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.

The Real Reason You Can’t Lose Weight

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Sodium. We all know about it and we’ve all heard we eat too much of it; but what, really, is sodium? And why does it matter if we eat too much of it? Well, for one, sodium, plain and simple, is necessary for the body to function to properly. It plays a vital role in water balance, nerve function, and a whole array of various physiological functions that are of the utmost significance to our health. That said, we really only need a small amount—500 mg, in fact. To put that into perspective, you can get your daily amount of sodium from a serving of chips, crackers, canned food items, pickles, cheeses, pretzels, or even salted nuts. Even condiments like ketchup and salad dressings are packed to the brim with sodium.

Considering we get our daily intake from something as simple as a bag of pretzels, it is easy to see how so many Americans are consuming far too much sodium (like 4 to 5k on a daily basis); and we only need 500mg! Even being conservative, that means the majority of American adults are processing 8 times more sodium than they should be. Even the American Medical Association is speaking up and is trying to persuade the FDA to revoke their categorization of salt as a supposedly ‘safe’ additive. You can see why.

What’s really intriguing about all of this is the fact that salt is actually an incredibly addictive substance. So it makes sense that big food manufacturers would pump the stuff into their products. They want you to keep coming back. They don’t care about your expanding waistline, only their expanding pocketbook. To show you what I mean, there has been clinical research conducted that illustrates the fact that salt actually shares many of the same attributes of addictive substances (i.e. morphine, cocaine, and heroin). When we ingest these addictive substances, our brains release hormones that we perceive as pleasurable sensations. Thus, we keep coming back for more.

Additionally, a Finnish study that was published in 2006 concluded that there is a clear-cut link correlation salt intake and obesity. From the 1980s to the mid-1990s, Americans’ salt intake increased tremendously by more than 50%. Here’s why this fact really is such terrible news: a diet that with too much sodium is the leading cause of high blood pressure, which in turn leads to heart disease and stroke (which, shocker, are two diseases that go hand-in-hand with obesity).

When a man or woman has a high blood pressure reading of 140/85, their blood begins coagulating into a sort of salty sludge. Then, in reaction, their body will start dumping extra water into their bloodstream which results in the expansion of blood vessels—indicating any number of potentially fatal problems. Well, now that I’ve established too much sodium is awful for you, here’s what you can do to mitigate the effects:

-Consumer fewer processed foods

-Choose fresh or frozen veggies, not canned

-Purchase fresh meats, not canned, cured or smoked

-Ask about unsalted meals at restaurants

-Opt for low sodium versions of soups and snacks

-Choose foods that don’t list salt or sodium in the first five ingredients

-Use a salt-free herbal blend instead of a traditional salt shaker

Good luck, Godspeed, and stay healthy! Cheers!

 

Phenomenal Follicles

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All too often we see our hair take a turn for the worse with seemingly no signs. We just wake up to unforeseen follicle dissatisfaction. Surprisingly enough however, the answer is often as simple as what you eat. It is for this reason that I’ve decided to list some of the most recommended cuisine when it comes to taking care of that fresh cut.

1. Salmon

Salmon is known to provide a pristine sheen to your head of hair. This delicious fish’s inclusion of large omega-3 fatty composition results in its well-known hair-shining properties. Your body, unable to produce these healthy fats, can fall victim to insufficiency when it is denied these ingredients. Thus, when you make it a point to indulge in this particular fish, both your health and your hair becomes stronger.

 2. Chickpeas

These delicious legumes are rich in protein, a necessary component for fortifying your scalp. Protein grows your follicles to glorious lengths while the chickpeas’ inherent keratins coat those same follicles to present a durable and resilient exterior. Face the elements without fear of breakage so long as Chickpeas are a staple in your diet.

3. Greek Yogurt

Packed in protein just like Chickpeas and Salmon, Greek Yogurt additionally boasts a unique ingredient that grows your hair at an optimum rate. Bear the hair you deserve while munching on spoonfuls of delectable Greek Yogurt. Who knew attaining the perfect head of hair could be so delicious?

4.Kale

Although not exactly known for its fantastic taste, Kale is known for its hair-growing properties. Specifically, the prevalence of Beta Carotene is converted into Vitamin A which is significant for a couple of reasons.

Primarily, Vitamin A serves to grow and replenish cells. This profound cellular generation naturally applies to your hair’s cells as well. Thus, Vitamin A grows hair. Plain and simple.

Additionally, Vitamin A is responsible for the production of Sebum. Sebum is the oily substance you often find in your hair after not washing thoroughly. Sebum is a good thing, believe it or not; and Vitamin A makes Sebum. So basically, Vitamin A grows your hair by way of cellular regeneration and then maintains those hairs by way of Sebum, a natural conditioner.

These are just a few foods that can keep your follicles looking their best. If you’re interested in learning more, you may want to check out this slideshow I came across doing research, here…

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.

The One Vegetable That Can Crush Your Cravings For Unhealthy Treats

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One of the most difficult things about committing to a weight loss or health improvement program is the way adjusting your caloric intake or diet can create cravings for the sorts of foods (or quantity of foods) on which your body is used to running. Ignoring your appetite can only work for so long before a craving is likely to take over and, before you know it, you are stuffing your face with the same sorts of sweets, fast foods, or fatty foods that created your health issue in the first place. Improving a lifestyle demands a substantial degree of self-discipline. However, there are fortunately some really excellent tools at your disposal to curb your appetite and reduce cravings. This includes one secret weapon that you need to be sure to include in your dietary arsenal – spinach!

Including spinach in your diet will be an enormous benefit to you as your work towards losing s much body fat as possible. This insight is actually backed by some hard science, evidenced by a study completed at Lund University in Sweden. In their study, researchers monitored 38 overweight women and instructed the to consume either a beverage that contained five grams of spinach extract – comprised almost entirely of  the cell membranes in the spinach stems – or a placebo. After three months of study, the team found that the group who had consumed the spinach extract lost 50% more weight.

They credited this dramatic difference in weight loss success to the spinach groups overall trend of maintaining a diminished caloric intake. The research team investigated and found that there is a compound in spinach stems called thylakoids, which reduces hunger. That holds especially true about cravings for fast food and sweet treats. Thylakoids slow the digestive process significantly, which allows your intestinal hormones more time to indicate to your mind that your hunger has been satisfied and you do not need to eat anymore. That, in turn, reduces how hungry you feel. The more satisfied you feel, the less you can eat. They are so effective they have been measured to reduce cravings for such dietary disasters by as much as 95%.
Easy ways to start regularly including spinach in your diet (especially the stems!) include throwing a few handfuls of the green stuff into the blender when you make your protein shakes. Although the color might change, the taste is likely to stay exactly the same. Similarly, be sure to add plenty of spinach into your rotation of fruits and veggies when juicing. Finally, spinach can be delicious all on its own! Try to eat spinach salads or sautéed spinach with your meals.

How 100-Calorie Snack Packs Smash 6-Pack Plans

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Perhaps one of the most destructive and misleading components of the food industry today is the intense way that snack foods have come to the forefront as an American passion, and yet so little is understood widely about both their benefits and drawbacks. There is about any snack food you can imagine at every grocery and corner store in the nation. Cookies, chips, popcorn, pretzels, and more are ubiquitous as part of the fabric that makes American cuisine. As our nation’s consumers have slowly but surely started to trend towards healthier lifestyles, many snack food brands have responded by putting out what they dub “100-calorie” snack packs. Created and sold to blatantly cater to people who count or are just particularly conscious about what they eat, this well-intentioned attempt to aid portion control works by just limiting the serving size for you.

Unfortunately, this often spells disaster for people actually purchasing the snack. There are a two main reasons this is most often the case. First and foremost, 100 calories is nowhere near enough to fill a person. It really is not enough to give your body any meaningful sense of satisfaction, which is necessary to curb appetite. Instead, although you may mentally know that you just put in a small amount of fuel in the form of a small amount of food, your body is still going to be demanding food after you have finished the snack pack. This dangerous scenario, in which you tease but do not fulfill your hunger with such a small serving, is escalated by the second reason snack packs are diet catastrophes waiting to happen.

100-calorie snack packs just portion of the food into uselessly small portions, but they do not improve the nutritional value of the food itself. As a result, the vast majority of these snack packs consist of food that has no nutritional value and does nothing for your body composition – other than spur increased cravings for overly processed foods. These packs leave you hungry, and they leave you hungry for the wrong kind of food.

Now, do not make the mistake of thinking this indicates there is anything wrong with snacking itself. As a component of healthy dieting, snacking is phenomenal. It just demands that you snack on the right foods. Most packaged “healthy” foods do not fit the bill. Choose snacking on protein-rich, healthy, whole foods to achieve the best results, for life.

 

How You Are Doing Your Weekly Weigh-In Wrong…and How To Fix It

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weight loss scaleTracking weight loss is a crucial part of ensuring that your hard work to improve your lifestyle is more than just an empty exercise in discipline, but actually yielding results. However, you may be surprised to learn that the information the scale volunteers is far from stagnant! A recent study by the Public Library of Science concluded that some days are statistically proven to be more reliable indicators of your progress than others. Sound crazy? Just read on to learn the very reasonable truth behind this shocking discovery.

However, there are certainly details to consider about weight data collection overall, first. One truth to always remember is that weight will always naturally fluctuate day-to-day. As a result, most experts will agree that weekly check-ins are more than just enough, they are actually preferable to checking your weight daily. Weighing yourself just once a week is much more illustrative of trends in the right (or wrong) direction. Doing so daily may just serve to discourage you, as you obsess over the natural ebb and flow of progress.

Checking your weight once a week, ideally first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything, will provide a much truer sense of your results and better consistency. The surprising additional finding in this study was that, when weighing yourself once every seven days, the day you pick actually matters.

The best day to weigh yourself is Wednesday.

The Public Library of Science discovered a few things. First ,when maintaining weight, Wednesday revealed the least weekly fluctuation, creating the most reliable readings. Wednesday also proved to be the day when study participants happened to weight the least week over week, which does make sense. People tend to indulge slightly more over the weekend, so weighing in right in the middle of the stretch between Sunday and Saturday give your the most time to get back into your body’s best form.

Weigh yourself and log your progress just once a week, on Wednesday morning, before doing anything else. This will paint the most accurate picture of your progress towards your best body ever.

The Secret Ingredient To Guaranteed Weight-Loss Success

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In Joel Osteen’s best-selling book Your Best Life Now he recounts the tale of a man on a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean. This individual was having a wonderful time with his fellow seafaring company but, every time meal time rolled around, he would excuse himself and go back to his room to eat cheese and crackers he brought with him rather than partake in the dining hall’s fancy culinary offerings. This behavior was consistent day after day, so finally another passenger worked up the nerve to ask about it towards the end of the trip. “Why don’t you join us in the dining hall tonight for dinner?” the passenger inquired.

The man responded, seemingly embarrassed, “Well, to tell you the truth, I only had enough money to purchase my ticket.  I don’t have any extra money to purchase fancy meals.”

At this, the other passenger startled and responded, ““Sir, don’t you realize the meals are already included in the price of the ticket?  Your meals have already been paid for!”

Upon hearing about this anecdote, it is easy to jump into a position of judgement and condescension. However, in life, many of us often display the exact same thinking patterns that caused this man to miss out on so many delightful meals and such a huge portion of what his trip experience should have been.

Your potential is limitless! That is true for every single person. Unfortunately, the perspective to realize and embrace this truth is not very common. We all make decisions every day – some of these prevent us from leveraging the excellence that is already within us. Just by virtue of being alive, we have already purchased so many metaphorical meals. But instead of walk confidently into the dining hall, we can sometimes fall into the bad habit of presuming the worst and missing out on opportunities in favor of settling for our own version of cheese and crackers. Choose to believe in yourself, instead.

The most important thing you can do, and the secret ingredient to succeeding when it comes to losing weight (or, truly, anything else) is the courage to commit to it. Do not get comfortable in complacency. Life is much too short to stagnate. Take action. Stop walking away from the amazing things your life could be and start making it happen. You can do or accomplish anything you put your mind to. Act like it!