January 2016 - FITBODYUSA

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Many people who are trying to lose weight skip breakfast thinking this is a good way to cut calories. But this can backfire. The real key to dieting is the total number of calories you eat in a day. Rather than skipping breakfast, choose a breakfast containing fiber-rich foods, lean protein and limited calories.

Morning Oatmeal Bowl

Starting your day with a bowl of oatmeal is one of the best ways to hit the ground running. It's high in fiber, low in sugar, and is so hearty you quickly feel satisfied for many hours ahead.

That said, in order for this morning grain to sustain you until lunch, you need to add some protein. All meals and snacks you eat should contain a balanced mix of carbs, proteins, and preferably healthy fats, so let's look at some fast and easy ways to bring more protein to this dish...

1. Add Protein Powder. The first and easiest way to quickly boost the protein content is to simply stir in some protein powder. This should be done after the oatmeal has finished cooking in order to get the best result.

Note some protein powders tend to thin the oatmeal, so you would cook it with less water, while others tend to thicken the oatmeal - so you'll want to add more water to the bowl as you stir. Test your own protein powder to get a feel for how it combines.

2. Replace Water With Skim Milk. Next, if you'd prefer not to use protein powder, consider swapping the water you use to make the oatmeal with skim milk instead. If you use one cup of skim milk, you'll take in around 10 grams of protein total, so this will balance out the carbs in this dish.

3. Toss In Nuts Or Nut Butter. Alternatively, if you also want to add healthy fats to this morning meal, you can toss in a few slivered almonds, walnuts, cashews, or simply stir in some natural nut butter.
Nuts are a great source of both healthy fats as well as fiber, and will also pack in the much-needed protein you're looking for.



Note these are higher in calories however, so be careful with how many you add in to help keep your weight in check.

4. Add In Some Egg Whites. Finally, the last option to really pump up the protein content, is to simply stir in some egg whites. Do this prior to cooking the oatmeal, which will then allow the egg whites to cook as the oatmeal does.

If using this method, you can actually replace the water with egg whites, so the egg whites now becomes your mixing liquid.

So, make sure you are making the most of this morning grain by balancing out its nutrition with some protein. It's fast and easy and a perfect way to start your day.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

Healthy Foods - 4 Ways To Add Protein To Your Morning Oatmeal Bowl

This is a very popular topic in fitness when it comes to cardiovascular workouts. Most people ask me which form of cardio will yield the best results. Before I jump to my recommendation, I would like to outline the pros and cons of each style.

Cardio HIIT


First off, let's start with Steady State Cardio. This is probably the most popular form of cardiovascular activity. In Steady State Cardio, your perceived exertion is low to moderate difficulty over a period of at least 30 minutes. Examples include running/walking/jogging on a treadmill without stopping, running a marathon, hiking, etc. Your heart rate is usually 55-70% of your Projected Heart Rate Max over the duration of your activity. While performing Steady State exercise, you are working your Type 1, slow-twitch muscle fibers which are involved in endurance activities and they do not tend to hypertrophy (grow) as much as your other muscle fibers. While the calories you burn doing Steady State Cardio are mostly from fat, you will not burn as many calories as you would doing Interval Training for the same period of time. Steady State Cardio does not elevate your metabolism post-exercise as well as Interval Training but is much easier on your joints. People of all ages are most likely to be able to perform Steady State Cardio consistently without much discomfort.



Next is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is growing in its popularity due to its shorter workout times. Most HIIT workouts last 20-30 minutes and are characterized by bursts of maximum activity followed by a short rest period before repeating the activity. Your perceived exertion is high during HIIT with your heart rate falling between 70-85% of your Projected Heart Rate Max. The most popular example of HIIT is running sprints. During HIIT, you are working the more powerful, more strength oriented type 2 muscle fibers which are more likely to hypertrophy (grow). Even though the percentage of the calories you burn during HIIT that come from fat is low, you will still end up burning more fat during your workout than a Steady State Cardio session of the same duration. You can also burn up to 100 more calories in the 24 hours following your HIIT workout. There are some things to watch out for with HIIT. For instance, you should not do HIIT more than 3 times per week as it is very taxing on your joints and nervous system. In addition to that, you are more likely to injure yourself if you did not properly warm up before performing HIIT since your muscles are pushed harder than in Steady State Cardio. It may also be more difficult for older adults to do HIIT since their joints are not as strong as they once were.

After reviewing the pros and cons of both HIIT and Steady State Cardio, I recommend that people should perform 2 days per week of HIIT and 3-4 days a week of Steady State Cardio to get the maximum health and fat burning benefit while preventing your body from breaking down from over working it. Your nervous system is often overlooked with people start a HIIT program and end up burning out early due to doing too many HIIT sessions.


If you would like to learn more about Todd Brown and Fit Body Toddy fitness, visit us at http://www.fitbodytoddyfitness.com to see how we can help you get to your fitness goals. Also check out the FREE SUMMER SLIM DOWN CHALLENGE to help you get in shape for summer!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Todd_A_Brown/2079965

HIIT Vs Steady State - Which Type of Cardio Is Better?

The Belly Fat Diet takes all of the current research and all of the new findings about losing belly fat and incorporates them into one, effective and easy-to-follow plan.

How to Lose Belly Fat Fast and Forever


The plan addresses:

How cortisol controls the storage and disposal of belly fat and how you can break the cortisol cycle.
How and why the hormones leptin and ghrelin can work for or against belly fat loss.

The role insulin plays in both storing excess belly fat and regulating cravings and energy levels.
The connection between stress and excess belly fat and how to break it.

The role of vitamin C and Omega 3 fats in losing belly fat.

How to boost your metabolism to burn more fat all day long.

The most effective exercise method for losing weight and belly fat.

Tool # 1: Breaking the Cortisol Cycle

There's been so much information in the media and in diet books about the role that cortisol plays in the storage and disposal, or burning, of belly fat. If you haven't read the research or done much investigating on your own, you may not understand what cortisol is, what it does and how to break the cortisol cycle.

Cortisol is one of the stress hormones naturally produced and secreted in the body. Cortisol's specific job is to react to stress signals by storing fat in the abdominal area. The reason this system exists is because, in ages past, stress often indicated a chance of famine in the near future. Back when people moved from place to place to find food and were often considered food themselves by other predators, stress was a signal that we were on the run and food was going to be in short supply.

Very few of us are in danger of famine from the stress we're under today, but the body's system for storing fat in times of stress remains in place. To our bodies, stress is stress, whether it's from a shortage of food, a lion who thinks we look like dinner, or a boss who wants us to work long hours.

This is where the cortisol cycle comes in. We're more stressed today than people have ever been before. We have financial problems, busy schedules, demanding jobs and families to take care of in between. That stress triggers the release of cortisol into our bloodstreams, which causes our bodies to direct fat to the abdomen to be used in case of famine. The problem is, there is no famine. We continue to eat more than enough food, so that fat is never used as an energy source.

We'll tell you more in depth what you need to know about cortisol in the next few pages, but the Belly Fat Diet will break the cortisol cycle and reset your system so that your body uses dietary fat properly but also gets rid of the fat it already has stored up on your abdomen.



Tool #2: Reversing Insulin Resistance

Your hormones are at it again! Like cortisol, insulin is a hormone produced by your body, although it is not a stress hormone. The role of insulin is to regulate the amount of sugar in your bloodstream and to allow glucose (created from the foods you eat) to be used by cells as energy.

You may have heard about insulin resistance, which is a situation where your body's cells become resistant to insulin and glucose cannot pass through the cell membrane to be used as energy. When this occurs, two things happen:

1... your blood sugar levels spike and drop repeatedly, causing a fatigue/energy boost/fatigue cycle.
2... all of that unused glucose is stored as fat, mainly around your belly.

Like the situation with stress, cortisol and belly fat, insulin resistance is cyclical. The cycle goes something like this:

Excess belly fat makes your body resistant to insulin.

Insulin resistance causes your body to store more belly fat.
Rinse and repeat.

This cycle is what can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes, which is why excess belly fat is a leading indicator of developing the disease. Fortunately, this cycle is reversible. In fact, even if you already have type 2 diabetes, losing belly fat and making the dietary changes prescribed in the Belly Fat Diet can greatly improve and even reverse the disease!

Tool #3: Vitamin C

Vitamin C has always been known as the wonder vitamin when it comes to preventing and relieving colds and other infections. However, the importance of vitamin C goes far beyond fighting infection and boosting immunity.

Vitamin C is also one of the key players in losing belly fat. It does this in two ways:

First, vitamin C is a necessary for the production of L-carnitine, a chemical used to transport stored fat, particularly abdominal fat, to where it can be burned as energy.

Second, vitamin C reduces the effects of stress on the body, which helps to break the cortisol cycle, so that your body is stimulated to both burn stored belly fat and to stop storing new belly fat.

Vitamin C is a soluble vitamin, which means that our bodies don't store it up in great quantities. We use a great deal of it for cell renewal and cell production and most of the rest of it is spent fighting off infection.

Unfortunately, stress also uses up a great deal of vitamin C.

This means we have yet another cycle that gets in the way of losing that belly fat. We're stressed, so we have excess cortisol released into our bloodstreams, causing our bodies to store belly fat. That stress we're under also uses up all of our extra vitamin C, so there isn't enough L-carnitine to move that belly fat to where it can be repurposed as energy.

On the Belly Fat Diet plan, you'll be getting a great deal of vitamin C from your diet, which will be full of vitamin C-dense foods. But you'll also be taking a vitamin C supplement twice per day to give your body the extra C it needs to burn the belly fat you already have. This vitamin C supplementation is essential to turbo-charging the belly fat loss in the first few weeks. As an added bonus, you'll be boosting your immune system through both the vitamin C and your antioxidant-rich diet.

Tool #4: Getting Leptin and Ghrelin on Your Side

You've met cortisol; now let us introduce you to leptin and ghrelin. Both are hormones that greatly influence your weight by controlling your appetite. Leptin is secreted in fat tissue and sends a signal to your brain that lets it know you're full. Ghrelin is secreted in the intestinal tract and sends signals indicating that you're hungry.

Leptin and ghrelin aren't stress hormones, but they do have something in common with cortisol: they are impacted by your sleep habits. Several recent research studies have shown that people who get less than seven hours of sleep per night have elevated ghrelin levels and decreased leptin levels. One of the interesting findings in these studies is that one night of missed or interrupted sleep is enough to see this change in leptin and ghrelin levels. It's far more pronounced when insufficient sleep is a regular pattern, but one all-night study session or party into the wee hours is enough to interfere with the work of these two hormones.

What this means for you is that getting adequate (7-8 hours minimum) sleep, preferably at the same time each night, is essential to keeping leptin and ghrelin on your side. It won't take long to get them regulated, so that you'll soon be overeating less and seeing fewer hunger pangs. This translates to faster belly fat loss without having to do anything other than sleep!

Fish Oil Helps You Lose Belly Fat: The DHA and EPA in Omega-3 fats have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and signs of stress, which can help you to avoid emotional eating. Studies have also shown that people who eat plenty of oily fish and other Omega-3 rich foods lose more fat per week than dieters who don't; on average one pound more. The Belly Fat Diet is filled with Omega-3 fats from fish, shellfish, avocadoes, olive oil, nuts and seeds. You'll also be taking a fish oil supplement each day. It'll be good for your heart, your mood and your waistline.

Tool #5: Interval Training

If you've read or heard about interval training, you may have thought it was just for athletes and those who are already pretty fit. The truth is, anyone can utilize interval training to maximize the effects of their workouts in a minimum of time.

Interval training is simply alternating periods of moderate work with shorter bursts of more intense work. You can apply it to virtually any form of exercise and you can start right where you are, even if you haven't done a bit of exercise in years. The wonderful thing is that your body reacts to the level of exertion you require for your workouts, so beginners can benefit just as much as athletes.

Interval training has been proven to be far more effective than a static (steady paced) workout. In fact, twenty minutes of interval training boosts your metabolism longer than an hour of static exercise!

Interval training works because your body adjusts itself very quickly to your workouts. As you become stronger, your metabolism works less to achieve the same number of reps or the same mileage walked. What this usually means is that people discover they have to work out longer to get the same results.

With interval training, you are constantly keeping your body guessing, so your metabolism is never given a chance to adjust and slow down.

This metabolism boost means that you'll burn more calories throughout the day, no matter what you're doing.

This allows you to lose fat faster without cutting calories. Another benefit to interval training is that you don't have to spend hours working out. You can spend just twenty or thirty minutes a day on interval training. As you progress, you won't add more time to your workouts, you'll simply adjust the moderate periods to be shorter or more intense and adjust the intense periods to be longer or more difficult, still keeping your total workout time down to twenty or thirty minutes.

There's one more benefit to interval training, too. Interval training builds lean muscle faster than steady training. Lean muscle not only burns more calories than fat tissue, but it also improves the efficiency with which glucose is absorbed and burned by muscles. (Remember that glucose absorption has everything to do with reducing your risk of diabetes and losing stored belly fat.)

Conclusion

These five tools represent the best that all of the new research into fat loss and belly fat have to offer. We've taken all of them and put them into one easy-to-follow plan that will help you burn that belly fat faster than you thought possible, all while helping you to feel satisfied and energetic.



With these tools, losing that stubborn belly fat is not only possible, it's enjoyable.

http://tipslosebellyfat.com/category/lose-belly-fat-diet
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_Bui/1582749

The Top 5 Tools For Losing Belly Fat Fast and Forever

Fats? Oh no! Oh my! I want it gone soon. Truly, fat has always been terrifying most people, men and women. As such, losing abdominal fat is one fitness goal people are dreaming to achieve sooner. What people do not know is that fats are needed by the body; the only thing is, up to where the fats accumulate.

Abdominal Fat


Unfortunately, fats from foods we consume love to accumulate in our midsection (buttocks, hips, tights and abdomens). More so, carrying fats around the abdomen is unpleasing to look at, thus losing fat from it is necessary for many.

True enough, the most common area that both men and women are wanting to correct and change is their abdomen. Even if people have less belly fat, more belly fat and a desire to tone the abdominals, almost majority seem to be discontented and dissatisfied with the looks of their abdomen, not until they work out for it. Just like any weight loss program, there is no such thing as quick fix most especially when the fat is in the abdominal area, but to achieve a greater result is possible.

When you want to get rid of abdominal fat and eventually lose it, patience and time are of the essence given the fact that the abdominal fat or love handles are two of the most stubborn areas of the body which are highly resistant to change. You may see a lot of people exercising to death all throughout the day with the new and latest abdominal fat gadget, doing sit-ups, crunches, side bends, leg lifts, planks, and all other means just to get rid of your old time enemy - abdominal fat. However, that alone cannot help you, the very way to lose it is through the combination of proper diet, cardio training, abdominal trainings and resistance training.

What You Need To Know...

1) The reason for having those stubborn fats is related to genetics and gender. When obesity is in the family, you are most likely affected too. When you are a male, your fat storage is common around the abdomen, and when you are a female, your fats are commonly found around the thighs, buttocks, lower arms and abdominals.

2) Excess fats in the body can pose danger to health. It can increase your risk for heart diseases and increase blood sugar (diabetes).

3) Abdominal fat is the easiest to gain, but the hardest to lose, which is why for most people, no matter how hard they work out, changes are still not evident.

4) Many people have gone miles and miles on trying to exercise specific areas of their body including the abdomen. They believe in the idea that fat will be burnt directly from the area they are actually working. What it does to the abdominals will just tighten and tone your muscles and do not tend to lose the fat.

5) Spot reduction is not effective; remember, there are no magical treatments, no miraculous creams, and no wonder drugs that can help you lose the fat overnight.

6) Dieting through food restriction is not healthy; it will not work to lose your abdominal fat, it will worsen the condition as the body is in a starvation mode and it cannot work fully to burn fats.

7) Contrary to those myths and beliefs that have led people to fail, the best way in losing abdominal fat should include the following:

Losing Abdominal Fat

  • Cardiovascular exercises are the best exercise to burn belly fat not because they work on the belly alone, but because they allow working the total body. That means you do aerobic, brisk walking, jogging, tread milling, biking, elliptical exercise and stair climbing. What makes it effective is that they help body's metabolism to become faster, and the faster the metabolism is, the faster the fats to be burnt.
  • Do some abdominal exercises to enhance and add up the burning process of the abdominals such as sit-ups, crunch, plank,
  • Don't give up too soon when exercising. Remember, within 15-20 min. of cardio exercises that's' the time you'll start losing fat. If you want to burn your fat and lose it, do exercises between 30 to 60 minutes daily for 5 days weekly.
  • There is no SINGLE way you can lose your belly fat by practicing sport. Without a proper diet you'll see no results at all. You should know that to burn belly fat you need to concentrate and improve your diet plus exercise. Your diet must be in high protein, fiber, moderate carbohydrates, and less fat intake together with cardio activities and abs training.
  • A proper diet has to be low in calories. The number of the calories you are eating has to be less than the number of those burnt during sports and exercise.
  • Don't ever starve yourself to death. It will do you no good, to your body and health; your body will not be able to work at its fullest in burning fats, and you will become just too weak do practice sport or do anything else such as exercise. Eat more vegetables, grills, fruits and fish. Do away with fast food, sugar, microwave foods, cola (soft drinks).
  • Drink always plenty of water, 3 liters daily. Remember, when you are working out, you have to lose a lot and you don't want to get dehydrated.



Next, learn how to Get Rid Of Abdominal Fat using the correct way.
Find out which weight loss program is suitable for you through our Compare Weight Loss Programs page here. Click on the above link to discover which programs can help you lose weight today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stepfanie_Wayne/771993

Losing Abdominal Fat - 7 Things You Need To Know About Losing Abdominal Fat

This article will highlight the 5 tips for a flat stomach. These tips have been proven to flatten your stomach easily without undue stress on your body and they truly work.

 5 tips for a flat stomach - proven and workable tips to flatten your stomach
5 Tips For a Flat Stomach - Proven and Workable Tips to Flatten Your Stomach


The first tip for a flat stomach is to start a program of detox, short for detoxification. A detox program (also called a cleansing program) will remove toxins and poisons from your body. A good detox program requires that you eat pure and natural foods that will aid the function of the lymph, kidneys, and liver. All foods that hinder the ability of your body to cleanse itself of toxins will be avoided.

Most detox program requires you to eat healthily and naturally, for example, whole unprocessed foods (grains, seeds, nuts, etc), organic food and drink (no pesticides or fungicides), high mix of vegetables and fruit, 2 liters of water every day, herbs to aid the detoxifying process.

You must avoid the following, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and drugs, processed and refined foods and certain supplements that stimulate weight gain.

The second tip for a flat stomach is to go on CLA dietary supplements. CLA, is short for Conjugated Linoleic Acid. CLA has been reported to play a role in the reduction of body fat. CLA does this by its ability to inhibit the body's absorption of fat, increase metabolism and alter the body's use of energy during sleep.

Two to four grams daily of CLA dietary supplement is suitable to achieve a flat stomach. CLA has been shown to effectively reduce abdominal fat and enhance muscle growth which helps to burn fat fast.

The third tip for a flat stomach is to drink Oolong tea at least 3 times every day; morning, afternoon and before sleeping. If you can drink at least 1 liter of Oolong tea a day, you will be amaze at how flat your stomach will become. Oolong tea will help you achieve a flat stomach naturally by increasing your body's metabolism, burn fat fast through a process called lipolysis and block dietary fat absorption in your body.

Oolong tea can be consumed continuously to keep your flat stomach flat without any side effect. Oolong tea is the most natural fat burner over the long term.



The fourth tip for a flat stomach is to take to some physical activity like exercises. You can do some crunches at least 3 times a week to train your abs. Aerobic and weight training is also ideal to help achieve a flat stomach. They will help to raise your metabolic rate and burn more calories. Exercises you can perform include walking, running, cycling, swimming, etc which will help keep your heart rate elevated for a least 45 minutes every day.

The fifth tip for a flat stomach is to develop a workable plan to achieve a flat stomach and discipline yourself to stick to it. There are so may do's and don'ts in the journey to achieve a flatten stomach. If you can not obey and follow the above tips, how can you ever succeed?

If you can follow the above 5 tips to a flat stomach, you will surely achieve your desired goal.

The Red Smoothie Detox Factor

Want a flat stomach now and forever? Choose from a selection of 5 carefully selected programs to give you the body you desire. Your ugly fat stomach is a sign of unhealthy lifestyle which you must change today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Barbara_Kingsley-Johnson/264910

5 Tips For a Flat Stomach - Proven and Workable Tips to Flatten Your Stomach

HIIT training weight loss
The one of the latest buzzwords in fitness and weight loss circles is High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT.

This method of exercise has the potential to allow an exerciser to lose weight faster that any other form of "aerobic" exercise. Although interval training is not a new concept in the field of sports conditioning, it has recently become a popular exercise form for general conditioning and weight loss. This article provides some basic information on HIIT and explains why this form of exercise is so effective for weight loss.

The concept of power output

To fully understand the many benefits of HIIT it is important to first understand some basic physics and the concept of power. Generally speaking, power is a measure of the ability to perform work per unit time (Work/time). Work is defined as the amount of force required to move an object a certain distance (Force x Distance). So power is defined by the following formula: Power = Force x Distance/time. If you recall that velocity (speed) is equal to distance divided by time (Distance/time), then it is easy to see that power is actually a measure of how fast you generate force.

Power output and energy expenditure

Obviously from the previous explanation, it should be clear that the amount of energy required to perform a task is directly dependent on the power required to do so. So if we now apply this concept specifically to human exercise, we recognize that muscles use chemical energy produced from the food we eat to generate power. Consider the muscle power required to walk 3 miles per hour and that required to run at 11 miles per hour.

The muscle power required in each example is strictly dependent on the speed since the force (body weight) being moved changes very little and essentially remains constant (assuming sufficient hydration). It is possible however to regulate power output by other variables other than speed by manipulating the amount of force (wearing a weighted vest) or increasing the resistance to movement like increasing the gradient of a treadmill or running up hills.

What is HIIT?

HIIT involves performing bouts of high intensity running (1-3 minutes) separated by recovery periods of walking for about the 2-3 times the duration of the running bout. The work: recovery ratio should therefore be 1:2 or 1:3. The intensity of the running portion should be near your VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake).

Since most casual exercisers and those looking to lose weight rarely know their VO2 max, is may be helpful to use a perceived effort scale of 1-10 to regulate intensity; with 1 representing no effort, and 10 representing absolute maximal effort. Aim for about 8-9 on the effort scale. Note that HIIT describes what it is - HIGH Intensity Interval Training so before you begin such a regime it is advisable to have yourself cleared by a physician.

How do I begin HIIT?

There are no hard and fast rules to HIIT other than those mentioned above, so this article will not aim to provide a strict program of exact times and durations. The basic principle of HIIT is to manipulate intensity to increase power output and accelerate weight loss. Initially if you are just beginning HIIT, your work sessions may be much shorter than 2-4 minutes - work your way from whatever you can handle to the goal duration.

As you become more conditioned, you may also start to increase the intensity of the sessions by aiming for the higher end of the perceived effort scale or reducing the recovery walking periods or both. If you plan on exercising on a treadmill or elliptical machine, an excellent way to perform HIIT is to choose an intense interval or hill program. If you prefer to get the session over quickly as possible (like me), you can manually adjust the speed and incline randomly depending on your perception of effort. If you are sadistically self-destructive however, you may try "running the hills and walking the flats" on a treadmill - this will greatly increase your power output and energy expenditure.



Experiment with these techniques of manipulating the intensity of your workout and depending on your level of fitness (or patience!), the entire interval training session should last from about 10-20 minutes in duration.

How does HIIT allow for faster weight loss than traditional "aerobic exercise"?

HIIT is a big "bang for the buck" exercise modality compared to traditional extended duration aerobic exercise like walking, jogging and running. Walking requires a relatively low power output and high speed running simply cannot be sustained for very long periods of time. The great benefit of HIIT is that the low intensity walking bouts that separate the high intensity bouts allow for a much greater power output and caloric expenditure, providing much more "value for time". Depending on the intensity of the session, it may be possible to burn the same number of calories in a HIIT session as a walking/cycling session many times longer in duration.

HIIT spares muscle mass and maintains metabolism

HIIT helps avoid the muscle wasting effects associated with continuous low intensity exercise such as jogging and walking. So HIIT helps spare valuable lean muscle mass which is a key determinant of your RMR or Resting Metabolic Rate. Simply put, a higher muscle mass will cause you to expend more energy even while you sleep! The technical term for this muscle wasting effect is "protein sloughing", caused by extended periods of elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone released from the adrenal gland during all forms of stress including exercise.

Although cortisol is crucial for a person to adapt to stressful stimuli, a negative side-effect is its direct muscle wasting effect. Cortisol stimulates muscle protein breakdown in order to increase the amount of free amino acids (protein building blocks) in the blood. The majority of these amino acids are used for the remanufacturing of glucose (gluconeogenesis) in the liver to maintain blood sugar levels.

While some personal trainers and exercise physiologists may argue that the increased exercise intensity (stress) of HIIT causes a higher increase in cortisol, the important factor to remember is that the duration that the hormone levels remains elevated is significantly shorter than in extended lower intensity aerobic exercise.

How can I lose fat when I'm burning mostly carbohydrates with HIIT?

Remember even though HIIT is a high intensity form exercise, relying heavily on the metabolism of carbohydrate, weight loss is determined by energy balance. In other words, if on a daily basis you consume less energy than you expend, you will lose weight regardless of the "primary fuel source" of your exercise bout. An HIIT session that decreases your carbohydrate stores (muscle and liver glycogen) simply means that more calories from subsequent meals will be will be directed toward replenishing glycogen stores, and less will be directed toward fat storage.

It is only after glycogen stores have been replenished that excess calories can be directed toward the manufacturing and storage of fat. Also, caloric expenditure continues for several hours after a bout of high intensity exercise, as energy is required in the recovery process.

In conclusion, this article has explained and highlighted the benefits associated with the use of HIIT for weight loss. Other benefits such as faster fitness improvements and immune system maintenance associated with HIIT have not been covered in this article, but may be discussed in future articles on our site. Clearly if the goal is to lose weight fast and boost metabolism by sparing muscle, then HIIT is the ideal form of exercise.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of Body Tuneup Shop Inc. based in Clearwater, Florida. More articles, information and client testimonial video clips can be found at http://bodytuneupshop.com
NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Petersen/11919

Lose Weight Faster With High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Interval Training Workouts
Interval training workouts are a great way of efficiently burning body fat and improving your overall fitness.

The higher intensity level of the workouts split up with short spans of rest and recovery makes these workouts better than doing cardio like biking or running for long distances. The after burn effect is much better than static exercise so you will burn fat even after your workout is over.

HIIT does not need to involve a lot of equipment though it can if you wish. A lot of interval training workouts are cardio based exercises like running, biking, jump rope, or swimming but can also be designed to use plyometrics (body weight exercises) or with light weights like kettle bells. Those with cardio equipment can use a rowing machine, elliptical trainer, stairmaster or treadmill. Having a gym memberships is not necessary for those on a tight budget.



Guidelines for Interval Training Workouts.

As with any exercise routine, it is important to warm up with a light jog or bike ride for 5 - 10 minutes and some dynamic stretching (not static). As a general rule, your warm up activity should mimic your training program. If you are doing sprints, do some light jogging. If it is a swimming workout, start with some light work before cranking it up. Increase your intensity one step at a time, not from light to all out in back to back sections of your routine.

Warming up properly will help prepare your body and muscles for the work ahead. If you jump straight into intervals without warming up, you put yourself at a greater risk of injury. Once you're warm and have properly prepared yourself for some speed work, choose one of the following interval workouts and challenge yourself.

Interval Training Workout - Fartlek.

Fartlek training is quite unique in that it does not have a specific structure. The idea is to combine a constant speed interval with high speed intervals based on time or distance of your choice. The high and low intensity intervals do not have to be the same each time. The speed and intensity varies whenever you want. For example run at 75% effort followed by walking at 25% then sprint at 90% followed by walking at 10%. This will develop your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems in the same workout. This will add variety to your workout and can make it way more fun.

Workout Example:

  1. Jog 7 min
  2. Fast run 4 min
  3. Sprint 20 s
  4. Walk 1 min
  5. Sprint 30 s
  6. Walk 1 min
  7. Sprint 10 second
  8. Walk 1 min
  9. Jog 6 min
  10. Finish with a fast run for 1 min and cool down walking 5 - 10 min

Total time is 27 - 32 minutes.

Interval Training Workout - Walk Back Runs.

This is the easiest one to do as it only requires a given distance marked out for you. Do a full sprint for your distance and walk back at a moderate pace to slow your heart rate down and repeat. Do this pattern 4 - 8 times depending on your fitness level. The better your fitness, the further the distance you should use. Start at 50 m and progress to 100 m, 150 m and 200 m.

Interval Training Workout - Lunge and Sprint Combo.

This is a combination workout alternating cardio with strength training. The lunges are done using light dumbbells or kettlebells. With the difficulty of this version, I would not start with it if you have never done HIIT.

Workout example:

  1. 15 dumbbell lunges (stationary or walking) on each leg (30 total)
  2. 30 s sprint on a treadmill.
  3. Recover for 30 - 90 s.
  4. Complete 3 - 5 times.

For a home version of this, do the lunges and then sprint a given distance and back to the start so you are back for the next lunge interval.

Interval Training Workout - Jump Rope Countdown.

This workout specifically uses a time limit and not a given number of jumps. Each interval of the workout will drop the time by 30 s for the next interval.. Recovery time matches the previous jumping interval time.

Workout Instructions:
  • 2 min of continuous jump rope revolutions
  • Rest 2 min
  • 1.5 min of continuous jump rope revolutions
  • Rest 1.5 min
  • 1 min of continuous jump rope revolutions
  • Rest for 1 min
  • 30 s of continuous jump rope revolutions
  • Rest 3 min
  • Repeat 2 more times depending on your fitness level
Timing can be tough as you can't look at your wrist watch. Use a wall clock with a seconds hand or a countdown timer on your laptop or iPad like this one.



Creating Interval Training Workouts.

You are more than capable of creating your own workout by changing the exercise, distance, time and/or weight of the intervals. The factors to consider in changing your workout over time are:

Exercise.

Choose a reasonable exercise combination. Doing two in combination that put too much stress on one body part is not good. For example, lunges and squat jumps. Too much leg strength training in one workout.

Distance.

Changing your workout over time with different distances is a great idea but don't go too long as sprinting for 800 m is a bit too far! I would suggest a maximum of 400 m. If you need more of a workout, just add more sets rather than distance.

Time.

The length of time you work out will depend on the exercise you are doing. Hill sprints are tougher than flat ground sprints and will need less time to get you tired. Small increases in individual intervals is enough to make a difference. There is no need to double the time. Changing from 20 s to 25 s will challenge you when sprinting.

Another way of switching things up is to decrease your rest time. Earlier in your training when you are getting used to HIIT, your rest time will be longer. As you get used to it, drop the recovery time so you a spending more time in the higher intensity portion.

Weight.

When initially starting HIIT, using just body weight exercises is a good idea to get used to the pattern of your workout before adding weight. As you find them easier to do, add weight while leaving the time or reps the same.

When making changes, do not do them every week. Take 2 - 3 weeks of the same pattern so your body adapts. When you make a change, only change ONE factor at a time. Increasing reps AND adding weight is too much of a change for your body to adjust to.

How often should you use interval training workouts? As little as once a week will help but not more than 4 times. This is a higher intensity workout so your body will need rest to rebuild the damage you cause. As your fitness improves, you will be able to work out for a longer period of time and recover faster as long as your body gets appropriate rest. Listen to your body and track your results so you can see improvement as you progress week to week.

My name is Jacques Delorme and I run a youth nutrition blog at http://visportsnutrition.ca where you can get all sorts of information on nutrition, exercise and motivation for youth athletes. Visit my site and feel free to leave comments and questions if you need more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jacques_Delorme/1371170

Interval Training Workout Examples

If you have been carrying a few extra pounds for several years, it is time to take a hard look at your diet. You cannot just push a button and start losing belly fat. Just like any project you undertake, there has to be some background data available to establish direction.

Yes, weight loss success stories for women start in the kitchen, but you have to go through the Planning Room to get there. Educate yourself about what foods provide energy and build lean muscle (which increases your metabolism naturally) and what foods are most easily deposited on your waist and hips as fat.

Weight Loss Success Stories For Women


Something has got to go.

You cannot go wrong by getting sugar foods and processed foods out of your current diet. These two groups do more to sabotage your fat loss efforts than any other. Yes, both of these groups taste great, but that is about where it begins and ends.

Sugar foods (pastries, boxed cereal, desserts, pop, energy drinks) are loaded with calories and jack-up your blood sugar levels which spikes insulin release. These foods are carried right to fat storage.

Processed foods are usually high-carb, high-fat, high-calorie...and bloated with chemicals you cannot even pronounce. Even though it may taste delicious, do you really want that lump lying in your stomach all evening?

Natural foods are the backbone of fat loss for women.

Replace sugar foods and processed foods with those produced by Mother Nature. Fresh fruit and raw vegetables are your best source of carbs for energy. Just eating one apple can make you feel full for a couple of hours, and it is certainly better than chocolate-covered doughnut.

Be conscious of what you eat at each meal and snack. If you include at least one fruit, one vegetable, and one solid protein source each time, you are on your way to lifelong nutrition.

Fruits and vegetables contain a load of vitamins, fiber, and anti-oxidants. Truly, you will NOT find that in a bagel and cream cheese. Solid protein sources make you feel satiated (full) and are the building blocks of lean muscle tissue.

Educate yourself about eating healthy unsaturated fats and Omega-3's.

Natural foods are the "go-to" source for Olympic and professional athletes. Trust me, figure skaters, 200m butterfliers, and heptathletes are NOT loading up with foods out of boxes and plastic containers to win gold medals.

Eating less does not mean starving.

Losing belly fat is not about starving yourself, but it is about reducing the intake of foods that are not good for you and creating a "calorie deficit" each week. The great thing about eating natural foods is that you can eat as many raw vegetables as you wish. (You can't do that with chicken nuggets or pizza, can you?)

Eating less bread and pasta will also help accelerate fat loss. Yes, I know they are promoted as energy for athletes, but unless you are training each day for a sprint competition, you can reduce your consumption down to one or two small portions each week.

Eating natural foods to lose weight also keeps you from extreme dieting strategies that can be harmful.

Meal planing is a key to weight loss success stories for women.

Plan you meals, don't just grab food on the fly. Until quality food choices become automatic, use a pencil and paper to plan out several days of eating...and stick to it!
Start with your basic one fruit, one vegetable, one solid protein (like turkey, grilled chicken, or wild fish) and add in others. You will be surprised how an apple, several celery sticks, a few almonds, and a grilled chicken breast will fill you up.


 
Eating out can lead to pigging out.

Eating out puts you in an atmosphere where you can easily stray from your nutritional path. You go into a nice restaurant where the smell of burning fat is seductive, the pictures in the menu look out of this world, and people are laughing and having fun. It is really hard to resist food that doesn't do anything other than sit on body as fat.

Yes, I know many restaurants promote their menu as "healthy for you", but unless you are ordering a house salad with light oil dressing EVERY time, you will sabotage yourself.

Why set yourself up? Save money and save the progress you've made by doing something special like a small picnic. You'll thank yourself at the end of the year.

Weight loss success stories for women require lifestyle changes.

Weight loss success stories for women happen because changes are made for a more positive lifestyle.

Dieting simply does not work because it is a short-term fix. You want to lose belly fat and thigh fat...and keep it off forever. You can do it by adhering to basic nutritional guidelines, and turning them into lifelong eating habits.

You can learn more about weight loss success stories for women [http://www.weight-loss-success-stories-women.com/weight-loss-success-stories-for-women.html] by visiting my site at [http://www.Weight-Loss-Success-Stories-Women.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cade_Beach/562802

Weight Loss Success Stories For Women Can Start With A Few Simple Strategies

I often peruse through MSN to look at the headlines and read the daily news. Today, something caught my eye. It was a headline about weight loss success stories from MSN Health.

As a fitness author, I decided I'd go through some of these weight loss success stories to see if I could find some pertinent information that my readers could benefit from. I've always found that it's good to look at those who succeed to find out what they did to get to where they're at, and to learn from their mistakes.

I read through several weight loss success stories of both men and women from all over the country. Some were in their early twenties; others were closer to middle age. Some were married, some were single. Some were extremely obese to the tune of 300 lbs and over. Others were 20 to 50 lbs overweight. I read diligently jotting down notes as I went along.

You'd think that with such disparate people, you'd have completely different stories to tell. The details may have been different, but as I went through more and more stories, I began to uncover recurring patterns and commonalities.

I was amazed at the information I was gleaning. Many people pay good money to get this information, but here it was, free for anyone to read. With a good eye for patterns, I deciphered 10 common themes.

10 Secrets of Weight Loss Success Stories


Here's what I discovered about the individuals who achieved the greatest weight loss success:

  1. They got someone to push them through tough workouts. In some cases it was a personal trainer, others used a video trainer, and some used a friend.
  2. They kept a food journal to keep them on track. This allowed them to see exactly what they were putting into their bodies, and make changes to their diet when the need arose.
  3. They used a support group. Some used family and friends, others used Weight Watchers, to keep them motivated, honest, and keep their spirits up.
  4. They stayed away from temptation. Having proven to themselves they don't do well in the face of temptation, they simply stayed away from sugary, and fatty foods. Like the old saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.
  5. They used diet effectively by eating the right amount of calories based on their goals, controlling portions, and making healthier food choices.
  6. They combined weight training with cardio. Most did weight training at least 3 times per week, and cardio anywhere from 3 to 6 times per week. Many also found that doing something they enjoyed (i.e. swimming, biking) helped them stay on track. Others found that working out with a purpose (i.e. training for 5k, 10K run) helped them push themselves more than they otherwise would have.
  7. They stayed off the scale. It's demoralizing to step on the scale and not see a change. The scale is not always a good indicator of fat loss so most just stayed off of it completely, or only weighed themselves once per week, or once per month.
  8. If they slipped, they didn't beat themselves up. They accepted it and moved on. They took it a day at a time so if they messed up today, they started fresh the next day and kept going.
  9. They found other ways to cope with stress. Most of the people that were extremely overweight or obese got that way because they dealt with stress or emotional situations by eating. Once they realized it, they made a commitment to not be an emotional eater. Most found other ways to deal with stress such as going for a walk, run, or doing a workout.
  10. They weren't afraid to examine their lives. By figuring out why they over ate, they were better able to cope with stress and emotions. Some even discovered that they were addicted to food. Through self examination, they were able to get at the root of the problem and deal with it differently than they had been doing all their lives.


As promised, I delivered 10 secrets of weight loss success stories. Take them for yourself and use them to help you achieve your own weight loss success. Soon, you will be the one with the weight loss success story of your very own.


You'll find tons of articles, weight loss tips, and product reviews to help you achieve your very own weight loss success [http://permanent-weight-loss.info] at [http://permanent-weight-loss.info]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Egan_Cordova/125729

10 Secrets of Weight Loss Success Stories

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