Before you begin any kind of new exercise program, assess your present fitness level and determine whether you should first consult with your doctor by completing the following questionnaire:

Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

If you are between the ages of 15 and 69 and answer yes to any of the following questions, it is best that you talk with your doctor by phone or in person before you become more physically active and before you have a fitness appraisal. Tell your doctor about this questionnaire and the questions to which you answered yes. If you are older than 69 years of age and are not accustomed to being very active, you should always check with your doctor before changing your exercise routine.

Please read the following questions carefully and answer yes or no honestly to each one.

1. Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?
2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
3. In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not engaged in physical activity?
4. Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem (for example, back, knee, or hip) that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
6. Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for blood pressure or a heart condition?
7. Do you know of any other reason why you should not do physical activity?

Please Note: If your health changes or you notice any of the above symptoms after you have already begun a fitness program, tell your fitness or health professional and ask whether you should change your physical activity plan.

Now, to help you make the most of your abilities, answer the following questions. Depending on your answers, you will take one of five different tracks:

Physical Fitness and Readiness Profile

1. How often have you exercised in the last 4 weeks?

a. Not at all

b. 1 to 4 times

c. 5 to 8 times

d. 9 to 12 times

e. 13 or more times

2. Right now, how many minutes can you perform nonstop, weight-bearing cardio exercise such as running or working on the elliptical trainer?

a. None

b. Less than 12 minutes

c. 13 to 30 minutes

d. 31 to 59 minutes

e. 60 to 75 minutes

3. How many long push-ups can you perform without stopping? (Long push-ups are done with your legs straight and your knees off the ground. Short push-ups are done with both your knees and your toes on the ground.)

a. None

b. 1 to 6 push-ups

c. 7 to 12 push-ups

d. 13 to 25 push-ups

e. 26 to 100 push-ups

4. Right now, how many full-range free squats can you perform in 60 seconds?

a. None

b. 1 to 20

c. 21 to 36

d. 37 to 52

e. 53 to 75

Scoring Key

A = 10

B = 8

C = 6

D = 4

E = 2

1. If you scored 33–40 you will take the red track
2. If you scored 25–32 you will take the green track
3. If you scored 17–24 you will take the orange track
4. If you scored 9–16 you will take the yellow track
5. If you scored 8 you will take the blue track

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Choose the Program That’s Right for You

During this phase of the 8 Week Fat Loss Challenge you are given two different 12-minute exercise programs Robert Ferguson has used these programs and training concept for years. Progressing from light cardio to high-intensity activity and work your entire body, you can expect to experience exciting results. In addition, depending on your level of fitness and the time you can put in, the variety of weekly workout menus that range from 12 to 30 minutes in length (including the time it will take you to warm up and cool down) will help you during and after the challenge.

These weekly plans are designed so that you alternate high-intensity with low-intensity workouts. It is important that you do not perform high-intensity exercises two days in a row because you need to give your muscles time to recover.

And finally, please bear in mind that these are recommendations designed to provide you with maximum results. If you find that you don’t have the time to do 30 minutes on any given day, just 12 minutes of continuous activity will be enough to keep you on the fast track.

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Before you begin to work out it is important to understand that any exercise program has to include three phases: warm up, work out, and cool down.

There are a lot of people who don’t think it’s necessary to warm up. I see fit guys in the gym all the time who walk right over to the equipment and start working out without any warm up at all. But the fact is, your muscles are primarily responsible for fat burning, and the longer you warm up, the more oxygen and blood there will be going to the working muscles, thereby maximizing the amount of fat you can burn both during and after your workout.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, which sets the standard when it comes to exercise science, everyone should warm up for at least 6 to 12 minutes before a workout. And if you have a health issue such as shoulder or joint discomfort, I strongly recommend you take your time and warm up even longer—for up to 20 minutes.

Warming up means engaging in some kind of continuous movement, such as walking on a treadmill or performing the exercises you are going to be performing more slowly, which is referred to as an activity-specific warmup. If you are extremely overweight and/or you haven’t done any kind of exercise since you were in high school, you may not be able to sustain continuous movement for more than 12 minutes, in which case, those 12 minutes of walking may be your entire workout—and that is completely fine. You will still be burning fat, and as you become fit, you will be able to do more and more.

Once you’ve completed your workout you also need to cool down for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Cooling down allows your heart rate and breathing to return to normal levels gradually so that you prevent blood pooling (experience major drops in blood pressure), which could lead to further complications (especially when the exerciser is unfit). Cooling down also prepares your muscles for your next exercise session and helps minimize the risk of muscle soreness after the workout. If you stop too abruptly after a vigorous workout you could get dizzy or even faint. Worst-case scenario: You could actually have a heart attack. So make sure to take the necessary time to cool down at the end of your workout.

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If you have questions and won't be able to attend the Webinar live - go to the below link and submit your questions and during the replay Robert Ferguson is likely to provide answers that will help you make the most of the 8 Week Fat Loss Challenge:

EVENT: 8 Week Challenge Webinar
DATE & TIME: Saturday, July 17th at 4:00pm Pacific
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast -- it's your choice)
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW...
http://attendthisevent.com/?eventid=13990692