from a beginning Body Sculptee who needs advice on how to increase her repetitions and upper body strength:

Eddie,

My husband is an ex-personal trainer and a big fan of Matt Furey, and he bought me your book Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com . I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and am making progress. I'm not up to all the fab five, so I'm doing the recommended beginner versions of some of them.

I have two questions:

1) I can't do very many reps of anything yet - is it better to try to do several sets of everything?

2) My upper body strength is pretty much non-existent. I've always plateaued quickly on upper body exercises. Right now I'm doing 15 beginner pushups (pathetic!). Should I work at adding sets of those or add some other additional upper body things? How can I get this part of my body to develop? I fear I will never be able to do a single Hindu pushup at the rate I'm going!

Thanks!
Valerie Vesper

EB: Valerie,

Glad you are doing the program. Now to your questions.

1. Stick to 2-3 of the beginner exercises. If you cannot yet do many reps of a particular exercise, then do many sets of low number of repetitions. This will build the strength to where you can eventually do many reps.

2. Most women are in your boat with weak upper bodies, only difference is that you're doing something about it. Where you're at is not pathetic. It's just where you're at. Don't put yourself down. Anyway, like I said
above, do muiltiple sets of whatever number of reps you can handle. Also rotate 2-3 different exercises.

You will be able to do the pushups. Keep doing what you're doing and you will get there.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. If you have a weak upper body, then now is the time to do something about it http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:05 PM | Permalink

I was once what some would call a professional student. I spent almost 11 years in college - five years getting my bachelors degree and five and a half getting my masters degree. Some would say that it's commendable to stay in school for so long achieving an advanced degree. That might have been the case if I had actually been
interested in school, or even cared about what I was studying. But I wasn't like that.

I stayed in school for such a long time because I had no other plan, nothing better to do, not a clue as to what to do with my life. I was always a mediocre student and pretty much bored to tears with it all, especially in graduate school. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who couldn't care less about his studies than I.

When I graduated I found myself unemployed and living at home with my mom. No money, no job, no prospects. My masters degree was worthless; that and a dollar couldn't buy me a cup of coffee.

I had hit bottom.

The positive, however, was that there was nowhere to go but up. But in order to find "up" I had to set my course that way, I had to have a direction to go in. No direction means you actually go down, and that's exactly where I had landed.

You see, I had no focus, no goals and no direction. I didn't know what I wanted to do or be. And when that's your M.O. you end up unhappy, bitter, and at the bottom. It wasn't until I actually had direction, goals and knew where I was heading did I turn my life around.

No matter what the activity - fitness, career, hobbies - do what you love, have a goal, have a direction, feel passionate about it. Don't just float about hoping that something good will come your way. People with goals are happier and more successful than those who don't have them because they know where they're headed. They're the ones deciding where they're going and how they're going to get there.

Have goals to get what you want, feel good about them, point yourself in that direction and go. To reach all your fitness goals, go here now http://www.eddiebaran.com .

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. It's especially important to have a goal in fitness, be it sculpting a lean, toned body; building greater strength, endurance and flexibility; or becoming a better athlete. Once you know your fitness goal you need the right tool to get you there, which is Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:04 PM | Permalink

A couple weeks ago I told you about a woman who really angered me because she believed, at the ripe old age
of 30-something, she was over the hill and any hope of fitness was long gone. For her she was in her twilight
years and her fitness was sailing off into the sunset.

Many people wrote in and said I missed a golden opportunity to educate her about how she could really improve her life with the proper exercise program.

Maybe this is true. I might have convinced her of a better way. But as a former counselor and a long-time coach, I've gotten pretty good at reading people when they talk - whether they're looking for help or just someone to listen to them. This woman was not asking for help or advice, as she was complaining and was playing the woe-is-me victim card. She wanted sympathy from me but I wasn't going to give it to her.

Sure, I could have misread her completely and perhaps I should have at least tried speaking the gospel of Baran's Bodyweight Exercises. But as much as she appeared to be complaining, she really didn't want to change her situtation.

Many people are just plain happy being miserable. They feel comfortable in their unhappiness because this is what is familiar to them; it's in their comfort zone to stay less-than they are. Changing and moving outside of her comfort level would be too traumatic even if it meant a change for the better. It's the unknown and that's worse to some people than the known misery.

So any advice I could have given her, no matter how good or well-meaning, would have been lost. She just could not have appreciated it or even wanted it.

I know none of you out there feel like her, otherwise you wouldn't have purchased my Body Sculpting
Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com - You want to change, you want to get a beautiful, athletic, strong, sculpted
body, even if it means stepping outside of your comfort zone and any self-limiting beliefs you might have of
yourself. None of you are like this woman because you see yourself as a younger, more vital being no matter
what your age; you see yourself as growing younger and better, not older and worse.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. If you haven't yet gotten with the program - http://www.eddiebaran.com , then you need to decide which camp you're in: the women who have given up
and decided that there's nothing left to do but be comfortable in their own misery; or the women who only
see themselves as the best and will push through their comfort zones to get what they want.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 01:02 AM | Permalink

A couple years back, every time you'd turn on the TV you'd see that idiot on the commercial for that anti-Cortisol pill inundating us with more nonsense, as if there wasn't enough on TV. So just what is cortisol and what are its effects on us as we age.

You see, cortisol is one of the body's stress hormones. When we get stressed, cortisol levels increase. (Kind of ironic that cortisol is produced by stress yet this anti-cortisol commercial really stresses me because it is so annoying.) It is the only hormone that naturally ages as we do so it is thought of as the "aging hormone". You see,
prolonged overproduction of cortisol brought on by excessive stress can cause many problems: some brain dysfunction, aging of the skin, impaired immunity, recovery and healing, excess fluid retention, depression, and poor sleep. All of these things accelerate the aging process.

Cortisol increases also your appetite, prompting you to eat large quantities of food, usually sweets and simple carbohydrates. And we all know these make you fat. These foods also make insulin levels rise then fall which gives you that hungry feeling like you haven't even eaten.

OK, so here's the loop: stress increases cortisol; cortisol increases appetite (of usually bad foods like simple carbs); insatiable eating of bad foods makes you fat.

And here's the real kicker: Not only does cortisol make you fat (indirectly), the fat that you gain is usually abdominal fat. So it isn't bad enough to get fat all over, now it's been concentrated in your gut.

So how do we combat cortisol?

Well, don't stress out so much. I know, easier said than done. Here's how you do it:

Make sure you reduce stress by exercising in the proper way. It's very important to exercise the right way, as I show you in Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com . Use your whole body, use your muscles. Do exercises that produce the "youth hormone" i.e. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) like bodyweight exercises. HGH builds muscles, burns fat, makes you young again.

An additional way is to take pharmaceutical grade fish oil caplets - http://www.eddiebaran.com/fish_oil.html - as a supplement to your diet. Cortisol seems to be a marker for chronic inflammation and pharmaceutical grade fish oil has anti-inflammatory activity so is excellent at reducing it. High quality fish oil also increases the HGH levels in your
body.

Next time the idiot comes on TV, turn the channel. Or better yet, turn off the TV and reach for your Body Sculpting
Bodyweight Exercise program to rid your body of stress and ab fat.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. For more information on how pharmaceutical grade fish oil reduces stress and aging, go to
http://www.eddiebaran.com/fish_oil.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:01 PM | Permalink

A good many of us, myself included, spend our days hunched over a computer. Years ago I worked in the Silicon Valley as a corporate drone for a fledgling dot com. In those days my back was permanently molded in a nice round hump. Actually, everybody in the company had a nice hump. We looked like a bunch of Quasi Modos.

The thing that all of us had in common, next to worthless stock options, was back pain. Everywhere you
looked, people were holding their back, rubbing their back, complaining about their back, or talking about
the latest, greatest cream, ointment, contraption, ergonometric chair or pill for their back.

If I knew then what I know now I could have saved the entire company from back pain. You see, now I know how
to eliminate back pain while sitting at a desk in front of a computer.

Here's a tip. After you get Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com - which will transform your body shape, conditioning and fitness, and give you a myriad of other health benefits, you can learn how to sit properly in a chair.

Yep, there's a correct way to sit in a chair. And when you learn it wonderful things will happen to your back. Your posture will improve, and the muscles in your core will get stronger.

Here's the proper way to sit:

1. Make sure your computer is at eye level so your neck is not craning down.

2. Straighten up your back, make yourself as tall as possible, and tuck your abs in. This may not be easy at first, due to the fact that your back muscles could be very weak.

3. Stick it out and keep sitting straight. Soon you will find that you have the strength to sit properly, and you'll have a much stronger midsection, all from just sitting in a chair.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com - is for everyone. No expensive gym memberships, or workout clothes are necessary. You'll need only about 12 square feet of space, indoors, or out. No weights or funky machines are needed. If you do these bodyweight exercises regularly, you'll be in the best shape of your life.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 02:00 PM | Permalink

Here's a great ab workout that will chisel, strengthen and sculpt your entire core - abs, lower back and obliques.
All the exercises in this routine can be found in my Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women program -
http://www.eddiebaran.com .

If you find this to be too difficult, or too easy, adjust the numbers of repetitions to match your level.

If you are advanced, take no rest period between the exercises. If you are a beginner, recover until you can continue with the next exercise.

1. Exercise from page 39. Do 15 repetitions. Make sure todo them with a full range of motion, contracting your abs at each of the extremes. Immediately switch sides. Do 15 reps.

2. Exercise from page 37. Do 20. reps. Full range of motion. Focus on the muscles.

3. Exercise from page 15. Do 20 reps. Squeeze the abs at the top.

4. Rest. Advanced women should rest no more than a minute. Beginners may rest until you are recovered.

5. Repeat this cycle 3 more times.

6. Remember to breathe deeply and enjoy yourself.

Again, remember to adjust the repetitions to your level of fitness.

After a couple weeks of doing this routine you'll notice your entire core getting toned, sculpted and strong.

That's your quick ab workout for the day.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

To find out what these exercises are, and for even more ways to get toned, strong and sculpted abs, go to
http://www.eddiebaran.com .

Posted by Eddie Baran at 09:59 AM | Permalink

Now that summer is just about here, I've noticed a lot more people out jogging, trying to shed their winter fat. After months of inactivity they've decided that they'd better start exercising now before they're confronted with the terrifying thought of wearing a bathing suit. I guess they think that miles of jogging each day will get them into great shape and will make up for their neglect over the winter.

Most of these people aren't actually jogging; it's more like a hobble, slogging along looking like they're in incredible pain. The anguish on their faces and their crippled gait are telltale signs that they're not enjoying themselves and they're not doing their bodies any good.

I just don't understand what these people are thinking.

Trying to force yourself, both mentally and physically to lose weight or get into better shape, is one of the biggest mistakes that a person can make. No wonder so many people quit exercising, or don't even start.

Exercise should not be crippling. It should not be a chore; it should not be painful. So the saying "No Pain, No Gain" is a crock.

Exercise shouild be enjoyable. If you're not enjoying the physical activity that you're doing, then find a different one to do. You'll make better progress and will be less likely to quit, or become injured.

Fitness comes in many forms, so make sure you choose one that you find enjoyable and effective. That's why Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises is ideal: it's extremenly effective and it's fun to do.

If you don't already have a copy of this great fitness tool, make sure you get one. Go to http://www.eddiebaran.com

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Here's the link again to the most enjoyable fitness program on the planet
http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 01:58 PM | Permalink

You might think that because you're a certain age or at a certain fitness level that it's too late to do anything about it, that it's all downhill from here.

Truth is you don't have to be young or an athlete to greatly benefit from bodyweight exercises, but the
exericses will make you young and an athlete. There are many women who are well into their 60's doing these
exercises who were once regular Janes in horrible shape. But by simply doing a bodyweight exercise program they re-engineered their bodies to become lean, strong, and healthy machines, and in far better shape than most women out there.

The key thing to remember for anyone starting an exercise program is to make sure to go slowly at first. Do not try to bust your hump at the beginning. Your body is still getting used to being in motion. Handling your own bodyweight is critical to getting in better shape. If you can't move in your body, then you betterlearn how.

Many beginners feel discouraged about where they're starting. Just remember that we all have to start somewhere, and now is the best time to start. Within a few month's time you will be amazed at the condition and shape of your body. Realize that this year will pass whether you exercise or not, so you might as well use the time to exercise and get a great body. By the time the year has passed, you will be in great shape. If you start.

There are many beginner exercises in my Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women -
http://www.eddiebaran.com - so if you think your ship
has sailed and it's too late to start, then you're mistaken. Follow these beginner exericses and in no time your body will be fit as a fiddle.

And if you think you are too advanced or too strong for bodyweight exercises, then try and do the exercises
on pages 97 and 127.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women -
http://www.eddiebaran.com is ideal for all levels and
abilities for sculpting a lean, strong and fit body.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 01:57 PM | Permalink

When a woman (as well as a man) hits her thirties, she finds herself getting flabbier. She'll hit the gym, lift weights and do cardio religiously, and she'll watch what she eats.

But in spite of all this she still can't get the toned and fit body she's striving for. It seems like no matter what a woman does she is still flabby and out of shape.

She's at a complete loss as to what to do.

It seems like the only way she could lose weight is if she dramatically reduced her caloric intake to where she was starving and getting weaker. So she'll lose muscle tone with the fat, looking bad and feeling worse. She might get that old lady skinny and flabby look.

This is not the way to do it.

The only way to stop this is to do exercises that give her body her youth back. Exercises that give her body toned, lean muscle. Exercises that give her body shape and definition.

When she discovers Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com she finally gets the lean, toned and fit body from her youth. Actually, it gives her a body that is even better than she's ever had. And it comes a lot easier than spending hours in the gym.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Remember, the only way you can't succeed on this program is if you don't do it. Go here now to read
what it's all about http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 01:56 PM | Permalink

When my little nephew Milo was 3 months old he was learning how to turn over onto his stomach from his back. His perseverence and persistance was inspiring. He just wouldn't give up. After he'd mastered that feat, he tackled crawling. Soon he was gliding along the floor like a sand crab. His next challenge was pulling himself up, which he got down in no time flat.

When he got to the point where he was learning to walk he fell flat on his little behind all the time. But he didn't quit. He just got right back up and tried it again. This is how he learned to walk. By making lots of mistakes and course correction. As with all babies, quitting never even entered his mind.

It makes me think of the fighting spirit these babies have, to do whatever it takes to succeed. Would an adult be as persistant in learning something new as a baby is in learning to walk. What would happen if babies had the negative "CAN'T do" attitude that plagues most of adults. They'd never get off the ground.

Babies fight for every inch and never give up. They're really heroic, if you ask me. I think we can all learn something from these little humans - on how to keep going towards a goal without ever throwing in the towel. Quitting is something they just don't know.

There's an old Bulgarian proverb that says "We learn to walk by stumbling." Actually, we learn to do pretty much everything by stumbling and by making mistakes, for sometimes this is the only way we can learn. Whether it's learning to speak in public or to play the piano, making mistakes is an important part of the process. Stumbling, mistakes, errors, failures. Call them what you want, but it's just feedback, or road signs on your journey showing you the way to your goal.

Many of you are learning to sculpt a lean, toned, strong and agile body and perhaps have stumbled by trying other programs like weights or aerobics. Now that you have Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women - http://www.eddiebaran.com , there will be less stumbling and more walking. Running, actually, as you can probably tell by now that the program you have in your hands is the fastest - and most enjoyable way - to get your body in amazing shape.

And, yes, there will be those days when you will stumble along and feel like a baby. This is when you need to be a baby (in the positive sense of the word) and fight tooth and nail for your goals.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Even if you are at the crawling stage of fitness, this is the
perfect time to learn to walk with the Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women http://www.eddiebaran.com

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:30 AM | Permalink