A Tip is Just a Tip, but a Before and After is My Life45 lbs LOSTso farAugust 22, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 7 comments
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Katie, an ACE Certified Personal Trainer.
This was only 6 weeks, I wasn’t messing around.
They say that “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” This statement couldn’t be truer in this instance. It is safe to say that I have had some bad judgment. It was not on a grand level of bank robbery or grand theft auto, unless you count the video games. My mistakes were in diet and training. My mistakes were in the approach and understanding of my fat loss. I have since learned a thing or two and I wanted to share my mistakes and lessons learned with the world, in hopes to help others make their own mistakes, but end up victorious.
A few years ago I was average; average body, average hair, average defeats, and average achievements. I didn’t envision much for my future that was special or spectacular. I had hopes for certain dreams, but in the end I knew in my heart they were just that, hopes. This is usually where a person will dive into their “change moment” and to be truthful I didn’t have one of those. No, what I had was an “inspirational moment.”
I was friends with Leigh Peele. If not aware, Leigh Peele is an author and a trainer who specializes in fat loss and metabolism problems. I had seen the changes she had made in her life and I had seen the changes she had made in others lives, and I was jealous. I was jealous of their passion and their drive and I wanted a piece of that for myself. I wanted to be somebody like that to people, I wanted to do something with my life that was more than just “getting by” so I asked her for help and started getting educated about things. Okay and maybe I lost some fat along the way.
Beyond just fat loss, beyond desire of a better personal appearance, I became a personal trainer and started helping others. Helping others achieve their dreams is downright addictive because it helps you as well. I have my days where I struggle too and it is their stories that help me stay inspired to keep going. People always forget that the answer is in the story; you just have to know how to see it. It is not like I knew then when I started I was going to be another before and after, but now that I am I want to help you become one.
Tip #1: Write Your “Before”
A story is always better on paper. You need to write down everything that you have done, everything that has worked, hasn’t worked, and you hope know will work. Write down your dreams, your fears, your victories, and most importantly your plan.
Tip# 2: Log Your “During”
You can’t know how to fix something if you don’t know what you are doing could be wrong. This journey is a big deal so treat it as such by logging your calories, sleep, emotions, and training sessions. This will help you to see patterns where you could be having problems that are hindering your success, and when you are getting it right you can see yourself shine! It is best to always try to learn why.
Tip# 3: Prepare for After
Since you will be done with this journey and are going to be an “after” you are going to have to get ready for this. Buy goal outfits, set up trips and vacations to places you didn’t used to feel at ease going because of your body or health. Prepare for the life you always wanted because now it is your time to grab it!
For more information on Katie’s transformation and others you can go to http://www.FatLossTroubleShoot.com
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FITT: How To Lose Weight Action Plan45 lbs LOSTso farAugust 5, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 22 comments
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Tony Leong. Visit his weight loss site at TonyLeongWeightLoss.Com.
There has been a debate among many experts in the field of fitness regarding this one burning question that are in the minds of hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Many people are willing to pay top dollar in order to find an immediate solution to this one question. Yes, many are arguing the fastest method on how to lose weight and it seems that there are many answers out there and ironically, it makes people even more confused!
To me, the real secret is simple. I use the formula derived from research, test it for myself and see whether it works. If it does, that’s the blue print for success. The formula for how to lose weight is governed by FITT. FITT stands for frequency, intensity, time and type of training. Many people know about this and have heard of it but it is well worth repeating it because by following this formula, you can really lose body fat and keep it off for the long term.
Lets explore FITT in more detail.
The F stands for frequency. If you want to lose weight, you need to exercise at least 3 times a week and if you desire optimum fat loss, you need to train 5 times a week. Don’t fool yourself thinking that your body needs more rest or somebody told you it’s best to do it alternate days. This is recommended by the American College Of Sports Medicine. So if you really want to lose weight, if that is really what you desire, schedule your time and make sure you get your workout done. Period!
The I stands for intensity. If you want to use the fat in the fat cells as energy during your workout, you can’t achieve it by walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes and call it a day. You need to get the heart rate up so that the body will tap into the body fat stores and use the fats for energy. This is vital! I have seen too many people dragging themselves into the gym, hop onto the bike and peddle away while reading the morning paper! Surely they won’t get results even after a thousand years!
You need to get your heart rate up to 75% to 85 % of your maximum heart rate in order to achieve fat loss. If you’re under medical conditions or if by walking your heart rate is already up to 75%, then you need to stick to walking or your doctors recommendations.
The first T stands for time, which means the duration of your workout. I would suggest that you spend at least 30 to 45 minutes for cardiovascular training and 30 to 45 minutes on weight training. If you are doing just cardio, do 45 minutes. If you are planning to do cardio training after your weights, go for 30 minutes.
The final T stands for type of training. If you really want to lose that stubborn body fat, you need to combine weight training and cardio training. There is no way you can separate the two. You need weight training to increase your muscle mass and boost up your metabolism. An additional 1-pound of muscle can help you burn 50 calories more without you doing anything! Imagine if you put on 4 pounds of lean muscle? You can burn an extra 200 calories per day by not doing anything at all!
When you do your workout and your cardio you will be burning so many more calories from the additional muscle mass you have put on. You also need to do cardio if you really want to get lean. This is because cardio training can raise your heart rate up for a long period of time and this enables your body to burn body fat.
So, now you know exactly what to do if you want to shed the pounds. In summary, train 3 to 5 times a week, your cardio intensity should be around 75% to 85% of your max heart rate, each cardio session is 45 minutes and if your are doing weights and cardio, spend 45 minutes of weights and 30 minutes on cardio. Also, combine cardio and weight training for best fat loss results.
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Why Are We Fatter Than the Animals at the Zoo?45 lbs LOSTso farJuly 28, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 30 comments
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Yuri Elkaim, a nutrition, fitness, and fat loss expert.
Have you noticed that animals (in the wild) are not fat? Obesity is not something that occurs in nature.
So why is that we humans are battling the bulge?
Well, what if I told you that the simple act of cooking our foods is making us fat and unhealthy! That’s right…cooking. Have you ever seen an animal cooking their food? Of course not…because it doesn’t happen.
For whatever reason, we are the only species on planet earth that feels it necessary to cook our food.
The reason that cooking food makes us fat and unhealthy is that heating a food above 118 F destroys its precious enzymes.
How Will Food Enzymes Help Me Lose Weight?
It’s very simple. Enzymes are required for every single reaction in the body. For instance, the breakdown of fat requires enzymes such as lipase. If lipase (and other fat burning enzymes) is not present then you cannot readily use your fat reserves for energy. As a result, more fat is stored and you pack on the pounds.
Eating foods (especially fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) in their living or raw state ensures that all of their respective enzymes are in tact. The result – less energy needed to breakdown your meals, more enzymes to breakdown fat and rev up your metabolism, and greater energy and vitality.
Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more overweight and obese domesticated pets. What do you think the reason might be? If you said because we’re feeding them cooked, processed, and mechanized food, then you’re right!
I mean where on earth do you see an overweight dog or cat in the wild? You don’t – until humans domesticate it!
Here are two ways to get more enzymes into your diet for better fat loss results:
1. Eat more raw fruits and vegetables
2. If eating cooked foods, then use digestive enzymes before your meal to alleviate the stress on your digestive system and provide some much needed fat-burning catalysts.
At the end of the day, dieting will not help you lose weight unless you can provide your body with life-giving and fat-burning food enzymes. The key is to eat more of what nature intended for you to eat – natural whole foods! When you do so you’ll see the fat melt off your body!
Yuri Elkaim is a nutrition, fitness, and fat loss expert. He is also the author of the book, Eating for Energy, which has helped thousands of people in over 80 countries regain control of their health and weight.
Photo courtesy of Steffe.
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Cut the B.S. Diets: Part Deux45 lbs LOSTso farJuly 21, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 19 comments
What I would recommend for a meal schedule is something like this, for a ‘normal’ day - adjust the times as I go … since I’m just writing to the average person. This is more in tune with my personal goals at the moment but you can adjust to fit your life. Or not use it at all. It’s up to you.
6:15 – Morning cardio Meal ~200 cals– Protein shake, or something high in protein and low carb, either before or after your morning cardio. Depends on your stomach.
* 6:30 – Hop on treadmill for 30-45 mins, low speed, full incline *
8:00 – Breakfast, ~500 cals – heavy on carbs, with protein and fish oil or other supplement for fats.
10:15 – Mid-morning snack, ~300 cals – moderate carb, high protein, little fat
1:00 – Lunch, ~600 cals - moderate carb, high protein, little fat
4:15 – Pre-workout meal ~600 cals – mass/weight gain protein shake OR high carb snack with some fat and protein
* 5:15-5:30 WORKOUT *
7:00 – Post workout shake ~400 cals – My recommendation is a protein shake, with 2-3 scoops of dextrose (or gatorade powder) for quick absorption of calories.
8:00 – Post workout meal ~500 cals – Protein and healthy fats! Boiled chicken, vegetables, lightly oiled with virgin olive oil or something similar. Your body will convert excess carbs into fat, you don’t want very much after your post workout shake! Vegetables, maybe a small portion of rice for some carbs.
10:00 – Before bed – this is a good time for casein protein, low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, steak, something high in protein to help keep you anabolic instead of catabolic while you’re asleep.
That’s about ~2800 calories a day, adjust your meals accordingly (if you’re trying to gain weight, lose weight – of course, this is dependent upon your basal metabolism and not the recommended 2,000 calories a day!) Average person burns about 2500 calories, in my opinion, so this would work well for an above average person who does both cardio (going for a jog or treadmill), and does a weight training workout to maintain muscle, lose fat, and overall just get fit.
This is a very flexible plan and if you need more calories simply add more meals, I feel it’s better to consume food more often rather then bigger portions. +/- 100 calories over 8 meals makes for 800 extra calories a day, over a week that’s 4,000+ calories - and if your body doesn’t use them, what does that become? Fat! One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories - so think, for all the extra you eat gets added up over years, day in and day out. That could equal to 20-30 pounds a year (some days you’re active, some you’re not, Christmas you eat huge portions, but summer time you may never take the time to eat). Over 10-15 years, this number just keeps getting bigger and bigger until you’re very unhealthy, and unhappy with yourself. Make the change sooner, rather than later!
I talk about pretty bland meals, but you can spice things up accordingly … just think of what you’re trying to accomplish, staying high-energy (eating more carbs), staying lean (eating more protein), or pre/post workout if you don’t like shakes!
Remember, everyone has there own thing that works for them. The above may not work for you, but you won’t know that until you try.
What does your nutritional breakdown look like? Maybe you can share with us what you eat?
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Overeaters Anonymous (OA) Meetings - An Inside Look45 lbs LOSTso farJuly 19, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 15 comments
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jenny Clark. She primarily blogs about teaching and education related issues. She teaches 2nd grade in an urban Midwest school. You can see her blog at http://doinitjensway.blogspot.com.
First I’d like to say that I’m no expert on this. Please see the Overeaters Anonymous (OA) website www.OA.org for official information. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to share my story. I’ve struggled with my weight, and had body issues for as long as I can remember. I remember thinking that I was fat as early as 1st grade. I went on the grapefruit diet when I was in third grade. I’ve since tried: the egg-banana-hotdog diet, anything a magazine told me to do, bulimia, Atkins, South Beach, medical research programs, poopy pills (they blocked the fat, but gave you the poops), and almost any other diet program you can think of. Regardless, my weight just kept increasing. I’ve had a few short lived periods of success, but in general, I’ve always failed. It didn’t make sense. I’m an over-achiever. I’m successful, why is it I couldn’t manage this?
Several years ago, I heard about Overeaters Anonymous meetings. I attended a couple of meetings… cried, listened, read, and decided that it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t ready yet. Finally, this summer, I’d had enough. My doctor had started mentioning my weight at every visit. I was constantly worrying that I would have a heart attack, and felt terrible. I decided that things had to change. I decided to approach this from all my angles. I went to my doctor and got some blood work done. I started seeing a therapist, I’ve met a couple of times with a nutritionist, I started reading, exercising, and I began attending OA
meetings.
It started out rather uncomfortable. Overeaters Anonymous was definitely the hardest. It was hard just to get to the meeting. At the meeting it was hard to speak. It was hard to believe that I was in the right spot. I spent a lot of my time at those initial meetings judging the other people. I sort of knew I was in the right place, but I didn’t want to admit that I was the same as the people I was judging. Then, at about my 5th meeting, a person made a comment about stealing food from the families they were babysitting for. I flashed back to my babysitting years. I totally did that. I would eat little bits of lots of their food and try to put it back in just the same spot so it wouldn’t be noticed. Other people in the room also admitted to doing the same thing. It was then that it clicked. I was among people who, for whatever reason, shared my story. We don’t, and probably never have responded to food like most people. Many of them have overcome their weight problems by working the OA program (not just short term- these folks have been successful for years, and they keep coming back to sustain their success, and to help us newcomers).
After that I got “abstinent.” In Overeaters Anonymous (OA), abstinent, means that you pick a food/life plan, and stick to it. They don’t tell you what to pick, you know your trigger foods better than anyone else. Just like in AA, you keep track of your abstinence. I’ve now been abstinent for 26 days. I thought it would be terrible. I thought I’d constantly be feeling sorry for myself. Honestly, there have been hard parts, but overall, it’s been the most freeing thing of my life. I’m not constantly thinking about food. I’m finally free to be me. I’ve spent my whole life eating to deal with a painful experiences, now, I’m finally dealing with life without eating. I’m finally finding my spiritual path. I’m finally finding my voice, and letting it shine. After a year of abstinence, a person celebrates their “birthday,” now I understand why.
The things I hear in OA, the people I meet, the literature I’ve read, has all been amazing (once I got over the initial discomfort). I feel like a new person. I know that I’ll always have people right there to support me when things are tough. There are no fees, there’s nothing commercial, just people in all different stages of recovery to support each other.
*Image Courtesy OA.org
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Seeing is Believing with WeightView45 lbs LOSTso farJune 3, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 21 comments
WeightView is a digital and personalized motivational tool that uses the power of visualization to help to achieve weight loss success! The site basically works like this: You submit your before photo, they send you back an after photo. You then use that as your motivation. Sounds pretty simple to me.
My first impression of WeightView is that it is a genuinely useful program. Looking at their results page shows many individuals that have submitted their before photos for editing. In one video interview a lady mentions how it actually helped her stay motivated, leading to weight loss. WeightView clearly states that “Seeing is Believing.” This is something that I strongly believe in. It’s the reason I have my old in-shape photos on my fridge and why I have my in-shape before pictures on my about page. I’ve actually considered PhotoShop-ing some photos.
They are clearly proud of the number of people that use their service, which is an impressive 60,000 and growing! That’s a lot of photo editing. I took the time to submit an old picture of my heavier days and am pleased to say that it only took them about 12 hours to turn around a digitally altered after photo. Here it is:
It’s supposed to be me 50 lbs lighter. It’s not ideally how I would want to look, but it’s a damn good start. To be honest, it’s uncannily close to how my real after 50 lb loss picture looks. The See Results section shows all of the folks that have tried the free service. Some are more stunning then others. I would like to see a member page where a member can add their REAL after photo. That would be cool.
Speaking of which, the site needs a more social aspect to it. With all of the press they have been getting, it would be a much stickier site if they had some form of user interaction on the site. As it stands right now a user submits their photo then leaves the site only to return when they get an email saying their photo is ready. Then they leave forever after saving the photo to their computer or printing it. There is no real reason to stay, unless you are curious how the site is evolving or want to submit another before photo.
The viral nature of the site is slightly touched upon with the tell-a-friend feature, but they need way more user/community interaction. Possibly adding a forum or some other social network type of functionality would help take the site to the next level. This would also help cover some of the costs of the site and the free nature of it. I’m not saying to charge for the service, free is good. What I am saying is that with more traffic they can turn themselves into a weight loss social network of sorts and make money from their traffic. Aside from some banners, they are relying on the online shop where you can find diets and other weight loss solutions and aesthetic products. You can find them all at the WeightView Mall.
Ultimately a website like this can only do so much, it is up to YOU to take action to lose weight. WeightView is a great motivator and could be all you need to get started losing weight and getting in shape. It’s a useful website presenting an innovative idea: the power of self-motivation through your own modified images, picturing yourself with considerably less weight.
Fake it till you make it, right? What do you think of the site? Have you heard of it or uploaded your own before photo?
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Fasting Diet: No Food, All Water45 lbs LOSTso farApril 1, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 46 comments
I have decided to test my inner strength by undergoing a grueling fasting diet. I won’t be eating anything and will only be drinking water and possibly green tea. I will however take a multi vitamin each morning. This isn’t something I am used to so it should prove to be a challenge.
Why am I doing this? I want to test my will power and test my body. I read and hear of countless people fasting for days on end and they live to tell about it. I plan on doing it for a few days at most. I have read of 2 week fasts. But that’s not something I am interested in doing. I will continue to exercise and go throughout the day as I normally would. That won’t change. I hope.
Now usually I would not do something like this, but I think it’s a welcomed shock to my system. I will make an update the minute I start eating again, which I hope isn’t until Saturday at the earliest. Wow, just thinking about the possibility of fasting for so long amazes me.
I guess we will see if I can last being stranded on a deserted island.
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6 Steps for Losing Weight at a Convention45 lbs LOSTso farMarch 9, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 21 comments
I picked up some ideas on how to continue on my weight loss journey.
Lifting Weights After Surgery45 lbs LOSTso farJanuary 2, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 7 comments
I am so glad that I can workout again. I haven’t been able to lift any weights since my appendix surgery in December. I wanted to and felt I could, but my doctor told me to lay off until January. Well, it’s January dammit and I’m back with a vengeance! There is nothing like lifting weights. Pushing, pulling, and balancing heavy weight is such a rush for me. Not only that, but it also helps with my morale and weight loss goals. Now, I must admit that I haven’t taken any official fat loss measurements. I have not had a doctor or medical professional, or even a fitness professional measure my body fat or any sort of measurements. I have done all of that myself. I plan on having my doctor do that in the coming weeks and I also plan on checking for diabetes. That’s a bit scary. More on that some other time.
Anyway, back to lifting weights after surgery. I have been looking forward to this day for a few weeks. It sucked pretty bad to go down when I did because I was in a good rhythm with my current work out routine. That one is an intense, short, fat burning, multi-joint exercise routine. I happen to like it a lot. It gets me going pretty quickly. I plan on continuing that for the next 3 to 4 weeks with one change to it. I will be adding squats 3 times a week to it.
Why more squatting? For starters, Mehdi from Strong Lifts just randomly contacted me introducing himself and recommending that I make that light tweak to my workout. I had never been to his site, but it is a good one. He has tons of fat loss and muscle building info, plus his ebook is off the hizzy! It has a great workout that he has put together, which I plan on undertaking after my current workout. Another reason I want to squat more is because I how great I feel when I squat. Squatting makes me stronger. Period. I used to squat 3 times a week when I played high school football. That was all year round. I didn’t always like it, but when I was done I felt great.
One of the good things about having had my appendix removal surgery is that it heals relatively quickly. That allows for lifting weights after surgery a lot sooner than a typical surgery. That may not seem like a benefit, but I suppose I am looking at the glass half full on this one. I will post an update on the success, or failure, of my new workouts.
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5 Ways To Keep Your Resolution45 lbs LOSTso farJanuary 1, 2008 by IronGuru | 13 comments
Everyone knows what the New Year means, and to be brutally blunt … it means failed dreams. Everyone hopes to change something about themselves, or make their lives a little better in some way, shape, or form with their resolution. Myself, personally, this year I just hope to do better than I did last. That’s all I ever make for a resolution, because I know I can stick to it.
Many people set unrealistic, and unachievable goals. Corporations, small-town gyms, health food stores, supplement stores, and most everyone else loves New Years for the reason that thousands of people are going to be buying new products, gym memberships, more “whole” or “organic” foods, and all this spins into people buying exercise equipment, clothing, shoes - everything that goes along with their resolutions.
Now, what happens to each and every one of these cardio-bunnies and wanna-be gym rats that show up for the first few weeks of the New Year? Well, besides the fact they take up space in the gym? … after the 15th or 20th of January rolls around, you never see these people again
And why is that?
They wanted to get “fit” or “sexy” in the New Year! I am going to share some ideas that everyone can follow to make sure that in 2008, they exceed their goals and prepare themselves for a even better 2009!
- Set an attainable goal!
I hate to be rude, and blunt, but if someone 150lbs overweight they probably won’t have a bikini-body for June. Instead, why not look better in current swimwear/clothing? Shedding 20, 30, or even 50lbs between now and then will make a HUGE difference to outward appearance. - Stay simple, get back to the basics.
As I repeatedly say in my articles, the simplest answer is usually the right one. Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be, if all a person does this year is cut their calorie intake by 1/3rd, do some easy cardio (walk an hour a day), and get the right amount of sleep - change will happen. These are easy goals, that hour walk might be 30 minute walk to work and back home? The hardest part is usually putting down the Cola and getting off the couch. - Find a partner!
No, this isn’t saying sign up at a new dating site … finding a workout partner is a great way to motivate yourself, because when my workout partner is too lazy to get up it does not only affect them, but my own workouts as well. I need a strong, dependable, and most of all - a workout partner I can trust. I put my life into their hands, imagine getting stuck under a 315lb bench press or quadruple digits on a leg press machine, very unsafe if I can’t squeeze out that last rep and get caught at the bottom, or half way. - Track progress
Many, many, many websites out there offer some form of logging or tracking of workouts. There are a few reasons I do this - for one, it keeps me honest. It’s also very inspiring, when you have a group of people following your workouts and they leave comments or suggestions. My personal motto is to better myself everytime I step into the gym, if I did not do more reps or more weight than the last time I did that exercise … I failed myself. The only way I know this is if I keep a log, I use the bodybuilding forums at IronMass, which is a very supportive community for beginners, with veteran fitness enthusiasts and beginners all helping each other. - Use a mirror, not a scale!
When someone says they lost some fat, or weight, people immediately ask “How much?” - well, that’s not always correct. What if you lost 15lbs of fat, but gained 5lbs of muscle? You really only lost 10lbs, but the muscle you put on will help incinerate even more fat. I generally step on the scale twice a month, the 1st and 15th. I keep track of this, and always weigh in at the same time of day (ie: right after I wake up, use the bathroom, and hop onto the scale before I get into the shower — naked, no extra weight just me). This gets rid of any fluids, or solids, you may have in your body that can affect the weight +/- a pound or two. That’s enough to not see a change between weeks, and make some people want to quit. That’s not the case, weight fluctuates depending on dozens of factors and may go up and down from Breakfast to Noon. Watch the trend — if I’m losing weight for 6 straight weigh-ins I figure I’m doing something right, but if I jump up a pound on my next weigh in - I won’t freak out, and wait 2 weeks and see where I am the next time. If I’m up more than a pound or two, then it’s probably time to change things up.
So with that all said; apply these very, very basic principles to your 2008 Resolutions (and comment with what yours is!) and I’ll see you at the beach!
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New Year’s Resolution: Kick Start Fat and Weight Loss45 lbs LOSTso farDecember 30, 2007 by Dennis Rosato | 24 comments
Let’s face it, you’re lazy. I’m lazy. We are all lazy. That is the first step in ultimate healing and change: acknowledgment. Now let us start the cycle of change with a little help from some weight loss catalysts. Here are some awesome fire starters that will ignite your internal body furnace and get the fat loss abilities that are innate to your body activated. No wimps allowed with these fat loss tips, so toughen up!
Fat Loss Tip # 1
The Morning After Pill: Your A.M. PRE-BRUSH Routine
Before you brush your teeth or hair, make sure to turn on your body’s engine. Don’t sneak in breakfast before this routine either, an empty stomach is better. As soon you roll out of bed stand up, spread your legs a little wider than shoulder length apart and reach up for the sky. Get a good stretch in this manner and re-align your bones and awaken your muscles. After that do this speedy day starter routine:
- Perform 25 shoulder width push ups
- Perform 25 close grip push ups
- Perform 20 Crunches
- Perform 20 weight-less Squats, use a broom stick if you like
- Perform 20 more Crunches
- Perform 20 Jumping Jacks
- Perform 15 Push ups, your choice of type
- Perform 20 more Crunches
- Perform 20 more Jumping Jacks
- Perform 20 more Squats
- Perform a Shower Marine!
NOTE: Perform all these exercises consecutive with as little rest as possible, 30 seconds at maximum. The point of the Morning After is kick start your day with a major sweat. You are starting your body’s fire on an empty stomach.
Fat Loss Tip # 2
Consume Fire Starter Foods
Proper ignition is key in any fire. Same holds true with getting your metabolism rolling towards optimal weight loss. So with that being said, implement these seldom considered diet and health aides.
- Cayenne – Simply put, Cayenne is pure gun powder. It pops viruses out your system and fortifies your little immune system soldiers. On top of that overall health benefit Cayenne is a metabolic dynamo, it’ll make you sweat and remember sweat is GOOD!Try to consume two teaspoons daily. Whether you mix it your vegetables or dump it on top of a chicken breast, no matter, just bury it down the hatchet.
- Ginger – Hard training can put a strain on your immune system. It is not uncommon for individuals pushing themselves hard during weight loss training to come down with nasty viral infections. The reason is simple: you are taken your body where it hasn’t been before and this shock to the system can leave your immune system reeling and open for invasion. This is where Ginger can aid. Ginger is a stomach healer. Ginger will calm down even the most upset stomachs. Besides its tummy benefits it soothes the throat. And if that weren’t enough, yes Ginger does get your metabolism activated. Burning calories and keeping them burning are what Ginger can do. Buy at least 2 pounds of Ginger. Take those two pounds and boil it in half a gallon of water (get the big pot from grandma) for 6 minutes on high. Let it sit for 9 minutes and pour into a big pitcher. Drink at least 3 cups a day. Chill it and bring it to work. As an added bonus Ginger kills yucky mouth germs!
- Lemon – Add it to water and let it cut the grease in your body. Lemons are a known catalyst in fat melting. Consume at least half a lemon a day and you could burn off a pound a week! Squeeze a lemon on your salad or over your chicken breast. I tend not to over recommend lemon because of the latest trend of individuals developing “Acid reflux” and other esophageal issues. I personally believe these people are predisposed because of years of damage with the consumption of fake, preservative filled juices. But nevertheless don’t let me get side tracked…this is a no wimps edition! Eat lemons and burn fat every second. The vitamin C laden lemon will also provide muscle and immune system support. So get sour and fit.
Fat Loss Tip # 3
Take on a Full Contact Approach
Fighting burns calories and that cannot be denied. An intense bout that utilizes all the limbs lasting 45 minutes can burn 1600 calories! But before you jump in the ring and get yourself knocked out perhaps consider investing in a pair of 16 ounce boxing gloves and a heavy bag. You can pound away your aggression, just imagine it’s your boss’s face (or your mother in law, ladies). Start out with a quick 3 minute shadow boxing warm up. Next, start pounding the heavy bag. Go at it for an intense 10 minutes and even get your elbow and knees involved for some vicious strikes. Eventually after four weeks work your way up to 20 minutes of pounding, just be careful not to slip on all the sweat that will be pouring out of you.
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