10 Tips for Burning More Body Fat

A major component in losing weight is to burn fat. You’ll need to burn fat every day for long-term weight loss results. Remember that small steps each day can add up to big results after a period of time. If you follow these tips, you won’t be in the same place six months from now that you are in today, and a year from now, you will be able to say you actually kept your New Year's Resolution to lose weight - and keep it off!

1. Move Every Day – Exercise is the MOST important component in burning fat. You want to walk fast, skate, swim, dance, and hike. Do whatever you can to keep moving as much as possible during the day. If you have a sedentary job, consider asking your boss for a stand-up desk or a treadmill desk. Studies show that sitting more than four hours a day is deadly.

2. Eat a Healthy Breakfast – When you get up, within about an hour of rising be sure to eat a healthy breakfast such as steel cut oats and berries. Add some whole, non-homogenized milk (raw if possible) for added delicious flavor and nutrition.

3. Get Some Daily Cardio – Aside from purposeful movement every day during work, it’s important to add in purposeful cardio for at least 30 minutes a day. You want to get your heart rate up for about 30 minutes through running, fast walking, dancing or other movement - but not necessarily all at once. Some studies have found that steady-state cardio actually helps your body conserve fat, instead of burning it, so you may want to try high-intensity interval workouts such as PACE instead.

4. Add Strength Training – Any type of resistance training can help you build your strength, whether by resistance bands or weight lifting. You don’t have to build bulky muscles. You can do daily planks for your strength training if you want to. Yoga and other types of body-weight exercise are great for strength training and flexibility at the same time - plus they don't require purchasing any expensive exercise equipment!

5. Eat More Vegetables – Try filling half your plate with vegetables without a lot of added fat, salt or sugar. Vegetables of all kinds are good for you. There are no “bad” veggies. Not even potatoes are bad for you. It’s what you put on them that could be bad.

6. Eat More Fruit – Unfortunately, fruit like bananas and avocado have gotten a bad rap due to advertising by the processed food industry. But, the truth is, fruit is good for you and you should eat it in abundance. (Keep in mind that some fruits are very sweet, and could pose problems for people with blood sugar issues. However, consuming them with some fiber and healthy fats will help slow the release of sugar into your blood.)

7. Supplement Where Needed – No matter how good a diet you eat, there are times you may need to add supplements. The very best way to know is to get tested by your doctor to find out where your levels are. Ask them to look at your vitamin B12 and D levels specifically, which are ultra-important for your health.

(Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

8. Reduce Stress – Stress can cause a build-up of body fat due to increased production of cortisol which tends to cause fat to build up around the belly. People with a high level of belly fat are more likely to have cardiovascular issues and/or diabetes. Try meditation, prayer, silent reading, yoga, and other stress-reducing activities.

9. Get Enough Sleep – Sleep is very important to aid in burning fat and overall weight loss. Most people need at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. The best way to figure out how much sleep you need is to go to bed earlier and earlier each night until you can wake up consistently at the time you need to rise for work each day without an alarm.

10. Drink Plenty of Water – Hydration is very important for proper digestion of nutrients, as well as eliminating fat. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, and drink even more when you sweat, ingest caffeine or during dry weather.

Burning fat is easy when you know how. The important thing to remember is to do at least one or two things each day to work toward your goal. Avoid doing things that are contrary to your goal and you will be successful.

And be sure to check back here every week for our fast, fun, fat-burning weekly workouts!

Supplement Your Workouts With Fat-Burning Foods

When trying to get rid of that holiday weight, it's important to eat the right foods, along with doing the right exercise. Believe it or not, there are foods that you can eat that will increase the amount of fat your burn and that, along with exercise, can turn your body into a fat burning machine that burns fat 24/7. Try adding these foods to your daily diet for best results.

1. Whole Grains (But NOT Wheat!) – Steel cut oats, and some sprouted grains are okay to consume in small amounts. One cup per day will be enough to fill you up and provide excellent fat burning properties. Wheat, on the other hand - even whole wheat - has inflammatory properties that can lead to weight gain, so it is best avoided entirely if you're trying to lose weight.

(Image courtesy of Jaime_Crespo at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

2. Grapefruit – Start your meals with half a grapefruit to take advantage of the fat burning effects and boost your weight loss.

3. Nuts and Seeds – Full of good fats, nuts can fill you up, give you added nutrition and improve satiety. Be careful, though; nuts are high in fat. One handful a day is plenty. Seeds like flax, sunflower, and hemp are lower in fat, high in Omega 3s and 6s and super good for you.

4. Hot Peppers – Add hot spices to everything you eat and watch the pounds melt away. The added heat produced with hot sauce and hot peppers has been shown to increase metabolism both during and after your meal.

5. Cinnamon – This spice helps thin the blood, boosts body heat, and burns calories and fat when added to your food. Try making a tea with hot water, lemon and cinnamon with a little honey to help it all go down.

6. Green Tea – Full of beneficial antioxidants and something called epigallocatechin gallate, green tea can boost metabolism and aid in burning fat. Be careful about the caffeine, and consume in moderation. A cup or two per day is plenty.

7. Berries – Great as an anti-inflammatory and full of resveratrol which boosts metabolism and aids in weight loss. They’re also low in calories, so eat all you care to.

8. Beans and Legumes – You can eat a lot more beans and legumes than you might think. They are high in protein and other essential nutrients. Aim to have a cup every day.

(Image courtesy of Viacheslav Blizniuk at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

9. Leafy Greens – You can eat a lot of leafy greens without ever having to worry about how much you’re eating. Prepare them without adding fat with some balsamic vinegar, shredded carrots, and salt and pepper and they’ll taste just like Mom’s. Or drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You should shoot for eating a pound or more of leafy greens each day.

10. Fatty Fruits – Yes, it may sound strange, but coconut, olives and avocado are really good foods to eat that will not only fill you up, but also give you added nutrition and healthy fat which will curb hunger and fill you up on fewer calories.

Burning fat is a full-time job, and adding these foods to your diet on a daily basis will make it a lot easier to burn more fat, faster. Start today with one food at a time, until you’re enjoying all of these foods every day.

For more information on fat-burning foods, check out the Fat Burning Kitchen.

 

Can Protein Powder Smoothies Improve Your Workouts?

One of the most important aspects of living a healthy lifestyle is diet. Sound nutrition can truly make such a difference in your daily energy levels, disease prevention, health, and improving the results of your hard work in exercise.

Protein, along with carbohydrates and fat is what is known as a "macronutrient," this simply means the body needs large amounts of it as compared to micronutrients, which include, vitamins and minerals and are needed in lesser quantities.

In contrast to micronutrients, the body doesn’t store protein to draw on when it needs it, so it should be an important part of your daily diet.

The Power of Protein

•    Protein is an essential component of every cell in the body.
•    The nails and hair are made mostly from it.
•    The body uses protein for vital internal functions, such as, to repair and build tissue.
•    It is the building block of bones, cartilage, skin, blood and muscles.
•    Protein also makes hormones, enzymes and other vital chemicals in the body.

Benefits Of Protein For Workouts

Along with the vital benefits of protein mentioned before, ingesting protein after a workout, especially after doing strength and muscle work is one of the most important times to get protein into the body.

This is because it will go to the muscles where it can begin the healing and recovery of the "micro tears," which are small tears in muscle tissue caused by intense contractions of lifting weights. When these tears heal, this is when your muscles get stronger.

The key to supplying and nourishing the body with protein is to choose the right forms.

When it comes to eating animal protein for example, it is best to choose lean varieties most of the time, such as, chicken and turkey. 

And, then there is the highly efficient, convenient and fun protein powder and all that it can do to improve the efficiency of your workouts and nutritional stability.

Protein Powder Smoothies & Shakes

Chocolate protein shake. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is a fact that the best way to get the needed benefits of protein is through solid food, but, this is not always possible or convenient, as people are busy, and have hectic lives. Hitting your protein macronutrient goals day by day can be a really difficult task. This is how protein shakes can be of great use.

By enjoying delicious protein powder smoothies you can enjoy what you’re consuming while reaching your goals.

Because solid food takes more time to digest and to break down the protein and send it to the muscles, it can be best to take a protein shake immediately following a workout, since it will reach the muscle within 30 minutes of ingestion. Definitely, we can see the advantage to taking a protein shake in this instance.

Protein, alike any other macro nutrient is essential to make sure that you get everything out of your workout. Being dehydrated before a workout can be detrimental to your performance and cause a significant lack in strength and focus.

Protein smoothies, as well as, water, are an excellent way to keep hydrated before a workout!

Unlike standard protein powder shakes (typically mixed with water or milk) protein powder smoothies not only provide essential protein to reach daily goals, but, they are also an excellent source of energy from the natural sugar within the fruits that you include.

This means that with a single protein powder shake you can stay hydrated, reach your protein goals, enjoy a nice tasting drink, as well as, benefit from an increase in energy levels!

What could be better?

Does The Brand Of Protein Powder Matter?

Some people think of protein powders as a “magic solution” to building muscle. This is not the case. Protein powder is simply a convenient way of consuming grams of protein. A gram of protein from a chicken breast is identical to a gram of protein from powders.

Make sure you read the label when purchasing your protein powders. Typically, a solid protein powder will contain 20 grams of protein for every 25 grams powder. Some cheap protein powders are full of sugary carbs and little protein content. Always choose all natural products without unnecessary added artificial ingredients. Organic whey protein is one of the best sources of protein you can find, so if you can, try to find protein powders that contain organic whey.

Check back next Tuesday for 4 healthy and delicious protein shake recipes that are super easy to make, and super healthy too! 



Here are some good, natural, and healthy protein powders to try:
   

5 Healthy Ways to Reduce Belly Fat

The hardest type of fat to lose is belly fat. But it's also the most important fat to lose. Belly fat can be a sign of poor cardiovascular health and can signify (years before it happens) potential onset of diabetes, heart attack and even colon cancer. Getting belly fat under control is of utmost importance. Thankfully, due to science we know more than ever about belly fat and why we have it.

The Cortisol Connection

Illustration of obesity and waist circumference. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In women and men there is thought to be a connection between cortisol levels and waist circumference. The stress many people have in their modern lives tends to make them produce more cortisol which tends to force them to store extra fat around their bellies. This is the “muffin top” that you often see in otherwise thin women.

1. Reduce Stress
It is critical that women with excess belly fat (compared to body fat) find ways to reduce their stress levels. One way to do that is to find ways to get some “me” time through exercise or other stress reducers. Some people have gotten some results by adding a resveratrol supplement, which is an ingredient found in red wine, grapes, cherries and cranberries. It helps reduce stress, increases motivation and sometimes gives a boost of energy not unlike caffeine.

2. Avoid Processed Foods

Whether it’s “diet food” or out and out “bad” food, it’s best to avoid processed food of all kinds. Sticking as close to nature as possible to get the nutrient-dense foods that your body needs will do a lot to help you because your body will be getting the vitamins and minerals it needs to repair itself. Think low calorie, high nutrition. You can eat a larger volume of food when you seek to limit processed foods and stick to whole foods.

3. Drink Plenty of Water

The truth is the only beverage that anyone should be drinking is water, and some green tea (assuming you can have the caffeine). Don’t drink fruit juice or soda (diet or not) and limit alcoholic beverages. Instead, drink fresh filtered water, about eight glasses per day. If you feel the need for something sweet, eat fruit - don’t drink it.

4. Do Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise will not only help you lose weight, combat stress, and burn calories, but it is also very good for your cardiovascular system. Since belly fat plays havoc on the cardiovascular system, it’s important to find a way to improve your heart health. The only way to truly burn fat is also through aerobic exercise.

5. Eat Regularly

Eat your largest meal in the morning and eat less as the day progresses. Your last meal of the day be your lightest. There are some theories about eating only during daylight but this is usually very hard to do in today’s busy life that women live with work, kids, family, volunteering and more.

6. Eat Anti-inflammatory Foods

Belly fat is often increased due to eating foods that cause can inflammation. These are some of the best anti-inflammatory foods to eat instead:

* Beets
* Berries
* Dark leafy greens
* Garlic
* Ginger
* Nuts
* Onions
* Peppers
* Salmon
* Tart cherries
* Tomatoes
* Turmeric
* Whole grains

7. Get Enough Sleep

There is a big connection between lack of sleep and being overweight, including having excess body fat around the belly. Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. The best way to find out how much you need is to keep going to bed earlier and earlier until you can wake up naturally in the morning at the time you need to get up for work without an alarm.

Even women who are of normal weight but who have round bellies have higher death rates than women who are overweight but do not have excess belly fat. There is a test health care providers use to determine an issue with belly fat which is called the height to waist circumference ratio. This number turns out to be a more accurate indicator of health. You get the number by dividing your waist circumference by your height. Here is a link to a helpful calculator: http://www.health-calc.com/body-composition/waist-to-height-ratio

If you’re under 40 and your waist to height ratio is 0.5 or higher, you are considered to be very unhealthy and it is critical that you get help for your weight issue. If you’re 40 to 50 years old, then you should not be over 0.55 and if you’re over 50, then you should not be over 0.6. If you are above those ratios, seek immediate medical evaluation and start a plan to reduce your waist circumference.

Should You Take a Fat-Burning Supplement?

Some studies have shown that certain supplements actually do work to help burn fat for women, along with regular exercise. Some of the studies are done by universities and some are done by the companies themselves, so do your due diligence to be sure of what you are taking. Some people enjoy supplements with caffeine but others cannot deal with it. So read all ingredients before you try - check with your doctor first.

Here are some of the supplements in question.

1. Green Tea – This is a long known supplement addition or a diet addition that you can enjoy on its own. Green tea has been enjoyed for ages by people who realize that it can help with lowering BMI and increasing calorie metabolism.

2. Calcium – Some studies show that it’s possible that a calcium supplement can aid in weight loss for some women. However, it is important not to overdo the calcium supplementation because scientists still aren’t sure whether ingesting too much calcium is harmful or not. If you already eat a high amount of calcium in your diet, it’s important to consider that, and always remember to take magnesium as well, as they work together for bone strength.

3. Vitamin D – The best way to get vitamin D is actually naturally via the sun, but so many of us use sunscreen that vitamin D deficiencies are quite common. A deficiency can contribute to obesity and even back and other body pains. Have your levels checked by your doctor. If your levels are low, find a good quality supplement like this one from Metagenics.

4. Vitamin B12 – Whether you’re a meat eater or a vegan or someplace in between, another chronic deficiency today is vitamin B12. Being short of this vitamin is very serious and can lead to mental problems and weight issues. Unless you ask for your levels to be checked, your doctor may not do a test. Have it checked and if you have a shortage, consider using the sublingual methylcobalamin version over the cobalamin type due to arsenic issues.

5. Antioxidants – You can take supplements that contain antioxidants or just eat food with antioxidants. These help ward off free radicals which can cause your body to be unbalanced. You can find antioxidants in fruits and vegetables too.

6. Caffeine – Even though it’s not the healthiest supplement for most people, it does actually aid in weight loss. It boosts your metabolism and gives you extra energy. But, you should use it with caution because it is addictive. The effects wear off and you need more and more of the supplement to get the same results.

7. Resveratrol – This is found in red wine, dark red and purple berries and now available in supplement form. Many people who have taken it say that it reacts on their body a lot like caffeine. Others report more motivation to get more done in the day. It’s worth trying one of the new resveratrol supplements.

8. SHREDZ for Her – This is a supplier that purports to help women boost their fat burning by giving your body some of the vitamins, antioxidants and minerals that it needs. It claims to break down carbohydrates and help make your workouts more efficient. This supplement has most of the above ingredients included.

Use any supplements with caution. Consider talking to a doctor first, or at least inform them before they prescribe any medications. Definitely ask your doctor if you are already being prescribed any medications.

Trying to Burn Fat? Avoid These 11 Foods

Welcome back!  Sorry for the missing workout last week - we got back from vacation so late that I didn't have time to post one. Don't worry - we've got a great one coming on Thursday that will really help boost your metabolism and melt away those stubborn pounds!

But today, we're going to talk about food, because as important as exercise is, when it comes to burning fat, there are two parts to the equation....

When embarking on a fat burning regimen, it’s important to realize that there are foods that people pass off as healthy that aren’t! The following foods should be avoided if you're trying to burn fat and lose weight. Thankfully, there are always delicious substitutes so you will never feel like you’re missing out.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Overt Fat – This includes processed coconut oils and olive oil. While these types of fat may be the healthier kind, remember that they still contain a lot of calories. It might surprise you how much fat many people add to their food without realizing it. If you still want to use overt fats like this, be sure to measure every teaspoonful. Or, instead of overt fats, try enjoying the naturally occurring fat contained in a serving of nuts, fresh coconut or 1/4 of an avocado. These whole foods contain other important nutrients and fiber that help you feel full and provide your body with good nutrition.

2. Empty Calories – If everything you eat is full of nutrition, it’s more than likely your body weight will balance all on its own - without you even having to try too hard. Instead of crackers for a snack, choose slices of fresh apple; instead of cheese made with dairy, try eating a nut based cheese in small quantities on celery.

3. Low Fat Dairy Products – Some say that you’ll lose more weight overall if you avoid dairy products entirely, but the low fat and fat free varieties are the worst because they are often full of processed sugar to make up for the lack of fat. You might think these are "healthier," but the truth is they are anything but!

4. Processed Sugar – White sugar and all processed sugar, including the new agave products, can be chock full of calories - and they spike your blood sugar, which causes weight gain and over time, can lead to diabetes. While one might be slightly better than the other, when it comes to calories it’s best to stick to real, whole, ripe fruit in moderation to get your sweets in. Again, these contain fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients besides just the sugar. And avoid any type of processed sugar, including things they try to pass off as healthy. Just say NO to sugar! It's one of the most important substances to avoid if you're trying to lose weight - or just be healthier in general.

5. Fast Food – Most fast food is terrible for you even when it tries to be healthy. Some fast food salads can top 2000 calories for one serving when combined with the fatty dressing they provide with it along with the fried chicken on top! If you want to order fast food, order the salad without the dressing, without the croutons, and without the meat for best results. Oh, and skip the crackers too. Come to think of it, that salad doesn't sound too appetizing now, does it? It's better to make your own at home with fresh ingredients, so you can control what goes in it - and it'll taste better too!

6. Processed Food – Whether it is freeze dried veggies, or flavored yogurt, the best thing you can do for your waistline is to avoid processed food like the plague. That includes protein powders and other potions. You want to shoot for 100 percent whole foods, as close to nature as possible. These contain the full range of nutrients your body needs to maintain a healthy weight.

7. Smoothie King Smoothies – Not to pick on Smoothie King, but most smoothie joints have a serious problem. Pretty much nothing in them is actually healthy. Everything has extra sugar by the truckloads and should be avoided at all costs. If you like smoothies, it's really easy to make your own at home in a jiffy! Just combine some fresh or frozen fruit, vegetable juice such as carrot, a handful of fresh spinach, and maybe some plain yogurt with a dash of honey in a blender, give it a whiz, and voila! Healthy smoothie at the ready!

8. Fancy Starbucks Drinks – These drinks are high in sugar and fat, and the “fat free” and “sugar free” varieties are full of dangerous chemicals that should be avoided as much as possible as well.

Avoid white bread (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

9. White Bread – If you are going to eat bread, eat the highest nutritional bread you can such as sprouted bread like Ezekiel Bread. It has no preservatives, and has a lot of nutrition in it that many other types of bread don’t have. It also is easier to digest, and higher in protein.

10. Salt – Most food already has plenty of salt in it. A good way to cut down on salt is to use it during cooking but remove it from the table. The amount that is included in a recipe is usually the ideal amount for taste. There is no need to add more.

11. Fatty Salad Dressings – Mentioned above, fatty salad dressings are the bane of existence for healthy vegetables. Instead, make your own low-fat dressings by blending fruit with balsamic vinegar or using natural fats like avocado. Extra virgin olive oil is okay in moderation - just pre-mix it with vinegar and spices and you'll use less than if you dump it on the salad separately.

There are probably plenty of other unhealthy things you can do without. Each time you have a choice of what to eat, choose the item that is closest to a natural, whole food source for the healthiest and best fat burning results.