In reality, it is very depressing for that person because that individual pours in all his hopes, his dreams, time and money into his or her exercise program and only to find out that he is going no where. This article is to address this issue. By reading this article, you would now know what it takes to lose body fat and look good. If you can satisfy all the principle in this article, you are guaranteed to achieve you fitness goal. For those who started already, it is not to late to apply these principles now.
The principle that I want to talk to you is this, the F.I.T.T principle. If this principle is followed exactly, you definitely can exercise and lose weight. But if it is not followed, you are just wasting your time. You can get some results, but not significant.
F.I.T.T is the ultimate guideline for all exercise programs. This concept stands for frequency, intensity, type and time.
Frequency
We always give excuses when it comes to something painful. Exercising for example. We can give all sorts of excuses like work, traveling, studying and many others but the fact is, you have to ask yourself why are you reading this article is the first place? If you want to lose weight and it is really something you want, be prepared to invest 3 to 5 hours of exercise session per week. Yes, there is no way around it and your body will not be sympathetic to your excuses.
According to the American Council on Exercise, you need to exercise at least 3 times a week to get minimum results and 5 times a week to get optimum results. In order to lose 1 pound of body fat, you need to burn 3500 calories. Do you think you can achieve that with just 2 hours of exercising per week?
Intensity
There are people who go to the gym daily. It is like their second home. They will do cardio and weight training religiously but yet, they get no results. Why? They don't get results because their exercise intensity is not high enough to utilize the fat in the fat cells! This is especially important during your cardio session. You have to hit at least 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. You cannot get lean abs by just walking 5.0 km/h for 45 minutes!
Type
The type here means the type of training. In order to maximize your body fat loss, you need to combine weight training, cardio training and stretching. Weight training can help build muscle, which in return speeds up your metabolism. An additional 1-pound of pure muscle can burn extra 50 calories by doing nothing. The extra calories are there to keep the muscle alive. Cardio training will help by making the body to use the fat in the fat cells, thus burning body fat and preserving muscle!
Do not look down on stretching. With a better flexibility, you can run further and not only that, your muscle function better thus producing better results.
Time
Time here refers to the time you need to invest in your training per day. Regarding weight training, an intense weight training session should be around 45 minutes. We are talking about a rest period of 1 minute between sets. For the cardio sessions, in the beginning you should try to train for 30 minutes. When you are fitter, you need to build up to 45 minutes. In my experience, most people lose loads of body fat when they can run for 45 minutes at the heart rate of 80 per cent of max heart rate.
These principles of F.I.T.T are very important. These principles are not just simply developed. They are created by researches and observations. If you can follow these principles properly, you definitely can lose the body fat that you wanted in no time at all! Think about it, these principles are so easy to follow you just make exercising your priority. You have to really want it!
]]>(1) Most common mistake that many of us make is we do not go for traditional method and try to use modern equipments. Use of machine or contraption of any kind to exercise the abs will never work as a perfectly performed curl ups on the floor. I'm always amazed by how many people are wandering aimlessly, walking leisurely on a tread mill while reading a book or cup of tea in hand, lifting weights that are so light and doing many silly things. Hence this is the basic mistake, so go for traditional method instead of purchasing costly equipments that gives no results.
(2) Many people try to pull their neck with their hands when they perform curl ups, it may cause unnecessary strain on the muscles and vertebrae. Instead you could place finger tips on ears.
(3) Another common performance mistake is lifting the body upwards by throwing the arms and shoulders forward instead of peeling the back of the head, then neck and then upper back off the flour. One should always try to perform the curl up with hands on the floor by the side, pointing straight or folded across the chest.
(4) Another blunder is performing a double straight leg lowering exercise for lower abdominals, which can strain the lower back and stretch the abdominals by making them weaker. In this case the correct method is to perform double knees to the chest or scissor action with legs lying flat on the floor.
(5) I have seen many exercisers perform curl ups with straight back which can strain lower back and only focus on fleshy tissue of hip muscle. The proper way is to keep spine as much as possible round even in an upward or downward action.
(6) Many try to perform a curl up with a gap in the lower back which is supposed to give disastrous results such as; you can strain your back badly and stretch the abdominals making them weaker. So the correct trick is to tilt the pelvis posterior by pressing the lower back to the floor.
(7) One more error that one commits is that they perform curl ups with too much bent knees. If you have tight hip flexors and forward tilt of the pelvis then doing exercises in such manner can cause these muscles to tighten or even shorten them. For this bend your knee and hip only to allow the lower back to flatten on the floor.
(8) Exercising on a bulky, spongy or bouncy surface is one more mistake that many do and make it harder to level their lower back. So always exercise on flat surfaces.
(9) Now I would like to state one common mistake. Most people while performing multiple curl ups ask someone to hold their feet or fix them in some object. This will cause a gap to be formed in the lower back.
(10) Last but not least, many make a blunder of neglecting the external musculature. During an abdominal exercise routine the involvement of core muscles is vital which forms the internal musculature. This negligence leads to abdominal distension.
So the talk is never over, I just tried to suggest some "Mistakes in Abdominal Exercises" which I consider the "Top 10 Errors". Also I have tried to rectify them shortly, which will give you the kind of flat stomach that you see on magazine covers, can help you improve your performance in any sport, and your endurance. In short in constructing your abdominal program, you want to make certain you limit the exercise movements to those that are safe as well as effective.
]]>Fiber falls into two general categories:
1. Water-soluble: Found mostly in oats, fruits and legumes.
2. Water insoluble: Found mostly in grains and vegetables.
As each type of fiber has different benefits, most people on high fiber diets are advised to increase their intake of foods that features both soluble and insoluble fiber.
BENEFITS:
According to recent research a high fiber diet benefits the heart. Grains like oatmeal, barley and brown rise help to lower the risk of blocked arteries, heart attacks and strokes. Fiber and other nutrients in whole grains help to lower cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels. They also improve blood vessel function and reduce circulatory system inflammation.
Recent findings also show that high fiber diets are also beneficial for certain gastrointestinal conditions. Fiber slows the movement of food and acidic fluid from the stomach to the intestines. This helps people with duodenal ulcers by reducing the exposure of stomach acids to small intestine.
A high fiber diet helps waste material to pass through your system. A huge concern for most individuals today is body wastes are not fully cleared. If this condition arises then chances of cancer cells to take hold and multiply increase. Shortly we can say high fiber diet benefits in the fight against colon cancer.
In addition to reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases high fiber diets have other benefits too. Fiber fills the stomach and there by reduces the appetite. Thus high fiber diets protect against obesity. So include more fiber in your diet to reduce the risk of obesity related diseases.
Whole wheat breads, wheat bran, rye, whole grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin are fully loaded with fiber. By including these fiber foods you can prevent constipation. As fiber passes through the body largely intact, soaking up water like a sponge and adds bulk and softness to the stool. This not only prevents constipation but also speeds the rate at which the food goes through your system.
Oats, oat bran, beans, peas, rice bran, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp are full of soluble fiber. As soluble fiber passes through the digestive system it binds to dietary cholesterol and helps the body to eliminate it.
Fiber diet benefits type 2 diabetes patients too. Vascular inflammation is common in type 2 diabetes. Hence these patients should eat more whole grain products and cereal fiber to reduce the risk of inflammation.
CONCLUSION:
Did you ever imagine the "Benefits of High Fiber Diet" can create wonders in your life? So if possible eat fiber filled whole fruits instead of drinking fiber less fruit juices. Eat more fiber; you have come to know why fiber diet is so good for your health? To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high fiber foods.
]]>There are many quick weight loss diets out there, the commons ones are high protein diets, low carb diets, zero calorie diets and many others. They do make you lose weight very fast, sometimes up to 2 kilograms a week. Some people will even resort to taking fat loss pills like appetite suppressants in order to really minimize their calorie intake. As a result, they will look totally gorgeous in matter of weeks.
Here is the hard part, many people do not realize that these kind of diets do not give the body the ability to adjust. Undergoing fast weight loss diets means undergoing a fake lifestyle that you will never sustain, you will just go mad if you keep on eating cup size salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will eventually give in and because of deprivation, you will eat not stop, gobbling up any delicious food and dessert you lay your eyes on!
The beauty of slow fat loss as compared to rapid weight loss diets is that it gives the body the chance to adapt and you will not feel any deprivation. Focus on eating healthily and view food as fuel for your body. The better the fuel the more efficient your body becomes. Do not rely just on dieting, you have to exercise to increase your metabolism and increase the output of calories from your body.
So if you want to have real body fat loss and keeping it off, go for a well balanced diet, do your cardio and lift weights. Aim to lose at least 1 pound of body fat per week. Forget about fast weight loss diets. If you do not know how to create a good fat loss program, invest in yourself and get a weight loss programs that are created by pros. Programs like Metabolic Surge can help you lose body fat and keep the muscle mass the healthy way.
]]>There are many quick weight loss diets out there, the commons ones are high protein diets, low carb diets, zero calorie diets and many others. They do make you lose weight very fast, sometimes up to 2 kilograms a week. Some people will even resort to taking fat loss pills like appetite suppressants in order to really minimize their calorie intake. As a result, they will look totally gorgeous in matter of weeks.
Here is the hard part, many people do not realize that these kind of diets do not give the body the ability to adjust. Undergoing fast weight loss diets means undergoing a fake lifestyle that you will never sustain, you will just go mad if you keep on eating cup size salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will eventually give in and because of deprivation, you will eat not stop, gobbling up any delicious food and dessert you lay your eyes on!
The beauty of slow fat loss as compared to rapid weight loss diets is that it gives the body the chance to adapt and you will not feel any deprivation. Focus on eating healthily and view food as fuel for your body. The better the fuel the more efficient your body becomes. Do not rely just on dieting, you have to exercise to increase your metabolism and increase the output of calories from your body.
So if you want to have real body fat loss and keeping it off, go for a well balanced diet, do your cardio and lift weights. Aim to lose at least 1 pound of body fat per week. Forget about fast weight loss diets. If you do not know how to create a good fat loss program, invest in yourself and get a weight loss programs that are created by pros. Programs like Metabolic Surge can help you lose body fat and keep the muscle mass the healthy way.
]]>Here are some types of abs crunches, if done regularly along with proper diet, will surely help you in developing a killer six pack.
The Basic Crunch:
The basic crunch is helpful for upper area of the abdomen and abs. The procedure to do the basic abs crunch is as under.
1. First of all lye down on you back.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor such that toes come near to your hips. This provides support to lower back. Now place your right hand on your left shoulder and left hand on your right shoulder such that both the hands make cross over your chest.
3. Now slowly try to rise up your upper half part of the body, simultaneously pressing your lower back against the floor. Exhale slowly, when you reach the peak of the crunch and when you start to inhale lower your back down slowly.
4. Repeat the above step No. 3 for about 20 to 25 times and take rest for about 1 minute. Then perform the crunches for about 3 to 4 sets by taking rest of 1 minute after every set, this will be sufficient for the day. But remember not to try to do excessive abs crunches in want of quick results, because after doing first 25 to 30 repetitions you will feel lack of energy and most probably you will not perform the crunches correctly.
Initially after doing 20 to 25 controlled and perfect movements you will feel you abs muscles working. If this is not the case then surely you are not performing the movements as ideally required. Your movements should be focused on your middle section, alternatively if your neck feels worked, then you should note that you are not performing the abs crunches properly.
The Reverse Crunch:
Lower portion of abdominal is worked by this exercise.
1. Firstly lie down on your back, place your hand straight along your body, touching the floor and palms facing towards floor.
2. Keep your back and head straight and slowly raise your legs up in the air, slightly bend your knees and cross your legs.
3. Now try to raise your hips off the floor for about 2 inches and try to keep this position without falling down. Stay in this position for 3-4 seconds and perform abs crunches, while keeping your hands, back and neck on the floor.
4. Lastly lower your hips slowly back and try more repetitions, do not forget to take rest of 60 seconds between each set of 20 to 25 abs crunches.
Cable side crunch:
Get the cable to highest position, now grab handle with one hand and rest the other hand on the grabbing hand. Perform crunch only between waist and lower chest, while keeping your arm stationary. The movement caused will be very small. Perform three sets of 10-15 repetitions.
Oblique Decline Crunches:
On a decline bench, lock your feet at the top and lie down inclined. Keep your left hand over left ear and right hand on your right hip. Now slowly raise upper part of your body and twist towards the right. Keep your abs tight and your movement should be controlled and slow. Try to touch your left elbow to your right knee. After that, slowly release your body to the starting position. Now perform similar set on right side.
Oblique Crunches:
Lie down on the floor, bend you knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Keep your both hands on the back of head and elbows must be projecting outwards. Now perform abs crunches in oblique direction trying to touch your left elbow to your right knee. Slowly come to initial position and repeat.
You can get killer six packs by doing above five abs crunches. But remember if you do not take care of diet, merely doing abs crunches will not give you noticeable results. Also, don't expect the results by tomorrow as it is difficult to burn your well earned belly fat in single day. Just concentrate hard and the day will come when you will have the sexy flat stomach.
]]>I would like to share with you 3 effective ways that you could implement today in order to jack up your metabolism and start burning loads of body fat! Lets start with some techniques that you can do physically and then move on to tips and tricks that involve foods.
Doing high intensity weight training is a killer way to speed up metabolism. What do I actually mean by high intensity weight training? Advance training techniques like supersets, drop sets and tri-sets forms the concept of high intensity weight training. Your heart rate will be jacked up sky high by implementing these weight training techniques and this will lead to a phenomenon called EPOC which also known as excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption.
According to a research, high intensity weight training speeds up metabolism in the subjects tested but not only that. The metabolic gain lasted for 16 hours after exercise! This huge gain in metabolism could not be ignored!
Speeding up metabolism with high intensity interval training can really produce eye-boggling results! Yes, this method of cardiovascular training puts tremendous pressure on the body and forces it to undergo the EPOC as well. A high intensity interval training can be completed within a short and sweet 20 minutes as appose to the traditional training which requires 45 minutes or more. Not only it saves you time, it produces amazing results as well by boosting your metabolism.
10 intervals of 1 minutes sprint and 1-minute jog makes up the high intensity interval training or HITT. For example, start off by jogging for 1 minute. Then, at the second minute, sprint as fast as you could and as soon as you reach the third minutes, lower down the speed and jog again until you reach the fourth minute. Repeat the same process until you completed 10 rounds. Do this workout at least 3 times a week for optimum results.
Altering your diet would be your next step to boosting your metabolism. Consume more protein would be the next step for you to take. Consuming more protein will help speed up your metabolism because the body requires more calories to digest protein compared to carbohydrates. Stick to low fat protein. Go for lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish. Fish contains loads of omega-3, which can help boost your health too.
You now have specifically three action steps to take. In summary, you would need to include high intensity weigh training into your workout routine. Next, you need to do HITT for your cardiovascular training but all that would not mean a thing if you do not understand the law of weight loss.
Briefly, the law of weight loss needs to be understood and followed if you really want to lose body fat and get your dream body. The law of weight loss states the frequency of exercise, the intensity, the type of training and also the time. If you want really get ripped, you need to understand these principles.
]]>The only diet that strikes at the real cause of obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2-diabetes is the low carbohydrate way of life. Plus, there are plenty of low carbohydrate alternatives that taste just like foods you aren't allowed to eat. So, now you can eat everything not anything!
Now, you have made up your mind and eager to know the foods to buy on low carbohydrate diet. Well, searching for all natural low carbohydrate foods is like searching for fresh air in this polluted world. Many of the products available are not natural, so here is a list of fresh natural foods that you can experience for overall health and fitness.
(1) Lets start shopping, first of all if you like eating non-vegetarian foods buy meats, poultry, eggs, fish and most shellfish as they contains practically no carbohydrates. Avoid processed meats as they are often cured with sugar. Try to avoid meat and fish products cured with nitrates, which are known as carcinogens.
(2) Lettuce, spinach, mushrooms; cucumber, peppers, celery and other leafy greens are the best in my list because they offer some of the highest quality nutrition for a more natural low carbohydrate diet. These leafy green vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber.
(3) Green beans are among the good foods to buy on low carbohydrate diet. While black beans, red bean, and Lima beans pack almost 30 grams of carbohydrates into a serving, green beans weigh only 5 grams of carbohydrates.
(4) Breads, pasta, and other starchy foods made with white flour are banned on a low carbohydrate diet. But, still you can buy a slice of low carbohydrate Atkins bread or Joseph's lavish bread and enjoy the taste of bread. These breads are healthy with no cholesterol and contain 3 healthy ingredients; flax, oat bran and whole wheat, which may help, protect your heart, while losing weight.
(5) Broccoli and tomatoes are other healthy members of my natural, low carbohydrate food list. Both tomatoes and broccoli are very much known for their cancer fighting qualities. Add to that broccoli sprouts may cut the risk of stroke, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
(6) Green peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas are relatively low in carbohydrates with so many flavors. You can enjoy peas and stay in your diet plan with only 10 grams of carbohydrates per serving, plus it contains fiber, which is also important.
(7) Everyone likes to eat cheese, so you can consume 3-4 ounces daily of firm, soft and semi soft aged cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Gouda, and cow, sheep and goat cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed; so don't buy these cheese products. One of my favorite foods is a smoked salmon filled with brie cheese and cucumber slices.
(8) Don't be surprised if I ask you to buy coconut oil as it has been proved that coconut oil when consumed on a daily basis can speed up metabolism and can make a difference in weight loss success. Though you can buy olive oil or other good vegetable oil I recommend you to buy coconut oil as it will benefit you in many ways.
(9) Foods to buy on low carbohydrate diet must be low Glycemic index foods such as high-fiber grains and most fruits and vegetables. These foods keep your blood sugar and insulin levels steady and may help people trying to control their weight because steady blood sugar can delay hunger.
(10) You cannot forget to buy bean sprouts, as they are perfect for salads in Chinese food. Even a low carbohydrate diet will allow you to eat bean sprouts as they provide vitamins A, B, C and E, as well as iron, calcium and phosphorus.
Well, these are the 10 foods to buy on low carbohydrate diet. Anybody can be successful by eating these foods and the greatest thing of all is you're not required to exercise. Many people switch to a low carbohydrate diet simply because they don't have enough time to exercise. Still, I recommend you to add some simple activities like walking, swimming, etc. Have confidence in me; you're about to make a positive change in your life.
]]>Maintaining a low carbohydrate diet can be difficult when you are hungry and dinner is hours away. At the same time if you are away from home it becomes more difficult. Often, you can easily find chips, candy, or other carbohydrate loaded snacks. Unfortunately such snacks will not keep the hungrier away until the next mealtime. Keep reading as you'll get the perfect solution in such situations.
The market is offering plenty of low carbohydrate snacks today, but sadly not all of them are healthy. Many a time, alcohol sugar is used in the preparation which sometimes makes digestion difficult, thus giving rise to gas problem. Ideally, a low carbohydrate snack should have protein, healthy fat and some fiber. Are you confused? Just carry one or some of these healthy snacks the next time when you are out, and you will never have to risk spoiling your diet again.
* Pack a handful of un-shelled peanuts in a zip closed plastic sandwich bag for an anytime snack. The shelling of the peanuts will help you slow down your consumption, and make you work for your snack. Experience it yourself and you will be delighted.
* Soy Beanits deserve a place in your food store as they have a taste similar to peanuts- nutty, clean, crisp and tasty. They are much lower in fat and are made from soybeans and a little soybean oil. Pack it in a plastic bag or carry them whenever you're out.
* Keto classic corn tortilla chips have a just sweet enough taste enveloped in a light powder of real sea salt. One bite of a keto chip and you will think you've arrived in low carbohydrate snacks heaven.
* You can make cake and biscuits by substituting Soya flour, Soya bran and ground almonds for wheat flour and sweetener for sugar. Chocolates can also be made by mixing artificial sweetener and cocoa powder into unsalted butter, dip nuts and then set in the freezer. Is cake, biscuits or chocolates difficult to carry around?
* Spicy walnuts can make up for an afternoon snack, so just pack a small handful of the nuts in a plastic sandwich bag for a fabulous spicy snack. Make your own spicy walnuts by spreading walnut halves on a plate and spray them lightly with a vegetable oil spray. Sprinkle the nuts with your favorite natural seasoning mix and let the nuts air dry and store in a sealed container, ready to pack.
* Dry roasted pumpkin seeds with natural seasonings (Pumpkorn) are the alternative low carbohydrate snacks that tastes at least as good as peanuts, popcorn, potato chips, corn chips. Pumpkorn is healthy and ideal for high protein, low carbohydrate diets.
* For a filling, Mediterranean style snack, serve a portion of hummus in a covered plastic container. Load a layer of fresh red or green pepper slices on top and pack the container in a lunch bag to snack around during your busy day. The pepper slices can be used to scoop up the hummus when you are ready to snack.
Making low carbohydrate snacks interesting is important if low carbohydrate diet plan is going to be permanent way of life for you. Once you know the tricks or have lost your sugar addiction you would not even feel that low carbohydrate versions are that difficult to follow. Hope you enjoyed my low carbohydrate snacks and now it is your turn to follow them or carry them in your snack bag for your snacking convenience.
]]>You need all the help you can get in order to lose body fat fast and get your dream body. I outlined for you five simple and easy methods that can help you lose that belly fat and slim down your tummy. Read on.
Do not leave your home with an empty stomach. This might sound like a very straight forward and silly tip but it can help you save around 200 to 300 calories a day.
When you leave your home on an empty stomach, you tend to go eat unhealthy outside food when your stomach starts to growl. Instead of eating a bowl of healthy oatmeal and 2 hard-boiled eggs, you chewed down a greasy breakfast set brought from a fast food outlet.
Make sure you put your sauces and gravy on the side when having dinner. This can be either dining out or eating at home.
Sauces and gravy have many hidden sugar and salt, which can destroy your weight loss efforts without you knowing it. Put your sauces on the side instead of flooding your food with it. This goes for your salad dressings as well.
If you want to lose belly fat fast, you also need to drink loads of water. Not sparkling water, just good old thirst quenching water.
Many people think that if they drink more water, they will get water retention. It is the opposite way. The less water you drink, the more likely you will have water retention. The body will not store what it has plenty, instead it will store if there is not enough. So if you want minimum water retention, drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Do not completely eat everything on your plate if you do not have too. This is another very important yet simple technique to lose body fat.
If any case you ordered too much food, you are not forced to finish all the food. In fact, eat half of it and then take away the other half and eat it three hours later. This way, you eat smaller meals more often, which can actually increase your metabolism. This happens because of the food thermic effect.
The last but not least, do not gobble up your food like a bulldozer.
Take your time to chew and swallow your food. Your stomach takes time to digest the food and signal your brain telling it that you are full. If you eat too fast, you will tend to eat more. Make a point to eat slowly and enjoy the taste.
These are just five simple and easy steps for you to follow so that you can lose weight. By itself it might seem nothing but when combined, it can help you lose belly fat fast.
Diet is just one part of the weight loss equation. You also need to include weight training and cardio into your weight loss program to see real fast results.
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