Don’t blame on your sluggish calorie-churning metabolism for your weight. Metabolism is the sum of everything your body does. Every time you feed your body, enzymes in your body’s cells break down the food and convert it into energy that keeps your heart beating, your mind working, and your body moving. You burn more calories the faster your metabolism runs. The more calories you burn, the easier it is to lose pounds. The nicest part of metabolism is that you can make it work harder 24 hours a day.
Our bodies hum along at a preset speed determined by genetics and gender but there’s plenty of room to boost it. An author of The Metabolism Advantage, John Berardi, confirms that metabolic rate can be controlled. “You can’t affect how many calories it takes to keep your heart beating, but you can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories daily by exercising properly and eating right.” Most of all, keep you body guessing on what exercise routine you do to help keep it at its optimal level.
Make simple changes on your routine. Get to know tips from the help of leading experts who came up with the round-the clock, turn-up-the-burn strategy along with new moves that will propel your metabolism into high gear.
1. Eat a hearty breakfast.
Aim to have breakfast every single day. When your body is in starvation mode the whole night when you are sleeping, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. A similar study published in the same journal had volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast. It placed the volunteers at the risk of obesity 4.5 times compared to those who took the time to eat.
Food choices for breakfast should be slow to digest and make you feel fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. You can have an omelet made from one egg and two egg whites and a half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel cut oats mixed with a quarter cup of frozen berries and a teaspoon of omega 3-loaded fish oil.
2. Java power
Who can say no to a hot cup of java? A study published in the Physiology & Behavior journal found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing. A soothing cup of coffee is more than a drink. It is a natural metabolism booster.
3. Guzzle your water cold
University of Utah conducted a study where volunteers drank eight to 12-ounces glasses of water per day. Results showed that the volunteers had higher metabolic rates than those who limit water intake to only 4 glasses per day. It is believed that your body may burn a few calories heating the cold water to your core temperature. The extra calories burn from drinking a single glass may not count too much but the habit of drinking enough water will add up to pounds lost with practically zero additional effort.
4. Lunch high in protein
Protein helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Incorporating protein in every meal, along with a muscle building program, helps burn more calories than fat does, even at rest. Target to have about 30 grams of protein at each meal to realistically boost building of muscles.
5. Sip green tea
Brewed green tea contains a plant compound called ECGC promoting fat burning. People who consumed the equivalent of three or five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. Other studies confirm that consuming two to four cups of green tea per day maximizes burning of an extra 50 calories. It translates into about five pounds per year. Green tea is by far a close thing to a metabolism potion.
Tip
Let tea leaves steep for a good three minutes and drink it while it’s still hot to achieve a maximum effect.
6. Healthy dairy versus processed food for snack
Overcome the seductive power of French fries and other sinful processed foods with dairy products such as healthy yogurt. Calcium helps your body metabolize fat more efficiently by increasing the rate at which removes fat as waste. Supplements do not render the same effect unlike dairy products.
7. Mix things up with intervals
Who does not want a short but intense workout. Step up your intensity and burn the same number of calories in less time. A study in Australia had female volunteers rode stationary bicycles for 40 minutes at a steady pace for 20 minutes of intervals. They alternated eight seconds of sprints and 12 seconds of easy pedaling. By the end of the 15-week study, those who incorporated the sprints into their cardio work out had lost three times as much as body fat, compared with those who exercised at a steady pace. Bursts of speed may stimulate a fat-burning response within the muscles. Try to ramp things up to rev up your metabolism. Start by doing three sets of eight-second sprints, with 12 seconds at an easy pace between each effort. Work your way up until you can do 10 sprints over 20 minutes.
8. Take it slow
It does not look easy but it is definitely worth doing. When you strength train, count to 3 as you lower the weight back to the start position. Slowing things down increases the breakdown of muscle tissue. The repair process pumps up your metabolism for as long as 72 hours after your session, according to researchers at Wayne State University. But pass on those featherweight dumbbells-you need to use weights that are heavy enough that you struggle to complete the final few reps.
9. Pop the good ‘ol pills
The combination of regular exercise with fish-oil supplements increases the activity of your fat-burning enzymes. A report on a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had volunteers took six grams of fish oil daily and worked out three times a week. After 12 weeks, all volunteers lost an average of 3.4 pounds, while those who exercised exclusively saw minimal shrinkage. Look for brands containing at least 300 milligrams of the fatty acid EPA and 200 milligrams of the fatty acid DHA per capsule. Pop two of these two hours before your workout.
10. Hit the sack early.
The less hours you sleep, the more likely you will retain stubborn fat. The lesser number hours of sleep can throw off amounts of leptin and ghrelin hormones that help regulate energy use and appetite-that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who slept less than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index. Sleep more to make sure you get at least eight hours of rest.
Most women often get conscious of showing off their arms in a tank top. Say hello to sexy arms and bid goodbye to upper body jiggle with arms exercises.
Shape your shoulders and tone your triceps with this work out from trainer Joe Stankowski of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
These arm exercises are very simple to do. Aim to complete two or three sets of each move two days a week.
Renegade Row
Grab the dumbbells and get into the top of a pushup position with your hands on the weights and your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart (A). Bend your right arm and raise the dumbbell to chest level, pressing the left dumbbell into the floor for balance (B).Lower the weight to the floor, then repeat the move on the left side. That’s 1 rep; do 6 to 8.Society dictates the ideal of beauty which often pushes women, and even men, to fall into dangerous eating disorders. A culture of muscularity has spurred eating disorder”.
Works core, shoulders, upper back, biceps, and triceps.
Standing V-raise
Grab a 5-to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides (A). With arms straight but not locked, raise the weights in a V shape until your arms are parallel to the floor (B). Hold for 1 second, then return to start. Do 12 to 15 repetition. Tip If you start to arch your back or swing the dumbbells for momentum, use less weight.
Works Shoulders
Shoulder press
Grab a dumbbell in each hand. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the dumbbells just above your shoulders, palms facing each other (A). Press the weights up until your arms are straight overhead (B). Hold for 1 second, then take 3 seconds to lower the dumbbells back to start. Do 6 to 8 repetition.
Shape up your body with a 9 to 15-pound bar! Aim to do up to three sets of 12 reps of each exercise, thrice a week on nonconsecutive days. Ask your gym club if they have weighted bars.
The use of the bar for exercise integrates balance and coordination into moves to make them more effective. Perform these moves regularly and watch your flab disappear!
Tips to remember
Feel the intensity of each routine as different holds the key to the variation of muscles worked out. When you feel that the exercise is too intense upon handling the tool off center, simply perform fewer reps until you feel stronger. Don’t stop when you feel the actions are too easy, use one arm instead of two on the two-arm lifts.
Create a stir
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold bar vertically at arm’s length in front of you, one end on floor. Rise onto balls of feet. Circle arms one rotation in clockwise direction, bending elbows for one rep. Do six reps. Switch directions and repeat.
works arms, calves
Go full tilt
Stand with bar in left hand. Lift bent left leg behind you. Lean forward so torso is parallel to floor; extend right arm. Press left heel toward ceiling as you draw left elbow up (as shown) for one rep. Release arm and leg, keeping torso tilted. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
works shoulders, back, abs, butt, and hamstrings
Soldier on
Stagger feet wider than hip-width apart, left foot in front of right, right heel lifted. Hold bar vertically in right hand at least 12 inches from top, left hand on hip. Bend knees until thighs form a 45-degree angle and raise bar so right hand is at shoulder level (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
works shoulders, abs, butt, thighs
Back it up
Stand holding bar horizontally behind you, palms up. Lift bent left leg and bar as high as you can go without tipping forward (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
works shoulders, back, abs, butt
photo credit to Chris Fanning
Do the twist
Lie facing up with legs lifted, knees bent, calves together and parallel to floor; rest bar between feet and knees, gripping bar with both hands. Maintain position as you lift shoulders and head off floor and twist torso to left (as shown), then right, for one rep. Do 12 reps.
works abdominal, oblique muscles
Raise the roof
Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, toes turned out; hold bar across thighs. Squat, then stand, rotating hips and torso right, lifting left heel and bringing bar up and across body on a diagonal overhead (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
works shoulders, abs, butt, thighs
Aim high
Lie face up with knees bent, feet flat, hips lifted as high as possible. Grip center of bar with right hand and straighten arm in line with shoulder, keeping left hand at side (as shown). With hips raised, bend right elbow out to side to bring bar to chest. Straighten arm for one rep. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
works triceps, chest, back, butt, thighs, hamstrings
Tilt a curl
Stand with feet together, bar in both hands, right hand about 5 inches from end. Lunge to right side as you curl bar toward chest (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides, regripping bar on opposite end; repeat.
works biceps, butt, thighs
Row along
Lie face up with legs lifted, knees bent, and shins parallel to ceiling. Hold bar, arms extended over chest. Lift shoulders and head and tap right toe to floor as you turn torso to left and touch end of bar to floor on left in a paddling motion (as shown). Keep torso lifted; repeat on opposite side for one rep. Do 12 reps.
works shoulders, arms, abs, oblique, thigh
Grip and dip
Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart. Hold bar vertically in right hand, elbow soft, one end of bar near inside of right foot, left hand on hip. Bend left knee as you lower top of bar in right hand toward left foot (as shown). Reverse motion to return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
works shoulders, back, oblique
Push away
Start in kneeling push-up position with bar parallel to body on floor between hands. Bend arms, lowering chest toward floor. As you rise, move right hand to left side of bar. With both hands on left side of bar, do another pushup (as shown). As you rise, return right hand to right side of bar for one rep. Do six reps. Switch sides; repeat.
Works shoulders, abs, legs
Hand off
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold bar at arm’s length in front of you, hands at top and end of bar on floor. Squat and lift bar off floor. Hold squat as you walk hands down bar (as shown). Walk hands back up bar to return to start for one rep. Do 12 reps.
works shoulders, abs, butt, thighs
Strength training or weight lifting is often associated as a manner to achieve manly looking muscles that deters most women from lifting weights. The importance of weight lifting is seen and read in numerous television reports, magazine articles, and radio shows. Yet, so many women seem to be refraining from this anaerobic exercise. It is time to debunk the myths that keep women from having a firmer body and find out why it is important to be involved in a strength training program.
You may be appalled to see women who look manly with big and bulky muscles. It makes you scratch off weight lifting off your work out session. Hold that thought and know the three reasons why some women have bulky muscles:
1. These people are an extremely small percentage of the population.
2. They normally spend 4 to 5 hours a day in a gym pumping out iron.
3. Most of them are using performance enhancing durgs such as steriods to end up having a bulky physique.
What you get from weight lifting
The benefit you get from weight lifting is pretty simple. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest or activity. when you burn more calories then the easier it is to lose weight. A scenario showing how benefit would yield is by comparing two women. Two women are watching a TV show and sitting on the couch. The first woman strength trains thrice a week but the other woman does not. An hour went by, guess who will have burned more calories? The first woman burned more calories than the other woman even though both of them are at rest.
The popular myth of developing big muscles from lifting weights remains a myth. Muscles weigh more than fat. In fact, muscle is much more compact than fat. It takes up lesser space than fat due to its density. Fat, on the other hand, is very soft and jelly like thus occupies more space than muscles.
The weighing scale is your worst enemy
Most female, regardless if she is a teenager or woman in her 30s, often weigh themselves like it is part of their daily routine to check if they lost or gain weight. Let me tell you that the weighing scale is the worst indicator of losing fat. For example, you lost 12 pounds of fat and replace it with 12 pounds of muscle. When it comes to the weighing scale, you freak out seeing you gained weight despite the fact that your clothes are looser on you. It is advisable not to use weighing scale which can make you less motivated on your fitness regimen.
Here are four myths that you should disregard and think about.
“I’m too old to lift weights.”
Some women hold back from lifting weights because they think they’re too old for it. The truth of the matter is you are never too old to strengthen and tone your muscles. You can start with lighter weights and relatively low intensity program. Studies have proven that people as old as 80 can still benefit from weight training who increased their strength for up to 200% in over period of one month.
“I’ll lose my flexibility from weight training.”
Weight training will actually help you become more flexible. These exercises help you become more flexible through a full range of motion especially with stretching of muscles following each repetition. Stretching exercises make you less prone to injuries.
“I’ll develop bulky and big muscles.”
Women are not born to produce huge amounts of testosterone as a major growth hormone to give you that bulky finish. It is possible for women to develop big muscles if and only if they use supplemental means like steroids and growth hormone. Weight training will make you firm and toned but will not by any means make you look manly.
“I would rather join aerobic classes than lift boring weights.”
You have the choice to make exercise boring or fun. Weight training can be done with a friend. You can listen to music while you pump iron. The best thing about it is you can mix different exercises into your routine and change up your routine from time to time. To top it all off, you will become noticeably stronger and tone, definitely not manly looking with bulky muscles.
You may be one of those women who dread looking at the mirror and staring at unsightly cottage cheese thighs. Your thoughts on how to get rid of cottage cheese thighs called cellulite is common and felt by millions of women who have cellulite. There are 90% of women affected by cellulite.
Contrary to popular belief, there are ways to treat cellulite. Before you surrender to the thought of having those excess fat trapped underneath the top layer of your skin, exercise is an effective way to prevent the accumulation of cellulite in your body. Exercise beats cosmetic surgery in the sense that it is more sustainable and poses lesser or no side effects at all.
Be reminded that part of treating cellulite is to create a lifestyle which manages fat in the body. A firm and toned body make it virtually impossible to have cellulites. When you build muscle mass in cellulite affected areas such as buttocks and legs then help burn fat that possibly can turn into cellulites. Muscles work to smooth dimpled skin thus making your legs firmer. Find out which exercises helps smoothen out cellulites.
Best cellulite exercises
Two types of exercises work to prevent and treat cellulite namely cardiovascular and anaerobic exercises. Cardiovascular exercises help prevent cellulite by increasing blood circulation in your body. It helps to move fat build up in the body. Consider walking, running or swimming as great cardiovascular exercises to prevent cellulite formation.
Aerobic exercises
Cardiovascular exercises are the unbeatable and best cellulite exercises. Some of the recommended cardio exercises are walking, jogging, or swimming. Cellulites are often the result of a poor circulation thus the said exercises stimulate blood flow and lymphatic circulation. It helps release fats under the skin by moving through the blood stream and out of your body. The sweat from doing cardiovascular exercises helps detoxify the skin and burn fat.
Anaerobic exercises target cellulite by zoning in on cellulite affected areas. Anaerobic exercises metabolize fat in localized areas of the body and convert it to muscle. The best thing about building muscle is burning an extra 50 calories per pound of muscle a day. You can engage in anaerobic workouts like squats, leg curls, and lunges.
Squat exercises
Squat exercises can be performed in a lot of ways. You can use an exercise ball, bench, bar bell or smith machine. Start with a comfortable but slightly challenging weight set then increasing the weight as you advanced to the next set.
Bench squat can be a simple exercise with a use of a bench or chair and pretend you are going to sit on it. Squat as low as you can without really sitting down then get back up. Maintain a slow pace and steady so you can feel your thighs and buttocks muscles working.
The Smith machine gives you flexibility to challenge yourself. You can make use of the Smith machine when doing squats and lunges. You can start with the bar alone then gradually increase weights to increase your workout and muscle gain. Place a cushion padding on the bar to avoid hurting your neck. Position the bar behind your neck and shoulders. Do not perform lunges or squats slowly.
Do not use force from your back muscles to push yourself up otherwise you’re hurting yourself. Stop at once when you feel you are using your back muscles. It shows that the weights are too heavy. To effectively get rid of cellulites, exercise with light weights thrice a week.
It is very important to lead a healthy lifestyle combined with a regular exercise. Apart from losing body fat, rigorous exercise helps firm up the muscle tissue beneath the skin and improves circulation to avoid cellulite formation.
Contrary to popular belief that when we perform lots of crunches and other stomach exercises could transform our belly into being toned and firm. Abdominal exercises can do wonders on the part of firming but these exercises alone are not enough.
photo credit to tennis abs
What you eat and how much you eat is significantly linked to how easy or difficult it may be to attain a toned and flat stomach. The frequency and time you often eat is equally important and determines whether your body stores fat or burns it at rest or activity.
You may also find infomercials showcasing exercising machines that promise to give you six pack abs for only 3 minutes of use daily. The fact of the matter is you need to burn that layer of fat at your abdominal area to visibly show the efforts you pour in doing the abdominal exercises.
Correct eating habits
It is important to do stomach exercises to have a flat stomach but it is only one side of the fitness equation. There also lies the impact of correct eating habits. In reality, the main reason why people fail to acquire sexy abs is because they overlook changing their eating habits but do lots of abs exercises. Their results remain hidden under a stubborn layer of fat.
For all of you who are starving yourselves just to lose weight or at least that is what you think, you are wrong. It is surprising to hear that the one of the ways to lose weight is to eat more often. The following advice might come as a surprise to some of you. You can lose weight when you eat 5-6 smaller meals a day or add healthy snacks between your existing meals.
Here is how this advice works. We go back to the primitive days of our dwelling ancestors. It was a time when food was scarce unless food was obtained from hunting. The human body is designed to store fat in times of food scarcity. When you subject your body to starve, it will do everything to store fat after every meal thus slowing down metabolism. On the contrary, when your body is feed more than it can handle then your metabolism increases thus decreases the storage of fats.
Thus, diet starvation wherein you eat less than 1500 calories a day will never help you lose weight. It could actually help you gain weight. Your metabolism will slow down. When you decide to stop the “crash diet” when you would go back to eating like you did will make you gain more fat than you lost. Aim to increase your metabolism by increasing the frequency of your meals and the amount of healthy food you eat to burn more calories after each meal and to store less fat.
Once you change your eating habits to frequent eating in a day, your body digests food and burn calories. It basically means eating more often will lead to more calories burned. You will also feel fuller for longer periods and prevent you from feeling easily hungry during the day.
Start your day right.
Eat breakfast as soon as possible when you wake up. It will start your metabolism that naturally slowed during the night. If you skip breakfast, it will slow your metabolism even further as your body reacts to the hunger. Make it a point to refrain from eating at least two hours before you go to bed. It will allow your food to digest properly and help your body rest and recover better from the previous day.
What you should and shouldn’t eat
The food you may eat or are forbidden to eat is pretty simple. Don’t completely change your diet all at once. Start out slowly by eating the same foods you are used to only the healthier versions of your regular diet.
Substitute process foods to natural and whole grain foods. Eat whole meal and wholegrain bread instead of regular white bread, when possible. Eat whole meal pasta and brown rice, low fat milk products, egg whites as well as lean meat and tuna.
Stop counting calories as you usually do. It is a tiring habit as well as psychologically draining effort. You can simply avoid foods you know are bad for you such as cut down on sweets, cakes, and pastries along with high sugar sodas. Eat lesser saturated animal fats. Feed your body the nutrients it needs form fruits, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and lean protein. Hydrate your body with water rather from sodas and high sugar sodas.
When you think of doing those abdominal muscle exercises, take the initiative to eat healthy and right. The best combination to lose belly fat is to change your eating habits as well as integrating fitness regimen. It will make your body store less fat and those cardio exercises will burn your stored fat. Watch out for the best abdominal exercises you can do to achieve toned and flatter abs.
Get to work out your lower body with a fusion of dance and martial arts by this instructional video. Try these booty moves at the privacy of your home. Booty exercise are creatively named as flying eagle, rainbow rise. triangle trimmer, sky reach, butterfly bend, winged feet, and sideswipe. Do two sets of the indicated reps of each move three times a week on nonconsecutive days. Good luck on toning your tight and toned butt and legs. ( video credit to self.com)
Whether you are the type of person who eats to live or lives to eat, the basic knowledge of nutrition will go a long way to improve your quality of living. No matter how intense and regular your work outs could be, it wouldn’t be complete without regarding nutrition.
Muscles, by nature, repair themselves during resting periods. Thus, it is necessary to feed your muscles the much needed nutrients especially protein that it needs to give rise to a reshaped and toner muscles in your body.
The human body consumes energy 24/7 even at resting state like when we are asleep. Energy is provided from the foods we eat and the process of “burn-out” of muscles. When the body is in the breakdown mode, it is considered to be in catabolic (break down) state. The only phase to gain healthy muscle mass after work out is during the anabolic or built up state. The anabolic phase is a critical period to have a scheduled intake of balanced meals.
Post work out drink
After exercising, it is the first nutritional priority to replace any fluid lost during exercise. The best way to determine how much to drink (either plain water or sports drink) is to weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace lost fluids by drinking 20 to 24 fluid ounces for every pound lost.
During a moderate to intense session of work out, the body depletes its glycogen stores requiring a post work out drink to promote protein synthesis and decrease the rate of protein breakdown. By the time you are done working out, your body would have now lost lots of water and essential electrolytes.
Proteins
Protein comes in a variety of types and levels. Out of the 20 amino acids, 9 are considered “essential” since these proteins cannot be synthesized therefore need to be consumed regularly. The biological value of a source of protein is known by the amount and proportion of the essential amino acids. If one or more of these amino acids is not present or is present in disproportionate amounts, the efficiency of protein synthesis goes down.
Animal sources are the best source of protein including meat, fish, dairy and poultry which are more “complete” than plant sources as they contain all the essential amino acids. Plant sources, on the other hand, when eaten in right combinations can also measure up to protein requirements. Soya protein ranks as the highest among plant sources. It is comparable to animal sources of protein. Vegetarian can select whey protein and soy as protein supplementation.
Eating after Exercise
Most athletes are aware of the importance of eating before exercise which is equally important to what and when you eat after exercise. Exercising before a meal can ensure sufficient glycogen stores available for optimal performance. Glycogen is the source of energy primarily used for exercise thus a meal after exercise is critical to recovery and improves your ability to train consistently.
It is recommended to consume carbohydrate such as juice or fruit within 15 minutes after work out to help restore glycogen. In fact, research has shown that eating 100 to 200 grams of carbohydrates within a couple of hours of endurance exercise is vital to building sufficient glycogen stores for continued training. Refraining from any carbohydrate consumption results to 50 percent less glycogen stored in the muscle. The reason for this is that carbohydrate consumption stimulates insulin production, in turn aids the production of muscle glycogen. However, the effect of carbohydrate on glycogen storage possibly can reach a plateau.
Carbs and protein speeds recovery
Studies have concluded that the combination of protein and carbohydrate consumed in the two hours following exercises nearly doubles the insulin response leading to more stored glycogen. The right ratio to achieve this effect is 4:1 translating to four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein. Be mindful that eating more protein has a negative impact because it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment.
Protein needs post exercise
Muscles after exercise requires intake of protein to supply the amino acids necessary to rebuild damaged muscle tissue resulting from intense, prolonged exercise. It can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration. The amino acids in protein can also stimulate the immune system, enabling you to become more resistant to colds and other infections.
If you are looking for the best way to refuel your body after long, strenuous endurance exercise, a 4:1 combo of carbohydrate and protein seems to be your best choice. While solid foods can work just as well as a sports drink, a drink may be easier to digest make it easier to get the right ratio and meet the 2-hour window.
Time for protein intake
Post work out is the best time for protein intake as absorption and possibly assimilation levels are the highest. It is not a good idea to fast after a work out which can undo all the work you have exerted. The key is to schedule your meals into smaller but frequent portions.
You don’t need to work out every single day believing that it will speed the muscle building process of your body. Resting at intervals is equally important to allow muscle gain to take place. When the body is continuously involved in activity coupled with inadequate rest then catabolic state results. In the catabolic state, substantial gains in muscle mass is next to impossible. Studies have also proven that erratic sleep patterns and eating habits result to unhealthy weight gain. If you compromise diet and nutrition but manage to work out regularly, all of your efforts are useless and wasted.
The first hour after work out is the body’s golden hour when stored glycogen are used up and enzyme responsible of converting glucose into glycogen are in a phase when sugar or glucose can be consumed and rushed directly to the muscles to immediately replace lost glycogen stores.
You should have a post work out meal or drink to help your body recover quickly form the result of physical activity. You might think of resisting carbohydrates in your meal after working out to avoid weight gain. Carbs part of your post work out meal won’t add fat as calories are continuously burn even after work out. A simple balanced work out along with 10 to 15% of energy coming from protein should do the trick. Be smart and feed your body the nutrition it needs. Starving or restricting food intake after work out will do your body more harm than good.
In a country where 66 percent of adults are now obese or overweight, some people are determined to stay at a healthy weight. Help is on the way as we present a compilation of healthy foods you can apply to integrate in your daily diet or reach your weight goal. Best of all, you get to eat more to weigh less!
Steak
Beef is branded as a diet buster for its cholesterol contents but it can help you lose excess weight. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition employed women in a diet with red meat. They lost more weight than those eating equal calories but having little beef. Steak is high in protein that enables your body to retain muscle mass during weight loss. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism rate would be. Aim to cook the steak in less oil or fats by grilling or broiling,
Eggs
Eggs can actually lower cholesterol levels because they’re high in cholesterol but low in saturated fats. In fact, eggs are full of high-quality proteins, vitamins and minerals needed in a healthy diet. Don’t think of separating the egg yolks. Egg won’t harm your heart but they can help you trim not so good inches. A study from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge placed women on a low-calorie diet. They ate an egg with toast and jelly each morning lost twice as many pounds compared to those who had a bagel breakfast without any eggs but with the same number of calories. It just shows that egg protein is filling thus making you eat less during the rest of the day.
Oats
Oats hold the highest satiety level ranking beating any other food. They contain soluble fiber that are digested more slowly thus proves to be friendly on your blood sugar as it is also great to keep you fuller longer. You can count on the steel-cut and rolled varieties to be the best choice among types of oatmeal having 5 grams of fiber per serving. Instant oats have 3 to 4 grams per serving. You can substitute oats to bread crumbs when making meatballs, cookies among other delicious foods. You’ll be surprised on how healthy you meal turn out to be.
Lentils
photo credit to Ruthieki
Lentils are rich in protein and soluble fiber that stabilize blood sugar levels. It is known to be a belly flattener when eaten will prevent insulin spikes which cause your body to create excess fat especially in the abdominal area. Lentil soups as an appetizer at the start of a meal can take the edge off hunger. Best of all,lentils are low in calories but high in nutrients and protein for that needed satiety against overeating.
Apples
An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay. When we munch an apple before meals, we tend to eat fewer calories than those who had eaten a different snack. These bright red and green fruits are high in fiber (4 to 5 grams) that makes them filling. The antioxidants found in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome and its tendency to make you store fat in the belly.
Buckwheat pasta
Try buckwheat pasta from getting used to the taste of plain noodles. Buckwheat is high in fiber and has protein. The combination of fiber and protein makes it very filling. You can add broccoli, carrots, onions, and mushrooms to buckwheat pasta to make it even more packed with vitamins and minerals.
Wild salmon
Omega-3 in fishes keeps your heart healthy and shrinks your waistline too. The fatty acids found in omega-3 improve insulin sensitivity helping your body to build more muscle and decrease belly fat. The more muscle mass you build then the more calories your body burns. It’s wiser to eat wild salmon as it may contain fewer pollutants.
Blueberries
photo credits to Pabo76
Blue berries are the best among the berries. They offer the highest antioxidant level of all commonly consumed fruit. Plus, each cup of blueberries delivers 3.6 grams of naturally good fiber. Fiber hinders fat absorption in the digestive tract. You can add blueberries to your usual morning cereals and add milk or yogurt.
Almond butter
One way to lower the glycemic index of bread is to spread almond butter on it. The glycemic index is a measure of the effect of a certain food on the blood sugar. A study in Toronto found that people who consumed almonds with white bread didn’t have surges in their blood sugar compared to those who ate bread alone.
When your blood sugar levels rise then suddenly goes low. This dip leads to hunger and causes people to binge and overeat. The changes of the blood sugar cause the body to produce more insulin that in effect increases abdominal fat.
You can add almond butter to your favorite peanut butter in sandwiches. You can mix 1 tablespoon almond butter with 2 tablespoon fat-free plain yogurt as a vegetable dip.
Pomegranates
It’s true that pomegranates juice is popular as a healthy drink. Don’t you know that its seeds are just as healthy as its juice? Pomegranate seeds are packed with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants. These high in fiber and low calorie seeds will satisfy your sweet tooth without worries of high sugar content. Snack on these healthy seeds as snack. Toss them in baby spinach salads as a substitute for nuts. (photo credits to Joe M500)
Chiles
Spice up your meals not only add extra flavor to your dishes but also boost your metabolism. The compound called capsaicin has thermogenic effects causing your body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you had eaten them. Spicy foods are usually eaten slowly thus giving enough time to tell your brain that you’re already full. It will make you avoid over eating.
Yogurt
Plain yogurt is known to be a perfect food with the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. It can ward off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady.
Researches learned that obese adults who had three servings of fat-free yogurt daily lost 22% more weight and 61% more body fat in comparison to those who simply cut calories and didn’t consume dairy products. The study done also showed that yogurt eaters lost 81% more fat in the stomach area than non-yogurt eaters. Adding yogurt to your daily diet can speed weight loss and trim your tummy. Substitute low-fat plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise in salads.
Sardines
Sardines are tiny fishes but are rich in protein and omage-3s to help maintain body muscles. When foods are high in protein, it makes you feel full since protein requires more time to fully digest it. It also helps build bones for its high calcium content and low in mercury. You can soak the sardines in milk for an hour to remove any smell of fishiness.
Parmesan
Pick up the real cheese called parmesan cheese. It is beneficial for women to consume one serving of whole milk or cheese daily. Parmesan cheese helps you to avoid weight gain. Low fat or skim milk may sound less or not fattening to you yet whole milk is a better option. The real deal is to drink whole milk as it has more conjugated linoleic acid that helps your body burn fat. Given its rich and full flavor, you are satisfied having one servings of Parmesan cheese.
Avocado
Most people stay away from avocado for it high fat content of 29 grams but don’t let it frighten you. This fat content is actually the heart-friendly monosaturated fat that increases satiety or feeling of fullness. You can have avocados tossed in salads or sandwiches. A word caution, though, is to watch your portion sizes as it has high calories.
Olive oil
Oil can be fattening but with the right kind of oil such as made from olives, it can be healthy as it can be. Olive oil contains healthy fat that increases satiety and taming your appetite. Apart from its slimming feature, research shows it also has anti-flammatory properties. Chronic inflammation in the body is affects your metabolism. Increase the antioxidant power of you veggies by using olive oil to it. Olive oil tastes best with pasta along with fresh basil and sautéed spices.
The trick is to find the right foods to help you drop pounds by boosting calorie burn and restrain cravings. Enjoy these metabolism-booster foods in your meals and say hello to a healthier and slimmer new you.
Most of us women would die (not literally) to have a firm butt to better accentuate our feminine curves. The exercises aim to firm the buttocks are just an example of the most sought after exercises for women.
Every body type responds differently to exercises for the butt alone but will not eliminate of your body fat. Your daily routine should be incorporated with a regular exercise and nutrition plan to complement the butt exercises we feature.
Just as our body shapes come in different shapes and sizes, it goes the same with buttocks. Genetics play a partial role on how your body responds to exercises. Butt exercises are geared to firm your butt but won’t change the shape of your butt.
Before we get to our top seven best butt exercises, here are few pointers to remember before you try these moves on your own.
Don’t forget to breathe as you perform movements using your buttocks. Aim to maintain the proper form deemed critical to any physical exercise. You should always make sure to use a controlled motion when performing any exercises for your butt or else you could end up injuring your knees. Tighten up your abdominal and back muscles to help stabilize your body. Never swing or do any jerky movements to get the weights up. For any pain felt during the exercise, stop!
Top 1 Butt Exercise - Squat
Squats are considered to be the best among exercises for your butt. Squats have a common misconception being difficult and dangerous yet when done correctly can be very easy.
Some people often warn that squats can cause injury to your knees and back, adding that they’re difficult to learn. To set the record straight, there is not better exercise for your butt than squats.
All you have to remember is to keep your proper form to avoid any unnecessary injuries. Don’t allow your weight to tip forward on your toes. Don’t curve your back nor lean forward. This position will only stress your back and render squat ineffective.
When you descend lower while doing squats, do not let your knees go beyond your toe alignment. Be conscious to stop going any lower before your knees go any further than your toes. If your knees cave in while lifting your body up, let your chest comes up first followed by your hips.
Like any other exercises, people will progress at varying rates. It is best to begin with no weight at all only using body weight for resistance.
If you experience soreness of your butt and legs on the next day or so then you are actually doing a good butt exercises. It means your muscles are responding to the movements done. You need to alternate the days when you work out a specific muscle group.
Top 2 Butt Exercise - Dumbbell Lunges
A good exercise to work out your butt, quads, inner and outer thighs and hamstrings is to perform dumbbell lunges. You can perform it in either a stationary position or walk across a large area in a straight line.
Switch legs and repeat the same exercise on the other leg to complete a full set. You can also switch legs and move forward across the floor with each repetition.
Pay close attention to the angle formed by your thighs and legs. Your knee and toes should be pointed in the same direction with knees directly over your ankle. Don’t let your knee stray over your toes.
Top 3 Butt Exercise - Straight Leg Dead-lifts
Straight leg dead lifts will work your hamstrings, butt and lower back. Grab onto a barbell with both hands using an overhand grip, stand up straight with your hands and feet shoulder width apart.
Be careful and try not to lean backwards or hunch your back as this can increase your risk of back injury. Keep your back fairly straight throughout the exercise. You can also look straight ahead of you will help you keep your back straight.
Top 4 Butt Exercise - Wall Squats
Wall squats work primarily the same muscles as the traditional barbell squats do. It increases leg muscle strength and create an isometric contraction on your erector spine which can strengthen your back.
It’s also a great exercise for stabilizing the knee joints and the trunk.
Top 5 Butt Exercise - Lying Or Seated Leg Curls
You can use either a seated or lying down hamstring machine for leg curls.
It helps develop the hamstrings, which are very important for having a nice butt and developing muscles used with other butt exercises. When doing leg curls, concentrate on using a full range of motion.
Top 6 Butt Exercise - - Back Extensions
Back extensions work your lower back, butt and hamstrings. You can perform back extensions over lower back machines since they have lesser compressive forces on the spine.
You can hold a weight plate across your chest to increase resistance after a few workouts when you feel this exercises becomes easier. For health and safety, don’t even think of placing any weight on your head or neck or this could result in injury.
Top 7 Butt Exercise - Ski Squats
Ski squats are so easy to do in the privacy of gyms, homes and even in the office. Place your feet shoulder width apart, about two feet out from the wall and lean your back against the wall.
To have a perfectly round and hard-shaped butt, you need to do butt exercises consistently and maintain proper and balanced eating habits.
It is easy and doesn’t take much time when you use the right butt weight lifting exercises. Muscle-specific exercises such as butt exercises will make an enormous difference in your butt. You can try any of the 7 butt exercises to firm, tone and reshape your butt to get the sexy, toned appearance you desire. Good luck!
Behavior journal found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing. A soothing cup of coffee is more than a drink. It is a natural metabolism booster.
Brewed green tea contains a plant compound called ECGC promoting fat burning. People who consumed the equivalent of three or five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. Other studies confirm that consuming two to four cups of green tea per day maximizes burning of an extra 50 calories. It translates into about five pounds per year. Green tea is by far a close thing to a metabolism potion.
Grab the dumbbells and get into the top of a pushup position with your hands on the weights and your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart (A). Bend your right arm and raise the dumbbell to chest level, pressing the left dumbbell into the floor for balance (B).Lower the weight to the floor, then repeat the move on the left side. That’s 1 rep; do 6 to 8.Society dictates the ideal of beauty which often pushes women, and even men, to fall into dangerous eating disorders. A culture of muscularity has spurred eating disorder”.
Grab a 5-to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides (A). With arms straight but not locked, raise the weights in a V shape until your arms are parallel to the floor (B). Hold for 1 second, then return to start. Do 12 to 15 repetition. Tip If you start to arch your back or swing the dumbbells for momentum, use less weight.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the dumbbells just above your shoulders, palms facing each other (A). Press the weights up until your arms are straight overhead (B). Hold for 1 second, then take 3 seconds to lower the dumbbells back to start. Do 6 to 8 repetition.
Tilt a curl
Eat breakfast as soon as possible when you wake up. It will start your metabolism that naturally slowed during the night. If you skip breakfast, it will slow your metabolism even further as your body reacts to the hunger. Make it a point to refrain from eating at least two hours before you go to bed. It will allow your food to digest properly and help your body rest and recover better from the previous day.
Stop counting calories as you usually do. It is a tiring habit as well as psychologically draining effort. You can simply avoid foods you know are bad for you such as cut down on sweets, cakes, and pastries along with high sugar sodas. Eat lesser saturated animal fats. Feed your body the nutrients it needs form fruits, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and lean protein. Hydrate your body with water rather from sodas and high sugar sodas.
Beef is branded as a diet buster for its cholesterol contents but it can help you lose excess weight. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition employed women in a diet with red meat. They lost more weight than those eating equal calories but having little beef. Steak is high in protein that enables your body to retain muscle mass during weight loss. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism rate would be. Aim to cook the steak in less oil or fats by grilling or broiling,
It’s true that pomegranates juice is popular as a healthy drink. Don’t you know that its seeds are just as healthy as its juice? Pomegranate seeds are packed with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants. These high in fiber and low calorie seeds will satisfy your sweet tooth without worries of high sugar content. Snack on these healthy seeds as snack. Toss them in baby spinach salads as a substitute for nuts. (photo credits to Joe M500)
Plain yogurt is known to be a perfect food with the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. It can ward off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady.
Most people stay away from avocado for it high fat content of 29 grams but don’t let it frighten you. This fat content is actually the heart-friendly monosaturated fat that increases satiety or feeling of fullness. You can have avocados tossed in salads or sandwiches. A word caution, though, is to watch your portion sizes as it has high calories.