Fitness First

Life Style and Weight Management

2011-12-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Areas in your life that can be modified to help you with your health and fitness goals:

Time Management

One of the biggest excuses that I hear from clients is that they don’t have enough time in the day to work out! I have difficulty believing this. We all have 24 hours in a day to accomplish what is important to us; the key is deciding on what is important to YOU! Before I go on, I would like you to write down, on paper, everything that is important to you. After doing this, I want you to prioritize this list from most to least important. If you did everything on the list separately, how long would it take you to accomplish them? Can you combine some of the activities? Can you free up some time during your day? If becoming healthier is not high on your list, then it is unlikely you are seriously ready to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Be Honest With Yourself

I want you to do the following for one day; carry a note-pad with you when you first wake up to when you go to bed at night. Write down everything that you do in the course of a typical day and I do mean EVERYTHING! Take an honest look at where you spend your time. A) Did you spend your lunch hour gossiping at work? B) Did you put your feet up when you got home from work and nap for a couple of hours? C) Did you spend time watching TV? What else did you do during the day that could have been better spent doing something more productive? Let’s look at each example and see how we can improve it.

Possible Suggestions

A) Instead of spending your lunch hour (60 MIN?!) talking about shortcomings in others’, you could have eaten your lunch and gone for a brisk walk.

B) Take a 15 - 30 min. nap if you need it instead of 2 hours. Studies have shown that a nap of not more than 30 minutes helps you feel refreshed and more alert. Sleeping longer than 30 minutes is not recommended as it can affect the quality of your night-time sleep. With the extra time that you are awake you could be doing more; such as working out.

C) If you need to watch TV, try to combine tasks. For example, throw a load of laundry in the wash, put some dinner in the oven, and jump on your exercise bike for 30 min. By following these suggestions, you would have completed many more things on your list. The time regained during the day would be at least 2 hours! Try doing this not just for 1 day, but for 1 week!

Keep an eye on what you do (or rather, what you don’t do) on the weekends. Are your weekends as productive as they could be? Another suggestion is to write down what you plan on doing for the next day. As you complete your objectives, check them off. This will give you a sense of accomplishment. Have a sense of urgency in your life. Nothing bothers me more than people shuffling their feet and going in slow motion. Pick up the pace! Think of how much you accomplish when you know that you only have a limited time to complete your tasks. It’s surprising how quick and efficient you become when you put your mind to it.

Be Prepared

What else can you do to add more quality time in your life while staying healthy? Try preparing your meals ahead of time. Contrary to what many people think, it does not take much time to prepare fast and healthy food. You could spend some time every day cooking your food OR you could spend a 1/2- day on the weekend making enough food for the entire week! By doing all of the cooking at once, you free up major time in your life. An approach that I often use is cooking various meat, grain and vegetable dishes in advance. By taking this approach I can combine 1 type of meat with 1 type of grain or vegetable dish. This way I have a unique meal every day of the week. I suggest refrigerating some of the food and storing the rest in the freezer in microwaveable containers for later use. Also, date and label each food item for future reference.

I have a few other suggestions that you may find helpful 1) You can bring a Meal Replacement Powder in a Thermos pre-mixed with water or milk. Store this in your refrigerator at work until you are ready to drink it. 2) Prepare healthy foods that you enjoy eating! If you don’t enjoy the taste of the foods that you are eating you will be tempted to replace it with fast foods. 3) Invest in home gym equipment. If you find that you are skipping workouts due to a busy schedule it is helpful if you have a mini-gym at home. An adjustable bench, a variety of dumbbells and a Swiss Ball will help you stay on track on the days you are unable to train at a gym. 4) Get rid of the junk food! It is so much easier to stay on track with your diet if you eliminate ALL junk food from your home. 5) Use food substitution to help you get through the challenging times. Instead of eating chips, try pretzels. You do not have to give in entirely to your cravings – just choose food that is the lesser of the two evils. 6) Be organized with your supplement usage. Are you forgetting to take your vitamins and supplements throughout the day? If so, purchase a simple supplement carrying case to take with you during the day. Additionally, make a list of the supplements and when to take them. Check them off of the list as you have them.

The Juggler

An analogy that I use with some of my clients regarding time management is the Juggler at the circus. He/she has a certain number of items up in the air that need attention. Many people spend too much time on trivial tasks and very little time on important tasks. The Juggler gets around this by spending more time on the high priority items and less time on the lower priority ones. High priority items for the Juggler are handled more often while lower ones are up in the air more often. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide on what is important to you and what you want to focus upon!

Plan Of Action

After determining what is important to you, it is essential that you have a plan of action. I prefer to use Stephen covey’s approach from his book “First Things First”. Schedule time for all the important things first. Make sure that you accomplish your objectives before going on to the items lower on your list.

How To Schedule

Don’t have too tight a schedule where you are rushed for time or don’t have room for emergencies that may come up. Instead, schedule blocks of time to accomplish your daily activities while leaving room for crises that may arise. Also, do your agenda ahead of time; not on the day that you’re going to follow it. By planning it ahead of time, you are being proactive rather than reactive. I used to do my schedule the day that I needed it but often got diverted by insignificant items that hindered bigger goals. Keep in mind that the cumulative effect of a lot of SMALL changes in your lifestyle can lead to BIG changes in your health and fitness.

New Research Reveals “Secret Shortcut” You Can Use To BURN OFF MORE FAT and LOSE MORE WEIGHT without exercising longer or harder!

2011-11-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

M.D.’s and professional trainers say they get nearly TWICE the WEIGHT LOSS RESULTS from this breakthrough that is guaranteed to make your weight loss more successful, faster and easier.
Warning: If You Do NOT Do This, IT MEANS YOU ARE THROWING AWAY A LOT OF THE WEIGHT LOSS YOU SHOULD BE GETTING AND THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU SPEND WORKING OUT.
        Do you want to lose weight faster and easier from your exercise?
        Do you want to have more free time to do what you want instead of working out more?
        Are you sick and tired of not getting the results you want fast enough? Are you afraid to look at yourself in the mirror when you are naked or when changing clothes?
        Well then, I have very exciting news to share with you …
And, yes, now you can use this “secret shortcut” to look like you used to you …. younger and thinner!
        Here it is:
The Secret To MORE WEIGHT LOSS FROM EXERCISE Is Drinking The Right Nutrients Within “The Golden 60 minutes” After Your Workout!

       It’s a fact: Clinical studies by top universities have proven the most important 60 minutes of the day to make your body burn off a lot MORE fat and calories than it otherwise would … is within the first hour after finishing your workout!
        Within this “Golden Hour”, you should consume a shake with a 2 to 1 mixture of fast-absorbing carbohydrates, high-concentration proteins and certain other nutrients.
        If your body does not get these nutrients it needs right after your workout, you are flushing a lot of your exercise efforts down the drain.
        You will also weaken your fat-burning metabolism, losing 20% or more of the weight loss you otherwise would have made. You will also lose muscle, suffer more pain, have more fatigue and your performance will suffer the next time you workout.
        The simple fix is to drink the right shake immediately after your workout.
This Is The Key Difference For People Who Lose Weight The Fastest And Easiest … And Keep It Off!
        The breakthrough ProGrade® Workout™ shake will make the most of all your hard work and time spent exercising.
        It will make your body burn off more fat for days after your workout. It increases metabolism from accelerating lean muscle growth.
        It will maximize your weight loss results … and with NO extra time or effort spent by you!
Why You MUST Drink THE RIGHT Shake After You Exercise
        Shakes are food in liquid form so they digest faster and more easily than solid foods. This gives your muscles the nutrients they need right away when they are most receptive to them … and when they will burn off the most fat and calories from your body by far!
Post-workout is the time that the muscles will absorb nutrients like a sponge because you have just depleted the glycogen stores so drastically with your workout. Carbs will be used by your body to restore muscle glycogen. If your post workout shake does NOT contain carbs, your body may actually instead break down muscle tissue for this same purpose. That would be bad.
        Protein is best consumed in the form of whey powder. While egg whites, chicken and tuna fish are fine sources of protein that I personally eat, they are NOT the ideal type of protein after your exercise session. These foods are whole foods, and the protein in whole foods digest pretty slowly.
        You may have eaten a high protein food in your post workout meal, but by the time the protein is digested and finally ready to be used by your body, a whole lot of time would have passed. This is why the ideal source of protein to eat after your workout is a whey protein powder mixed with some type of liquid thus creating a whey protein shake.
        A whey protein shake like ProGrade® Workout™ shake will be digested by your body much quicker. And whey protein is the fastest digesting protein there is. This is what makes whey protein pretty much the official choice of leading personal trainers as their post workout meal protein source.
        So, consume your post-workout shake as soon as possible at the completion of your workout, and surely well within what is called the "golden hour”.
ProGrade® Workout™ Shake TURNS OFF Your HUNGER and TURNS ON Your FAT BURNING!
        This shake has a unique formula that puts everything your body needs after training all into one delicious shake. Designed to target every aspect of weight loss, recovery, lean muscle growth, strength, speed and essential nutrient replenishment.
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➤ Mixes easily with no clumping
➤ Increases lean muscle
➤ Increases nutrient absorption
➤ Prevents muscle breakdown
➤ Dramatically enhances quickness of muscle recovery
➤ Reduce extent of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)
➤ Suppresses Cortisol hormone elevation
➤ Strengthens immune system function
➤ Replenishes muscle glycogen stores
➤ Enhances Cell Volumization
➤ Mixes instantly, no blender required.
➤ No adverse side effects with your digestive system
➤ Perfect post-workout meal on the go
➤ Make your life easier: This delicious post-workout formula is easy to carry with you
     to the gym
➤ Use this simple formula immediately after your workout to help turn your body into a
     muscle-building, calorie-burning machine
➤ Powder so fine that you can even use a spoon to mix it with
➤ Generates extra energy for you that lasts all day

But Don't Carbs Make You Fat?
        Normally they do, but NOT when you take carbs during HIS! HIS means: High Insulin Sensitivity, a condition that occurs after twenty minutes of intense training and lasting up to an hour after training. During this time, carbs are driven straight into muscle to supercharge your workouts and create stored glycogen for your next workout.
        Most people know by now that the way to recover is to take protein before and after training. Research into nutrient timing has shown that you recover up to two times faster as a result. But new research shows that if you are NOT getting a 2-to-1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio after your workout … you are NOT getting the full weight loss benefits!
In Addition To Faster & Easier Weight Loss, You Will Also Recover From Your Workouts Faster And With Less Pain
        Are you fed-up with next day muscle soreness and pain after your workouts?
        When recovering from intense workouts, ProGrade® Workout™ shake has the vital nutrients you need to bounce back fast with less or no muscle pain. It has the right vitamins, including antioxidants, to help reduce muscle soreness and assist in your lean muscle repair and growth.
        Studies by leading universities show that with proper nutrition during the first hour following exercise you can increase your body's ability to recover more than 100%.
        This delicious shake will get rid of 70% to 100% of the pain you usually feel the next day!

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Part 2 of Essential Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness Strategies

2011-11-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

16 Tips For Looking And Feeling Better Than You Have In Years Part 2

By David Grisaffi, Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist and Eric Ruth

6.Set realistically attainable goals. You must have tangible, quantifiable, short-term and long- term goals for your fitness program so you can gauge your progress. It's crucial to have a "baseline" before you begin, so you can measure success. Your health club or personal trainer can give you a complete fitness analysis (don't be shy - you need this) that will aid you or your trainer in developing a personalized fitness program which addresses your particular needs. Having goals, particularly short-term goals, allows you to track your progress and keep you motivated when times are tough and you don’t feel like exercising. Keeping a journal of your cardio and resistance training workouts, as well as tracking what you eat is truly a fitness success "secret.” Just remember that your goals should be realistic and attainable. The best way for you to understand what is realistic and attainable for you is to talk to a fitness professional - not to buy into the "hype" of infomercials, diet and fitness products that blatantly mislead.

7. Set exercise appointments with yourself. Use your day-timer to set appointments for exercise - and then stick to them. You wouldn't miss a business meeting or client appointment, would you? So don't miss your exercise appointment with yourself. Nothing is more important than your health. Nothing. Everything else will crumble around you if your health goes south. So make your exercise appointments a priority. If you find it difficult to keep these appointments, then consider hiring a personal trainer who will hold you to your commitment. When you have money invested, and someone waiting for you to show up - you are much more likely to actually show up!

8. Remember the benefits of exercise. Remember that feeling of euphoria you experienced after a particularly good work-out? You experienced that feeling because the most powerful "feel good" drugs in the world -endorphins - are coursing through your veins. If there is a panacea, it’s exercise. Nothing feels better than the post-work-out high you experience after exercising. Revel in that feeling. Let it wash over you and truly experience it. Etch that feeling in your brain. It will fuel your motivation on those inevitable days when you just don't feel like exercising. Being physically fit affects every single aspect of your life: you sleep better, eat better, love better, overcome stress better, work better, communicate better, and live better!

9. Exercise correctly. So much time is wasted doing, at best, unproductive exercise, or at worst, dangerous exercise. Get educated on how to exercise correctly. And the absolute best way to do that is to hire a personal trainer to develop a program for you and then teach you what to do and how to do it right. Personal training does not have to be an ongoing process. You can hire a personal trainer for whatever length of time you need to learn the ropes. It could be five sessions, or it could be fifteen sessions. It's completely up to you. But statistics prove that those who understand how to exercise correctly, get better, faster results. And that's what you want, right? Results!

10. Enjoy yourself. The most difficult thing is actually getting into your running shoes or going to the gym. But once you begin your work-out, relax and enjoy the process. Don't fight it. Make exercise your personal time. When you are exercising you can focus completely on yourself. Yes, exercising can and should be somewhat rigorous (depending on your level of fitness), but it is just that investment which makes it supremely rewarding. As with anything, if you are in the moment, you can fully appreciate the experience and truly enjoy the process.

Coming Soon... Part 3 of Essential Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness Strategies

Part 1 of Essential Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness Strategies

2011-11-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

How To Get Maximum Weight Loss Fitness Results In Minimum Time

1. In the beginning, your fitness plan should not be overly aggressive. One of the biggest problems most people encounter when starting a fitness program is rapidly depleted motivation after only a few weeks due to an overly ambitious fitness plan. Two days per week of 20-minute low-intensity cardiovascular exercise (walking, jogging, biking, swimming); and two days per week of 30-minute light resistance training (using weights or resistance machines) is adequate in the beginning. As you become acclimated to the lifestyle "shift" you can add more days and get improved results.

But beware:

1.If you try to do too much too fast, you may end up quitting altogether. If you've tried and failed doing it alone, then I suggest you get a training partner or personal trainer who will help you sustain your motivation.

2. If your goal is fat-loss, then your cardiovascular exercise should be low intensity. Your heart rate during cardio exercise should not exceed 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. The simple formula for calculating your 100% maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. If the intensity of your exercise increases your heart rate beyond 70% (which can occur very easily if you are in poor shape), you start shifting from using body fat as your energy source to relying on glucose metabolism. You can pick up a simple heart rate monitor to wear during exercise so you always stay in your peak fat-burning range.

3. Don't waste your time working small muscles with isolated movements. If you don't enjoy doing resistance training or are pressed for time, concentrate on working the largest muscle groups with compound resistance movements. When I see overweight people doing wrist curls or lateral raises, I wonder why. It's generally just a lack of understanding of how their bodies work. Most people want to lose fat and tone and firm their bodies. The way to do that is to use resistance (weights or machines) to train the large muscle groups. Men should be concentrating on legs, chest and back. Women should concentrate more on their legs and back. The best exercises for legs are lunges or squats (your personal trainer will show you the proper form and then monitor you during the exercise) and leg press. The best chest exercise is bench press, and the best back exercise is the seated row. All of these are compound movements, which means they incorporate multiple muscle groups.

4. Always, always, always stretch. Stretching improves flexibility, blood flow, muscle recovery, low back pain and a host of other things. Additionally, stretching can prevent injury, make you sleep better and improve your performance in all sports. Always stretch, but be certain not to stretch cold muscles. You should always warm up before stretching. However, it is very important that you know how to stretch. Never bounce! Your personal trainer will show you the proper execution and timing of your stretches.

5. Never, ever do a traditional sit-up. Unless you are a super athlete with an incredibly well-developed midsection, sit-ups can lead to a strained lower back and possibly lumbar injuries. But it gets worse. Rather than hitting your abdominal section, sit-ups can shift exercise tension to your hip flexors - which defeats the purpose. There is so much misinformation about how to strengthen tone and firm the midsection, it's almost frightening. It is very difficult to learn proper abdominal exercise technique by reading about it or watching it demonstrated on a video. You need to do it with supervision and get feedback about your form from a knowledgeable source. And keep in mind that you use your abdominal muscles in almost every single movement you make. Strengthening your abdominal region is the single most effective way to prevent, or recover from, low back pain.

Coming Soon.... Part 2 of Essential Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness Strategies

How To Lose Weight Faster With Fiber

2011-11-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Lose weight fast with fiber! Some people wonder about the benefits of fiber.   Fiber is a beneficial nutrient. Fiber has been linked to reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight, as well as increased sensitivity to insulin, a good thing for diabetics.

Before we discuss fiber and weight loss, we need to know what fiber is. Fiber is a sugar molecule found in some common foods, which cannot be broken down by the body. There are two forms:

• Soluble - this type of fiber dissolves in water and produces a gel-like substance in the stomach.   This substance helps digested food slowly move into the small intestine. This slows down the food absorption by the small intestine, resulting in the slow release of nutrients in the bloodstream. Soluble fiber binds to bile produced limiting the amount of cholesterol released into the blood. There are hundreds of strains of microflora in the small intestine which protect us from diseases and can strengthen our immune system. Soluble fiber helps the microflora grow, which protects us against other bacteria which can lead to diseases.

• Insoluble fiber - this type of fiber cannot be broken down once entering the stomach. It increases in size by absorbing water, very much like a sponge.   This type of fiber speeds up foods absorption once it enters into the small intestine.    Insoluble fiber acts as a “cleaner” taking on water as it travels through the intestine making a softer stool in the end.

Research shows Americans are below the recommended average for fiber. You might be thinking, "How can I get more fiber in my diet?"

Including items such as fruits, vegetables, oat bran, whole wheat products, and whole grain cereals are easy ways to increase the amount of fiber on a daily basis. But be careful - do not rush to increase fiber in your diet all at once.

Rushing can lead to increased gas, bloating, and constipation. Even though fiber can help aid digestion and constipation, increasing fiber quickly can produce negative effects on the body.   Start by adding fiber-rich foods gradually to prevent increased gas, bloating, and constipation.

There are many benefits associated with fiber. Research has shown you can reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and for those who ate the recommended servings, had reduced body-fat levels.   Amazing!

Let me explain how fiber can do all these wonderful things!

Soluble fiber has positive effects on blood cholesterol. There are many different reasons why this happens. First, soluble fiber is able to ferment and help the microflora grow in the small intestine, which releases essential fatty acids into the bloodstream. These fatty acids not only alter cholesterol levels, but benefit the small intestine by providing a breeding ground for healthy bacteria.   The associated reduction in cholesterol from fiber has to do with steroid excretion and altered fat absorption. Also, once soluble fiber dissolves in water and the gel-like substance is produced, it binds to bile produced by the body, altering the release of cholesterol into the blood. Unreal!

Fiber also has effects on weight management. There are many different reasons for this.   The major component of fiber is water and other nutrients, which give fiber its bulk.   Since this bulk cannot be digested, you feel fuller for longer periods of time. Another component of fiber is water. This also helps us feel fuller, longer resulting in not feeling the need to overeat or snack.   Increasing fiber in your diet helps you feel satisfied after you eat.   Results: increased weight loss!

Fiber is beneficial in so many ways. It helps control blood pressure, has positive effects on cholesterol, and can help shed a pound or two.   Americans are not even close to the recommended servings of fiber, so increasing your intake is crucial to overall health.

Here is a list of foods which contain high amounts of fiber:

Fruits
Raspberries - a one cup serving has 8.0 grams of fiber
Pear (with skin) - 1 medium pear provides 5.5 grams of fiber
Medium Apple with skin - 1 medium apple provides you with 4.4 grams of fiber
Banana and orange - 1 medium banana or orange gives you 3.1 grams of fiber

Vegetables/Beans
Peas (cooked) - 1 cup of cooked peas gives you a whopping 8.8 grams of fiber
Broccoli - 1 cup of boiled broccoli gives you 5.1 grams of fiber
Sweet corn (cooked) - 1 cup of cooked sweet corn gives you 4.2 grams of fiber
Potato with skin (baked) - 1 medium potato baked with the skin gives you 2.9 grams of fiber
Lentils (cooked) - 1/2 cup cooked lentils gives you 6.6 grams of fiber
Navy beans (cooked) - 1/2 cup cooked navy beans gives you 9.5 grams of fiber

Other foods
Bran Flakes - ¾ of a cup gives you 5.3 grams of fiber
Oatmeal (cooked) - 1 cup gives you 4.0 grams of fiber
Black Beans (cooked) - 1 cup of black beans gives you 15.0 grams of fiber
Almonds - 1 ounce of almonds gives you 3.5 grams of fiber

Remember these three tips to help you increase your fiber intake:

1. Start with the most important meal of the day: breakfast. Include whole-grain breads or cereals to your breakfast meal. Make sure the package states "made with whole grain or whole wheat" to ensure you have the right bread or cereal for increasing your fiber intake. Also, look for cereal which has fiber or whole grains in the title.

2. Add fruit and vegetables as quick, easy snacks you can grab on the go. Increasing fruits and vegetables can easily increase your fiber intake.

3. Alter the way you make homemade breads or bakery items which include white flour. Most of the nutrients in white flour are stripped away and then added again. Alternating whole-wheat flour will add extra fiber to your diet

When adding fiber to your diet, add it gradually over time to prevent bloating and gas associated with fast increases in fiber.   Fiber can help you lose weight faster, by making you feel fuller and for longer. Include items from the list above to help your heart while trimming your waistline for the future. By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

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Five Of The Best Foods For Fat Loss

2011-10-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants to eat right and/or lose weight. But not everyone knows what the best foods for fighting belly fat are. Protein, fat, and carbohydrates (yes I said carbohydrates) will feed your metabolism-boosting lean mass helping you destroy belly fat forever! So what are the best foods for blasting away belly fat?

Here is a list of my top five foods for weight loss:

#5 Eggs
Words cannot describe the fat fighting power of eggs. One egg has high-quality protein, and plenty of essential nutrients like choline all in 70 calories.
Pair with organic greens, a piece of whole wheat toast, and an apple or pear and you are well on your way to providing your body with fat fighting nutrients, including plenty of fiber to keep you feeling fuller for longer throughout the day.

#4 Apples or pears with skin
Apples and pears are another great way to add extra fiber to your diet. One large apple gives you 5 grams while 1 large pear gives you 7 grams of fat-fighting fiber. Fiber is perfect for curbing your appetite, which makes you eat less at meals or when snacking. Not only do pears and apples provide plenty of fiber, but they are fat free and cholesterol free. An apple gives 65 calories and a pear about 100 calories, making it a perfect healthy snack or a side dish at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Pair together with low-fat cheese, yogurt, or all natural peanut butter to provide essential amino acids and making it a wholesome and nutritious snack.

#3 Greek Yogurt
So do Greeks know something we don’t? This amazing food is a staple in Greek and Mediterranean cultures and is frequently given to a bride and groom on their wedding night for vitality, energy, and strength. Why is Greek yogurt so good for you? Your typical yogurt is double filtered but Greek yogurt is triple filtered, resulting in a very creamy texture.   Greek yogurt is higher in protein and lower in carbs than most commercial yogurts. This is a perfect treat for Diabetics and people who are low-carb crazy!
Pair this together with nuts and a touch of honey for a sweet and savory treat packed with fat burning protein, low carbohydrates, and a healthy dose of fiber.

#2 Sprouted Whole Grain (SWG) Breads
Considered the “flourless” bread. This bread is unique because it is made directly from the sprouted seed, which provides more vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and fiber. You get the whole-grain goodness without the flour! This type of bread is made from a sprouted wheat berry, picked, ground up, and then added to the mixture, which makes it “flourless." High in protein, vitamins and minerals, and packed with plenty of fat-fighting fiber, this is the perfect item to include in your menu plan!
Pair this with some grain-fed beef for a healthy steak sandwich, which packs plenty of nutrition and loads belly slashing fiber!

#1 Whey Protein
This widely used supplement is the byproduct of cheese manufacturing.   The liquid left over is purified and made into whey powder, concentrated whey protein, or whey protein isolate. Whey powder is used in many products from bakery items to infant formula. Whey is power packed with essential amino acids, which are the building blocks for muscles.   Research has shown only 56 grams of whey protein a day can help you lose weight without restricting your energy intake. This same research showed consuming whey protein resulted in a drop of 4 pounds, 1 inch off the waist, and a drop in body fat of 5 pounds!
Pair this together with ice, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and some fruit for a healthy and nutritious snack with plenty of appetite-suppressing protein and plenty of fat fighting potential.

Incorporating these five foods into a well-balanced diet plan will help provide essential nutrients needed to help you lose weight and keep it off.   Fiber-rich foods have been shown to help curb your appetite which can suppress the desire to eating more. This will fight stubborn belly fat and help you stay healthy and fit for a long time to come!

JACOBS LADDER now at Fitness First! Installed and ready for you to try!

2011-10-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Jacobs Ladder is the ideal machine to add to your current fitness routine, and is the best low-impact training tool on the market today! Its unique design places the user at a 40° angle in order to take stress off of the lower back. Because Jacobs Ladder is self-paced, the faster you go, the faster it goes, in order to stop, just slow down. Study after study confirms that exercise using both the arms and legs requires more energy expenditure, and therefore burns more calories than exercises using just the arms or the legs. So, unlike stair-climbers, stationary bikes, and other standard club equipment, Jacobs Ladder can offer exercisers a superb cardiovascular workout in a relatively short amount of time.

5 Ways to Guarantee Fat Loss While Keeping Fat-Burning Lean Muscle

2011-10-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

1: Keep Your Fitness Sessions Short
The longer a person works out the lower the intensity level drifts. During peak effort you are working in intense levels that produce results but as you move out of that zone you are at risk of injury, de-motivation and a decrease in results.
Intensity training is the incorporation of high demand training in short periods of time. You will make bigger improvement to your body composition, fitness levels and overall appearance.

2: Weight Train
To see change and results in your body you must incorporate weight training or resistance training. The goal of weight training is not to build huge muscle but maintain lean muscle mass. Lean muscle burns calories better than anything else you can do.

3: Nutrition AFTER Your Workout
Replenish and re-fuel your body after workouts with a good recovery drink or meal replacement (mix of protein and carbohydrates). Carbs after a workout protect the body’s protein from being used.

4: Protein Is Essential In Your Diet
When you are breaking down muscle in your intense workouts; supply your body with protein for repair and regeneration of new muscle tissue. Protein does not build muscle; it aids in repair due to the damage caused by workouts. Protein assists in the maintenance of lean muscle especially during fat loss training or dieting when you need to keep the lean muscle from breaking down.

5: Don’t Starve Your Body…
To lose weight consistently, safely and keep it off; a person needs to elevate their metabolism with proven exercise while maintaining a balanced diet that involves regular eating, control of the amount of carbs eaten after 2-3pm in the day and a serious commitment to never starving or forcing the body into yo-yo eating schedules.