It seems like everybody wants to get fit, yet far too many people go about it the wrong way. They join a high class gym, buy the cool workout clothes, and then spend more time socializing than exercising. And, when they do finally get down to actually pushing some weight, they stop too early before the real burn begins. So, if you fit either of these two categories, check out the advice below to better your workouts.

The Exercise "Do"

When pushing or pulling your own body weight, never stop at a set number. Continue working until you cannot physically do one more. Thus, go until failure. This will maximize the set and exhaust the muscles, which is precisely what you want. Doing eight push-ups when you could have done twelve wastes that set, as you never let yourself reach the needed burn to grow the muscle. The last three reps should burn and make you doubt yourself. Concentrate on excellent form and maximum repetitions, and you'll see results far quicker than if you limited yourself to a mere number.

The Exercise "Don't"

While a gym can be a great place to socialize and meet people, do so at the juice bar or in the locker room. When the time comes to workout, plug your iPod in and get focused. Countless sessions are ruined each day by over-resting between sets. Your routine should have you working multiple muscles back to back, with rest coming for no more than the 30-second walk between the water fountain and the next station. People who stop and converse, who sit and daydream, destroy the potential of their workout. Keep determined, wave hello, and move on.

Waste no time and maximize each repetition. Plug these two philosophies into your training sessions and you'll see the change shortly.

One of the many things people overlook when trying to live healthy on a budget is preventative health care. Most people think that not going to the doctor for checkups will save them money. This couldn't be further from the truth though. In fact, preventative health care can save you money over the long run. Not to mention that preventative health care can save your life. This week, let's talk about preventative health care and how it not only saves you money, but protects you as well.

A yearly checkup at the doctor's office is not a waste of money. In fact, these regular screenings can help patients become aware of conditions they may not have known about. For example, high blood pressure usually has no symptoms. This means that many people don't even know they have it until the go to the doctor for something unrelated. High blood pressure, if left untreated, can cause strokes, heart attacks, and even death. With preventative health care, patients become aware of the condition and can take measures to treat it before it's too late. The same goes for many other conditions, including high cholesterol and high blood sugar.

How does preventative health care save you money though? After all, you'll have to shell out a co-payment at the very least. But, preventative health care saves you money by treating diseases and conditions before they get too far out of hand. For example, becoming aware of border line blood sugar levels can prevent you from getting diabetes. If you know you're pre-diabetic, you can take steps to lower your blood sugar levels. By taking the steps to prevent the disease, you'll save thousands of dollars down the road by not having to buy insulin and make multiple trips to the doctor.

Preventative health care just makes sense. If you want to be healthy, and stick to a budget, don't wait until there is something wrong to see your doctor. Make it a point to get the checkups and screenings you need to prevent major diseases and conditions.

One of my personal favorite yoga poses is the Cobra pose – and all of you who have tried it probably know why. The Cobra pose has to be one of the most relaxing poses involving upper body stretching that I have ever indulged in. If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go.

Lying on your stomach, slowly straighten your arms until your torso reaches as far back as is comfortable for you. Keep your thighs, legs and arms engaged as you stretch backwards, not forgetting to breathe deeply throughout the length of the pose. Remember that while doing the Cobra you should concentrate on lifting your chest as you stretch back-- so don't arch your back, but lift your chest upwards. Keep your arms slightly bent, taking care not to lock your elbows tight.

Hold the pose for about 20 seconds, then retract back down to your mat. When you feel ready, go ahead and enter into the pose again, this time challenging yourself even further. See if you can deepen the stretch by reaching your chest higher. Remember that comfort is key here, and the moment any part in your body tells you to stop, your first priority is to listen!

After you feel satisfied with your stretch, lower your torso back onto the mat, place your hands folded in front of you, and let your head rest gently on your hands. Close your eyes, and relax as you feel the new found freedom that your back now can enjoy. As with all yoga poses, you should mark your progress as a personal achievement, and do not compare your results to what others are capable of doing. All of our bodies are very different, all of us have our own weaknesses and strengths, so just work at your own pace!

As you begin your yoga practices, its important that you have a comfortable mat that is thick enough to protect your body from the hard floor. Be sure to find a good yoga mat that has great traction, and that will let you concentrate on your pose without slipping.

When you hear the name Jane Fonda, what's the first thing that pops into your head? It most likely involves workout videos, leotards and the 80's. Jane Fonda released several different workout videos in the 1980's but one of the best workout videos that will still have you working up a sweat today is called Jane Fonda's Complete Workout.

This 80's workout video is not called "Complete Workout" for nothing. In this video Jane will have you working your entire body from head to toe, beginning with the whole body warm-up and finishing with the cool down and stretch.

The workout video starts with an upper body workout aimed to get your arms, shoulders, chest, and back toned and sleek so you can look hot in your halter and sleeveless dresses. It goes through several different toning exercises for a complete upper body workout.

The next part of the workout is a fat burning aerobic workout. You have to remember that this is from the 80's and an aerobic workout today and back then are slightly different. If you do not like to dance or are not very coordinated, then this part of the workout may be a little tricky for you. Jane Fonda likes to keep her aerobic workouts on the dance side and this is very evident in this workout video.

The third part of this workout consists of a lower body workout including the butt, hips, thighs, and the rest of the legs. Jane goes through a variety of different lower body exercises so you too can look good in your leotard for the next workout. The workout ends with a classic cool down and stretch, which is very important during any exercise.

Although the dance moves may be a little out of date for the aerobics portion of this 80's workout video, it will definitely still have you sweating and burning some major calories. This video can be a great change of pace from your usual spinning or kickboxing class. If anything you will definitely get a kick out of the clothing and hairstyles!

Just like the bear crawl, the crab walk is a full body exercise that you may be familiar with from middle school gym class or from high school. It not only works your thighs and glutes, but is a great workout for your triceps and shoulders. It may sound easy, but just holding the crab walk position for some time will challenge some exercisers.

Here is how to do the crab walk:
1. Get on your hands and feet with your back towards the ground and your eyes up to the ceiling. This is a reverse push up position.

2. With your knees and elbows bent, start walking backwards on all fours. Be sure to keep your core muscles tight and your butt off the floor.

3. Continue going back for a certain count and then you can also go lateral or side to side with the crab walk to mix up the exercise as well.

One of the nice things about this exercise is that you don't need any gym equipment or weights to do this strength training exercise. Not only does the crab walk give you a great strength workout, but it also works on improving agility and speed. This is important for people who play sports like football or rugby or who practice martial arts.

If you begin to think that the crab walk is too easy for you, you can also try it with some weights to add more difficulty. Simply place a weight on your lap as you do the crab walk or you can strap on a weight vest or belt to add some weight to your body. Adding weight to your body will make your muscles have to work harder, making your workout challenge your muscles even more.

The crab walk can be added to just about any type of workout. It's a good exercise to incorporate into a circuit training workout as well as a strength training workout. Best of all it is something different that you don't see done in all exercise routines and it makes your workout a little more interesting.

The bear crawl exercise is not only a fun exercise but it will definitely work your entire body. When you do the bear crawl you will engage many different muscle groups in your body such as the core muscles, your shoulders and your quadriceps. Some people may feel funny about doing the bear crawl, but you won't be feeling so funny when you can fit into those skinny jeans or that mini-skirt you have always wanted to wear. If you would rather not do the bear crawl in public, you only need a long hallway or room in your home. No other equipment is needed.

How to do the bear crawl exercise:
1. Drop down to the floor so that you are on all fours with your hands under your shoulders.

2. Rise up onto your feet so that you are crawling on your hands and feet instead of your hands and knees. Keep your
back straight and your knees bent. Look down at the floor slightly ahead of you.

3. Place one hand forward as you move your legs forward at the same time by bending your knees below your hips. Make sure you that you are maintaining good back posture and that your butt is not in the air. Your abs should be held tight the entire time. Perform the bear crawl for as long as you can while still maintain proper posture.

The bear crawl exercise can be added to just about any workout routine. It can be added into a strength training workout, a circuit training workout and even an aerobic workout. If you maintain the proper posture during the exercise you should feel the exercise working your legs, arms and core.

The great thing about bear crawls is that you don't need any equipment for the exercise and you still get an exercise that will strengthen your muscles as well as get your heart rate higher. It can even be fun to do, remembering when you used to crawl around when you were a child. So, turn the radio up and start doing the bear crawl and have some fun and burn some fat.

Kettlebell workouts are becoming more and more popular as a great way to get a full body workout. If you are interested in kettlebell workouts, the first exercise that you must master is the kettlebell swing. This move is the basic foundation of every workout that involves kettlebells.

Before you can complete the kettlebell swing, you must choose a kettlebell to do your exercises with. There are varying weights and if you are a beginner it is recommended that you start out with a light weight that you are comfortable with.

Here is how to do a basic kettlebell swing:
1. Stand with the kettlebell right in between your legs. Squat down and grasp the kettlebell with both of your hands so that your knuckles are facing outwards. Stand back up.
2. Drop down slightly into a squat position, making sure that your legs are slightly wider than shoulder-length apart and your chest is still high. You should be in a power stance more than in a full squat with your butt back.
3. Drop your chest down towards the ground a little bit as you pull the kettlebell back.
4. Thrust forward with your hips as you stand up and raise the kettlebell up to your shoulders. Be sure that your arms are relaxed and that they are not locked.
5. Lower the kettlebell back down as you squat down to the position in step 3.
6. Continue to swing the kettlebell in this manner making sure that it is controlled and you are using your hips. Continue until you have done the desired amount of reps.

Once you have mastered the basic kettlebell swing there are so many different variations that can be done such as a one handed kettlebell swing. You can also choose to use heavier kettlebells the more advanced you get with the exercise.

The kettlebell swing is a great exercise to strengthen your core muscles as well as your hips and legs. When you perform the exercise for a longer period of time, you can also get your heart rate up and get in a cardio workout as well.

If you are looking for something different to add to your fitness routine, consider adding kettlebells and then start mastering the basic kettlebell swing.

We all know how important sleep is to a healthy lifestyle. If you have problems sleeping, you may find yourself purchasing OTC sleeping pills and they can be quite expensive. Not to mention that they can also be habit forming and they might not even be safe. How can you get a better night's sleep and stick to a budget? This week, let's look at several tips for better sleep.

Kick caffeine out of your life. Not only does caffeine keep you awake, but it's bad for your health as well. There are a variety of decaffeinated products, but water really is your best option. If you do find that you can't kick the caffeine habit, at least limit caffeine consumption to the early part of your day.

Stop taking naps! This is easier said than done, but once you get into a rhythm of sleeping certain hours, it will be easier to sleep at night. You may be exhausted during the first few days, but you'll sleep like a rock at night. Another tip is to keep the same sleeping hours. Instead of sleeping until noon on the weekends, only sleep in by an hour or so. That way, you don't stay up too late on Sunday night and feel drained Monday morning.

Exercise early in the day. You may think that you need to exercise in the evenings because you have more time. The only problem is that exercising in the evening makes it difficult to sleep. Exercise gets the blood pumping and that's why it's perfect to do in the mornings. You can quickly do a few exercises before getting ready for work and there will be no need for naps.

If you do need something to help you sleep, there are a number of safer options. For example, there are a variety of different teas that help induce sleep. Another option is to take melatonin. Melatonin is produced by the body, but as we get older less melatonin is produced making it more difficult to sleep. Melatonin is not only safer than certain sleeping aids, but it's a lot more affordable as well. A bottle of 300 costs less than $10.

It seems like every time you turn on the TV, there's a new commercial advertising a product with added vitamins. Is it really necessary to pay the outrageous prices for these products? No! For mere pennies a day, you can get the exact supplements your body needs. This week, let's talk about how you can get the proper supplements without paying big bucks.

At dollar stores, and even stores like Wal-Mart, you can get unbelievable prices on supplements. For example, Wal-Mart offers large bottles of women's complete vitamins for only $4. Of course, if your doctor recommends taking extra supplements, those are available too. It's not uncommon to find 30 to 60 day bottles of supplements for only $1. A bottle of fancy vitamin fortified water costs more than that.

Here's an example. I take a women's multi vitamin each morning, which cost $4 for a bottle of 60. In the evening, I take a supplement which includes calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which also cost $4 for a bottle of 90. For around $0.11 per day, I'm able to get all the vitamins and supplements I need. In other words, who needs fancy products that have added vitamins?

One thing you should also consider is that you can save even more money by purchasing supplements in larger containers. This is a wonderful option if there are several people in your household taking the same vitamins. If you're the only one though, you need to look closely at the expiration date before making your purchase.

Of course, you may be worried about remembering to take your vitamins each day. As I mentioned last week, it's important to write reminders in your planner. But, I also find that it helps to use pill organizers. That way, if you find yourself wondering if you took your pills for that day, you can look in the organizer and be sure.

Stop adding fancy products to your shopping list and replace them with bottles of supplements. Not only will you save money, but you'll also be sure to get only the supplements you need.

There are quite a few people that probably have not heard of a burpee before. A burpee is actually an excellent exercise that will work out your entire body in one move. It also helps to develop strength, endurance and power, which is why it is often used in sports conditioning. A burpee is often also called a squat-thrust as well.

Here is how to do a burpee:
1. Stand straight up with your legs about shoulder-length apart. Bend your knees so that you are in a normal squatting position with your butt back and knees over your ankles. Place your hands on the ground in front of your feet. Be sure that you are always wearing supportive tennis shoes when performing this exercise.

2. Kick your feet backwards so that you are now in a basic push up position, with your back completely straight with your body.

3. Almost immediately return your feet back to where they were behind your hands so that you are back in a squatting position.

4. Leap up as high as you can (your feet should come off the floor) straight from the squatting position. Your arms should go straight above your head as you leap up. If you are not able to leap, you can simply stand up and place your hands straight up in the air.

5. Squat back down and repeat the exercise for at least 10 repetitions.

The great thing about the burpee exercise is that not only does it strengthen your muscles, but if you do enough repetitions in a row, you can also raise your heart rate and get in a pretty good cardiovascular workout as well.
There are some versions of this exercise that will tell you to do a push up after you get into position. This is an advanced version of the basic burpee. This version of the exercise targets more of your chest muscles than the basic burpee does. If you choose, you can perform one set of the basic burpees and then a burpee-push up combination.

Adding in the burpee or squat-thrust exercise into your training routine can greatly increase your power, endurance and strength. It's an awesome all-in-one exercise for your whole body.

No matter how excited you were about your new fitness frenzy attitude a few weeks back, there will come a time when the motivation level hits an all time low. Getting into a new exercise routine is great, but it's the consistency of the workouts that will get you the results you crave. Unfortunately, many people simply give up after a series of missed workouts, or from sheer boredom. Don't be the next victim of workout burnout! Prepare yourself for the dip in motivation by jazzing up your workout routine with some of these simple strategies:

1. Pump up the jam. Workout to music that really gets you going so that you can have fun while you move! Create a special soundtrack just for your workouts, and change things up every few weeks.

2. Buy some new workout shoes. A fresh new pair of sneakers may be just what you need to get back into gym-mode again. If you've been wearing the same shoes to workout in for several months, you may even be causing some serious damage to your calves and heels. Take the time to get fitted for a pair of sneakers so you can protect your feet and legs from the impact of your workout routine, and power up your workouts instantly.

3. Bring a friend along. Have you been doing your workout solo all this time? Bring along a friend and show them the moves. Teaching someone else a few exercises you've mastered is a great way to improve your skills and take your mind off the workout. Plus, making the commitment to help someone else to get in shape might help you do the same.

4. Watch what you're eating. Make sure you're not eating a heavy or non-nutritious meal before your workout, because the wrong types of foods can make your energy levels fizzle. Eat right so your body is physically prepared for the exercise routine ahead.

5. Maintain a separate workout calendar. Even if you've become good at penciling in your workouts as a to-do item in your regular calendar, stay motivated by creating a dedicated workout calendar that keeps track of all of those gym visits. It's a simple and effective way to visualize your progress!

You may have learned the bicycle crunch when you were in elementary school as a fun way to exercise, but what you may have not known back then is that it is truly an awesome way to target your abdominal muscles. The great thing about this exercise is that it targets not only the middle of your abs (think six pack abs) but also your obliques (think love handles). Although you can't spot train and get rid of belly fat with abdominal exercises, they can make your abs stronger, so when used in conjunction with cardiovascular exercise, you can achieve flat abs.

Here is how to do the basic bicycle exercise:
1. Lie flat on your back on the floor. If you are not on a carpeted or soft surface, use an exercise mat. Lace your fingers behind your head to support your neck.

2. Bring both your knees in towards your chest as you lift your upper body from your shoulders up off the floor. Do not pull on your head or neck with your hands, but gently support them. Use your stomach muscles to keep your upper body off the ground.

3. Straighten your left leg out completely while turning your upper body to your right knee. Bring your left elbow to the right knee as your keep your ab muscles contracted and twist only from your stomach.

4. Return back to starting position and immediately switch sides, so that you bring your right elbow to your left knee and your right leg is straight out.

5. Continue this motion without stopping in between reps. Aim for at least 15 reps on each side of the body.

The exercise may seem confusing at first for beginners, but it is simply just like riding a bicycle in the air. The key to making the bicycle crunch an effective exercise is to have perfect form when completing it. Never, ever pull on the back of your neck or head with your hands, as this can lead to neck and back injuries. Your abdominal muscles should always be contracted as they support the weight of your body. Be sure to breathe evenly during the exercise.

Combine this exercise along with a cardio workout 3-4 times a week and you will notice a difference in your stomach.

If you want to have tight and toned arms, especially triceps, then dips are definitely an exercise you want to add to your workout routine. Dips mainly work the tricep muscles, which are the muscles on the back of your arm. There are a lot of people that complain of the flabby arms when waving problem, so to tighten and tone your triceps along with other muscles in the arm and chest, try doing some dips.

Here is how to perform a classic dip exercise:
1. Take hold of the dip bars with the palms of your hands facing your body. You need to raise yourself up so that your arms are fully extended with your body above the bars. If you need to, you can use a step to get up or have someone help you up.
2. Bend your knees with your feet behind you and the rest of the body straight.
3. Lower yourself down by bending your elbows. Your chest should almost be even with the bars.
4. Quickly raise yourself back up to starting position by fully extending your arms.
5. Repeat the above steps for the desire amount of repetitions.

Dips are definitely not an easy exercise to perform, especially if you lack upper body strength to begin with. If you are unable to perform the classic dip exercise, there is a variation that is easier to do, but will still strengthen your arm muscles. Instead of using dip bars, use a bench or even a chair to do your dips. Place your hands on the edge of the bench behind you with your feet on the floor in front of you. The straighter your legs are, the harder the dip gets. Now, bend your elbows so that your butt is almost touching the floor or as far as you can dip down. Raise back up to starting position and repeat. This variation of the dip is easier as you do not have to dip as far and you are not supporting all your body weight solely on your arms.

If you want to get more advanced than the classic dip, you can always add a dip belt or weight belt when doing the exercise. The more weight that you add, the harder your muscles have to work.

Dips are a great exercise to get the toned and tight triceps that look awesome in strapless dresses, or for guys the bulging arms that make your shirts tight.

If you want a firm and lifted backside then you need to add glute kickbacks into your exercise routine. Kickbacks are a great exercise for the butt and the hamstrings. They help to firm and strengthen the butt and legs, which will make you look awesome in those skinny jeans.

Here is how to do a kickback exercise:

1. Get down on your knees and hands, preferably on a mat or carpeted surface. Your back should be parallel to the ground and your arms straight but not locked. You should be looking down towards the ground.

2. Take one of your legs as you thrust your feet up in the air backwards. Your foot should be flat as your raise it to the ceiling. Contract the muscles of your butt as your leg goes up.

3. Lower the leg back down so it's almost touching the ground and raise it back up again. Continue that for the desired amount of reps and then switch legs. Be sure not to twist your torso as it will make the exercise less effective.

There are also other variations of the kickback exercise that will work specific areas of the butt. For instance, you can raise your leg straight up in the air and then as you bring it down cross it over the other leg. This variation will target more of the outside area of the buttocks along with the hips as well.

Glute kickbacks can be added to strength training routines as well as circuit training workouts. Ankle weights can be added to make the exercise more difficult for your strength training routines. Just be sure that the moves are done in a controlled manner and as this will work the muscles more rather than wildly swinging your legs. For a circuit training workout try an original glute exercise followed quickly by a variation to get a great butt and hamstring workout at once.

The great thing about kickbacks is that you can also get an abdominal workout in, if you remember to keep your back straight and your abs contracted during the whole exercise.

The thought of doing mountain climbers may bring you back to your elementary physical education class, but your P.E. teacher may just have known what he was doing. Mountain climbers are actually a great strength training and cardiovascular exercise mixed into one. They help increase your endurance, which is were the cardiovascular workout comes in, and they work to increase your core strength and upper body strength.

How to do a mountain climber:
1. Get into a normal push up position on your feet and hands. Be sure that your back is straight and your abdominal muscles are contracted the whole time.

2. Bring the right knee up to the chest.

3. Extend the right leg back out at the same time you start bringing in your left knee to your chest.

4. Keep quickly alternating your legs. You can do mountain climbers for a certain period of time as 5 minutes or you can do a set of 100 of them.

If you want to make your mountain climbers a lot harder, try doing them with your hands on a balance board. The balance board gives instability which makes you work that much harder to stay balanced during the exercise. Mountain climbers with a balance board will have you feeling your abs the next day. You can also choose to add ankle weights as well to make the exercise more challenging for you.

When performing mountain climbers, your abdominal muscles should be engaged the whole time. When you bring your knees up to your chest, there should be a slight twist that also helps to slim the abs as well. Also, since you are in a push up position the whole time, your upper body such as your shoulders, triceps, and upper back is working to keep you supported, which means they are getting a workout as well.

Mountain climbers, although they may seem silly at first, are a great way to get a strength workout as well as a cardio workout for your entire body.