For many people it can be frustrating to think how a low calorie diet could fail to lose weight and reduce fat!
There are many reasons why low calorie diets will never work for long-term results but very few people ever get to know about them. A low calorie diet is probably the first thing that pops into the head of someone wanting to lose weight or tone up the abdominal area. For many people it can be frustrating to think how a low calorie diet could fail to lose weight and reduce fat. This is only because they haven’t had the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the human body and how different foods can influence the ability to lose fat.
Every time we eat something it has an effect on our metabolism, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. The quicker your metabolism runs the more calories you burn. Eating regular meals increases metabolism and so does exercise. Some exercises are more beneficial than others for burning calories during and after the workout.
Skipping meals and restricting calories disrupts the metabolism and slows down the rate your body burns calories. This kind of lifestyle is destructive to fat loss goals and psychologically damages your relationship with food at all sorts of levels. It is essential to get a good balance of nutrients and let go of any fear you may have about eating certain foods because they are high in calories.
It is not just calories that make people fat it is the type of calories that matter. Counting calories won’t make any difference if your diet is made up of mostly processed foods, sugar, alcohol, caffeine and grains.
Your body is nature’s most ingenious design that has developed and adjusted itself for the sake of surviving through evolution. That is why when you begin to restrict calories it automatically assumes there is a famine coming and stores what little food you do eat into the fat cells. In other words the good news is if it didn’t do this we wouldn’t have survived for so long as a species but the bad news is it is at the expense of more and bigger fat cells. Following a diet with restricted calories will make it very difficult if not impossible to lose fat from problem areas on your body.
Every time you imitate a famine you make it harder in the future to restore your normal metabolic rate. You are also more likely to develop sweet cravings because of the poor blood sugar management caused by the infrequent eating. You can quickly see how one thing leads to another and a viscous circle of yoyo dieting is inevitable. Every time you put your body through this ride you end up with more fat storing hormones.
To reduce fat and lose weight permanently it is important to start looking at the type of calories you consume. Gone are the days of starving yourself in the hope of a quick fix solution. Everyone needs a good selection of essential fatty acids, organic vegetables, free-range meats and proteins in their diets. You need to move towards the opposite side of malnourishment and eat frequently to be on a fat loss winner. Never allow yourself to go hungry in between meals; eating a well balanced diet doesn’t qualify you to eat low calories. Doing that wouldn’t keep the metabolism running optimally to see fat loss.
For many people it can be frustrating to think how a low calorie diet could fail to lose weight and reduce fat!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Quickest Way to Get a Six Pack
Concentrate on only a few abdominal exercises!
If you are on a mission to get perfect abs you will need to start following some key strategies outside the box of conventional training methods. Millions are spent annually in marketing the latest gadgets for training abs and food supplements for far loss with the objective to tempt the vulnerable into thinking there is a quick fix to achieving six pack abs. The quick fix solutions for perfect abs are to stop relying on gimmicks and begin to look at your own lifestyle habits.
Believe it or not doing abdominal exercises isn’t the quickest way to get a six-pack. As you read on you will discover it isn’t as straightforward as tiring yourself out doing tons of crunches. It is also worth noting that anyone can transform a flabby tummy into a set of toned abs as long as they follow certain actions.
The first step is to get a reality check on your lifestyle. If you wake tired and drink coffee all day then the first thing you need to do is go to bed earlier. A good nights sleep is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your health, it is often overlooked for achieving optimal physical condition and may be the missing link in getting the abs you desire. It is a necessity rather than an option to have a good night sleep; we release certain hormones for physical repair between 10pm and 2am and specific hormones for psychological repair between 2am and 6am. If you fail to refill your energy account every night with undisturbed sleep you greatly enhance the aging process and reduce your chances of being able to lose body fat.
Drinking adequate amounts of water ranks in number one position for nutritional importance for fat loss and perfect abs. Drink mineral water everyday, drinking water in-between meals and at room temperature is the best way.
The next step then is to stop eating processed foods. The next time you pick up food in a packet look at the ingredients and see if you can pronounce the ingredients, if you can’t don’t let it inside your body. Processed foods contain artificial ingredients and additives that can make you toxic and give your digestive system a hard time. The last thing you need if you want low body fat levels.
Other foods to eliminate for perfect abs is sugar, wheat, alcohol and all caffeine. Once your diet if free from these kinds of foods then you can worry about exercise selection for your abs. The best exercises to get perfect abs are the ones that enable you to progress with levels of difficulty with either your bodyweight as resistance or resistance from some kind of exercise equipment.
For best results it is best to concentrate on only a few abdominal exercises in any one workout. Don’t make the mistake of spreading yourself out too thinly by doing too many exercises and only putting in half the effort.
Concentrate on only a few abdominal exercises!
If you are on a mission to get perfect abs you will need to start following some key strategies outside the box of conventional training methods. Millions are spent annually in marketing the latest gadgets for training abs and food supplements for far loss with the objective to tempt the vulnerable into thinking there is a quick fix to achieving six pack abs. The quick fix solutions for perfect abs are to stop relying on gimmicks and begin to look at your own lifestyle habits.
Believe it or not doing abdominal exercises isn’t the quickest way to get a six-pack. As you read on you will discover it isn’t as straightforward as tiring yourself out doing tons of crunches. It is also worth noting that anyone can transform a flabby tummy into a set of toned abs as long as they follow certain actions.
The first step is to get a reality check on your lifestyle. If you wake tired and drink coffee all day then the first thing you need to do is go to bed earlier. A good nights sleep is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your health, it is often overlooked for achieving optimal physical condition and may be the missing link in getting the abs you desire. It is a necessity rather than an option to have a good night sleep; we release certain hormones for physical repair between 10pm and 2am and specific hormones for psychological repair between 2am and 6am. If you fail to refill your energy account every night with undisturbed sleep you greatly enhance the aging process and reduce your chances of being able to lose body fat.
Drinking adequate amounts of water ranks in number one position for nutritional importance for fat loss and perfect abs. Drink mineral water everyday, drinking water in-between meals and at room temperature is the best way.
The next step then is to stop eating processed foods. The next time you pick up food in a packet look at the ingredients and see if you can pronounce the ingredients, if you can’t don’t let it inside your body. Processed foods contain artificial ingredients and additives that can make you toxic and give your digestive system a hard time. The last thing you need if you want low body fat levels.
Other foods to eliminate for perfect abs is sugar, wheat, alcohol and all caffeine. Once your diet if free from these kinds of foods then you can worry about exercise selection for your abs. The best exercises to get perfect abs are the ones that enable you to progress with levels of difficulty with either your bodyweight as resistance or resistance from some kind of exercise equipment.
For best results it is best to concentrate on only a few abdominal exercises in any one workout. Don’t make the mistake of spreading yourself out too thinly by doing too many exercises and only putting in half the effort.
Concentrate on only a few abdominal exercises!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Difference Between Strength Training & Cardio for Burning Body Fat
A must read article if you are serious about achieving fat loss!
In this post about the cardio fat burning myth I will compare the difference between cardiovascular type exercise and strength training in the effectiveness for achieving fat loss results. Just to recap cardiovascular exercises or cardio for short are activities including walking, jogging, bike riding, rowing and swimming. Strength training also known as resistance training and weight training is a type of exercise that requires the muscles to move an apposing force.
If you read part 1 of this article you will know that most people believe cardio training to be the king of fat burning activities. This assumption and undying myth continues to live on because the general public aren’t aware of the negative reactions cardio exercises can have on the body. Most people also have little knowledge of the many benefits strength training can have for burning fat.
First lets take a look at what cardio training does to your hormones. Doing cardio type exercise raises cortisol; this will stop you losing fat because cortisol is a fat storing hormone. If rising cortisol levels aren’t bad enough for fat loss goals what about cardio making you age quicker because anti aging hormones are lowered when cortisol rises.
Strength training lowers cortisol and raises your anti aging hormones.
You only burn calories whilst you are doing the cardio exercise. The more cardio you do and better you become, the more fuel-efficient you become resulting in fewer calories used.
With strength training you burn calories after the workout. This means you burn fat doing nothing because strength training is more stressful on the body and takes a number of days to recover. Metabolism, the rate your body burns calories can be raised up to 72 hours after a weight training workout.
Cardio training can make you lose muscle tone, just look at any endurance athlete especially marathon runners. They may only have 10% body fat but still look flabby.
Strength training builds shape to the muscles helping to create a pleasing aesthetic appearance.
If the above facts don’t put you off cardio exercises for your first choice in exercise selection for fat loss then consider how much more fun and diverse strength training can be. There are many different types of functional training equipment available to make strength training challenging and different every workout without the risk of being repetitive and boring like cardio training can be.
A must read article if you are serious about achieving fat loss!
In this post about the cardio fat burning myth I will compare the difference between cardiovascular type exercise and strength training in the effectiveness for achieving fat loss results. Just to recap cardiovascular exercises or cardio for short are activities including walking, jogging, bike riding, rowing and swimming. Strength training also known as resistance training and weight training is a type of exercise that requires the muscles to move an apposing force.
If you read part 1 of this article you will know that most people believe cardio training to be the king of fat burning activities. This assumption and undying myth continues to live on because the general public aren’t aware of the negative reactions cardio exercises can have on the body. Most people also have little knowledge of the many benefits strength training can have for burning fat.
First lets take a look at what cardio training does to your hormones. Doing cardio type exercise raises cortisol; this will stop you losing fat because cortisol is a fat storing hormone. If rising cortisol levels aren’t bad enough for fat loss goals what about cardio making you age quicker because anti aging hormones are lowered when cortisol rises.
Strength training lowers cortisol and raises your anti aging hormones.
You only burn calories whilst you are doing the cardio exercise. The more cardio you do and better you become, the more fuel-efficient you become resulting in fewer calories used.
With strength training you burn calories after the workout. This means you burn fat doing nothing because strength training is more stressful on the body and takes a number of days to recover. Metabolism, the rate your body burns calories can be raised up to 72 hours after a weight training workout.
Cardio training can make you lose muscle tone, just look at any endurance athlete especially marathon runners. They may only have 10% body fat but still look flabby.
Strength training builds shape to the muscles helping to create a pleasing aesthetic appearance.
If the above facts don’t put you off cardio exercises for your first choice in exercise selection for fat loss then consider how much more fun and diverse strength training can be. There are many different types of functional training equipment available to make strength training challenging and different every workout without the risk of being repetitive and boring like cardio training can be.
A must read article if you are serious about achieving fat loss!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Superset Way to Train Your Six Pack - Do Anywhere in 15 Minutes
No excuse with time constraints with this workout!
The following method for exercising your abs in only 15 minutes involves a warm up for about 5 minutes, this could be skipping, jogging on the spot or walking. Once the body temperature is elevated gentle stretches for the tightest muscles in your body are recommended.
The aim of the workout is to:
Step 1. Perform exercise #1 - for 30 seconds
Step 2. Immediately followed by exercise #2 - for 30 seconds
Step 3. Rest for 30 seconds before repeating steps 1 to 3
Ten rounds of the above will equal a 15-minute workout.
Exercise #1 – Leg Raise
Key Points: Lie down on your back; both feet should be flat with the knees bent. From this position the pelvis is rolled back pressing on your fingers or on a rolled up towel. If using a towel it should be the same thickness of your hand. The position needs to be directly at the belly button level flat against the floor.
From here both legs are raised and lowered while always keeping the back stable and stationary maintaining pressure on your fingers or towel. The knees should be kept bent and the angle shouldn’t change throughout the 30 seconds of work.
Progression: Open the angle of the knees, that will makes the leg longer and increase the workload on the lower abdominal muscles.
Exercise #2 – The Plank
Key Points: Begin lying face down on the floor with feet together and forearms on the ground, your hands should be clenched in a fist. Draw the abs inward towards your spine and squeeze the glutes (backside muscles). Lift entire body off the ground until it forms a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearms and toes. Forearms should be parallel and elbows directly below the shoulders.
Keeping the back flat and chin tucked hold the position for 30 seconds maintaining good form and slowly return to the ground.
Progression: Can be done on one leg.
People in today’s society want quick fixes and want to see results instantly. In my opinion most people have forgotten the old fashioned way of what it takes to change body shape. All the health aspects that once went hand in hand with exercise have been lost in the tide of the celebrity culture. Celebrity dominant publications are not the place to get your health and fitness information from if you want real and quick fat loss results.
Quick fixes are a waste of time because they never work for anyone apart from the people making money from them. Starving the body of essential nutrients by following the latest fad diet will only end up in a big disappointment and put you off from future attempts.
There is no excuse with time constraints with this six pack workout. It is a simple straightforward routine that will challenge you if done correctly. It can be modified in any which way you deem necessary to achieve the response you want.
Don’t forget with exercise and nutrition, it is the quality and not quantity that matters. It has always been like this and always will be so you can forget searching for a quick fix and wasting your time reading about what your favourite celebrity is doing or in some cases not doing.
No excuse with time constraints with this workout!
The following method for exercising your abs in only 15 minutes involves a warm up for about 5 minutes, this could be skipping, jogging on the spot or walking. Once the body temperature is elevated gentle stretches for the tightest muscles in your body are recommended.
The aim of the workout is to:
Step 1. Perform exercise #1 - for 30 seconds
Step 2. Immediately followed by exercise #2 - for 30 seconds
Step 3. Rest for 30 seconds before repeating steps 1 to 3
Ten rounds of the above will equal a 15-minute workout.
Exercise #1 – Leg Raise
Key Points: Lie down on your back; both feet should be flat with the knees bent. From this position the pelvis is rolled back pressing on your fingers or on a rolled up towel. If using a towel it should be the same thickness of your hand. The position needs to be directly at the belly button level flat against the floor.
From here both legs are raised and lowered while always keeping the back stable and stationary maintaining pressure on your fingers or towel. The knees should be kept bent and the angle shouldn’t change throughout the 30 seconds of work.
Progression: Open the angle of the knees, that will makes the leg longer and increase the workload on the lower abdominal muscles.
Exercise #2 – The Plank
Key Points: Begin lying face down on the floor with feet together and forearms on the ground, your hands should be clenched in a fist. Draw the abs inward towards your spine and squeeze the glutes (backside muscles). Lift entire body off the ground until it forms a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearms and toes. Forearms should be parallel and elbows directly below the shoulders.
Keeping the back flat and chin tucked hold the position for 30 seconds maintaining good form and slowly return to the ground.
Progression: Can be done on one leg.
People in today’s society want quick fixes and want to see results instantly. In my opinion most people have forgotten the old fashioned way of what it takes to change body shape. All the health aspects that once went hand in hand with exercise have been lost in the tide of the celebrity culture. Celebrity dominant publications are not the place to get your health and fitness information from if you want real and quick fat loss results.
Quick fixes are a waste of time because they never work for anyone apart from the people making money from them. Starving the body of essential nutrients by following the latest fad diet will only end up in a big disappointment and put you off from future attempts.
There is no excuse with time constraints with this six pack workout. It is a simple straightforward routine that will challenge you if done correctly. It can be modified in any which way you deem necessary to achieve the response you want.
Don’t forget with exercise and nutrition, it is the quality and not quantity that matters. It has always been like this and always will be so you can forget searching for a quick fix and wasting your time reading about what your favourite celebrity is doing or in some cases not doing.
No excuse with time constraints with this workout!
Friday, January 15, 2010
His & Hers 15-Minute Workout to Help Tone Man Boobs & Lift Saggy Boobs
Shape your body in 15 minutes!
Time constraints for most people in today’s fast living world often leave little time for exercise. The huge misunderstandings people have about the length of time required for exercise to make it worthwhile are usually a long way from accurate. These misconceptions gives the weaker disciplined individual an excuse and discourages those who want to exercise because they feel like they don’t have enough time.
There is a way to make the most of what little time you have and profit in health and fitness whilst changing the shape of your body.
=>15-Minute Workout to Help Tone Man Boobs & Lift Saggy Boobs<=
This approach consists of just two exercises for each workout and involves exercises that will train the core and challenge the nervous system and elevate the metabolism. When the resistance is challenging enough this approach to exercise can add lean muscle mass too.
The method of the following workout requires a warm up of about 5 minutes followed by gentle stretches for the tightest muscles in the body. These are commonly leg and chest stretches. A shoulder girdle warm-up with light dumbbells is done after the warm up with two rounds of ten reps for each exercise of side raises, bicep curls and shoulder presses. This should be enough to get the body ready for the workout ahead.
==>His & Hers 15-Minute Workout<==
The aim of the workout is to do 10-12 reps on both exercises straight after each other followed by a rest of no more than 30 seconds. The plan is to strive for as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes without breaking form and dropping below 8 reps.
The same resistance must be used on all the sets for the workout. You need to select a weight that allows you to perform 12 reps on the first round of exercises. If you can only manage 2 or 3 rounds before dropping below 8 reps stop the workout and continue to progress the next time with a little less starting weight. For intermediates and advanced trainers a 10-20-rep window maybe preferred.
Before you begin, a warm up set for the first exercise is recommended, this should be around 50% of the weight you will be using for all your sets. Strong individuals using heavy weights should do a staggered warm up, for example 50%, 65%, and 75% of the working weight.
===>His & Hers Fat Loss Workout<===
Exercise #1 Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Fly
Place the head and shoulders on a Swiss Ball, look up to the ceiling keeping the chin up so the neck stays in a neutral position. Place the feet apart for a good base of support and bring the belly button towards the spine and hold it there to keep the core muscles activated throughout the set.
Starting with the dumbbells above the chest, slowly allow both arms to slightly bend and lower to roughly shoulder height or when you reach a position where you feel a stretch in the chest muscles. Once they have reached this point return to the start position in a smooth tempo. Keep the dumbbells above the chest and not above the head in the start position. Maintain a straight body on the ball throughout the set by keeping the hips held high and backside muscles tensed.
Exercise #2 Swiss Ball Push Jack Knife
Begin with your feet on top of the Swiss Ball and hands on the floor in a push up position, holding a neutral spine and with the head in line with the spine begin to extend the arms pushing the body away from the floor keeping the tummy drawn in at all times.
When the arms are fully extended smoothly flex the hips until the thighs are vertical making sure not to round the back then immediately return the legs to the straight position as smoothly as possible.
Bend the elbows and drop into the push up starting position and continue the set. There shouldn’t be any breaks in the tempo and each rep should be moderate in speed. Beginners can place more shins on the ball or just do the leg movement part of the exercise. If it is still too difficult you could place a small Swiss Ball under your chest for support or if you don’t have a small Swiss Ball you could use a slightly deflated ball there instead.
The options to progress on this way of training would be to either shorten the rest time in between rounds enabling you to achieve more rounds in the 15 minute window or to increase the resistance so the desired reps are more challenging to reach on every round.
Shape your body in 15 minutes!
Time constraints for most people in today’s fast living world often leave little time for exercise. The huge misunderstandings people have about the length of time required for exercise to make it worthwhile are usually a long way from accurate. These misconceptions gives the weaker disciplined individual an excuse and discourages those who want to exercise because they feel like they don’t have enough time.
There is a way to make the most of what little time you have and profit in health and fitness whilst changing the shape of your body.
=>15-Minute Workout to Help Tone Man Boobs & Lift Saggy Boobs<=
This approach consists of just two exercises for each workout and involves exercises that will train the core and challenge the nervous system and elevate the metabolism. When the resistance is challenging enough this approach to exercise can add lean muscle mass too.
The method of the following workout requires a warm up of about 5 minutes followed by gentle stretches for the tightest muscles in the body. These are commonly leg and chest stretches. A shoulder girdle warm-up with light dumbbells is done after the warm up with two rounds of ten reps for each exercise of side raises, bicep curls and shoulder presses. This should be enough to get the body ready for the workout ahead.
==>His & Hers 15-Minute Workout<==
The aim of the workout is to do 10-12 reps on both exercises straight after each other followed by a rest of no more than 30 seconds. The plan is to strive for as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes without breaking form and dropping below 8 reps.
The same resistance must be used on all the sets for the workout. You need to select a weight that allows you to perform 12 reps on the first round of exercises. If you can only manage 2 or 3 rounds before dropping below 8 reps stop the workout and continue to progress the next time with a little less starting weight. For intermediates and advanced trainers a 10-20-rep window maybe preferred.
Before you begin, a warm up set for the first exercise is recommended, this should be around 50% of the weight you will be using for all your sets. Strong individuals using heavy weights should do a staggered warm up, for example 50%, 65%, and 75% of the working weight.
===>His & Hers Fat Loss Workout<===
Exercise #1 Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Fly
Place the head and shoulders on a Swiss Ball, look up to the ceiling keeping the chin up so the neck stays in a neutral position. Place the feet apart for a good base of support and bring the belly button towards the spine and hold it there to keep the core muscles activated throughout the set.
Starting with the dumbbells above the chest, slowly allow both arms to slightly bend and lower to roughly shoulder height or when you reach a position where you feel a stretch in the chest muscles. Once they have reached this point return to the start position in a smooth tempo. Keep the dumbbells above the chest and not above the head in the start position. Maintain a straight body on the ball throughout the set by keeping the hips held high and backside muscles tensed.
Exercise #2 Swiss Ball Push Jack Knife
Begin with your feet on top of the Swiss Ball and hands on the floor in a push up position, holding a neutral spine and with the head in line with the spine begin to extend the arms pushing the body away from the floor keeping the tummy drawn in at all times.
When the arms are fully extended smoothly flex the hips until the thighs are vertical making sure not to round the back then immediately return the legs to the straight position as smoothly as possible.
Bend the elbows and drop into the push up starting position and continue the set. There shouldn’t be any breaks in the tempo and each rep should be moderate in speed. Beginners can place more shins on the ball or just do the leg movement part of the exercise. If it is still too difficult you could place a small Swiss Ball under your chest for support or if you don’t have a small Swiss Ball you could use a slightly deflated ball there instead.
The options to progress on this way of training would be to either shorten the rest time in between rounds enabling you to achieve more rounds in the 15 minute window or to increase the resistance so the desired reps are more challenging to reach on every round.
Shape your body in 15 minutes!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Is Your Breakfast Making You Fat? How to Make a Cereal “Fat” Killer
How to fight and beat weight gain and fat storage at breakfast!
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 around the six pack area and also how you feel inside.
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.
If you are serious about losing weight, fat & inches try wholegrain puffed rice cereals, they 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. If anything you are eating is easier to digest you have a better chance of achieving a flat stomach.
How to fight and beat weight gain and fat storage at breakfast!
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 around the six pack area and also how you feel inside.
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.
If you are serious about losing weight, fat & inches try wholegrain puffed rice cereals, they 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. If anything you are eating is easier to digest you have a better chance of achieving a flat stomach.
How to fight and beat weight gain and fat storage at breakfast!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Fat Loss & Six Pack Abs - The Problems Concerning Carbohydrates
Understand carbohydrates and the quicker you will achieve fat loss with six pack abs!
Believe it or not, the body has no physiological need for a carbohydrate unlike it has for protein and fat. Despite this fact most of the population overeats these types of calories everyday because they are easily available and more convenient than some healthy alternatives. This daily habit contributes to an increased waistline and poor health. The drawback to the convenience food culture is the likelihood that the calories will be highly processed. Processed foods usually contain bad fats and artificial ingredients with loads of sugar.
There are two main problems concerning carbohydrates
The first problem is that most peoples total daily calorie intake comes from eating carbohydrates with hardly any protein and good fats in the diet. The second concern is that the bulk of these commonly consumed carbohydrates will almost be guaranteed to be processed and full of artificial sweeteners instead of natural carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruit.
Common foods that contain carbohydrates
Breakfast cereals
Bread
Biscuits
Noodles
Pasta
Spaghetti
Jellies & jams
Ice cream
Cakes
Pies
Confectionary
Gravies & sauces
Beer
Wines
Fizzy drinks
Sugar
The quicker you learn which foods are carbohydrates and understand the impact they can have on insulin the quicker you will achieve fat loss with six pack abs and better health. If high levels of insulin are raised frequently and for long enough it contributes to diabetes, heart disease and aging.
The reasons carbohydrates can be bad for fat loss
When we consume food & drink our blood sugar rises and insulin is released to bring it back down to a normal range. This is done by pumping the sugar out of the blood and into the cells to be used for energy or stored for later. Fat has no impact on insulin and protein very little; carbohydrates have the greatest reaction on insulin release. When we eat any kind of carbohydrates they are converted into sugar in the body, the more carbohydrates eaten equals more blood sugar, which in turn means more insulin needed to pump the sugar out of the blood and into the cells.
Insulin is a storage hormone and if you don’t eat the right balance of foods at each meal you get a repetitive cycle of insulin release and fat storage. Eating carbohydrates by themselves will make the fat storing sequence worse. With this going on every mealtime other hormones (fat burning hormones) are inhibited and prevent you from losing fat and weight.
It doesn’t stop there; excess carbohydrates are not only bad for your waistline but bad for your health too. The more insulin released more bad cholesterol is produced. Insulin is the only hormone you can control and this is done with good eating habits.
Excessive insulin has got extensive research linking it to numerous diseases. Choose your carbohydrates wisely in future and always eat good quality protein and good fats with your meals. You will see fat melt from your abdominal area in no time.
Understand carbohydrates and the quicker you will achieve fat loss with six pack abs!
Believe it or not, the body has no physiological need for a carbohydrate unlike it has for protein and fat. Despite this fact most of the population overeats these types of calories everyday because they are easily available and more convenient than some healthy alternatives. This daily habit contributes to an increased waistline and poor health. The drawback to the convenience food culture is the likelihood that the calories will be highly processed. Processed foods usually contain bad fats and artificial ingredients with loads of sugar.
There are two main problems concerning carbohydrates
The first problem is that most peoples total daily calorie intake comes from eating carbohydrates with hardly any protein and good fats in the diet. The second concern is that the bulk of these commonly consumed carbohydrates will almost be guaranteed to be processed and full of artificial sweeteners instead of natural carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruit.
Common foods that contain carbohydrates
Breakfast cereals
Bread
Biscuits
Noodles
Pasta
Spaghetti
Jellies & jams
Ice cream
Cakes
Pies
Confectionary
Gravies & sauces
Beer
Wines
Fizzy drinks
Sugar
The quicker you learn which foods are carbohydrates and understand the impact they can have on insulin the quicker you will achieve fat loss with six pack abs and better health. If high levels of insulin are raised frequently and for long enough it contributes to diabetes, heart disease and aging.
The reasons carbohydrates can be bad for fat loss
When we consume food & drink our blood sugar rises and insulin is released to bring it back down to a normal range. This is done by pumping the sugar out of the blood and into the cells to be used for energy or stored for later. Fat has no impact on insulin and protein very little; carbohydrates have the greatest reaction on insulin release. When we eat any kind of carbohydrates they are converted into sugar in the body, the more carbohydrates eaten equals more blood sugar, which in turn means more insulin needed to pump the sugar out of the blood and into the cells.
Insulin is a storage hormone and if you don’t eat the right balance of foods at each meal you get a repetitive cycle of insulin release and fat storage. Eating carbohydrates by themselves will make the fat storing sequence worse. With this going on every mealtime other hormones (fat burning hormones) are inhibited and prevent you from losing fat and weight.
It doesn’t stop there; excess carbohydrates are not only bad for your waistline but bad for your health too. The more insulin released more bad cholesterol is produced. Insulin is the only hormone you can control and this is done with good eating habits.
Excessive insulin has got extensive research linking it to numerous diseases. Choose your carbohydrates wisely in future and always eat good quality protein and good fats with your meals. You will see fat melt from your abdominal area in no time.
Understand carbohydrates and the quicker you will achieve fat loss with six pack abs!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
How to Start Your Own Weight Loss Club with Cash Prize Incentives
If You Don’t Like Weight Loss Clubs Find A Support Partner - But if You Do, Here is How to Win Money from Slimming & Fat Loss!
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.
Win Money from Slimming & Fat Loss!
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.
Win Money from Slimming & Fat Loss!
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