In recent times a lot of focus has been placed on excessive running, as a few marathoners have actually collapsed and died. Most people were shocked by these deaths as it was assumed that because these runners exercised so much, they were healthier than those among us who didn’t exercise at all or who exercised very little. However, it turns out that marathon running or extreme amounts of running under any circumstances actually causes significant damage to the body, especially the heart.

Learn in this section as to why excessive running may be more damaging than helpful.

There are several myths circulating in the fitness industry as to "how to lose wight." In this section of this course I will show you the most common ones to avoid.

Running is one of those activities that is a staple among those who are trying to stay in shape and to lose weight.

On the surface it would seem like it is the perfect type of exercise for losing fat. However, running is one of those activities that can deceive those who are trying to shed the pounds.

Find out more as to why running will stall fat loss.

In this article I explain a much faster and easier way to burn fat by ditching the treadmill.

Most people don’t want to hear that the treadmill they have been using for their work outs for the past few months or even the past few years is the reason that they are not achieving the weight loss they have always dreamed of. Unfortunately, we have been made to believe by the manufacturers that these machines offer the best solution to our weight loss and fitness goals.

Treadmills are a standard feature of most gyms and those who can afford it, have them in their homes. If they don't work to achieve weight loss then a good deal of time as well as money has been wasted. Unfortunately, new studies seems to point to them as not being as effective as was previously believed.

When many of us decide to start working out and to get fit, we may start believing that it is okay to eat whatever we want because we can work it off later at the gym, this is a fallacy and a dangerous one at that. If you believe that, then you will be exercising constantly without losing weight and you will become frustrated.

A good meal plan that includes eating a balanced diet is one of the most important parts of any weight loss program and should be a key element when you decide that it is time to exercise and get into shape.

The problem with many of us is that exercising begins to give us a false sense of confidence about our diet. It would be all well and good if the confidence that we picked up caused us to decide to start eating healthy, unfortunately it often swings in the next direction. Eating lots of donuts, cakes and ice cream just because you think you can work off the calories later is not wise, yet many of us do it. This is because we don’t understand what it is we need to do in order to lose weight.

If you go to a track meet you will undoubtedly see sprinters and long distance runners, if you also chance to see an athletic meet on television, such as the World Championships or even the Olympics, then you will notice that there is a stark difference between the appearance of sprinters and the appearance of long distance runners. Sprinters tend to be thicker and more muscular in appearance, often when you take a look at a long distance runner they seem extremely thin and frail.

The difference physically between them and an athlete who sprints is quite remarkable. This is because the more they run for long distances, the more their bodies become leaner because they begin to lose muscle mass.

Here is a great explainer video as to the difference between sprinters and marathon runners pertaining to muscle growth or fat loss.

The after-burn effect also known as EPOC (Excess Post Oxygen Consumption) refers to the calories you continue to burn after you have exercised. After- burn occurs on your rest day from exercise. In short it is the recovery period following intense fitness activities.

During this period you tend to burn a high amount of calories. The more intense and energetic the workout you have done the bigger the after-burn effect will be.The after-burn effect is not new but it is only recently that it begun to be recognized as a legitimate means of losing weight.