Guest Post by John Durfee

It's very common for those serving in the military to gain weight quickly when returning from duty. I personally gained 45 pounds in the year after I came home. We go from a state of constant high activity and limited nutrition to one of excess and low activity. The sudden weight gain just demonstrates how our modern civilization is in conflict with our evolutionary means of consuming food and staying active. I now workout regularly to combat the weight, but it's a slow and gradual battle: easy to put on, twice as hard to take off.

I work for Airsplat, which is a large retailer of Airsoft equipment. Though I am an expert on our equipment, I had not thoroughly explored the spectrum of activities centered on Airsoft. One day, when my feet were dragging a bit, I decided I was going to give one of the Airsoft MilSim (military simulation) excursions a try. I thought it could be a great active adventure and diversion from my normal fitness routine – I was more than right. Not only was I outside and active, but it was intense and due to the nature of the game, I felt like I was doing burst training as I sprinted from blockade to blockade to avoid being shot. What was even more compelling for me was, for once, I felt like I was putting all the hours in the gym to use.

The day was fantastic and entertaining. I paid my entrance fee, met with my team, and we started the day. I was running, dodging, sliding, and splashing my way across the woods, breathing in fresh clean air. I felt rejuvenated, had more energy, and was clearheaded for days afterwards. When I got home I reflected and have outlined the reasons why airsoft, such a simple and fun activity, is a fat and calorie blaster!

Kidney and liver health through water: Think of your kidney and liver as the filters to a car, they take out all the impurities and keep the car running at optimal performance (metabolism) Eating junk food and too much salt, sugar, fat, and alcohol, slow down the performance and flow of filtering. Drinking water dilutes the toxins, increases the flow, and makes your metabolism run at optimum speed. Though my pack was nowhere near as heavy as it was when I was on active duty (45 lbs with body armor in Iraq) the 20 or so pounds I had on me started to work up a good sweat; needless to say I felt my blood pressure rise when I saw our starting camp was on a rather steep ridge. By the time I got to the camp I was soaked, and we hadn't even started playing yet! Throughout the day I kept refilling my 2 liter hydration bladder with cold refreshing water, and my body couldn't get enough. All this activity outdoors reminds you how important it is to stay hydrated.

Small meals: I prepared for the event with a military mindset. I packed my car with (a more palatable version of) military rations: Protein Bars, Jerky, dried fruits, some apples, small plastic containers of pasta my wife made me. During real tours of duty you're really eating on the go, a bite here and there, nothing smaller than can fit in the palm of your hand. This was very much the same way we've evolved to eat, hunting and gathering small amounts here and there. This way of eating, 5 or 6 small meals a day, actually raises your metabolism more because you are burning through calories at a steady rate. Also, you need both hands on your airsoft gun, so you have to eat fast and small or get "killed" with your mouth full!

Goal Setting: Activities like airsoft are a great treat to yourself if you're really dedicated to losing weight and keeping it off. All the extreme physical activity lets you have a good sense of your own body and how far it has come in terms of physical improvement. Before I started my workout routine 6 months ago, I wouldn't have even made it a through a few hours of playing airsoft at that level of intensity. Going to these serious airsoft events provides a good training checkup and it also gave me something in the future to work towards. It changed my workout mentality. Instead of simply getting through it, I was thinking - "this will help me be little faster than the other guys", "this will help me carry my gear around better after hours of playing". I'm the kind of person that needs a clear goal to keep motivated. Attending these Milsim airsoft events gives me tangible goals in my journey to lose these "civvy" pounds To find a nearby field, AirSplat has a comprehensive listing of airsoft fields, so you can plan your next intense physical outing. I try to go at least two times a month, and it gives me something to look forward to, and definitely breaks up the monotony of ‘focused' workouts on the track or at the gym.

Author Bio
John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation's largest retailer of Airsoft Guns and Airsoft Apparel. read more →

Guest Post by Lisa Roberts

If at any point in your life you have tried to lose weight, then it is most likely that you have come across numerous products on the market. They all claim to be able to grant you the body you have always dreamed of. If this is the case, then you probably are all too well aware that these products simply do not work or at most, only give temporary results. Perhaps you have tried supplements, diets or unrealistic strenuous fitness regimes; in most likelihood you were left disappointed.

Essentially what goes wrong with such weigh loss methods is that they do not treat the entire issue. For example, a pill cannot deal with emotional aspects of weight loss, it does not know your specific food habits, nor can it advise you on how to get the best out of your body. Let’s face it, if losing weight was as simple as ingesting a tablet, then we would all have the perfect bodies that we so want!

So is there a way to help us not only lose weight, but also keep it off and change our lives? It looks like there finally may be a method that treats the issue of weight loss holistically and in the most humane way possible: the Fat Loss Factor. What really makes this weight loss method stand out is that it treats the problem form beginning to end.

What no products ever tell you is that a big part of losing weight is having a healthy clean liver, which is responsible for burning fat. The first step of the Fat Loss Factor is preparing your body to make sure it has the utmost ability to burn of fat, easily and naturally.

Another thing that truly makes this product stand out is that you will not have to count calories, stick to boring diets or even give up your favorite foods. Believe it or not, you can still eat chocolate cake, ice cream and even junk food! This is because the Fat Loss Factor teaches you all you need to know about the foods you eat, including how to keep eating them and still lose weight quickly and easily!

Are you sick of spending hours sweating in the gym? You really don’t have to- with this weight loss program you will learn how to get amazing results with just 15 minutes of gentle exercise on a regular basis. Cardio really is not the only way to get a slimmer body!

Let’s face it, losing weight can be a goal that may seem impossible to achieve. The best thing that the Fat Loss Factor does which no other products seem to do is understand the human process that comes with such a goal.

You are not left alone in fact you get personal coaching to help you on your way, with any possible questions or issues that may arise during your weight loss journey! You are also provided with a goal setting system and a comprehensive guide to everything you will need to know about getting the shape you want and the confidence that comes with it! Most importantly, this weight loss system will ensure you get to your desired weight and stay that that way forever!

Author Bio
Lisa Roberts is a health and fitness enthusiast with a passion for writing. You can read more about the Fat Loss Factor program and discover how to lose weight fast at her slimming resources website. read more →

Guest Post by Linda Moore
Everywhere you look there are ads and stories praising slimming pills. From infomercials to your local grocer, they are available at the drop of a hat. And they aren’t just pills anymore. Now you’ve got your choice of powders, tablets, teas, gums and many more. Not to mention you can get a host of slimming pill prescriptions from your family physician. Some you take at certain times and others before meals. But are the results these products boast a reality or simply a hoax? Can popping a pill twice a day really make such a drastic difference in your weight?

Let’s look at the reality of slimming pills. They are supplements. A supplement is an addition to make a regimen complete or more beneficial. Sometimes we get a part-time job in the evenings to supplement our income. A lot of people supplement their knowledge by reading various books. We use vitamins to supplement our health. Why would we assume slimming pills would do all the work for us to lose weight fast?

Here’s the problem. I’m sure you personally know several people who have had success with slimming pills. What happens when they stop taking the pills? If their behaviors that caused weight gain in the first place haven’t changed they are bound to put the weight back on. Had they used the slimming pills as a supplement, as they were designed, rebounding wouldn’t be an issue. Many allow themselves to believe the pills are the only reason for their fast weight loss, when in fact the pills simply increased energy and curbed the appetite. They ate less and found other things to do with the extra energy boost. But when the pills are stopped nothing is holding the appetite back and the extra energy push is gone.

Does this mean we shouldn’t use slimming pills at all? Of course not. Some are very effective and when used in combination with other lifestyle changes they can enhance and maximize weight loss. We need to incorporate an exercise plan to use up that extra energy provided by the pills. We also need to incorporate dietary changes so we maintain a healthy balance of nutrients for our bodies. Slimming pills will make you want to eat less, so it’s important to fill your body with the fuel it requires to burn fat. Eating less and skipping meals will force your body into “starvation mode” and the first thing to go will be muscle mass, not fat. Weight might be coming off, but you’re left with a flabby, weaker body.

Research the slimming pills you are thinking of taking and make sure they are from a reputable company. If you have medical issues, such as heart or nervous system conditions, consult your physician prior to your purchase. And make sure you don’t rely on the slimming pill to solely handle what years of overeating and lack of physical activity have done to your body. Use them in combination with regular exercise and a sensible diet to reap the best rewards. read more →