Tips to Burning fat Nutritional
by: Ben Greenfield
This article will give you 5 more tips to turn your body into a lean muscle-building, fat-burning machine. In case you didn't read the last 5 tips, the basic overview was to increase fiber intake, frequently drink water, eat a complex and healthy breakfast, increase calcium intake, and eat several small meals per day (as high as 8-10). Ready for more? Good! Keep reading...
#6: Eat carbs early in the day
Meals that contain larger amounts of carbohydrates should be eaten earlier in the day. This means that much of your whole grain and fruit consumption should occur before noon. The body's metabolism is highest earlier in the day, so this is a great time to be supplying your muscles with energy in the form of glycogen (carbohydrates), while also ensuring that many of the carbohydrates you consume will be burned for fuel, rather than deposited as fat stores. Many families tend to have the biggest meal of the day in the evening, ironically at the time when the body is least in need of energy and the metabolism is lowest. The practical application would be to make breakfast bigger and dinner smaller. So try it out - prioritize eating carbohydrates early in the day, and focus on decreasing carbohydrate portion size as afternoon and evening approaches.
#7: Eat the right kind of carbs
While carbohydrates are important for providing energy and giving your body the ability to burn fat, you must choose the right carbs. Simple carbs like sugar and processed flour tend to be rapidly absorbed by the digestive system, which causes a release of the hormone that encourages fat deposit - insulin. Furthermore, the quick energy release that is followed by a rapid decrease in sugar levels will cause you to crave more food, which is why many people on a typical American diet are *always* hungry! So no matter what percentage of your diet is made up of carbohydrates, you must choose complex carbs that are slowly absorbed and digested, thus producing a long term source of energy that keeps you fuller for a longer period of time. Whole grain flours, vegetables, oats, and unprocessed grains, such as brown or wild rice are great choices, and also include many other compounds important in maintaining a high metabolism and proper digestive function.
#8 Eat fat
For the past several decades, mainstream Americans have been shifting to low or no fat diets, with the general result being an *increase* in obesity and chronic disease, and a decrease in health and fitness. In the meantime, world populations such as Eskimos, that consume as much as 70% of their diet from fat calories in whale blubber and fish, have one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world. While this may seem ironic, there are some very good reasons. Typically, to replace calories that are not provided by dietary fat, carbohydrate consumption increases. Increased carb consumption leads to a faster burning energy source, which tends to contribute to cycling blood sugar levels, use of muscle tissue as fuel, low energy, and decreased metabolism and hormone production. In addition, many Americans will replace saturated fat, such as butter, with a trans fat, such as margarine. Trans fats are *much* worse for the body than saturated fat. So it is important to choose the right kinds of fat. Most animal fats, and many vegetable oils, are high in cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease. However, mono-unsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, nuts, fish oil, and various seed oils, can help lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, and enhance your body's ability to burn fat as a fuel source. So try to eat fish several times a week (or supplement with fish oil), cook with olive oil, and try to eat at least a handful of a healthy nut (like almonds or walnuts) once per day.
#9 Avoid sugar substitutes
Artifical sweeteners, such as Aspartame, still taste sweet (that's why they're sugar replacements!). When the taste receptors on your tongue taste this sweet substance, your digestive systems begins to produce compounds that prepare your body to use the "food" that your brain thinks you are consuming. The hormones produced in the digestive process are still present once this fake food enters your small intestine, but no actual energy release or satiety occurs, which leaves you with a gut full of digestive hormones that need food to break down and make the brain crave even more food, this time the real stuff. This is why studies have shown that consumption of diet soda products are associated with obesity! If you're really serious about burning fat, ditch any sugar substitute foods or diet drinks that you currently consume. I guarantee that once you overcome the initial addiction withdrawal, you'll feel a hundred times better.
#10 Eat like a car
Your body runs on fuel. If you put too much fuel into the gas tank, an overflow occurs, and in the body's case, this means fat deposition. I realize that the idea of limiting calories is very simple, but sometimes the approach is wrong. Never give yourself a certain "number" of calories per day. You'd never take your car to the gas station and fill up if you didn't plan on driving it, and the same goes for your body. If you have a light day of activity ("low mileage") or a sedentary day (sitting in the garage), you should sometimes not even be consuming 50% of the calories you'd normally consume, because your body doesn't need them. For instance, on a typical day, I consume 5000-6000 calories (based on my metabolism and amount of activity), but on a weekend of travel, where I am either sitting in a car or airplane, I often consume as little as 1000 calories per day! If your body doesn't need the fuel, there's not a necessity to put it in your mouth. On the other hand, there will be some days where I consume up to 8000 calories, simply because that is how many I actually burn through with my activities! So if you're on a set diet of, say, 2000 calories per day, don't be afraid to vary as needed.
I'd like to finish by encouraging you to keep at it. Switching to a healthy diet can be unbearable at times, but the longer you stick with it, the easier it gets. It's just like exercise - you can bring yourself to a maintenance phase where moderate to high physical activity becomes easier, but the initial work is pretty difficult. If you'd like to more information about diet and nutrition, or exercise, you can e-mail me at elite@pacificfit.net to ask questions.
When you sign-up for personal training with Pacific Elite Fitness, you can receive a complete dietary analysis, complete with grocery list and food substitution suggestions, and monthly tools to track your progress, caloric intake, and macronutrient percentage. You have access to your own personal fitness coach to guide you through your workout routine, using the latest fitness research and breakthrough techniques. You are guaranteed to get fitter faster on a Pacific Elite Fitness program.
Until next time, train smart,
Ben Greenfield
8/25/2008
Tips to Burning Fat Nutritional
The important Of Vitamin and Mineral Supplement
The important Of Vitamin and Mineral Supplement
by: Mary Watson
When many of us grew up, our parents taught us the importance of consuming the right vitamins and minerals, but they also taught us we could get all we needed if we just ate the good food they prepared. Of course, that was when most mothers stayed at home and prepared three meals a day for their families...
and snacks consisted of fresh fruit with occasional sweets. With the fast-paced lifestyles we live today, do our children get all the nutrition they need from food alone?
Eating Nutritious Foods
It seems easy enough to say we can get all the vitamins and minerals we need by eating nutritious foods, but the problem is that most of us don’t eat food that is good for us. With the fast paced lifestyles we lead today, we are eating fast food and processed foods instead of home-cooked meals like our mothers used to prepare. There is little to no nutritional value in fast food, and because of the amount of fast food children consume today, it’s essential to make sure they receive vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for the lack of nutritional foods.
Unfortunately children are not the only members of our modern society who lack proper nutrition. As they hurriedly rush out the door in the morning with no breakfast and rush through their days often with no lunch, dinner consists of a trip to the local fast food restaurant or a bag of chips to stop the hunger pangs. It isn’t exactly the kind of diet that one considers healthy by any means. The parents must set the example for the child, but too many times parents feed the children and don’t eat themselves because they “don’t have time.”
Are Dietary Supplements a Good Substitute?
Although they are not the best answer, using dietary supplements, vitamins, and minerals to obtain the necessary nutrients is better than not having them at all. Natural sources of vitamins and minerals are certain preferred to that of supplements, but if supplements are necessary in order to give the body everything it needs, then they become necessary parts of our daily routines. The body requires specific nutrients in order to perform its essential functions, and if it doesn’t get these nutrients from food, you must provide it in the form of nutritional supplements.
Failure to provide the body with the nutrients it needs will lead to malnutrition and a host of other ailments up to and including the break down of the body’s natural disease fighting mechanism, the immune system. Choosing the right vitamin and mineral supplements is important to your good health. Do not assume you need to take every supplement on the shelf in order to make up for the foods you are not eating. Most of what you need is available in multi-vitamin form, but you may want to choose others based upon your lifestyle and the condition of your health.
Are Dietary Supplements as Effective as Natural Nutrients?
One thing of which you must be aware is that some nutrients are more effective in their natural state. This is especially true of some of the herbs that have cancer-fighting agents as part of their components. Before you choose any nutritional supplement, make sure you know whether the supplement is going to provide the same benefits you will derive from the natural product. Although in many cases you will find the same nutritional value, that is not always the case. You do not want to spend your money on supplements only to find they do not work as well as the natural form of the nutrients.
Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Health
Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Health
by: Mary Watson
The choices you make are important to healthy living. If you are one of the many people who has begun to think about what lies ahead for you, it’s time to begin to look toward doing something about it. The choices you make now and in the future will determine how well you will stand up to the perils of life as you approach your senior years. By taking the time to learn some ways you can improve your life now can help you live longer and healthier......
Eating a Healthier Diet
Most of us are guilty of not eating foods that are good for our health. We develop poor eating habits at an early age, and we tend to put off making changes that will improve our well being. We may make small changes when the need for losing weight is important or during a time when certain foods may take a tool on the way we feel, but it takes something major for us to really make a change in the way we eat. The problem is that quite often by the time we make the decision to make changes, it’s too late for them to make a difference. We must begin early in life to develop healthy eating habits, and we must continue those habits through out our lives.
Develop an Exercise Routine
Exercise is an important part of remaining healthy. If you don’t have an exercise routine already, you should develop one based on your own abilities. Even if you are only able to walk around the block a few times a day, you will be doing something that is good for your body. No matter what the condition of your health may be it’s important to exercise on a regular basis. Aerobic exercises such as walking, swimming, skiing, and bicycling are best, and you want to perform your routine long enough to increase your heart rate.
Reduce Stress
Stress is always an important issue, but as we get older, it begins to take a greater toll on our health. It’s important to learn to reduce stress levels before they cause severe health problems, and the best time to do that is when you are still young enough to fight the impulse to allow stress to consume you. Even every day conditions such as asthma, allergies, and even colds and hay fever can be caused by stress. Stress can cause the immune system to break down, and when that happens, it is ripe for many different conditions and illnesses.
Maintain a Proper Weight
In order to stay healthy, you need to keep your weight within normal range. If you are overweight, you will have less energy and thus be unable to exercise or even do household chores. Excess weight also puts a strain on your heart and makes you more likely to have a heart attack. Of course, maintaining a proper weight falls in directly with the other methods of developing a healthy lifestyle since you need to exercise and eat healthy foods in order to maintain a proper weight. Since many people have a tendency to overeat when they are under stress, keeping that in control can also help you keep your weight within normal range. Although some recent evidence suggests that being up to 10% overweight is healthier than being 10% underweight, it is healthier to be as close to a normal range as possible.
Making the choice to change your lifestyle is essential if you want to live a healthy and pain free lifestyle. There is no substitute for healthy living, and healthy living comes from making lifestyle changes that affect your complete body and mind. Only by making those important changes can you expect to live a normal, healthy life into your golden years.
The Importance of a Heart Healthy Lifestyle
The Importance of a Heart Healthy Lifestyle
by: Mary Watson
Does it really make a difference to your heart?
In today’s world there is a great deal of talk about eating heart healthy foods and living a lifestyle that promotes a healthy heart. Although this doesn’t tend to be problem for the older generation who understands the importance of keeping their hearts healthy, questions regarding the importance of the under 40s worrying about the health of their hearts tends to bring some controversy to the table.....
It raises the question about why someone in their 20s and 30s should have to concern themselves with something that will not affect them for ten or twenty years if at all.
Heart Problems Are Not Just for Those Over 40
One misconception many people have is that they don’t really have to worry about the health of their hearts until they reach middle age. Unfortunately this misconception is what causes many people to neglect their heart’s health and increase the chances of a heart attack early in life. This is especially true if you are in the high risk category for heart disease such as having high cholesterol, a history of heart disease, or suffer from obesity. All of these factors tie into the health of your heart, and in order to prevent heart disease, you need to take care of your heart regardless of your age.
Factors that Contribute to Heart Problems
Many factors in our lives can cause early onset heart disease, but the most common factors are diet, lack of exercise, and weight. For those who are genetically prone to early onset heart disease, lifestyle is even more important. It’s important to make lifestyle changes in order to prevent heart disease no matter how old or young you are. However, you do not want to wait until you are a high risk candidate for heart disease because by then it may be too late to undo any damage you have already done to your heart. Let me address these issues briefly one at a time.
Diet
One of the major contributors to heart disease is diet food we eat. High fat foods cause high cholesterol which in turn blocks the arteries to the heart. Although this problem doesn’t usually cause problems until we are older, by then it is very difficult to change our eating habits. After you have eaten greasy, high fat foods for many years, the adjustment to healthier eating is more difficult.
Lack of Exercise
Leading a sedentary lifestyle is another cause of heart disease. Over the years there has been an increase in the number of reported cases of early onset heart disease, and cardiologists tie this into the sedentary lifestyle that many of us lead today. There is a need to increase the heart rate in order to stay healthy, and we cannot do this sitting in front of the television or the computer. Most of us won’t even walk to the corner store for a loaf of bread let alone perform any heart healthy exercises. Sadly for many, exercise is limited to pushing buttons on the remote control.
Weight
The problem of obesity in both North America and Europe is on the rise, and as a result heart disease is on the rise as well. Nutritionists believe the problem lies in the fast food industry with the problem beginning in childhood. With two income families a necessity today, fewer children are eating healthy meals at home. The sad part is that quick meals can be healthy meals if you choose carefully. The choices you make early in life will affect you later in life. Prevent obesity from the start by making healthy eating choices, and you have battled one of factors that will affect the health of your heart.
Diet and Exercise
Diet and Exercise
by: Mary Watson
Diet and exercise are the perfect combination for consistent weight loss.
If you have ever tried to lose weight and couldn’t understand why it was so difficult, you may have been neglecting to combine diet with exercise. No matter how little you eat,...
there is no substitute for exercise. If you wish to achieve consistent weight loss, you have to understand how weight loss and exercise tie in together.
Losing Weight without Exercise
Some of the fad diets in existence today promise that you can lose weight without exercise, and though you may experience some small amount of loss, it will not be consistent nor have any great impact. Any weight you may lose will be short-lived if you are not exercising in order to build lean muscle mass and boost the rate at which your body burns calories.
The Impact of Exercise on Weight Loss
In spite of what some diet programs may tell you, there is a definite connection between weight loss and exercise. In order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. Although normal daily activities such as walking, cleaning house, and even sleeping burn some calories, these activities do not burn enough to make any impact on weight loss. It is necessary to perform aerobic exercise such as walking, bicycling, swimming, and skiing in order to boost the rate your metabolism burns calories in order to experience faster and more consistent weight loss. The addition of resistance exercises such as weight lifting will build lean muscle mass which burns calories at a faster rate. Thus, the perfect exercise routine for weight loss is a combination of both types of exercise.
Choosing the Right Foods
In addition to exercise, you must choose foods that will stimulate weight loss. In order to do this it’s necessary to consume low fat proteins and minimize the simple carbohydrates you eat. Simple carbohydrates include almost everything in the starchy category and not just sweets. That doesn’t mean you cannot eat carbohydrates at all because you need the energy. Contrary to what we were taught during instruction in food groups, there is no difference between eating a candy bar or a piece of white bread—both will turn to sugar when consumed. The difference lies in eating whole grains such as wheat bread, wheat flour, brown rice, and whole grain cereals such as oats, barley, and wheat.
Not only are whole grain starches in the low-glycemic index category, they provide the fibre that is necessary for a healthy colon. By consuming lean meats such as poultry, veal and fish instead of beef and pork, we limit the amount of fats that are entering our bodies. This not only helps with weight loss but also has a positive impact on the heart as well. By concentrating on eating healthy foods and snacks we give our body the opportunity to undo any damage we have done with our poor eating and lack of exercise.
Lifestyle Changes
Although diets are intended as a means to lose weight, the best diets incorporate weight loss into lifestyle changes. No matter how well you do on your weight loss program, if you don’t change the way you eat and live, your weight loss will not be permanent. You must learn how to eat healthy and exercise all the time and not just when you are attempting to lose weight. You also need to substitute soft drinks and sugary fruit juices for water and natural fruit juices containing no additional sugar. That doesn’t mean you cannot have some of those sweets, but you must learn how to limit them in order to prevent gaining all the weight back that you lost.
