To build muscle & lose fat, you need a variety of proteins, veggies, fruits, carbs, and healthy fats. Eating protein helps building & maintaining muscle. But it also helps fat loss: protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs/fats. Eating fats also helps fat loss: your body holds fat if you don’t eat fats. Fruits & veggies contain vitamins & minerals, necessary for recovery from your workouts. And carbs fuel your muscles so you feel full of energy at the gym. Lots of you struggle to get these foods. Sometimes because you’re too busy or sometimes because you just lack information. This list will help you “” 20 super foods you need to build muscle & lose fat.
1. Whole Eggs. Cheap & rich source of protein: 7g/egg. The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels. Don’t worry about cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol isn’t bound to blood cholesterol. Read this, this, this & this. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.
2. Fish Oil. Reduces inflammation (joints/skin), lowers body fat and increases testosterone levels. You need 9000mg EPA/DHA per day. Since you’ll probably struggle to get that from eating fatty fish, consider a fish oil supplement.
3. Wild Salmon. One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids that also gets you 20g protein per 100g serving. Farm raised salmon is, however, omega-3 deficient: it’s corn/grain fed. Go with wild salmon.
4. Berries. Strong antioxidants that prevent cancer, heart & eye diseases. Any kind works: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Buy fresh or frozen berries and mix with oatmeal.
5. Yogurt. Contain bacteria that improve your gastrointestinal health. Don’t buy frozen yogurt or yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Get plain low fat yogurt. Eat it with berries & flax seeds.
6. Flax Seeds. Source of fiber, protein & omega-3. Grind the flax seeds to get the most out of them. Take 1 tbsp with yogurt & berries before going to bed. Stay away from flax oil: it’s unstable and contains no fiber.
7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 70% monounsaturated fats that protect against heart diseases and cancer. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to your salads. Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it contains more polyphenols and tastes better.
8. Mixed Nuts. Contain mono- & polyunsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. Mixed nuts are caloric dense, great if you’re a skinny guy who wants to gain weight. Anything works: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, … Peanut butter also works as long as you buy natural peanut butter without added salts/sugars.
9. Red Meat. Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. Eat steaks & hamburgers from top round or sirloin. Read Dr. Lonnie Lowery’s article on Meat.
10. Broccoli. High in cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-estrogenic indoles. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low calorie, helping fat loss. Eat other cruciferous vegetables for a change: cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, kale, …
11. Spinach. One of the most alkaline foods. Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss, but also cancer and heart diseases because of its high nutrient profile. Try one of the spinach recipes I shared a while back.
12. Turkey. If you don’t believe saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0g (that why it’s so dry). Eat turkey with spinach & quinoa.
13. Quinoa. South American “king of grains”. Quinoa is higher in fiber & protein than rice or oats, tastes a lot better and is gluten free. Buy the whiter grain, it’s better quality. Eat it post workout with meat & spinach.
14. Oats. Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this post workout shake of whey & oats.
15. Tomatoes. High in lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post strength training.
16. Oranges. Vitamin C to fight diseases, magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-oxidant beta-carotenes, etc. Quit drinking processed orange juice which often has added sugars. Eat oranges or make your own orange juice.
17. Apples. Pectin in apples helps weight loss by increasing satiety. Apples are also the strongest antioxidiant after cranberries (eat the peels). Unfortunately apples are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits. Go organic.
18. Carrots. Their huge vitamin A content improves eye-health, especially night vision. Carrots are also rich in fiber, low calorie and taste good, even raw.
19. Water. Your body holds water if you don’t drink enough. Drinking prevents water retention, helps muscle recovery and prevents dehydration from strength training. Get a brita filter and drink 2 cups of water with each meal.
20. Green Tea. Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea also speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer and improves blood sugar & circulation. Drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee. Real green tea, not the teabags.
Putting it All Together. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & fats every 3 hours. 2 cups water with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Junk food 10% of the time. Get stronger in the meanwhile and you’ll build muscle & lose fat.
How Exercise Impacts the Brain
The physical benefits of a good diet and exercise are indisputable, but did you know that simple lifestyle choices like these can have a major influence on your cognitive health later in life? Findings presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference this summer indicate that physical exercise, mental stimulation, social interaction, and proper diet can help keep our brains functioning well into old age.
The Finnish Geriatric (FINGER) Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability is a large-scale, long-term study following 1,260 patients aged 60-77 years old who were at high risk of dementia at the outset of the study. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The control group received regular cognitive testing and appropriate health care.
The other group received an intensive lifestyle makeover: they did resistance training and cardiovascular exercise up to six times a week, received individual nutrition counseling, incorporated regular cognitive training, and saw nurses once every three months to have their blood pressure and cholesterol monitored. They also benefited from the social element of group exercise classes.
After two years of treatment, the benefit of these interventions was striking. Those who received the lifestyle makeover performed significantly better on a comprehensive cognitive examination, with stronger scores on specific tests of memory, executive function, and cognitive processing speed. Your brain may not be the first thing on your mind during an afternoon at the gym, but it is working hard too! Learning new things and giving yourself new physical challenges prevents the brain from losing its edge.
This is thrilling news, as there is currently no guaranteed way to prevent, cure, or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, which is responsible for approximately 500,000 deaths per year in the US alone. While a lifestyle makeover on the magnitude of the FINGER study may not be feasible for all of us, the results of the study are clear: exercise, proper nutrition, mental stimulation, and regular checkups are some of the most reliable ways to maintain good cognitive health.
The Finnish Geriatric (FINGER) Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability is a large-scale, long-term study following 1,260 patients aged 60-77 years old who were at high risk of dementia at the outset of the study. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The control group received regular cognitive testing and appropriate health care.
The other group received an intensive lifestyle makeover: they did resistance training and cardiovascular exercise up to six times a week, received individual nutrition counseling, incorporated regular cognitive training, and saw nurses once every three months to have their blood pressure and cholesterol monitored. They also benefited from the social element of group exercise classes.
After two years of treatment, the benefit of these interventions was striking. Those who received the lifestyle makeover performed significantly better on a comprehensive cognitive examination, with stronger scores on specific tests of memory, executive function, and cognitive processing speed. Your brain may not be the first thing on your mind during an afternoon at the gym, but it is working hard too! Learning new things and giving yourself new physical challenges prevents the brain from losing its edge.
This is thrilling news, as there is currently no guaranteed way to prevent, cure, or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, which is responsible for approximately 500,000 deaths per year in the US alone. While a lifestyle makeover on the magnitude of the FINGER study may not be feasible for all of us, the results of the study are clear: exercise, proper nutrition, mental stimulation, and regular checkups are some of the most reliable ways to maintain good cognitive health.
Best Ways to Boost Your Metabolism
Do you feel like you’re moving in slow
motion at times? Have you been proactively trying to lose weight, but
have seen little to no results? You might be in need of what we’re
referring to as a ” metabolism lift.” Metabolism is the chemical
processes in which your cells produce the substances and energy needed
to sustain life. In simpler terms, metabolism
is the rate your body burns calories. How fast your body burns
calories depends on a variety of factors. For instance, some people are
genetically predisposed to lose weight at a faster rate or inherit a
speedy metabolism. Studies have shown that gender may also play a role
in a person’s metabolism rate. Data supports that men tend to burn more
calories than women, even while they’re resting. And for most people,
metabolism slows steadily after age 40. Realistically, we can’t control
the role our age, gender, or genetics, plays in our metabolism rate.
Thankfully, there are other ways we can attempt to boost our metabolism.
Of course, we wanted to find out the most effective ways to improve
it. Find out the experts top recommendations for revving up your
metabolism.
Refuel with H2O. Our
bodies need water to process calories. Dehydrated can potentially cause
your metabolism to slow down. Studies have shown, adults who drank eight
or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who
drank four. To stay properly hydrated, it is recommended that we drink a
glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and
snack. Studies have shown that people who drank 8-12 glasses of water a
day had higher metabolism rates. And contrary to popular beliefs, cold
water is actually proven to be even better at burning calories. Colder
drinks reportedly force your body to work to warm up, which burns more
energy.
Build muscle mass. Putting on just 5 to 10 pounds of lean muscle mass will amp up your metabolism .When you increase your muscle mass, you boost your resting metabolism — and that causes your body to burn more calories. Studies have shown that women who do eight to twelve reps of strength exercises four times a week can replace a pound of fat with a pound of muscle each month. Experts recommend weight training twice a week. The theory is If you’re building strength, you are inevitably losing weight.
Build muscle mass. Putting on just 5 to 10 pounds of lean muscle mass will amp up your metabolism .When you increase your muscle mass, you boost your resting metabolism — and that causes your body to burn more calories. Studies have shown that women who do eight to twelve reps of strength exercises four times a week can replace a pound of fat with a pound of muscle each month. Experts recommend weight training twice a week. The theory is If you’re building strength, you are inevitably losing weight.
Get plenty of cardio.
The biggest burn comes from cardiovascular exercise- aerobic classes,
walking, running, cycling, taking aerobics classes, dancing, kickboxing,
or using cardio machines at a gym, get the heart rate going which in
turn burns more calories and boost metabolism. Ideally, we should
participate in some form of cardio four to five times week for 30 to 40
minutes at a time. “Step up the amount of exercise, the length of
time of your workouts and the intensity, and you’ll definitely see
progress.” according to Katie Heimburger an exercise physiologist in
Atlanta.
Get more sleep. Studies
have found that test subjects who had five and a half hours of sleep a
night were hungrier than individuals who had eight hours of sleep a
night. According to Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith, author of “Why You Can’t Lose Weight“,
sleep deprivation significantly interferes with your ability to
metabolize foods. Experts report that at least seven hours of sleep can
ward off weight gain as well as improve an person’s overall health.
Eat healthy, eat more.
Experts recommend eating every 2 to 3 hours. When we eat it stimulates
our metabolism for a short period of time, which means that the more
often we eat, the more we’ll increase our metabolism. It is proven that
eating every 2 to 3 hours feeds muscle and starves fat. For example,
skipping breakfast, eating only a snack for lunch, and gorging out at
dinner can potentially frighten the body into storing fat. Extending the
time between meals makes your body go into “starvation mode,” which
decreases your metabolism as a means to conserve energy and prevent
starvation. Having four to six small meals a day and eating healthy
snacks will also increase metabolism.Research has shown that people who
snack on 250 calories three times per day eat less at regular meals and
have higher metabolic rates. Here’s a sample eating schedule:
- 6-8 a.m.: Breakfast
- 10 a.m.: Snack
- 12-2 p.m.: Lunch
- 3-5 p.m.: Snack
- 5-7 p.m.: Dinner
- Don’t eat after 8 p.m.
Spice Up Your Meals & Don’t Forget to Eat Your Protein. Cooking foods with a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. It’s suspected that spicy foods increase the heart rate which results in more energy being utilized while ingesting spicier foods. While spicy foods have been studied for their potential metabolic rate increasing properties, there is no conclusive evidence that they impact weight loss. It has been proven that all foods do have what is called the thermic effect and foods with protein are the most thermal of all foods. The body burns many more calories digesting protein than it does for fat or carbohydrates. Replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can boost metabolism at mealtime.Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. In addition, people who eat protein at breakfast tend to ingest less calories throughout their day. As a result, they end up burning more calories by eating protein, and taking in less as well.
5 Reasons You Don’t Look and Feel Like You Work Out But You Do!
There are various reasons why people work out. Some folks exercise to stay fit, others work out for health purposes and many have weight goals they are trying to achieve or maintain. With that said, it can be disconcerting to exercise and not attain the results you desire. Here you are engaged in an exercise regimen with sweaty clothes, latest sneakers and costly gym membership fee to prove it and yet, no real results.
So if your workout isn’t working for you, one or more of the following five reasons could be the culprit(s). Find out how to maximize your workout and earn the results you rightfully deserve!
Here are the top reasons people exercise but don’t feel or see the results :
1. You’re expecting too much too soon.
I’m sure you’ve heard the popular expression, ” Rome wasn’t built ina day”. It’s true the great city of Rome wasn’t built overnight, nor are exercise goals accomplished that quickly either. It takes time and consistency to get in shape. Oftentimes when people don’t see quick fast results, they might be more inclined to throw in the “workout” towel or put exercising on the back burner. The key is to be patient. Keeping in mind that embarking on a lifestyle change that can be sustained for the rest of your life by exercising patience and consistency.
2.You’re only doing cardio.
Cardio plays an important role in weight loss and strengthening cardiovascular system. However, cardio without strength training can potentially result in a self-defeating attitude. Strength training also referred to as “weight training” helps to prevent injury by reinforcing the joints. It also increases metabolic rate which helps to burn more calories. Additionally, it builds muscle mass which helps to change the composition of your body. Try lifting weights or do body-weight exercises, such as push-ups, squats and lunges, two to three times a week, along with some cardio and watch those physical results come rolling in.
3. Proper Nutrition
Healthy eating is a must. People can work out everyday, burn hundreds of calories, but may not be fueling themselves correctly, and as a result, all their hard work goes down the drain. The body needs good nutrition operate properly and to make sure that it is able to sustain the physical work being done.
Try eating a diet rich in protein, vegetables and fruits. Swap sweets for fruits. Snack on kale chips instead of pretzels. Making healthier choices will get you closer to accomplishing your goals and getting better results.
4. Lack of Intensity
If you notice that you’ve conquered your workout routine, it might be time to take it up a notch. Try performing more reps or sets. Avoid complacency, by pushing yourself to the next level. As your heart rate safely increases, you’ll find yourself in the most intense part of training, where the great results occur.
5. Avoid Overtraining
How can one overtrain? It’s okay to push yourself to be better, but it’s not good to do it to the point you have a difficult time recovering. Overtraining can easily result in exhaustion or injury which are two things you want to prevent. Try giving yourself rest after a long series of intense workouts or exercise every other day.
6. Get your sleep!
Sometimes your workouts may cut into your sleep time. With that said, without a sufficient amount of sleep workouts can be counterproductive. You need energy to exercise and sleep allows your body to refresh and re-energize. Studies have also proven that lack of sleep can affect your body’s ability regulate it’s appetite. Make sure you’re getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep to maximize your energy levels and potentially regulate your appetite.
7. Check Your Thyroid
According to experts, when your thyroid is not functioning properly, your metabolism goes down and you will more than start to gain weight. And as you gain weight it can become extremely challenging to lose it, especially because poor thyroid functioning often causes fatigue which makes exercising more difficult. Thyroid problems are often overlooked as a probable cause of inability to lose weight; although they are one of the most common causes.
Hypothyroidism: A a condition in which the thyroid gland, which produces hormones that regulate a number of body processes, becomes underactive and doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone to allow the body to function properly. One of the key processes these hormones help to regulate is metabolism. Click here for symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism: an overactive thyroid, which causes high thyroid hormone production — metabolism speeds up and your whole body starts working overtime. Click here for symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
If it is determined by a physician that you have a thyroid problem, there are treatment options that may help to get you back on track with your fitness goals.
thyroidpic3
8. Create a Plan
What’s the purpose of your training? It’s essential you know and remember your reason for exercising. Every time you set out to exercise, you need a plan that supports your purpose. You might consider working with a trainer to devise a plan of attack or you may opt to create a training plan that is consistent with your goals, track your progress and follow your plan through till you get the results you want.
Training is not solely physical, but mental too! Maintaining a healthy mental state can potentially impact your productivity. Productivity equals results. Results are not impossible to attain. It take time, patience, consistency and diligence- making it all worthwhile at the end of the day, with steady progress and desired results being your ultimate rewards. Whatever you do, don’t give up, results are on the way!
So if your workout isn’t working for you, one or more of the following five reasons could be the culprit(s). Find out how to maximize your workout and earn the results you rightfully deserve!
Here are the top reasons people exercise but don’t feel or see the results :
1. You’re expecting too much too soon.
I’m sure you’ve heard the popular expression, ” Rome wasn’t built ina day”. It’s true the great city of Rome wasn’t built overnight, nor are exercise goals accomplished that quickly either. It takes time and consistency to get in shape. Oftentimes when people don’t see quick fast results, they might be more inclined to throw in the “workout” towel or put exercising on the back burner. The key is to be patient. Keeping in mind that embarking on a lifestyle change that can be sustained for the rest of your life by exercising patience and consistency.
2.You’re only doing cardio.
Cardio plays an important role in weight loss and strengthening cardiovascular system. However, cardio without strength training can potentially result in a self-defeating attitude. Strength training also referred to as “weight training” helps to prevent injury by reinforcing the joints. It also increases metabolic rate which helps to burn more calories. Additionally, it builds muscle mass which helps to change the composition of your body. Try lifting weights or do body-weight exercises, such as push-ups, squats and lunges, two to three times a week, along with some cardio and watch those physical results come rolling in.
3. Proper Nutrition
Healthy eating is a must. People can work out everyday, burn hundreds of calories, but may not be fueling themselves correctly, and as a result, all their hard work goes down the drain. The body needs good nutrition operate properly and to make sure that it is able to sustain the physical work being done.
Try eating a diet rich in protein, vegetables and fruits. Swap sweets for fruits. Snack on kale chips instead of pretzels. Making healthier choices will get you closer to accomplishing your goals and getting better results.
4. Lack of Intensity
If you notice that you’ve conquered your workout routine, it might be time to take it up a notch. Try performing more reps or sets. Avoid complacency, by pushing yourself to the next level. As your heart rate safely increases, you’ll find yourself in the most intense part of training, where the great results occur.
5. Avoid Overtraining
How can one overtrain? It’s okay to push yourself to be better, but it’s not good to do it to the point you have a difficult time recovering. Overtraining can easily result in exhaustion or injury which are two things you want to prevent. Try giving yourself rest after a long series of intense workouts or exercise every other day.
6. Get your sleep!
Sometimes your workouts may cut into your sleep time. With that said, without a sufficient amount of sleep workouts can be counterproductive. You need energy to exercise and sleep allows your body to refresh and re-energize. Studies have also proven that lack of sleep can affect your body’s ability regulate it’s appetite. Make sure you’re getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep to maximize your energy levels and potentially regulate your appetite.
7. Check Your Thyroid
According to experts, when your thyroid is not functioning properly, your metabolism goes down and you will more than start to gain weight. And as you gain weight it can become extremely challenging to lose it, especially because poor thyroid functioning often causes fatigue which makes exercising more difficult. Thyroid problems are often overlooked as a probable cause of inability to lose weight; although they are one of the most common causes.
Hypothyroidism: A a condition in which the thyroid gland, which produces hormones that regulate a number of body processes, becomes underactive and doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone to allow the body to function properly. One of the key processes these hormones help to regulate is metabolism. Click here for symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism: an overactive thyroid, which causes high thyroid hormone production — metabolism speeds up and your whole body starts working overtime. Click here for symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
If it is determined by a physician that you have a thyroid problem, there are treatment options that may help to get you back on track with your fitness goals.
thyroidpic3
8. Create a Plan
What’s the purpose of your training? It’s essential you know and remember your reason for exercising. Every time you set out to exercise, you need a plan that supports your purpose. You might consider working with a trainer to devise a plan of attack or you may opt to create a training plan that is consistent with your goals, track your progress and follow your plan through till you get the results you want.
Training is not solely physical, but mental too! Maintaining a healthy mental state can potentially impact your productivity. Productivity equals results. Results are not impossible to attain. It take time, patience, consistency and diligence- making it all worthwhile at the end of the day, with steady progress and desired results being your ultimate rewards. Whatever you do, don’t give up, results are on the way!
How to Get Stronger Shoulders with Pilates
If you do have a shoulder injury, please seek attention from a professional licensed medical doctor. The exercises listed below are a great way to keep shoulders strong and help in rehabilitating, but it is strongly recommended to be under the guidance of said doctor.**
An injury that happens most often in females, due to weaker shoulders by nature, is a rotator cuff tear. In every day movements the demand to use our shoulders and arms are pretty high. Having the ‘weaker’ set of shoulders comparing males versus females, it is extremely important to make sure our shoulders along with the surrounding muscles are strong to support life demands.
The one exercise I cannot stress enough in Pilates classes to keep shoulders strong with strong supporting muscles, is an exercise called newspaper. It strengthens the muscles at the back of the shoulders and in between the shoulder blades.
shoulder
-Starting Position: shoulders are nice and relaxed. Elbows are tucked into your side and arms at a 90 degree angle. Hands holding a resistance band with palms facing one another.
-Keeping the elbows glued to your sides, pull the band a part as wide as you can
-At its greatest range of motion, pause for a few seconds, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Then release back to starting position.
-Repeat 10-15 times
Touchdowns!
-On a Pilate’s machine or with a resistance band trapped at the shoulder height in a door. Stand or sit up nice and tall, stomach pulled in and engaged.
-Shoulders relaxed down away from the ears.
-Arms behind straight out in front of you at shoulder height
-To start the exercise, draw the elbows straight back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. This can be the furthest you go in this exercises, meaning you can straight your arms back into starting position and repeat for 10-15 times.
-Taking it a step farther, once the elbows are straight back, you are going to rotate through the shoulder socket, keeping your arms at 90 degrees in the elbows and pulling your hands straight up so that they end directly above your elbows.
-Your arms will look like goal posts or a referee signaling the touchdown is good!
-To release out of the position you want to go in reverse order of you got into it.
-Rotate the wrists back down to shoulder height, keeping the 90 degrees in your elbow, then straightening the arms back into starting position
-Repeat 10-15 times
shoulders2
Wall Slides
-With a set of dumbbells or a resistance band trapped under your feet and a handle in each hand, start standing straight up with your back against a wall with your body engaged like in previous exercises.
-This time you will begin in the position your last exercise ended in.
-Start with your arms in a touchdown position.
shoulders3
-Slowly slide your hands up the wall, reaching as high as you can.
-Hold for a few seconds
-Slide your arms back down into 90 degree starting position
-Don’t allow your elbows to drop lower than your shoulder height
-Repeat 10-15 times.
These are just a few exercises in which help keep the shoulder’s strong. Keeping these exercises in your exercise regimen you are going to gain many strengths and see progress in your shoulders ability to with stand daily tasks. These exercises are also a great way to rehabilitate a shoulder injury. Like previously stated make sure you are under the watch of a doctor and that (s)he approves your are ready for exercises listed above!
An injury that happens most often in females, due to weaker shoulders by nature, is a rotator cuff tear. In every day movements the demand to use our shoulders and arms are pretty high. Having the ‘weaker’ set of shoulders comparing males versus females, it is extremely important to make sure our shoulders along with the surrounding muscles are strong to support life demands.
The one exercise I cannot stress enough in Pilates classes to keep shoulders strong with strong supporting muscles, is an exercise called newspaper. It strengthens the muscles at the back of the shoulders and in between the shoulder blades.
shoulder
-Starting Position: shoulders are nice and relaxed. Elbows are tucked into your side and arms at a 90 degree angle. Hands holding a resistance band with palms facing one another.
-Keeping the elbows glued to your sides, pull the band a part as wide as you can
-At its greatest range of motion, pause for a few seconds, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Then release back to starting position.
-Repeat 10-15 times
Touchdowns!
-On a Pilate’s machine or with a resistance band trapped at the shoulder height in a door. Stand or sit up nice and tall, stomach pulled in and engaged.
-Shoulders relaxed down away from the ears.
-Arms behind straight out in front of you at shoulder height
-To start the exercise, draw the elbows straight back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. This can be the furthest you go in this exercises, meaning you can straight your arms back into starting position and repeat for 10-15 times.
-Taking it a step farther, once the elbows are straight back, you are going to rotate through the shoulder socket, keeping your arms at 90 degrees in the elbows and pulling your hands straight up so that they end directly above your elbows.
-Your arms will look like goal posts or a referee signaling the touchdown is good!
-To release out of the position you want to go in reverse order of you got into it.
-Rotate the wrists back down to shoulder height, keeping the 90 degrees in your elbow, then straightening the arms back into starting position
-Repeat 10-15 times
shoulders2
Wall Slides
-With a set of dumbbells or a resistance band trapped under your feet and a handle in each hand, start standing straight up with your back against a wall with your body engaged like in previous exercises.
-This time you will begin in the position your last exercise ended in.
-Start with your arms in a touchdown position.
shoulders3
-Slowly slide your hands up the wall, reaching as high as you can.
-Hold for a few seconds
-Slide your arms back down into 90 degree starting position
-Don’t allow your elbows to drop lower than your shoulder height
-Repeat 10-15 times.
These are just a few exercises in which help keep the shoulder’s strong. Keeping these exercises in your exercise regimen you are going to gain many strengths and see progress in your shoulders ability to with stand daily tasks. These exercises are also a great way to rehabilitate a shoulder injury. Like previously stated make sure you are under the watch of a doctor and that (s)he approves your are ready for exercises listed above!
Top 10 Fitness Tips
1. Let the good times roll. Dial up the fun, because it helps you exercise longer and harder – and it puts the kibosh on dreading workouts. Crank up the music and dance like nobody's watching. Take a Zumba or pole-dancing class. Play tag with your kids.
2. Go social. Social media can boost your motivation and keep you on track. Announce your fitness goals on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. "You'll be surprised how many people help," Ramsay says. They'll rally behind you, offer tips, and steer you away from missing a workout.
3. Make the world your gym. Do stretches in the grocery line. Do ballet moves while pumping gas. Take the stairs. Sitting in traffic? Squeeze your lower abs, then release. "You'll be amazed at how much you can develop your core strength while driving," Ramsay says.
4. Pump yourself up. Positive self-talk can boost your motivation. Look in the mirror and observe how strong your muscles are. Applaud yourself for getting fit. Recognize the goals you've met.
5. Break up your workouts. If you dread a long workout, break it into small chunks. "Five minutes here, 5 minutes there -- it all adds up," Ramsay says. Stretch for 10 minutes before your morning shower. Take a brisk, 20-minute walk at lunch. Lift weights while you wait for your pasta water to boil.
6. Stretch. It makes you more flexible, relieves muscle tension, and improves posture. It also helps you tune in to your body, Ramsay says. No time? No problem. Stretch while watching TV or lying in bed.
7. Say no to sports drinks. "Unless you're a pro athlete, they're not necessary," he says. "I see it all the time at the gym." Sports drinks are loaded with extra calories. Try water with lemon instead.
8. Pair cardio with weight resistance for fast results. "For my celebrity clients who need quick results, I combine cardio and resistance training," Ramsay says. While pedaling on an exercise bike, add 30-second sets of bicep curls and overhead tricep extensions. Add bursts of shoulder presses while you walk on the treadmill.
9. Embrace the next level. Don't balk at super-challenging workouts. They're tough for a reason: They work. When Ramsay asked actor Cheyenne Jackson which exercise he dreaded most, he said burpees. "So I put him on a 30-minute burpee routine, five times a week," Ramsay says. "In 6 weeks, he was a different man."
10. Challenge yourself. Step it up. Work out 5 minutes longer. Raise the incline level on your treadmill. Go for a few extra repetitions. It makes a difference. "We should always be pushing ourselves," Ramsay says. But if it feels too intense or you don’t have enough breath to hold a conversation, slow down.
Muscle Loss - Nutrition Guide for Leaning Down and Building Muscle Mass
I keep nutrition simple. I eat the same types of food
whether I’m adding muscle mass or
cutting down. The only thing that changes is quantity and
proportion.
This guide is organized as follows:
1. Foods and Eating
Schedule – My Maintenance Plan
2. Adding Mass Diet
3. Leaning Down Diet
4. Optimal
Muscle-Building Diet if You’re Deadly Serious
1. Foods and Eating
Schedule – My Maintenance Plan
In a nutshell, I eat as much whole foods as possible , but
supplement a fair amount as
well with protein shakes and creatinine. I avoid foods in a
package. Exceptions will be
boxed cereal on the weekends
and pasta. I also eat lentil soup for lunch from a can
(Amy’s which is pretty healthy). In fact all beans I eat are
from a can. I don ’t have time
to cook beans (chick peas, lentils, etc.).
10 to 20 Stretching Session: (7 a.m.)
Breakfast (8:00 to 8:30 a.m.):
* My homemade muesli
which contains oats, 7-grain mix, dried fruit, a banana,
almonds and milk (2%).
* 1 cup of egg whites
with 1 to 2 whole eggs added – I usually
eat this scrambled.
* A few cups of
coffee throughout the morning.
Lunch (I eat around 11:30 a.m.):
* 2 slices of whole
grain bread (from a local bakery) with peanut butter. I realize
bread isn’t the best, but I love it and eat it.
* 1 can of Amy’s
lentil soup or 1 can of chick peas or plenty of cold cuts (turkey
and beef).
Afternoon Snack – pre workout(2:30 to 3:00 p.m.):
* Fruit plate
(apples, banana, orange and/or fruit in season). You can easily skip
the fruit. I love fruit so I eat it.
* Pre-workout
supplement for energy.
Workout: 4:30 to 5:30
* After workout: Protein Shake with Creatine.
Dinner (6:30 p.m.)
* Protein: Fish,
chicken or beef (ground or steak)
* Starch: Rice,
potatoes, pasta, or quinoa.
* Veg: Salad and a
steamed/sautéed vegetable such as broccoli, asparagus, beans,
etc.
Before Bed (9:45 p.m.)
* Protein shake.
Weekends
On weekends I let loose a little. I may have a bacon and egg
breakfast and/or boxed
cereal. My wife and I usually eat out or get take out once
per weekend. Take out may
include pizza.
I’m not a diet fanatic. I enjoy less than optimally healthy
foods. A little diet splurging
won’t kill you or your workout progress as long as you are
generally consistent with your
diet.
2. My Adding Mass
Diet
When I’m adding muscle mass and weight, I increase portion
sizes from the
maintenance amount.
* I add more nuts and
eggs to my diet.
* I add more cold
cuts to my lunch.
* I drink more milk.
Often I’ll add a second protein shake to my diet.
* I eat more quinoa
as my starch (a protein-rich food).
* I increase protein
portions at dinner.
3. Leaning Down Diet
I eat smaller portions
of carbohydrates.
I substitute my oat cereal breakfast for fresh fruit. I still eat egg whites for breakfast.
That’s about it. It really boils down to portion size and
increased cardio.
IMPORTANT: When
leaning down, you must maintain a high-protein diet so that your
body burns fat and not muscle.
4. If you’re deadly
serious about gaining optimal muscle
fast
That said, if you’re deadly serious about building maximum
muscle as fast as possible,
add more protein to the above diet. I know I don ’t eat
protein in the amount that will
win me the Mr. Olympia title.
The key is limiting carb intake to optimal carbs (still
restricting portion size). The
following is a strict, but optimal diet for building muscle:
6 Meal Diet for 200 plus pound person :
* Protein: 40 grams for
meals 1 to 6
* Carbohydrates: 50
grams for meals 1 to 5. No carbs for meal 6.
* Added fats – 15
grams at Meals 1, 2, 5 and 6.
If you weigh under 200 pounds, adjust protein count down
slightly.
Best carbohydrates for the optimal muscle-building diet:
* Oats
* Rice (not boxed
rice)
* Quinoa
* Yams
* Organic brown rice
pasta
* Shredded wheat
cereal
Best fats for the added fats portion in the optimal muscle-building diet:
* Flax oil
* Udo’s oil
* Hemp oil
* Peanut butter
* Almond butter
Best protein sources
* Chicken
* Turkey
* Fish (Salmon, cod,
halibut, pollock, snapper and sole – I
avoid tuna due to
toxicity levels)
* Beef
* Egg whites (I
usually add 1 to 2 whole eggs – but
consult your physician
regarding cholesterol issues … I have no cholesterol issues
so 1 to 2 egg yolks a
day for me is fine).
* Chick peas/ Lentils
* Bison
* Nuts (almonds and
peanuts are my favorite … but eat in moderation due to highfat content).
Detox Weight Loss Pills - Bauer Nutrition Detox Pure Review
What is Detox Pure?
Detox Pure by Bauer Nutrition - complete detox weight loss pills, colon cleansing and powerful detox formula that designed to naturally help you lose weight, cleanse and detoxify the body.
By taking Detox Pure, it will help you jump start your slimming process by increasing your metabolism, melting fat and flushing out all the bad toxins.
As a result, you will feel more fresh, energetic, and healthy.
Click Here to Visit Detox Pure Official Website
Detox Pure Advantages
Cleanse & detoxify body for effortlessly weight loss
Gives powerful antioxidants in your body
Make breaking down fat very simple
Helps with burning fat and boosting metabolism
Improve focus and mental alertness
Heighten your energy levels
Rapid Results
How Does Detox Pure Work?
Unfortunately, majority of the food we eat is processed and contains excessive sugars, calories and bad carbohydrates. It gradually becomes very difficult for our metabolism and body to break it down so most of the food converts into waste, which accumulate in your colon and digestive tract.
Luckily, detox weight loss pills has the power to eliminate unwanted waste and toxins from your body while instantaneously supercharging your metabolism. Now, your body will start burning stubborn fat even faster.
Detox Pure works to cleanse your colon, increase your energy levels and improve overall health while having a positive effect weight loss. One of the quickest ways to shed extra pounds is getting a good cleansing of the body from the inside out.
Detox Pure Ingredients
The two active ingredients in Detox Pure are Bladderwrack and Clivers. Let’s take a closer look on how each ingredient work:
detox-pure-ingredients
Bladderwrack is brown, seaweed also known as kelp. It is also naturally loaded with many other beneficial nutrients including amino acids, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and antioxidants.
Bladderwrack is very high in iodine, which stimulates your thyroid gland and speed up your metabolism. It also helps with the breakdown of fatty tissue and aiding with digestion. A faster metabolic rate will allow you to burn more calories, which will result in fast weight loss.
Additionally, this seaweed has been shown to suppress one’s appetite and supports satiety.
Clivers (gallium aparine) is well known for its powerful diuretic, tonic, and multi properties to the lymph system. Clivers help eliminate toxins from the blood and intestines. It supports every part of gently cleansing and flushing of our body during detoxification.
Bauer Nutrition Detox Pure Photos
detox-pure-1
detox-pure-2
detox-pure-4
Are There Any Side Effects?
Detox Pure is all natural supplement that is safe and healthy to use. No side effects have been reported. It is very important that you follow the directions and the recommended dosage when taking Detox Pure in order to avoid future side effects.
Where to Buy Detox Pure?
The only place to purchase Detox Pure -Detox Weight Loss Pills currently is from the official website. By doing so, you will be certain to get your money back guarantee on the product and FREE bottles of Detox Pure with select packages.
The cost of Detox Pure one-month supply is $54.75 per bottle and discounts are available when you buy multiple bottles. The best package deal is Buy 3 Bottles and Get 3 Bottles FREE! 50% OFF….
Alternatives to detox weight loss
Detox Pure by Bauer Nutrition - complete detox weight loss pills, colon cleansing and powerful detox formula that designed to naturally help you lose weight, cleanse and detoxify the body.
By taking Detox Pure, it will help you jump start your slimming process by increasing your metabolism, melting fat and flushing out all the bad toxins.
As a result, you will feel more fresh, energetic, and healthy.
Click Here to Visit Detox Pure Official Website
Detox Pure Advantages
Cleanse & detoxify body for effortlessly weight loss
Gives powerful antioxidants in your body
Make breaking down fat very simple
Helps with burning fat and boosting metabolism
Improve focus and mental alertness
Heighten your energy levels
Rapid Results
How Does Detox Pure Work?
Unfortunately, majority of the food we eat is processed and contains excessive sugars, calories and bad carbohydrates. It gradually becomes very difficult for our metabolism and body to break it down so most of the food converts into waste, which accumulate in your colon and digestive tract.
Luckily, detox weight loss pills has the power to eliminate unwanted waste and toxins from your body while instantaneously supercharging your metabolism. Now, your body will start burning stubborn fat even faster.
Detox Pure works to cleanse your colon, increase your energy levels and improve overall health while having a positive effect weight loss. One of the quickest ways to shed extra pounds is getting a good cleansing of the body from the inside out.
Detox Pure Ingredients
The two active ingredients in Detox Pure are Bladderwrack and Clivers. Let’s take a closer look on how each ingredient work:
detox-pure-ingredients
Bladderwrack is brown, seaweed also known as kelp. It is also naturally loaded with many other beneficial nutrients including amino acids, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and antioxidants.
Bladderwrack is very high in iodine, which stimulates your thyroid gland and speed up your metabolism. It also helps with the breakdown of fatty tissue and aiding with digestion. A faster metabolic rate will allow you to burn more calories, which will result in fast weight loss.
Additionally, this seaweed has been shown to suppress one’s appetite and supports satiety.Clivers (gallium aparine) is well known for its powerful diuretic, tonic, and multi properties to the lymph system. Clivers help eliminate toxins from the blood and intestines. It supports every part of gently cleansing and flushing of our body during detoxification.
Bauer Nutrition Detox Pure Photos
detox-pure-1
detox-pure-2
detox-pure-4
Are There Any Side Effects?
Detox Pure is all natural supplement that is safe and healthy to use. No side effects have been reported. It is very important that you follow the directions and the recommended dosage when taking Detox Pure in order to avoid future side effects.
Where to Buy Detox Pure?
The only place to purchase Detox Pure -Detox Weight Loss Pills currently is from the official website. By doing so, you will be certain to get your money back guarantee on the product and FREE bottles of Detox Pure with select packages.
The cost of Detox Pure one-month supply is $54.75 per bottle and discounts are available when you buy multiple bottles. The best package deal is Buy 3 Bottles and Get 3 Bottles FREE! 50% OFF….
Alternatives to detox weight loss
The Venus
Factor:
The venus
factor is one of the few weight loss programs created especially for women by
the well-known weight loss celebrity,best seller writer and nutritionist John
Barban.It is a 12-Week Weight Loss Program which has brrn specially designed to
re-balance the hormones responsible for appetite and weight gain. .The Venus Factor diet aims to help women
control leptin, the hormone that is responsible for hunger
Fat
Diminisher
Fat Diminisher System is an fat burning eBook
it shows steps by step instructions on how and what you have eaten to make you
to reduce overweight. It teaches you excellent traits on how you can live an
excellent life, with the healthy diet and the food you ought to eat then
eventually, what you should do without pressurizing you but through conviction
of your heart and brain. It have the ultimate and super simple diet plan for
keeping the weight you have lost off forever, while still being able to enjoy your
favourite foods. This will allow you to live a "normal" life without
worrying about the weight coming back. This program informs you about the
foods, you can eat more to lose fat and mention the foods that help in burning
fat and speeding up the metabolism. Fat Diminisher System helped all people to
change their attitude in life and start living well, disciplined and healthy
lives.
Old School
New Body
The core
fitness and workout component of Old School New Body is the F4X system (Focus 4
Exercise). It consists of three separate phases that each contains a core set
of workouts that take 90 minutes or less to complete. Each phase focuses on a
particular fitness aspect (more on this in just a second).
The general
idea of the F4X system is that you start on one phase and progress through each
additional phase. That being said, not all phases have to be used. Once you’ve
reached your desired fitness goals, you can use the Maintain phase to keep what
you’ve acquired. I can’t comment too much on this at the moment, as I’ve yet to
have a need for the Maintain phase.
6 PACK ABS
This
training program is akin to what a bodybuilder would do in the last few weeks
before a contest. It covers the entire body but gives special priority to your
abs—you'll work them first in every session.
Most of the
exercises won't be new to you, but take note of how they're performed. You'll
use a variety of intensity-boosting techniques, such as holding a peak
contraction and performing a slow negative (lowering) portion of a rep, to
bring out the most muscularity. Pay attention to asterisks (*) in the workout
chart, which denote technique changes.
Follow a
clean diet along the way to preserve all your muscle—and possibly gain a bit—as
you reduce calories and peel away body fat. Soon you'll have a body worth
unwrapping on Valentine's Day
3weekdiet
It is a 96
page guide created by Brian Flatt contains numerous fool-proof, scientific
based secrets that help user to lose 10… 15… on even 20pouds in just 21 days.it
is a solution for all those ‘mainstream diets and programs that are
time-consuming and simply ineffective. Brian Flatt who is health coach and
nutritionist discovered these quick weight loss secrets after 12 years of
research. Lots pf people successfully burn fat with the help of these secrets.
A foolproof Science-based Diet that’s 100% Guaranteed to Melt Away 12 to 23
Pounds of Stubborn body Fat in just 21-Days
The E-
Factor
The E-Factor Diet is an eBook available online from efactordiet.com. The book is available for $29.95 and will be downloaded instantly after you purchase.
The book discusses a number of different guidelines for losing weight. Instead of recommending simple solutions like “eat better” and “exercise more”, The E-Factor Diet focuses in on some core problems with weight loss programs.
Those core problems are the foods you eat and the unique enzymes inside
The Venus
Factor:
The venus
factor is one of the few weight loss programs created especially for women by
the well-known weight loss celebrity,best seller writer and nutritionist John
Barban.It is a 12-Week Weight Loss Program which has brrn specially designed to
re-balance the hormones responsible for appetite and weight gain. .The Venus Factor diet aims to help women
control leptin, the hormone that is responsible for hunger
Fat Diminisher System is an fat burning eBook
it shows steps by step instructions on how and what you have eaten to make you
to reduce overweight. It teaches you excellent traits on how you can live an
excellent life, with the healthy diet and the food you ought to eat then
eventually, what you should do without pressurizing you but through conviction
of your heart and brain. It have the ultimate and super simple diet plan for
keeping the weight you have lost off forever, while still being able to enjoy your
favourite foods. This will allow you to live a "normal" life without
worrying about the weight coming back. This program informs you about the
foods, you can eat more to lose fat and mention the foods that help in burning
fat and speeding up the metabolism. Fat Diminisher System helped all people to
change their attitude in life and start living well, disciplined and healthy
lives.
Old School
New Body
Old School
New Body is essentially a fitness/workout program created specifically for the
“more experienced” adults – particularly those aged 35 and above. Steve and
Becky Holman created the program as a modified workout system to help the aging
population get into shape without sacrificing safety and time.
The core
fitness and workout component of Old School New Body is the F4X system (Focus 4
Exercise). It consists of three separate phases that each contains a core set
of workouts that take 90 minutes or less to complete. Each phase focuses on a
particular fitness aspect (more on this in just a second).
The general
idea of the F4X system is that you start on one phase and progress through each
additional phase. That being said, not all phases have to be used. Once you’ve
reached your desired fitness goals, you can use the Maintain phase to keep what
you’ve acquired. I can’t comment too much on this at the moment, as I’ve yet to
have a need for the Maintain phase.
6 PACK ABS
This
training program is akin to what a bodybuilder would do in the last few weeks
before a contest. It covers the entire body but gives special priority to your
abs—you'll work them first in every session.
Most of the
exercises won't be new to you, but take note of how they're performed. You'll
use a variety of intensity-boosting techniques, such as holding a peak
contraction and performing a slow negative (lowering) portion of a rep, to
bring out the most muscularity. Pay attention to asterisks (*) in the workout
chart, which denote technique changes.
Follow a
clean diet along the way to preserve all your muscle—and possibly gain a bit—as
you reduce calories and peel away body fat. Soon you'll have a body worth
unwrapping on Valentine's Day
Top
California Personal Trainer Accidentally Discovers A 23-Second Waist Shrinking
Exercise After An EMERGENCY Trip To The Hospital!
3weekdiet
It is a 96
page guide created by Brian Flatt contains numerous fool-proof, scientific
based secrets that help user to lose 10… 15… on even 20pouds in just 21 days.it
is a solution for all those ‘mainstream diets and programs that are
time-consuming and simply ineffective. Brian Flatt who is health coach and
nutritionist discovered these quick weight loss secrets after 12 years of
research. Lots pf people successfully burn fat with the help of these secrets.
A foolproof Science-based Diet that’s 100% Guaranteed to Melt Away 12 to 23
Pounds of Stubborn body Fat in just 21-Days
The E-
Factor
The E-Factor Diet is an eBook available online from efactordiet.com. The book is available for $29.95 and will be downloaded instantly after you purchase.
The book discusses a number of different guidelines for losing weight. Instead of recommending simple solutions like “eat better” and “exercise more”, The E-Factor Diet focuses in on some core problems with weight loss programs.
Those core problems are the foods you eat and the unique enzymes inside
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)