I work with clients every day to help them reach their goals. It doesn't matter if the goals are weight loss, weight gain or sport specific---many times the clients' goals are hindered by "something else" going on in their lives. Of course, the ultimate goal is for you to have a healthy, lean body and not just weight loss.
Optimal health involves making lifestyle changes to improve your:
a. health
b. fitness
c. energy levels
d. quality of life
This takes hard work and many adjustments along the way.
Here are 10 Steps you can take today toward a healthier body:
1. Have the right attitude. Negativity affects every thing you do in life. Always look for the best in every situation and get rid of the "negative vampires" in your life. Hang around positive people. We all need all the help we can get.
As it relates to health, an attitude such as, "I will do whatever it takes to have the best health and body," will always lead to positive changes.
2. What motivates you to get healthier? Having the right motivation will help keep your attitude positive.
In a 2008 Men's Health Magazine article, it list 5 different motivations that you can have for losing weight. Many times, New Year's fitness resolutions die by the end of February because you had the wrong motivation for working out. Here they are:
a) AMOTIVATION - You don't really have a reason to work out. Its more of a fad for you. Your workouts won't last long.
b) EXTERNAL REGULATION - You're motivated to workout because other people like the way you look when you're in shape, but no internal motivation exist. How long do you think you'll be able to please people? Then what will motivate you?
c)INTROJECTED REGULATION - You feel bad about yourself when you don't workout. This is a type of motivation, but its based on negative motivations.
d) IDENTIFIED REGULATION - You workout because its good for your health and lifestyle. This is a very positive behavior and will lead to permanent lifestyle changes.
e) INTRINSIC MOTIVATION - You workout because you enjoy it! Probably the best motivation of all.
In my opinion, a combination of the motivations listed in items "c" through "e" lead to permanent lifestyle changes (with heavier weight attached to items "d" and "e"). And, the motivation listed in item "b" will probably be mixed in somehow. Did you find yourself anywhere in this motivation list?
3. Do you have limiting behaviors? Are you sabotaging your health, fat loss and weight loss efforts? For example, if you are trying to break bad eating habits, why do you keep junk food and sugary foods in your kitchen pantry? If its there, you will eat it. You have to believe you can change and really want to change.
4. Healthy, managed nutrition is critical for a healthy body. You need a meal plan you can maintain over time. Fad diets and starvation diets cannot be maintained. You quickly regain the weight when you begin to eat regularly.
The primary cause of weight gain is consistent calorie surpluses, or eating more daily calories than you burn. A slow metabolism is not the main cause of weight gain.
Add healthy foods to your menu that you like. You are more likely to stay with a menu loaded with foods you like. Replace the foods that are bad for you with whole, natural foods. This eliminates foods in a box or bag.
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
Set your daily calorie intake based on your basal metabolic rate, your activity level and your goals. This way, you won't eat too much or too little. Maintaining the right amount of calorie deficit on most days (burning more calories than you consume) is the key to burning fat and losing weight.
I don't recommend any diet that omits one of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat). Your body's metabolism needs all 3 macronutrients to work efficiently.
Control your hunger during the day so you don't overeat when you do eat. Do this by eating small meals every 3-4 hours to keep your energy and metabolism active.
5. Regular strength training and interval cardio sessions are a must if you want to change your body. Fat loss is more important than weight loss.
When you continue to build muscle mass and burn fat, your body will change to lean and toned. This will also speed up your metabolism because your body has to work harder to maintain muscle mass. A faster metabolism helps you burn more calories during the day, during workouts and at rest. This is the main key to help keep you from regaining weight.
6. Adopt an active lifestyle. Walk as much as possible every day. The health-related benefits are numerous when you remain active on most days.
So, if you have a "sit-down" job, I would recommend that you move more. When you sit, your fat-burning enzymes basically shut down. When you stand during the day, those fat-burning enzymes go to work for you.
Try to stand as much as you can during the day and take walking breaks and lunches to activate your fat-burning enzymes. Any activity is good to go along with your regular workouts. All movement burns calories.
7. You can be skinny and still be fat and unhealthy. If you just lose weight without exercise, your body has not changed to lean. And, this can lead to yo-yo weight loss and weight regain.
From a Mayo Clinic article by Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., “Can you be considered obese if you have a normal body weight?” it states:
“Yes. You can have a normal weight, but if your body fat percentage is high enough, you may be considered obese — a situation known as normal weight obesity. Normal weight obesity means you may have the same serious health risks as does someone who's obese. Obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat — not as weighing too much.”
Katherine explains the dangers of depending on body mass index (BMI) to determine your risks for health related problems such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol level and metabolic syndrome.
8. Practice weight management. On the surface, it is a simple process---if you do it day in and day out. When you reach weight loss goals, you have to manage your new body to remain successful. In other words, keep working out and eating right!
According to Christopher Sciamanna, M.D., the problem comes with what you do after the diet. Sciamanna discovered this the hard way: After losing 30 pounds, he described his new, lower weight as "shockingly challenging" to maintain.
He and his colleagues at Penn State University's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center decided to study weight loss maintenance.
Part of their study was to examine results found at the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR). For the past two decades, NWCR has focused on a single group of people. To qualify, they have to lose at least 30 pounds and keep the weight off for at least a year. The findings aren’t surprising. The participants were successful primarily because of the following habits:
--Exercise at least an hour a day, almost every day
--Follow a low-fat, low-sugar, low-calorie diet
--Eat, more or less, the same foods all the time
--Minimize TV watching
--Eat breakfast
9. Healthy lifestyle habits produce a healthier body. This is a no-brainer. If you get adequate nightly sleep, limit excessive stress, don't smoke, limit excessive alcohol consumption, exercise regularly and eat healthy you will have a healthier body. Practice these type of healthy habits on most days.
Here's a quick healthy habit you can do today: drink enough water. Your body is about two-thirds water. Drink water and unsweetened drinks (like tea) most of the time. It will help you eat less and help your body function better.
Drink about half your weight in water every day. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water each day.
Remember, certain foods contain large amounts of water. This counts toward your water intake. For instance watermelon is about 90% water and lettuce has about 95% water. Some meats contain as much as 70% water.
Water also helps your body flex muscles, remove wastes, cushion joints, carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells and helps convert food into energy (although water doesn't provide energy).
You may be experiencing dehydration if you have dry lips/mouth, dizziness, headache, nausea or muscle cramps. When you exercise, drink about a cup of water every 15 minutes.
10. You may need professional advice in certain areas of your life.
A personal trainer can help you visualize success and individualize your fat loss and nutrition program. Its hard to change your body all by yourself.
You may also need help with things such as depression. And a full physical exam will show you where your health stands.
You can start taking positive steps today to improve your health. Don't procrastinate!
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Kamis, 31 Mei 2012
Rabu, 30 Mei 2012
Sugar - The Fat Promoter and Drug
by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN Author, Eating for Energy
The average person in North America consumes 150 lbs of refined sugar per year! This is astronomical in contrast to the 5 lbs per year consumed by the average person at the turn of the 20th century.
Sugar, especially in its refined state, has many detrimental effects on the body. First and foremost, it is highly acid-forming. This means that sugar consumption throws off your pH balance so that your blood and other important become more acidic. The more acidic your body becomes, the greater the likelihood for disease to flourish.
Arthritis, asthma, headaches, psoriasis, cancer, stomach gas, intestinal gas, osteoporosis, heart disease, weight gain, PMS, candidiasis, tooth decay, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer sores, cataracts, gallstones, kidney stones, and cystic fibrosis are all diseases and conditions that are negatively affected by the intake of sugar.
Sugar - The Fat Promoter and Drug
When you consume sugar, insulin is released from the pancreas, causing your muscle and liver cells to take up glucose from the blood and store it. A diet that includes lots of refined sugar goes hand in hand with mood swings. When blood sugar is abnormally high, as it is when sugar is ingested, the sugar acts like a drug, and you become elated.
But once insulin packs the sugar away into the cells, your mood begins to head south and your brain signals that more sugar is needed to regain the high. This is exactly when you find yourself reaching for that chocolate bar or sugary treat.
When a low-sugar diet is consumed, you will find your moods are even throughout the day, and your body will actually tap into fat as a source of fuel, a process that stops the second you eat something sugary. Since toxins are stored in fat, this is something you want to get rid of!
Sugar = Toxic Acid
Excessive sugar consumption throws your body’s pH levels out of balance. The sugar, and the acidity that it creates, provides an internal environment that is ripe for the overgrowth of dangerous yeasts, fungi, and bacteria - ultimately making it much harder for you to lose weight and maintain optimal health.
In turn, these nasty little critters feed on the sugar, multiply, and expel toxic wastes that make you feel and look even worse. Because these critters feed on sugar, your body begins to crave more sugar in the form of sweets, breads, pastas, and so forth. You end up feeding these microorganisms and fuel their growth, placing additional toxicity acid into your body.
As this vicious cycle continues not only do you feed these toxin-producing microorganisms but you also intake huge amounts of calorie-rich, nutrient void, sugar-laden foods. Over time, an excess intake of calories through sugar obviously leads to weight gain (considering everything else remains equal).
The other aspect of sugar that increases toxicity is the fact that as you fuel more and more of these “bad” microorganisms, the toxins they expel create more acid in your blood and pose added stress on your liver.
Since excess acid in the blood will eventually be stored in fat cells, it is imperative that you reduce the acid load in your body - if you want to lose weight and achieve great health. Only once you rid your body of excess acid and restore its proper pH balance will you be able to shed excess fat. If fat isn’t needed to store acid, then it can more readily be metabolized.
Make sense?
Similarly, if your liver becomes stressed and compromised as a result of having to filter tons of toxins floating through your blood, your weight loss attempts will be in vain. This is because the liver is not only the body’s major filter but it also regulates sugar and fat metabolism.
If your liver is not functioning properly then its ability to metabolize sugar and fats will also be compromised. Elevated blood sugar and blood lipid levels are usually the result.
Sugar is a Now a Processed Food Ingredient
The manner in which sugar is processed exacerbates the problem. More than 60 chemicals are used in the processing of natural sugarcane’s thick beige stalks into the fine, white granular table sugar that we’re all to familiar with. Many of these chemicals, including bleaches and deodorizes, are still present in the final product.
At same time, the naturally occurring minerals and vitamins in the sugarcane plant are completely removed. One such mineral is chromium.
Chromium is a critical player in your body’s ability to uptake sugar from the blood and into the cells. The fact that chromium is not present in refined sugar poses a serious problem for sugar uptake and metabolism, which imposes further stress on your body’s ability to burn fat and control blood sugar effectively.
Sugar Upsets the Mineral Balance in Your Body
There are so many reasons that sugar is bad news that simply it’s impossible to go through all of them right now. But one reason we will hit on is the fact that sugar can single-handedly impair the mineral balance in your body.
Researchers have found that ingesting sugar increases the rate at which we excrete calcium. Essentially, calcium is removed from the bones, teeth, and tissues to neutralize the consumption of acidic sugary treats!
Since minerals work in relation to one another, when you consume sugar, you are starting the dominoes falling.
And it’s not just the refined table sugar that is the problem. In fact, the majority of our sugar intake comes from hidden and unexpected sources such as processed and packaged foods. Sugar is used as an additive in foods ranging from meat to ketchup to salt. In packaged foods sugar can take the form of glucose, dextrose, sucrose, or the ever-present high-fructose corn syrup.
The major concern is that sugar provides no real nutritional value, while wreaking havoc on your blood sugar levels (promoting diabetes and weight gain) and leading to excess caloric consumption. It suppresses the immune system, disrupts normal mineral relationships, compromises the health of your vital organs, and keeps your body incredibly toxic.
Obviously, you must not only eliminate sugar from your diet, but also avoid other antinutrients such as alcohol, sweeteners, caffeine, rancid fats, drugs, and food additives and colourings to ensure your immune functioning is up to par. Of course, you must also eat a diet full of fresh, whole, colourful, and nutritious fruits and vegetables!
Don't waste money on detox pills, detox supplements and detox potions that will not work. Instead.......
Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Eating for Energy
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
The average person in North America consumes 150 lbs of refined sugar per year! This is astronomical in contrast to the 5 lbs per year consumed by the average person at the turn of the 20th century.
Sugar, especially in its refined state, has many detrimental effects on the body. First and foremost, it is highly acid-forming. This means that sugar consumption throws off your pH balance so that your blood and other important become more acidic. The more acidic your body becomes, the greater the likelihood for disease to flourish.
Arthritis, asthma, headaches, psoriasis, cancer, stomach gas, intestinal gas, osteoporosis, heart disease, weight gain, PMS, candidiasis, tooth decay, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer sores, cataracts, gallstones, kidney stones, and cystic fibrosis are all diseases and conditions that are negatively affected by the intake of sugar.
Sugar - The Fat Promoter and Drug
When you consume sugar, insulin is released from the pancreas, causing your muscle and liver cells to take up glucose from the blood and store it. A diet that includes lots of refined sugar goes hand in hand with mood swings. When blood sugar is abnormally high, as it is when sugar is ingested, the sugar acts like a drug, and you become elated.
But once insulin packs the sugar away into the cells, your mood begins to head south and your brain signals that more sugar is needed to regain the high. This is exactly when you find yourself reaching for that chocolate bar or sugary treat.
When a low-sugar diet is consumed, you will find your moods are even throughout the day, and your body will actually tap into fat as a source of fuel, a process that stops the second you eat something sugary. Since toxins are stored in fat, this is something you want to get rid of!
Sugar = Toxic Acid
Excessive sugar consumption throws your body’s pH levels out of balance. The sugar, and the acidity that it creates, provides an internal environment that is ripe for the overgrowth of dangerous yeasts, fungi, and bacteria - ultimately making it much harder for you to lose weight and maintain optimal health.
In turn, these nasty little critters feed on the sugar, multiply, and expel toxic wastes that make you feel and look even worse. Because these critters feed on sugar, your body begins to crave more sugar in the form of sweets, breads, pastas, and so forth. You end up feeding these microorganisms and fuel their growth, placing additional toxicity acid into your body.
As this vicious cycle continues not only do you feed these toxin-producing microorganisms but you also intake huge amounts of calorie-rich, nutrient void, sugar-laden foods. Over time, an excess intake of calories through sugar obviously leads to weight gain (considering everything else remains equal).
The other aspect of sugar that increases toxicity is the fact that as you fuel more and more of these “bad” microorganisms, the toxins they expel create more acid in your blood and pose added stress on your liver.
Since excess acid in the blood will eventually be stored in fat cells, it is imperative that you reduce the acid load in your body - if you want to lose weight and achieve great health. Only once you rid your body of excess acid and restore its proper pH balance will you be able to shed excess fat. If fat isn’t needed to store acid, then it can more readily be metabolized.
Make sense?
Similarly, if your liver becomes stressed and compromised as a result of having to filter tons of toxins floating through your blood, your weight loss attempts will be in vain. This is because the liver is not only the body’s major filter but it also regulates sugar and fat metabolism.
If your liver is not functioning properly then its ability to metabolize sugar and fats will also be compromised. Elevated blood sugar and blood lipid levels are usually the result.
Sugar is a Now a Processed Food Ingredient
The manner in which sugar is processed exacerbates the problem. More than 60 chemicals are used in the processing of natural sugarcane’s thick beige stalks into the fine, white granular table sugar that we’re all to familiar with. Many of these chemicals, including bleaches and deodorizes, are still present in the final product.
At same time, the naturally occurring minerals and vitamins in the sugarcane plant are completely removed. One such mineral is chromium.
Chromium is a critical player in your body’s ability to uptake sugar from the blood and into the cells. The fact that chromium is not present in refined sugar poses a serious problem for sugar uptake and metabolism, which imposes further stress on your body’s ability to burn fat and control blood sugar effectively.
Sugar Upsets the Mineral Balance in Your Body
There are so many reasons that sugar is bad news that simply it’s impossible to go through all of them right now. But one reason we will hit on is the fact that sugar can single-handedly impair the mineral balance in your body.
Researchers have found that ingesting sugar increases the rate at which we excrete calcium. Essentially, calcium is removed from the bones, teeth, and tissues to neutralize the consumption of acidic sugary treats!
Since minerals work in relation to one another, when you consume sugar, you are starting the dominoes falling.
And it’s not just the refined table sugar that is the problem. In fact, the majority of our sugar intake comes from hidden and unexpected sources such as processed and packaged foods. Sugar is used as an additive in foods ranging from meat to ketchup to salt. In packaged foods sugar can take the form of glucose, dextrose, sucrose, or the ever-present high-fructose corn syrup.
The major concern is that sugar provides no real nutritional value, while wreaking havoc on your blood sugar levels (promoting diabetes and weight gain) and leading to excess caloric consumption. It suppresses the immune system, disrupts normal mineral relationships, compromises the health of your vital organs, and keeps your body incredibly toxic.
Obviously, you must not only eliminate sugar from your diet, but also avoid other antinutrients such as alcohol, sweeteners, caffeine, rancid fats, drugs, and food additives and colourings to ensure your immune functioning is up to par. Of course, you must also eat a diet full of fresh, whole, colourful, and nutritious fruits and vegetables!
Don't waste money on detox pills, detox supplements and detox potions that will not work. Instead.......
Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Eating for Energy
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Toxicity and Acidosis are Serious Problems
by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN and Amy Coates, BSc., RHN
There are many conditions that are created when the body is in a constant state of acidosis:
• Poor digestion, absorption, and elimination,
• Cardiovascular disease, including cardiovascular plaque and the inability of the blood
to carry oxygen to your cells,
• Diabetes,
• Allergies and skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, asthma, acne, and dry, oily
and/or itchy skin etc..,
• Kidney problems such as infections and kidney stones,
• Immunodeficiency,
• Free radical damage and cancer,
• Hormonal imbalances,
• Premature aging and death (just look at the complexion of a smoker!),
• Weak and brittle bones, joint pains, sore muscles and lactic acid build-up,
• Chronic fatigue syndrome,
• Chronic yeast infections and fungal overgrowth
Scary, isn’t it?
When you eat a diet that is predominantly packaged and fast foods, you are throwing your body way out of balance. Over toxicity in your body will weaken each and every system in your body, clogging your organs of detoxification and making you feel unwell. When your detoxification organs are clogged, acidity will pool up in the body. How does this happen?
Well, when you eat a poor diet, over the years your body reaches what is know as its “toxic load.” In the beginning stages of toxicity, most of the symptoms will not be visible to the naked eye, so if you have not yet seen any symptoms, it doesn’t mean you don’t have any! Where does all this acid end up?
Your fat cells!
Fat cells are your body’s way of storing excess energy and toxicity. For example, if your diet is very high in sugar, and therefore very high in acid, your body will do whatever it can to pull that acid away from your vital organs and into your fat cells. This is a defense mechanism used by your body to protect its precious organs and delicate tissues.
But storing fat is not the only way that your body deals with excess acid, so if you are thin it doesn’t mean that you are healthy! In fact, it may mean that you are in even more danger because your entire body is in a chronic state of acidosis which means that your body is being destroyed from the inside out!
Don't waste money on detox pills, detox supplements and detox potions that will not work. Instead.......
Download your Free book, "5 Detox Scams to Avoid" and learn how to really detox your body with whole, natural foods.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
There are many conditions that are created when the body is in a constant state of acidosis:
• Poor digestion, absorption, and elimination,
• Cardiovascular disease, including cardiovascular plaque and the inability of the blood
to carry oxygen to your cells,
• Diabetes,
• Allergies and skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, asthma, acne, and dry, oily
and/or itchy skin etc..,
• Kidney problems such as infections and kidney stones,
• Immunodeficiency,
• Free radical damage and cancer,
• Hormonal imbalances,
• Premature aging and death (just look at the complexion of a smoker!),
• Weak and brittle bones, joint pains, sore muscles and lactic acid build-up,
• Chronic fatigue syndrome,
• Chronic yeast infections and fungal overgrowth
Scary, isn’t it?
When you eat a diet that is predominantly packaged and fast foods, you are throwing your body way out of balance. Over toxicity in your body will weaken each and every system in your body, clogging your organs of detoxification and making you feel unwell. When your detoxification organs are clogged, acidity will pool up in the body. How does this happen?
Well, when you eat a poor diet, over the years your body reaches what is know as its “toxic load.” In the beginning stages of toxicity, most of the symptoms will not be visible to the naked eye, so if you have not yet seen any symptoms, it doesn’t mean you don’t have any! Where does all this acid end up?
Your fat cells!
Fat cells are your body’s way of storing excess energy and toxicity. For example, if your diet is very high in sugar, and therefore very high in acid, your body will do whatever it can to pull that acid away from your vital organs and into your fat cells. This is a defense mechanism used by your body to protect its precious organs and delicate tissues.
But storing fat is not the only way that your body deals with excess acid, so if you are thin it doesn’t mean that you are healthy! In fact, it may mean that you are in even more danger because your entire body is in a chronic state of acidosis which means that your body is being destroyed from the inside out!
Don't waste money on detox pills, detox supplements and detox potions that will not work. Instead.......
Download your Free book, "5 Detox Scams to Avoid" and learn how to really detox your body with whole, natural foods.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Selasa, 29 Mei 2012
Shape a Leaner Body Faster
Start burning body fat today---no more excuses or wasting time. Start shaping your body and losing fat and weight for good. Do 14 days of hard training and disciplined eating and you will have the jumpstart you need to continue changing your body......this is not a quick weight loss gimmick.....you must keep working.......
Don't you want your healthy, lean body? Make it happen!
Here are some common body fat areas that are sometimes hard to lose:
--belly fat,
--butt/hips/thighs fat,
--low back fat and
--upper back arm fat
Any of those fat areas sound familiar? I think we all have dealt with one or more of those stubborn fat areas. Do you know what to do about it?
First, stop wasting money on fitness gadgets. You don't need them to burn fat and lose weight.
Second, don't spend any more money on fat loss and weight loss pills. You don't need those supplements either. And finally, forget about quick weight loss programs. They don't work long-term and that's why they are called quick.
This is what you need to do to burn total body fat:
1. Start a healthy meal plan filled with whole, natural foods. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat diary products and whole grains fit the bill. Severely limit sugars, fast foods, processed foods and foods in a box or bag.
Base your daily caloric intake on your basal metabolic rate, your daily activity and your goals. This way, you won't eat too much or too little (severe calorie restriction).
You need to maintain a caloric deficit on most days to burn fat and lose weight consistently.
2. Drink only water and unsweetened drinks most of the time. Drink about half your body weight in ounces every day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink at least 75 ounces of water every day. This will improve your health and help with weight loss.
3. Start building muscle mass and burning fat at the same time. You must change your body's composition to more muscle and less fat. This will speed up your metabolism and help you burn more calories every day.
You don't need to be a body builder but you need to burn the fat (to an acceptable body fat percentage) on your body and build muscle mass.
And, you must do more than cardio exercise to change your body's composition. "Cardio only" will not lean out your body.
Your body will also shrink because muscle takes up less space than fat. Over time, you will begin to lose weight and the weight will stay off. Do full body circuit strength training 3 times a week, about 30-40 minutes a session. When you get really good at it, 20-minute strength training sessions will be enough to get the job done.
4. I recommend doing interval cardio sessions (about 20 minutes a session) 2-3 times a week. Sprint interval cardio works best, especially on inclines on grass.
Bodyweight exercise interval cardio also works well. You might have to work up to being able to do 20-minute interval cardio sessions. If you are doing 60-minute cardio sessions, don't. It is wasting your time and precious muscle mass.
5. If you have stubborn fat areas like lower ab fat, you can do extra strength exercises on cardio days to address those areas. Aim to burn total body fat first and local area fat second.
Be sure and download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Don't you want your healthy, lean body? Make it happen!
Here are some common body fat areas that are sometimes hard to lose:
--belly fat,
--butt/hips/thighs fat,
--low back fat and
--upper back arm fat
Any of those fat areas sound familiar? I think we all have dealt with one or more of those stubborn fat areas. Do you know what to do about it?
First, stop wasting money on fitness gadgets. You don't need them to burn fat and lose weight.
Second, don't spend any more money on fat loss and weight loss pills. You don't need those supplements either. And finally, forget about quick weight loss programs. They don't work long-term and that's why they are called quick.
This is what you need to do to burn total body fat:
1. Start a healthy meal plan filled with whole, natural foods. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat diary products and whole grains fit the bill. Severely limit sugars, fast foods, processed foods and foods in a box or bag.
Base your daily caloric intake on your basal metabolic rate, your daily activity and your goals. This way, you won't eat too much or too little (severe calorie restriction).
You need to maintain a caloric deficit on most days to burn fat and lose weight consistently.
2. Drink only water and unsweetened drinks most of the time. Drink about half your body weight in ounces every day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink at least 75 ounces of water every day. This will improve your health and help with weight loss.
3. Start building muscle mass and burning fat at the same time. You must change your body's composition to more muscle and less fat. This will speed up your metabolism and help you burn more calories every day.
You don't need to be a body builder but you need to burn the fat (to an acceptable body fat percentage) on your body and build muscle mass.
And, you must do more than cardio exercise to change your body's composition. "Cardio only" will not lean out your body.
Your body will also shrink because muscle takes up less space than fat. Over time, you will begin to lose weight and the weight will stay off. Do full body circuit strength training 3 times a week, about 30-40 minutes a session. When you get really good at it, 20-minute strength training sessions will be enough to get the job done.
4. I recommend doing interval cardio sessions (about 20 minutes a session) 2-3 times a week. Sprint interval cardio works best, especially on inclines on grass.
Bodyweight exercise interval cardio also works well. You might have to work up to being able to do 20-minute interval cardio sessions. If you are doing 60-minute cardio sessions, don't. It is wasting your time and precious muscle mass.
5. If you have stubborn fat areas like lower ab fat, you can do extra strength exercises on cardio days to address those areas. Aim to burn total body fat first and local area fat second.
Be sure and download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Senin, 28 Mei 2012
Your Checklist to Lower Cholesterol
By Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
Here's a checklist of the top steps you must take if you want to successfully lower your cholesterol and keep it low.
Know your numbers
Have you had a lipid profile? Do you understand the numbers? If you are going to successfully lower cholesterol you need to know your numbers and what they mean. The most effective way to raise HDL is not necessarily the best way to lower LDL.
Evaluate your lifestyle
There are risk factors for high cholesterol that you cannot control, such as age, gender, and family history, but there are factors you can control. For example, you can reduce risk by not smoking, increasing your activity, and losing extra weight.
Balance your fats
Reduce unhealthy saturated fats in your diet and replace them with heart healthy unsaturated fats. Total fat intake should be 30% or less of your total daily calories. Out of this 30%, saturated fat should be limited to 7%.
Be active
Physical activity lowers triglycerides and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. Shoot for 30 minutes 5 or more days a week. If you are not currently active, check with your MD before beginning an activity program.
Eliminate trans fats
You need to be food label savvy and watch out for trans fats. Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and raise triglycerides. Limit trans fats to 1% or less of your daily caloric intake.
Understand triglycerides
Triglycerides are impacted the most by your simple sugar and alcohol intake. If you are struggling with high triglycerides, you need to take a different approach to get your cholesterol under control.
Increase dietary fiber
A high fiber diet is necessary for heart health. You need 25-35 grams of dietary fiber daily, especially soluble fiber. For every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
Add omega 3 fatty acids
For heart health and lower cholesterol, you want to improve the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are involved in the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, and blood clotting.
If you're ready for regular heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, sign up for The Heart of Health today and grab your copy of the special report: Stop Wasting Money - Take Control of Your Health!"
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Here's a checklist of the top steps you must take if you want to successfully lower your cholesterol and keep it low.
Know your numbers
Have you had a lipid profile? Do you understand the numbers? If you are going to successfully lower cholesterol you need to know your numbers and what they mean. The most effective way to raise HDL is not necessarily the best way to lower LDL.
Evaluate your lifestyle
There are risk factors for high cholesterol that you cannot control, such as age, gender, and family history, but there are factors you can control. For example, you can reduce risk by not smoking, increasing your activity, and losing extra weight.
Balance your fats
Reduce unhealthy saturated fats in your diet and replace them with heart healthy unsaturated fats. Total fat intake should be 30% or less of your total daily calories. Out of this 30%, saturated fat should be limited to 7%.
Be active
Physical activity lowers triglycerides and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. Shoot for 30 minutes 5 or more days a week. If you are not currently active, check with your MD before beginning an activity program.
Eliminate trans fats
You need to be food label savvy and watch out for trans fats. Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and raise triglycerides. Limit trans fats to 1% or less of your daily caloric intake.
Understand triglycerides
Triglycerides are impacted the most by your simple sugar and alcohol intake. If you are struggling with high triglycerides, you need to take a different approach to get your cholesterol under control.
Increase dietary fiber
A high fiber diet is necessary for heart health. You need 25-35 grams of dietary fiber daily, especially soluble fiber. For every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
Add omega 3 fatty acids
For heart health and lower cholesterol, you want to improve the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are involved in the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, and blood clotting.
If you're ready for regular heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, sign up for The Heart of Health today and grab your copy of the special report: Stop Wasting Money - Take Control of Your Health!"
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Jumat, 25 Mei 2012
Studies Show 5 Proven Tricks to Eat Less Calories
by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-selling program - The Truth About Six Pack Abs
I found most of these five tricks (that are proven to help you eat less food and less overall calories) while reading a fascinating book recently called 59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman. I think you'll find these very helpful if you're looking to control your caloric intake and reduce your body fat.
These tricks were tested in scientific studies and are quick and easy to implement. I thought these were VERY interesting...
Trick #1 to Eat Less -- Several studies prove that the size of the bowl, plate, or spoon that you use can directly influence how much food and calories you consume.
Richard Wiseman, in the book 59 Seconds, talks about one study conducted where party guests were randomly given either 17 or 34-ounce bowls and 2 or 3 ounce spoons, and allowed to help themselves to ice cream. It was found that the party guests given the large spoons and large bowls had eaten 14% and 31% more ice cream respectively, than the people using the smaller spoons or smaller bowls. Interesting huh!
Another study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania used a bowl of M&Ms that were left in the hallway of an apartment building. A sign next to the bowl told people to help themselves to the M&Ms. Some days a tablespoon sized scoop was used in the M&Ms and on other days, a larger scoop was used in the bowl. The researchers found that the larger scoop caused people to take TWICE the amount of M&Ms on average compared to the people that had used the smaller scoop.
I've also seen studies referenced in the past that showed that people who used larger plates consumed more calories than those using smaller plates.
The lesson -- Use smaller plates, bowls, and silverware and you may inadvertently reduce your calorie intake. This also means saying NO to seconds and thirds!
Trick #2 to Eat Less -- You've probably heard before that eating slower can help you to eat less because it gives time for the fullness signal to reach your brain and thereby shut off your appetite before you've eaten too much.
However, this study below found a twist on this!
According to Mr. Wiseman in the book 59 Seconds, a study at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center had overweight participants eat a meal at 3 different speeds:
a) their normal rate
b) half their normal rate
c) their normal rate at first, followed by half their normal rate (normal-slow combo)
The results were interesting... Eating at the slower rate caused the men to eat less, but not the women (that's weird!). However, the 3rd group that combined the normal pace at first with the slower rate after that caused both the men and women to have a large reduction in their appetite and eat less. The normal-slow combo was found to be more effective than just the slow-only group. Why? I have no idea, but those are interesting results!
Mr. Wiseman stated that the lesson here to eat less is "to start at your normal speed but then savor each and every mouthful".
Trick #3 to Eat Less -- According to the book 59 Seconds, a series of experiments conducted in offices compared putting chocolates right on people's desks vs placing the chocolates six feet away. In another experiment, the chocolates were put inside either transparent or opaque jars. When the chocolates were placed on the person's desk instead of 6 feet away, people ate on average 6 more chocolates per day per person. Also, the chocolates in the transparent jars were eaten 46% more quickly than the opaque jars.
Just shows... out of sight, out of mind! As you may already know, I recommend never even having junk food around your house at all...that way, you're never tempted by it and you're forced to only eat healthy foods... but then you can use your weekly cheat meals to eat junk food out at a restaurant. That way the junk food is never in your house to begin with!
Trick #4 to Eat Less -- This trick was reported based on a Georgia Tech study. The study essentially found that people tend to subconsciously eat bigger portions of food when their plate is the same color as their food.
It seems like an odd association, but remember that a lot of these are always subconscious things that we don't realize are happening. In this particular study, the scientists theorized that less color contrast between plate and food makes our brains work harder to figure out appropriate portion sizes. More color contrast between plate and food would make people eat slightly smaller portions subconsciously.
Trick #5 to Eat Less -- Studies have found that people eat significantly more when they are distracted by TV, movies, games, or other distractions. In one experiment mentioned in the book 59 Seconds, people who were more absorbed by a movie ate significantly larger amounts of popcorn compared to those that were paying less attention to the movie.
In another experiment, people who actively listened to a detective story during lunch (being distracted by the story), ate 15% more food than those who sat in silence during their lunch.
The lesson -- ditch the TV and other distractions and focus on your food! Enjoy every bite of your food and you will naturally consume less calories while enjoying your food more.
Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs. This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs. Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Author of best-selling program - The Truth About Six Pack Abs
I found most of these five tricks (that are proven to help you eat less food and less overall calories) while reading a fascinating book recently called 59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman. I think you'll find these very helpful if you're looking to control your caloric intake and reduce your body fat.
These tricks were tested in scientific studies and are quick and easy to implement. I thought these were VERY interesting...
Trick #1 to Eat Less -- Several studies prove that the size of the bowl, plate, or spoon that you use can directly influence how much food and calories you consume.
Richard Wiseman, in the book 59 Seconds, talks about one study conducted where party guests were randomly given either 17 or 34-ounce bowls and 2 or 3 ounce spoons, and allowed to help themselves to ice cream. It was found that the party guests given the large spoons and large bowls had eaten 14% and 31% more ice cream respectively, than the people using the smaller spoons or smaller bowls. Interesting huh!
Another study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania used a bowl of M&Ms that were left in the hallway of an apartment building. A sign next to the bowl told people to help themselves to the M&Ms. Some days a tablespoon sized scoop was used in the M&Ms and on other days, a larger scoop was used in the bowl. The researchers found that the larger scoop caused people to take TWICE the amount of M&Ms on average compared to the people that had used the smaller scoop.
I've also seen studies referenced in the past that showed that people who used larger plates consumed more calories than those using smaller plates.
The lesson -- Use smaller plates, bowls, and silverware and you may inadvertently reduce your calorie intake. This also means saying NO to seconds and thirds!
Trick #2 to Eat Less -- You've probably heard before that eating slower can help you to eat less because it gives time for the fullness signal to reach your brain and thereby shut off your appetite before you've eaten too much.
However, this study below found a twist on this!
According to Mr. Wiseman in the book 59 Seconds, a study at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center had overweight participants eat a meal at 3 different speeds:
a) their normal rate
b) half their normal rate
c) their normal rate at first, followed by half their normal rate (normal-slow combo)
The results were interesting... Eating at the slower rate caused the men to eat less, but not the women (that's weird!). However, the 3rd group that combined the normal pace at first with the slower rate after that caused both the men and women to have a large reduction in their appetite and eat less. The normal-slow combo was found to be more effective than just the slow-only group. Why? I have no idea, but those are interesting results!
Mr. Wiseman stated that the lesson here to eat less is "to start at your normal speed but then savor each and every mouthful".
Trick #3 to Eat Less -- According to the book 59 Seconds, a series of experiments conducted in offices compared putting chocolates right on people's desks vs placing the chocolates six feet away. In another experiment, the chocolates were put inside either transparent or opaque jars. When the chocolates were placed on the person's desk instead of 6 feet away, people ate on average 6 more chocolates per day per person. Also, the chocolates in the transparent jars were eaten 46% more quickly than the opaque jars.
Just shows... out of sight, out of mind! As you may already know, I recommend never even having junk food around your house at all...that way, you're never tempted by it and you're forced to only eat healthy foods... but then you can use your weekly cheat meals to eat junk food out at a restaurant. That way the junk food is never in your house to begin with!
Trick #4 to Eat Less -- This trick was reported based on a Georgia Tech study. The study essentially found that people tend to subconsciously eat bigger portions of food when their plate is the same color as their food.
It seems like an odd association, but remember that a lot of these are always subconscious things that we don't realize are happening. In this particular study, the scientists theorized that less color contrast between plate and food makes our brains work harder to figure out appropriate portion sizes. More color contrast between plate and food would make people eat slightly smaller portions subconsciously.
Trick #5 to Eat Less -- Studies have found that people eat significantly more when they are distracted by TV, movies, games, or other distractions. In one experiment mentioned in the book 59 Seconds, people who were more absorbed by a movie ate significantly larger amounts of popcorn compared to those that were paying less attention to the movie.
In another experiment, people who actively listened to a detective story during lunch (being distracted by the story), ate 15% more food than those who sat in silence during their lunch.
The lesson -- ditch the TV and other distractions and focus on your food! Enjoy every bite of your food and you will naturally consume less calories while enjoying your food more.
Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs. This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs. Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
7 Fat Loss Tips To Do TODAY
You need to take action now to burn fat and lose weight--TODAY. The toughest thing to do to get started transforming your body is to GET STARTED!
Unless you have a medical or physical limitation, you have NO EXCUSES for putting off exercise and eating better. So, take action and take charge of your health and fitness. No one can do this for you.
Note: You may need to get medical clearance before starting an exercise program, especially if you have been inactive.
Here are 7 Fat Loss Tips for you to start TODAY:
1. Do something you love. What physical activity do you love? Are you in an "exercise rut?" Forget all the exercise theories and articles. Just get started with an exercise activity you love and do this activity for at least 30 minutes on most days. Before you know it, you will have started exercising regularly again.
2. Here are some things you can start doing today to improve your eating habits:
--Drink only water or unsweetened drinks for beverages
--Severely limit candy, cookies, pastries, junk food and processed foods
--Eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal
--Eat protein with every meal, such as eggs, fish, nuts or lean chicken/beef/turkey
--Eat small meals, every 3-4 hours
--Start writing down what and why you eat to hold yourself accountable
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
3. Tell a friend about your immediate plan to start getting fit. It helps to have someone hold you accountable and its even better if that person will join you. You need help to accomplish your fat loss and weight loss goals. That could be a trainer, a friend, a spouse or other family member. Research proves that those who have weight loss buddies are more likely to succeed.
4. You are not too busy to exercise. Fit in 15-20 minutes of exercise. Take advantage of "DEAD TIME" during your day and exercise. Twenty minutes of exercise here and 20 minutes of exercise there works just fine. Download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut if you need guidance.
5. Are you afraid to set goals for fear of not reaching those goals? Since you need to take action, set a temporary goal of "just getting started exercising." You can set an appointment with a trainer to help figure out the rest.
6. You don't have any equipment or a gym membership? No problem. You don't need either one to get started. All you need is your body and a little time.
7. Walk at least 30 minutes every day (even on the days you workout). This will help keep your fat burning enzymes active. As a general rule, walk every where you can instead of riding. All movement burns calories.
How will you start exercising and eating better today?
Be sure and download your Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Unless you have a medical or physical limitation, you have NO EXCUSES for putting off exercise and eating better. So, take action and take charge of your health and fitness. No one can do this for you.
Note: You may need to get medical clearance before starting an exercise program, especially if you have been inactive.
Here are 7 Fat Loss Tips for you to start TODAY:
1. Do something you love. What physical activity do you love? Are you in an "exercise rut?" Forget all the exercise theories and articles. Just get started with an exercise activity you love and do this activity for at least 30 minutes on most days. Before you know it, you will have started exercising regularly again.
2. Here are some things you can start doing today to improve your eating habits:
--Drink only water or unsweetened drinks for beverages
--Severely limit candy, cookies, pastries, junk food and processed foods
--Eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal
--Eat protein with every meal, such as eggs, fish, nuts or lean chicken/beef/turkey
--Eat small meals, every 3-4 hours
--Start writing down what and why you eat to hold yourself accountable
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
3. Tell a friend about your immediate plan to start getting fit. It helps to have someone hold you accountable and its even better if that person will join you. You need help to accomplish your fat loss and weight loss goals. That could be a trainer, a friend, a spouse or other family member. Research proves that those who have weight loss buddies are more likely to succeed.
4. You are not too busy to exercise. Fit in 15-20 minutes of exercise. Take advantage of "DEAD TIME" during your day and exercise. Twenty minutes of exercise here and 20 minutes of exercise there works just fine. Download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut if you need guidance.
5. Are you afraid to set goals for fear of not reaching those goals? Since you need to take action, set a temporary goal of "just getting started exercising." You can set an appointment with a trainer to help figure out the rest.
6. You don't have any equipment or a gym membership? No problem. You don't need either one to get started. All you need is your body and a little time.
7. Walk at least 30 minutes every day (even on the days you workout). This will help keep your fat burning enzymes active. As a general rule, walk every where you can instead of riding. All movement burns calories.
How will you start exercising and eating better today?
Be sure and download your Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Kamis, 24 Mei 2012
The Glycemic Index and Your Fat Loss
Are you primarily using the glycemic index (GI) to determine what carbohydrates you eat to aid your fat loss? Have you been successful burning fat?
If you have been successful shedding pounds and fat, it is not primarily because you have been eating low glycemic foods. You lose weight and burn fat by maintaining a caloric deficit on most days and engaging in regular strength and interval cardio exercise.
So, how does GI help the fat loss process?
The GI is important because your body performs best when your blood sugar is kept relatively constant. When blood sugar drops too low, you become listless or experience increased hunger. If it goes too high, your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Although insulin will bring your blood sugar back down, it does so primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored fat.
For non-diabetics, there are times when a rapid increase in blood sugar is desirable. For example, coaches and trainers recommend high GI foods (like sports drinks) immediately after exercise to help speed recovery.
Being aware of the GI and glycemic load (GL) of certain foods can help you control your glycemic response. The GI is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response, or their conversion to glucose within the human body. The Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose is the reference point and has a GI value of 100.
A low-carb diet is not necessarily required to burn fat, although it can be useful in some circumstances. You are better off eating the right kinds of carbohydrates at the right time. Your body depends on carbohydrates as a primary fuel source (especially during intense workouts). After a tough workout, a post-workout drink with high glycemic carbs and protein will help your body recover and rebuild your muscles. During the day, low glycemic carbs are more desirable.
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
Another way to control your GI is to also control your GL. Glycemic load can be controlled by the type and amount of carbohydrates you consume. So, GI and GL work together to control your glycemic response.
Listed below is a table showing GI and GL for some common foods. GI's of 55 or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high. GL's of 10 or below are considered low and 20 or above are considered high.
Food GI, Serving Size, Carbs, GL
Peanuts 14, 4 oz (113g), 15, 2
Bean sprouts 25, 1 cup (104g), 4, 1
Grapefruit 25, 1/2 large(166g), 11, 3
Pizza 30, 2 slices (260g), 42, 13
Lowfatyogurt 33, 1 cup (245g), 47, 16
Apples 38, 1 medium (138g), 16, 6
Spaghetti 42, 1 cup (140g), 38, 16
Carrots 47, 1 large (72g), 5, 2
Oranges 48, 1 medium (131g), 12, 6
Bananas 52, 1 large (136g), 27, 14
Potato chips 54, 4 oz (114g), 55, 30
Snickers Bar 55, 1 bar (113g), 64, 35
Brown rice 55, 1 cup (195g), 42, 23
Honey 55, 1 tbsp (21g), 17, 9
Oatmeal 58, 1 cup (234g), 21, 12
Ice cream 61, 1 cup (72g), 16, 10
Mac & cheese 64, 1 serving(166g), 47, 30
Raisins 64, 1 small box(43g),32, 20
White rice 64, 1 cup (186g), 52, 33
Sugar 68, 1 tbsp (12g), 12, 8
White bread 70, 1 slice (30g), 14, 10
Watermelon 72, 1 cup (154g), 11, 8
Popcorn 72, 2 cups (16g), 10, 7
Baked potato 85, 1 medium (173g), 33, 28
Glucose 100, (50g), 50, 50
Things to Consider When Using Glycemic Index/Glycemic Load
1. Generally, any food processing such as grinding or cooking will elevate GI values for certain foods.
2. The addition of other foods that contain fiber, protein or fat will generally reduce the GI of the meal.
3. The rate of glycemic response varies from person to person. Also, a person's glycemic response might vary depending on the time of day. And different people have different insulin responses. Lesson? GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY!
4. If you use GI and GL values as the sole factor for determining your diet, you could end up overeating fat and total calories. Glycemic index is only used to rate a food's carb content. IF YOU EAT MORE CALORIES THAN YOU BURN, YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT NO MATTER WHAT YOU EAT.
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
If you have been successful shedding pounds and fat, it is not primarily because you have been eating low glycemic foods. You lose weight and burn fat by maintaining a caloric deficit on most days and engaging in regular strength and interval cardio exercise.
So, how does GI help the fat loss process?
The GI is important because your body performs best when your blood sugar is kept relatively constant. When blood sugar drops too low, you become listless or experience increased hunger. If it goes too high, your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Although insulin will bring your blood sugar back down, it does so primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored fat.
For non-diabetics, there are times when a rapid increase in blood sugar is desirable. For example, coaches and trainers recommend high GI foods (like sports drinks) immediately after exercise to help speed recovery.
Being aware of the GI and glycemic load (GL) of certain foods can help you control your glycemic response. The GI is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response, or their conversion to glucose within the human body. The Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose is the reference point and has a GI value of 100.
A low-carb diet is not necessarily required to burn fat, although it can be useful in some circumstances. You are better off eating the right kinds of carbohydrates at the right time. Your body depends on carbohydrates as a primary fuel source (especially during intense workouts). After a tough workout, a post-workout drink with high glycemic carbs and protein will help your body recover and rebuild your muscles. During the day, low glycemic carbs are more desirable.
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
Another way to control your GI is to also control your GL. Glycemic load can be controlled by the type and amount of carbohydrates you consume. So, GI and GL work together to control your glycemic response.
Listed below is a table showing GI and GL for some common foods. GI's of 55 or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high. GL's of 10 or below are considered low and 20 or above are considered high.
Food GI, Serving Size, Carbs, GL
Peanuts 14, 4 oz (113g), 15, 2
Bean sprouts 25, 1 cup (104g), 4, 1
Grapefruit 25, 1/2 large(166g), 11, 3
Pizza 30, 2 slices (260g), 42, 13
Lowfatyogurt 33, 1 cup (245g), 47, 16
Apples 38, 1 medium (138g), 16, 6
Spaghetti 42, 1 cup (140g), 38, 16
Carrots 47, 1 large (72g), 5, 2
Oranges 48, 1 medium (131g), 12, 6
Bananas 52, 1 large (136g), 27, 14
Potato chips 54, 4 oz (114g), 55, 30
Snickers Bar 55, 1 bar (113g), 64, 35
Brown rice 55, 1 cup (195g), 42, 23
Honey 55, 1 tbsp (21g), 17, 9
Oatmeal 58, 1 cup (234g), 21, 12
Ice cream 61, 1 cup (72g), 16, 10
Mac & cheese 64, 1 serving(166g), 47, 30
Raisins 64, 1 small box(43g),32, 20
White rice 64, 1 cup (186g), 52, 33
Sugar 68, 1 tbsp (12g), 12, 8
White bread 70, 1 slice (30g), 14, 10
Watermelon 72, 1 cup (154g), 11, 8
Popcorn 72, 2 cups (16g), 10, 7
Baked potato 85, 1 medium (173g), 33, 28
Glucose 100, (50g), 50, 50
Things to Consider When Using Glycemic Index/Glycemic Load
1. Generally, any food processing such as grinding or cooking will elevate GI values for certain foods.
2. The addition of other foods that contain fiber, protein or fat will generally reduce the GI of the meal.
3. The rate of glycemic response varies from person to person. Also, a person's glycemic response might vary depending on the time of day. And different people have different insulin responses. Lesson? GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY!
4. If you use GI and GL values as the sole factor for determining your diet, you could end up overeating fat and total calories. Glycemic index is only used to rate a food's carb content. IF YOU EAT MORE CALORIES THAN YOU BURN, YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT NO MATTER WHAT YOU EAT.
Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Selasa, 22 Mei 2012
14 Days of Rapid Fat Loss for a Leaner Body
Burn body fat and start building your lean body faster. Speed up your fat loss results by using more effective training methods. This is not just weight loss......
Its not enough to just exercise every day. You MUST do the right kind of exercise to get the fat-burning results you want. And, you need to eat to build muscle mass and burn fat.
Here are 2 fat loss success stories:
"Thanks I will give this one (DB and MB Metabolic Workout) a try, I did your 14 day challenge (14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program) and lost 12 pounds! Thanks again and have a great day." ---Stephanie H.
"I have lost over 60 pounds in the last 5 months using My Fitness Hut's workout programs, nutritional advice and just staying with it and not quitting....and my body fat percentage has decreased from 45% to under 30%!" ---Jorge P.
If you have been doing the same workout for months or years, you need a change to make progress. If your workouts are 2 hours long, you are spending too much time in the gym. You can get better results with less time. You don't need a gym membership. You can do this program at home or anywhere you like.
Here are 5 proven fat-burning tips to give you faster fat loss results:
1. Superset strength training burns fat better than traditional strength training. Pair two non-competing exercises such as bench press and dumbbell rows, completing each exercise back to back without rest. Another good pair to superset would be squats and standing shoulder press.
Supersets allow you to do more work because one muscle group can rest while you work the opposing muscle group.
Doing a second workout during the day (even a short one) keeps growth hormone levels high throughout the day. This will give you even more fat burn.
So, you could do one 20-minute workout in the morning and another 20-minute workout in the afternoon. This will give you better fat loss results than doing one 40-minute workout.
2. Tone your body better and faster with explosive strength training. This type of training will burn fat and tone your body like never before.
Lifting weights explosively is an advanced form of exercise and shouldn't be done by beginners or youngsters. Your body should have the needed stabilization and strength before beginning explosive lifts.
Especially at the start of the lift, explosive lifting can be done for exercises like bench press, push ups, leg press, shoulder press and calf raises.
3. Do interval cardio sessions instead of long cardio sessions. All it takes is 20 minutes of intervals on the treadmill, grass or stepmill (non-machine cardio will give you faster results). This method will burn more fat than doing 60-minute cardio sessions that wastes away your muscle mass.
4. Circuit bodyweight cardio sessions are very effective fat-burners. Combine 4-5 bodyweight strength exercises, 8-10 repetitions each. Do this circuit 2-3 times and the fat will burn off your body.
5. Jumping exercises really burn the fat and tone your body, especially if done at full speed. Squat jumps, pike jumps, side-to-side hops, front-to-back hops, jump rope, jumping jacks and box jumps will all get the job done. Its important to learn proper jumping and landing techniques to avoid injuries.
Use these training methods to burn more fat, lose more weight and get your lean body on---faster!
Go to work and start changing your body.....be sure and download my FREE book below to Burn Fat Faster:
Download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Its not enough to just exercise every day. You MUST do the right kind of exercise to get the fat-burning results you want. And, you need to eat to build muscle mass and burn fat.
Here are 2 fat loss success stories:
"Thanks I will give this one (DB and MB Metabolic Workout) a try, I did your 14 day challenge (14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program) and lost 12 pounds! Thanks again and have a great day." ---Stephanie H.
"I have lost over 60 pounds in the last 5 months using My Fitness Hut's workout programs, nutritional advice and just staying with it and not quitting....and my body fat percentage has decreased from 45% to under 30%!" ---Jorge P.
If you have been doing the same workout for months or years, you need a change to make progress. If your workouts are 2 hours long, you are spending too much time in the gym. You can get better results with less time. You don't need a gym membership. You can do this program at home or anywhere you like.
Here are 5 proven fat-burning tips to give you faster fat loss results:
1. Superset strength training burns fat better than traditional strength training. Pair two non-competing exercises such as bench press and dumbbell rows, completing each exercise back to back without rest. Another good pair to superset would be squats and standing shoulder press.
Supersets allow you to do more work because one muscle group can rest while you work the opposing muscle group.
Doing a second workout during the day (even a short one) keeps growth hormone levels high throughout the day. This will give you even more fat burn.
So, you could do one 20-minute workout in the morning and another 20-minute workout in the afternoon. This will give you better fat loss results than doing one 40-minute workout.
2. Tone your body better and faster with explosive strength training. This type of training will burn fat and tone your body like never before.
Lifting weights explosively is an advanced form of exercise and shouldn't be done by beginners or youngsters. Your body should have the needed stabilization and strength before beginning explosive lifts.
Especially at the start of the lift, explosive lifting can be done for exercises like bench press, push ups, leg press, shoulder press and calf raises.
3. Do interval cardio sessions instead of long cardio sessions. All it takes is 20 minutes of intervals on the treadmill, grass or stepmill (non-machine cardio will give you faster results). This method will burn more fat than doing 60-minute cardio sessions that wastes away your muscle mass.
4. Circuit bodyweight cardio sessions are very effective fat-burners. Combine 4-5 bodyweight strength exercises, 8-10 repetitions each. Do this circuit 2-3 times and the fat will burn off your body.
5. Jumping exercises really burn the fat and tone your body, especially if done at full speed. Squat jumps, pike jumps, side-to-side hops, front-to-back hops, jump rope, jumping jacks and box jumps will all get the job done. Its important to learn proper jumping and landing techniques to avoid injuries.
Use these training methods to burn more fat, lose more weight and get your lean body on---faster!
Go to work and start changing your body.....be sure and download my FREE book below to Burn Fat Faster:
Download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Senin, 21 Mei 2012
10 Habits Runners Keep to Prevent Foot Injuries
If you are a dedicated runner, you are at risk for more foot injuries than the average exerciser. Prevention of injuries is always best. If you train to run races such as 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons or triathlons, your risk for foot injuries increase even more. I have seen more than one friend over-training for these events and literally "running themselves into the ground."
Repetitive stress injuries like plantar fasciitis, runner's knee and Achilles tendinitis are just a few of the injuries you should try and prevent. Its just common sense for runners to take care of their feet. Many of you don't adequately care for your feet.
Did you know that every stride you take while running applies a force of 3-4 times your body weight across your knees, ankles and feet? Enough said.
New York City podiatrist, Dr. Oliver Zong, is one of the premier cosmetic foot surgeons in the country. He serves as the Director of Surgery at NYC FootCare and is on the Board of Directors at Gramercy Park Surgery Center. Dr. Zong offers foot related advice and tips to runners training for and participating in the New York City Marathon.
So, here is Dr. Zong's Top 10 injury prevention list for runners:
1. Stretching. Stretching primes the body for the strenuous activity. Stretch before and after running. Concentrate on the calves, hamstrings, quads and feet.
2. Shoes. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. They provide specific impact support that running demands. If your feet sweat heavily during running, try putting talcum powder in your shoes to keep feet dry.
3. Orthotics. If you have arch or heel pain, you may be a perfect candidate for orthotics. Visit a podiatrist to inquire about purchasing orthotics for your shoes.
4. Socks. Cotton socks absorb moisture. For a long run like a marathon, your feet may require a synthetic sock (containing acrylic), which helps alleviate moisture from your skin. Make sure that the seams of your socks are not in an area of pressure, which can lead to a lot of pain. If you cannot find a comfortable location for the seams, try turning socks inside out.
5. Anti-Inflammatory Medications. Do not pop Advil or Aleve before a race to prevent aches that may arise during the race. Save this treatment for the day after the race. Taking anti-inflammatory medications will mask any pain that is felt during the race and can lead to more serious injury. Pain is a valuable feedback mechanism that you need to pay attention to during a long run.
6. Groom Toenails. Make sure your toenails are not long before a race. They should not extend past the tip of your toe and should be shaped in a straight cut. If you do not properly groom your toenails before a marathon, you run the risk of developing an ingrown nail or even a fungal nail.
7. Toes. If you have a tendency to develop corns and callouses on the tips of your toes, try adding padding in your sneakers underneath your toes. If your toes or toenails turn black, you may have developed subungual hematoma (bleeding under the nails). This may cause nails to fall off. Keep the area clean and dry to prevent infection and seek treatment from your podiatrist.
8. Blisters. Blisters are the results of excessive friction between shoes and feet. Take preventative steps by making sure shoes fit properly and are laced up so that they are form fitting to your feet. If you are prone to blisters, apply Vaseline to problem areas prior to your run or try padded "blister proof" socks like those made by Thorlo. Additionally, applying moleskin to problem areas also prevents blisters from forming.
9. Visit Your Podiatrist. Dr. Zong's patients who run in the New York City Marathon make appointments the entire week before the race to get rid of corns, callouses, get moleskin, have their orthodics padded, and in some cases receive cortisone injections for their heel spurs (plantar fasciitis).
10. Finish Line. When the race is complete Dr. Zong says practice RICE:
a. Rest your feet.
b. Ice helps keep inflammation and swelling down.
c. Compression with ACE wraps will also reduce swelling.
d. Elevation will help your feet rest up for the next big run.
Dr. Zong is credited with coining the terms, "Foot Makeover", "Foot Facelift", "The Toe Tuck", and "High Heel Feet".
Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Repetitive stress injuries like plantar fasciitis, runner's knee and Achilles tendinitis are just a few of the injuries you should try and prevent. Its just common sense for runners to take care of their feet. Many of you don't adequately care for your feet.
Did you know that every stride you take while running applies a force of 3-4 times your body weight across your knees, ankles and feet? Enough said.
New York City podiatrist, Dr. Oliver Zong, is one of the premier cosmetic foot surgeons in the country. He serves as the Director of Surgery at NYC FootCare and is on the Board of Directors at Gramercy Park Surgery Center. Dr. Zong offers foot related advice and tips to runners training for and participating in the New York City Marathon.
So, here is Dr. Zong's Top 10 injury prevention list for runners:
1. Stretching. Stretching primes the body for the strenuous activity. Stretch before and after running. Concentrate on the calves, hamstrings, quads and feet.
2. Shoes. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. They provide specific impact support that running demands. If your feet sweat heavily during running, try putting talcum powder in your shoes to keep feet dry.
3. Orthotics. If you have arch or heel pain, you may be a perfect candidate for orthotics. Visit a podiatrist to inquire about purchasing orthotics for your shoes.
4. Socks. Cotton socks absorb moisture. For a long run like a marathon, your feet may require a synthetic sock (containing acrylic), which helps alleviate moisture from your skin. Make sure that the seams of your socks are not in an area of pressure, which can lead to a lot of pain. If you cannot find a comfortable location for the seams, try turning socks inside out.
5. Anti-Inflammatory Medications. Do not pop Advil or Aleve before a race to prevent aches that may arise during the race. Save this treatment for the day after the race. Taking anti-inflammatory medications will mask any pain that is felt during the race and can lead to more serious injury. Pain is a valuable feedback mechanism that you need to pay attention to during a long run.
6. Groom Toenails. Make sure your toenails are not long before a race. They should not extend past the tip of your toe and should be shaped in a straight cut. If you do not properly groom your toenails before a marathon, you run the risk of developing an ingrown nail or even a fungal nail.
7. Toes. If you have a tendency to develop corns and callouses on the tips of your toes, try adding padding in your sneakers underneath your toes. If your toes or toenails turn black, you may have developed subungual hematoma (bleeding under the nails). This may cause nails to fall off. Keep the area clean and dry to prevent infection and seek treatment from your podiatrist.
8. Blisters. Blisters are the results of excessive friction between shoes and feet. Take preventative steps by making sure shoes fit properly and are laced up so that they are form fitting to your feet. If you are prone to blisters, apply Vaseline to problem areas prior to your run or try padded "blister proof" socks like those made by Thorlo. Additionally, applying moleskin to problem areas also prevents blisters from forming.
9. Visit Your Podiatrist. Dr. Zong's patients who run in the New York City Marathon make appointments the entire week before the race to get rid of corns, callouses, get moleskin, have their orthodics padded, and in some cases receive cortisone injections for their heel spurs (plantar fasciitis).
10. Finish Line. When the race is complete Dr. Zong says practice RICE:
a. Rest your feet.
b. Ice helps keep inflammation and swelling down.
c. Compression with ACE wraps will also reduce swelling.
d. Elevation will help your feet rest up for the next big run.
Dr. Zong is credited with coining the terms, "Foot Makeover", "Foot Facelift", "The Toe Tuck", and "High Heel Feet".
Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
10 Strength Training Habits to Make You Lean
To get the lean body you want and need, you must do regular full body strength training and burn fat on your total body. Just spot training your abs or upper body will not get the job done.
You should strength train your muscles with all contraction types (eccentric, isometric, concentric). All muscles function eccentrically (reduces force or deceleration), isometrically (stabilizes force) and concentrically (produces force).
And, you should train your body in all three planes of motion to give your body its 3-D shape and prevent injuries.
Short, interval cardio sessions, like sprint intervals, will also burn max fat and help lean out your body. Do interval training 2-3 days a week (you can also use bodyweight strength exercises to do intervals). Either way, you won't get bored with this type of cardio.
Having said that, here are 10 top strength exercises that will help you burn fat and sculpt your lean body:
1. Squats - Research shows that the abdominal muscles are engaged more when doing squats than they are doing many of the more popular ab exercises.
Squats require stablization in the body's core muscles in general, not just the abs. The other benefits of squats (strengthens quads, gluteals, hamstrings,etc.) are well known. So, the next time you do squats, brace your torso (like getting ready to take a punch) and work on those abs.
Squat variations: bodyweight, Bulgarian (pictured below), overhead barbell, dumbbell, front, lateral and split---do them all. Bonus: do squat jumps regularly.
Lunges and deadlift are also top exercises you should do regularly.
2. Standing Shoulder Press - This is one of the best standup exercises to work your upper body. Any standup exercise will burn more calories than doing the exercise sitting down. It is also one of the best exercises to work the entire core area (just brace during execution).
3. Bentover Dumbbell Rows - If you're trying to build up back muscles and burn back fat, bentover dumbbells rows should be in your routine. Rows allow you to work your lats using heavier weights. Your lower back will be worked more if you row with both arms at the same time. Your obliques will also get quite a workout.
If you experience back pain doing two-armed rows, then try doing one-armed rows so you can support your body with the other arm.
Do two-armed bentover dumbbell rows this way:
--With your feet about shoulder width apart, bend over and grab the dumbbells. Keep your back straight (don't bow or arch back) and keep your head in line with your torso. Look straight down during the exercise.
--Pull dumbbells up to your side until they make contact with your ribs. Keep your elbows close to your side during the exercise. As you pull the dumbbells up, squeeze your shoulder blades together.
--Don't curl the dumbbells as you lift. Curling will allow too much use of your biceps. This is primarily a back exercise. Return the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended. That is one repetition.
4. Pullups with Knee Raises - The pullup is not just a back muscle exercise. Pullups work your lats (and other back muscles), core, shoulders, arms, chest, biceps and improve grip strength. That's why you should be doing pullups. Brace your torso during execution of the exercise.
--Grab the pullup bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), arms straight and a little wider than shoulder width.
--After doing the pullup, lift both knees together until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold 2 seconds.
--Slowly return to start position.
5. Hanging Leg Raises - There is a reason you see more people doing ab crunches instead of hanging leg raises. The hanging leg raise and its variations is very tough to execute. Gymnasts have been doing hanging leg raises for decades. You will need core strength, arm strength and grip strength to perform the exercise correctly. If you can't do one hanging leg raise, you need to strengthen your core, back, arms and grip.
--Hang from a bar using an overhand grip with arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Let your legs hang straight down.
--Contract your abs and make sure that your back remains neutral with natural arch. Keep your head still and looking straight ahead. Raise your legs to the midpoint of your body using your abdominal muscles. Don't swing your legs up and use momentum to do the exercise. This is a controlled strength exercise.
--Hold for 2 seconds and slowly lower your legs. That is one repetition.
Beginning exercisers can start by trying to bend the knees up to the chest. Intermediate exercisers are able to do a straight leg raise up to the midpoint of the body. Advanced exercisers can usually raise straight legs up to the head or "windshield wiper" bent knees to the left and right.
6. Ball Plank - You need to do isometric core exercises. This is a surprise to many people. Isometric core exercises build up the deep stabilizing muscles and give tone to your entire core area. Isometric exercises help you build strength and burn fat without moving much.
Isometric contractions can be described as a type of muscle contraction where your muscles develop tension without changing length. For example, pushing against a wall and holding for 30 seconds causes an isometric contraction.
Isometric exercises cause most if not all of your muscles to work during an exercise. To do the ball plank (pictured above), you get into position and hold for a period of time (like 20 seconds). So, many core exercises are great isometric exercises.
7. Cross-Body Mountain Climbers - This exercise will build strength and help tone your "six pack" and obliques. Cross body mountain climbers also work the calves, quadriceps, glutes, back, chest, triceps and shoulders. You will need high levels of core strength to do this exercise the right way for each set.
--Start by getting in the push up position with your arms fully extended. Keep your hips and torso in a straight line. Don't let your hips sag and don't point your butt in the air during this exercise.
--Do the exercise by moving your left knee straight up and across your body to the right armpit area (keep your abs braced). Also, don't let your foot touch the ground as you do the movement. Move your left leg back to the starting position and repeat with your right leg. Alternate your leg movements until you have completed all repetitions.
8. Ab Ball Jackknife superset with Ab Ball Rollout
This challenging superset will improve your strength, balance and coordination.
Do the ab ball jackknife this way:
--Place both shins on the stability ball with both hands on the ground (arms straight). Keep hands a little wider than shoulder width. Keep your body in a straight line from head to feet.
--Roll the ball toward your chest with your legs together. Bend your knees to your chest as far as you can. The movement should be controlled and steady throughout.
--Roll the ball back to the starting position. That's 1 repetition.
Do the ab ball rollout this way:
Finish
Start
--Start with the ball in front with your elbows on the ball.
--Roll the ball out slowly and keep your abs braced (as if taking a punch to the gut). As you straighten your torso you will feel your abs stretch and extend. Return to the starting position.
Don't be afraid to try this superset. You will see results fast.
9. Medicine Ball Throws - These exercises are great full body movement exercises that can be done at full speed. This helps you burn fat and activates your shapely fast twitch muscle fibers. Some good exercises are:
--Soccer throw
--2-Handed Chest Pass
--Rotational Throw
--Slams
--Squat and Scoop Throw
10. Farmers Walk with Dumbbells - Do the farmer's walk with a pair of heavy dumbbells (not like the light ones I'm carrying in the picture below).
It is one of the best full body exercises going. Be sure to keep a strong, upright posture throughout the walk. Hold the dumbbells by your side, walk 20 yards, rest 10 seconds and walk back 20 yards. That is 1 repetition.
Get busy working with the program below:
Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
You should strength train your muscles with all contraction types (eccentric, isometric, concentric). All muscles function eccentrically (reduces force or deceleration), isometrically (stabilizes force) and concentrically (produces force).
And, you should train your body in all three planes of motion to give your body its 3-D shape and prevent injuries.
Short, interval cardio sessions, like sprint intervals, will also burn max fat and help lean out your body. Do interval training 2-3 days a week (you can also use bodyweight strength exercises to do intervals). Either way, you won't get bored with this type of cardio.
Having said that, here are 10 top strength exercises that will help you burn fat and sculpt your lean body:
1. Squats - Research shows that the abdominal muscles are engaged more when doing squats than they are doing many of the more popular ab exercises.
Squats require stablization in the body's core muscles in general, not just the abs. The other benefits of squats (strengthens quads, gluteals, hamstrings,etc.) are well known. So, the next time you do squats, brace your torso (like getting ready to take a punch) and work on those abs.
Squat variations: bodyweight, Bulgarian (pictured below), overhead barbell, dumbbell, front, lateral and split---do them all. Bonus: do squat jumps regularly.
Lunges and deadlift are also top exercises you should do regularly.
2. Standing Shoulder Press - This is one of the best standup exercises to work your upper body. Any standup exercise will burn more calories than doing the exercise sitting down. It is also one of the best exercises to work the entire core area (just brace during execution).
3. Bentover Dumbbell Rows - If you're trying to build up back muscles and burn back fat, bentover dumbbells rows should be in your routine. Rows allow you to work your lats using heavier weights. Your lower back will be worked more if you row with both arms at the same time. Your obliques will also get quite a workout.
If you experience back pain doing two-armed rows, then try doing one-armed rows so you can support your body with the other arm.
Do two-armed bentover dumbbell rows this way:
--With your feet about shoulder width apart, bend over and grab the dumbbells. Keep your back straight (don't bow or arch back) and keep your head in line with your torso. Look straight down during the exercise.
--Pull dumbbells up to your side until they make contact with your ribs. Keep your elbows close to your side during the exercise. As you pull the dumbbells up, squeeze your shoulder blades together.
--Don't curl the dumbbells as you lift. Curling will allow too much use of your biceps. This is primarily a back exercise. Return the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended. That is one repetition.
4. Pullups with Knee Raises - The pullup is not just a back muscle exercise. Pullups work your lats (and other back muscles), core, shoulders, arms, chest, biceps and improve grip strength. That's why you should be doing pullups. Brace your torso during execution of the exercise.
--Grab the pullup bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), arms straight and a little wider than shoulder width.
--After doing the pullup, lift both knees together until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold 2 seconds.
--Slowly return to start position.
5. Hanging Leg Raises - There is a reason you see more people doing ab crunches instead of hanging leg raises. The hanging leg raise and its variations is very tough to execute. Gymnasts have been doing hanging leg raises for decades. You will need core strength, arm strength and grip strength to perform the exercise correctly. If you can't do one hanging leg raise, you need to strengthen your core, back, arms and grip.
--Hang from a bar using an overhand grip with arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Let your legs hang straight down.
--Contract your abs and make sure that your back remains neutral with natural arch. Keep your head still and looking straight ahead. Raise your legs to the midpoint of your body using your abdominal muscles. Don't swing your legs up and use momentum to do the exercise. This is a controlled strength exercise.
--Hold for 2 seconds and slowly lower your legs. That is one repetition.
Beginning exercisers can start by trying to bend the knees up to the chest. Intermediate exercisers are able to do a straight leg raise up to the midpoint of the body. Advanced exercisers can usually raise straight legs up to the head or "windshield wiper" bent knees to the left and right.
6. Ball Plank - You need to do isometric core exercises. This is a surprise to many people. Isometric core exercises build up the deep stabilizing muscles and give tone to your entire core area. Isometric exercises help you build strength and burn fat without moving much.
Isometric contractions can be described as a type of muscle contraction where your muscles develop tension without changing length. For example, pushing against a wall and holding for 30 seconds causes an isometric contraction.
Isometric exercises cause most if not all of your muscles to work during an exercise. To do the ball plank (pictured above), you get into position and hold for a period of time (like 20 seconds). So, many core exercises are great isometric exercises.
7. Cross-Body Mountain Climbers - This exercise will build strength and help tone your "six pack" and obliques. Cross body mountain climbers also work the calves, quadriceps, glutes, back, chest, triceps and shoulders. You will need high levels of core strength to do this exercise the right way for each set.
--Start by getting in the push up position with your arms fully extended. Keep your hips and torso in a straight line. Don't let your hips sag and don't point your butt in the air during this exercise.
--Do the exercise by moving your left knee straight up and across your body to the right armpit area (keep your abs braced). Also, don't let your foot touch the ground as you do the movement. Move your left leg back to the starting position and repeat with your right leg. Alternate your leg movements until you have completed all repetitions.
8. Ab Ball Jackknife superset with Ab Ball Rollout
This challenging superset will improve your strength, balance and coordination.
Do the ab ball jackknife this way:
--Place both shins on the stability ball with both hands on the ground (arms straight). Keep hands a little wider than shoulder width. Keep your body in a straight line from head to feet.
--Roll the ball toward your chest with your legs together. Bend your knees to your chest as far as you can. The movement should be controlled and steady throughout.
--Roll the ball back to the starting position. That's 1 repetition.
Do the ab ball rollout this way:
Finish
Start--Start with the ball in front with your elbows on the ball.
--Roll the ball out slowly and keep your abs braced (as if taking a punch to the gut). As you straighten your torso you will feel your abs stretch and extend. Return to the starting position.
Don't be afraid to try this superset. You will see results fast.
9. Medicine Ball Throws - These exercises are great full body movement exercises that can be done at full speed. This helps you burn fat and activates your shapely fast twitch muscle fibers. Some good exercises are:
--Soccer throw
--2-Handed Chest Pass
--Rotational Throw
--Slams
--Squat and Scoop Throw
10. Farmers Walk with Dumbbells - Do the farmer's walk with a pair of heavy dumbbells (not like the light ones I'm carrying in the picture below).
It is one of the best full body exercises going. Be sure to keep a strong, upright posture throughout the walk. Hold the dumbbells by your side, walk 20 yards, rest 10 seconds and walk back 20 yards. That is 1 repetition.
Get busy working with the program below:
Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Sabtu, 19 Mei 2012
The Top 10 Super-Spices that Protect Your Body
These 10 powerful spices help to control blood sugar, reduce inflammation, boost your metabolism, aid fat loss, and reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease
healthy spices by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN & Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist
co-authors - Fat-Burning Kitchen
Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are supercharging your food without adding a single calorie. You can transform something ordinary and bland into something truly extraordinary tasting and good for your body, just by generously adding herbs and spices to your meals.
Did you know that certain herbs and spices contain a wide variety of some of the most potent antioxidants of any food? In fact, many herbs and spices rank even higher in antioxidant activity than many fruits and vegetables, with some spices such as cloves, turmeric, and cinnamon having as much as 10-50x more antioxidants measured by ORAC value (on a weight to weight comparison) compared to blueberries.
The benefits of the antioxidants in spices include some very powerful protection against many serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, and overall aging.
Herbs and spices add tons of extra flavor, and when combined with the nutrition in other foods, they actually exponentially boost the natural antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory power of the food.
Besides the super antioxidants, herbs and spices can also:
Aid Fat Burning and Boost Metabolism - many herbs and spices are thermogenic, which means they naturally help to increase metabolism, partly because they are so nutrient-dense.
Help Stabilize Blood Sugar - Some spices are also good at regulating blood sugar and controlling insulin--even as good as some diabetic drugs! When your blood sugar is well controlled, you are more likely to burn fat and not store calories as excess weight.
Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Properties –Scientific studies show that herbs and spices can actually work as well or better than some medications at calming inflammation without the negative side effects of isolated drugs.
Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal - Many herbs and spices contain properties that effectively kill dangerous pathogens like viruses, bacteria and stubborn fungi. The natural properties in these foods work against many microbes that are resistant to conventional medications.
Here are 10 of the most potent superfood herbs and spices you can eat:
1. Basil - Basil is a very effective anti-inflammatory herb with extraordinary healing benefits that work for arthritis, allergies, and inflammatory bowel conditions, to name a just a few. In addition, basil helps kill harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning including: Listeria, Staph, and E. coli O:157:H7.
Basil is also an excellent source of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage. Free radical damage is the primary cause of heart disease, cancer, and many other serious health conditions, as well as aging. Because of its dark green color, it is an excellent source of vitamin K, calcium and magnesium, which is good for the bones. It is also a great source of iron, manganese, vitamin C and potassium. Use both fresh basil and dried basil generously in your foods to maximize it's benefits.
2. Cinnamon - This ancient spice has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any spice.
Cinnamon is highly effective at helping to stabilize blood sugar levels, making it very effective for those with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). In one study of people with type 2 diabetes, just two teaspoons a day reduced blood sugar as much as 20-30%, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Cinnamon also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and helps relieve pain and stiffness in muscles and joints, including arthritis. Cinnamon has a positive effect on brain function, and smelling cinnamon, or chewing cinnamon flavored gum, can possibly help improve memory and attention. Cinnamon also reduces inflammation in blood vessels that leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease, as well as having antifungal and antibacterial properties.
You can read another article we have here about how cinnamon can even help control belly fat in an indirect way.
Try cinnamon in your smoothies, yogurt, healthy baking recipes, oatmeal, mixed with berries, or as a healthy addition in your coffee or tea.
3. Cayenne - This hot spice not only heats up your dishes, it heats up your body and raises your metabolism, helping you burn fat faster. And an interesting research study showed that when a person consumed an appetizer with red pepper flakes, they ate 15% less food. And for those of you who avoid cayenne because you think it bothers your stomach, cayenne pepper is actually healing to stomach tissues, it stimulates digestive enzymes, and helps prevent stomach ulcers.
Cayenne reduces LDL blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and decreases the formation of harmful blood clots, all of which prevent heart attacks and strokes. And, cayenne is a very effective anti-inflammatory and pain remedy for everything from headaches to arthritis and sore muscles, as well as clearing nasal congestion and boosting immunity.
Try cayenne in your morning eggs, in soups, stews, chili, or meatloaf for a little metabolism boosting spice!
4. Cloves - Cloves have a unique sweet and spicy flavor, but also contain powerful natural medicine. Cloves have strong antiseptic and germicidal ingredients that help fight infections, relieve digestive problems, and arthritis pain. One of cloves’ best known uses is its ability to relieve tooth and gum pain. Cloves have been measured as having THE highest antioxidant level (ORAC value) of all spices and herbs.
The oil in cloves kills bacteria and is very effective when applied to scrapes, cuts, fungal infections, itchy rashes, bites, burns, or bruises. Cloves also help digestive problems like gas, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, and eliminate harmful parasites, bacteria and fungus in the digestive system. And the smell of cloves helps to encourage mental creativity too.
Cloves can be a great healthy addition to hot teas.
5. Cumin - Cumin is another spice that is especially high in antioxidants, but cumin is known for being especially good for digestion. It stimulates the gallbladder and pancreas to secrete enzymes and bile that break down food into usable nutrients your body can use. Cumin also helps detoxify the body, and is highly effective for respiratory disorders like asthma and bronchitis.
Cumin, like cinnamon, helps keep blood sugar levels stable, which means cumin is great for diabetics or pre-diabetics, and it means less chance of weight gain and excess body fat. Cumin has been proven to work as well as some commonly used diabetic drugs at regulating insulin and glycogen. Cumin is also a very good source of iron, vitamin C and vitamin A, which benefit the immune system.
Cumin goes great in chili!
6. Turmeric - Turmeric’s yellow-orange pigment, curcumin, is the main active ingredient in this super spice. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory benefits are actually comparable to drugs like hydrocortisone and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like Advil and Motrin. But, unlike the drugs, curcumin is not toxic at all.
Curcumin is more effective slowing down the development of Alzheimer’s disease than many medications, because it decreases inflammation and oxidation in the brain. This spice also speeds up the recovery time from strokes as well. Turmeric and its active ingredient, curcumin, are also highly effective against diseases like irritable bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, and arthritis. Turmeric also improves liver function, lowers homocysteine and prevents heart disease.
Most importantly, turmeric is one of the most potent anti-cancer spices that helps protect you. Turmeric and it's derivatives are currently being studied in alternative cancer treatments.
Try this trick: Using black pepper along with turmeric (I use this combo in my eggs every morning) helps to increase the absorption of turmeric's curcumin in the body. We also have a full article on the super health benefits of turmeric here.
7. Rosemary - Rosemary contains active ingredients that are potent antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory agents. Rosemary has long been known to improve concentration, boost memory, and lift depression. Rosemary also strengthens the immune system, improves circulation, stimulates digestion, and fights cancer, as well.
Rosemary is highly effective for respiratory problems including asthma, chest congestion, and respiratory infections. While rosemary adds a delicious savory flavor to meat dishes, it also helps digestion by stimulating the gallbladder to release bile as well. Rosemary will protect your body against harmful carcinogenic toxins and prevents colon cancer, stomach, breast, and lung cancer.
Fun fact: If you're going to grill meats, marinating meats for hours beforehand in liquid mixtures that contain rosemary and other herbs/spices can dramatically help to reduce HCA's (heterocyclic amines), which are carcinogenic compounds that can form when meats are grilled. So using rosemary, thyme, garlic, oregano and other spices in a meat marinade before grilling meats can drastically reduce any carcinogens that normally would form on grilled meat.
The antioxidants in rosemary and thyme from a marinade were specifically cited in studies at being powerful inhibitors of HCA formation when grilling meats. But it was also noted that other spices such as garlic, oregano, and others can help to prevent HCA formation as well, so I suggest using a variety, which tastes great anyway!
One more important point about grilling meat: Remember that the more well-done a meat is cooked, the higher concentration of carcinogenic HCA's can form, so rare, medium-rare, or medium are healthier choices than well-done. I've never understood why anybody would want to ruin a good steak by burning it to oblivion anyway. But hey, if you're one of those folks that likes your steaks well-done, just remember that you're eating a lot more carcinogens than a steak that's cooked less, so make sure to load up on your antioxidants (spices, teas, berries, etc) to help combat those extra carcinogens.
Washing down your barbequed meal with a glass of unsweetened iced tea (rich in antioxidants) and also a good salad with lots of raw veggies can provide the antioxidants needed to counteract the effect of HCAs in your body from grilled meat.
By the way, even charring vegetables on the grill creates different carcinogens such as acrylamides, so don't think that the negative effect of charring only applies to meats.
8. Ginger - Ginger is VERY powerful for your health! Ginger contains over 25 different antioxidants, which makes it extremely effective at fighting free radicals in many different body systems. Ginger is best known for its ability to reduce nausea and vomiting, as well as motion sickness. In fact, ginger may even be more effective than Dramamine, one of the most common drugs used for motion sickness. And because ginger does not have harmful side effects like many drugs, it is very good for nausea from pregnancy. Studies actually show that just 1 gram of ginger before surgery is more effective than the standard anti-nausea medication given for post surgical nausea and vomiting.
Ginger is also a soothing remedy for sore throats from colds and flu because of its antiviral properties. Ginger also helps coughs and is an effective expectorant. Try a tea made with hot water simmered with a few slices of ginger and a small amount of honey and lemon for a soothing tonic when you are sick.
Because ginger is such a strong anti-inflammatory, it helps reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis, and muscle aches. Ginger also fights cancer, reduces cholesterol, and prevents blood clots that lead to strokes or heart disease. I like to use a slice of ginger root in my hot teas sometimes, in our batches of iced teas, and of course, I love piling ginger on top of sushi! I take a couple capsules of ginger daily since it's not as frequently used in dishes as some other spices.
9. Oregano - This herb contains an oil that is a very potent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral agent, rosmarinic acid (also found in rosemary). Oregano oil has been used to treat a wide range of conditions from bacterial and viral infections, to parasites and stubborn fungal infections. Although the oil of oregano is most often used for medicinal purposes, the herb itself can provide many of the same benefits when consumed regularly.
Oregano also relieves inflammation, internal or external, and can offer relief from allergies, aches and pain, without side effects. Oregano is very high on the ORAC scale of measured antioxidant value.
10. Thyme — Thyme’s active ingredient is known for treating bronchitis, sore throats, chest congestion, laryngitis and asthma. Thyme is so effective it is often an ingredient in cough drops and mouthwashes to treat inflammation and infections. Thyme is also effective as a soothing stomach aid to relieve gastritis, indigestion and colic.
Thyme helps prevent cancer, improve memory, treat Alzheimer’s, calm the nerves, and alleviate depression, nightmares, and insomnia. An interesting new discovery about thyme shows that it actually boosts the amount of DHA (an important ingredient in omega 3 fatty acids) in the brain, heart and kidney cells.
Here are some other health benefits of some of the most popular herbs and spices:
• Rosemary, turmeric, ginger and basil are powerful anti-inflammatories.
• Cumin, turmeric, and sage help fight dementia.
• Cayenne, cumin, coriander and cinnamon help to regulate insulin and blood sugar, aiding fat loss.
• Lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron have a calming effect.
• Garlic, mustard seed, hawthorne, and chicory are excellent for the heart.
• Basil and thyme help your skin become softer and smoother.
• Turmeric, garlic, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, garlic and ginger boost the immune system.
• Coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper can help banish depression.
There are 3 specific spices that I personally believe are so powerful that I try to take them in daily capsule form as well, since they may not always be used in my daily meals... and those are:
Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. They're very cheap in capsule form too. I usually take 2 capsules per day of each of these spices unless I use large amounts in certain dishes like a curry dish for example.
Spice up your life a bit, and enjoy all of those super health benefits!
Note: Always check with your physician to be sure certain herbs and spices don’t interfere with medications you may be taking—and check with your doctor before you quit any current medications.
-Cathering Ebeling and Mike Geary are co-authors of the popular ebook, Fat-Burning Kitchen, which shows you how to totally revamp your kitchen to make your body a fat-burning machine!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
healthy spices by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN & Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist
co-authors - Fat-Burning Kitchen
Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are supercharging your food without adding a single calorie. You can transform something ordinary and bland into something truly extraordinary tasting and good for your body, just by generously adding herbs and spices to your meals.
Did you know that certain herbs and spices contain a wide variety of some of the most potent antioxidants of any food? In fact, many herbs and spices rank even higher in antioxidant activity than many fruits and vegetables, with some spices such as cloves, turmeric, and cinnamon having as much as 10-50x more antioxidants measured by ORAC value (on a weight to weight comparison) compared to blueberries.
The benefits of the antioxidants in spices include some very powerful protection against many serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, and overall aging.
Herbs and spices add tons of extra flavor, and when combined with the nutrition in other foods, they actually exponentially boost the natural antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory power of the food.
Besides the super antioxidants, herbs and spices can also:
Aid Fat Burning and Boost Metabolism - many herbs and spices are thermogenic, which means they naturally help to increase metabolism, partly because they are so nutrient-dense.
Help Stabilize Blood Sugar - Some spices are also good at regulating blood sugar and controlling insulin--even as good as some diabetic drugs! When your blood sugar is well controlled, you are more likely to burn fat and not store calories as excess weight.
Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Properties –Scientific studies show that herbs and spices can actually work as well or better than some medications at calming inflammation without the negative side effects of isolated drugs.
Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal - Many herbs and spices contain properties that effectively kill dangerous pathogens like viruses, bacteria and stubborn fungi. The natural properties in these foods work against many microbes that are resistant to conventional medications.
Here are 10 of the most potent superfood herbs and spices you can eat:
1. Basil - Basil is a very effective anti-inflammatory herb with extraordinary healing benefits that work for arthritis, allergies, and inflammatory bowel conditions, to name a just a few. In addition, basil helps kill harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning including: Listeria, Staph, and E. coli O:157:H7.
Basil is also an excellent source of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage. Free radical damage is the primary cause of heart disease, cancer, and many other serious health conditions, as well as aging. Because of its dark green color, it is an excellent source of vitamin K, calcium and magnesium, which is good for the bones. It is also a great source of iron, manganese, vitamin C and potassium. Use both fresh basil and dried basil generously in your foods to maximize it's benefits.
2. Cinnamon - This ancient spice has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any spice.
Cinnamon is highly effective at helping to stabilize blood sugar levels, making it very effective for those with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). In one study of people with type 2 diabetes, just two teaspoons a day reduced blood sugar as much as 20-30%, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Cinnamon also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and helps relieve pain and stiffness in muscles and joints, including arthritis. Cinnamon has a positive effect on brain function, and smelling cinnamon, or chewing cinnamon flavored gum, can possibly help improve memory and attention. Cinnamon also reduces inflammation in blood vessels that leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease, as well as having antifungal and antibacterial properties.
You can read another article we have here about how cinnamon can even help control belly fat in an indirect way.
Try cinnamon in your smoothies, yogurt, healthy baking recipes, oatmeal, mixed with berries, or as a healthy addition in your coffee or tea.
3. Cayenne - This hot spice not only heats up your dishes, it heats up your body and raises your metabolism, helping you burn fat faster. And an interesting research study showed that when a person consumed an appetizer with red pepper flakes, they ate 15% less food. And for those of you who avoid cayenne because you think it bothers your stomach, cayenne pepper is actually healing to stomach tissues, it stimulates digestive enzymes, and helps prevent stomach ulcers.
Cayenne reduces LDL blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and decreases the formation of harmful blood clots, all of which prevent heart attacks and strokes. And, cayenne is a very effective anti-inflammatory and pain remedy for everything from headaches to arthritis and sore muscles, as well as clearing nasal congestion and boosting immunity.
Try cayenne in your morning eggs, in soups, stews, chili, or meatloaf for a little metabolism boosting spice!
4. Cloves - Cloves have a unique sweet and spicy flavor, but also contain powerful natural medicine. Cloves have strong antiseptic and germicidal ingredients that help fight infections, relieve digestive problems, and arthritis pain. One of cloves’ best known uses is its ability to relieve tooth and gum pain. Cloves have been measured as having THE highest antioxidant level (ORAC value) of all spices and herbs.
The oil in cloves kills bacteria and is very effective when applied to scrapes, cuts, fungal infections, itchy rashes, bites, burns, or bruises. Cloves also help digestive problems like gas, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, and eliminate harmful parasites, bacteria and fungus in the digestive system. And the smell of cloves helps to encourage mental creativity too.
Cloves can be a great healthy addition to hot teas.
5. Cumin - Cumin is another spice that is especially high in antioxidants, but cumin is known for being especially good for digestion. It stimulates the gallbladder and pancreas to secrete enzymes and bile that break down food into usable nutrients your body can use. Cumin also helps detoxify the body, and is highly effective for respiratory disorders like asthma and bronchitis.
Cumin, like cinnamon, helps keep blood sugar levels stable, which means cumin is great for diabetics or pre-diabetics, and it means less chance of weight gain and excess body fat. Cumin has been proven to work as well as some commonly used diabetic drugs at regulating insulin and glycogen. Cumin is also a very good source of iron, vitamin C and vitamin A, which benefit the immune system.
Cumin goes great in chili!
6. Turmeric - Turmeric’s yellow-orange pigment, curcumin, is the main active ingredient in this super spice. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory benefits are actually comparable to drugs like hydrocortisone and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like Advil and Motrin. But, unlike the drugs, curcumin is not toxic at all.
Curcumin is more effective slowing down the development of Alzheimer’s disease than many medications, because it decreases inflammation and oxidation in the brain. This spice also speeds up the recovery time from strokes as well. Turmeric and its active ingredient, curcumin, are also highly effective against diseases like irritable bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, and arthritis. Turmeric also improves liver function, lowers homocysteine and prevents heart disease.
Most importantly, turmeric is one of the most potent anti-cancer spices that helps protect you. Turmeric and it's derivatives are currently being studied in alternative cancer treatments.
Try this trick: Using black pepper along with turmeric (I use this combo in my eggs every morning) helps to increase the absorption of turmeric's curcumin in the body. We also have a full article on the super health benefits of turmeric here.
7. Rosemary - Rosemary contains active ingredients that are potent antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory agents. Rosemary has long been known to improve concentration, boost memory, and lift depression. Rosemary also strengthens the immune system, improves circulation, stimulates digestion, and fights cancer, as well.
Rosemary is highly effective for respiratory problems including asthma, chest congestion, and respiratory infections. While rosemary adds a delicious savory flavor to meat dishes, it also helps digestion by stimulating the gallbladder to release bile as well. Rosemary will protect your body against harmful carcinogenic toxins and prevents colon cancer, stomach, breast, and lung cancer.
Fun fact: If you're going to grill meats, marinating meats for hours beforehand in liquid mixtures that contain rosemary and other herbs/spices can dramatically help to reduce HCA's (heterocyclic amines), which are carcinogenic compounds that can form when meats are grilled. So using rosemary, thyme, garlic, oregano and other spices in a meat marinade before grilling meats can drastically reduce any carcinogens that normally would form on grilled meat.
The antioxidants in rosemary and thyme from a marinade were specifically cited in studies at being powerful inhibitors of HCA formation when grilling meats. But it was also noted that other spices such as garlic, oregano, and others can help to prevent HCA formation as well, so I suggest using a variety, which tastes great anyway!
One more important point about grilling meat: Remember that the more well-done a meat is cooked, the higher concentration of carcinogenic HCA's can form, so rare, medium-rare, or medium are healthier choices than well-done. I've never understood why anybody would want to ruin a good steak by burning it to oblivion anyway. But hey, if you're one of those folks that likes your steaks well-done, just remember that you're eating a lot more carcinogens than a steak that's cooked less, so make sure to load up on your antioxidants (spices, teas, berries, etc) to help combat those extra carcinogens.
Washing down your barbequed meal with a glass of unsweetened iced tea (rich in antioxidants) and also a good salad with lots of raw veggies can provide the antioxidants needed to counteract the effect of HCAs in your body from grilled meat.
By the way, even charring vegetables on the grill creates different carcinogens such as acrylamides, so don't think that the negative effect of charring only applies to meats.
8. Ginger - Ginger is VERY powerful for your health! Ginger contains over 25 different antioxidants, which makes it extremely effective at fighting free radicals in many different body systems. Ginger is best known for its ability to reduce nausea and vomiting, as well as motion sickness. In fact, ginger may even be more effective than Dramamine, one of the most common drugs used for motion sickness. And because ginger does not have harmful side effects like many drugs, it is very good for nausea from pregnancy. Studies actually show that just 1 gram of ginger before surgery is more effective than the standard anti-nausea medication given for post surgical nausea and vomiting.
Ginger is also a soothing remedy for sore throats from colds and flu because of its antiviral properties. Ginger also helps coughs and is an effective expectorant. Try a tea made with hot water simmered with a few slices of ginger and a small amount of honey and lemon for a soothing tonic when you are sick.
Because ginger is such a strong anti-inflammatory, it helps reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis, and muscle aches. Ginger also fights cancer, reduces cholesterol, and prevents blood clots that lead to strokes or heart disease. I like to use a slice of ginger root in my hot teas sometimes, in our batches of iced teas, and of course, I love piling ginger on top of sushi! I take a couple capsules of ginger daily since it's not as frequently used in dishes as some other spices.
9. Oregano - This herb contains an oil that is a very potent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral agent, rosmarinic acid (also found in rosemary). Oregano oil has been used to treat a wide range of conditions from bacterial and viral infections, to parasites and stubborn fungal infections. Although the oil of oregano is most often used for medicinal purposes, the herb itself can provide many of the same benefits when consumed regularly.
Oregano also relieves inflammation, internal or external, and can offer relief from allergies, aches and pain, without side effects. Oregano is very high on the ORAC scale of measured antioxidant value.
10. Thyme — Thyme’s active ingredient is known for treating bronchitis, sore throats, chest congestion, laryngitis and asthma. Thyme is so effective it is often an ingredient in cough drops and mouthwashes to treat inflammation and infections. Thyme is also effective as a soothing stomach aid to relieve gastritis, indigestion and colic.
Thyme helps prevent cancer, improve memory, treat Alzheimer’s, calm the nerves, and alleviate depression, nightmares, and insomnia. An interesting new discovery about thyme shows that it actually boosts the amount of DHA (an important ingredient in omega 3 fatty acids) in the brain, heart and kidney cells.
Here are some other health benefits of some of the most popular herbs and spices:
• Rosemary, turmeric, ginger and basil are powerful anti-inflammatories.
• Cumin, turmeric, and sage help fight dementia.
• Cayenne, cumin, coriander and cinnamon help to regulate insulin and blood sugar, aiding fat loss.
• Lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron have a calming effect.
• Garlic, mustard seed, hawthorne, and chicory are excellent for the heart.
• Basil and thyme help your skin become softer and smoother.
• Turmeric, garlic, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, garlic and ginger boost the immune system.
• Coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper can help banish depression.
There are 3 specific spices that I personally believe are so powerful that I try to take them in daily capsule form as well, since they may not always be used in my daily meals... and those are:
Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. They're very cheap in capsule form too. I usually take 2 capsules per day of each of these spices unless I use large amounts in certain dishes like a curry dish for example.
Spice up your life a bit, and enjoy all of those super health benefits!
Note: Always check with your physician to be sure certain herbs and spices don’t interfere with medications you may be taking—and check with your doctor before you quit any current medications.
-Cathering Ebeling and Mike Geary are co-authors of the popular ebook, Fat-Burning Kitchen, which shows you how to totally revamp your kitchen to make your body a fat-burning machine!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Jumat, 18 Mei 2012
10 Habits of Chronic Starvation Dieters
I hope you're not a long-time user of starvation diets just to lose weight. If you are, you might find yourself struggling with some of these habits listed below. You end up having what you're trying to avoid--weight gain.
If you've never tried a starvation diet, you're not missing anything except misery. Food is meant to nourish and energize your body and it should be enjoyed in the right portions.
Here are 10 common habits of those who just want quick weight loss using various starvation diets or methods:
1. You never make a commitment to a lifetime of fitness and health. You are too concerned with pounds on the weigh scale. Those who have succeeded at transforming their bodies from fat to lean have health and fitness practices that they do on most days. It becomes a sustainable lifestyle.
2. Starvation diets rule again and again. The less food you eat, the more weight you’ll lose, right? Sorry, but it just doesn’t work this way in the long-run. If your idea of the perfect diet plan for weight loss is popping crackers and diuretics, you’re headed for disaster.
Starvation slows the fat-burning process. Your body relies on the nutrients in whole, natural foods for fuel. When you starve yourself, it senses the downward shift in your caloric intake and kicks into starvation mode. When this happens, your metabolism will slow down and your body will hold on to stored fat in order to conserve energy.
Muscle mass needs more energy to function than fat. Basically, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn. If you continue to starve yourself, your body will feed on your muscle tissue and make it even harder for you to lose weight.
Obviously, if you starve yourself long enough, you’ll have no choice but to lose weight. But the weight loss won’t be healthy, and it will show in your appearance. You’ll become emaciated and your body will start to look like an old bag of bones.
The weight lost from starvation diets almost always comes back. Starvation slows your metabolism down. And it can take months for it to return to normal. As soon as you start eating again, you’ll likely gain all of the weight you lost back, and more. In the end, you’ll wind up bigger than you were before you started starving.
3. Chronic starvation dieters end up with damaged health. If you are eating 900 calories a day, that is not enough food to even support your basal metabolic rate.
When you go without food, you don’t get any of the essential nutrients needed for good health. This can result in fatigue, kidney failure, heart failure, gallstones, ulcers, hair loss, muscle weakness and osteoporosis. This is just a short list of the physical problems a starvation diet can cause. We haven’t even touched on the mental stuff.
It’s not uncommon for extremely calorie-restrictive dieters to struggle with depression, anger, indifference, memory loss, poor concentration, hallucinations and mood swings. Starvation can also increase your chances of suffering with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
In essence, your health will be a mess if you try to lose weight by starving. The worst part about it is that some of the health issues that arise from starvation diets can cause irreversible damage to your body and require long-term hospitalization or lifelong medical care.
If you plan to turn starvation dieting into a lifestyle, you’ll end up in a body bag way before your time. No amount of skinny is worth your life. Don’t let the desperation to lose weight push you to go on a starvation diet.
4. You experience weight loss and weight regain many times.
According to a Medicinenet.com article, "Weight Cycling...Facts About "Yo-Yo" Dieting,"
"Weight cycling is the repeated loss and regain of body weight. When weight cycling is the result of dieting, it is often called "yo-yo" dieting. A weight cycle can range from small weight losses and gains (5-10 lbs. per cycle) to large changes in weight (50 lbs. or more per cycle)."
"Some research links weight cycling with certain health risks. To avoid potential risks, most experts recommend that obese adults adopt healthy eating and regular physical activity habits to achieve and maintain a healthier weight for life. Non-obese adults should try to maintain their weight through healthy eating and regular physical activity."
"Some studies suggest that weight cycling may increase the risk for certain health problems. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and gallbladder disease."
5. Starvation dieters are not concerned with burning body fat. You MUST change your body's composition. You must increase muscle mass to become a “fat-burning machine.” This keeps the weight off your body for good. You don't need to be a body builder but you need to replace the fat (to an acceptable body fat percentage) on your body with muscle mass. This will give you the lean, healthy body you need.
You must do more than cardio exercise to change your body's composition. "Cardio only" will not lean out your body. Too much cardio will waste away your muscle mass.
Make a commitment to full-body strength training. Among other things, it builds muscle mass, speeds up your metabolism (the body has to work harder to maintain muscle) and helps improve your bone density. And, you’ll look great.
6. There are many lies about fat loss and weight loss out there---and many people believe them. Why? Businesses are trying to make money off of you and they'll lie, tell half-truths or present unproven facts to get it. You have to make a choice to believe or not believe those lies.
Fad dieters are always looking for the next pill, diet or fat blocker to change their bodies. The dream never comes true. Doctors, dieticians, and fitness experts agree that the best way to burn fat and lose weight is to eat higher quality calories, exercise regularly and increase your daily activity. Don't look for shortcuts.
7. Starvation dieters lose water weight. Burn body fat and lose weight.
If you lose 20 pounds in 10 days using severe calorie restriction with no exercise (you probably won't have the energy to exercise), just about all of that weight loss will be due to lost muscle mass and water weight.
The problem is further compounded if you gained weight without exercise. The composition of this weight gain is mainly fat and water retention. I have seen individuals with up to 70% body fat.
One big cause of water retention is too much salt consumption (sodium). If you eat many processed foods and not many whole, natural foods, your sodium consumption is too high---and you will take on more water weight.
So, you find yourself regaining this weight quickly when you begin to eat the carbohydrates, proteins and fats that your body needs. Why? Because you will also replenish water stores in your body's cells.
8. Veteran starvation dieters are frequent users. The typical dieter tries a new plan four times a year. "We have this mentality that a diet is something to go on and then get off as quickly as possible," says FITNESS advisory board member Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, founding director of the University of Pittsburgh's Weight Management Center. "But lasting weight loss requires making lifestyle changes that will work long-term."
9. Quick weight loss veterans deal with slowed metabolism, a weaker immune system, hormonal imbalances, loss of lean mass, increased body fat, decreased energy levels and disrupted sleep patterns. Is that worth it?
10. Your confidence takes a hit with each weight loss and weight regain episode. "The more times you go through the gain-lose-gain cycle, the less convinced you become that you can break free from the constant ups and downs," says Keri Gans, RD, a dietitian in private practice in New York City. "No one wants to diet forever; it's hard work."
Stop starving yourself, start eating right and start building your body the right way. Its worth the effort.
Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
If you've never tried a starvation diet, you're not missing anything except misery. Food is meant to nourish and energize your body and it should be enjoyed in the right portions.
Here are 10 common habits of those who just want quick weight loss using various starvation diets or methods:
1. You never make a commitment to a lifetime of fitness and health. You are too concerned with pounds on the weigh scale. Those who have succeeded at transforming their bodies from fat to lean have health and fitness practices that they do on most days. It becomes a sustainable lifestyle.
2. Starvation diets rule again and again. The less food you eat, the more weight you’ll lose, right? Sorry, but it just doesn’t work this way in the long-run. If your idea of the perfect diet plan for weight loss is popping crackers and diuretics, you’re headed for disaster.
Starvation slows the fat-burning process. Your body relies on the nutrients in whole, natural foods for fuel. When you starve yourself, it senses the downward shift in your caloric intake and kicks into starvation mode. When this happens, your metabolism will slow down and your body will hold on to stored fat in order to conserve energy.
Muscle mass needs more energy to function than fat. Basically, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn. If you continue to starve yourself, your body will feed on your muscle tissue and make it even harder for you to lose weight.
Obviously, if you starve yourself long enough, you’ll have no choice but to lose weight. But the weight loss won’t be healthy, and it will show in your appearance. You’ll become emaciated and your body will start to look like an old bag of bones.
The weight lost from starvation diets almost always comes back. Starvation slows your metabolism down. And it can take months for it to return to normal. As soon as you start eating again, you’ll likely gain all of the weight you lost back, and more. In the end, you’ll wind up bigger than you were before you started starving.
3. Chronic starvation dieters end up with damaged health. If you are eating 900 calories a day, that is not enough food to even support your basal metabolic rate.
When you go without food, you don’t get any of the essential nutrients needed for good health. This can result in fatigue, kidney failure, heart failure, gallstones, ulcers, hair loss, muscle weakness and osteoporosis. This is just a short list of the physical problems a starvation diet can cause. We haven’t even touched on the mental stuff.
It’s not uncommon for extremely calorie-restrictive dieters to struggle with depression, anger, indifference, memory loss, poor concentration, hallucinations and mood swings. Starvation can also increase your chances of suffering with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
In essence, your health will be a mess if you try to lose weight by starving. The worst part about it is that some of the health issues that arise from starvation diets can cause irreversible damage to your body and require long-term hospitalization or lifelong medical care.
If you plan to turn starvation dieting into a lifestyle, you’ll end up in a body bag way before your time. No amount of skinny is worth your life. Don’t let the desperation to lose weight push you to go on a starvation diet.
4. You experience weight loss and weight regain many times.
According to a Medicinenet.com article, "Weight Cycling...Facts About "Yo-Yo" Dieting,"
"Weight cycling is the repeated loss and regain of body weight. When weight cycling is the result of dieting, it is often called "yo-yo" dieting. A weight cycle can range from small weight losses and gains (5-10 lbs. per cycle) to large changes in weight (50 lbs. or more per cycle)."
"Some research links weight cycling with certain health risks. To avoid potential risks, most experts recommend that obese adults adopt healthy eating and regular physical activity habits to achieve and maintain a healthier weight for life. Non-obese adults should try to maintain their weight through healthy eating and regular physical activity."
"Some studies suggest that weight cycling may increase the risk for certain health problems. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and gallbladder disease."
5. Starvation dieters are not concerned with burning body fat. You MUST change your body's composition. You must increase muscle mass to become a “fat-burning machine.” This keeps the weight off your body for good. You don't need to be a body builder but you need to replace the fat (to an acceptable body fat percentage) on your body with muscle mass. This will give you the lean, healthy body you need.
You must do more than cardio exercise to change your body's composition. "Cardio only" will not lean out your body. Too much cardio will waste away your muscle mass.
Make a commitment to full-body strength training. Among other things, it builds muscle mass, speeds up your metabolism (the body has to work harder to maintain muscle) and helps improve your bone density. And, you’ll look great.
6. There are many lies about fat loss and weight loss out there---and many people believe them. Why? Businesses are trying to make money off of you and they'll lie, tell half-truths or present unproven facts to get it. You have to make a choice to believe or not believe those lies.
Fad dieters are always looking for the next pill, diet or fat blocker to change their bodies. The dream never comes true. Doctors, dieticians, and fitness experts agree that the best way to burn fat and lose weight is to eat higher quality calories, exercise regularly and increase your daily activity. Don't look for shortcuts.
7. Starvation dieters lose water weight. Burn body fat and lose weight.
If you lose 20 pounds in 10 days using severe calorie restriction with no exercise (you probably won't have the energy to exercise), just about all of that weight loss will be due to lost muscle mass and water weight.
The problem is further compounded if you gained weight without exercise. The composition of this weight gain is mainly fat and water retention. I have seen individuals with up to 70% body fat.
One big cause of water retention is too much salt consumption (sodium). If you eat many processed foods and not many whole, natural foods, your sodium consumption is too high---and you will take on more water weight.
So, you find yourself regaining this weight quickly when you begin to eat the carbohydrates, proteins and fats that your body needs. Why? Because you will also replenish water stores in your body's cells.
8. Veteran starvation dieters are frequent users. The typical dieter tries a new plan four times a year. "We have this mentality that a diet is something to go on and then get off as quickly as possible," says FITNESS advisory board member Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, founding director of the University of Pittsburgh's Weight Management Center. "But lasting weight loss requires making lifestyle changes that will work long-term."
9. Quick weight loss veterans deal with slowed metabolism, a weaker immune system, hormonal imbalances, loss of lean mass, increased body fat, decreased energy levels and disrupted sleep patterns. Is that worth it?
10. Your confidence takes a hit with each weight loss and weight regain episode. "The more times you go through the gain-lose-gain cycle, the less convinced you become that you can break free from the constant ups and downs," says Keri Gans, RD, a dietitian in private practice in New York City. "No one wants to diet forever; it's hard work."
Stop starving yourself, start eating right and start building your body the right way. Its worth the effort.
Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
Selasa, 15 Mei 2012
10 Habits Travelers Keep to Not Gain Weight
If you travel for work or take a long vacation, you are at risk for weight gain. You can exercise when you travel but you may have to be a little creative.
And, avoid weight gain while you travel by packing more than just your clothes. Some of you travel as much as 200 days a year. You have to get your eating and exercise under control or your weight will quickly get out of control.
Here are 10 habits that keep frequent travelers lean and mean:
1. If you are a frequent flyer or driver, you know the food traps found in airport or roadside restaurants. The food choices are usually high-calorie, high-carb and high-fat. And, you know how much money you can waste at these food establishments. Plan and pack your foods.
Try to stay with your meal plan as much as possible while traveling. Haphazard eating or grazing will skyrocket your calories and pack pounds on your body. Eat plenty of high-protein and high-fiber foods to keep your blood sugar levels more steady and to stay fuller for longer.
The simple solution is to plan and pack nutritious foods like lean meats, salad greens, nuts, fruit, yogurt, yogurt smoothies, vegetables, etc. If you drink coffee, skip the high-calorie designer coffees. Starbucks does have just plain coffee!
2. If you eat at a restaurant, eat as healthy as possible. Skip the appetizers and breadsticks before your meal. Request that your foods not be fried, dipped in butter, etc. to keep the calories down. Many restaurants have menus online that you can research.
3. Walk 30 minutes every day. I recommend you do this whether traveling or not. Walking is probably one of the least used exercise tools to stay active and burn calories. If the area is not safe, go walk at a mall.
4. Exercise at your hotel room or gym. Take my Free 10-Minute Fat Burning Workout with you.
5. Many hotels have some type of obstacle course. Take advantage and exercise if the area is safe.
6. If you are a member at a health club, exercise there in the city you're located. Also, every health club has free passes or a small daily fee that will allow you to workout. If you are the person who has to workout at a health club, do your research before you leave town.
7. Travelers who stay fit don't count sitting in a steam room or sauna as a workout. Remember that sweating has nothing to do with losing fat or weight. Sweating just cools down your body. A caloric deficit (burning more calories than you consume) will cause you to lose weight.
8. Swim. Every hotel has a swimming pool. Use it to swim laps or walk/jog in water.
9. If you drink alcohol, drink after your meal. Alcohol increases your appetite. Researchers from Denmark found that a group of men ate more when they were served beer or wine and they ate less when served a soft drink. I recommend you drink water or an unsweetened drink.
10. Drink plenty of water. This will help you limit sugary drinks that pack on pounds and belly fat. Your body is about two-thirds water. It will help you eat less and help your body function better.
Drink about half your weight in water every day. So, if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water each day.
Foods with high water content count toward your water intake. For instance watermelon is about 90% water and lettuce has about 95% water. Some meats contain as much as 70% water. Again, pack your food before you leave.
Water also helps your body flex muscles, remove wastes, cushion joints, carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells and helps convert food into energy (although water doesn't provide energy).
You may be experiencing dehydration if you have dry lips/mouth, dizziness, headache, nausea or muscle cramps. When you exercise, drink about a cup of water every 15 minutes.
Download your FREE 10-Minute Fat Burning Workouts now and take them on the road with you. There are strength and cardio workouts in the e-book.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
And, avoid weight gain while you travel by packing more than just your clothes. Some of you travel as much as 200 days a year. You have to get your eating and exercise under control or your weight will quickly get out of control.
Here are 10 habits that keep frequent travelers lean and mean:
1. If you are a frequent flyer or driver, you know the food traps found in airport or roadside restaurants. The food choices are usually high-calorie, high-carb and high-fat. And, you know how much money you can waste at these food establishments. Plan and pack your foods.
Try to stay with your meal plan as much as possible while traveling. Haphazard eating or grazing will skyrocket your calories and pack pounds on your body. Eat plenty of high-protein and high-fiber foods to keep your blood sugar levels more steady and to stay fuller for longer.
The simple solution is to plan and pack nutritious foods like lean meats, salad greens, nuts, fruit, yogurt, yogurt smoothies, vegetables, etc. If you drink coffee, skip the high-calorie designer coffees. Starbucks does have just plain coffee!
2. If you eat at a restaurant, eat as healthy as possible. Skip the appetizers and breadsticks before your meal. Request that your foods not be fried, dipped in butter, etc. to keep the calories down. Many restaurants have menus online that you can research.
3. Walk 30 minutes every day. I recommend you do this whether traveling or not. Walking is probably one of the least used exercise tools to stay active and burn calories. If the area is not safe, go walk at a mall.
4. Exercise at your hotel room or gym. Take my Free 10-Minute Fat Burning Workout with you.
5. Many hotels have some type of obstacle course. Take advantage and exercise if the area is safe.
6. If you are a member at a health club, exercise there in the city you're located. Also, every health club has free passes or a small daily fee that will allow you to workout. If you are the person who has to workout at a health club, do your research before you leave town.
7. Travelers who stay fit don't count sitting in a steam room or sauna as a workout. Remember that sweating has nothing to do with losing fat or weight. Sweating just cools down your body. A caloric deficit (burning more calories than you consume) will cause you to lose weight.
8. Swim. Every hotel has a swimming pool. Use it to swim laps or walk/jog in water.
9. If you drink alcohol, drink after your meal. Alcohol increases your appetite. Researchers from Denmark found that a group of men ate more when they were served beer or wine and they ate less when served a soft drink. I recommend you drink water or an unsweetened drink.
10. Drink plenty of water. This will help you limit sugary drinks that pack on pounds and belly fat. Your body is about two-thirds water. It will help you eat less and help your body function better.
Drink about half your weight in water every day. So, if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water each day.
Foods with high water content count toward your water intake. For instance watermelon is about 90% water and lettuce has about 95% water. Some meats contain as much as 70% water. Again, pack your food before you leave.
Water also helps your body flex muscles, remove wastes, cushion joints, carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells and helps convert food into energy (although water doesn't provide energy).
You may be experiencing dehydration if you have dry lips/mouth, dizziness, headache, nausea or muscle cramps. When you exercise, drink about a cup of water every 15 minutes.
Download your FREE 10-Minute Fat Burning Workouts now and take them on the road with you. There are strength and cardio workouts in the e-book.
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs
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