Our muscle boys in the states have taken time out to give us British lads excellent tips on staying fit over the festive season. Scroll down to the bottom to read their own personal interviews and find out how to see even more of the boys!

I want to tone and tighten my legs (or stomach, or arms, etc). What exercises can I do to lose fat there and get them toned?
 
Dan - Losing fat requires a healthy diet and frequent workouts. Higher reps and short recovery times will facilitate fat loss.

Pete - Lunges, squats, and leg press should do the trick.

I really want to workout and get in-shape, but I just don't have the time. What should I do?
 
Dan - You have to make a commitment to workout. If you can workout 3x a week for 45min-1hr you should be able to make progress. Early morning workouts are ideal.

Pete - Try to just allot 15 to 30 mins for fitness -- if you can do cardio for 15 to 30 mins, that's definitely a starting point.

What about warming up? How long & what type of things are good to do?

Dan - It is recommended by the American council on exercise that people working out should warm-up for 5-15min. The intensity for the warm-up should be around 50% vo2 max.

Pete - I normally go on the bike for 2 to 5 mins for a warm-up.

What about cooling down after exercise? Should I do any thing special?

Dan - Same principal for warm-up.

Pete - Some general stretching is good. Also, it's good to stretch throughout a workout.

What is a good fitness program for losing weight?

Dan - weight training 2-3x a week with 4-5 days of cardio (30-45min in duration)

Pete - Cardio and diet are the most important followed by weight-training. Cardio should be done 3 to 4 times a week for 30 mins. Your diet should be high in protein, moderate/low in carbs and low in fat. Protein includes such things as eggs, meat, and fish.

I have hit a plateau and can't seem to get the scale to budge (or can't get any stronger).

Dan - Start a new workout.

Pete - Try changing up the length of the workout as well as the types of exercises you are doing. Also, you can vary the reps. For example, if you normally do 8 to 12 reps, lower the weight and start doing 15 to 20 reps, or vice versa.

Is it bad for your body to workout some of the same muscle groups daily?

Dan - Depending on intensity you should give your muscles 3 days in between workouts. IE if you train quads on Monday don't hit them again until Friday.

Pete - It's not bad, but it's counterproductive, as it will lead to over-training. Most fitness experts agree that abs and calves are an exception to this. You can train them almost every day if you so choose.

How often should I stretch and should I stretch before or after working out?

Dan - After every workout.

Pete - I stretch before, during and after a workout. A lot of people don't know that stretching during a workout increases muscular gains.

How can I workout at home because I don't belong to a gym?

Dan - Cardio and calisthenics can be done anywhere.

Pete - You could also use soup cans/books for weights, and if you don't have a stationary bike, you could run up and down your stairs.

What's the deal with Supplements? Who should take them? What if your goals are just to keep in shape?

Dan - I'm taking a course in nutrition, and if you take in all the foods recommended by the FDA (food pyramid) you don't need to take any supplements. Even daily vitamins are not necessary if you eat the right foods. A lot of supplements are harmful to your body. Protein powders should be used sparingly because protein overdoses put strain on your kidneys.

Pete - Yes, supplements are a good idea, but you don't need to overdo it. For a beginner, I would recommend a whey protein shake to help them meet their daily protein requirements. I'd also recommend a multi-vitamin, vitamin c, vitamin e and antioxidants.

Should someone getting into Bodybuilding stay away from dairy products? Does dairy products make you retain water and hinder your fat burning process?

Pete - Every few years, the 'expert' opinion changes on this. Over the last few years many bodybuilders have avoided it, but recently a lot of bodybuilders have begun to incorporate dairy products back into their diet. Matt Duvall, the pro bodybuilder, drinks milk every day. Some of the better choices are cottage cheese, and soy milk.

Whats your best fitness tip?

Dan - Be consistent with your workouts and diet. Set short term achievable goals.
 
Pete - Be consistent -- dedicate yourself for at least 3 to 6 months, not just 1 or 2 weeks.

What are good ab building exercises? Do you need to do different types of exercises to build the lower & upper abs?

Dan - Cardio and diet really form the abs. Doing 100 crunches isn't going to get your abs ripped.

Pete - Cardio and diet are more important than any ab-crunch that you can do in so far as enabling your abs to show. You'd be better off doing cardio 4x a week and eating well than doing 1000 crunches, but eating like a pig.

Whats the deal with carbs? Avoid or what?

Dan - Carbs are very important in your diet. If you take in less than 100 carbs a day you can be doing harm to your body. In order for your brain to function properly it needs carbs!

Pete - No, have a moderate amount of carbs, so that your body is able to function. The Atkins diet is designed for couch potatoes who do not really workout. If you plan on doing cardio and weight-training, you definitely need carbs. Just ensure that the primary component in every meal is protein with a small amount of carbs and you should be good.

What do you do for cardio and aerobics? Should you do both every day?

Dan - Cardio 3-5x a week is ideal. I do interval sprints after my workouts 3-4x a week.

Pete - I don't do aerobics -- I just do cardio (tread-mill, bike, stepper) --- If you're doing a 45 min aerobics class, I would supplement that with only 15 to 20 mins of cardio. If you're doing cardio on its own, try doing 30 to 45 mins.

Is it is possible to exercise too much?? About how many times a week should one exercise and for how long each time? What is the best way to burn calories?

Dan - Overtraining is very harmful. This is the way people get injured.

Pete - Yes, it is possible to exercise too much, and the term for it is 'over-training.' I would not exceed 5 days a week of training. Give your body 2 full days to rest and recuperate. Also, supplement with glutamine to fight against over-training.

After I finish eating, how long do I have to wait before I exercise?

Dan - At least 2 hours. If you workout after eating you are working your heart too hard. Also, your food is not digesting during your workout because the blood is going to your muscles.

Pete - I wait 45 mins or so.

I actually have 2 questions. I want to lose weight and tone my muscles, not bulk up. I have heard conflicting ways on how to do this.

1. How much cardio should I do?

Dan - I have been doing 45 minutes 5 days a week

Pete - I would suggest 30 mins to 45 mins of cardio 3 to 4x a week.

2. When using weights, should I do more reps with less weight or less reps and more weight?

Dan - You are correct with both!

Pete - I would also suggest lowering the weights and doing 15 to 25 reps when you train with weights.

What is the best exercise for building and firming your ass?

Dan - Squats, lunges. Genetics are important here too ;)

Pete - Sex. :-)

Or lunges, if you're boring.