3 Great Pumpkin Exercises to Burn Belly Fat

“You can approach Halloween in two different ways. The first would be to go nuts with all of the eats and treats. The second is to indulge in moderation and offset any extra foot intake with a seasonal pumpkin workout. I advise the later… it’s a lot more figure-friendly!”

Pumpkins can be used in place of medicine balls for a limitless number of exercise options. Herrera enjoys taking it one step further, using total body exercises that combine upper body, lower body, and core movements into one big bang for your buck workout.

Here are my top three total body pumpkin exercises that guarantee to help you burn fat and build muscle in minimal time. I recommends performing at least one circuit of the following three pumpkin exercises, with little to no rest between movements, for every Halloween treat you eat:

1) Pumpkin Swings: Hold a pumpkin in your hands with your arms extended, stay on your heels and push your hips back while bringing the pumpkin underneath your body while keeping your eyes up and chest out. Then push your hips forward and swing the pumpkin up to chest level being sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. Repeat for 10 total reps.

2) Pumpkin Curl to Squat to Presses: Hold a pumpkin in your hands with your arms extended; curl the pumpkin to your chest as your squat down until your front thighs are parallel to the floor with your eyes up and your weight on your heels. Then simultaneously stand up and press the pumpkin overhead. Repeat for 10 total reps.

3) Pumpkin Burpees: Hold a pumpkin in your hands with your arms extended, squat down to the floor, then jump your legs out to assume a push-up position. Perform a push-up with your hands on the pumpkin and then reverse the movement to stand back up. Repeat for total 10 reps.

We will be holding our first Halloween Charity Boot Camp Workout on Friday, October 30^th at 6:00 pm at Diaz Martial Arts. The registration deadline is Wednesday, October 28^th. Attendees will also be able to attend the Haunted House and Halloween Party at Diaz Martial Arts immediately following the workout. For more information on this event, please go to www.hhfitness.com and click on the “Halloween” tab in the main navigation menu. HH Fitness can also be reached via email at hhfitness@gmail.com.

Lose Weight Fast This Fall With Three Mindset Tips

To lose weight fast men and women need to have the right mindset. That’s according to rapid fat loss expert Heath Herrera. He believes too many people enter into fitness plans without mentally preparing for it first.

He explained, “Everyone knows quick weight loss is achievable. The challenge is keeping the pounds and inches off. You need the right mental attitude and social support.” Herrera went on to say, “I’ve worked with many men and women who want to lose weight fast, but the most successful ones – the ones who keep the weight off – are the ones with the correct mental disposition before starting.”

Herrera recommends the following three mindset tips for permanent weight loss:

1. Surround yourself with the right people!

You need to understand you will need to make some different lifestyle choices to keep the weight off. That may very well mean not socializing with others who can have a negative influence on your weight loss.

2. Don’t expect it to be easy!

Losing weight doesn’t have to be a chore, if you are seeking quick weight loss you need to come to grips with the fact that it is going to take effort. Anything worth doing is never going to be easy. You must accept the fact there will be some tough times ahead. That is why it is so important to be surrounded by positive people that will be supportive when obstacles get in your way.

3. Don’t expect the rapid fat loss results to last forever!

Many people see dramatic results instantly when starting a fitness plan for weight loss. However, Herrera advocates in his programs, people need to shift their focus from short-term losses to long-term results. Permanent lifestyle changes must be made to prevent the unwanted fat from coming back.

Heath Herrera is the owner of HH Fitness and a Fitness Professional in San Marcos, Texas. Herrera is available for interviews or to discuss other story ideas related to weight loss and fitness. HH Fitness will begin it Holiday Boot Camp Phase in San Marcos, Texas on November 2, 2009 to help you approach the Holiday Season with the right mind set. He can be reached at 512.787.2219 or via email at HeathHerrera@HHFitness.com. For even more information please visit www.HHFitness.com.