Category Archives: Weight Loss

Best Exercise to Burn Fat – Weight Loss Tips

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Best Exercise to Burn Fat – Weight Loss Tips

What is the best exercise to burn fat? Is it one or are there many? This guide will show you which are the best and which are not as good for weight loss. To start, let me just preface by saying that any time of exercise is better than no exercise. What type of exercise you pick is not as important as the fact that you are exercising.

I often tell others that it is better to pick an easier exercise that you enjoy than one that you hate. The reasoning is that you are more likely to do the fun exercise on a daily basis than the one you hate. Consistency is key when it comes to anything that has to do with how to lose weight fast.

With that said, the best exercise to burn fat is one that burns many calories in a short period of time.

Cardiovascular Training

Cardiovascular training is a great method to burn fat. For the most effective fat loss, it is recommended that you do around forty-five minutes of cardio training at a good and moderate pace. Doing this five or more times per week will do wonders for fat loss. The question is, which is the best exercise to burn fat in the cardio department?

We all know that running burns many calories. Because of this, I would have to say that running for weight loss is one of the best options. Other cardio that burns lots of calories include:

· Skiing Long Distance
· Swimming
· Elliptical Training
· Jump Rope

Resistance Training

The best type of resistance, strength training type of exercise for fat loss is one that does a full body workout. There are countless types of programs that do this. And the exercises used are so varied that it would be a mistake just to label a few best exercises.

In general, the best advice is to follow a resistance program that works on the major muscles of your body so that each week you are tearing up all the muscles and forcing your body to rebuild these tissues. Targeting the large and small muscles works best as well as resting muscles a couple days and working other muscles while the worn muscles recover.

Stomach Exercises

I figured I’d mention how ineffective stomach exercises like crunches and abs are for burning fat. They are definitely the worst option for fat loss. Sure, they help build and strengthen stomach muscles. But as far as fat loss, they do nothing. A thousand crunches will burn very few calories. And when it comes to fat loss, it’s all about the burn!

7 Diet Tips To Build Muscle And Lose Fat

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7 Diet Tips To Build Muscle And Lose Fat

1. Stick to a Calorie Surplus or Deficit

If you want to burn fat or build muscle you must adhere to this principle. First off find your calorie maintenance level, you can use one of the many online calculators out there. Once you have this number reduce or add 500 calories a day. Reducing calories below your maintenance level is called a deficit and will let you retain muscle whilst burning fat. A calorie surplus will allow you to gain weight which is necessary in order to build muscle. Take note that during a bulking phase you will gain fat unless you are an extreme ectomorph. Consuming too many calories will lead to excess fat gain that is why a 500 calorie surplus is recommended.

2. Consume enough protein

To build muscle the body requires protein which repairs the muscle after a workout. A general rule of thumb is to eat 1 to 1.25g of protein for every pound of weight a day. Take a 200 lb man for example, he would need to eat 200g to 250g of protein a day to have good muscle growth. Even when losing fat you want to consume roughly 1g:1lb a day in order to preserve muscle mass.

3. Create a diet plan

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to make your own diet. Do the research to find what it is your body needs to reach your goal and build a diet. Use an excel worksheet or hand-write the diet. Total the macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates) and calories of the foods you eat. Take this plan around with you as it will help you stick to your diet by constantly reminding you of your goal.

4. Eat whole unprocessed foods

Stick to clean foods without artificial additives. Get the junk food out of your home and start shopping and buying healthier natural foods. Fresh lean meats, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, cottage cheese, wholegrain wheat products and milk are some examples just keep it fresh. Simply changing your current diet to these foods will create a difference in your health and body.

5. Supplement your diet

The focus of many aspiring young fitness enthusiasts is on supplementation. Supplements can and should be used as long as they don’t replace proper food. Having whey protein products can effectively supplement your diet by adding a ton of protein with little carbohydrate and fats. Aim to have two protein shakes a day one in the morning to get the body out of a catabolic state and immediately following a workout.

6. Don’t be afraid to cheat

Having a strict diet is tough to implement and stick to. You will likely get bored eating similarly everyday so cheat. Add in one or two meals a week that allows you to indulge and enjoy your food. The cheat meal is something to look forward to as a reward at the end of a hard week. Do not let your cheat meal become a cheat day by falling into your old diet habits.

7. Eat frequently

This is important for both getting bigger and losing fat. Eating frequently raises your metabolism so your body burns more calories and it keeps the body in an anabolic state so muscle is not breaking down for energy. Eat between 2 to 3 hours for each meal which is easier said than done considering most people’s schedules. If frequent eating is an impossibility for you, ensure you are still maintain your calorie intake.

Weight Loss Tips – Are You Living A Healthy Lifestyle?

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Weight Loss Tips – Are You Living A Healthy Lifestyle?

In our world there lives a strong fast and convenience food culture and obesity is commonplace. There has never been any other time where the phrase “healthy lifestyle” has been used so frequently. however one persons idea of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle can be quite different to someone else’s. We are all different with varying body shapes and medical histories, there can be no one definitive healthy lifestyle.

Generally a person who does not smoke at all or drink too much, has varied and sensible eating habits, takes regular exercise and is not classed as too much under or overweight can be classed as having a healthy lifestyle. You may be looking at that list and thinking that hardly any of those things describe you or your lifestyle, but do not panic as it is never too late to improve your lifestyle and become healthier.

Whatever place you are starting from and no matter how unhealthy you believe your lifestyle is,you can start to improve it by taking a few basic steps. The important thing is that you are honest about your lifestyle, recognise the need for change and crucially start taking action (no matter how small) to improve your lifestyle. This is not something that can or should be done overnight, too many drastic changes all at once will be impossible to maintain and will leave you feeling defeated and frustrated. Improving your lifestyle and then maintaining it should always be a work in progress, something you live by day after day. If you feel too daunted or overwhelmed then you will simply never get started, remember that any journey always starts with a single step. Also beware of the dream killer known as procrastination which lurks behind every good intention. I’ll do something about my lifestyle when I’m 40, I’ll cut back in the new year or I will start exercising when I have more time. There is never a better time to do something than today.

Here are a few simple things you could start doing now: -

Turn off the TV and go for a brisk walk.

Cut back on the fried food and takeaways.

Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Reduce the portion size of your meals.

Go for a swim or a bike ride.

Drink less alcohol and more water.

Gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke.

Walk to work more often, or park further away from the office.

Go for a brisk stroll during your lunch hour.

Take up a new hobby that involves physical activity.

Cut out a few of your salty and sweet snacks.

Set the alarm half and hour earlier and go for a walk or jog.

Stop eating when you feel full, not bloated.

Play sports with family or friends.

Incorporating a handful of small changes on a daily basis will add up to make a huge difference with your lifestyle. Start thinking more healthy, start doing more healthy things and you will soon have a healthier lifestyle