We all know the holidays can be busy. Don't get caught in the trap of skipping working out to make more time for errands and gift buying. This is a surefire way to lose lean muscle and strength.
Why you ask? Decreases in lean muscle mass will lower your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for the majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning. This means that everyday you will be burning less and less calories which will put you at a much greater risk of putting on ugly, unwanted body fat during the holidays. Losing strength will only make you regress when you pick up your workout routine later.
There are creative ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn per day, both from exercise and from your normal daily activities, to stay fat-free this holiday season. Use the strategies below to maintain and/or increase your current amount of lean muscle mass and Xcelerate your daily calorie burn to best protect yourself against the deadly holiday bloat!
1.) Take part in a minimum of one intense strength training session per week
Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass. Don't make excuses, get at least one good strength training workout per week to stay fit during the holidays and to avoid taking a step back in fitness. Give yourself the best shot at reducing the chance of weight gain by aiming for three total body strength workouts per week. To Xcelerate fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.
2.) Hit Your Totals
Your body has no clue. It cannot tell the difference between 100 push-ups performed in a row or 100 total push-ups performed in a day. If you can't find a 5 to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden spots of time to get in a certain number of daily reps for exercises that work your entire body. Got a free moment from now until you need to get the kids up for school? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Use this method throughout the day and you can rack up some big numbers by the end of the day. You'll burn the same amount of calories and create similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.
But, this is merely a back-up plan to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. Short periods of rest between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as longer rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. It comes down to being effective or optimal so at least be effective this holiday season!
Xcelerate your effectiveness by picking movements that hit your body's major muscle groups. Do exercises that will do that in the shortest amount of time (e.g. squats, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.).
Use the plan below as guide to build your own "Hit Your Totals" workout. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands. (order them here if you need some).
Follow this program up to 3 times per week resting 1 day between workouts. Alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).
The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays:
Plan A-
Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DumbBell/Band Rows: 50-100 total
Plan B-
Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)
3.) Rage Against The Machines
Machines have helped make us an overweight and less fit society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! You'll probably have to drive to the mall, to make returns, but park farther away and get some extra walking in. Avoid using elevators and escalators and take the stairs; all those steps really do add up.
4.) Engage in more outdoor holiday activities
Get outdoors this holidays season and throw around a football or take a walk with the family. How about some dodgeball, kickball or just chasing your kids around the yard? These types of activities can help you to fit in your pants instead of splitting them when the clocks strikes 12 on New Year's.
Monday, December 28, 2009
2009 State Health Rankings
Should We Throw a Party??
Louisiana has ranked dead last 16 out of the 19 years the United Health Foundation has conducted its annual state health rankings. While it may not have been a cause to celebrate, Louisiana's jump from 49 to 47 in the group's 2009 report gave many a reason to hope.
How did your state rank in 2009? American Health Rankings
But by no means should we be excited. Together we can jump even higher in 2010.
Louisiana has ranked dead last 16 out of the 19 years the United Health Foundation has conducted its annual state health rankings. While it may not have been a cause to celebrate, Louisiana's jump from 49 to 47 in the group's 2009 report gave many a reason to hope.
How did your state rank in 2009? American Health Rankings
But by no means should we be excited. Together we can jump even higher in 2010.
Breakfast, Do We Need It??
Evaluate your eating habits
Do you skip breakfast? Eat your biggest meals at night? In order to achieve your goals, you must begin a new eating plan. Try to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. Not only will you avoid hunger, you'll also experience an increase in your energy levels.
If you want to burn the fat off your belly you need to burn THIS into your brain first.
Eat breakfast.
Look, you can make fat loss as difficult as you like. You can make it out to be super complicated if you so choose.
But one of the easiest things you can do to start melting the fat off your frame is to start eating a breakfast that boosts your metabolism and sets the tone for fat loss all day long.
Now, there's a very good chance you're shaking your head in agreement with me, but saying something like, "That's great. I know that. But what the heck do I eat?"
Let's Focus on 1 New Habit
Based on your own personal limiting factors, there are likely dozens of simple habits you can put to work immediately. The key, however, is to work ONLY ONE habit at a time.
Research has shown that when people try to change a single behavior at a time, the likelihood that they’ll retain that habit for a year or more is better than 80%. When they try two behaviors, their chances of success are less than 35%. When they try three behaviors or more, their success rate plummets to less than 5%.
Is it any surprise, then, that when people try to massively overhaul their lifestyle in short order, the changes simply don’t stick? Of course not. But, let’s be honest. Most of us aren’t known for being patient.
I don't expect you to change overnight and neither should you. We are on a journey to better health. I've mentioned this time and again in our FitFunCamp classes. To use an old cliche "It's a marathon, not a sprint".
Here are two quick recipes that give you a "NO EXCUSES" breakfast. Drink one of these when you wake up and you'll be fueling your body for the day and especially before your morning FitFunCamp class.
Add 1/4 c. of creamy peanut butter (natural preferred), half of a banana to packet of Advocare Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake, Post-Workout Recovery Shake or Prograde Chocolate Lean Shake, utilizing crushed ice as part of your 9oz of water. The result is like a healthy liquid Reese's with the nutrition of the banana just for fun!
I always have a bag of frozen strawberries or raspberries in the freezer. I throw in a nice handful of frozen berries into the Advocare Vanilla Meal Replacement Shake or Prograde Vanilla Workout Drink. It's a great tasting drink that let's me feel like I am cheating but actually it is very ealthy with the added antioxidants of the darker berries.
Drew Brees knows how important breakfast is. Click here and see what keeps this New Orleans Saints quarterback at the top of his game.
Start Blasting Fat Away Today!!
Do you skip breakfast? Eat your biggest meals at night? In order to achieve your goals, you must begin a new eating plan. Try to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. Not only will you avoid hunger, you'll also experience an increase in your energy levels.
If you want to burn the fat off your belly you need to burn THIS into your brain first.
Eat breakfast.
Look, you can make fat loss as difficult as you like. You can make it out to be super complicated if you so choose.
But one of the easiest things you can do to start melting the fat off your frame is to start eating a breakfast that boosts your metabolism and sets the tone for fat loss all day long.
Now, there's a very good chance you're shaking your head in agreement with me, but saying something like, "That's great. I know that. But what the heck do I eat?"
Let's Focus on 1 New Habit
Based on your own personal limiting factors, there are likely dozens of simple habits you can put to work immediately. The key, however, is to work ONLY ONE habit at a time.
Research has shown that when people try to change a single behavior at a time, the likelihood that they’ll retain that habit for a year or more is better than 80%. When they try two behaviors, their chances of success are less than 35%. When they try three behaviors or more, their success rate plummets to less than 5%.
Is it any surprise, then, that when people try to massively overhaul their lifestyle in short order, the changes simply don’t stick? Of course not. But, let’s be honest. Most of us aren’t known for being patient.
I don't expect you to change overnight and neither should you. We are on a journey to better health. I've mentioned this time and again in our FitFunCamp classes. To use an old cliche "It's a marathon, not a sprint".
Here are two quick recipes that give you a "NO EXCUSES" breakfast. Drink one of these when you wake up and you'll be fueling your body for the day and especially before your morning FitFunCamp class.
Add 1/4 c. of creamy peanut butter (natural preferred), half of a banana to packet of Advocare Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake, Post-Workout Recovery Shake or Prograde Chocolate Lean Shake, utilizing crushed ice as part of your 9oz of water. The result is like a healthy liquid Reese's with the nutrition of the banana just for fun!
I always have a bag of frozen strawberries or raspberries in the freezer. I throw in a nice handful of frozen berries into the Advocare Vanilla Meal Replacement Shake or Prograde Vanilla Workout Drink. It's a great tasting drink that let's me feel like I am cheating but actually it is very ealthy with the added antioxidants of the darker berries.
Drew Brees knows how important breakfast is. Click here and see what keeps this New Orleans Saints quarterback at the top of his game.
Start Blasting Fat Away Today!!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Diet Tips to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain
Here are several handy damage control strategies that you should employ to prevent yourself from overdoing it at the dinner table this holiday season. Use these tips to stay social and to be able to indulge in moderation without splitting your pants before the New Year:
1.) Perform High-Intensity Activity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
I know. I promised diet strategies, but we cannot go on without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.
2.) Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body has a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. Then the next meal you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!
3.) Do NOT Gorge Yourself
Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.
4.) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event
A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival.
5.) Eat Lean Proteins, Fruits and Vegetables FIRST
Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. This way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition.
6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!
Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps decrease appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!
7.) Do NOT Eat Again Until Hungry Following a Large Meal
Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach.
8.) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal
What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.
9.) Never Eat Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed
Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!
10.) Control your Portions
Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!
11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol
One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!
12.) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible
Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!
13.) Avoid Eating Meals that are High in Both Fat and Carbohydrates
The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other. But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter. These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.
You CAN BEAT the HOLIDAY FEAST BEAST!!
1.) Perform High-Intensity Activity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
I know. I promised diet strategies, but we cannot go on without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.
2.) Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body has a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. Then the next meal you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!
3.) Do NOT Gorge Yourself
Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.
4.) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event
A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival.
5.) Eat Lean Proteins, Fruits and Vegetables FIRST
Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. This way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition.
6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!
Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps decrease appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!
7.) Do NOT Eat Again Until Hungry Following a Large Meal
Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach.
8.) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal
What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.
9.) Never Eat Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed
Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!
10.) Control your Portions
Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!
11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol
One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!
12.) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible
Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!
13.) Avoid Eating Meals that are High in Both Fat and Carbohydrates
The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other. But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter. These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.
You CAN BEAT the HOLIDAY FEAST BEAST!!
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