Your Summer Fitness Plan Starts Now

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Josh Bezoni- Your Summer Fitness Plan Starts Now

If you’re lounging on your couch with a potato chip midway to your mouth, reading that headline in fear, let me assure you that you have nothing to worry about. That statement is not intended to instill fear, but rather to inspire you to start getting fit now so that you can have the body you want by summer.

As the days start getting longer and warmer, with the official start of summer only a little over a month away, you’ve surely heard talk of people expressing concern about fitting into their swimsuits and achieving the perfect beach body. Most people, when nervous about something, shrink away from it rather than attacking it at the root. Don’t abandon your fitness goals just because they seem impossible to achieve. If you put in the work and follow this eight-week workout plan, you can have the body you want this summer. And yes, by work, I mean working out. Dieting alone won’t cut it. However, if you acknowledge upfront that your goals are going to take some work, it makes them more approachable. Plus, you can rest assured that if you take these steps seriously, you’ll be rewarded in the end for all your hard work.

Before diving into the fitness part of this plan, you’ll need to take some time identifying your goals and developing a nutrition plan. Figure out why you want to achieve these goals, exactly how much weight you want to lose or muscle you want to gain, and break your goals down by week.

Then, if you want to make sure your diet compliments your fitness goals, keep tabs not just on what you’re eating, but how much and how often. It’s easy to avoid overeating if you practice time-restricted feeding (TRF). TRF may sound a little intimidating, but it’s not about starving yourself, but rather keeping all of your eating within a specified window of time. You should try to keep your three main meals of the day within a 6-8 hour time frame, meaning if you eat breakfast at 9am, you should have your last meal of the day no later than 5pm. If you get hungry outside of this timeframe, you can always have light, healthy snacks to tide you over.

Portion control is another key consideration; make sure you’re consuming the right amounts of protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and smart carbs. Your daily protein intake should be roughly the size of your palm, healthy fats should be no more than the size of your thumb, limit yourself to one smart carb (like sweet potatoes, brown rice, or quinoa) per day, and eat as many vegetables as you’d like.

The third and most important step in your journey to getting fit in time for beach season is an eight-week fitness plan. Not everyone has the same abilities, so only take on what you can manage. In general though, start small and work your way up to a more rigorous routine. Each week should incorporate both cardio and weight training. How often you workout will depend upon how much you can handle, but aim for 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three times a week. In your first week, aim for two full-body workouts separated by a cardio day. As you progress in your training, ramp up the intensity. Try 45 minutes of cardio starting in the third week and gradually increase the weights in your full-body workout.

That’s it! If you work hard to stick to your fitness goals for eight weeks, there’s nothing keeping you from flaunting a toned, muscular body on the beach. For a more detailed breakdown of the exercises you can do in your workout sessions, visit the original blog on BioTRUST.com.

Your New Best Friend, Lipoprotein Lipase

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So here’s the deal, there’s this great, little-known enzyme, called lipoprotein lipase, that we all have. The awesome thing about this enzyme is that it helps the body process and burn fat. Yes I know –  lipoprotein lipase just became your best friend! But here’s the catch, similar to many other enzymes, lipoprotein lipase is only generated when muscles are being used and active. Research done on lab rats shows that lipoprotein lipase was only produced in leg muscles when the rats were active, standing, or scurrying around. Therefore, if you want to get these enzymes to work, you need to get in motion and burn some energy. Besides, living a sedentary life is not good for your physical and mental health. Spending most of your time sitting around and being inactive can lead to a series of health problems like weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and even cancer!

The key to get lipoprotein lipase to work is to spend as little time as possible inert. If you do some exercise, but remain most of the time sitting in that office chair, forget about it. You have to implement activity throughout the whole day, and the evidence is there for you to see for yourself. In a study involving males who tend to walk a lot, they were asked to decrease the amount of time they spend on their feet. For example, they were asked to drive instead of walking, take the elevator instead of using the stairs, etc. In just 2 weeks, the study was able to prove that these men had in fact altered their metabolism, which naturally distorted their bodies’ fat distribution, and they even appeared plumper around their midsections!

In today’s day and age, I know it’s extremely hard not to spend the majority of the time in front of a computer, but even so, there are ways for you to remain active. Here’s a list of simple things you can do to avoid remaining inactive and jumpstart your BFF lipoprotein lipase:

-Get up from your desk every 40 minutes or so. You don’t have to do anything grand. Just take a quick walk to the restroom, stretch, light jog, etc.

-Leave the car. Walk or bike to work.

-Walk and talk. Whenever possible, implement walking to your work duties. For example, handle a call standing up rather than sitting down.

-Ditch the office chair and use an exercise ball while working on your desk.  The ball will automatically make you use muscles in order to find balance.

-When you get home, don’t run to the couch or the bed. Distract yourself with activities like gardening, running a few errands (literally).

-Watch TV while doing exercise. A  great example of this is to hop on an exercise bike while watching your favorite show or game.

So get excited and start to develop a relationship with lipoprotein lipase! It will help you lead much healthier lifestyle.

 

Additional Top 5 Fat Loss Commandments

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I know, I know. I’ve already shared with you a blog on 5 fat-loss commandments that will most certainly guide you in your weight loss journey and overall healthier lifestyle. But I am so passionate about this subject that I just had to share 5 more fat-loss commandments you need to live by.

1.Have an amazing plan in place.

In order to come up with a solid plan you must do the obvious, plan! It’s hard to believe, but a lot of people skip this step. They just dive into a weight loss program without thinking about objectives, goals, timelines, etc. So first thing is first, evaluate yourself today. You must have a realistic and clear perspective when doing so. Then make a solid plan that will be challenging, but at the same time obtainable.

2.A.B.P: Always Be Progressing.

Don’t follow a plan; follow a feeling. This may sound contradicting, but let me explain. Have a plan in place, yes. But what must motivate you is a feeling to get better, not a piece of paper that dictates what exercises of foods you can have today. You need to find that feeling that will always keep you driven to go to the gym even when the weather is crappy. A feeling that makes you want to push yourself every time you workout. As you follow that feeling, document it as well. Use a “Progression Plan” chart, for example, so you can remind yourself of how far you’ve come and what areas you can still work on.

3.Balance your body.

Balance is key to all aspects of life, especially when you are trying to lose some fat. A balanced body will improve the electrical communication to muscles, thus getting you stronger, faster, and better in a short amount of time. Having a balanced body also helps activate more muscles and engage your metabolism.

4.Train your nervous system, not your musculoskeletal.

Remember that your nerves control muscles in terms of when they contract. If you prioritize your nervous system into your workouts you will improve nerve signaling and communication to muscles all over your body. The better your nervous system gets, the more muscular strength and endurance you will develop.

5.Rid your body of inflammation.

When a part of your body becomes inflamed, that’s your body letting you know something is not right. Inflammation can happen in the form of a bump, bruise, etc. During inflammation, white blood cells rush to the affected area and begin to restore it. There’s inflammation as well in your guts and arterial walls. Consuming foods with preservatives, trans-fats can lead to inflammation. Moreover, toxic environments with smog, for example, can cause inflammation. So make an effort and allow your body to reduce the trauma of inflammation and begin to lose some fat!

Positivity is the Key to Physicality

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While so many fitness articles are focused on physical action, physical diet, and physical results, they fail to acknowledge what I consider to be the true key to success: positivity. I know, I know. It’s not like positivity alone will grant you the abs you seek. But, what it will do, is act as a source of perpetual optimism and motivation. It is positivity that will drive you to succeed.

So many fail because so many fail to recognize their own accomplishments. They become bogged down in negativity while trying to better their self, and it is for this reason they ultimately fail. This negativity paradoxically becomes associated with getting better, and as a result, the individual in question soon stops trying to better their their self, because they feel crappy as a result. They associate the negative feelings with trying to get better. However, when you retain positivity as your source of motivation, when you remember what you do like about yourself as you better yourself, you have no negative association. Thus, your motivation takes care of itself, while you take care of yourself. I’ve listed some tricks below that I use on a daily basis in case you need a little inspiration:

  1. Remember three things you are grateful for. This will serve to remind you that life is already great. All you’re doing, is making it even better.
  2. Say out loud five things you love about yourself. This combats the negatives that we often become so focused on erasing when we diet and exercise. Rather than lose something, we are gaining something. This works wonders for continued motivation.
  3. Write down the habits you believe are necessary to achieve your goals. This way your routine will become ingrained in both your memory and your body. Your exercises will never be more than a thought away so long as you remind yourself of the routine necessary to achieve the body that you want.
  4. Remember the accomplishments you can already boast. It is through this that you will retain the confidence necessary to keep pushing yourself. You are more than capable; you’ve already done it. All you have to do is remember your past achievements that were more difficult to accomplish anyway. This is easy.

Remember yourself. Remember what you want. Remember who you are, and you will be what you want to be.

 

 

Myth of Supplement Danger

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It seems that as of late the press will often focus on the potential danger of new supplements in the vitamin market. While this is not necessarily untrue, especially when considering beginners who haven’t quite gotten used to experimenting with a healthier diet and overall lifestyle, it does seem to have blown out of proportion. That is, while there are some possible risks associated with new and emerging supplements that have not been on the market for long,  they are not exactly dangerous.

In fact, according to a recent study courtesy of the peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, there have been literally zero deaths at the hands of supplements. In this scenario, a supplement is being defined as “any amino-acid or single ingredient herbal product.” Said definition encompasses creatine, chondroitin, and melatonin to name but a few.

This information stems from a, to repeat, peer-reviewed, respected, and accurate medical journal entitled the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service. This is viable information from a valuable source that happens to disagree with the household name of the FDA. This information is being pulled from here. For further evidence and reading that that article actually pulls from, click here.

Now, of course some supplements can end up harnessing a negative impact on your body when taking too many at once. This sort of irresponsible consumption can be harmful in any regard though. If you exercise too much, you can become dehydrated. But if you drink too much water, you can develop water intoxication. If you stay out in the sun too long, you can develop skin cancer. It should honestly go without saying that too many supplements can be bad for you.

To be safe, one should always abide by the age-old idiom “everything in moderation.” Be responsible and take everything with a grain of salt even when that everything comes from the hand of authoritative sources like the Food and Drug Administration. Practice common sense. Practice rationality. There is no reason to go overboard when moderation will do the job just as well.

To be frank, something needed to be said considering the rampant negative publicity permeating the nutritional market today, especially when that negative publicity can become outright libel. Cheers friends. Have a good one.

Great Foods That Alleviate Stress

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Being a human being is a difficult task, especially when you have stress from work, family, friends or other external circumstances that have a negative affect on how you operate sometimes. But, there is some awesome news–believe it or not, there are some foods out there that actually help with stress. You heard me right! Healthy, delicious food that will make you feel better about whatever forms of stress are affecting your day to day life.

Oatmeal

In addition to being an awesome insoluble fiber (lowers cholesterol and overall glycemic index), oatmeal is a great start to decrease stress. This breakfast food is a healthy choice to decrease belly fat while using serotonin for a calming solution to sooth any anxiety.

Oranges

German researchers found that consuming Vitamin C actually reduces elevations in cortisol, which is the most common stress hormone in your body. Oranges are also awesome for maintaining your system’s immune system and fighting sickness.

Salmon

Omega-3 anyone? Fish like salmon is a great nutritional source to reduce stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline from increasing when faced with a situation that really gets under your skin. A study at Ohio State University highlighted the fact that omega-3 fatty acids decrease anxiety by 20%. Pass that fish over!

Avocados

Due to their high potassium content, avocados have been shown to help reduce stress-related high blood pressure. These creamy gems contain more potassium than bananas–who would have thought right?

Broccoli

Broccoli contains folic acid, a vitamin that has been proven to reduce not only stress,  but also anxiety, panic, and depression. Not to mention that there are also a great source fiber any time of day.

Almonds

Nothing says relief like almonds, right? These gems are loaded with a ton of vitamins that increase serotonin to help relieve stress or anxiety.The zinc and magnesium combination in these nuts has been shown shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and improving its overall quality. I mean no one wants to fall asleep at their desk in their morning, right?

Blueberries

Loaded with antioxidants, blueberries are also rich in Vitamin C and also help reduce elevations in cortisol. These berries not only taste delicious, but also have a very low glycemic index which is a great plus!

 

The Secrets of Leucine and Boosting Metabolism

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Everyone wants to boost their metabolism. From the most in-shape athletes to those just starting to pay attention to their health. Boosting your metabolism can help you burn excess fat, decrease your resting heart rate, and many other functions that increase your overall health.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to boost your metabolism is to increase your protein intake. Protein-rich foods increase metabolic rates over 3 times more than carbs and fats. What’s more, studies show that high protein diets can lead to greater weight loss and fat loss than calorically identical diets with lower protein.

When researchers at the University of Illinois compared the effects of high-protein diet to a standard reduced-calorie diet, they found that people who consumed more protein had a 62% higher fat loss ratio, even though both groups consumed the same number of calories. Essentially, you can consume more calories and lose more fat. The secret to that? Leucine.

Leucine is an amino acid found in protein rich foods. It’s key to preventing the loss of calorie-burning muscle when you’re trying to lose fat and age-related muscle loss.

Why is Leucine so important? Basically, muscle loss contributes to a decreased metabolism. Looking “skinny fat” and rapid rebound weight gain when resuming a normal eating routine after a diet are all things you definitely don’t want.

So how do you consume more leucine? The most leucine rich foods are Lean red meat, chicken breast, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt. If you consume one of these things with each meal, your metabolism will be in great shape!

Research also shows that leucine, when paired with intensive training can be even more beneficial. In skeletal muscle, there’s a decrease in leucine during exhaustive aerobic exercises. While those are great for burning fat, incorporating muscle building weight training into your workouts is a great way to keep your leucine production up. Which, in turn, will keep your metabolism and help you burn fat and stay in shape.

Counting Calories Won’t Get Results

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If your goal is a flat stomach, you shouldn’t just be adding up the numbers on food labels. It may make you feel better by giving you some structure, but you won’t see those belly-shrinking results. The truth is, the number of calories in the food you eat is not as important as the type of food you’re eating. A 3 Musketeers bar has a little over 200 calories. That’s not an obscene number for a snack, but those 200 calories won’t be giving you much nutrition.

So, what should you be looking out for instead?

Don’t worry, you won’t have to give up counting. All you have to do is count something different. Namely, use the 1-100-½ method. What does this stand for? Basically, it all has comes down to how much you weigh. The 1 means you should consume one gram of protein for every one of your pounds. The 100 is the maximum amount of carbs you should eat in a day. Finally, the ½ indicates that you should only consume half a gram of fat for every pound of bodyweight you have.

What you’re doing with this method is counting out the nutrients in your food, rather than its overall calorie content. It is a much more accurate way to measure whether or not you should be putting a certain type of food in your body.

You may be wondering why this method is more effective for getting rid of belly fat than just counting calories. For one, it takes into account your body weight. Instead of ingesting a certain amount of calories as an estimate of what you should be eating, the 1-100-½ method caters specifically to you. Secondly, nutrition is key in changing your body. Protein helps boost your metabolism, so you need more of that than anything else. Carbohydrates are difficult to moderate if you’re not careful, and healthy fats are necessary to help your body heal. Overall, this plan looks out for everything you need.

Also, don’t be worried that you will be eating too many calories on this plan. You no longer need to calorie count, because the 1-100-½ method moderates your calorie intake automatically. So, you’re eating a moderate amount of calories and optimizing your intake to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to slim down.

I encourage you to give this method a shot. I guarantee you’ll be seeing a change in no time!

Here’s Why You Should Invest in a Heart Rate Monitor

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With colorful little step-tracker gadgets currently dominating the fitness industry, it may seem like heart rate monitors are another mere trend for those starting out in fitness. Sure, they are a good tool for those just picking up some form of exercise, especially running, but are they necessary?

The short answer is no. Obviously, you can still work out and even get fit without a heart rate monitor. However, you may not be getting the most out of each exercise session. This is where heart rate monitors can come in handy.

With a heart rate monitor, you will know your resting heart rate, and can easily discover your maximum heart rate by wearing a monitor while going all out during a workout. In between these two extremes are the numbers you want to focus on. Wearing a heart rate monitor during a less intense workout can help you determine your low intensity heart rate. Conversely, wearing a heart rate monitor during a high intensity workout will give you information on how high your heart rate should be during those more intense exercise days. Once collected, these numbers can be used to optimize your exercise schedule and each individual workout, no matter what fitness level you are at.

For example, let’s say you’re a runner. Heart rate recommendations for fitness runners can help beginners build endurance, and help more experienced runners not slack off during their run. If you’re more of a high intensity interval training type of athlete, you can make sure your heart rate goes to a recommended level during your reps, and does not drop below a recommended resting recovery level. You will find that you’re pushing yourself harder than you ever have before, because a heart rate monitor allows no excuses. Also, in the event that you’re worried about your heart rate going above a certain level, you can make sure it stays steady with a monitor.

Overall, heart rate monitors have the ability to make workouts more efficient and effective. For more information on how to decide on a heart rate monitor, and for heart rate fitness recommendations, check out this great article by REI.

Below, I’ve attached three suggestions of my favorite monitors. Go hard, athletes!

 

5 Foods To Eat After Your Workout

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What do you do after an intense sweat session? Post-workout, athletes tend to shower, change, then grab a bite to eat. This is a good thing, since it is beneficial to eat 30-60 minutes after a workout in order to efficiently recover. However, not every food optimizes recovery. Grabbing a candy bar after a lifting session, for example, will not do much to help your body.

So what should you be eating after a workout? The fact is, recovery all comes down to protein and carbohydrates. Both give your body helpful nutrients to absorb, and replace all that was broken down during exercise. Here are five examples of food you should be eating as post-workout snacks:

Pineapple

Pineapple

I know what you’re thinking. Pineapple? Really? The truth is, we do not normally think of fruit as being loaded with carbohydrates but they are carbohydrate-packed. They also have specific enzymes that help the body transfer nutrients from food to muscles. Pineapple in particular is a good post-workout snack because it has all the benefits of fruit with the addition of anti-inflammatory effects to help your muscles recover more quickly.

Eggs

eggs

This may go without saying, but eggs are packed with protein. Hard-boiled or in omelette or scrambled form, they are a perfect way to help your muscles recover. If you want to go the extra mile for your body, consider eating the eggs with vegetables. You will not only get a necessary protein kick, you’ll also introduce extra vitamins into your recovering body.

Greek Yogurt

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Greek yogurt is a perfect post-workout snack because it has both protein and carbohydrates. It is superior to regular yogurt in that it contains twice the protein that your muscles need. For some extra nutrients, and a taste kick, add some fruit to your yogurt for a double-whammy recovery snack.

Whole Grain Cereal

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Can you say carbohydrates? Whole grain cereal and milk after a workout will give you a little bit of protein and a lot of necessary carbohydrates. Try to eat a type of cereal without a lot of sugar, because the sugar will delay your progress. Your muscles will thank you.

Quinoa

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A more unconventional grain, quinoa contains a ton of vitamins and nutrients, and also a fair amount of protein. It will give you the carbohydrate and protein kick your body needs, and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Remember to add in some vegetables for extra vitamins!