Make sure you are not eating sugarcoated cereals with hydrogenated oil!
The nations favourite and most popular breakfast foods are breakfast cereals. The problem with breakfast cereals is that they are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have an insulin provoking effect that can cause weight gain. To stabilise blood sugar levels protein and good fats need to be consumed alongside carbohydrates.
Following are tips on how to add protein and good fats to your favourite breakfast cereal. This will not only give you a balanced diet with less of an insulin response but will also satisfy you for longer between meals.
But first the minimum you need to do is make sure you are not eating sugarcoated cereals with hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenated oil is used as a preservative to save the food company money by giving the cereal a longer shelf life. They are very unhealthy for your arteries and increase the size of your fat cells.
The next best thing is to eat gluten free cereals for easier digestion. Wheat and foods containing gluten can be very hard to digest and intolerance to these foods can cause gut inflammation as well as other allergies. Try eliminating gluten for 30 days to see if it makes a difference to the way you look and feel.
The easiest ways to add protein to cereals is to mix 1-2 scoops of whey protein powder with natural yoghurt and a little water. This is your milk substitute. Including a tbsp of flaxseed oil or/and flaxseed powder will add some good fat to the meal.
When eating breakfast cereals I prefer wholegrain puffed rice cereals, these are gluten free and sugar free with no nasty artificial ingredients. I mix the whey protein powder with natural yoghurt. I use different flavoured yoghurts for variety. I then add a little water to make the yoghurt a little runny. You could use Greek yoghurt for a creamier taste. I always use organic oil for premium quality. This is the best way I have found to eat breakfast cereals for a more satisfying feeling and a much healthier way than the traditional method of adding pasteurised milk to sugar coated corn.
The pasteurisation process kills the important enzymes as well as destroying vitamins and amino acids. Commercial milk contains antibiotics and growth hormones. Lactose intolerance, which is common food intolerance, prevents the body from digesting milk sugars. Milk causes an estimated 50% of the adult population’s bloating, gas, cramping and diarrhoea.
What about getting calcium in the diet I hear you say? It is possible to obtain all your calcium from dark green vegetables, where do you think the cow get theirs from? Yoghurt contains more calcium than milk and is easier to digest.
Make sure you are not eating sugarcoated cereals with hydrogenated oil!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Six Tips for Six Packs - Flatten Your Belly & See Your Abs
The ingredients you need for a six pack!
“Fail to plan and plan to fail”. You can’t get truer words when it comes to achieving a goal but it’s especially true when it comes to fat loss and achieving an impressive midsection. If you don’t know how to flatten the barriers that can stand in between you and your goal then you will never be able flatten your belly and see your six-pack. The key to reaching your target is to begin with a day at a time and build upon your foundation a tier at a time.
The ingredients you need for a perfect day not only starts with the ingredients that go in your mouth but with work, life, movement and sleep balance within a 24-hour period. Some will swear that there isn’t enough time in a day to follow a healthy lifestyle while others will blame work or family commitments for their lack of commitment. Well I’ve heard every excuse and its time to face up to your responsibilities and accept that you are the master of your destiny. There will always be someone with a busier life than yours that achieves the results you dream about, the only difference is they take action. Lets take a look at what action needs to be implemented for the best results.
#1- Time Management
Time management is one of the most important steps you must become good at if you want to shift stubborn body fat. For example, if you don’t have time to eat a proper breakfast every morning then you need to get up early. If you can’t do that because you need more sleep then you need to go to bed earlier and so on. I’ve heard every excuse and there is always an answer if you want something bad enough. The more organised you are the more addictive it becomes and the more energy it gives you. There is no better feeling than having free time to do the things you love and no worse feeling than wasting your time.
#2- Shopping
Decide what foods you need for six pack abs and how you are going to shop for them. You could either shop every few days or even once a month. The Internet is a brilliant option and convenient for a lot of people because it can save heaps of time. For a lot of your shopping such as non-fresh items you could get away with shopping once a month. For other items like organic fruit, vegetables and meats you could have them delivered to your door, check with your local farm shop to see if they deliver. All it takes is one click of a mouse button or at most one visit per week.
#3- Making The Kitchen Work For You
Make sure you have all the useful appliances in your kitchen to help you with food preparation. Store food in glass or ceramic containers, toxins can leach into the food when using plastic or cans. You may decide to freeze leftovers to be used for a weeknight after work, don’t forget to label meals that you freeze for future reference.
#4- Meal Planning
Decide what you are going to eat for the week ahead, use pen and paper once a week to plan and rotate your meals. You may only need to do this once before establishing a routine. By doing this you will know what to shop for and there will be less chance of rubbish finding its way into your cupboards and fridge. You will also be able to prevent yourself from eating the same meals everyday.
#5- Exercising Smart
The wrong training routine for your goal is still going to be unproductive even with the right nutrition and healthy lifestyle. Seek professional help to make sure you are making the most of your time and effort by doing the right kind of exercises to help you with your goals. Putting together a routine and fitting it into your week is something that can be flexible and doesn’t necessarily need to be carved in stone. All that matters is making sure you train intense doing the right workout 3 times a week.
#6- Resting
People overlook the importance of sleep in their quest for better aesthetics and health. I was guilty of this up to a few years ago; I would always go to bed after midnight regardless of what time I had to be up the next morning. The more I studied about health & lifestyle the more I learnt about the body and its sleep/wake cycle called the circadian rhythm. Before the invention of light bulbs our bodies didn’t know any different other than falling asleep at sunset and waking at sunrise, this is the way Mother Nature intended our bodies to operate and the reason why our hormones are naturally released at certain times throughout the day. If we disrupt this cycle by going to bed late, watching TV or staring at a computer screen late at night we stimulate awakening hormones that rob the body of repairing itself and eventually leading to health problems.
The ingredients you need for a six pack!
“Fail to plan and plan to fail”. You can’t get truer words when it comes to achieving a goal but it’s especially true when it comes to fat loss and achieving an impressive midsection. If you don’t know how to flatten the barriers that can stand in between you and your goal then you will never be able flatten your belly and see your six-pack. The key to reaching your target is to begin with a day at a time and build upon your foundation a tier at a time.
The ingredients you need for a perfect day not only starts with the ingredients that go in your mouth but with work, life, movement and sleep balance within a 24-hour period. Some will swear that there isn’t enough time in a day to follow a healthy lifestyle while others will blame work or family commitments for their lack of commitment. Well I’ve heard every excuse and its time to face up to your responsibilities and accept that you are the master of your destiny. There will always be someone with a busier life than yours that achieves the results you dream about, the only difference is they take action. Lets take a look at what action needs to be implemented for the best results.
#1- Time Management
Time management is one of the most important steps you must become good at if you want to shift stubborn body fat. For example, if you don’t have time to eat a proper breakfast every morning then you need to get up early. If you can’t do that because you need more sleep then you need to go to bed earlier and so on. I’ve heard every excuse and there is always an answer if you want something bad enough. The more organised you are the more addictive it becomes and the more energy it gives you. There is no better feeling than having free time to do the things you love and no worse feeling than wasting your time.
#2- Shopping
Decide what foods you need for six pack abs and how you are going to shop for them. You could either shop every few days or even once a month. The Internet is a brilliant option and convenient for a lot of people because it can save heaps of time. For a lot of your shopping such as non-fresh items you could get away with shopping once a month. For other items like organic fruit, vegetables and meats you could have them delivered to your door, check with your local farm shop to see if they deliver. All it takes is one click of a mouse button or at most one visit per week.
#3- Making The Kitchen Work For You
Make sure you have all the useful appliances in your kitchen to help you with food preparation. Store food in glass or ceramic containers, toxins can leach into the food when using plastic or cans. You may decide to freeze leftovers to be used for a weeknight after work, don’t forget to label meals that you freeze for future reference.
#4- Meal Planning
Decide what you are going to eat for the week ahead, use pen and paper once a week to plan and rotate your meals. You may only need to do this once before establishing a routine. By doing this you will know what to shop for and there will be less chance of rubbish finding its way into your cupboards and fridge. You will also be able to prevent yourself from eating the same meals everyday.
#5- Exercising Smart
The wrong training routine for your goal is still going to be unproductive even with the right nutrition and healthy lifestyle. Seek professional help to make sure you are making the most of your time and effort by doing the right kind of exercises to help you with your goals. Putting together a routine and fitting it into your week is something that can be flexible and doesn’t necessarily need to be carved in stone. All that matters is making sure you train intense doing the right workout 3 times a week.
#6- Resting
People overlook the importance of sleep in their quest for better aesthetics and health. I was guilty of this up to a few years ago; I would always go to bed after midnight regardless of what time I had to be up the next morning. The more I studied about health & lifestyle the more I learnt about the body and its sleep/wake cycle called the circadian rhythm. Before the invention of light bulbs our bodies didn’t know any different other than falling asleep at sunset and waking at sunrise, this is the way Mother Nature intended our bodies to operate and the reason why our hormones are naturally released at certain times throughout the day. If we disrupt this cycle by going to bed late, watching TV or staring at a computer screen late at night we stimulate awakening hormones that rob the body of repairing itself and eventually leading to health problems.
The ingredients you need for a six pack!
Friday, May 21, 2010
How to Avoid Disappointing Fat Loss Results – Is Your Diet & Exercise Good Enough?
You can’t out train a bad diet!
People often get confused about what results really are. I remind people all the time about how far they have come and how much they have achieved in terms of turning their life around for the better. There’s more to achieving results than just associating success with a number on the scales and how many calories you eat or how much distance you cover each week.
I meet scores of people that have lost a lot of weight but still have a long way to go to be slim, healthy and achieve the look they want because all they have been doing is chasing a number at a cost to their health. Most of the population that want to get fitter or change their appearance prepares the mind to limitations or unachievable lifestyles that eventually leads in failure and disappointment. Believing in excess amounts of exercise and low calorie diets is the right way forward is a misconception and works against the body’s physiology. Also limiting your progress by following the wrong type of plan for your body and your goals is a road to nowhere.
Bypassing the basics in nutrition and lifestyle and rushing straight into an unorganised training schedule is fruitless and has little value to achieving the desired goal. You can’t out train a bad diet. You will be lucky to get the slightest improvements exercising on a whim. Supplementing it with poor nutritional habits will only keep you where you already are.
Results are about making the right food choices and eating a good quality version of that food. It is important to get a wide range of variety in your diet one that’s full of different vegetables, fruits, meats, fish and a little bit of dairy. Cutting out all processed foods and sticking to foods in their natural state in the food group ratio that works with your body will help keep blood sugar levels even and will result in successful weight management and recurring fat loss.
Exercise selection needs to be relevant to your goals and care needs to be taken not to exceed your physical load. If you do too much exercise your body won’t be able to recover properly and it will be permanently in a stressed fight or flight state. This will lead to you having a high percentage of fat storing stress hormones present in the blood.
Look how far you have come and ask yourself if you have achieved real results. Real results are all about eating a clean balanced diet and having a balanced exercise programme that doesn’t drain all your energy. Take a look at yourself and see if you need to go back to go forwards. Making the right steps with your diet will see your results skyrocket to new levels in a fraction of the time it is currently taking you. Use the 80/20 principles to make things bearable especially if you struggle with diet changes. If you are confused about exercise selection enlist the help of a professional who can assess your needs.
You can’t out train a bad diet!
People often get confused about what results really are. I remind people all the time about how far they have come and how much they have achieved in terms of turning their life around for the better. There’s more to achieving results than just associating success with a number on the scales and how many calories you eat or how much distance you cover each week.
I meet scores of people that have lost a lot of weight but still have a long way to go to be slim, healthy and achieve the look they want because all they have been doing is chasing a number at a cost to their health. Most of the population that want to get fitter or change their appearance prepares the mind to limitations or unachievable lifestyles that eventually leads in failure and disappointment. Believing in excess amounts of exercise and low calorie diets is the right way forward is a misconception and works against the body’s physiology. Also limiting your progress by following the wrong type of plan for your body and your goals is a road to nowhere.
Bypassing the basics in nutrition and lifestyle and rushing straight into an unorganised training schedule is fruitless and has little value to achieving the desired goal. You can’t out train a bad diet. You will be lucky to get the slightest improvements exercising on a whim. Supplementing it with poor nutritional habits will only keep you where you already are.
Results are about making the right food choices and eating a good quality version of that food. It is important to get a wide range of variety in your diet one that’s full of different vegetables, fruits, meats, fish and a little bit of dairy. Cutting out all processed foods and sticking to foods in their natural state in the food group ratio that works with your body will help keep blood sugar levels even and will result in successful weight management and recurring fat loss.
Exercise selection needs to be relevant to your goals and care needs to be taken not to exceed your physical load. If you do too much exercise your body won’t be able to recover properly and it will be permanently in a stressed fight or flight state. This will lead to you having a high percentage of fat storing stress hormones present in the blood.
Look how far you have come and ask yourself if you have achieved real results. Real results are all about eating a clean balanced diet and having a balanced exercise programme that doesn’t drain all your energy. Take a look at yourself and see if you need to go back to go forwards. Making the right steps with your diet will see your results skyrocket to new levels in a fraction of the time it is currently taking you. Use the 80/20 principles to make things bearable especially if you struggle with diet changes. If you are confused about exercise selection enlist the help of a professional who can assess your needs.
You can’t out train a bad diet!
Monday, May 17, 2010
How to Lose More Weight Without Weight Watchers or Slimming World
How to start your own weight loss club with cash prize incentives!
Weight loss clubs can be intrusive for a lot of people or just plain boring. Below are two examples on how to start your own weight loss club; one is for discreet dieters and the other for more outgoing people.
Option #1 – If You Don’t Like Weight Loss Clubs Find A Support Partner
If you don’t want strangers to know you are on a diet then it is wise not to join a slimming club. It is also a good idea not to surround yourself with negative people that offer no support to you or your goals whether if it’s at work or socially. The most practical way to help you to commit to a diet is to go on a diet with a friend so you can give each other support. But if you can’t find anyone who wants to join you I would recommend seeking a support partner in either your closest friend or partner. The support can be set at different levels depending on how much you require. For example, you could write down goals to give to your support partner for them to monitor your progress and make sure you achieve your goals. You could make it as formal as you like by arranging days and times to meet and review your food diary and plan the days or weeks ahead. This would make your diet serious but fun by making it feel like you have your own personal coach at hand to motivate you and help you with any problems you may be facing. Your support partner could also provide you with meal ideas and even take your body measurements to track your progress.
Option #2 – Your Very Own Weight Loss Club With Cash Prize Incentives
Here is a great way to make losing weight fun and competitive. The more people that join the more fun you will have. I will take you through each step on how to set up a biggest loser club and contest.
1. Set a membership fee of how much each member pays each week. This is for the prize money awarded to the biggest loser at the end of the contest.
2. Set the time frame.
Tip: This could be a yearly contest with the big cash prize at the end of the year. The winner is the person who has lost the most body weight and cm/millimetres from the hips, bum, waist, chest, thighs and arms. However you could also have a monthly prize for the biggest loser of the month. The club treasurer could buy grocery vouchers for each monthly prize to help the dieter stay on track rather than award cash.
3. Everyone gets a support partner.
Tip: Put everyone’s name in a hat for each person to pick out a name, whoever’s name they draw out is their support partner throughout the contest.
4. The role of a support partner is to motivate the other person and take measurements. Before and after photographs are optional, these could come in useful later on.
5. Have a recipe pool where everyone has to contribute at least one healthy recipe a month so others can benefit.
Tip: If you are doing this at work this could be on the notice board.
6. Arrange group meetings at least once a month.
Tip: You could arrange for a personal trainer or nutritionist to visit for a Q&A session.
7. When the contest closing date is in sight invite the local press to cover the story and publish a photograph of the winner.
Tip: This is where a before photograph comes in handy. Having the story in the press will give your workplace free publicity and the winner public recognition.
Don’t forget the more people that join your biggest loser contest the more prize money up for grabs.
How to start your own weight loss club with cash prize incentives!
Weight loss clubs can be intrusive for a lot of people or just plain boring. Below are two examples on how to start your own weight loss club; one is for discreet dieters and the other for more outgoing people.
Option #1 – If You Don’t Like Weight Loss Clubs Find A Support Partner
If you don’t want strangers to know you are on a diet then it is wise not to join a slimming club. It is also a good idea not to surround yourself with negative people that offer no support to you or your goals whether if it’s at work or socially. The most practical way to help you to commit to a diet is to go on a diet with a friend so you can give each other support. But if you can’t find anyone who wants to join you I would recommend seeking a support partner in either your closest friend or partner. The support can be set at different levels depending on how much you require. For example, you could write down goals to give to your support partner for them to monitor your progress and make sure you achieve your goals. You could make it as formal as you like by arranging days and times to meet and review your food diary and plan the days or weeks ahead. This would make your diet serious but fun by making it feel like you have your own personal coach at hand to motivate you and help you with any problems you may be facing. Your support partner could also provide you with meal ideas and even take your body measurements to track your progress.
Option #2 – Your Very Own Weight Loss Club With Cash Prize Incentives
Here is a great way to make losing weight fun and competitive. The more people that join the more fun you will have. I will take you through each step on how to set up a biggest loser club and contest.
1. Set a membership fee of how much each member pays each week. This is for the prize money awarded to the biggest loser at the end of the contest.
2. Set the time frame.
Tip: This could be a yearly contest with the big cash prize at the end of the year. The winner is the person who has lost the most body weight and cm/millimetres from the hips, bum, waist, chest, thighs and arms. However you could also have a monthly prize for the biggest loser of the month. The club treasurer could buy grocery vouchers for each monthly prize to help the dieter stay on track rather than award cash.
3. Everyone gets a support partner.
Tip: Put everyone’s name in a hat for each person to pick out a name, whoever’s name they draw out is their support partner throughout the contest.
4. The role of a support partner is to motivate the other person and take measurements. Before and after photographs are optional, these could come in useful later on.
5. Have a recipe pool where everyone has to contribute at least one healthy recipe a month so others can benefit.
Tip: If you are doing this at work this could be on the notice board.
6. Arrange group meetings at least once a month.
Tip: You could arrange for a personal trainer or nutritionist to visit for a Q&A session.
7. When the contest closing date is in sight invite the local press to cover the story and publish a photograph of the winner.
Tip: This is where a before photograph comes in handy. Having the story in the press will give your workplace free publicity and the winner public recognition.
Don’t forget the more people that join your biggest loser contest the more prize money up for grabs.
How to start your own weight loss club with cash prize incentives!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
How to Avoid Dieting Myths – The Biggest Mistakes You Could Make
Are you counting calories & routinely getting weighed?
Just spent a week reading about the latest diet crazes where they all recommend cutting calories or fasting. So I decided to join a slimming club where I saw different people that seemed to be wasting their time and effort. They were allowed to continue to eat certain junk food. This sounded appealing at first but the members of the slimming club didn’t look the way I aspired to look like so I was left confused and worried.
And that's really sad. After all, almost everyone goes on a diet to get a flat stomach, but almost everyone never achieves his or her goals!
In fact, most people make the same common mistakes.
Mistake #1 - Routinely getting weighed
The biggest mistakes a dieter can make is setting their minds to reaching a number on the weighing scales every week or in some crazy cases every day! This repetitive behaviour is heavy on the mind making the participant feel incarcerated. It’s common for them to just focus on numbers without considering health & fitness or the quality of the food they are eating. This behaviour leads to frustration and unnecessary pressure.
Tip: The above system is nothing more than a marketing tool to help sell a diet; it has no benefit whatsoever. Getting weighed regularly doesn’t tell you if you are losing fat or which area of the body is changing shape. The best way to measure progress is using the mirror and/or to take tape measurements around the bum, hips, thigh, waist, chest and arms.
Mistake #2 - Counting calories
Ha! I wish it were as easy as just that. Eating X amount of calories will make you look like so and so. If this was true how come over 90% of dieters never achieve permanent results on calorie controlled diets? I will tell you why, it is because the quality of calories and which food groups these calories come from are missing from the picture. The most valuable piece of information a dieter needs always seems to be conveniently missing so not to upset the recurring revenue stream.
TIP: A basic understanding of food groups needs to be learned for best results, don’t worry because it is simple and quick to learn. There are 3 main food groups, Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. Once you learn which type of foods comes from each food group it is easy to lose weight and fat. This is because you can begin to use ratios for your meals. The benefits of ratios are to monitor the amounts of carbohydrates you need versus protein to lose weight and fat. Calorie controlled diets fail to recognise this important step, that is why you see overweight people unable to lose weight and fat on low calorie diets.
Are you counting calories & routinely getting weighed?
Just spent a week reading about the latest diet crazes where they all recommend cutting calories or fasting. So I decided to join a slimming club where I saw different people that seemed to be wasting their time and effort. They were allowed to continue to eat certain junk food. This sounded appealing at first but the members of the slimming club didn’t look the way I aspired to look like so I was left confused and worried.
And that's really sad. After all, almost everyone goes on a diet to get a flat stomach, but almost everyone never achieves his or her goals!
In fact, most people make the same common mistakes.
Mistake #1 - Routinely getting weighed
The biggest mistakes a dieter can make is setting their minds to reaching a number on the weighing scales every week or in some crazy cases every day! This repetitive behaviour is heavy on the mind making the participant feel incarcerated. It’s common for them to just focus on numbers without considering health & fitness or the quality of the food they are eating. This behaviour leads to frustration and unnecessary pressure.
Tip: The above system is nothing more than a marketing tool to help sell a diet; it has no benefit whatsoever. Getting weighed regularly doesn’t tell you if you are losing fat or which area of the body is changing shape. The best way to measure progress is using the mirror and/or to take tape measurements around the bum, hips, thigh, waist, chest and arms.
Mistake #2 - Counting calories
Ha! I wish it were as easy as just that. Eating X amount of calories will make you look like so and so. If this was true how come over 90% of dieters never achieve permanent results on calorie controlled diets? I will tell you why, it is because the quality of calories and which food groups these calories come from are missing from the picture. The most valuable piece of information a dieter needs always seems to be conveniently missing so not to upset the recurring revenue stream.
TIP: A basic understanding of food groups needs to be learned for best results, don’t worry because it is simple and quick to learn. There are 3 main food groups, Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. Once you learn which type of foods comes from each food group it is easy to lose weight and fat. This is because you can begin to use ratios for your meals. The benefits of ratios are to monitor the amounts of carbohydrates you need versus protein to lose weight and fat. Calorie controlled diets fail to recognise this important step, that is why you see overweight people unable to lose weight and fat on low calorie diets.
Are you counting calories & routinely getting weighed?
Sunday, May 9, 2010
The Only Way to Achieve Six Pack Abs + Weight & Fat Loss
How to get the best fat loss transformations!
All different kinds of success and achievements are born out of a goal. Goals are behind the worlds leading business tycoons and winning sports teams, and without a goal you are playing Russian roulette with your fat loss efforts. Success stories that happen by chance are few and far between. Every one of us needs a plan and needs to follow directions in order to get to where we want to go. This is regardless of whether the goal is for fat loss or other personal reasons.
The best fat loss transformations of the year don’t become slim and lean by accident. It starts with a goal. There’s no doubt that this sounds overwhelming at first to the overweight and out of shape person, but by breaking down the desire to become slim into little achievable goals it is easier to achieve each little step one at a time until the goal is achieved.
All it takes is a goal, not having a goal is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make when embarking on any kind of diet. You have to be specific in order to get the best value from your time and effort. There has to be a reason for wanting to get in shape and change, the reason is your number one motivational tool that you can continuously refer to and remind yourself where you want to end up. By writing it down you can carry it around with you and use it to your advantage when the going gets tough.
Think about it for a few moments, what do you really want? A six-pack? Better health? Lose overall weight? Look great naked? Lose flabby body fat? Get rid of man boobs? Look younger? Feel fitter? Look more attractive? Feel confident? Live longer?
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Whatever you want to achieve and change write it down and don’t forget to state the reasons why you want it. This is a powerful tool that can help you more than you realise. Once you have a goal in front of you all you will need to do is plan the steps required to reach it. Keep the steps as simple as possible or you will be more likely to fail. Remember you don’t need luck on your side because you are in control of what you want and what you get.
How to get the best fat loss transformations!
All different kinds of success and achievements are born out of a goal. Goals are behind the worlds leading business tycoons and winning sports teams, and without a goal you are playing Russian roulette with your fat loss efforts. Success stories that happen by chance are few and far between. Every one of us needs a plan and needs to follow directions in order to get to where we want to go. This is regardless of whether the goal is for fat loss or other personal reasons.
The best fat loss transformations of the year don’t become slim and lean by accident. It starts with a goal. There’s no doubt that this sounds overwhelming at first to the overweight and out of shape person, but by breaking down the desire to become slim into little achievable goals it is easier to achieve each little step one at a time until the goal is achieved.
All it takes is a goal, not having a goal is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make when embarking on any kind of diet. You have to be specific in order to get the best value from your time and effort. There has to be a reason for wanting to get in shape and change, the reason is your number one motivational tool that you can continuously refer to and remind yourself where you want to end up. By writing it down you can carry it around with you and use it to your advantage when the going gets tough.
Think about it for a few moments, what do you really want? A six-pack? Better health? Lose overall weight? Look great naked? Lose flabby body fat? Get rid of man boobs? Look younger? Feel fitter? Look more attractive? Feel confident? Live longer?
+of+05082009264.jpg)
Whatever you want to achieve and change write it down and don’t forget to state the reasons why you want it. This is a powerful tool that can help you more than you realise. Once you have a goal in front of you all you will need to do is plan the steps required to reach it. Keep the steps as simple as possible or you will be more likely to fail. Remember you don’t need luck on your side because you are in control of what you want and what you get.
How to get the best fat loss transformations!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Exercise Tips For Quick & Permanent Fat Loss Results
Some of my favourite training tips to help reduce body fat!
Just because you regularly clock in at the gym doesn’t mean you are on the road to fast fat loss results. Marathon type workouts and going at it half-heartedly isn’t the way to train to look your best in the shortest amount of time.
It is time to stop guessing and livings in hope of miraculously waking up with a perfect body because it doesn’t work like that. What follows are brief excerpts of some of my favourite training tips guaranteed to carve you a better body with less body fat in less than a fraction of the time you currently spend.
Before embarking on regular exercise it is important to assess which muscles are tight and need stretching. The reason for this is because a tight muscle could compromise the technique of an exercise and over compensates other parts of the body causing overuse problems. Learning proper stretching techniques and investing time in holding the stretches in the areas you can feel stretch when you perform them will benefit your posture and help prevent injuries.
When you exercise you need to train intense but smart. This means training within your capabilities that allows a minimum of a good technique on everything you do. This mainly points to lifting a weight that is too heavy for you. Doing only part of the range of a movement or trying to force more reps than you can manage safely will probably result in quick and poorly performed repetitions. Properly performed reps are real reps; they are more demanding and achieve greater results. Poorly performed reps will take the stress away from the body part making it easier but less effective.
Exercise selection is important if you want fat loss too. Big movements are essential. The multi joint exercises works more muscles and burns more calories, whether if you want to body build, tone or reduce fat the big exercises will get you there quicker. Performed correctly they will also have the best carry over effect to functional ability to help you in work, sports and day to day tasks.
Think of exercises a bit like your diet, the more variety the better. I once learnt in a lecture that an average person eats no more than 12 different kinds of food in a typical week. Do you do the same with exercise selection by doing the same exercises week in and week out? If so, then it is time to shock your system. Train to achieve a response from your workout with the method of rotating your exercises frequently. Keep in mind there are many alternatives to the standard exercises; although you are basically doing the same movement you can change the response by using different tools and methods. You also have less chance of suffering from ‘overuse injuries’ if you regularly rotate your exercises.
To get the best results you will need to move quick between exercises without rushing the reps. The next time you are in the gym take a look around; chances are there are people lifting more weight than they are capable of lifting which will mean poorly performed fast sets of exercises. Now take a note of how long people rest in-between sets, I can bet you that the average time is a few minutes before doing the next set. It surprises me how many people on weight loss and toning programmes do this, they are resting far too long. They are taking the same amount of rest needed to achieve a 3-5-rep max. Decrease the rest time between sets for more intensity in the workout, it is normally the first variable I introduce in a programme to increase the overall intensity.
If you can’t make it to the gym don’t worry because you can achieve fat loss without any gym equipment. Have you noticed the physiques of gymnasts? You will never see overweight or out of shape gymnast, that’s because training against gravity is one of the best things you can do to look your best. The feedback I get from clients after doing bodyweight exercises is always that they are surprised how hard they are and how much effort is needed to perform them. Make sure to include gravity-based body weight exercises in your fat loss workout.
Some of my favourite training tips to help reduce body fat!
Just because you regularly clock in at the gym doesn’t mean you are on the road to fast fat loss results. Marathon type workouts and going at it half-heartedly isn’t the way to train to look your best in the shortest amount of time.
It is time to stop guessing and livings in hope of miraculously waking up with a perfect body because it doesn’t work like that. What follows are brief excerpts of some of my favourite training tips guaranteed to carve you a better body with less body fat in less than a fraction of the time you currently spend.
Before embarking on regular exercise it is important to assess which muscles are tight and need stretching. The reason for this is because a tight muscle could compromise the technique of an exercise and over compensates other parts of the body causing overuse problems. Learning proper stretching techniques and investing time in holding the stretches in the areas you can feel stretch when you perform them will benefit your posture and help prevent injuries.
When you exercise you need to train intense but smart. This means training within your capabilities that allows a minimum of a good technique on everything you do. This mainly points to lifting a weight that is too heavy for you. Doing only part of the range of a movement or trying to force more reps than you can manage safely will probably result in quick and poorly performed repetitions. Properly performed reps are real reps; they are more demanding and achieve greater results. Poorly performed reps will take the stress away from the body part making it easier but less effective.
Exercise selection is important if you want fat loss too. Big movements are essential. The multi joint exercises works more muscles and burns more calories, whether if you want to body build, tone or reduce fat the big exercises will get you there quicker. Performed correctly they will also have the best carry over effect to functional ability to help you in work, sports and day to day tasks.
Think of exercises a bit like your diet, the more variety the better. I once learnt in a lecture that an average person eats no more than 12 different kinds of food in a typical week. Do you do the same with exercise selection by doing the same exercises week in and week out? If so, then it is time to shock your system. Train to achieve a response from your workout with the method of rotating your exercises frequently. Keep in mind there are many alternatives to the standard exercises; although you are basically doing the same movement you can change the response by using different tools and methods. You also have less chance of suffering from ‘overuse injuries’ if you regularly rotate your exercises.
To get the best results you will need to move quick between exercises without rushing the reps. The next time you are in the gym take a look around; chances are there are people lifting more weight than they are capable of lifting which will mean poorly performed fast sets of exercises. Now take a note of how long people rest in-between sets, I can bet you that the average time is a few minutes before doing the next set. It surprises me how many people on weight loss and toning programmes do this, they are resting far too long. They are taking the same amount of rest needed to achieve a 3-5-rep max. Decrease the rest time between sets for more intensity in the workout, it is normally the first variable I introduce in a programme to increase the overall intensity.
If you can’t make it to the gym don’t worry because you can achieve fat loss without any gym equipment. Have you noticed the physiques of gymnasts? You will never see overweight or out of shape gymnast, that’s because training against gravity is one of the best things you can do to look your best. The feedback I get from clients after doing bodyweight exercises is always that they are surprised how hard they are and how much effort is needed to perform them. Make sure to include gravity-based body weight exercises in your fat loss workout.
Some of my favourite training tips to help reduce body fat!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Are You Fat Because of Stress, Lack of Sleep, Prescription Drugs & Starving Yourself?
This Is Why You’re Fat: Really Surprising Reasons!
Jasmine at http://nursepractitionerschools.org recently emailed me with a link to an article they have on their site. Make time to read it and discover some of the reasons why you may not be able to lose fat & weight.
We all know that eating too much and exercising too little are sure-fire ways to get fat and unhealthy. But did you know that things like your marital status and pesticides can influence your weight, too? Here, we'll take a look at surprising reasons why you might be overweight.
You're not sleeping enough. You may be gaining weight due to a lack of sleep. Your body experiences stress from not getting enough sleep, which causes you to store fat more efficiently. Little sleep also contributes to stress, which may make you turn to food for coping.
You're married. Many couples gain an average of 5 pounds within two years of marriage. Together, your food choices are compromised, and your eating habits change. When you have someone to eat dinner with every night, you're more likely to have a large meal with multiple courses rather than skip it or just have a salad for dinner.
You're taking prescription drugs. Certain drugs can cause weight gain, fluid retention, and increased appetite. Read the fine print on your prescription and talk to your doctor about how your drugs can impact other areas of your health. If you must take a prescription with these side effects, talk to your doctor about what you can do to balance them out.
You're stressed out. As you cope with life's demands, you may also be adding to your waistline. Many people reach for food to deal with stress. Additionally, the fight or flight response that happens with stress triggers a process that causes our bodies to store fuel and slow down metabolism.
You drink too much. Even infrequent binge drinking can contribute to abdominal fat. Four or more drinks on one occasion, even just once a week will likely cause weight gain. People who drink small amounts more regularly are significantly less susceptible to weight gain from alcohol. Hard liquor drinkers are especially at risk, so next time, just stick to wine if you've got to have more than one.
You're starving yourself. Although eating less food is a good way to lose weight, taking it to the extreme is harmful. When you deprive yourself of food, it is counterproductive. Starvation causes the body to store food and slow your metabolism, which in the long run will cause you to gain weight. Instead, you should eat small, regular meals.
You weren't breast fed. At this point, there's nothing you can do about it, but bottle-fed babies (who grow into adults) have an increased obesity rate. You can't change your past, but if you decide to have children, you should breastfeed them if you are able.
You're going through menopause. As women reach menopause, they experience a natural slowing of metabolism. Menopause's hormonal changes can also bring on depression, hunger, and insufficient sleep. Estrogen favors weight gain in the lower body, so with a loss of this hormone, women going through menopause often gain more weight in the middle.
You're ingesting "obesogens." Obesogens are chemicals that alter your metabolism hormones and cause us to gain weight. They are also known as "endocrine-disrupting chemicals." Common obesogens are Bisophenol A, found in plastic, can linings, and baby teething toys; PFOA and PFOS on non-stick pans, stain-resistant clothing, carpets, and more; phthalates in soft plastics, fragrances, and other consumer products; as well as pesticides found in food and other products.
Thanks for the excellent post Jasmine.
This Is Why You’re Fat: Really Surprising Reasons!
http://nursepractitionerschools.org/
Jasmine at http://nursepractitionerschools.org recently emailed me with a link to an article they have on their site. Make time to read it and discover some of the reasons why you may not be able to lose fat & weight.
We all know that eating too much and exercising too little are sure-fire ways to get fat and unhealthy. But did you know that things like your marital status and pesticides can influence your weight, too? Here, we'll take a look at surprising reasons why you might be overweight.
You're not sleeping enough. You may be gaining weight due to a lack of sleep. Your body experiences stress from not getting enough sleep, which causes you to store fat more efficiently. Little sleep also contributes to stress, which may make you turn to food for coping.
You're married. Many couples gain an average of 5 pounds within two years of marriage. Together, your food choices are compromised, and your eating habits change. When you have someone to eat dinner with every night, you're more likely to have a large meal with multiple courses rather than skip it or just have a salad for dinner.
You're taking prescription drugs. Certain drugs can cause weight gain, fluid retention, and increased appetite. Read the fine print on your prescription and talk to your doctor about how your drugs can impact other areas of your health. If you must take a prescription with these side effects, talk to your doctor about what you can do to balance them out.
You're stressed out. As you cope with life's demands, you may also be adding to your waistline. Many people reach for food to deal with stress. Additionally, the fight or flight response that happens with stress triggers a process that causes our bodies to store fuel and slow down metabolism.
You drink too much. Even infrequent binge drinking can contribute to abdominal fat. Four or more drinks on one occasion, even just once a week will likely cause weight gain. People who drink small amounts more regularly are significantly less susceptible to weight gain from alcohol. Hard liquor drinkers are especially at risk, so next time, just stick to wine if you've got to have more than one.
You're starving yourself. Although eating less food is a good way to lose weight, taking it to the extreme is harmful. When you deprive yourself of food, it is counterproductive. Starvation causes the body to store food and slow your metabolism, which in the long run will cause you to gain weight. Instead, you should eat small, regular meals.
You weren't breast fed. At this point, there's nothing you can do about it, but bottle-fed babies (who grow into adults) have an increased obesity rate. You can't change your past, but if you decide to have children, you should breastfeed them if you are able.
You're going through menopause. As women reach menopause, they experience a natural slowing of metabolism. Menopause's hormonal changes can also bring on depression, hunger, and insufficient sleep. Estrogen favors weight gain in the lower body, so with a loss of this hormone, women going through menopause often gain more weight in the middle.
You're ingesting "obesogens." Obesogens are chemicals that alter your metabolism hormones and cause us to gain weight. They are also known as "endocrine-disrupting chemicals." Common obesogens are Bisophenol A, found in plastic, can linings, and baby teething toys; PFOA and PFOS on non-stick pans, stain-resistant clothing, carpets, and more; phthalates in soft plastics, fragrances, and other consumer products; as well as pesticides found in food and other products.
Thanks for the excellent post Jasmine.
This Is Why You’re Fat: Really Surprising Reasons!
http://nursepractitionerschools.org/
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