Why is it EASY to burn belly fat? If it were so easy, wouldn't everyone be able to do it? Well, everyone IS able to do it. Take a look at the amazing transformation stories you see in magazines. They are just everyday people like you and I...the only difference is the commitment they made to following advanced fat loss tips. Fat loss is easy once you realize how hard it is. Once you understand that you can't get the body of your dreams from walking an extra flight of stairs each day, you'll realize that you have to get serious about your nutrition and strength and interval workouts. Once you do that, the fat will come off fast! If you want advanced results, you must use advanced fat loss methods. End of story. There are no magic pills or potions. Here are 3 more tips that will help you burn belly fat and breakthrough your fat loss plateau... 1) Eat 8 times per day. In the past 5-10 years, it's become common knowledge that we should all eat smaller, more frequent meals. In fact, one study from 2005 showed that doing so helped reduce cholesterol and burn more calories than eating 2-3 meals per day. And so for our advanced fat loss approach, we're going to bump that up to 8 meals per day. Here's how you would do that: Breakfast Mid-morning snack Lunch Afternoon snack Pre-workout Post-workout Dinner Evening snack With each meal and snack (except pre- & post-workout) focusing on lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables and fruit (for pre- and post-workout, stick with 20g protein and a half-serving of fruit). Start your day immediately with 2 cups of water, 3 fish oil caps, and 20g of lean protein, and then have your a fiber-rich breakfast. This meal will help dictate your blood sugar for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. So if you blow it on breakfast, you've might actually have blown it for the entire day. (And if you workout at other times of the day, just adjust the schedule and move about the pre- and post-workout meals). 2) Eat more fiber-rich vegetables at each meal. This means broccoli with your omelet, spinach at lunch, and peppers and asparagus at dinner. Other ways to get more green include snacking on raw pieces of broccoli and peppers all day. Aim for 8 servings of green, fiber-rich vegetables over the course of the day. This is no time to be a child and tell me you don't like vegetables. Listen, if you can pay your taxes and show up to work on time, you can eat more vegetables. 3) Eat only protein, healthy fats, & fiber between meals. Here's a sample snack plan: ***************** So those are some tips to take your fat loss plan into the advanced stages. Now obviously, if you are struggling to just not eat at McDonalds today, then we won't expect you to follow this plan precisely. But if you set your mind to it, you can make incredible changes in your body. As I recently said to a client... "Remember that you are eating for the long-term. Think about what you are putting into your body and the effect that your nutrition will have on your body over the long term. Think about how much better you will feel (immediately) and how you'll have more energy and be able to think better just by eating better." "Think about the positives of eating whole, natural foods rather than the synthetic, artificially preserved foods that are far too common in our diets today." "Try and make a small improvement in your eating everyday. You will thank yourself for it tomorrow." You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info. Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training for Fat Loss have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. Turbulence Training for Fat Loss workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig's bodyweight workouts for fat loss help you lose fat without any equipment at all. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne |
Friday, November 16, 2007
Weight Loss - Why Fat Loss Is Easy: Advanced Tips to Burn Belly Fat
Monday, November 12, 2007
Weight Loss - 10-Minute Fat Loss Workouts
Last week I helped Men's Health magazine on a piece about getting workouts done fast. Personally, I think you can get a great body-changing workout done in minutes. How fast? I'm talking 10-minutes. By now, I'm sure you're asking... How do you lose fat in only ten minutes? or What about the rule that it takes 20 minutes of cardio before you start burning fat? Well, first of all, as I have said before, the whole idea of a fat-burning zone or a magical fat-burning time period just doesn't fit with the common sense approach to fat loss. People can lose fat without doing any cardio at all - so its clear that you don't have to workout for at least 20-minutes with your heart rate at 60% of your maximum heart rate. Fat loss is far simpler than that - and I'll show you some basic workouts below that crank your metabolism and help you burn calories when you are not exercising. Second, the results of your training occur outside of the gym rather than during the workout. That's why the before-mentioned "increased metabolism" is so important. If you put the right "turbulence" on your muscles in 10-minutes, you can change your body - without even thinking about doing cardio. So let's look at the first fat loss in a hurry workout - a 10-minute bodysculpting workout. Let's say you only have 10 minutes to do your workout today - what should you do? In this case, you need to combine a warm-up, strength training, and interval training all into one. So our efforts are best put forward on bodyweight training. And you don't have time for isolation work. Instead, you need to hit three "hot zones" on the body for maximum metabolism boosting: push muscles, pull muscles, and legs. By doing so, you'll hit all the other muscle groups at the same time. So you'll do a circuit of soemthing like: 1A) Prisoner Squats (advanced option: 1-Leg Squats) 1B) Pushups (advanced option: Spiderman Pushups) 1C) Inverted Rows (advanced option: Pull-ups; easy option: Stick-ups) In the first round of this circuit, you'll go through it easy. Perform 25% of the maximum number of reps you can do for each exercise. So if you can do 20 pushups, do only 5 in the first warm-up circuit. That's a warm-up circuit. Then you'll do as many circuits as you can in the remainder of the 10 minutes. Just go back-to-back-to-back on these 3 exercises. You can rest after the rows/pull-ups for 30 seconds if necessary, but that's it. You'll be pleasantly surprised with how you feel at the end of the 10-minutes. And your metabolism will be elevated for a much longer period than if you trained in the fat-burn zone for 10-minutes. Okay, now here's another option, moving into some dumbbell work. The following superset trains the entire body, and focuses on the 3 hot zones. 1A) DB Squat (8 reps per set) 1B) DB Chest Press (8 reps per set) Use light weights for one warm-up set, and then do as many sets as possible in 10 minutes for the rest of the workout. In any case, if you find yourself with another 10 minutes, you can up the fat-burning ante by doing 10 minutes of intervals. This too is far more effective for fat loss and fitness than 10 more minutes in the "so-called" fat-burning zone. Do 3-5 minutes of exercise-specific warm-up. Then do your intervals for 30 seconds followed by 30-60 seconds of rest. Repeat 3-6 times. Then cooldown. Okay, now let's get greedy and assume we have 30 minutes for our workout. We'll be close to getting maximum results with this "marathon" duration workout. First, hit up the bodyweight circuit mentioned above. Do this twice, nice and easy. That will take 5 minutes off the clock. Then move into your strength supersets. Following the lead above, you'll look to train the entire body with only 2 moves. It's not always easy, but fortunately you can do 2 supersets in this workout. The strength training will take about 15 minutes as you'll do 3 sets of 8 per exercise with no extra rest between sets - just long enough to switch exercises. 1A) DB Split Squat (If you have a barbell, use it instead of DB's) 1B) DB Row 2A) DB Romanian Deadlift 2B) DB Incline Press Then finish with intervals. For this workout, try another program. Start with a warm-up, then do each "work" interval for 45 seconds, and rest 60 seconds between each interval. Do 4-6 rounds and finish with a cool-down, of course. I could go on and on with these fast fat loss workouts...and of course I do, in the Turbulence Training e-book. I'll follow up on this article in the future, passing along some of the exact Turbulence Training workouts that I use with my clients to get the most results in the least amount of time. Until then, train hard, train safe, and train better than everyone else in the gym. Sincerely, Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS Author, Turbulence Training P.S. Is a lack of time stressing you out? "No time to exercise" is the #1 reason most people don't exercise consistently. In fact, a lack of time stresses most people out for many reasons - whether it's a lack of time to prepare good food, exercise, or be with your family. That's why I created Turbulence Training to be the most efficient and effective fat loss program out there. The warm-up is applicable to your workout, not some 5-minute waste of time on the treadmill. The strength training supersets shave minutes off your wait time. And the intervals cut your cardio in half, or more. "I think TT is awesome. I have seen a serious change in my overall body composition. In 12 weeks I've gained a lot of muscle and have lost about 10 lbs, but inches are flying off." Gordon M. "The TT workouts are excellent! You have literally changed my life! I got completely burned out on single body part training and long periods of cardio. It just isn't conducive to my life given that I work full time and have a spouse. I'm already lean but I want to maintain a high level of health and have a fit, athletic look. I have to admit that I was skeptical because the workouts were so short, but even after the first workout my skepticism disappeared in a hurry. The time flies by at the gym and the workouts have eliminated a lot of stress because if I got stuck at work and couldn't get to the gym for "leg day" it would mess up my training schedule for the rest of the week. I also like having the option to do some body weight circuits plus I have a full range of dumbells and a ball at home so I can get my workouts in at home." Janet M Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne |
Weight Loss - Weight Loss The Natural Way
Many people today are overweight or obese. The diet industry is doing a booming business. Yet the answer to all of your weight problems may be right inside of you just waiting to be released. The following recommendations are not new, not a secret, nor do they require extra money to be spent. The following will let you loose weight, feel better and improve your mental and physical outlook. Before you start, visit your doctor. Have them give you a baseline starting point. Make sure they check thyroid, liver, kidney function, and blood sugar. If all is normal then proceed, if not follow his/her recommendations for proper medications. If all is fine then try these steps to weight loss. 1. Water: The universal solvent and the most amazing thing you can put in your body. Drink lots and lots of water. How much? Simple one-half of your body weight. If you weigh 200 lbs drink 100 ounces per day. If 300 lbs drink 150 ounces per day. You get the idea. Also drink the water as cold as you can stand it. Why? The body has to burn calories to warm the water to 98.6, so the body can use it. The colder it is, the more calories you burn. Side effects: you'll go to the bathroom more often(which is good). Cost: minimal to nothing. 2. Diet: Eat whatever you want. The thing is portion control. The labeling on all food products now show portion size. Read them and eat one portion and not three or four portions. Of course have lots of variety to maintain a good nutritional balance (not just french fries and ice cream). Eat a snack between meals within proper portion size. Along with portion size, drink the aforementioned water. If you are craving a soda, drink one. If the body needs sugar, give it sugar. Drink a regular soda not diet. Diet does not satisfy your sugar need so you drink more resulting in increased calories. Portion control is key to loosing weight. Side effects: you'll eat more often while loosing weight (which is good). Cost: Minimal to nothing. 3. Exercise:Yes you do need to do it. You don't need a gym, fancy clothes, or personal trainers. What you do need is, your clothes, your tennis shoes, and the street you live on. It's hard and difficult but, you do it everyday. WALK. Doesn't matter how far. Just walk. One block, good, do it everyday. Slowly you'll increase your abilities and walk further and faster. In just a few weeks the distance you're walking will amaze you. Side effects: You'll loose weight and exercise a thing called your heart (which is good). Cost: Minimal to nothing. Three very common and simple things. Fancy-No, New-No, Cost lots of Money-No. Results: Lost weight, feel better, have more energy and your body will be healthier (which is all good things). Remember, the weight did not go on in one day and it will not go off in one day. If you fail for a day, start again the next and soon you'll notice you do these things without even thinking. Congratulations, you've made a lifestyle change and when it becomes a habit or a lifestyle, You've Won. Deo Welch writes on various subjects mostly relating to health issues. You can learn more by visiting my blog http://makingmoney-weightlossthenaturalway.blogspot.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deo_Welch |
Weight Loss - The Best Cardio for Fat Loss: Part 2
The Best Cardio Intervals for Fat Loss: Part 2 If you don't have variety in your program, you are more than likely to end up at a fat loss plateau soon rather than later. Variety is one of the keys to keeping that fat loss coming. So not only should you have variety within your training week (i.e. alternate between two different interval training workouts, rather than just doing the same interval workout each time), but you should also change these workouts every 4 weeks. So you need to change your training program every 4 weeks. To modify your interval training workouts, you can... switch exercise methods (and even use bodyweight exercises for intervals) increase or decrease the length of the interval (while decreasing or increasing the intensity, respectively) increase or decrease the number of intervals per workout increase or decrease the rest time between intervals First, let's take a look at the interval methods. Here is my list of preferred ways to do your intervals, ranked in order from best to worst, based on my experiences... Sprinting outdoors (and hills might be the absolute best) Strongman movements (Farmer's walks, tire flips, car pushing) Bodyweight interval circuits Treadmill running Stationary cycle (upright preferred) Stairclimber Rower Swimming (only works for competent swimmers) Elliptical & Crosstrainer machines Okay, so how long should you do intervals and how the heck do you do bodyweight exercises as interval training? First, I stand by what I said in Part 1. There does not seem to be a "best" interval training program. But that is good because it allows us to use variety in our approach. (So perhaps the best interval training method is simply the one that changes every 4 weeks.) Interval recommendations have ranged from 15 seconds (from Muscle Media waaaay back in the late 90's), to 5 minutes (these are known as aerobic intervals). So let's take a look at each interval recommendation and all those in between. 15 seconds The great thing about 15 second intervals is that you'll be able to work at a very high rate (almost near your maximum power output), as long as you get adequate recovery between work intervals. The downside is that it is very difficult to do 15 second intervals on machines, because it takes a long time to "build up" and "bring down" the machine settings to the correct speed. If you decide to use these short, high-intensity intervals, you should do so only if you already have an above average level of fitness. Your rest interval should be at least 15 seconds long, and can be as long as 60 seconds. The longer you rest, the harder you will be able to exercise in each interval. 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off This method is known as the Tabata protocol, after the Japanese scientist that published a study on this routine. It is very demanding (obviously), and while some trainers have suggested this is the best method for interval training, I don't think there is any proof that you will get better results. Clearly, the pro's with this method (as well as the 15 second intervals) is that you'll get your workout done faster (provided you do the same number of intervals as any other workout). Again, it would be very difficult to perform this type of interval training on a machine, due to the time lag as you increase or decrease the settings. And finally, these too should only be performed by above average fitness levels. 30 seconds The Turbulence Training workouts tend to use a lot of 30 second intervals. Beginners will rest up to 90 seconds between intervals, while advanced fitness levels will rest 30-60 seconds. The longer (relative) rest allows you to work harder in each successive interval (i.e. you'll almost be able to match your performance in the first interval with each following interval). Short rest intervals (as in the Tabata protocol) will lead to a dramatic drop-off in performance with each interval. You can easily do the 3-second intervals on any machine. 45 seconds These intervals are proven for fat loss, in addition to being effective for many team sports (such as hockey, soccer, basketball, and rugby). I have used 45 second intervals extensively in both areas of training. Not only will these tax your muscles, they will also tax your will to complete each interval (if done at the right intensity). Use 45-90 seconds of recovery between intervals. Do 3-6 intervals per workout. Your fitness and fat loss will skyrocket. 60 second intervals Similar to the 45 second intervals in benefits and toughness. Use 60-120 seconds of recovery between each. 120 second intervals These are now officially aerobic intervals, and can be used for both fat loss and improving aerobic capacity for sports and running. A great way to achieve two fitness goals at once. Exercise for 2 minutes and then recover for 2 minutes. Repeat 6 times. These workouts take longer (obviously), but can have a role in changing your body and improving your performance. 5 minute intervals Same strategy as with the two minute intervals. This really increases your workout time, so these are only used with serious endurance athletes. Beginner vs. Advanced If you are thinking that these intervals all sound "too intense" for you, please don't worry. Interval training is all relative. You don't have to sprint for your life in each type of interval. Instead, just work at a slightly harder than normal pace. By the end of the interval, you should be getting tired, but you shouldn't be gasping for air. Start conservatively and you will get the hang of it. For example, if you regularly use level 5 on the stationary bike for 30 minutes continuously, you might try doing a 1 minute interval at level 7. Try that for an interval workout and let me know how it goes. My favorite intervals for fat loss are between 30-60 seconds. These have been the staple intervals in my Turbulence Training workouts since the first workout was designed back in 2001. But again, I think you will get your best fat loss results if you vary your interval training workouts - just like you must vary your strength training workouts. Intervals are the secret to success, CB P.S. Do you need to lose a post-vacation belly? Then use the interval methods outlined above and the Turbulence Training workouts from http://www.turbulencetraining.com. "Craig, I just wanted to let you know that I've been using your Turbulence Training System to whip myself back into shape after a vacation and too much time in front of the computer getting a couple of projects completed and I've dropped 10.2 lbs. of bodyfat in the last 28 days. As a fellow fitness professional I can safely say that it's the best and most efficient approach to improving body composition that I've come across." Pat Rigsby President The Fitness Consulting Group Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne |
Weight Loss - Permanent Weight Loss - No Drugs, No Supplements - 100% Guaranteed
Have you ever imagined losing those extra calories forever? You might have tried several diet programs and heard people claiming to be experts. Indeed, there are very few of these so-called Fat loss experts, who really are what they claim. But the one I am referring here is 100% guaranteed system to reduce body fat. The author of this e-book, over past 14 years, through a long and painstaking process of trials, errors and experimentation, has developed this flawless system for losing body fat based on the ever hidden nutrition secrets of competitive natural bodybuilders and fitness experts. This fat loss system is the most effective and healthy way to lose fat and gain muscle. If you are still doubtful, then I am the witness to the reliability of this fat loss system! Even I have tried it and surprisingly, now I am being considered as the man with the sexiest physique wherever I go. Now, I can wear anything and everything without tension of hiding my bulky areas. Hats off to this fat loss system! The most striking thing about this Fat Burning Breakthrough is that it gives you the power to: ? Lose fat permanently It has been proven that 95% people who opt for typical diet plans gain all the weight back and as a result they end up getting fatter than when they started. Now would you like to be the one among the already mentioned 95% or to get blessed by joining the rest 5%? ? Lose your body fat without damaging your metabolism This fat loss system will not only prevent you from metabolism damage in the future but also make you learn more ways to fire up your metabolic engine and accelerate natural rate of your body to burn those extra calories permanently. ? Lose fat without supplements 97% of all supplements are usually fake! These wicked companies mislead you making up false promises. This fat loss program will expose the dark side of the $13 billion per year supplement industry, and the $40 billion per year weight loss industry that could save you thousands of your hard-earned dollars! ? Lose fat without drugs The image of bodybuilders is that their good and healthy bodies are result of steroids or fat burning illegal drugs. Unfortunately, this is the bitter reality with most of pro bodybuilders. As these drugs are really effective but they do not last longer and thinking about side-effects are life-threatening. A very few number of natural bodybuilders are there who know how to use the training and nutrition science to alter body composition without drugs. Its only these who keep their fat loss and muscle gains permanently. If you desire then you too can learn these fat burning secrets from the one and only natural bodybuilding champion who knows from real-world experience exactly how it is done. Navneet Brar compares the topmost 5 weight loss products along with their live traffic ranking, user reviews and user ratings. To get more information on weight loss products & programs, you can visit my website www.top54u.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Navneet_Brar |
Weight Loss - Fat Loss Wars: Intervals vs. Cardio
Tom Venuto is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist, lifetime natural bodybuilder, freelance writer, and personal coach. Tom has used both intervals and cardio in his training, and wants to share his experiences with you. CB: Most of my articles and interviews on my sites promote interval training. However, traditional "cardio" has worked for many people. In your opinion, how does traditional cardio compare to interval training? What are the pro's and con's of each? TV: Well, I would agree with what Ian King wrote recently in one of his Q & A columns, "As to whether you respond best to higher intensity interval training (HIIT) or lower intensity steady state training will depend a lot on you. You should try both (not concurrently) and compare." You simply have to experiment. Test and discover for yourself what works best. How do you know what works best if you don't test it and measure the results? I don't create my own program based on what the latest research says or what the popular trend is. I look at the research and pay attention to what's going on at the "cutting edge," but I don't live and breathe by it. I do what produces results, period. There's no doubt interval training is highly effective and supported with research. A great benefit of interval training for many people is time efficiency. Another is that it is mentally and physically engaging. Long duration conventional cardio can bore some people to tears. My personal preference for my own fat loss cardio training is to work at the highest heart rate I can comfortably maintain for the entire duration of the workout, 20-30 minutes. During pre-contest preparation, I often increase - in a progressive fashion - to as much as 30-45 minutes, so my program to this day is primarily conventional cardio. I occasionally add in interval training more for variety than anything. I do like stair and hill sprinting though, and have done that for years. Oddly enough, I never really considered it "cardio" - I looked at it more as an adjunct to my leg workouts, although I'm sure I reaped some fat loss benefits from it. We've all seen the research that compares low intensity, long duration cardio to HIIT, and we've seen the superiority of HIIT, but I'd like to see some research comparing, let's say, 20 minutes of HIIT with 30-45 minutes of challenging steady cardio at the top of your target heart zone. I find this type of cardio extremely effective and I imagine there's a pretty substantial post workout afterburn in addition to the very large burn of fat calories during the workout. It's nice to know, though, that you CAN get a productive workout in just 20 minutes or less with HIIT. Regardless of whether we're talking about interval training or conventional cardio, you want to burn as many calories as you can given the time you have. I definitely don't believe in the idea that low intensity cardio burns more total fat. That myth has clearly been debunked by the research, even though it still persists. Naturally, beginners and de-conditioned people need to build some kind of fitness base before doing the really high intensity stuff. HIIT can be risky for certain people. Simple conventional cardio like walking is fantastic for the elderly and overweight, although cardio shouldn't take precedence over weight training in any population. CB: Given all these pro's and con's, what's the best training approach for the masses looking to lose fat and maintain (or even gain) muscle? TV: Depends entirely on the person. Nutrition and training have to be customized. There's no such thing as a single best approach. We see people make great gains on abbreviated high intensity training and also on high volume. We see people lose fat on conventional cardio and HIIT cardio...with high carbs/low fat and low carbs/high fat. However, one thing is always true - there are fundamentals, which apply to everyone. Each person has to master the fundamentals first. Once you have that down, you begin to personalize. That's where a really good fitness professional comes in - to evaluate an individual's situation and make the optimal exercise prescription within that particular context. There is no single best training approach because everyone is so different. The nutrition fundamentals are important of course, but strength training is really the key fundamental for everyone. It's a shame that strength training is still underplayed in the weight loss mainstream. Dieting is still king, but ironically, low calorie dieting is part of the problem it purports to cure. Weight training is critical to fat loss and I have no argument against weight training and full body workouts being used effectively as the sole means for fat loss. Results are what counts and time efficiency is more important to some than others. I simply think that some people have taken their anti-aerobics sentiment a bit too far. Just a couple decades ago the entire health and fitness movement revolved around aerobics, while strength training was ignored and ridiculed. Today, in certain strength circles, the pendulum has swung completely to the other side: aerobics is ridiculed and strength training is said to be the best way to burn fat. I actually find it kind of funny when trainers are so against cardio that when they do recommend it, they won't even call it "aerobics" or "cardio", they call it something else: "Energy system training." Strength training has a critical role in fat loss, but is it really more important than cardio? The negative effects of excessive cardio on strength have been clearly proven, but how much is "excessive?" Can't the two work synergistically together if work and recovery are carefully balanced? For people who are not strength/power athletes, is a little bit of extra cardio really such a big concern? Shouldn't training always be organized around priorities with the main priority never compromised? Using strength training to burn fat is not a new concept. We had PHA training (peripheral heart action) and circuit training many years ago. Bodybuilders have been reducing rest intervals (increasing density), and using supersets, tri sets or giant sets during pre-contest phases since bodybuilding began. Maybe they didn't understand growth hormone and the other mechanisms that made them work, they just did it instinctively, but they also did cardio. And the problem is, the more you turn strength training into cardio ("circuit training"), the more you compromise your strength and muscle mass increases. I like the balance between conventional (and heavier) strength training, moderate cardio and nutrition the best, although I certainly use increasing density and supersetting during fat loss programs. I'll go against the current trend in the strength community and stand by my belief that except for big "manly" strength athletes who can stick with weight training alone, the preferred fat loss approach, most of the time, for most people, is a healthy balance between strength training and cardio training. Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne |
Weight Loss - Cardio Training vs. Resistance Training for Fat Loss
At this time of year, everyone is in a panic to lose some extra kilos before their summer holiday but before you rush out to the local gym in an attempt to shed those extra kilos, it might just pay to find out the best way to lose your excess body fat. Gym's have bulging fitness classes and every treadmill and exercise bike taken, it is easy to think that this is the right way to go. However you might be surprised to find that this is not necessarily the most effective way to rid yourself of your unwanted flabby parts. The Science Your metabolism is the key to effective, long term body fat reduction. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories to sustain itself. The higher your metabolism the more effective your body is at burning calories even whilst you are sleeping, sounds good to me. There are ways to increase your metabolism, however before I get onto that, a quick tip. Cutting calories can actually cause your metabolism to get slower, so dieting in the traditional sense will actually cause your body to go into a survival mode, enabling the body to store more fat rather than actually ridding yourself of it. So long as you have a reasonable calorie intake there is no reason to diet, however there is no substitute for eating good fresh, natural produce (but that is another discussion) So what is the most effective way to increase your metabolism? Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in your body, so increasing the amount of muscle mass in your body substantially increases your body's abilities to burn body fat. Cardio Training Resistance training By following a resistance training program that focuses on working multiple muscle groups in every exercise is by far the most time efficient training. In double quick time you will shed the excess body fat and develop a lean and flexible, fat burning machine. Women benefit especially from this mode of training, as it is physiologically improbable for you to make substantial gains in size. A study by Staron et al. (1990) showed that after a 20 week programme of heavy resistance training, female participants showed decreased body fat with an increase in muscle tissue, however, with no change in physical size. So the muscle you build, gives tone and shape to your figure, gives you stronger bones, improving also your body image and posture. Resistance training has a triple effect for effect fat loss: Resistance Training Equipment So you see there is an alternative to pounding out the kilometres on the treadmill, or wearing out the pedals on your exercise bike to fight the flab. Do not misunderstand what I say here, I do strongly believe that a certain amount of cardio training will help trim the body fat, but including resistance training into your workouts will definitely help you achieve your health goals in less time. Tim Goodwin Tim is a fitness professional specialising in help the busiest people achieve more with there amateur sporting interests, and at the same time ridding them of excess body fat. Based in Luxembourg, Tim writes about general fitness for keeping in shape, sports training for non professional sports people, goal achievement strategies and many other topics. Visit http://www.getfit.lu/success.html to get a free 18 page report "How to lose weight even when you are really busy" containing a full 4 week program which you can start today! Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Goodwin |
Weight Loss - Cardio Tips & Tricks for Fat Loss
Tom Venuto is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist, lifetime natural bodybuilder, freelance writer, and personal coach. Today, I interview Tom about how we can get more fat loss results in less training time. Craig B.: Tom, you've written about the "Risk to benefit ratios of extreme and controversial fat loss techniques". Have your thoughts changed on any of the rankings since you wrote that article? Tom Venuto: That article pretty much sums up my current thoughts about fat loss. The article looked at techniques for fat loss that are controversial, like not eating for 2-3 hours before going to bed or not eating carbs after a certain time of day, or doing early morning cardio on an empty stomach. Some experts recommend these methods; others strongly recommend avoiding them. Some say they work well; others say they don't work at all. The main message I wanted to get across is that when you generalize by saying things like, "This technique is good", "that technique is bad", or "never do this," "always do that," you're limiting yourself. I believe in the philosophy that the person who has the most flexibility and the most choices is the person with the most power to get results and to break past barriers (which unfortunately, are often self-imposed by all or none thinking). Instead of making generalizations, I prefer to approach training and nutrition from the viewpoint of personalization and risks versus benefits. If you think about it, all exercise has risks. Squatting has risks. Running has risks. Competing in sports has risks. You can't avoid risks. Heck, being alive has risks! The idea is to manage risks, not to try and eliminate them. Take fasted cardio in the morning for example. Are there risks in using this technique in an attempt to accelerate fat loss? Yes, absolutely. Cortisol is higher in the morning, so you are more catabolic and you might lose muscle. Does that mean there are no benefits and you should never use this technique? Not necessarily. Does doing cardio on an empty stomach guarantee you're going to lose muscle? No, it only increases the possibility. Yet many trainers, strength coaches, athletes and bodybuilders approach techniques like these with "It's good" or "It's bad" with no shades of grey in between. The truth is, the value of each technique depends very much on the context. I remember reading something Charles Poliquin wrote about how ridiculous it was to think about his "manly men" athletes (as he called them), such as a 6 foot 5 inch 250 pound hockey player, doing any kind of conventional "aerobics." That makes complete sense to me - in that context. If the athlete shows up after the off season carrying some undesired body fat, that weight can easily be shed with strength training and nutrition. Combine that with energy expended from practice time and no aerobics are necessary. But does that mean "All aerobics are bad" or "Cardio is completely worthless." Well, again, it depends on the context. Bad or worthless when? How much? How intense? What kind? Under what circumstances? And for whom? Are we talking about a 55 year old sedentary woman with 35% body fat, an elite shot putter or a bodybuilder six weeks out from a competition? I think these rigid all or none beliefs get formed gradually over a whole lifetime of experiences. We tend to collect our own personal biases and carry them along with us - I know I had to overcome my "pure bodybuilder" mentality and develop more flexibility in my approaches in order to really serve my non-bodybuilder clients the best. I specialize in fat loss - including nutrition, exercise and the psychological/emotional aspects - and my personal interest is bodybuilding. I don't train people for sports, so I don't have the perspective that most strength coaches do. Similarly, I imagine that many top strength coaches have developed an anti-cardio bias from their experience working with power, speed and strength athletes who have always been told that aerobics kills your strength, and perhaps they generalize their beliefs to apply to everyone. Bottom line and the whole point of my article was that there are no absolutes, everything is context dependent. CB: You rank "fasted cardio in the morning" as a high risk, high benefit activity for fat loss. Is this something that you use yourself or with clients? TV: Because it's high risk, it's not necessarily a fat loss technique I recommend for everyone all the time. But I'm not afraid to use it and I believe it has benefits that can outweigh the risks, depending on the circumstances. I usually do fasted cardio in the morning about 8-12 weeks before a competition. But it depends on my weekly results. If I'm losing fat quickly and easily, I don't need to use any high-risk techniques. Sometimes I'll still do cardio in the morning, because I like doing it then, but I'll have a whey protein drink or even a whole meal shortly beforehand. I like to have an enormous amount of flexibility in my approach. If there's a plateau in fat loss, I want to be able to dig into my bag of tricks and have a lot of stuff in there to pull out when I need it. If you only have one way and you get stuck, you have a problem. I don't like rigid formulas. I like freedom to choose my approach according to how things are going. Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne |
Weight Loss - Misleading Ideas about Fat Loss, Weight Loss and Fitness
Research continues to emerge about exercise and fitness. Over the years many of the machines and exercises advertised as abdominal miracle flattener or magical thigh reducer has actually turned out to be wrong or misleading. Other ideas about cardio fat burning and the best time of day to work out are also misleading. Scientific research continues to tell us exercise alone will not reduce or enlarge the size any certain body part. In this article review some of the misleading ideas about fat loss, weight loss and fitness. Commonly held ideas about weight loss, fat loss and fitness are: ? Spot reducing or spot enlarging The idea behind spot reducing or spot enlarging is that by doing certain exercises to target a particular area of the body, you can effectively reduce or enlarge that area. There have been machines, gadgets and exercise routines created especially to reduce the abdomen or the thighs. Health clubs and fitness instructors teach classes focusing on particular "problem" body parts to reduce or enlarge. Despite all the attention to singular body part reducing or enlarging, there is no scientific evidence that an actual effect on fat loss can be possible using these techniques alone. You must burn 3,500 calories to expend one pound of fat. This is impossible to do with just abdominal exercises to reduce the fat in the abdominal area, or whatever body part you choose to try and work off extra fat in that area. The real bad news is when you do burn enough calories to shed fat; the fat may not come off where you want it. It comes off wherever your genes tell it to come off from first, and this might not be the body part you were working on. Several studies have shown this to be true. Group after group of trained and untrained subjects of all levels of fitness up to athletes have gone through rigorous training programs designed just to work abs, biceps, thighs and so on. Measurements are taken at the beginning of the study and training period and then again at the end of the period. Fat loss was sometimes noted, however, it was rarely at the site of a concentrated training regimen. It is a myth to say you burn more fat or calories by getting up earlier to exercise. Morning exercise routines do have advantages for some people. Those advantages might be: ? You get the work out done and can get through your day with more energy Some people like to do an exercise routine in the middle of the day and some in the evening and for different reasons. The body does have a biorhythm unique to each individual. Some people have more energy late in the day. Some people also have the luxury of doing an exercise routine whenever they want. Others have to perform exercise just whenever they can fit it into their schedule and that may not be until mid day or evening. The fact is morning exercisers do not burn extra fat or calories just by getting up earlier to exercise. As for the special cardio "fat-burning" range people strive to reach, the truth is you are always burning a percentage of total calories during any given activity as fat and there are always carb calories being burned as well. There is no range where you are burning just fat. The higher the intensity you work at, the more calories you will burn. Some of these calories will be fat; others will be in the form of carbohydrates that your muscles store for glycogen. At the end of all things, no matter what range you are in, if you burn 3,500 calories over time, you will lose one pound of fat. The actual number of calories you burn is not always displayed accurately on the cardio machines. The actual number depends on: ? Your age and/or body weight As a weight-loss mechanism, exercise alone will do it. Weight loss is all about expending more calories than you take in. If you achieve the deficit of 3,500 calories in one or two weeks, the result is the loss of one pound of body weight. It is extremely difficult to do this just by exercising alone. It takes a combination of expending more calories through daily activity and diet. Exercise is a component to weight and fat loss, but not the sole source, and that weight or fat loss is not guaranteed to come off in the areas you specify by a targeted abdominal exercise routine or a set of exercises just for reduction of the thighs. You may suffer through all those exercises and find that the fat and weight came off your "bosom area," and that was the only area you wanted to stay just as is for the moment at least. As with all advertisements and gimmicks, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true. You will see results if you just follow a sensible exercise and diet plan aimed toward healthy living and a longer life. Do the activities you like. Keep moving. In time, you will see results and will feel better too. Source: Lisa Zeigel, ACSM Certified HFI, NASM CPT (Zone Newsletters); ACSM.org Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine. This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 2-2007. Author: Connie Limon, Trilogy Field Representative. Visit us at http://nutritionandhealthhub.com and sign up for our weekly nutrition and health tips. The article collection is available as FREE reprints for your newsletters, websites or blog. Visit http://www.healthylife27.com to purchase an array of superior quality, safe and effective products inspired by nature, informed by science and created to improve the health of people, pets and the planet. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Limon |
Weight Loss - Sick Of Being Fat? 5 Weight Loss Tips To Get You The Sexy Body Your Deserve!
Sick of being overweight? Let's face it: Losing weight is just not an easy task! You have to really put your mind to it. You have to force yourself to stick to whatever it is that you're doing every single day. You need to, oops, I'm getting way too far ahead of myself here. Let me break this down for you in simple, step-by-step, what I call, "weight loss tips." Weight Loss Tip #1 Find a plan and most importantly, STICK TO IT! I know this is easier said than done, but I told you in the beginning that losing weight is not as easy as it seems. It can be easy if you want it to be. If you really desire to lose weight, then you will put yourself in the right frame of mind to do so. You have to stop focusing on how hard it's going to be and look at your ultimate goal, which is to shed some unwanted weight. Keep your goal in mind until the very end. So, whether you have a weight loss book you're reading, a weight loss DVD you bought or just found a free weight loss program online, just please promise me that you'll stick with it until you reach your goal. Don't give up is another good title for this weight loss tip. Weight Loss Tip #2 Don't try to do it alone, if you've been know to quit. If you've had a hard time in the past sticking to a weight loss plan or diet, stop trying to do it all by your lonesome! I can't stress this enough. Find a friend, a family member or join a group online. There are literally hundreds of places online that offer free weight loss support, just take a look. Get the whole family involved. Let them know that you're committed to losing weight and no one can stop you. If you can find a workout buddy, that's great. Having a friend to support you, as well as being supportive of a friend in return, brings something so unique to the table--accountability! You each will have the responsibility of holding each other accountable for whatever routine that you decided upon. So, if you're scheduled to walk for 30 minutes on Saturday and you're friend calls you up to say, "Hey, I don't really feel like walking today." You can be the one to say, "Hey, no way! We're doing this, so get your walking shoes on and let's go. We made a commitment and we're going to stick to it!" Weight Loss Tip #3 Keep a weight loss journal to record all of your thoughts, feelings, food and beverage intake, etc. This is another vital key to your weight loss success! This goes along with what I was just saying in weight loss tip number 2--being held accountable. When you are forced to write everything that you eat and everything that you do concerning your weight loss efforts, you are being held accountable for it all. This is so great because you will actually have a tangible record to look at and actually see, with your own two eyes, exactly what is going on. You will be able to pinpoint with accuracy maybe why you're not dropping that last pound or why the scale has not budged in three weeks. So, go splurge on yourself and pick up a little journal at Walmart or Target. You'll be so happy you did! Weight Loss Tip #4 Drink water. Most Americans do not intake the necessary water to maintain proper body functions. Why do you think America is one of the sickest countries in the world? Water is vital with a capital V! It is recommended that you drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. This means that if you are a 150 pound adult woman, you should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water every single day! Break that down into your average 16 ounce bottles, and you've got about 5 bottles per day. This can be easily done by just eliminating all the unnecessary fluids that you're putting into your body, such as coffee, alcoholic beverages, and those caffeinated soft drinks. Water is something that many of us simply take for granted. I know I don't, but I also understand that if you were not raised knowing the importance of water and how it directly affects your overall health, than it may be hard for you to even consider drinking half your body weight in ounces per day. My advice to you would be to start out slow and small. There is no race. Try just one bottle to start and gradually work your way up to the recommended amount. Your body will thank you and trust me, you will feel the difference! Weight Loss Tip #5 Final weight loss tip: Love yourself, plain and simple! I know you may be thinking, "Okay, sure, whatever." But please don't overestimate the power of this one simple weight loss tip. It is essential to you living a happy and healthy life. This is not just a weight loss tip, but in fact, a life tip. There's only one you and if you don't love yourself, chances are you may find it hard to love other people, as well. Also, if you don't love yourself, you're very blessed if you have people in you're life that love you and I'm talking about people other than your parents (they have to love you!) Seriously though, loving yourself is one of the first steps you should take in achieving real weight loss. If you love yourself first, all else will follow and fall into place. If you love yourself, you will want to lose weight and be healthy. Weight loss is not always easy, as I stated above, however, it can be as easy or as hard as you make it. I'm going to give you another weight loss tip as a kind of freebie here before I go. Find a means of motivation for yourself. This actually ties into the loving yourself weight loss tip that I just talked about. If you're goal is to get into that size 8 pair of jeans you've been hiding in your closet, then whip those jeans out and hand them on your wall if you have to. Look at them everyday and they will be a constant reminder of why you are doing what your doing. I know for myself, I wanted to look good in a bikini for the summer, so I found a picture of a bikini model and taped it to my mirror. Every time I looked into the mirror, this picture was staring back at me and I was reminded of how I was going to look: Fabulous! Be the fabulous person that you are! Lose all the weight you want and start implementing these weight loss tips right now! The author, Amanda, can be reached for further weight loss instructions by visiting her blog at http://weightlosstipstolivefor.blogspot.com/ There you can learn and do what she did to lose 9 lbs. every 11 days!! Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Stulsky |
Weight Loss - Fat Loss - How You Can Achieve It Successfully
There are many fat loss solutions available in the market. Just by tuning in to the televisions or performing a search on the internet using search engines, we can easily be overwhelmed by the vast collection of information offered by the market. Though there are many fat loss programs available in the market (e.g dieting, exercises, slimming pills etc), yet the critical ingredient in achieving our fat loss is, mastering ourselves. Mastering ourselves is the pursuit of our aim by committing ourselves to our goal. Many people do not attain their fat loss, not because that their fat loss programs are ineffective, but because they give up too easily or do not have the discipline to see themselves through their program. Thus, in whatever legitimate program that we want to engage in, we need to master ourselves by keeping our motivation i.e our burning desire going in the course of pursuing our goal because it will take time to achieve our goal. To keep our discipline and motivation going for the long haul, we need to take the following steps: (1) Make The Decision We often thought to ourselves that we should start losing some fat especially so when we failed to fit into our jeans or after somebody commented on our figures etc. However, many times this desire does not amount to a firm decision, thus the lack of follow-on actions on our parts. In order to start well, we must the decision, i.e make up our mind to lose fat. An often neglected and essential step in this decision making is to write down your decision or goal on paper. Take a paper, take a deep breath, write down your goal (decision, end-result e.g. desired weight and length of time needed to achieve your goal) and your plan e.g. the steps you would take to achieve your desired weight). For example, a well-articulated goal would be "To lose 10 kilograms in 7 months". Your goal must be clear (i.e to lose 7 kilograms) and must have a time duration attached to it (i.e 7 months) so that you will not procrastinate and put it off indefinitely. Paste the completed goal setting paper in places where you can see it daily (a few good locations are the refrigerator, mirror, office table etc). In this manner, this paper will serve as a daily reminder to you about your decision and goal. Many times we forget our decisions and goals because we fail to be reminded of them regularly after we had set them. (2) Take Action You will not achieve your desired goal by looking at your goal paper or sitting on the couch doing nothing daily. The objective of the reminder, is to motivate you to take the next essential step which is to take action to go on a diet program or exercise, depending on your choice of fat loss program. On a weekly basis, plan your fat loss program into your schedule (e.g. to exercise on Monday, Tuesday and Friday). The power of scheduling is that you take your emotions off your goal. For many of us, exercise is not really something that you will look forward to, especially at the beginning stage of your program where your inertial is high due to your lack of fitness. By scheduling, you do not have to struggle emotionally when it is time for your exercise. You just have to choose to stick to whatever you have planned to do, which is to exercise. Conversely, if you do not schedule for it, you will forget or find yourself excuses easier e.g. work, family etc. As the saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Always remember the Nike slogan - "Just Do It!". The next consideration for your action, is to break your goal into smaller and manageable goals. For example, you should not be pushing yourself to complete 5km on the first week of your program especially if you have not exercised for months. Perhaps you should start with running 1 to 2km three times in a week for several weeks to allow your body to adjust. Regardless of the fat loss program you adopt, consult your doctor and start with a well-guided program that will guide you to achieve your goal. (3) Maintain Discipline Many people can start well but not many can end well. If good decision is a key hole, then discipline is the key. Nothing can be achieved in life without discipline to action. Certainly, you are not going to gain substantial results from your fat loss program if you just do it for 1 to 2 weeks only. You need to persevere and discipline yourself to stick to your program until you see the results that you have set for yourself. This process will take months. It is not easy to maintain discipline especially when the going is tough. We need to master over our minds and bodies. We need to understand that the many good things we want for our lives, need a certain amount of sacrifice on our part and their pursuits are often tough going. Remember "No pain, No gain". In order to keep our discipline going, we must focus on the gain (end-result) and not the pain. If you exercise to lose fat, you must always visualize the good body that you will have at the end, instead of the pain and perspiration that you experience now. That is why, I recommend for one to write down a list of long term benefits of fat loss such as, a slimmer waistline, a stronger heart and greater self-esteem. You can also buy posters of muscular bodies and hang them on your walls to motivate yourself. Forming encouragement group or engaging a trainer are good ideas to keep your motivation going and thus, maintaining your discipline. After a period of time, your actions will become your habits. Then you will find it even easier to keep your fat loss program going. (4) Maintain A Correct Attitude Lastly, maintaining a positive and determined attitude is important. Being humans, there will be times that you give in to your food craving or miss your exercise schedule. It is important that we do not give up easily because we do stumble at times. The ability to pick ourselves up from setbacks is the mark of an achiever. You can achieve what you want as long as you do not give up. Conclusion If you master yourself by taking the steps above and with a good fat loss program, you are on the right track to achieve your goal. These principles will not just work for your fat loss. They also work for other areas of your life. They will transform you from being a dreamer to an achiever of your dreams! Charles Kwek is currently undergoing his fat loss program and is an avid reader of motivational and self-improvement principles. He applies these timeless principles to many aspects of his life and have achieve tangible results. Check out his fat loss website at http://www.losingyourfat.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Kwek |
Weight Loss - You Can Lose Inches Fast
In just an hour, you can expect to lose between 6 and 20 inches off of your body. No amount of working out can make that difference in that time frame. Hitting the gym 5 times a week and pushing your limits on weight training you might lose 5-10 inches in a month. Body wrap is another way of losing inches fast and it isn't a substitute for healthy nutrition and exercise, but it can be a helpful tool in removal the body of harmful toxins and improving your overall appearance. You can improve your results from the body wrap up by having them roughly once per week to continuously rid your body of the toxins, improve your skin's appearance and lose the maximum amount of inches. If you are aiming to lose 10 pounds, you can easily do it in about two weeks. It all comes down to calories. No matter how you cut it, it's too many calories that put on the weight. Don't eat late, and am sure you have heard the metaphor of the body being a machine, food being fuel, fat being stored fuel, etc.. Well this late night hunger is actually an indication that your body has used all of its fast fuel. The mistake that most people make is that they feed the body more fuel, fuel that if not used before you hit the sheets, will be turned into stored fuel or fat while you sleep. If you ignore the hunger the body will start to break down fat cells and use them for fuel, subtracting fat instead of multiplying it. If you refuse yourself sufficient protein, your body starts taking it off your muscle. Your immune system is not as responsive, so you need to take vitamins such as A, C, E and the mineral zinc, your skin become drier and your body soon become tired of the vitamins that open up to you to illness and infection. Without carbohydrates you will be easily tired. And inadequate supply of vitamin B causes loss of muscle tone and more fatigue. The human body is an accommodating creation, it will expand contract, get stronger, get more flexible, to fit our daily use. The inner organs follow the same pattern. Your stomach will expand or contract to fit its contents. Its overall capacity is directly related to how much gets put into it. Overeating over time will cause your stomach to expand, requiring more and more food to indicate it is full. Unfortunately, in most cases the rest of the body doesn't need the extra food, so it will store it as fat. Several people seek for ways to lose inches fast. Losing weight is tricky when you deal in inches because pounds don't always equal inches. You may lose ten pounds, but find that you have not lost anything inch-wise. Don't get frustrated and don't give up because you're on the right track and it takes time to your body to tone down the way it should be. When you exercise on a pursuit to lose weight, this happens the tape might not show inches lost, even though you have lost five or ten pounds that tend the muscles replaced by fats. If you do lose inches fast inappropriately it may be reappear in the wink of an eye. Unhealthy foods such as junk foods are not known to be nutritious. This gained empty calories, a lot of preservatives, and a ton of salt and or sugar. All of these make you irritable and moody, and the salt makes you retain water. Drink water- It is really simple... Drinking water, 8 glasses a day, speeds your metabolism, prevents soreness, increases energy, suppresses hunger, aids digestion, and is incredibly easy. Just get a sports bottle and drink a little at a time. Refill it once every about 3-4 hours and you are there. Hint: drinking water is a great way to control your hunger during those 2 hours before bed. You can lose inches fast, but this should only be done as a solution when you have an event coming up, and you need to fit into something fast, or perhaps you are getting portraits done and you want to look your very best. The truth about water weight loss is that it isn't real weight loss. You may lose inches fast, but it is not true fat loss. When you diet to lose more than a few pounds, you will find that there are times when you lose inches fast, and there are times when your waist seems to remain at the same number for weeks. Don't let this get to you, and keep going, so long as the pounds seem to be coming off. If you get stuck, and nothing seems to be happening, keep chipping away, and step up your physical efforts. Anyone who feels ill tired or irritably looking their self at the mirror tend to stop the diet and will result to not losing pounds. It's like what your mother told you that a balanced diet is the best and if you are trying to lose 10 pounds, have that strategy a blast, and you will lose 10 pounds in two weeks and look good. Health permits us to drink juice fast of one to three days. Lots of vitamin C results in cell repair and strong cell walls plus antioxidants galore. It also helps flush your body of toxins in your blood. After the juice fast, include lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein. And another thing is put down the "soda" because of the complex nature of describing the effects of soda on the cellular level. After the juice fast, include lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein. Cut the Fried Food, We all know that over time the consumption of fats and oils from fried foods can cause the arteries within the heart to clog. What we don't realize is how simple it is to cut down or out fried foods. Try the food that hasn't been soaked in grease. You don't have to anguish yourself over a cookie or not allowed piece of cheese. Keep it off and you will lose 10 pounds in a reasonable approach. Just hold the line on a daily basis at the number of calories you consume. Just remember that not all products are safe, and all consumers should be wary of claims touting fast weight loss with no drugs, dieting, or exercise. It is possible to lose inches fast, but it is best to do it in the healthiest way possible. Anyone who wants to lose a considerable amount of weight should consult with their health care provider first, especially if any chronic health conditions are present. It is also not necessary to spend massive amounts of money to lose inches fast. If you are trying a program to take inches off fast, and you begin to feel weak, faint, or have weird symptoms, stop what you are doing and call your doctor to be sure nothing is wrong with you. Just take a walk every day and cut down on your food intake without jeopardizing nutrition and you will lose weight, but to lose inches fast, eat fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, less fats, and more protein and you'll reach your goal faster for sure! Crizza writes for several health related web sites on weight loss and other health related issues. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Crizza_Reyes |
Weight Loss - The Best Cardio for Fat Loss
The Best Cardio Intervals for Fat Loss: Part 1 Is there really a best interval training system for fat loss? Do intervals really work as well as regular cardio for fat loss? I'm going to cover these, and many more questions in Part 1 of your lessons on interval training. But this is not just interval training 101. Today, you're going to leave this email with a graduate degree in interval training for fat loss. I'll answer both questions upfront before the lesson begins, and I'll give more details on each as we go along: 1) Conservatively, intervals are at least as effective as regular aerobic training for fat loss. Personally, I believe intervals are far superior. And there is no denying that intervals allow you to get your workouts done a lot faster than slow, boring cardio workouts. 2) I have to admit, there is no best interval training program for fat loss. But that is a good thing, because there are so many waysv that you can change your interval training to keep your fat loss results coming week in and week out. By changing your training program every three to four weeks, you are using one of the key principles of Turbulence Training - variety. It is essential to change your workouts this frequently, otherwise you might suffer from a dreaded fat loss plateau. And if that is the case for you now, I'll show you dozens of alternative interval training workouts you can use to kick-start your metabolism and fat loss. Now what many people don't know, or perhaps just fail to recognize, is that interval training is not just for advanced fitness superstars. No way. In fact, intervals are an effective and perhaps even the most effective method for beginners to get fit and lose fat. First you have to understand that interval training is based on relative performance. While my intervals would be much too hard for a beginner, my intervals would be a joke for Lance Armstrong. So even for those men and women that are just dipping their toe into the fitness waters for the first time in months, years, or dare I say, decades, they too can do interval training. If you are a beginner and you can walk at 3.3mph for 20 minutes, then your intervals will start at a walk at 3.6mph for 30 seconds to a minute. That is interval training. It doesn't have to be high-intensity, sprint-to-the-death activity. Instead, just increase the intensity slightly more than you can normally handle, and do so for a short time, and intersperse that with periods of easier exercise for twice the duration. So if you did 1 minute at 3.6mph, drop down to 3.0mph for 2 minutes. Do that up to 6 times, and you've had yourself an interval session. Now for those of you that have been doing only slow, traditional cardio, switching over to interval training 2-3 times per week is going to be the fat loss equivalent of throwing a lit, gasoline soaked rag on a pile of dry kindling. Here's why...research has given us a lot of evidence that intervals are superior to traditional cardio. First, a study from Laval University in 1994 compared interval training to aerobic training - straight up - over a 12 week training period. Subjects that used interval training had better results. They lost more fat. You can't argue with that. And second, interval training causes metabolic turbulence - also known as boost in your metabolism. Due to the high-intensity nature of intervals, there is more "turbulence" applied to the muscle. That means more muscle breakdown and more adaptations in the muscle. Now I know that sounds very technical, but all you need to understand is that when all this extra activity goes on at the muscle level, it requires a lot more energy to return your muscle back to normal (i.e. to get out of turbulence and back to a normal resting state). And when your body uses more energy, it means, in laymen's terms, that you are burning more calories. So it's important for men and women not too get hung up on the calorie counters in the gym. First, because the calorie count of the workout is not the only factor in determining fat loss (intervals burn far more calories after the workout - more on that later). And second, a report on CBS showed that the calorie counters on some machines are often significantly inaccurate. Doesn't that boil your blood when you think back to all those times you did slow, boring cardio and patiently watched the calorie counter creep up to your goal of 250, 300, or even 400 calories? And who knows if that was even accurate? With intervals, you can forget about the calories on the machine. Just work hard, do the intervals, then leave the gym and let your muscles continue burning calories on its own while it recovers from exercise. OK, time is up, so I'm going to leave off here for Part 1. I apologize, you don't have your Master's of Science Degree in Interval Training yet, but you will after Part 2. So your homework between now and next week's class is to start incorporating interval training into your fat loss program. For beginners, see the outline above. Make sure to include a 5-minute specific warm-up and cool-down. And if you truly did just peel yourself off the couch last week and you have not exercised in years, I insist that you see a doctor before you take up any exercise program. Believe me, you'll thank yourself for it. For more advanced fitness levels, let's start with 60 second intervals. Do a 5-minute specific warm-up, then exercise for 60 seconds at a slightly harder than normal cardio pace. Follow that with 90 seconds of exercise at a very easy pace. (Don't exercise too hard in the recovery period - that is one of the biggest mistakes people make with interval training!). Repeat this sequence for 3 more intervals (let's just do 4 intervals for your first session). Through trial and error, find an intensity that allows you to work to near fatigue - but not complete fatigue, there should still be some "gas" left in the tank - by the end of the 60 second interval. In the next newsletter, I'll discuss at least 6 different interval durations and when you should use them, as well as the best interval training methods - and don't miss when I expose the most ineffective machine in the gym. Hint - It is also the most common machine these days, yet I've yet to see a single person change their body by using this machine for their cardio and intervals. Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne |