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4 Hot Strategies to Lose Weight

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 10:12 pm

If you are overweight and are sick and tired of carrying around excess bulk day after day there are some changes that you could make that would melt off that useless fat. If you implement these strategies you will find that over time the fat will disappear and your lean, firm muscles that are buried underneath will begin to reveal themselves.

Here are four hot tips that will shift stubborn body fat for good:

1) You must strength train – This type of exercise is the number one tool for your fat loss success. Not only does it burn calories during the sessions it increases your metabolism (your body’s engine) 24/7. Unlike cardio type activities like walking, jogging or cycling that only burn calories while you are doing the activity strength training has a much more beneficial effect for a much longer period of time.

The more you can build and tone your muscle tissue the more calories you will burn permanently. This is the mechanism that will get rid of that excess body fat and keep it off for good.

Even if your goal is solely to lose body fat you need to strength train. This will help prevent any loss of muscle tissue when calories are reduced. If this should happen you will slow your metabolism, stall your fat loss efforts and turn yourself into a skinny fat person.

2) Include interval training – This involves short bursts of intense activity followed by recovery periods. This will make the overall length of your workout much shorter in duration than typical aerobic sessions but you will receive three times the results.

An example of this would be to briefly warm up then do 10-20 seconds of sprinting followed by walking for thirty seconds to one minute. You could also jump rope as fast as you can for the same time period followed by slow rope jumping.

Repeat this sequence 8-12 times starting with once a week and increasing it to twice a week as you become more conditioned. Try and work harder each time in the short bursts rather than longer. But be warned, these sessions are brutal but the results will astound you.

3) Reduce your calories gradually – The very bottom level of calories that you should ever eat is 2100 for men and 1800 for women. If you go below these levels you will set off your body’s ‘starvation mode’ reducing your metabolism and making it near impossible to burn off body fat.

Instead, you should reduce your calories slowly, making small reductions every week or two in order to prevent this metabolic slowdown and allow your body to burn fat for energy at an optimal rate.

4) Eat 5 or 6 smaller meals per day – This will ensure that you supply your body with the nutrients necessary to create enough energy to support your exercise program. It will also increase your metabolic rate for even greater calorie burning. If you go too long between meals you can trigger the ‘starvation mode’ slowing down your metabolism which is the exact opposite of what you need to be doing.

Don’t waste your time looking for quick fixes. These are the most basic strategies that you need to master to ever have any success with losing that body fat. Get your exercise program right followed by your eating and you will have the perfect tools to get you in your best shape ever.

Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook “I’ve Found the Fountain of Youth- Let Me Show You Too!” here: Fountain of Youth For Free Fitness Report here Fitness Weight Loss Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger.

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Good Alternatives to the Gym (whey protein and weight loss)

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 7:57 pm

Don’t have time to make it to the gym today? Are you looking for some good alternatives to the gym to add variety to your workout? There are many things you can do to get the same workout without actually going to a gym.

Hiking is a good alternative to going to the gym. Hiking can range from walking around your block to hiking Mount St. Helens. There are many benefits to hiking. Some of the benefits are weight loss, relieve back pain, and it does not cost anything (except an occasional park fee). Make sure you wear good shoes and sock so you don’t get blisters, and your feet and ankles are supported. When looking for good shoes, make sure they has good traction on the soles.

When you go hiking, make sure you bring lots of water. While trying to lose weight, you need to drink at least a gallon of water a day. Contrary to popular belief, water does not make you retain water. It actually flushes out all the toxins from your body. Along with health benefits of hiking, there are also mental benefits. Hiking is a good way to “burn” the stress off. It gives you some “me” time. Studies have shown that giving yourself some “me” time every so often will lengthen your life span and your life will be less stressful.

Biking is another great alternative to the gym. If you do not have a bike, the gym has stationary bikes. They also sometimes offer free spinning classes to its members. About 40 percent of Americans are overweight. Biking is a good physical activity to lose weight. Biking burns about 25 calories per mile. Bikes also help create lean muscles in your legs. Creating muscle is an essential part to losing weight. The more muscle your body creates, the more calories you will burn. Biking is low impact, so it reduces stress on your joints. Biking can also reduce the stress in your life. Once again, studies have shown that the less stress a person has in their life the healthier they are.

There are many DVD workouts you can use at home. There is Yoga, Pilates, aerobic, step and dance, kickboxing, and weight training. Sometimes being at the gym or taking a class can be too intimidating. Doing an exercise DVD in the comfort of your own home can be the thing that gets most people enthusiastic about exercising. When you look for an exercise DVD consider your fitness level. If you are a beginner, look for something that has multiple levels on it so you can work your way up to a more intense workout. You also want to make sure you have enough room in your house to properly do the routines so you can get the most out of your workout. If you see a workout you think you might like, check it out from the library first to see if it is something you really like. Once you like something, buy several different workouts. This will give you a variety, and most programs work different parts of the body.

Taking whey protein is easy to do at home. There is no need to go to a gym to take whey protein. There is no training schedule. Whey protein has many advantages. First, it is dairy base, which means it is digested easier and can quickly provide food to the muscles. Second, whey protein isolates have 90% pure protein in it. These whey proteins have less carbohydrates and fats than soy based proteins. Third, it has immunity boosting qualities.

There are many alternatives to going to the gym. Just look around you and you will be surprised with what you find.

For more info on whey protein, visit My Top Form

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