If you look at the US and compare it to the rest of the world, we eat incredibly unhealthy. What the government allows food companies to make for us to consume is a crime. While other countries are banning processed, genetically modified, and other types of foods with additives, the US is supporting and pushing these types of foods.
Knowing this, it's pretty easy to lose weight quickly. Part 1 of the Shaving Pounds program is to cut out unnecessary drinks. These include sodas (even zero sodas), energy drinks, fruit juice drinks, tea and coffee.
Some of these may seem self evident, but what about the others? I'll list out the reasons why each of these are contributing to your weight gain.
Soda - It's full of sugar, not to mention a load of other stuff that's hard for your body to digest and deal with. If there's no sugar, then there's a substitute like aspartame which is even worse for you.
Energy Drinks - Again, sugar is high in these, not to mention the huge amount of caffeine. Both of these contribute to weight gain.
Fruit Juice Drinks - This is pretty much the same reason as the others...sugar. Granted there are some vitamin and mineral benefits to them, but they are incredibly high in sugar. Whatever your body doesn't need in sugar will go straight into fat.
Tea & Coffee - This is the same reason as energy drinks. The caffeine content is really high. There's actually a substance in it called CGA which is the main culprit.
So there are the things to cut out of your diet if you want to lose a quick bit of weight. It will also make a huge difference in how you feel every day. You'll actually have more energy when you're not consuming these drinks.
Be forewarned that most people do have a withdrawal period from many of these drinks. Great replacements for these are water, herbal teas, and water kefir. Let me know how it's worked for you!
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Friday, October 30, 2015
Monday, October 5, 2015
Weightloss Secrets
So I've known many people throughout my life who struggle with losing weight. Those I've known have tried seemingly everything from low calorie diets, HCG, weight watchers, to Jenny Craig. The funny thing about all of them have been that they have had initial success, but then put the weight back on rather quickly after the diet was done.
The reason is that diets don't work! There are, however, some secrets to weight loss that most don't know or understand. You can thank all of the media and lobbying by food companies for that. In an e-book called "Weightloss Simplified" there are some amazing truths about weightloss uncovered. It can be ordered at the site store and is definitely worth the read.
In it there are not only nutritional tips, but also an exercise program that will get you started on your way to being the healthy person you've always wanted to be. The best thing is that it's risk free. It's backed by a 30 day money back guarantee, so if you don't like it or whatever, you get your money back. There's also lists of food that are great to help in various areas of your nutrition habits. Give it a go and see how it works for you.
The reason is that diets don't work! There are, however, some secrets to weight loss that most don't know or understand. You can thank all of the media and lobbying by food companies for that. In an e-book called "Weightloss Simplified" there are some amazing truths about weightloss uncovered. It can be ordered at the site store and is definitely worth the read.In it there are not only nutritional tips, but also an exercise program that will get you started on your way to being the healthy person you've always wanted to be. The best thing is that it's risk free. It's backed by a 30 day money back guarantee, so if you don't like it or whatever, you get your money back. There's also lists of food that are great to help in various areas of your nutrition habits. Give it a go and see how it works for you.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Amazing Protein Powder!
So I am very picky about the type of protein powder that I use. I only use whey protein powder and it's got to be a good, healthy quality. That pretty much cancels out most brands that I would buy at Walmart. The whey protein from Summit Nutritions is excellent! It met all of my criteria.
It packs 25 grams of protein per serving! This is a great amount for me. I workout in the morning and need some protein afterward to help me build the muscle I want. I tested this two different ways. One day, I had only the protein shake. (I mixed it with milk using a blender bottle). I didn't get hungry for 3 hours with just the shake! I was pretty impressed.
The second day, I tried it with a piece of toast (sourdough bread with butter and strawberry jam). That held me off for over 4 hours! It was perfect because I usually eat lunch 4-5 hours after breakfast.
It tastes really good too! The flavor I got was dutch chocolate and mixed with 8-10 ounces of milk tastes so good! For how healthy this protein powder is, I was surprised that it tasted so good. The protein powder comes in either a 2 lb., 5 lb., or three pouch pack and is a great price for what you get. I usually pay at least $10 more for the 2 lb. container of the protein powder I usually use. I think this is a great protein powder that you must buy. Click on the picture below to get to the site and buy it or just click here.
Monday, January 26, 2015
10 Affirmations to Weight Loss
One of the coolest things about the human body is its ability to change. The crazy thing is that most of the change occurs in the mind first! So if you're trying to lose weight, you may need to change the way you think about yourself first before any results will show. So here are 10 affirmations that you can say out loud (don't worry, you don't need to do it while others are around). It's even better if you can say it while looking in a mirror and say it with conviction, but out loud will work.
1. I am confident.
2. I am attractive.
3. I love my body.
4. I find joy in my life.
5. I am fit and energetic.
6. I love myself for who I am.
7. I only eat as much as I need.
8. Others respect me for who I am.
9. I love healthy foods that keep me slim.
10. I am releasing all negative beliefs about my body.
It's very important to do this everyday, preferably first thing in the morning. The results won't be immediate, but if you stick with it you will notice shifts in your body begin to take place. Remember, the first step to change is taking action!
If you're SERIOUS about losing weight and want faster results, then you've got to check this out!
If you're SUPER SERIOUS about losing weight, then you've got to check this out!
I have used these techniques listed under the "SUPER SERIOUS" section for over a year now, and for me they have worked wonders in my life.
1. I am confident.
2. I am attractive.
3. I love my body.
4. I find joy in my life.
5. I am fit and energetic.
6. I love myself for who I am.
7. I only eat as much as I need.
8. Others respect me for who I am.
9. I love healthy foods that keep me slim.
10. I am releasing all negative beliefs about my body.
It's very important to do this everyday, preferably first thing in the morning. The results won't be immediate, but if you stick with it you will notice shifts in your body begin to take place. Remember, the first step to change is taking action!
If you're SERIOUS about losing weight and want faster results, then you've got to check this out!
If you're SUPER SERIOUS about losing weight, then you've got to check this out!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
An Exercise You Can do at the Office
Do you feel like you never have time to do anything, let alone exercise? This article will show you how you can get in plenty of muscle toning exercise while at work, and all you'll need is a desk (or table) and a chair.
Ok, so you're one of those people who just has the worst schedule known to mankind. You get up at 5am to get to the office by 7am. You have to go to a parent-teachers conference at your kid’s school right after work, then you have to take your kid to soccer practice after that. This seems to be the daily routine. You never seem to have much time for yourself between all of the things you have to do every day, so how can you possibly find the time to incorporate exercise into your day? Exercise takes time, and time is one luxury you just don’t have.
Well, there is a way to get some exercise into your day, and that way is to simply exercise at your desk. No, that was not a typo. Here is a little routine that you can do right at your desk. It doesn’t take up much time, and while it will not make you a candidate for the next fitness competition, it will give your muscles enough work to stay firm.
Complete one set of each exercise in order. Do 10 to 20 repetitions of each exercise, followed with 1 to 2 more sets in order, if time permits.
Chair crunch:
Sit tall in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Begin to slowly round your upper back downward until you feel your abdominal muscles tighten. Hold for 3-5 seconds, and then return to the start position.
Squats:
Stand up in front of your chair. Sit back into a squat like you are sitting back down in your chair, keeping your weight on your heels and your knees behind your toes. When you are almost touching your chair with your butt, push yourself back to the standing position using your leg muscles.
Calf raises:
Stand in front of your desk and put your hands on the desk for balance. Lift yourself up onto the balls of your feet. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, and then lower yourself back down to the floor.
Desk pushup:
Stand 4 to 5 feet away from your desk and put your hands on the edge of the desk. Relax your lower body, and using just your arms, lower your chest down toward the desk and stop when your chest is about 3 to 6 inches away from it. Then push yourself back up to the starting position again using only your arms.
Seated triceps lift backs:
Sit tall in your chair. Put your arms down at your sides with your palms facing forward. With your arms strait and elbows locked, slowly bring your arms up behind you until you feel your triceps muscles tighten. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then lower your arms back to the starting position.
Seated bicep curls:
Sit tall in your chair. Start with one arm down at your side, palm facing forward in a fist. Put your other hand over your fist and push against it for resistance while bringing your fist up toward your shoulder. Once your fist is close to your shoulder, lower it back down to the starting position maintaining constant resistance with the other hand throughout the entire movement. Complete all repetitions for that set, then switch sides and repeat.
After you have completed each exercise for the amount of repetitions and sets you can do, sit down and straighten your legs. Now gently reach for your toes until you feel you can’t go any further. Hold for 10 seconds (do not bounce), then return to the starting position. Next, reach your arms out to your sides as far as you can. Keeping them fully extended, bring them slowly to the front and cross them over each other as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds and then return them to your sides. Now, reach your arms over your head as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds and then return them to your sides.
Taking the time to do this simple but effective exercise routine at the office will help keep you toned, and you can do it even with the worst schedule possible because it can be done during your lunch break and still leave you enough time to eat your lunch.
Enjoy your workout!
Ok, so you're one of those people who just has the worst schedule known to mankind. You get up at 5am to get to the office by 7am. You have to go to a parent-teachers conference at your kid’s school right after work, then you have to take your kid to soccer practice after that. This seems to be the daily routine. You never seem to have much time for yourself between all of the things you have to do every day, so how can you possibly find the time to incorporate exercise into your day? Exercise takes time, and time is one luxury you just don’t have.
Well, there is a way to get some exercise into your day, and that way is to simply exercise at your desk. No, that was not a typo. Here is a little routine that you can do right at your desk. It doesn’t take up much time, and while it will not make you a candidate for the next fitness competition, it will give your muscles enough work to stay firm.
Complete one set of each exercise in order. Do 10 to 20 repetitions of each exercise, followed with 1 to 2 more sets in order, if time permits.
Chair crunch:
Sit tall in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Begin to slowly round your upper back downward until you feel your abdominal muscles tighten. Hold for 3-5 seconds, and then return to the start position.
Squats:
Stand up in front of your chair. Sit back into a squat like you are sitting back down in your chair, keeping your weight on your heels and your knees behind your toes. When you are almost touching your chair with your butt, push yourself back to the standing position using your leg muscles.
Calf raises:
Stand in front of your desk and put your hands on the desk for balance. Lift yourself up onto the balls of your feet. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, and then lower yourself back down to the floor.
Desk pushup:
Stand 4 to 5 feet away from your desk and put your hands on the edge of the desk. Relax your lower body, and using just your arms, lower your chest down toward the desk and stop when your chest is about 3 to 6 inches away from it. Then push yourself back up to the starting position again using only your arms.
Seated triceps lift backs:
Sit tall in your chair. Put your arms down at your sides with your palms facing forward. With your arms strait and elbows locked, slowly bring your arms up behind you until you feel your triceps muscles tighten. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then lower your arms back to the starting position.
Seated bicep curls:
Sit tall in your chair. Start with one arm down at your side, palm facing forward in a fist. Put your other hand over your fist and push against it for resistance while bringing your fist up toward your shoulder. Once your fist is close to your shoulder, lower it back down to the starting position maintaining constant resistance with the other hand throughout the entire movement. Complete all repetitions for that set, then switch sides and repeat.
After you have completed each exercise for the amount of repetitions and sets you can do, sit down and straighten your legs. Now gently reach for your toes until you feel you can’t go any further. Hold for 10 seconds (do not bounce), then return to the starting position. Next, reach your arms out to your sides as far as you can. Keeping them fully extended, bring them slowly to the front and cross them over each other as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds and then return them to your sides. Now, reach your arms over your head as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds and then return them to your sides.
Taking the time to do this simple but effective exercise routine at the office will help keep you toned, and you can do it even with the worst schedule possible because it can be done during your lunch break and still leave you enough time to eat your lunch.
Enjoy your workout!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
The Truth About Carbs
So what's the deal with all of this talk about carbs? Some people say that they're good for you and others say they're bad for you. Who do you believe? Hopefully this will educate you on the different carbs that you should and shouldn't eat...and why. First of all, where did this idea of staying away from carbs come from? It mainly started with the Atkins diet. Their big thing is to count the amount of carbs you're eating to lose weight instead of calories. This is somewhat crazy due to the fact that your body uses these carbs to actually fuel itself throughout the day. The only reason it has any credence is that when we don't use all of the carbs we've consumed the body can store them in the liver or tissues as fat.
What Type of Carbs Are There?
You have two main groups of carbs. The first is simple carbs, also known as bad carbs. The second is complex carbs, also known as good carbs.
Simple Carbs
Simple carbs are bad because they are high in sugar. They also don't provide you with any sort of nutritional benefit. Simple cabs serve as a short burst of energy to your body. It's nothing long lasting, and with no nutrients they body isn't getting any healthier. Some examples of things to stay away from with simple carbs are: sodas, fruit drinks, candy, white bread, etc.
Eating or drinking these sort of things causes your blood sugar to spike. It makes you feel good in the moment, be leaves you feeling down in the dumps when it's all used up. I know many people who experience this and it can cause weakness, shakiness, fatigue, and more. It's not fun...not from what I've seen!
Complex Carbs
Complex carbs are good for you because they promote good digestion through fiber, provide you with other nutrients, and last a long time. The reason they last a long time is that they first have to be broken down by the body into a simpler form to be transported and used. Many foods with complex carbs have fiber in them, which will help aid in digestion. Many foods also contain a lot of nutrients. Here's a list of some to help you see what type of nutrients would be in them: Oats, potatoes, beans, corn, wheat, etc.
This is a general overview of carbs. If you'd like more information on them, e-mail me for my free report. It contains more information on what are good and bad carbs, as well as what they do to the body.
What Type of Carbs Are There?
You have two main groups of carbs. The first is simple carbs, also known as bad carbs. The second is complex carbs, also known as good carbs.
Simple Carbs
Simple carbs are bad because they are high in sugar. They also don't provide you with any sort of nutritional benefit. Simple cabs serve as a short burst of energy to your body. It's nothing long lasting, and with no nutrients they body isn't getting any healthier. Some examples of things to stay away from with simple carbs are: sodas, fruit drinks, candy, white bread, etc.
Eating or drinking these sort of things causes your blood sugar to spike. It makes you feel good in the moment, be leaves you feeling down in the dumps when it's all used up. I know many people who experience this and it can cause weakness, shakiness, fatigue, and more. It's not fun...not from what I've seen!
Complex Carbs
Complex carbs are good for you because they promote good digestion through fiber, provide you with other nutrients, and last a long time. The reason they last a long time is that they first have to be broken down by the body into a simpler form to be transported and used. Many foods with complex carbs have fiber in them, which will help aid in digestion. Many foods also contain a lot of nutrients. Here's a list of some to help you see what type of nutrients would be in them: Oats, potatoes, beans, corn, wheat, etc.
This is a general overview of carbs. If you'd like more information on them, e-mail me for my free report. It contains more information on what are good and bad carbs, as well as what they do to the body.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
What's the Best Exercise Program?
So we all know that there are tons of exercises that we can do each day; walking, running, elliptical, yoga, sports...the list goes on. But what exercise is there that will benefit you the most? They all have their claims of "I'm the best workout. Choose me!"
When we look at exercise, we need to look at it for what it really is. There are two classes of exercise: 1) Low Intensity 2) High Intensity. Some examples of low intensity exercise are: walking, elliptical, even running. The reason being is that when we do those exercises, our heart rate only gets to about 60% - 75% of it's max capacity. Ideally, you want your heart rate to get up to 75% - 85% when exercising.
Example
The average 40 year old has an average maximum heart rate of 180 beats per minute. So if they wanted to hit 80% of their max heart rate, they'd need to keep it around 144 beats per minute.
I don't know about you, but my heart rate doesn't get up that high by walking on a treadmill! Another difference between low intensity and high intensity exercise is that low intensity exercise is often done for a long time, meaning between 30 minutes and an hour and a half. High intensity training only requires 10 - 15 minutes! No more waking up at 4 in the morning!
So all of this is fine and dandy, but how do you actually do the high intensity stuff? It's actually easier than it sounds. The concept is this, to alternate between short bursts of active exercise and active rest. One example for people who like to run is to do about 20 second intervals of running a race-like pace and then scaling down to a jog. Do that for 10 - 15 minutes and you'll be more than good for your exercise that day!
I've got more examples of the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in my free downloadable e-book. Go ahead and e-mail me for your copy! As an added bonus it's got some other information about foods to avoid and foods that are good. It's also got information on the best ways to lose weight.
When we look at exercise, we need to look at it for what it really is. There are two classes of exercise: 1) Low Intensity 2) High Intensity. Some examples of low intensity exercise are: walking, elliptical, even running. The reason being is that when we do those exercises, our heart rate only gets to about 60% - 75% of it's max capacity. Ideally, you want your heart rate to get up to 75% - 85% when exercising.
Example
The average 40 year old has an average maximum heart rate of 180 beats per minute. So if they wanted to hit 80% of their max heart rate, they'd need to keep it around 144 beats per minute.
I don't know about you, but my heart rate doesn't get up that high by walking on a treadmill! Another difference between low intensity and high intensity exercise is that low intensity exercise is often done for a long time, meaning between 30 minutes and an hour and a half. High intensity training only requires 10 - 15 minutes! No more waking up at 4 in the morning!
So all of this is fine and dandy, but how do you actually do the high intensity stuff? It's actually easier than it sounds. The concept is this, to alternate between short bursts of active exercise and active rest. One example for people who like to run is to do about 20 second intervals of running a race-like pace and then scaling down to a jog. Do that for 10 - 15 minutes and you'll be more than good for your exercise that day!
I've got more examples of the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in my free downloadable e-book. Go ahead and e-mail me for your copy! As an added bonus it's got some other information about foods to avoid and foods that are good. It's also got information on the best ways to lose weight.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Why Can't I Lose Weight on Low Calorie Diets?
Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Why can't I lose weight when I'm on a low calorie diet?" I know many people who have. If you haven't asked yourself that question, then perhaps you've asked, "How come I gain all of the weight back after my diet is done?" Either way, the answer is pretty much the same. The first thing we have to understand is what happens to your body when you go on a low calorie diet.
So it probably makes sense to most people that if you cut your calories, you'll lose weight. That is true in theory, but here's what really happens. Let's say you have a diet that says to only eat 1,000 calories per day. If you live an active lifestyle, you probably need around 2,000 - 2,500 calories to maintain your weight. If you are sedentary, you'll only need between 1,500 and 2,000. Obviously this varies depending on how active you are, how much muscle mass you have, etc. These are general rules of thumb. Now, usually what happens when you start a diet like that is you initially lose weight. Perfect! That's exactly what you wanted! More often than not though, you hit a weight loss brick wall. Not another pound is coming off. Why? You've been doing everything right! There's a couple of reasons.
1) Your body adjusts to the new diet.
2) Your metabolism slows as a result of the adjustment.
So your new weight maintenance is the 1,000 calories. If you start eating more than that (like you used to), you will gain weight back. Usually it's more weight than you started with. I've seen it too many times. Since your metabolism is running slower, you're not burning as much as before. Kind of a stinky situation. So what can you do from here to start fixing the problem? Well, that's what I'll cover in my next post. If you'd like some more information, just sign up for my newsletter. For now, just know that diets are temporary solutions that don't work in the long run.
So it probably makes sense to most people that if you cut your calories, you'll lose weight. That is true in theory, but here's what really happens. Let's say you have a diet that says to only eat 1,000 calories per day. If you live an active lifestyle, you probably need around 2,000 - 2,500 calories to maintain your weight. If you are sedentary, you'll only need between 1,500 and 2,000. Obviously this varies depending on how active you are, how much muscle mass you have, etc. These are general rules of thumb. Now, usually what happens when you start a diet like that is you initially lose weight. Perfect! That's exactly what you wanted! More often than not though, you hit a weight loss brick wall. Not another pound is coming off. Why? You've been doing everything right! There's a couple of reasons.
1) Your body adjusts to the new diet.
2) Your metabolism slows as a result of the adjustment.
So your new weight maintenance is the 1,000 calories. If you start eating more than that (like you used to), you will gain weight back. Usually it's more weight than you started with. I've seen it too many times. Since your metabolism is running slower, you're not burning as much as before. Kind of a stinky situation. So what can you do from here to start fixing the problem? Well, that's what I'll cover in my next post. If you'd like some more information, just sign up for my newsletter. For now, just know that diets are temporary solutions that don't work in the long run.
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