Would you like to burn more fat simply by changing the way you eat? I talked a little about this in yesterday's blog post, but wanted to go into more detail.
Most have heard of the concept of cycling your calories in order to burn more fat. For example, you can take in a few hundred more calories for a few days, then a few hundred less. If your baseline calorie intake is, for example, 2,000 calories, then you would eat 1,500 for a few days and then 2,500 for a few days. The end result is the same amount of calories, but you burn more fat by tricking your system into believing it is not "on a diet". Diets shut down the metabolism. This helps prevent that from happening, keeping your T4 (thyroid) levels nice and optimal.
If you have not heard of that...well, you get two tips today! My take on this is slightly different: cyclical feeding. This is where you eat more of one macronutrient (protein or carbohydrate) for a given day, perhaps two days, and then cycle back. Here's an example that works very well.Consume your normal healthy diet -- for more on how to eat to burn fat, contact me for a personal meal plan, ---but every other day, say Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you change it up.What you do is consume some protein...about 20 grams or so, assuming you do not have gout or liver/kidney issues...15 minutes before consuming your three main meals. Eat two snacks of raw foods like veggies or apples and nuts in-between your main meals.Then, at your main meals, consume half the normal portions of protein and about 1/3 more carbohydrate.This trick works on multiple levels. First, you have set your body up to blunt the larger carb intake with a bit of protein before-hand. Second, you will tend to eat less simply by eating protein by itself 20 minutes prior to your main meal. Finally, even if you do eat more, you will return to eating less the next day -- and that cycles your calories as well as your macronutrients.
Keep your body guessing - and have fun with it!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Keep Your Fat Furnace Working
To look full and cut - i.e., to display nice detail throughout your physique without having your muscles look stringy and depleted - follow my four keys to FAT! loss, and you'll be shocked by how quickly you reach your goal. To make your effort truly successful, think of your body not as a temple, but as a machine that needs fuel.
One problem for the increase in body fat % with advancing age is that 'basal fat oxidation' - the rate at which fat is broken down inside the body tends to drop as we get older. As fat oxidation drops, more fat piles up on the hips or droops from the midsection.
Now the question arises, What can be done to prevent fat-oxidation rates from dipping? Well, the answer is:
Try to maintain or increase muscle mass- When researchers recently studied a large group of healthy women, aged 18 to 73, they found that the best predictor of fat-burning decline was a loss in muscle mass not advancing age or a diminishment in aerobic capacity. In other words, losing muscle mass causes fat-burning fires to die down much more rapidly, compared with getting older or losing fitness. Women can check or even reverse the tendency for fat oxidation to decline with age simply by bolstering their muscles. Sustaining high fat-oxidation rates would then make it hard to develop a big tummy or 'thunder thighs' and would improve athletic performances. Take up strength training two to three times a week for 30-45 minutes. The result will be a stronger, leaner you.
Eat small meals often throughout the day- To get truly lean, even ripped, in a minimal amount of time, eating smaller meals more often throughout your day is a much more effective method. Spacing your meals every 2 1/2 to three hours provides a number of metabolism-enhancing benefits like : Improved appetite control, Better glycogen storage in the liver and muscle tissues, Adequate nutrient stores to meet the body's momentary nutritional demands & Improved gastrointestinal transit time. You should eat whether you feel hungry or not. Hunger signals a deficit of nutrients, and you always want to stay ahead of the curve.
Boost your carbohydrate intake - Don't eat baked potatoes or white rice. Eat yams and sweet potatoes, brown rice and assorted grains (they burn longer); pack down tons of salads and vegetables (they require more energy to process than they contain). To keep your system working optimally - that is, to keep it guessing - don't get caught in a carb rut. To keep the body working and guessing, take in the usual amount of carbs your body calls for on day one; on the next day, drop carb intake by 250 calories (62.5 grams), on day three, increase carbs over your daily level by 250 calories, return to your standard intake on day four. For an additional surprise to your metabolism, drop your carb intake by 500 calories every now and then. This will prevent your body going into a state of homeostasis.
Fan your aerobic furnace- by varying the intensity of your aerobic workouts. After a good warm-up, incorporate a few short bursts of speed to take your heart rate up a little higher for a minute or two. Then slow down and recover at your normal pace. Interval training adds variety, helps burn more calories and increases your cardiovascular fitness level.
Stay hydrated - Muscle tissue is 70 percent water. So if you want to get lean and hard, drink plenty of H2O. Water is essential for protein conversion and carbohydrate uptake; the chemical conversion of carbs to energy cannot take place efficiently without ample water. You can't load muscle cells with glycogen or deliver amino acids to muscle tissue without adequate water. More important, fat, the vast majority of which is stored under the skin, is mobilized through a process called hydrolysis. As the word suggests, hydrolysis requires plenty of water - meaning that insufficient amounts of H2O in your body will hinder effective breakdown of fat.
Get enough protein each day- One way to minimize muscle loss is to get enough protein delivered in relatively precise doses throughout the course of each day. To estimate the amount of protein you should consume every day use the weight at which you think you would look good if you were lean (be realistic!), then multiply that number by 0.8 grams. If that number is, say, 170 pounds, your daily requirement is 136 grams of protein, which translates to 27 grams of protein per meal.
Stop dieting- Statistics show that dieting has both physical and psychological consequences. Starvation is a sign for the body to preserve fat. Rigid food restriction is known to prompt binge eating in previously normal eaters.
Change-up the workout routine - The same fitness routine, week after week, has the potential to lead to burnout and boredom. Physiologically, your body needs change as well to avoid exercise plateaus and diminishing results. Change your workout routine a little after 4-6 weeks. This might mean changing the type of activities you’re doing, the order of your exercises, or the intensity and duration of your workouts.
Go about adding these tips to keep your fat furnace working.
One problem for the increase in body fat % with advancing age is that 'basal fat oxidation' - the rate at which fat is broken down inside the body tends to drop as we get older. As fat oxidation drops, more fat piles up on the hips or droops from the midsection.
Now the question arises, What can be done to prevent fat-oxidation rates from dipping? Well, the answer is:
Try to maintain or increase muscle mass- When researchers recently studied a large group of healthy women, aged 18 to 73, they found that the best predictor of fat-burning decline was a loss in muscle mass not advancing age or a diminishment in aerobic capacity. In other words, losing muscle mass causes fat-burning fires to die down much more rapidly, compared with getting older or losing fitness. Women can check or even reverse the tendency for fat oxidation to decline with age simply by bolstering their muscles. Sustaining high fat-oxidation rates would then make it hard to develop a big tummy or 'thunder thighs' and would improve athletic performances. Take up strength training two to three times a week for 30-45 minutes. The result will be a stronger, leaner you.
Eat small meals often throughout the day- To get truly lean, even ripped, in a minimal amount of time, eating smaller meals more often throughout your day is a much more effective method. Spacing your meals every 2 1/2 to three hours provides a number of metabolism-enhancing benefits like : Improved appetite control, Better glycogen storage in the liver and muscle tissues, Adequate nutrient stores to meet the body's momentary nutritional demands & Improved gastrointestinal transit time. You should eat whether you feel hungry or not. Hunger signals a deficit of nutrients, and you always want to stay ahead of the curve.
Boost your carbohydrate intake - Don't eat baked potatoes or white rice. Eat yams and sweet potatoes, brown rice and assorted grains (they burn longer); pack down tons of salads and vegetables (they require more energy to process than they contain). To keep your system working optimally - that is, to keep it guessing - don't get caught in a carb rut. To keep the body working and guessing, take in the usual amount of carbs your body calls for on day one; on the next day, drop carb intake by 250 calories (62.5 grams), on day three, increase carbs over your daily level by 250 calories, return to your standard intake on day four. For an additional surprise to your metabolism, drop your carb intake by 500 calories every now and then. This will prevent your body going into a state of homeostasis.
Fan your aerobic furnace- by varying the intensity of your aerobic workouts. After a good warm-up, incorporate a few short bursts of speed to take your heart rate up a little higher for a minute or two. Then slow down and recover at your normal pace. Interval training adds variety, helps burn more calories and increases your cardiovascular fitness level.
Stay hydrated - Muscle tissue is 70 percent water. So if you want to get lean and hard, drink plenty of H2O. Water is essential for protein conversion and carbohydrate uptake; the chemical conversion of carbs to energy cannot take place efficiently without ample water. You can't load muscle cells with glycogen or deliver amino acids to muscle tissue without adequate water. More important, fat, the vast majority of which is stored under the skin, is mobilized through a process called hydrolysis. As the word suggests, hydrolysis requires plenty of water - meaning that insufficient amounts of H2O in your body will hinder effective breakdown of fat.
Get enough protein each day- One way to minimize muscle loss is to get enough protein delivered in relatively precise doses throughout the course of each day. To estimate the amount of protein you should consume every day use the weight at which you think you would look good if you were lean (be realistic!), then multiply that number by 0.8 grams. If that number is, say, 170 pounds, your daily requirement is 136 grams of protein, which translates to 27 grams of protein per meal.
Stop dieting- Statistics show that dieting has both physical and psychological consequences. Starvation is a sign for the body to preserve fat. Rigid food restriction is known to prompt binge eating in previously normal eaters.
Change-up the workout routine - The same fitness routine, week after week, has the potential to lead to burnout and boredom. Physiologically, your body needs change as well to avoid exercise plateaus and diminishing results. Change your workout routine a little after 4-6 weeks. This might mean changing the type of activities you’re doing, the order of your exercises, or the intensity and duration of your workouts.
Go about adding these tips to keep your fat furnace working.
How to loose 7lbs this week!
If you were anything like me, you probably had a very festive Christmas with lots of tasty treats, large meals with family and a little alcohol! If you've managed to gain a few more pounds than you'd have liked, here's a quick and simple solution I use to get fast fat loss, safely and effectively...
1. Start throwing away the Christmas snacks, treats and chocolates - Thel onger they remain within arms reach, the longer you'll keep picking at them. Give yourself a rest from the junk until after the contest, and give your body a chance to recover.
2. Choose healthy options instead - Eat 4-5 small meals a day, and center each one around lean protein (meat, fish, eggs) and fresh vegetables. Start the day with eggs.
3. More water please and less alcohol - Chances are you'll be drinking on New Year's Eve, so give the alcohol a rest for a few days and instead fill up on water. Rehydrate, burn more fat and look fresher too!
4. Avoid the bread, pasta, rice and 'doughy' foods - Give your digestion a rest and reduce the bloating.
5. Just Move! - Doesn't matter what you do right now. Get outside for a day out with the family, walk the dog, go for a run, do some weight circuits. The more strenuous the activity, the less time you need to dedicate!
Enjoy the rest of your holidays and start 2009 with a positive plan- to get fit in less time than ever before!
If you or anyone you know hasn't signed up for the contest, it's not too late and email me your measurments ASAP!
1. Start throwing away the Christmas snacks, treats and chocolates - Thel onger they remain within arms reach, the longer you'll keep picking at them. Give yourself a rest from the junk until after the contest, and give your body a chance to recover.
2. Choose healthy options instead - Eat 4-5 small meals a day, and center each one around lean protein (meat, fish, eggs) and fresh vegetables. Start the day with eggs.
3. More water please and less alcohol - Chances are you'll be drinking on New Year's Eve, so give the alcohol a rest for a few days and instead fill up on water. Rehydrate, burn more fat and look fresher too!
4. Avoid the bread, pasta, rice and 'doughy' foods - Give your digestion a rest and reduce the bloating.
5. Just Move! - Doesn't matter what you do right now. Get outside for a day out with the family, walk the dog, go for a run, do some weight circuits. The more strenuous the activity, the less time you need to dedicate!
Enjoy the rest of your holidays and start 2009 with a positive plan- to get fit in less time than ever before!
If you or anyone you know hasn't signed up for the contest, it's not too late and email me your measurments ASAP!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Contest Day 1
Participants
Andrew Greig
Karen Tabuchi
Adam Utz
Jo Pierson
George Pierson
Brandon Musick
Anne Arnold
Tami Ernesti
Kathy Mclain
Amber Morlan
Matt Haglund
Mike Drummond
Emily Tyler
Marcus Kean
14 people total: Cash prize:$280
Tell all your friends relatives, coworkers etc. let's make this contest huge.
Andrew Greig
Karen Tabuchi
Adam Utz
Jo Pierson
George Pierson
Brandon Musick
Anne Arnold
Tami Ernesti
Kathy Mclain
Amber Morlan
Matt Haglund
Mike Drummond
Emily Tyler
Marcus Kean
14 people total: Cash prize:$280
Tell all your friends relatives, coworkers etc. let's make this contest huge.
Thanks to everyone
Hi Everyone,
Thanks again for signing up as a follower to the Burn More FAT! blog. And if you read the blog, but aren't a follower, I invite you to please become one.
The purpose of this blog is to give you great advice that you can put to use right away - in a quick, easy to read format. I've tried everything out there (seriously, I'm not kidding!) so I knowwhat you should be doing in terms of exercise, nutrition and supplementation. Most trainers don't tell you about what works from experience, they just tell you what the textbooks say is the right way to lose weight. I had a client that I wanted to do measurements on, but she just started last week. She really didn't want to measure, and told me that she doesn't loose weight this soon. To her surprise, but not to mine, she had lost 5 lbs and 3% bodyfat.
For the first of the year, I wanted to give you a little backgroundabout who I am and why I decided to do this blog and personal training in general. I am 26 years old and have had an extreme passion for fitness my entire life. My niche is getting clients in the best shape of their lives I'm talking about washboard abs, 6% body fat, and Results! Not to sound egotistical but I've had great success - training clients for marathons. Getting troops battle ready in Iraq! But mostly I've worked with a bunch of working moms and dads who had little-to-no time to focus on fitness - In 2006 & 2007 I was voted best personal trainer, In 2008 I trained Adam Utz, winner of the Great Fitness Challenge.
I have to focus on my fitnessevery day of my life. I can't eat whatever I want and skip my exercise routines or I'll get FAT. This does not come easy to me
Ok - enough about me (and sorry for the long blog). I just wanted to tell you my story. So now, feel free to tell me yours - send mean email at brandon@prairielife.com, or comment on my blog.
This is an exciting time for me personally, being able to help you change your life forever, so let's get started!
Thanks again for signing up as a follower to the Burn More FAT! blog. And if you read the blog, but aren't a follower, I invite you to please become one.
The purpose of this blog is to give you great advice that you can put to use right away - in a quick, easy to read format. I've tried everything out there (seriously, I'm not kidding!) so I knowwhat you should be doing in terms of exercise, nutrition and supplementation. Most trainers don't tell you about what works from experience, they just tell you what the textbooks say is the right way to lose weight. I had a client that I wanted to do measurements on, but she just started last week. She really didn't want to measure, and told me that she doesn't loose weight this soon. To her surprise, but not to mine, she had lost 5 lbs and 3% bodyfat.
For the first of the year, I wanted to give you a little backgroundabout who I am and why I decided to do this blog and personal training in general. I am 26 years old and have had an extreme passion for fitness my entire life. My niche is getting clients in the best shape of their lives I'm talking about washboard abs, 6% body fat, and Results! Not to sound egotistical but I've had great success - training clients for marathons. Getting troops battle ready in Iraq! But mostly I've worked with a bunch of working moms and dads who had little-to-no time to focus on fitness - In 2006 & 2007 I was voted best personal trainer, In 2008 I trained Adam Utz, winner of the Great Fitness Challenge.
I have to focus on my fitnessevery day of my life. I can't eat whatever I want and skip my exercise routines or I'll get FAT. This does not come easy to me
Ok - enough about me (and sorry for the long blog). I just wanted to tell you my story. So now, feel free to tell me yours - send mean email at brandon@prairielife.com, or comment on my blog.
This is an exciting time for me personally, being able to help you change your life forever, so let's get started!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Recent email sent from an old client
Dear Brandon:
I've recently read from the Internet that long cardio workouts (e.g. running) are not the best for permanent fat loss. These articles claim that because cardio burns fat, the body stores more fat after the workout to prepare for the next exercise. They say that resistance training and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are better for fat loss.
I don't know if these claims are reliable. Could you clarify? Thanks!
—Wanna Lose Fat
Dear Wanna Lose Fat,
The Internet can be a good resource for health and fitness information, but it's great that you are double-checking your findings. Especially because there is not much support for the claim that long cardio workouts cause your body to store more fat. However, there is good evidence that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective fat-buster.
HIIT, or interval training, is characterized by alternating between periods of high- and low-intensity activity during a workout. For example, instead of running at a steady pace for 30 minutes, you could alternate between sprinting for one minute and then walking or jogging for two minutes. This fast/slow technique seems to maximize fat-burning. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, participants burned more fat (and showed improved cardiovascular fitness) after only seven sessions of HIIT over two weeks. HIIT may work by training mitochondria (the cell's energy centers) to burn fat calories before carbohydrate calories.
In general, high-intensity or aerobic exercise burns more fat than low-intensity exercise. For example, you will burn more fat calories by running for 30 minutes compared to power walking for the same amount of time. What counts as "high" or "low" intensity exercise varies from person to person, and also depends on your heart rate. Ask your trainer to calculate your target heart rate during a high intensity workout.
I also recommend mixing up your workouts to include weight training along with aerobic exercise in order to build muscle and burn fat more efficiently. Finding a variety of ways to exercise that you truly enjoy (whether it's cycling, dancing, running, or yoga) will also help you burn more fat in the long run — if you're having fun, you may be more likely to exercise longer and more often, and avoid burnout.
Before you begin interval training or start a new exercise regimen, you will want to talk with a trainer to make sure you won't be wasting your time. Kansas City residents can discuss their fitness goals with me at Prairie Life Fitness. You might also want to contact me for an online training program to help plan and track your workouts.
Good luck this new year!
I've recently read from the Internet that long cardio workouts (e.g. running) are not the best for permanent fat loss. These articles claim that because cardio burns fat, the body stores more fat after the workout to prepare for the next exercise. They say that resistance training and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are better for fat loss.
I don't know if these claims are reliable. Could you clarify? Thanks!
—Wanna Lose Fat
Dear Wanna Lose Fat,
The Internet can be a good resource for health and fitness information, but it's great that you are double-checking your findings. Especially because there is not much support for the claim that long cardio workouts cause your body to store more fat. However, there is good evidence that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective fat-buster.
HIIT, or interval training, is characterized by alternating between periods of high- and low-intensity activity during a workout. For example, instead of running at a steady pace for 30 minutes, you could alternate between sprinting for one minute and then walking or jogging for two minutes. This fast/slow technique seems to maximize fat-burning. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, participants burned more fat (and showed improved cardiovascular fitness) after only seven sessions of HIIT over two weeks. HIIT may work by training mitochondria (the cell's energy centers) to burn fat calories before carbohydrate calories.
In general, high-intensity or aerobic exercise burns more fat than low-intensity exercise. For example, you will burn more fat calories by running for 30 minutes compared to power walking for the same amount of time. What counts as "high" or "low" intensity exercise varies from person to person, and also depends on your heart rate. Ask your trainer to calculate your target heart rate during a high intensity workout.
I also recommend mixing up your workouts to include weight training along with aerobic exercise in order to build muscle and burn fat more efficiently. Finding a variety of ways to exercise that you truly enjoy (whether it's cycling, dancing, running, or yoga) will also help you burn more fat in the long run — if you're having fun, you may be more likely to exercise longer and more often, and avoid burnout.
Before you begin interval training or start a new exercise regimen, you will want to talk with a trainer to make sure you won't be wasting your time. Kansas City residents can discuss their fitness goals with me at Prairie Life Fitness. You might also want to contact me for an online training program to help plan and track your workouts.
Good luck this new year!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Lets see those ABS!
There are various techniques which can help in loosing weight in a faster span. Even if you don’t have much time, the below mentioned techniques will help you a lot.
Quick Note: If you are looking to get your body in shape an healthier then ever this year then my Burn The FAT! program will get you there fast. Burn The FAT! was created to get your body to confuse it’s self with the muscle confusion process. This will allow your body to create muscles faster and show results faster. Get ripped in 90 days, this is a guaranteed process.
1. Have breakfast regularly
It is very important to have your breakfast regularly. If you skip your breakfast then you can suffer from various problems like low sugar in blood. The food items which are consumed in the breakfast must be a fruit, some kind of protein source or supplement and whole grains. It is not necessary that the food items look fancy. Even items like the apple, fat free peanut butter, toast made from whole wheat will be sufficient. The most advisable breakfast items are wheat crackers, cottage cheese or eggs and blue berries. This would help in the supplement of proteins, nutrients and minerals in the body which will make you energetic throughout the day.
2. Take your own packed lunch
It is a common habit of most of us, that we just rush to a nearby fast food restaurant and have a mouthwatering delicacy which will enrich our body with lots of cholesterol and fats. It is simply unfit for our body. If you take your own packed lunch along with, you won't be lured to have fast food. Nowadays, most offices have microwave ovens and fridges. You can easily make your own soup and enjoy it with your griled chicken salad. Even it gives you monetary benefits. Your precious time is also saved. Your excess time can be utilized in having a walk, accomplish your odd jobs or you can just relax.
3.Have healthy snacks - The most suitable snacks are low glycemic fruits, cottage cheese, some nuts, low fat cheese, and protein shakes.
You can go for vegetables or fresh fruits. You can store your snacks in zip lock bags and when you feel hungry, they would be easily available.
4. Think before you drink If you are looking for a drink to refresh yourself, then water is the best source. Drink a lot of water instead of sodas, tea, coffee, juices in order to reduce your calories.
Quick Note: If you are looking to get your body in shape an healthier then ever this year then my Burn The FAT! program will get you there fast. Burn The FAT! was created to get your body to confuse it’s self with the muscle confusion process. This will allow your body to create muscles faster and show results faster. Get ripped in 90 days, this is a guaranteed process.
1. Have breakfast regularly
It is very important to have your breakfast regularly. If you skip your breakfast then you can suffer from various problems like low sugar in blood. The food items which are consumed in the breakfast must be a fruit, some kind of protein source or supplement and whole grains. It is not necessary that the food items look fancy. Even items like the apple, fat free peanut butter, toast made from whole wheat will be sufficient. The most advisable breakfast items are wheat crackers, cottage cheese or eggs and blue berries. This would help in the supplement of proteins, nutrients and minerals in the body which will make you energetic throughout the day.
2. Take your own packed lunch
It is a common habit of most of us, that we just rush to a nearby fast food restaurant and have a mouthwatering delicacy which will enrich our body with lots of cholesterol and fats. It is simply unfit for our body. If you take your own packed lunch along with, you won't be lured to have fast food. Nowadays, most offices have microwave ovens and fridges. You can easily make your own soup and enjoy it with your griled chicken salad. Even it gives you monetary benefits. Your precious time is also saved. Your excess time can be utilized in having a walk, accomplish your odd jobs or you can just relax.
3.Have healthy snacks - The most suitable snacks are low glycemic fruits, cottage cheese, some nuts, low fat cheese, and protein shakes.
You can go for vegetables or fresh fruits. You can store your snacks in zip lock bags and when you feel hungry, they would be easily available.
4. Think before you drink If you are looking for a drink to refresh yourself, then water is the best source. Drink a lot of water instead of sodas, tea, coffee, juices in order to reduce your calories.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Is it true that to burn the most fat I should exercise at a slower pace? I've seen treadmills that indicate a slower pace for "fat-burning" and a fast
Not necessarily. The widespread belief that slow exercise burns more fat is a misinterpretation of research. It is true that of all the calories burned during exercise, a greater proportion comes from fat during low-intensity exercise than during higher-intensity activity. To burn the greatest amount of total fat, however, it is more effective to increase the intensity or duration of exercise. Although a smaller proportion of the calories burned comes from fat when exercising at a higher intensity, its ability to burn significantly more calories overall means that a larger total amount of fat is burned. Therefore, if you hit a plateau in your exercise program, and want to bump up your pace, you don't have to choose between weight control and heart health. Low-intensity exercise can still play an essential role in your workout, as a warm-up and cool-down, and as the only safe way to begin an exercise program. If you don't want to work out at a higher intensity, don't push yourself. Just by making the change from a sedentary lifestyle to a regular program of low-intensity exercise like walking, you can make the most important step for weight control and overall health.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Contest starts in 1 week
Contest starts in 1 week, you must let me know if you are interested in starting. It's an 8 week contest, based on body transformation. 1 point will be awarded for each pound lost, each inch lost, each percent bodyfat lost. 5 points will be awarded for each vote received at the end.
Rules: you must be a follower of the blog
You must give an update 1 time per week
you must take before and after pictures, and have measurements done
You must truely want to make a difference in your life:
$20 to enter, winner takes all!
So far we have
Andrew Greig
Karen Tabuchi
Adam Utz
Jo Pierson
George Pierson
Brandon Musick
Anne Arnold
Tami Ernesti
Kathy Mclain
if i forgot your name please post a response or let me know
Rules: you must be a follower of the blog
You must give an update 1 time per week
you must take before and after pictures, and have measurements done
You must truely want to make a difference in your life:
$20 to enter, winner takes all!
So far we have
Andrew Greig
Karen Tabuchi
Adam Utz
Jo Pierson
George Pierson
Brandon Musick
Anne Arnold
Tami Ernesti
Kathy Mclain
if i forgot your name please post a response or let me know
15 Fat loss mistakes
Trying to do too much too soon
Making the life-changing decision to lose weight and live a healthier life? Bravo!
Trying to go from Sedentary Slob to Superman on a Monday morning? Not so smart. It is a surefire way to be back to the Twinkies by mid-day Wednesday. Take things one step at a time and you are much more likely to succeed - you can't expect to undo years worth of damage overnight despite what every well-written Internet ad would have you believe.
Eating only three times a day
If you are like me, you were brought up eating breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Sometimes it was 5 hours between breakfast and lunch, and I couldn't wait to stuff myself with a big sandwich, chips and a cookie. Then another 6-7 hours between lunch and dinner, and by the time dinner came I could eat a pound of pasta and a dozen meatballs on top of the bread to start the meal and the dessert to follow it. My blood sugars had dipped so far down, I was starving! Now eating 5-6 meals a day I can control my calories at each meal.
Starving yourself
As you can see above, if you are skipping meals then you are not taking advantage of your built-in fat burning mechanism. There were days when I worked out extremely hard and barely ate, a true recipe for disaster! It is especially important to eat (or drink a protein shake) after a workout to help kick-start the rebuilding process.
Doing hours and hours of cardio
Traditional "cardio", where you do long bouts (45 minutes or more) on a treadmill or an elliptical machine at a moderate pace has always been the recommendation of doctors and most trainers. Why? Because at a moderate pace your body is using stored body fat for energy. You'll often see this referred to as the "fat burning zone." So, why is burning body fat a bad thing? Have I finally lost my mind? Doing more work in a shorter time, your body will burn primarily glycogen (sugar) for energy. However your total calories burned, total calories from FAT! burned and Post-exercise metabolic rate will all be greater.
Sweating the Small Stuff
Before I knew better, whenever I wanted to loose fat and I went to the gym to do a strength training workout, my routine contained exercises that I thought would be of benefit - bicep curls, calf raises, and countless number of crunches for example. I would also do 8-10 repetitions of an exercise, wait 2 minutes, then repeat 2-3 more times. My workouts were long, and they weren't productive. As my time became crunched, I needed to find a more effective and
efficient way to workout. That's why I created Burn More FAT!
Not drinking enough water
Dehydration inhibits fat loss - of that we can be sure. What is up for debate is how much water you need in a given day - most people don't get enough water on a daily basis, never mind for training / fat loss. When you don't have enough water, your bowels will also slow down, and nobody wants all that extra poop lying around!
Kept looking for the quick fix
There is NO quick fix. However, you can get as lean as you wish with hard work and dedication. Your program just needs to be tailored to you.
Underestimated portion sizes
When you are first starting out on your fat loss plan you absolutely must measure everything and keep a food log! Buy a small kitchen scale, and measuring spoons and cups so you can really get a sense for amounts of food. Even if you use some of the recommendations, like a 3 ounce portion of meat is about the size of your fist, you can underestimate the actual size. One time I thought a piece of chicken was about the size of my fist, then I weighed it and found it was closer to 6 ounces rather than 3 ounces - which would've been the size of both of my fists!
Did not grasp the concept that "all calories are not created equal"
I bet you've heard this one before - a calorie is a calorie. So eating 100 calories worth of Cheezy Poofs is the same as eating a half-cup of cottage cheese, because they are both roughly 100 calories, according to this logic. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.
Letting others knock you off track
My family is full of enablers - they mean well, but they were not sensitive to the fact that I was trying to stay on track with my fat loss efforts. My mom is a great cook, and my mom always has tasty treats in the house, and they never hesitated to stop me from eating them. Within 30 minutes I can eat myself stupid and undo all of the positive progress that I had spent the past week achieving - classic two steps forward, two steps back. I need to take control of the situation.
Did not get back "on the wagon" immediately after falling off
Often times I would lose my fat loss ways toward the end of any given week - be it Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Whether I had let others get me off track, or I had done it all by myself, I consumed too much food that was not "on the program". It was at that point that I rationalized that, since I was "off the wagon" I would wait until Monday to get started again! Never making any progress.
Trying to be perfect every day
Life is not perfect - and your fat loss program shouldn't be either. You can't expect yourself to follow your program to the letter every second of every day until you reach your goal. If you do, you are setting yourself up for failure. That is why you need to apply the 90/10 rule to your nutrition and exercise. Schedule a cheat meal every 10 days. Just make sure you control the food and don't let the food control you.
Not setting realistic expectations
So it took you your entire life to get to this point, the point where you are fed up with your size and want to blast the fat off for good, and you expect to reverse all of the damage in 3 weeks? That is what a lot of diet products would like you to believe. You can't undo a life's worth of damage in such a short time.
Not giving your body proper rest between exercise sessions
You don't exercise to see the results that happen to your body during exercise - all of the magic actually happens after, not during, exercise. I thought
the more exercise, the better - sometimes I would be at the gym 3 times a day! Take plenty of rest, more is not better.
Not eating enough fiber
I have not include any fiber-rich foods in my diet (for example beans, peas, apples, grapefruit) and I paid the price for it. Let's just say that the old "golf ball through a garden hose" analogy.
So how do you avoid making these mistakes?
You need the advice of a REAL fat loss expert – someone who has actually done what it is you are trying to do, someone who has who has helped others lust like you! Anyone can tell you what should happen based on what they read in a textbook, but not everyone can tell you what works based on experience.
Making the life-changing decision to lose weight and live a healthier life? Bravo!
Trying to go from Sedentary Slob to Superman on a Monday morning? Not so smart. It is a surefire way to be back to the Twinkies by mid-day Wednesday. Take things one step at a time and you are much more likely to succeed - you can't expect to undo years worth of damage overnight despite what every well-written Internet ad would have you believe.
Eating only three times a day
If you are like me, you were brought up eating breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Sometimes it was 5 hours between breakfast and lunch, and I couldn't wait to stuff myself with a big sandwich, chips and a cookie. Then another 6-7 hours between lunch and dinner, and by the time dinner came I could eat a pound of pasta and a dozen meatballs on top of the bread to start the meal and the dessert to follow it. My blood sugars had dipped so far down, I was starving! Now eating 5-6 meals a day I can control my calories at each meal.
Starving yourself
As you can see above, if you are skipping meals then you are not taking advantage of your built-in fat burning mechanism. There were days when I worked out extremely hard and barely ate, a true recipe for disaster! It is especially important to eat (or drink a protein shake) after a workout to help kick-start the rebuilding process.
Doing hours and hours of cardio
Traditional "cardio", where you do long bouts (45 minutes or more) on a treadmill or an elliptical machine at a moderate pace has always been the recommendation of doctors and most trainers. Why? Because at a moderate pace your body is using stored body fat for energy. You'll often see this referred to as the "fat burning zone." So, why is burning body fat a bad thing? Have I finally lost my mind? Doing more work in a shorter time, your body will burn primarily glycogen (sugar) for energy. However your total calories burned, total calories from FAT! burned and Post-exercise metabolic rate will all be greater.
Sweating the Small Stuff
Before I knew better, whenever I wanted to loose fat and I went to the gym to do a strength training workout, my routine contained exercises that I thought would be of benefit - bicep curls, calf raises, and countless number of crunches for example. I would also do 8-10 repetitions of an exercise, wait 2 minutes, then repeat 2-3 more times. My workouts were long, and they weren't productive. As my time became crunched, I needed to find a more effective and
efficient way to workout. That's why I created Burn More FAT!
Not drinking enough water
Dehydration inhibits fat loss - of that we can be sure. What is up for debate is how much water you need in a given day - most people don't get enough water on a daily basis, never mind for training / fat loss. When you don't have enough water, your bowels will also slow down, and nobody wants all that extra poop lying around!
Kept looking for the quick fix
There is NO quick fix. However, you can get as lean as you wish with hard work and dedication. Your program just needs to be tailored to you.
Underestimated portion sizes
When you are first starting out on your fat loss plan you absolutely must measure everything and keep a food log! Buy a small kitchen scale, and measuring spoons and cups so you can really get a sense for amounts of food. Even if you use some of the recommendations, like a 3 ounce portion of meat is about the size of your fist, you can underestimate the actual size. One time I thought a piece of chicken was about the size of my fist, then I weighed it and found it was closer to 6 ounces rather than 3 ounces - which would've been the size of both of my fists!
Did not grasp the concept that "all calories are not created equal"
I bet you've heard this one before - a calorie is a calorie. So eating 100 calories worth of Cheezy Poofs is the same as eating a half-cup of cottage cheese, because they are both roughly 100 calories, according to this logic. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.
Letting others knock you off track
My family is full of enablers - they mean well, but they were not sensitive to the fact that I was trying to stay on track with my fat loss efforts. My mom is a great cook, and my mom always has tasty treats in the house, and they never hesitated to stop me from eating them. Within 30 minutes I can eat myself stupid and undo all of the positive progress that I had spent the past week achieving - classic two steps forward, two steps back. I need to take control of the situation.
Did not get back "on the wagon" immediately after falling off
Often times I would lose my fat loss ways toward the end of any given week - be it Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Whether I had let others get me off track, or I had done it all by myself, I consumed too much food that was not "on the program". It was at that point that I rationalized that, since I was "off the wagon" I would wait until Monday to get started again! Never making any progress.
Trying to be perfect every day
Life is not perfect - and your fat loss program shouldn't be either. You can't expect yourself to follow your program to the letter every second of every day until you reach your goal. If you do, you are setting yourself up for failure. That is why you need to apply the 90/10 rule to your nutrition and exercise. Schedule a cheat meal every 10 days. Just make sure you control the food and don't let the food control you.
Not setting realistic expectations
So it took you your entire life to get to this point, the point where you are fed up with your size and want to blast the fat off for good, and you expect to reverse all of the damage in 3 weeks? That is what a lot of diet products would like you to believe. You can't undo a life's worth of damage in such a short time.
Not giving your body proper rest between exercise sessions
You don't exercise to see the results that happen to your body during exercise - all of the magic actually happens after, not during, exercise. I thought
the more exercise, the better - sometimes I would be at the gym 3 times a day! Take plenty of rest, more is not better.
Not eating enough fiber
I have not include any fiber-rich foods in my diet (for example beans, peas, apples, grapefruit) and I paid the price for it. Let's just say that the old "golf ball through a garden hose" analogy.
So how do you avoid making these mistakes?
You need the advice of a REAL fat loss expert – someone who has actually done what it is you are trying to do, someone who has who has helped others lust like you! Anyone can tell you what should happen based on what they read in a textbook, but not everyone can tell you what works based on experience.
Friday, December 19, 2008
How to Lose the Last Few Pounds of Abdominal Fat
Developing a lean, flat stomach takes time and patience, especially when it comes to those last few pounds in those hard to lose places. The lower abdominal fat and "love handles" can be two of the most stubborn and exercise-resistant areas from which to lose abdominal fat. Some people slave away day in and day out on the latest new-fangled abdominal fat device or do countless sit ups, side bends, and leg raises every day, all to no avail. There is only one way to lose fat in the so-called "stubborn areas," and that is with the correct combination of proper diet, aerobic exercise, core training, and weight training.
The first thing you need to realize is that it is impossible to "spot reduce" fat from one specific part of the body. Fat loss occurs systemically, meaning that you can’t control where the fat comes from. When you burn fat for energy, you will draw it from all areas of the body, and the first place you tend to put it on will be the last place it comes off. The reason everyone has those "stubborn" spots is because each of us is born with a genetic pattern of fat storage, just as we inherit hair color, eye color, and other physical traits. In women, the stubborn areas tend to be hips, thighs, and the waist. In men, the troublesome areas are usually the lower abs and the "love handles."
Many people labor away month after month trying to exercise specific areas of their body with the idea that fat will be burned directly off the area they are working. Training the abdominals every day with hundreds of repetitions will certainly tighten and tone the muscles, but it will do almost nothing to remove the fat obscuring the muscles. In fact, it is possible to have a great set of abs that you can’t even see because they are covered up with a layer of fat!
Contrary to popular belief, the best way to burn the layer of flab from your midsection is not to do more abdominal exercise, but to do more cardiovascular exercise. Aerobic exercise is the real secret to burning fat. Walking, jogging, bicycling, elliptical exercise and stairclimbing are all great fat burners. Most people give up too early in the fat burning workout. During the first 10 minutes of aerobic activity, glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is the primary fuel source. If you stop after 20 minutes, you’re only getting half of your workout done! You get the cardiovascular health benefits, but you don’t get much fat loss. Because you don't burn significant amounts of fat until glycogen stores are depleted, the key to maximum fat loss is to work out aerobically for 30-60 minutes continuously per session. Every workout should not be easy, like strolling around the shopping malls for an hour can be beneficial, although it would be best if you worked harder and did intervals for the same amount of time.
Even if you’re doing cardio every day, without a good balanced diet, you still won’t see results. Abdominal fat loss is a 50% exercise, 50% nutrition combination. A fat loss diet must be low in calories. Regardless of how much you workout, if the number of calories you take in is greater than the amount you burn, you’ll still put on abdominal fat. Ideally, you should spread your calories out into five small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones so that you don’t overeat in one feeding. Eat a variety of foods that are all natural, low in fat and low in sugar, with about 40% of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 40% from protein, and 20% from fat. If you’re having a really difficult time losing the last few pounds, keep the protein up and decrease your carbohydrate intake, especially late in the day and at night.
Next to "spot reduction," the second most common myth about abdominal training is that sit ups and leg raises are the most effective exercises. Actually, these movements don’t even isolate the abs; they recruit the hip flexor muscles, which are the same muscles used to punt a football. The hip flexors attach the thigh to the spinal column, so working them with exercises such as straight leg raises creates a strong pull on the lumbar area, which is one of the most common causes of lower back pain. Safer, more effective alternatives are crunches, ab rollers, planks or othe balance exercises, and reverse crunches.
The final component of your abdominal fat-reducing program is resistance training. It is important to train the entire body. Working one muscle group to the exclusion of others is a common cause of muscular imbalance. Building strong abdominals without also developing the antagonistic spinal erectors of the lower back could easily lead to injury. Many people are under the impression that they should only do cardiovascular activities until the weight comes off, then add weight training later on. It’s true that weight training is an anaerobic exercise, so it burns more glycogen than body fat. However, working out with weights will increase your lean body mass, which in turn raises your resting metabolic rate. The faster your metabolism is, the more fat you will burn! A complete program should always include aerobic exercise and weight training for every muscle group.
Before you decide to resort to drastic measures, give these guidelines an honest try. Losing abdominal fat is not easy, but it is simple if you know the formula. To recap, the formula for losing the last few pounds of abdominal fat is as follows: (1) Losing fat takes time, so get started now! Be patient and don’t expect to get "ultra lean" overnight (2) Burn the fat off the abdominal muscles with lots of cardiovascular exercise or you won’t be able to see them. (3) Choose biomechanically correct exercises to train the abdominal area, including crunching type exercises and avoiding hip flexor exercises, (4) Eat natural, low fat, low sugar, low calorie foods in small servings throughout the day, and (5) Work out with weights; don’t just train your abdominal, train your entire body.
There's no need to spend hours in a gym to train your entire body I can show you how you can save time by performing the correct and most effective exercise plan for your individual body type!
Find out more info on how to Lose abdominal fat with fitness expert Brandon Musick email me: bmusick@prairielife.com
The first thing you need to realize is that it is impossible to "spot reduce" fat from one specific part of the body. Fat loss occurs systemically, meaning that you can’t control where the fat comes from. When you burn fat for energy, you will draw it from all areas of the body, and the first place you tend to put it on will be the last place it comes off. The reason everyone has those "stubborn" spots is because each of us is born with a genetic pattern of fat storage, just as we inherit hair color, eye color, and other physical traits. In women, the stubborn areas tend to be hips, thighs, and the waist. In men, the troublesome areas are usually the lower abs and the "love handles."
Many people labor away month after month trying to exercise specific areas of their body with the idea that fat will be burned directly off the area they are working. Training the abdominals every day with hundreds of repetitions will certainly tighten and tone the muscles, but it will do almost nothing to remove the fat obscuring the muscles. In fact, it is possible to have a great set of abs that you can’t even see because they are covered up with a layer of fat!
Contrary to popular belief, the best way to burn the layer of flab from your midsection is not to do more abdominal exercise, but to do more cardiovascular exercise. Aerobic exercise is the real secret to burning fat. Walking, jogging, bicycling, elliptical exercise and stairclimbing are all great fat burners. Most people give up too early in the fat burning workout. During the first 10 minutes of aerobic activity, glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is the primary fuel source. If you stop after 20 minutes, you’re only getting half of your workout done! You get the cardiovascular health benefits, but you don’t get much fat loss. Because you don't burn significant amounts of fat until glycogen stores are depleted, the key to maximum fat loss is to work out aerobically for 30-60 minutes continuously per session. Every workout should not be easy, like strolling around the shopping malls for an hour can be beneficial, although it would be best if you worked harder and did intervals for the same amount of time.
Even if you’re doing cardio every day, without a good balanced diet, you still won’t see results. Abdominal fat loss is a 50% exercise, 50% nutrition combination. A fat loss diet must be low in calories. Regardless of how much you workout, if the number of calories you take in is greater than the amount you burn, you’ll still put on abdominal fat. Ideally, you should spread your calories out into five small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones so that you don’t overeat in one feeding. Eat a variety of foods that are all natural, low in fat and low in sugar, with about 40% of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 40% from protein, and 20% from fat. If you’re having a really difficult time losing the last few pounds, keep the protein up and decrease your carbohydrate intake, especially late in the day and at night.
Next to "spot reduction," the second most common myth about abdominal training is that sit ups and leg raises are the most effective exercises. Actually, these movements don’t even isolate the abs; they recruit the hip flexor muscles, which are the same muscles used to punt a football. The hip flexors attach the thigh to the spinal column, so working them with exercises such as straight leg raises creates a strong pull on the lumbar area, which is one of the most common causes of lower back pain. Safer, more effective alternatives are crunches, ab rollers, planks or othe balance exercises, and reverse crunches.
The final component of your abdominal fat-reducing program is resistance training. It is important to train the entire body. Working one muscle group to the exclusion of others is a common cause of muscular imbalance. Building strong abdominals without also developing the antagonistic spinal erectors of the lower back could easily lead to injury. Many people are under the impression that they should only do cardiovascular activities until the weight comes off, then add weight training later on. It’s true that weight training is an anaerobic exercise, so it burns more glycogen than body fat. However, working out with weights will increase your lean body mass, which in turn raises your resting metabolic rate. The faster your metabolism is, the more fat you will burn! A complete program should always include aerobic exercise and weight training for every muscle group.
Before you decide to resort to drastic measures, give these guidelines an honest try. Losing abdominal fat is not easy, but it is simple if you know the formula. To recap, the formula for losing the last few pounds of abdominal fat is as follows: (1) Losing fat takes time, so get started now! Be patient and don’t expect to get "ultra lean" overnight (2) Burn the fat off the abdominal muscles with lots of cardiovascular exercise or you won’t be able to see them. (3) Choose biomechanically correct exercises to train the abdominal area, including crunching type exercises and avoiding hip flexor exercises, (4) Eat natural, low fat, low sugar, low calorie foods in small servings throughout the day, and (5) Work out with weights; don’t just train your abdominal, train your entire body.
There's no need to spend hours in a gym to train your entire body I can show you how you can save time by performing the correct and most effective exercise plan for your individual body type!
Find out more info on how to Lose abdominal fat with fitness expert Brandon Musick email me: bmusick@prairielife.com
Thursday, December 18, 2008
10 effective FAT! burn tips
Today I have a very special surprise for you. As part of my Burn More FAT! program–a special combination of an insulin-controlled diet and strength/cardiovascular training exercise–I am graciously providing you a list of 10 of my most effective fat loss tips to impart to the wonderful readers of the my blog. My program has been proven to be highly efficient at helping its participants begin burning fat, gaining strength, improving their health, and becoming more energetic and youthful than they have ever been in their entire lives. To complement what you are already doing as part of your healthy low-carb lifestyle, I recommend the following tips to boost your fat loss results. ENJOY!
1. DRINK A GALLON OF REFRIGERATED WATER A DAY
A gallon of cold water will burn around 150 calories of energy to heat the cold water to body temperature for voiding! (And it’s good for your skin and hair too!)
2. BEFORE YOU CHEAT, DRINK WATER AND BRUSH YOUR TEETH
If you get hungry and feel you’re going to cheat, quickly drink a big glass of cool water and brush and floss your teeth. While doing so, think this thought: “There is no food that tastes as good as being lean and strong feels!”
Note: This REALLY works and you’ll be surprised how well it does, too. If you aren’t in a position to brush your teeth when the craving comes on, then pop a sugar-free mint or piece of mint-flavored sugar-free gum. In those very rare occasions when you don’t have access to those things (always keep them handy!), eat something high-fat like peanut butter to ward off the sugar/carb cravings. Works every time!
3. TAKE A CASUAL STROLL 30 MINUTES AFTER DINNER
A half hour after dinner, take a casual stroll for 15-20 minutes whenever possible. Do not walk fast or jog. Just take a pleasant, easy stroll and enjoy your time outdoors. This keeps from from snacking after dinner.
Note: If you make this stroll a regular part of your dinnertime routine, then it will also keep you from stuffing yourself too full because you’ll be too uncomfortable even for a casual stroll around the block. What a perfect opportunity to get in some quality time with your family in the process, too.
4. AVOID SUGAR/STARCHY CARBS BEFORE BEDTIME
Avoid eating sugar or starches a few hours before bedtime. This can decrease growth hormone release at night and store unwanted calories as fat.
Note: Better yet, why not avoid sugar and starches ALL THE TIME? Sounds like a plan to me!
5. GET A SOLID EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT
Get a full 8 hours of sleep as often as possible. Avoid TV and other distractions as much as you can at night. Deep sleep is when your body is regulating and upgrading your hormonal tone. So get some rest!
Note: And just laying in bed doesn’t count as sleep. I know there are some nights it can take me 2-3 hours to get to sleep because I’m thinking about things in my life, worrying about upcoming events, or just so exhausted and tired that sleep evades me. Try to leave all that stuff outside your bedroom and use every moment for tremendous restful sleep. A good workout a few hours before bedtime can help!
6. DRESS AND SLEEP AS COOL AS YOU CAN
Dress and sleep cool. The cooler you stay, the more heat your body must produce to keep you warm and this means more calories burned. Feeling a bit on the chilly side means you are a fat burning dynamo!
7. EAT SLOWLY AND STOP WHEN HUNGER CEASES
Eat slowly and stop when you are no longer hungry before you feel full.
Note: This is an important tip because most of us eat all the way until we are full. But try going through a day where your purpose in eating is to simply take away your hunger. For some people, this could be as little as just a few bites. Savor each bite and you’ll probably feel more satisfied than if you “hork” it all down in just a few minutes. You should end up eating every 2-3 hours.
8. DON'T EAT OUT AT RESTAURANTS
Make and take your meals with you. Refrain from eating out. There are tons of hidden calories in most restaurant foods. (You’ll save lots of money too!)
Note: When you go out to a restaurant to eat, you can never really know what they’re putting in the food. From IHOP putting pancake batter in their omelets to hidden sugars injected into the steaks at Applebee’s, you’re just better off making the food yourself at home. It’ll save you a lot of heartache on the scale later on if you just make all of your own food.
9. POST MEANINGFUL REMINDERS AND INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS
Pin notes on your refrigerator, front door, bedroom mirror, etc. with phrases such as “Take your lunch!” “Drink your water!” and “I will succeed!” Anything that will remind you of what to do and why you are doing it is a very potent motivational tool.
Note: Most of us who have allowed our weight to get out of control have issues with self-esteem and feeling worthy. So writing things like “You are AWESOME!” “I’m so proud of what you are accomplishing!” and “NEVER GIVE UP!!!” are an essential part of keeping yourself uplifted and inspired in your daily struggle to lose the weight and get healthy. Don’t underestimate the power of such a simple act because it can reap BIG DIVIDENDS for you with constant positive reinforcement on a daily basis.
10. NEVER SKIP A MEAL
Never skip r any meal, especially breakfast. Thinking you will lose fat faster by skipping meals is a huge step in the wrong direction. Huge! Your body need to feel “satisfied” and requires adequate nutrition to shed body fat and build muscle.
Note: There was a 10-year study published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that concluded eating breakfast leads to lower body mass index compared to those who skip breakfast. And it’s true! You need to fuel up for your day with a hearty high-protein, moderate fat meal to give your body the energy it needs to get through the day. That’s why I like to begin my day with some delicious eggs cooked along with a side of turkey bacon or lean sausage. Mmm mmm–a nutritious way to start your day!
1. DRINK A GALLON OF REFRIGERATED WATER A DAY
A gallon of cold water will burn around 150 calories of energy to heat the cold water to body temperature for voiding! (And it’s good for your skin and hair too!)
2. BEFORE YOU CHEAT, DRINK WATER AND BRUSH YOUR TEETH
If you get hungry and feel you’re going to cheat, quickly drink a big glass of cool water and brush and floss your teeth. While doing so, think this thought: “There is no food that tastes as good as being lean and strong feels!”
Note: This REALLY works and you’ll be surprised how well it does, too. If you aren’t in a position to brush your teeth when the craving comes on, then pop a sugar-free mint or piece of mint-flavored sugar-free gum. In those very rare occasions when you don’t have access to those things (always keep them handy!), eat something high-fat like peanut butter to ward off the sugar/carb cravings. Works every time!
3. TAKE A CASUAL STROLL 30 MINUTES AFTER DINNER
A half hour after dinner, take a casual stroll for 15-20 minutes whenever possible. Do not walk fast or jog. Just take a pleasant, easy stroll and enjoy your time outdoors. This keeps from from snacking after dinner.
Note: If you make this stroll a regular part of your dinnertime routine, then it will also keep you from stuffing yourself too full because you’ll be too uncomfortable even for a casual stroll around the block. What a perfect opportunity to get in some quality time with your family in the process, too.
4. AVOID SUGAR/STARCHY CARBS BEFORE BEDTIME
Avoid eating sugar or starches a few hours before bedtime. This can decrease growth hormone release at night and store unwanted calories as fat.
Note: Better yet, why not avoid sugar and starches ALL THE TIME? Sounds like a plan to me!
5. GET A SOLID EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT
Get a full 8 hours of sleep as often as possible. Avoid TV and other distractions as much as you can at night. Deep sleep is when your body is regulating and upgrading your hormonal tone. So get some rest!
Note: And just laying in bed doesn’t count as sleep. I know there are some nights it can take me 2-3 hours to get to sleep because I’m thinking about things in my life, worrying about upcoming events, or just so exhausted and tired that sleep evades me. Try to leave all that stuff outside your bedroom and use every moment for tremendous restful sleep. A good workout a few hours before bedtime can help!
6. DRESS AND SLEEP AS COOL AS YOU CAN
Dress and sleep cool. The cooler you stay, the more heat your body must produce to keep you warm and this means more calories burned. Feeling a bit on the chilly side means you are a fat burning dynamo!
7. EAT SLOWLY AND STOP WHEN HUNGER CEASES
Eat slowly and stop when you are no longer hungry before you feel full.
Note: This is an important tip because most of us eat all the way until we are full. But try going through a day where your purpose in eating is to simply take away your hunger. For some people, this could be as little as just a few bites. Savor each bite and you’ll probably feel more satisfied than if you “hork” it all down in just a few minutes. You should end up eating every 2-3 hours.
8. DON'T EAT OUT AT RESTAURANTS
Make and take your meals with you. Refrain from eating out. There are tons of hidden calories in most restaurant foods. (You’ll save lots of money too!)
Note: When you go out to a restaurant to eat, you can never really know what they’re putting in the food. From IHOP putting pancake batter in their omelets to hidden sugars injected into the steaks at Applebee’s, you’re just better off making the food yourself at home. It’ll save you a lot of heartache on the scale later on if you just make all of your own food.
9. POST MEANINGFUL REMINDERS AND INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS
Pin notes on your refrigerator, front door, bedroom mirror, etc. with phrases such as “Take your lunch!” “Drink your water!” and “I will succeed!” Anything that will remind you of what to do and why you are doing it is a very potent motivational tool.
Note: Most of us who have allowed our weight to get out of control have issues with self-esteem and feeling worthy. So writing things like “You are AWESOME!” “I’m so proud of what you are accomplishing!” and “NEVER GIVE UP!!!” are an essential part of keeping yourself uplifted and inspired in your daily struggle to lose the weight and get healthy. Don’t underestimate the power of such a simple act because it can reap BIG DIVIDENDS for you with constant positive reinforcement on a daily basis.
10. NEVER SKIP A MEAL
Never skip r any meal, especially breakfast. Thinking you will lose fat faster by skipping meals is a huge step in the wrong direction. Huge! Your body need to feel “satisfied” and requires adequate nutrition to shed body fat and build muscle.
Note: There was a 10-year study published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that concluded eating breakfast leads to lower body mass index compared to those who skip breakfast. And it’s true! You need to fuel up for your day with a hearty high-protein, moderate fat meal to give your body the energy it needs to get through the day. That’s why I like to begin my day with some delicious eggs cooked along with a side of turkey bacon or lean sausage. Mmm mmm–a nutritious way to start your day!
Are you a failure?
A lot of people get upset because they feel as though "it's just me", "why can't i loose weight"
There's actually a way to make the tables turn...
and have everyone else wondering why YOU are so lucky and always look so great....
Everyone is different and what works for your spouse, family member or friend won't always work for. Cookit cutter programs designed for the general population will work for the short term, but only because you started from a point where you were eating bad and being lazy, and any improvement will get you some results.
But if you want long-term life changing results. The type of results like Adam who lost 60lbs of FAT! in only 12 weeks, it takes a detailed program designed specifically for you.
Let me know when your ready for results!
There's actually a way to make the tables turn...
and have everyone else wondering why YOU are so lucky and always look so great....
Everyone is different and what works for your spouse, family member or friend won't always work for. Cookit cutter programs designed for the general population will work for the short term, but only because you started from a point where you were eating bad and being lazy, and any improvement will get you some results.
But if you want long-term life changing results. The type of results like Adam who lost 60lbs of FAT! in only 12 weeks, it takes a detailed program designed specifically for you.
Let me know when your ready for results!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
rules of contest
- You must be a follower on the blog: if you haven't become one, sign up under "follow this blog"
- You must take a before picture
- You must take an after picture
- You must post on the blog 1xweek about your progress
- Winner will be based on a point system:
- Every pound lost=1 point (men loose more weight than women)
- Every inch lost=1 point (woment loose more inches than men)
- Every % bodyfat decrease= 1 point
- At the end all followers will also vote one the winner: every vote= 5 points
CONTEST!!!
I am friggin' excited today baby!
I have decided to put on a once-in-a-lifetime 8-week fitness transformation contest for my followers to start 2009 off with a bang.
We're all going to do it together to get our bodies "beach ready" for spring break ;)
The prizes... well, they are going to be HUGE!
But, I need you to vote on which of the prize options you'd most like to see offered by the end of the week.Please post to vote on your favorite prize:
To Your Success!
I have decided to put on a once-in-a-lifetime 8-week fitness transformation contest for my followers to start 2009 off with a bang.
We're all going to do it together to get our bodies "beach ready" for spring break ;)
The prizes... well, they are going to be HUGE!
But, I need you to vote on which of the prize options you'd most like to see offered by the end of the week.Please post to vote on your favorite prize:
- Six 1-on-1 personal training sessions, includes nutrition, cardiovascular, and resistance training ($300 value) -or-
- 2 months of online training and nutrition programing: ($300 value) -or-
- We (including myself) put in $20 dollars winner takes all!
To Your Success!
Monday, December 15, 2008
MSNBC Report: Eat more protein to burn FAT!
Higher-protein meals may help overweight and obese people burn more fat, the results of a small study suggest.
Research has shown that overweight people are less efficient at burning fat after a meal than thinner people are. In the new study, Australian researchers looked at whether the protein composition of a meal affects that weight-related gap.
They found that overweight men and women burned more post-meal fat when they ate a high-protein breakfast and lunch than when they had lower-protein meals. That is, the added protein seemed to modify the fat-burning deficit seen in heavy individuals.
"Our research suggests that people with higher body fat burn fat better after a high-protein meal than people with lower levels of body fat," lead researcher Dr. Marijka Batterham, of the University of Wollongong in New South Wales told Reuters Health.
A number of studies have suggested that high-protein diets may help people shed weight more easily — possibly, in part, because protein suppresses appetite better than fat or carbohydrates do.
The findings, published in the journal Nutrition & Dietetics, are based on 18 adults whose post-meal metabolism was tested on 3 separate days. The average age was 40 years, eight subjects were overweight, six subjects had a normal weight, and four were obese.
On day one, they were given a "control" breakfast and lunch composed of 58 percent carbohydrates and 14 percent protein. On the other 2 days, their meals were more balanced, with about one third of calories coming from protein and another third from carbohydrates.
In the 8 hours after the control meal, the investigators found that overweight and obese participants burned less fat than their thinner counterparts did. But that gap was closed when participants ate the higher-protein meals.
The protein-rich meals contained low-fat dairy, lean meat and eggs, along with bread and vegetables as carbohydrate sources. Batterham said she and her colleagues are now testing whether vegetarian sources of protein have similar effects on overweight adults' fat metabolism.
In general, I recommend that people looking to bulk up the protein in their diets choose their sources carefully — eschewing bacon and butter in favor of foods like fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, beans and nuts.
Research has shown that overweight people are less efficient at burning fat after a meal than thinner people are. In the new study, Australian researchers looked at whether the protein composition of a meal affects that weight-related gap.
They found that overweight men and women burned more post-meal fat when they ate a high-protein breakfast and lunch than when they had lower-protein meals. That is, the added protein seemed to modify the fat-burning deficit seen in heavy individuals.
"Our research suggests that people with higher body fat burn fat better after a high-protein meal than people with lower levels of body fat," lead researcher Dr. Marijka Batterham, of the University of Wollongong in New South Wales told Reuters Health.
A number of studies have suggested that high-protein diets may help people shed weight more easily — possibly, in part, because protein suppresses appetite better than fat or carbohydrates do.
The findings, published in the journal Nutrition & Dietetics, are based on 18 adults whose post-meal metabolism was tested on 3 separate days. The average age was 40 years, eight subjects were overweight, six subjects had a normal weight, and four were obese.
On day one, they were given a "control" breakfast and lunch composed of 58 percent carbohydrates and 14 percent protein. On the other 2 days, their meals were more balanced, with about one third of calories coming from protein and another third from carbohydrates.
In the 8 hours after the control meal, the investigators found that overweight and obese participants burned less fat than their thinner counterparts did. But that gap was closed when participants ate the higher-protein meals.
The protein-rich meals contained low-fat dairy, lean meat and eggs, along with bread and vegetables as carbohydrate sources. Batterham said she and her colleagues are now testing whether vegetarian sources of protein have similar effects on overweight adults' fat metabolism.
In general, I recommend that people looking to bulk up the protein in their diets choose their sources carefully — eschewing bacon and butter in favor of foods like fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, beans and nuts.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Over the years, I've learned some incredible fat loss techniques that supercharge your metabolism and increase your body's fat-burning ability.
My Burn More FAT! program approaches fatloss from new direcetion. I'll will teach you how to lose fat without losing your hard earned muscle.
Burn More FAT! is designed to assist your body in releasing fat stores and maintaining your muscle mass.
Burn More FAT! will show you how to drop that excess blubber and reveal your "six-pack" hiding underneath!
I will tell you specifically what you need to know to start losing fat quickly. I'll covers eating, resistance training, supplements, cardio, core conditioning, and flexibility.
When Your Ready For Results contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
My Burn More FAT! program approaches fatloss from new direcetion. I'll will teach you how to lose fat without losing your hard earned muscle.
Burn More FAT! is designed to assist your body in releasing fat stores and maintaining your muscle mass.
Burn More FAT! will show you how to drop that excess blubber and reveal your "six-pack" hiding underneath!
I will tell you specifically what you need to know to start losing fat quickly. I'll covers eating, resistance training, supplements, cardio, core conditioning, and flexibility.
When Your Ready For Results contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Ab Myths
Myth #1 - You Have to Do Hundreds of Crunches and Sit ups To Lose Belly Fat and Get Flat Abs
If you rely on boring, back-breaking abdominal crunches and sit-ups to burn belly fat, you'll never lose the ugly belly fat covering your abs. To get more fat burning results in less workout time, use fat burning interval training and total-body abdominal exercises instead.
Myth #2 - In Just Four Easy Payments of $29.99, You Can Buy a Miracle-Working Six Pack Ab Machine From a Late-Night informercial
Ha! I wish one of those abdominal exercise contraptions worked half as good as the so-called "experts" say, but infomercial gadgets don't burn belly fat or flatten your abs (they only burn your money and flatten your wallet!).
Myth #3 - You Have to do Ab Workouts Everyday to Get Six Pack Abs
Not true! In fact, one of the secrets of top fat loss trainers is to drop boring, repetitive ab exercises and replace them with total-body abdominal exercises you only need to do for a few minutes three times per week.
Myth #4 - You Have to Do Cardio in the Fat Burning Zone Everyday to Burn Belly Fat
Long, slow boring cardio in the fat burning "Zone" is not the best way to lose ugly belly fat. In fact, in a recent study, subjects did 40 minutes of slow cardio three times per week for 15 weeks but didn't lose a single inch of stomach fat. However, only 20 minutes of interval training helped subjects spot reduce their belly fat.
If you rely on boring, back-breaking abdominal crunches and sit-ups to burn belly fat, you'll never lose the ugly belly fat covering your abs. To get more fat burning results in less workout time, use fat burning interval training and total-body abdominal exercises instead.
Myth #2 - In Just Four Easy Payments of $29.99, You Can Buy a Miracle-Working Six Pack Ab Machine From a Late-Night informercial
Ha! I wish one of those abdominal exercise contraptions worked half as good as the so-called "experts" say, but infomercial gadgets don't burn belly fat or flatten your abs (they only burn your money and flatten your wallet!).
Myth #3 - You Have to do Ab Workouts Everyday to Get Six Pack Abs
Not true! In fact, one of the secrets of top fat loss trainers is to drop boring, repetitive ab exercises and replace them with total-body abdominal exercises you only need to do for a few minutes three times per week.
Myth #4 - You Have to Do Cardio in the Fat Burning Zone Everyday to Burn Belly Fat
Long, slow boring cardio in the fat burning "Zone" is not the best way to lose ugly belly fat. In fact, in a recent study, subjects did 40 minutes of slow cardio three times per week for 15 weeks but didn't lose a single inch of stomach fat. However, only 20 minutes of interval training helped subjects spot reduce their belly fat.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
12 days of Fitness
Starting today I will be giving out several fitness reports. These will only be available to the followers of my blog. To receive one, please comment on this post and let me know what report you would like: Today you can choose from:
Tell your friends! Remember you must be a follower to recieve these reports.
==> The Bodyweight Holiday Program
==> The Laptop Bag Workout
==> How To Lose Belly Fat Without Crunches
==> Kettlebell Killer Abs Workout
==> The Ultimate Holiday Survival Kit
==> The Real World Abs Report
==> The Pregnant Mom's Essential Guide
==> The Elimination Diet 'Turbo' Edition
==> Carb Cycling Basics
And ALL of this is FREE!
Tell your friends! Remember you must be a follower to recieve these reports.
==> The Bodyweight Holiday Program
==> The Laptop Bag Workout
==> How To Lose Belly Fat Without Crunches
==> Kettlebell Killer Abs Workout
==> The Ultimate Holiday Survival Kit
==> The Real World Abs Report
==> The Pregnant Mom's Essential Guide
==> The Elimination Diet 'Turbo' Edition
==> Carb Cycling Basics
And ALL of this is FREE!
CONGRATS ADAM!!!
Congrats to Adam Utz. He is now the winner of Olathe's great fitness challenge. He lost 53lbs in 12 weeks. Kinda makes you feel lazy huh? Just kidding, not really we all should take a look at our selves and wonder if what we are doing is really getting us the results we are seeking.
Congrats again ADAM! He lost 60lbs of FAT! Gained 7 lbs of muscle! And almost looks good naked, I say almost because he's not finished yet.
So this makes it official: 2008 Olathe's Best Personal Trainer: Next stop, the world!
Congrats again ADAM! He lost 60lbs of FAT! Gained 7 lbs of muscle! And almost looks good naked, I say almost because he's not finished yet.
So this makes it official: 2008 Olathe's Best Personal Trainer: Next stop, the world!
Exercise of the Day
Seated Incline Front Raise:
Benefit: using an incline bench will ensure any cheating that would normally happen in an upright standing position is less likely when your anterior (front) delts begin to fatigue.
Setup: using an adjustable incline bench, position your body at a 45-degree angle. Allowing your arms to hang, hold a pair of dumbells at arm's length using a thumb-locked, pronated grip (so that the backs of your hands face foward).
Action: Start the movement by contracting your anterior deltoids, raising your arms directly infront of you. Continue this motion until your arms are parallel to or slightly higher than the floor. At the top, hold for a count of two before lowering the dumbells back to the starting postition.
Benefit: using an incline bench will ensure any cheating that would normally happen in an upright standing position is less likely when your anterior (front) delts begin to fatigue.
Setup: using an adjustable incline bench, position your body at a 45-degree angle. Allowing your arms to hang, hold a pair of dumbells at arm's length using a thumb-locked, pronated grip (so that the backs of your hands face foward).
Action: Start the movement by contracting your anterior deltoids, raising your arms directly infront of you. Continue this motion until your arms are parallel to or slightly higher than the floor. At the top, hold for a count of two before lowering the dumbells back to the starting postition.
Fitness Plan: Rest to Burn More Fat
Taking a Break During a Workout May Help Fizzle Fat
Looking to burn fat through exercise? Resting during your workout may help, Japanese researchers report.
Here's the fat-burning fitness plan they tested: Exercise for 30 minutes, take a 20 minute break, and finish with another 30 minutes of exercise.
That revs up fat metabolism even more than a solid hour of exercise, note the researchers, who included Kazushige Goto, PhD, of the life sciences department at Japan's University of Tokyo.
Goto's (I love this name) team studied seven healthy, physically active men who were 25 years old, on average.
At the researchers' lab, the men pedaled stationary bikes for an hour without taking any breaks.
On another day, they rode the stationary bike for half an hour, sat in a chair and rested for 20 minutes, and then pedaled for 30 more minutes.
For comparison, the men visited the researchers' lab one more time just to rest for an hour, without exercising at all.
The researchers monitored the men's fat metabolism and hormone levels before, during, and after each session. As expected, an hour of pure rest was a dud when it came to fat metabolism, compared with the fat-burning effects of exercise.
But resting during exercise revved up fat metabolism during and after exercise, compared with a solid hour of exercise with no breaks.
The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, may mean that to burn fat, you're better off budgeting a breather into long workouts. I have always recomended that 2 short intense workouts are better than 1 long less intence workout.
But the study was small, and the men weren't new to exercise, so the researchers plan to test the theory in other groups of people.
Meanwhile, if you're ready to start exercising, contact me for your Burn More FAT program: email me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Looking to burn fat through exercise? Resting during your workout may help, Japanese researchers report.
Here's the fat-burning fitness plan they tested: Exercise for 30 minutes, take a 20 minute break, and finish with another 30 minutes of exercise.
That revs up fat metabolism even more than a solid hour of exercise, note the researchers, who included Kazushige Goto, PhD, of the life sciences department at Japan's University of Tokyo.
Goto's (I love this name) team studied seven healthy, physically active men who were 25 years old, on average.
At the researchers' lab, the men pedaled stationary bikes for an hour without taking any breaks.
On another day, they rode the stationary bike for half an hour, sat in a chair and rested for 20 minutes, and then pedaled for 30 more minutes.
For comparison, the men visited the researchers' lab one more time just to rest for an hour, without exercising at all.
The researchers monitored the men's fat metabolism and hormone levels before, during, and after each session. As expected, an hour of pure rest was a dud when it came to fat metabolism, compared with the fat-burning effects of exercise.
But resting during exercise revved up fat metabolism during and after exercise, compared with a solid hour of exercise with no breaks.
The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, may mean that to burn fat, you're better off budgeting a breather into long workouts. I have always recomended that 2 short intense workouts are better than 1 long less intence workout.
But the study was small, and the men weren't new to exercise, so the researchers plan to test the theory in other groups of people.
Meanwhile, if you're ready to start exercising, contact me for your Burn More FAT program: email me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Early Morning Cardio
When is the best time of day to do your cardio? The answer is any time! The most important thing is that you just do it. Continuous cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, jogging, stairclimbing, or cycling, sustained for at least 30 minutes, will burn body fat no matter when you do it.
However, if you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal - even if you're not a "morning person." Early morning cardio on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day:
Early morning before you eat, your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbohydrate) are low. If you eat dinner at 7 p.m and you eat breakfast at 7 a.m., that's 12 hours without food. During this 12-hour overnight fast, your levels of glycogen slowly decline to provide glucose for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. As a result, you wake up in the morning with depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar - the optimum environment for burning fat instead of carbohydrate. How much more fat you'll burn is uncertain, but some studies have suggested that up to 300% more fat is burned when cardio is done in a fasted, glycogen-depleted state.
Morning Cardio Benefit #1
So how exactly does this work? It's quite simple, really. Carbohydrate (glycogen) is your body's primary and preferred energy source. When your primary fuel source is in short supply, this forces your body to tap into its secondary or reserve energy source; body fat. If you do cardio immediately after eating a meal, you'll still burn fat, but you'll burn less of it because you'll be burning off the carbohydrates you ate first. You always burn a combination of fat and carbohydrate for fuel, but depending on when you exercise, you can burn a greater proportion of fat relative to carbohydrate. If doing cardio first thing in the morning is not an option for you, then the second best time to do it would be immediately after weight training. Lifting weights is anaerobic (carbohydrate-burning) by nature, and therefore depletes muscle glycogen. That's why a post lifting cardio session has a similar effect as morning cardio on an empty stomach.
Morning Cardio Benefit #2
The second benefit you'll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the "afterburn" effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated for hours after the session is over. If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day.
Morning Cardio Benefit #3
Burning more fat isn't the only reason you should do morning cardio. The third benefit of morning cardio is the "rush" and feeling of accomplishment that stays with you all day long after an invigorating workout. Exercise can become a pleasant and enjoyable experience, but the more difficult or challenging it is for you, the more important it is to get it out of the way early. When you put off any task you consider unpleasant, it hangs over you all day long, leaving you with a feeling of guilt, stress and incompleteness (not to mention that you are more likely to "blow off" an evening workout if you are tired from a long day at work or if your pals try to persuade you to join them at the pub for happy hour.)
You might find it hard to wake up early in the morning and get motivated to workout. But think back for a moment to a time in your life when you tackled a difficult task and you finished it. Didn't you feel great afterwards? Completing any task, especially a physically challenging one, gives you a "buzz." When the task is exercise, the buzz is physiological and psychological. Physiologically, exercise releases endorphins in your body. Endorphins are opiate-like hormones hundreds of times more powerful than the strongest morphine. Endorphins create a natural "high" that makes you feel positively euphoric! Endorphins reduce stress, improve your mood, increase circulation and relieve pain. The "high" is partly psychological too. Getting up early and successfully achieving a small goal kick starts your day and gives you feelings of completion, satisfaction and accomplishment. For the rest of the day you feel happy and you feel less stress knowing that the most difficult part of the day is behind you.
So, you say you're not a morning person? Take heart; neither am I. But I get up anyway because I know the effort is worth the results. When I have a goal that I am clearly focused on, such as reaching 4% or 5% body fat for my wedding, I'm on the Stairmaster or treadmill for 45 minutes every morning at the crack of dawn without fail. Sure it's a challenge at first, but you know what? After a few short weeks, It's no longer a chore and I'm "in the groove" - and you will be too.
Just try it. Make a commitment to yourself to do it for just 21 days. Once those 21 days have gone by, you'll already be leaner and you'll be on your way to making morning workouts a habit that's as natural as brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Once you start getting used to feeling that buzz, you'll become "positively addicted" to it. The more you do it, the more you'll want to do it. Before you know it, early morning cardio will your new habit; you'll be leaner, your metabolism will be faster and you'll feel fantastic all day long!
To Your Success,
Brandon R. Musick
However, if you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal - even if you're not a "morning person." Early morning cardio on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day:
Early morning before you eat, your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbohydrate) are low. If you eat dinner at 7 p.m and you eat breakfast at 7 a.m., that's 12 hours without food. During this 12-hour overnight fast, your levels of glycogen slowly decline to provide glucose for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. As a result, you wake up in the morning with depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar - the optimum environment for burning fat instead of carbohydrate. How much more fat you'll burn is uncertain, but some studies have suggested that up to 300% more fat is burned when cardio is done in a fasted, glycogen-depleted state.
Morning Cardio Benefit #1
So how exactly does this work? It's quite simple, really. Carbohydrate (glycogen) is your body's primary and preferred energy source. When your primary fuel source is in short supply, this forces your body to tap into its secondary or reserve energy source; body fat. If you do cardio immediately after eating a meal, you'll still burn fat, but you'll burn less of it because you'll be burning off the carbohydrates you ate first. You always burn a combination of fat and carbohydrate for fuel, but depending on when you exercise, you can burn a greater proportion of fat relative to carbohydrate. If doing cardio first thing in the morning is not an option for you, then the second best time to do it would be immediately after weight training. Lifting weights is anaerobic (carbohydrate-burning) by nature, and therefore depletes muscle glycogen. That's why a post lifting cardio session has a similar effect as morning cardio on an empty stomach.
Morning Cardio Benefit #2
The second benefit you'll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the "afterburn" effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated for hours after the session is over. If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day.
Morning Cardio Benefit #3
Burning more fat isn't the only reason you should do morning cardio. The third benefit of morning cardio is the "rush" and feeling of accomplishment that stays with you all day long after an invigorating workout. Exercise can become a pleasant and enjoyable experience, but the more difficult or challenging it is for you, the more important it is to get it out of the way early. When you put off any task you consider unpleasant, it hangs over you all day long, leaving you with a feeling of guilt, stress and incompleteness (not to mention that you are more likely to "blow off" an evening workout if you are tired from a long day at work or if your pals try to persuade you to join them at the pub for happy hour.)
You might find it hard to wake up early in the morning and get motivated to workout. But think back for a moment to a time in your life when you tackled a difficult task and you finished it. Didn't you feel great afterwards? Completing any task, especially a physically challenging one, gives you a "buzz." When the task is exercise, the buzz is physiological and psychological. Physiologically, exercise releases endorphins in your body. Endorphins are opiate-like hormones hundreds of times more powerful than the strongest morphine. Endorphins create a natural "high" that makes you feel positively euphoric! Endorphins reduce stress, improve your mood, increase circulation and relieve pain. The "high" is partly psychological too. Getting up early and successfully achieving a small goal kick starts your day and gives you feelings of completion, satisfaction and accomplishment. For the rest of the day you feel happy and you feel less stress knowing that the most difficult part of the day is behind you.
So, you say you're not a morning person? Take heart; neither am I. But I get up anyway because I know the effort is worth the results. When I have a goal that I am clearly focused on, such as reaching 4% or 5% body fat for my wedding, I'm on the Stairmaster or treadmill for 45 minutes every morning at the crack of dawn without fail. Sure it's a challenge at first, but you know what? After a few short weeks, It's no longer a chore and I'm "in the groove" - and you will be too.
Just try it. Make a commitment to yourself to do it for just 21 days. Once those 21 days have gone by, you'll already be leaner and you'll be on your way to making morning workouts a habit that's as natural as brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Once you start getting used to feeling that buzz, you'll become "positively addicted" to it. The more you do it, the more you'll want to do it. Before you know it, early morning cardio will your new habit; you'll be leaner, your metabolism will be faster and you'll feel fantastic all day long!
To Your Success,
Brandon R. Musick
It's about time!
First I want to thank everyone who has been asking me about why I haven't been blogging. I will continue to update the blog each day and apoligize for the recent delay.
So Don't worry, everything is OK. I want to offer all non-clients the opportunity of the year!
I'm going to give you a 50% discount on Burn more FAT! online training program.
If you are serious about getting in shape in 2009. You can save $900 by starting before the begining of the year. This includes 12 months of complete nutrition, resistance, flexiblity, core, and cardiovascular programing.
...and all I ask for in return is some honest feedback and motivation.
For example, what are your goals?
How is your fitness level coming along right now?
Do you think that Burn more FAT! is too "cutting edge" for most people?
Really, it could be anything. I just value your input an would love to know
what you think.
Let me know what you think, please.
To Your Success,
Brandon R. Musick
PS. This offer expires in 2008. So there's no pressure or anything ...it's just that if you want in, you have to act now.
So Don't worry, everything is OK. I want to offer all non-clients the opportunity of the year!
I'm going to give you a 50% discount on Burn more FAT! online training program.
If you are serious about getting in shape in 2009. You can save $900 by starting before the begining of the year. This includes 12 months of complete nutrition, resistance, flexiblity, core, and cardiovascular programing.
...and all I ask for in return is some honest feedback and motivation.
For example, what are your goals?
How is your fitness level coming along right now?
Do you think that Burn more FAT! is too "cutting edge" for most people?
Really, it could be anything. I just value your input an would love to know
what you think.
Let me know what you think, please.
To Your Success,
Brandon R. Musick
PS. This offer expires in 2008. So there's no pressure or anything ...it's just that if you want in, you have to act now.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Workout of the day Dec 2nd
Leg ext 4x6-15
Giant set:
Front Squat 3x10
Leg press 3x10
Hack Squat 3x10
Jump Squat 3xF
*remember this is my personal workout and works great for me. For a custom workout contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Giant set:
Front Squat 3x10
Leg press 3x10
Hack Squat 3x10
Jump Squat 3xF
*remember this is my personal workout and works great for me. For a custom workout contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Monday, December 1, 2008
Work out of the day December 1st
Bench Press 3x6-10 3 negatives 10sec. isohold
Incline Press 3x6-10 3 negatives 10 sec isohold
Hammer Decline Press 3x6-10 10 sec isohold
Overhead press 1xF
*this is my personal workout and works great for me. If you would like a custome workout, contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Incline Press 3x6-10 3 negatives 10 sec isohold
Hammer Decline Press 3x6-10 10 sec isohold
Overhead press 1xF
*this is my personal workout and works great for me. If you would like a custome workout, contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Help Me Help You!
I value every person's opinion who views this blog and it is because of this that I need your help to make this site even better! Over the upcoming months, I really want to focus this blog on your greatest needs.
Instead of trying to guess what this is, or simply writing about something that I think you should care about, I would like you to email me and tell me!
So here are some questions that I'd like you to email me a response to at elitetraining@hotmail.com or Bmusick@prairelife.com :
1) What is your biggest challange each day?
2) What is your biggest obstacle to getting fitness results you want?
3) To make my fitness blog indespensably valuable for you, what information should I focus on presenting?
4) Why do you continue reading the blog? What am I doing you like, and dislike?
5) What could I do to make the blog so great that you would rave about it (if you already don't) to all of your relatives, friends, and co-workers?
It is with this feedback that I will continue to strive to make this a great resource for all those who are interested. Thank you for reading and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
Instead of trying to guess what this is, or simply writing about something that I think you should care about, I would like you to email me and tell me!
So here are some questions that I'd like you to email me a response to at elitetraining@hotmail.com or Bmusick@prairelife.com :
1) What is your biggest challange each day?
2) What is your biggest obstacle to getting fitness results you want?
3) To make my fitness blog indespensably valuable for you, what information should I focus on presenting?
4) Why do you continue reading the blog? What am I doing you like, and dislike?
5) What could I do to make the blog so great that you would rave about it (if you already don't) to all of your relatives, friends, and co-workers?
It is with this feedback that I will continue to strive to make this a great resource for all those who are interested. Thank you for reading and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
Comfort food....Your 2 sided friend
With one holiday under your loosened belt, you're gearing up for many more celebrations...and piles of seasonal comfort food.
If you don't mind, I'd like to be totally candid with you today. Sure, I could write you a 'feel good' article about cutting back a few calories and exercising a few minutes each day, but I'd rather be perfectly frank (and truly helpful).
Here's the real deal: You abuse food.
That's right. You're overweight because you eat too much, and you eat too much because it brings immediate pleasure. I am here to point out that this pleasure comes at high price...
The other side of comfort food: You've heard dishes being referred to as 'comfort food'—some restaurants even have an entire section of their menu designated as comfort food. But comfort food is more than just a hearty dish.
It's those extra calories that you eat to feed an emotional need rather than a nutritional need.
It's excessively big portions that leave you stuffed.
It's high calorie snacks.
It's sugary treats.
It's fried, cheese smothered appetizers.
It's whatever you indulge in with mindless munching.
Could you relate to any of the above? Most of us tend to gravitate toward a particular form of comfort food. For many women it's chocolate or other sugary treats. For men it often takes a saltier form. Think of the last time you ate for pleasure rather than nourishment. Why'd you do it?
Out of Habit: Your body loves routine. If you always snack while watching television then you'd probably find it hard to relax without going through that munching motion. The good news is that once you break the cycle your body will quickly adapt to a healthier routine.
To Change Your Mood: Does the thought of a cupcake bring a smile to your lips? How about a large pizza to lift your mood? Pay attention to the emotions that trigger you to overeat—you may be surprised how often you use food to feel better.
Because Everyone's Doing It: Who can resist comfort food when it's offered among friends? Peer pressure doesn't just apply to teenagers—it's another reason to overeat. Remember that true friends will support your decision to refrain.
Can you remember how you felt after you last filled up on comfort food? If you're honest, you'll admit that the stuffed and bloated feeling was downright awful. So why do it? Come on, where have your eating habits gotten you?
Into clothes that are a few sizes larger.
Drained and with less energy than ever before.
Plagued with health concerns and prescriptions.
Embarrassed and frustrated with your body.
Most people don't realize it, but the battle to overcome your eating habits is decided by a single body part—and it's not your mouth. (Your mouth is simply a puppet.) It's your brain. Once you've made up your mind, for better or for worse, you can bet that your body will obey your decision to the letter. You've proven it time and time again.
So make the decision to give up your unhealthy dependence on comfort food. There is no better time than now. Making a change is hard—that's why I'm committed to being with you every step of the way. Call today to schedule a consultation. 417-353-1349 NOW is the time to Burn More FAT!
If you don't mind, I'd like to be totally candid with you today. Sure, I could write you a 'feel good' article about cutting back a few calories and exercising a few minutes each day, but I'd rather be perfectly frank (and truly helpful).
Here's the real deal: You abuse food.
That's right. You're overweight because you eat too much, and you eat too much because it brings immediate pleasure. I am here to point out that this pleasure comes at high price...
The other side of comfort food: You've heard dishes being referred to as 'comfort food'—some restaurants even have an entire section of their menu designated as comfort food. But comfort food is more than just a hearty dish.
It's those extra calories that you eat to feed an emotional need rather than a nutritional need.
It's excessively big portions that leave you stuffed.
It's high calorie snacks.
It's sugary treats.
It's fried, cheese smothered appetizers.
It's whatever you indulge in with mindless munching.
Could you relate to any of the above? Most of us tend to gravitate toward a particular form of comfort food. For many women it's chocolate or other sugary treats. For men it often takes a saltier form. Think of the last time you ate for pleasure rather than nourishment. Why'd you do it?
Out of Habit: Your body loves routine. If you always snack while watching television then you'd probably find it hard to relax without going through that munching motion. The good news is that once you break the cycle your body will quickly adapt to a healthier routine.
To Change Your Mood: Does the thought of a cupcake bring a smile to your lips? How about a large pizza to lift your mood? Pay attention to the emotions that trigger you to overeat—you may be surprised how often you use food to feel better.
Because Everyone's Doing It: Who can resist comfort food when it's offered among friends? Peer pressure doesn't just apply to teenagers—it's another reason to overeat. Remember that true friends will support your decision to refrain.
Can you remember how you felt after you last filled up on comfort food? If you're honest, you'll admit that the stuffed and bloated feeling was downright awful. So why do it? Come on, where have your eating habits gotten you?
Into clothes that are a few sizes larger.
Drained and with less energy than ever before.
Plagued with health concerns and prescriptions.
Embarrassed and frustrated with your body.
Most people don't realize it, but the battle to overcome your eating habits is decided by a single body part—and it's not your mouth. (Your mouth is simply a puppet.) It's your brain. Once you've made up your mind, for better or for worse, you can bet that your body will obey your decision to the letter. You've proven it time and time again.
So make the decision to give up your unhealthy dependence on comfort food. There is no better time than now. Making a change is hard—that's why I'm committed to being with you every step of the way. Call today to schedule a consultation. 417-353-1349 NOW is the time to Burn More FAT!
Friday, November 28, 2008
eat more
Hello everyone,
Today’s topic should come as a sigh of relief…
As it turns out, most people think that they should eat less when they want to lose weight.
The truth is, very often people should be eating more, not less.
Think about it, when you begin an exercise program for the first time in awhile and you restrict calories at the same time, you are basically sending a mixed signal to your body and asking it to shut down. Imagine a marathon runner finishing a race and refusing food. You’d think them crazy, right?
Well, I think you’re crazy to diet.
You’re basically doing the same thing. A new exercise program coupled with starvation is no less stressful for your body than a marathon is for a marathon athlete. At least they are used to this type of stress/demand placed on their bodies.
You, on the other hand, may be introducing physical activity stress to your body for the first time in years. (or ramping up your program for the first time in years)
It’s important you eat more in the beginning, especially, b/c your body needs the help. Then, once a bit more accustomed to an exercise program, you can cut a few calories back.
Right now,
more calories = more muscles
&
more muscles = higher metabolism
Plain and simple, do not deprive your body of nutrients when you want to lose weight.
Instead, fuel your body with the right nutrients and keep your fire burning.
Today’s topic should come as a sigh of relief…
As it turns out, most people think that they should eat less when they want to lose weight.
The truth is, very often people should be eating more, not less.
Think about it, when you begin an exercise program for the first time in awhile and you restrict calories at the same time, you are basically sending a mixed signal to your body and asking it to shut down. Imagine a marathon runner finishing a race and refusing food. You’d think them crazy, right?
Well, I think you’re crazy to diet.
You’re basically doing the same thing. A new exercise program coupled with starvation is no less stressful for your body than a marathon is for a marathon athlete. At least they are used to this type of stress/demand placed on their bodies.
You, on the other hand, may be introducing physical activity stress to your body for the first time in years. (or ramping up your program for the first time in years)
It’s important you eat more in the beginning, especially, b/c your body needs the help. Then, once a bit more accustomed to an exercise program, you can cut a few calories back.
Right now,
more calories = more muscles
&
more muscles = higher metabolism
Plain and simple, do not deprive your body of nutrients when you want to lose weight.
Instead, fuel your body with the right nutrients and keep your fire burning.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
FAT loss vs Weight loss
Understanding the difference between fat loss and weight loss is a critical component in any fitness program. Many people confuse the number on the scale with their fitness level, although this can be quite misleading at times.
It is more important to monitor body fat percentage during the course of a fitness program, in order to best determine the ratio of muscle to fat in the body, or fat free mass to fat mass. By shifting the ratio of muscle:fat, it is possible to shift one’s metabolism. Once a metabolic shift has occurred, weight loss just happens.
It is all too often that prospective clients come to me upset about the number they see on the scale. The truth is, there is a such thing as “skinny fat people,” and “thin, heavy people.” The American Heart Association continues to emphasize the importance of BMI (body mass index), and this is important for heart health, as well as stress attenuation for the human body. However, the body’s ability to function optimally also lies in its ability to maneuver effortlessly.
When a body is imbalanced, or has too much fat mass, it is constantly in a state of hardship. Every time a muscle is recruited for a task that requires endurance, the heart is left overworking and undernourished. Through improved lower extremity strength, the venous system does not have to work as hard. This is called a ‘muscle pump system,’ meaning that the muscles in your lower and upper leg work together to help squeeze blood back to the heart, thereby decreasing stress on the cardiovascular system as a whole.
For this reason, many diets can be misleading. By depriving your body of essential nutrients it needs to build muscle, like protein, it is difficult to sustain any level of permanent weight loss. Naturally, as muscle wastes away and the amount of fat free mass in the body dissipates, a person’s metabolism will decrease. Over time, this results in rebound weight gain, and a feeling of depression.
Through the proper nourishment and a guided exercise program, this is not necessary. It’s important to speak with your doctor, or personal trainer to discuss the correct ratios of nutrients, as well as the appropriate exercise prescription before trying to lose weight. It may turn out that you have set yourself up for failure if you’re not careful.
It is more important to monitor body fat percentage during the course of a fitness program, in order to best determine the ratio of muscle to fat in the body, or fat free mass to fat mass. By shifting the ratio of muscle:fat, it is possible to shift one’s metabolism. Once a metabolic shift has occurred, weight loss just happens.
It is all too often that prospective clients come to me upset about the number they see on the scale. The truth is, there is a such thing as “skinny fat people,” and “thin, heavy people.” The American Heart Association continues to emphasize the importance of BMI (body mass index), and this is important for heart health, as well as stress attenuation for the human body. However, the body’s ability to function optimally also lies in its ability to maneuver effortlessly.
When a body is imbalanced, or has too much fat mass, it is constantly in a state of hardship. Every time a muscle is recruited for a task that requires endurance, the heart is left overworking and undernourished. Through improved lower extremity strength, the venous system does not have to work as hard. This is called a ‘muscle pump system,’ meaning that the muscles in your lower and upper leg work together to help squeeze blood back to the heart, thereby decreasing stress on the cardiovascular system as a whole.
For this reason, many diets can be misleading. By depriving your body of essential nutrients it needs to build muscle, like protein, it is difficult to sustain any level of permanent weight loss. Naturally, as muscle wastes away and the amount of fat free mass in the body dissipates, a person’s metabolism will decrease. Over time, this results in rebound weight gain, and a feeling of depression.
Through the proper nourishment and a guided exercise program, this is not necessary. It’s important to speak with your doctor, or personal trainer to discuss the correct ratios of nutrients, as well as the appropriate exercise prescription before trying to lose weight. It may turn out that you have set yourself up for failure if you’re not careful.
Monday, November 24, 2008
stretching
One of my clients asked me what are some good stretches, but before I listed them I wanted to give a little background. You should never stretch a cold muscle, always warm-up first. Stretching has been shown to decrease strength during a workout, so stretch after to avoid inflammation and increase future range of motion. Stretch to the point of slight discomfort. The best stretches are done with a trainer, called assisted stretching or PNF stretching proprionuromuscular facilitation. This link has some good stretches. I also strongly recommend yoga. I have been doing yoga for about a month and have constantly gotten more flexible. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml
one arm side stretch
overhead arm pull
chest stretch
upper back stretch
shoulder stretch
lower back stretch
thigh stretch(standing)
calve stretch
hamstring stretch (standing)
groin stretch(standing)
neck rotation
arm and shoulders rotation
hip rotation
knees and ankles rotation
also, extensions can be good for the warm-up standing on one foot, (you can hold yourself with a fence or chair for balance) raise one leg, and do an overstretched stride, imagine a football kicker, kickin up as far as you can, and then the same towards the back
one arm side stretch
overhead arm pull
chest stretch
upper back stretch
shoulder stretch
lower back stretch
thigh stretch(standing)
calve stretch
hamstring stretch (standing)
groin stretch(standing)
neck rotation
arm and shoulders rotation
hip rotation
knees and ankles rotation
also, extensions can be good for the warm-up standing on one foot, (you can hold yourself with a fence or chair for balance) raise one leg, and do an overstretched stride, imagine a football kicker, kickin up as far as you can, and then the same towards the back
Workout of the Day
DB Row 3 sets run the rack from 30lbs down to 8lbs completing as many reps at each weight as possible
*remember this is my personal workout and works great for me. For a customized workout contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
*remember this is my personal workout and works great for me. For a customized workout contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Powerfoods!
Add at least 6 of these powerfoods to your diet each day.
Almonds and other nuts, Beans and other legumes, Spinach and other green vegetables, Dairy, Wieght Control instant oatmeal, Eggs, Turkey and other lean meats, Peanut Butter, Olive Oil, Whole Grains breads and cereals, Whey Protein Powder, Any Berry.
Almonds and other nuts, Beans and other legumes, Spinach and other green vegetables, Dairy, Wieght Control instant oatmeal, Eggs, Turkey and other lean meats, Peanut Butter, Olive Oil, Whole Grains breads and cereals, Whey Protein Powder, Any Berry.
Gain a trainer!
Your New Year's resolution could still use a good support staff. Build that new body with a personal trainer certified by the top angency in the world. For a chance to win 12 months of FAT-shredding online personal training (a $1800 value), contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com or elitetraining@hotmail.com
Exercise of the month
Hold a pair of light Dumbbells over your head and in line with your shoulders, and keep your elbows slightly bent. With your back traight, slowly bend as far to the left as you can without twisting your upper body. Pause, then return to the upright position. Now do the same thing to the right. Do 6-10 reps on each side. Rest then repeat.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Loose stubborn belly FAT
Today, I want to share an article I wrote on losing belly fat quickly. A lot of people have commented to me that it’s helped them straighten some stuff out in their heads… hope it helps you too!
Lose Stubborn Belly Fat Quickly
Losing stubborn belly fat can be challenging if you are not living with the correct lifestyle modifications. Stress management techniques, regular exercise, and a decent diet are necessary strategies to ever achieve the flat stomach and toned abs that you are seeking. Many people realize the importance of exercise, but very few understand the implication of stress on belly fat.
Stress increases production of a hormone called ‘cortisol,’ which results in a deposit of belly fat. This is a primitive reaction of the body as, historically, we used this belly fat deposit for food during long winter months of food deprivation. You see, cold weather and lack of food are two stress-producing stimuli that result in the exact same reaction. For this reason, it is vital that we understand starvation diets and extreme dietary modification works to increase deposits of fat in hard to reach areas. It’s a defense mechanism to ensure we don’t starve.
By regulating the amount of cortisol released in our bodies through stress management techniques we can alter body composition to our advantage. The next time you feel stressed by the thought of work, exercise, home, or what have you, I encourage you to practice deep breathing. The suggestion is to breathe in by sniffing, thereby inducing a diaphragmatic breath, and breathe out slowly while exhaling as if you were blowing through a straw. Pursing your lips, or exhaling like blowing through a straw, results in increased removal of carbon dioxide, as well as increased absorption of oxygen. Naturally, oxygen has an inhibitory affect on our nervous system, allowing us to relax and manage our stress level inappropriately. I personaly have been taking yoga to increase my flexibility and also reduce my stress levels.
Through regular practice of stress management to decrease cortisol levels, combined with a proper exercise and nutrition plan, you can legitimately skyrocket your results in the gym. Unfortunately, most people spend too much time worrying about their body weight, rather than reinforcing their habits by mental exercise as well.
To Your Success!
Lose Stubborn Belly Fat Quickly
Losing stubborn belly fat can be challenging if you are not living with the correct lifestyle modifications. Stress management techniques, regular exercise, and a decent diet are necessary strategies to ever achieve the flat stomach and toned abs that you are seeking. Many people realize the importance of exercise, but very few understand the implication of stress on belly fat.
Stress increases production of a hormone called ‘cortisol,’ which results in a deposit of belly fat. This is a primitive reaction of the body as, historically, we used this belly fat deposit for food during long winter months of food deprivation. You see, cold weather and lack of food are two stress-producing stimuli that result in the exact same reaction. For this reason, it is vital that we understand starvation diets and extreme dietary modification works to increase deposits of fat in hard to reach areas. It’s a defense mechanism to ensure we don’t starve.
By regulating the amount of cortisol released in our bodies through stress management techniques we can alter body composition to our advantage. The next time you feel stressed by the thought of work, exercise, home, or what have you, I encourage you to practice deep breathing. The suggestion is to breathe in by sniffing, thereby inducing a diaphragmatic breath, and breathe out slowly while exhaling as if you were blowing through a straw. Pursing your lips, or exhaling like blowing through a straw, results in increased removal of carbon dioxide, as well as increased absorption of oxygen. Naturally, oxygen has an inhibitory affect on our nervous system, allowing us to relax and manage our stress level inappropriately. I personaly have been taking yoga to increase my flexibility and also reduce my stress levels.
Through regular practice of stress management to decrease cortisol levels, combined with a proper exercise and nutrition plan, you can legitimately skyrocket your results in the gym. Unfortunately, most people spend too much time worrying about their body weight, rather than reinforcing their habits by mental exercise as well.
To Your Success!
Strong Medicine
Go heavy to grow old: Muscular strength can improve your life expectancy, according to University of South Carolina researchers. The scientists found that total-body strength was linked to lower risks of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes. The likely reason: Activities that lead to a stronger body, such as resistance training, also help lower blood pressure, control cholesterol, and improve insulin sensitivity. Crunched for time? Let me design you a quick and effective 30 minute total body workout.
Muscle foods
Eat to grow with this muscle-building take on food. It splits your daily calories equally among proteins, carbs, and fat. The result: You'll consume the right balance of muscle-building nutrients while keeping your portion sizes in check.
1)Nuts, avocado 1-2 servings
1/4 cup nuts, 2 Tbsp nut butter, 1/2 avacado
2)Fats, oils 2-4 servings
1 tsp olive oil or other oil
3) Dairy 2-4 servings
1 cup milk, 6 oz yogurt, 1 oz hard cheese, 1/2 cup cottage cheese
4) Fruit 2-4 servings
1 medium whole fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1 1/2 cup fress fruit
5) Startchy foods 2-4 servings
2 slices of whole grain bread, 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup whole grain pasta, beans, corn, high fiber cereal, 1 small sweet potato
6) Low-startch foods 3-5 servings
1 cup of any veggies besides potatoes or corn
7) High-protein foods 4-8 servings
3 oz meat, 1 scoop protein powder, 3 eggs
1)Nuts, avocado 1-2 servings
1/4 cup nuts, 2 Tbsp nut butter, 1/2 avacado
2)Fats, oils 2-4 servings
1 tsp olive oil or other oil
3) Dairy 2-4 servings
1 cup milk, 6 oz yogurt, 1 oz hard cheese, 1/2 cup cottage cheese
4) Fruit 2-4 servings
1 medium whole fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1 1/2 cup fress fruit
5) Startchy foods 2-4 servings
2 slices of whole grain bread, 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup whole grain pasta, beans, corn, high fiber cereal, 1 small sweet potato
6) Low-startch foods 3-5 servings
1 cup of any veggies besides potatoes or corn
7) High-protein foods 4-8 servings
3 oz meat, 1 scoop protein powder, 3 eggs
Thursday, November 20, 2008
let's blog!
I really enjoyed writing these blog posts, and I've been overwhelmed with the email response.
Here's the thing... right now, business is growing quickly, which is a good thing, for all of us.You see, every time more people find out about me, more people improve their health. Isn't it exciting to be a part of this?!
Seriously, I never had any idea what a rewarding career path this would be... let alone, how exciting blogging would become. I've now been working online (in a serious way) for about a week. The word is out, the excitement has arrived.
You are part of something special - I mean this. But it could be even more special with a bit more of a community feel. Do you think you have about 1 minute a day to comment on my blog and share your success/failure stories with everyone else?
You see, if we all agree, than we will have a conversation up there every day, where I can offer you more personalized attention. It's come to the point where answering a bunch of emails is desirable, but difficult. Let's give the "blog thing" a try - what say you?
To your success,
Here's the thing... right now, business is growing quickly, which is a good thing, for all of us.You see, every time more people find out about me, more people improve their health. Isn't it exciting to be a part of this?!
Seriously, I never had any idea what a rewarding career path this would be... let alone, how exciting blogging would become. I've now been working online (in a serious way) for about a week. The word is out, the excitement has arrived.
You are part of something special - I mean this. But it could be even more special with a bit more of a community feel. Do you think you have about 1 minute a day to comment on my blog and share your success/failure stories with everyone else?
You see, if we all agree, than we will have a conversation up there every day, where I can offer you more personalized attention. It's come to the point where answering a bunch of emails is desirable, but difficult. Let's give the "blog thing" a try - what say you?
To your success,
Grapes or Raisins?
I like grapes in every which way- fresh off the vine and shriveled up and packed into small red boxes. Each has unique benefits: Red grapes and wine contain the potent antioxidant resveratrol, which is thought to fight cancer and heart disease. While this compound isn't as prevalent in the green grapes from which raisins are made, the little dried up fruit do contain more fiber. According to a University of Maine study, the drying process converts the green grapes' fructose molecules to fructan, a type of fiber that can absorb cholesterol. Data suggests eating a half cup of raisins daily can lower LDL cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol. Another benefit to laying grapes out in the sun: concentrated nutrients. Because raisins have the water removed from them, they contain more minerals, amino acids, and other antioxidants per cup. However this also means they have more sugar. So include both in your diet. Put the red grapes on the table and the raisins in your desk drawer.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Udderly Huge
As a dedicated "burn more FAT!" reader, you're likely well aware of the benefits of the milk proteins, whey and casein, for promoting muscle growth. But you probably know little about a closely related supplement that also offers muscle-building advantages. That supplement is colostrum, and recent studies show it can offer huge benefits to exercisers.
Colostrum comes from the very same udders that produce the milk you drink. The major difference is colostrum is produced only shortly before and after the cow gives birth. Essentially a form of milk that's much higher in immune-system-enhancing compounds and anabolic agents such as insulinlike growth factor-1, colostrum has also been shown to have higher levels of the hormone leptin than milk. Leptin helps keep your metabolic rate up and hunger down.
Enhancing your immune function can improve recovery and allow you to train harder. In fact, in a 2006 study that cyclists who supplemented with colostrum bettered their cycling performance. You may not be a cyclist, but this research has definite implications for you in the gym. Enhanced cycling performance is similar to enhanced gym performance: you get more reps with a given weight and can train harder for longer. This all equates to greater muscle growth, and fat loss, which is the bottom line we are ALL looking for.
To Your Success!
Colostrum comes from the very same udders that produce the milk you drink. The major difference is colostrum is produced only shortly before and after the cow gives birth. Essentially a form of milk that's much higher in immune-system-enhancing compounds and anabolic agents such as insulinlike growth factor-1, colostrum has also been shown to have higher levels of the hormone leptin than milk. Leptin helps keep your metabolic rate up and hunger down.
Enhancing your immune function can improve recovery and allow you to train harder. In fact, in a 2006 study that cyclists who supplemented with colostrum bettered their cycling performance. You may not be a cyclist, but this research has definite implications for you in the gym. Enhanced cycling performance is similar to enhanced gym performance: you get more reps with a given weight and can train harder for longer. This all equates to greater muscle growth, and fat loss, which is the bottom line we are ALL looking for.
To Your Success!
workout of the day
Leaning lateral Raise 3x12-15
One arm DB Military 3x12-15
Cable lateral raise 3x12-15
One arm cable upright row 3x12-15
BB behind the back shrug 3x12-15
BB Shrug 3x12-15
Walk 8 flights of stair with two 40lb sandbags on shoulders
*please keep in mind this is my personal workout and works well for me. This workout is not personaly designed for you. If you are interested in a personalized workout please contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
One arm DB Military 3x12-15
Cable lateral raise 3x12-15
One arm cable upright row 3x12-15
BB behind the back shrug 3x12-15
BB Shrug 3x12-15
Walk 8 flights of stair with two 40lb sandbags on shoulders
*please keep in mind this is my personal workout and works well for me. This workout is not personaly designed for you. If you are interested in a personalized workout please contact me at bmusick@prairielife.com
Monday, November 17, 2008
Help me become a better trainer
I am always looking for ways to improve. I know your thinking, "how can you possibly improve", but believe it or not I'm not perfect. I wanted to ask a couple questions in regards to fitness.
What are your biggest fears? about starting/continuing fitness, nutrition, etc
What are your biggest frustrations?
What are your biggest desires?
Please keep all responses clean; this is a family site. And remember today is the day to BURN MORE FAT!
What are your biggest fears? about starting/continuing fitness, nutrition, etc
What are your biggest frustrations?
What are your biggest desires?
Please keep all responses clean; this is a family site. And remember today is the day to BURN MORE FAT!
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