It should be no surprise by now that exercise is the best way – and dare I say the only way – to permanently boost your metabolism. That said, diet plays a very important role and goes hand in hand with a great exercise program – whether you work with a personal trainer here in Beaufort or not.
But before you go off the deep end and get on a strictly vegan diet (if you’re vegan, I won’t knock it. More power to ya!), let’s take things one step at a time so you don’t end up gorging on unhealthy, fried, sugary or processed foods, in a downward dietary and fat loss spiral.
When it comes to weight management plan, one thing that you do is look at substitute foods to the ones that you’re eating right now that may offer superior, all-round nutrition. You don’t have to be a health nut to get these quick tips right on the first try.
Don’t Have That Last Bite
Experts say that the average annual weight gain among adults is one to three pounds. Doesn’t seem like much, does it? But that means the weight creeps up on us. It means that most people are over eating by only 20 to 30 calories a day. We can easily fix that problem by leaving a few bites of food on the plate.
Sound pretty easy so far? Well it is.
Let’s now take a look at specific food swaps that you can start making immediately to take your fat loss progress to the next level.
Brown Rice, Not White
Brown rice contains more fiber, vitamins and nutrients. A Harvard School of Public Health study showed that switching to brown rice will lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 16%. So a simple switch from white rice to brown rice can do wonders for improving your diet.
No More Fruit Yogurt
The second change to make is to eat Greek yogurt rather than fruit-flavored yogurt. Why?
- It’s much higher in total protein content
- It’s lower in sugar
Two things that are extremely helpful while on a fat loss diet plan. Adding some blueberries into your Greek yogurt gives great flavor, nutrition and is also low in sugar and calories.
Eat Almond Butter Rather Than Commercial Peanut Butter
If you’re often smearing peanut butter over your foods, reconsider. Peanuts are a source of healthy fats but when you purchase the commercial variety, you’ll be getting a lot of added sugars as well. Instead, opt for natural peanut butter or better yet, almond butter. This works great on anything that you would put peanut butter on and will have a higher overall healthy fat-to-carb ratio.
Eat Real Fruit Rather Than Drinking Fruit Juice
Finally, the last quick change that you should make for faster overall diet success is to eat real fruit rather than drinking processed fruit juice.
Unless you’re Juicing the fruit, processed, boxed or canned fruit juice is lower in fiber than the real thing, and fiber is an important component of your fat loss diet plan.
Go with real fruit and you’ll feel less hungry and improve your digestive system health.
These simple changes can start you off on the right track. They’re simple, easy you’ll get to watch the pounds fall off.
As you go about your diet plan, if you’re starting to think about using a protein powder to help you reach your nutritional goals, it’s important that you take some time to learn about the various protein powders that are available. Many people shudder at the thought of protein powders since the very thought of it – for some – conjures up images of scary looking body builders.
Don’t be afraid! Any qualified personal trainer who is knowledgeable about nutrition and science knows that many of us aren’t getting enough protein in our diets, so having protein shakes or bars to supplement our daily diet is beneficial.
Not all protein powders are created alike, so by using the right one at the right time, you can ensure that you see the results you’re going for from it.
Let’s have a quick look at the main types of protein powders that you need to know about so that you can clearly see which will be best for you.
Whey Concentrate Protein Powders
The first type of protein powder is a whey concentrate powder. These are generally the most cost effective protein powder and can be used at any point throughout the day as they don’t really have a specific purpose other than to supply you with protein.
They will digest at a moderate rate and will contain a small amount of carbs and fats in most cases.
Whey Isolate Protein Powders
The second type of protein powder is the whey isolate protein powder, which is best for immediately before or after a workout or personal training session.
This type of protein powder is created to digest very rapidly in the body, so get those amino acids to the muscle tissues at top speed.
Use this along with a fast acting carb source after you finish a hard workout for optimal repair. This protein powder often contains very few carbs or fats, so is 100% pure protein.
Casein Protein Powders
Moving along, the third type of protein powder that you might come across is a casein protein powder. This form of protein digests more slowly in the body, so is a great option for during the day when you need a quality protein source.
This protein also provides more calcium per serving being that it is of the casein variety, so for those who are struggling to meet their daily calcium requirements, this can be a huge benefit.
Casein protein powders will often contain slightly more fat and carbs than whey isolates, so their total calorie value per scoop for the same amount of protein will be higher.
All in all though it’s rather negligible in the grand scheme of things.
Meal Replacement Powders
Finally, the last type of protein powder that you might come across is the meal replacement protein powder. This form of protein powder is going to be best for those who are using the protein powder to substitute for a complete snack as these will contain some carbs and fats as well.
This will help to keep you energized better and make sure that you’re meeting your nutrient needs.
So there you have a brief run-down on the various protein powders that you can look into purchasing. If you have one, you can ask your personal trainer to discuss which one is best for you. If not, your local health food professional can assist. It helps to choose a few different varieties to have on hand at all times so that you can make sure that you’re giving your body precisely what it needs at various points in the day.
After about a year of success blogging on EarthFITnessgym.com EarthFIT launched a new blog http://www.earthfittraining.com/
The blogs mission is to help people across the earth or world to change their mind. At EarthFIT, the personal trainers understand that everything we do in life comes from our minds. Our lives are a direct reflection of our thoughts whether we like to admit it of not, where we are physically, emotionally, financially is our responsibility and we are in control but it all begins with our thoughts.
Thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions and actions lead to your destiny! This is very befitting when it come to fitness, exercise and hiring a personal trainer. Thoughts are habits, for the most part we wake up and have the same thoughts and they lead to the same place, which could be excessive eating, skipping meals, eating fast food etc.
So what we need to do is break the habits that are causing the actions in our lives and most of the time we need another person to assist us in this endeavor. That is why a personal trainer is so important in molding the body. A good personal trainer understands that molding the mind is just as if not more important.
So we created http://www.earthfittraining.com/ for a few reasons. To help people change their beliefs about what is possible and that humans brains are more powerful then we can even begin to image, we just need to program them properly like a computer. So we are in the process of created a program that will change the thoughts as much as it is about fitness and personal training. Do you think it will work?
Leave a comment below.
SCARY TRUTH ABOUT HALLOWEEN CANDY: IT’S A TRICKY TREAT
(BEAUFORT, SC October 27, 2011) – Whatever age you are, if you have a sweet tooth, Halloween is your kind of holiday. But before you start indulging in all those sugary treats, be aware of the consequences too much candy can have on your health and weight.
A typical candy is high in sugar, dextrose, fructose corn syrup, as well as artificial color and flavor, none of it is good for you because it is high in sugar (and sometimes fat) and calories but has virtually no nutrients.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the average American consumes almost 26 pounds of candy each year – a large percentage of it around Halloween. Why is this bad? Because according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, just one piece of candy almost exceeds the USDA recommended daily values for empty-calorie foods and added sugar.
If you add to this all the other junk food and drinks that many people consume on a daily basis, it should not be a surprise to anyone that a high-calorie diet, whether from fat or sugar, will lead to weight gain, and obesity carries its own set of risks, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Can you still enjoy Halloween without gorging on candy and other sweets? Absolutely,
It’s all a matter of being creative and finding tasty snacks that will satisfy you, without piling on extra pounds or decaying your teeth,” he says. “For example, small boxes of raisins, pretzels, mixed nuts, or unsalted and unbuttered popcorn are all better choices.”
Still craving something sweet? Turn to dark chocolate, recent research shows it is rich in antioxidants – vitamins, minerals, and other substances that protect the body from harmful free radicals. Of course, you should not eat chocolate in excessive quantities – a single square is sufficient for health benefits.
If, despite all these warnings, your willpower on Halloween is zero and you end up consuming lots of candy, get into the “damage control” mode as soon as possible.
The next day eat light, drink a lot of water, and make sure to do some metabolism-boosting workouts. Your trainer can show you exercises that will continue to burn fat and calories even after you finish your workout. This is called excess post oxygen consumption or EPOC.
While an occasional splurge will probably not hurt you, a Swedish study released last year showed that even a brief period of excess food consumption can have long term effects on body weight and fat storage.
That’s why we should all be conscious of what we consume and how this impacts our health and weight, and that’s why it is so important to work out regularly and eat healthy on a continuous basis – even on Halloween!.
Posted in Calorie Burning Fat Loss Fitness Training by .
21
Oct 11
(How diet soda causes weight gain)
Do you know if your body is in a acidic state? If you do not know what I am talking about it is important that you watch the video below.
In this post you will find out:
- How diet soda, with zero calories causes weight gain
- Why americans have the highest consumption of calcium but poor bone health
- Why acid reflux prescriptions are one the fast growing medication in the U.S. and why they are not good
In a later post I will show you a simple method for finding out if your body is acidic or alkaline. It literally takes 2 seconds.
BEAUFORT PERSONAL TRAINER: TO CURE ACHING BACK, GET UP AND KEEP MOVING…NO BED REST
(BEAUFORT, SC October 19, 2011) – What do you do when a backache sidelines you? Chances are you are going to rest and relax until the pain subsides.
However, a new study from University of Gothenburg in Sweden suggests that exercise, not inactivity, will help us recover from the back pain quicker. The last thing we want is bed rest or inactivity.
This is an important finding for millions of people because back pain – whether caused by muscle strain or injury – affects about 80 percent of adult Americans at some time in their lives. As a matter of fact, it is the second leading cause for missed workdays after the common cold.
The researchers found that inactivity can actually undermine the healing process because it ‘locks up’ the body’s movement, which can worsen back pain and slow down recovery. It prevents vital nutrients from reaching the injured area and reinforced the pattern that created the pain in the first place.
While our first reaction to the backache may be to sit or lie down and avoid all movement, remaining immobile for an extended period of time will weaken our muscles. And weak muscles, will not protect the spine from further injuries.
That’s why well-chosen exercises are crucial, not only for recovery from backache, but also for protection against future pain.
For best and quickest relief from an aching back, I suggests gentle stretching and strengthening exercises – without straining or jolting the impacted areas.
There are several types of exercises that can help alleviate the pain while restoring mobility and flexibility to your back better than bed rest, a trainer well versed in bio-mechanics and the spine will show you the best moves.
The program we created, Back Pain Relief4Life, has had international success and was featured in SELF magazine. Because of the success of the program it was syndicated to SELF’s sister blogs fitsugar. and wellandgoodnyc; these blogs will give you a taste of our program.
Another benefit of working with a fitness professional is that he or she can make sure you work out safely in a controlled and gradual manner.
There are certain exercises that a person suffering from back pain should avoid. If you go it alone, without proper guidance, you might inadvertently do something that will exacerbate your condition instead of improving it. The back is a very sensitive area so you should not take any risks.
Once the acute pain phase is gone, a more advanced program of strengthening and stretching exercises that will make your core muscles and other supporting tissues more resistant.
As always, prevention is the best policy. In other words, strengthen your back muscles so they are less prone to aches, pains and injuries in the future. Since the class I taught for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute last weekend I have been bombarded with inquiries about where to get our proven back pain relief formula. So I decided to offer it here with a little Bonus you the first of 3 people to purchase.
Buy Now and the first 3 people Get A Free 30-minute Coaching
Call Or
A Free Half Hour Training sessions at EarthFIT Training Facility
In Beaufort a value of over $50
Posted in Back Pain Relief Fitness Training Mind body Connection by .
If you’re just getting started with your journey into the world of fitness, there are some important things that you must remember right off the bat. Those who rush into a workout program without being fully prepared may find that they make some big mistakes along the way and fail to see the results that they were after.
By making sure that you take the necessary steps to guarantee your success, you can be sure that you don’t falter along the way. You may want to consult a local personal trainer before you get started as there are many benefits to personal training as a beginner or even a veteran exerciser.
Let’s have a quick peak at a few of the main tips that you need to keep in mind.
1) Learn Proper Form Without Weight
The first thing that you must remember as you get going with your workout program is having good form is a must.
Those who don’t use good form will either wind up injured or not working the muscles as they intended. To prevent yourself from using improper form, take some time at the very beginning to learn good form using no weight while you do the exercises.
Only once you have the overall movement pattern down should you consider adding weight to the equation.
2) Get Smart About Nutrition
The next thing that you must do is make sure you consider nutrition for health and fitness. Making sure that you eat a good source of protein and carbs before and after a workout session will guarantee that you have enough fuel to get through that workout and that you feel your best at all times.
Going into a workout without eating first could result in low blood sugar levels and you feeling much weaker than you should.
Take some time to learn about the special nutritional needs of those who are participating in rigorous physical activity before you get started so you don’t miss out on these vital nutrients along the way. Ask your personal training coach or nutritionist about the best route for you.
3) Have Some Good Goals Set
The third thing that you must be doing if you hope to set yourself up for success is making sure that you have set your goals. Those who fail to set goals will often lose their motivation halfway through the program; they just won’t see the point in continuing. When you know precisely what it is that you’re working towards however and can clearly picture this in your mind, then this won’t prove to be a problem at all. Having a great personal trainer can keep you accountable to reaching your goals.
Remember The Value Of Rest
Last but not least, remember the value of rest. If you aren’t resting enough between your workouts, you’re going to burnout very quickly and may start to get over-trained. If you work with a personal trainer, he or she should understand this and be able to coach you most effectively.
In order for your muscles to grow stronger, you absolutely must be giving them rest during the downtime between your sessions. Beginners should be getting no fewer than two full days off each week, so make sure that these are in place.
By using these tips to get prepared, you can be sure you’re taking a step forward in the right direction.
BEAUFORT PERSONAL TRAINER: BALANCE EXERCISE WILL KEEP YOU ON YOUR FEET
(BEAUFORT, SC August 29, 2011) – If you watched the news a couple weeks ago you might have seen the footage of Nancy Reagan’s near-fall as she walked with a group of people. The 90-year-old former First Lady stumbled, lost her balance and took a tumble, but fortunately was not hurt.
This incident sheds light on the danger of falls – the leading cause of injury among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older – as well as on the importance of preventing those potentially serious accidents that can result in various fractures, traumas, and even death.
A fall can happen in a split second, slipping on an uneven or slippery surface, tripping over an obstacle, or even something as simple as wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause loss of balance and a tumble. It happens more often than we think.
Fortunately, there are effective ways to avert accidental falls – and exercise is one of the best preventive measures.
That’s perhaps the lesser-known but nevertheless very important aspect of physical fitness, while falls are most common among older Americans, younger people often slip and fall as well.
Which exercises are best to prevent this kind of accidents?
Balance and stability training combined with strengthening and functional full body exercises will help improve your stability, agility, and coordination, making you less prone to falls and injuries.
The following workouts will be particularly useful
- Balance Training improve stability and coordination that will keep you from falling down. It works smaller muscle that help stabilize the joints and keeps your center of gravity over the base of support, which is the real definition of balance. As soon as your center of gravity is over your base of support you can maintain your balance.
- Flexibility Training provide corrections to muscular imbalances to various muscle groups, keeping the joints, tendons and ligaments supple, and give you a better range of motion. As a result, your movements – whether walking or just doing regular chores – will be less clumsy and more coordinated.
- Strength training: As we age, our muscle mass declines and our body becomes weaker. Exercises that strengthen our muscles will make us more resistant to falls and injuries. This will also improve balance, stability and coordination.
An added advantage of strength training, including weight- bearing exercises, is that it will prevent bone density loss that occurs in osteoporosis. The less brittle your bones are, the less risk there is of serious fractures.
For best results, ask your trainer to include all these workouts – while taking into account your age and fitness level – into your regular exercise routine.
Posted in Fat Loss Fitness Training Lean Muscle Building Metabolism boost Workouts by .
The notorious and globular 5lbs of fat always make people who aren’t working out feel guilty. The visual and kinesthetic effect puts things in perspective and really drives a point home without having to use any words. If someone came into our training facility and said I need to lose 15lbs of fat and I just handed them the 5lb blob shown in the video above and the picture below, they will instantly understand that they need to get to work FAST, as the 5lb prop creates a sense of urgency. That, or they would despise me for doing such a thing.
Many people would rather hear that I have a magical pill or formula that is fast and easy, right? Those are the same people that end up ruining not only their metabolism but the whole aging process. I’m not trying to be harsh, but hey, a little dose of reality is not what everyone is into these days.
Yesterday, after the interview, a client was reminiscing about a statement she made during her assessment before she started training. The statement was: ”I don’t want the jiggly stuff to jiggle”. In a month of training she hadn’t lost much weight but she lost lbs of fat and gained muscle. She went down to a size 6 and the jiggle was less noticeable. So she made a positive change to her metabolism without losing any weight. Some people who train with us only lose 15lbs total but will lose about 30-40lbs of fat and increase their lean muscle – that makes a long lasting change to the metabolism and gives them that toned lean anti-jiggly look.
So what do you do to eliminate the infamous jiggle and increase the metabolism?
- You have to do strength training a minimum of 2x a week
- for at least 6 months
- while eating properly to support the lean muscle gain
- The strength training has to be approached scientifically – so you make sure that you are not overtraining, promoting injury – to create a balanced program.
Click Fat Burning Workout for a balanced beginner program that will target large muscle groups to maximize fat burn and increase your metabolism.
Let me know if you have any comments or questions.
BEAUFORT PERSONAL TRAINER: TO BOOST YOUR HEALTH, LET EXERCISE MUSCLE ITS WAY INTO YOUR LIFE
(BEAUFORT, SC August 8, 2011) – When we think of a healthy body, we probably don’t give much thought to our muscles. But maybe we should, because a new UCLA study shows a link between increased muscle mass and a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Previous research has already found that having less body fat reduces diabetes risks, but the newest study suggests that higher muscle mass may also lessen insulin resistance, which is one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes.
This a very serious disease that affects nearly 26 million Americans, so anything that helps prevent or reduce its onset and incidence is certainly a positive thing.
The benefits of muscle mass build-up go beyond its effect on diabetes: it also increases muscle strength and endurance, and lowers the risk for cardiovascular disease by improving heart and lung function.
But that’s not all. Strong muscles burn calories and help us maintain healthy weight, enhance bone strength, increase balance and flexibility, build stronger connective tissue, support our joints, and help our mobility.
However, as we age, our muscle mass diminishes. Most of us lose 3 to 5 percent of the mass per decade, and the decline increases after the age of 50. The consequences of the muscle mass loss can be quite dramatic. Conditions such as osteoporosis, joint pain, reduced range of motion, and backaches are not uncommon.
The good news is that we can build lean muscle mass at any age through strength training – also known as resistance training, which causes the muscles to contract, leading to improved tone, mass, and endurance.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend strengthening exercises that work all the major muscle groups such as legs, hips, back, shoulders, neck, abdomen, chest, and arms at least twice a week.
There are many exercises that will build up muscles. You can work them against a force – such as weights or bands – or use your own body for resistance, for example with squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks, among other workouts. There really are plenty of possibilities.
Additionally, stronger muscles lead to a healthier, leaner, and more toned body. So, the advantages of resistance training are numerous. Take advantage now!
So there you have it, resistance training is like an anti-aging serum, make sure to get your proper dosage.
