Tag Archives: fat loss tips

Top reasons why your workout is NOT working

Posted in Fitness Tips by

bea_blHello everybody!

We all went through these little mistakes in our fitness journey, wanting to see results after the first day in the gym or having to big expectations. No matter how much we hope, workout results will never appear overnight. But there are a few things in your routine that you can change to speed up the time it takes to reach your goals. Read these tips below to find out why your work out is not working.

  1. You are not paying attention on your nutrition

Exercise is necessary, but if you’re not eating a healthy and nutritious diet, you could be setting yourself back. Even if you’re doing all the right exercise routines, nothing can out train a poor diet. Remember weight/fat-loss is 80% diet, and 20% exercise. So the next time you walk out of the gym, think twice of what you going to eat after!

  1. Miscounting Calories

We all love to watch the number under “Calories Burned” increase on the exercise machine at the gym, but you can’t rely on that number too much. Fitness machines are only estimating how many calories you have burned. This is because people burn calories and fat at different rates. When we see on the machines that we burned lots of calories, somehow we allow to ourselves to eat more, or eat not so healthy food, because already “burned” those calories.  So pay attention and don’t let your mind trick you!

  1. Not drinking enough water!

One of the most essential things you can do during your workout is hydrate! When you work out, your body is depleting nutrients while you sweat, so it is extremely important to replenish those nutrients by hydrating. Even though sports drinks may taste better, they are also filled with sugars. Water is always the best way to go!

  1. Doing The Same Fitness Routine

Try to change your workout routines! Not only does it give certain areas of your body a rest, but it also makes your work outs more fun and exciting. Try exercising with a partner or friend, so have someone to push you through your workout. Fitness classes are always a nice challenge. Try out something new like dance classes, jump classes or yoga, when you get tired from the weights room!

  1. Focusing On One Area

We all know about those girls who are doing just cardio, running/ walking on the treadmill, or guys with big upper body and slim legs, this is because they focus only on the same body parts. For best results, focus on exercises that target multiple parts of your body at once, like lunges or squats! If you are going to focus on one area per day, make sure you switch it up next time.

  1. You are doing too much cardio

Cardio is great for getting the blood flowing and burning calories, but TOO MUCH cardio won’t help you gain any definition. A good workout routine consists of a combination between strength, resistance, cardio, and flexibility training. Incorporating workout routines that involve weights, and using your own body weight, can help tone muscles and give definition. This is how you achieve a lean and sculpted body.

  1. Not Getting Enough Sleep

One of the most important things to remember is your body needs rest. Even if you can’t sleep 8 hours per night, try to get as much as possible. Resting is especially important after a hard workout, to ensure your muscles have enough time to repair, and for your body to replenish energy. Recovery also speeds up your metabolism, and is absolutely essential for great results!

Hope you will pay more attention next time you work out.

Have a great weekend! :*

How to Choose the Best Personal Trainer for You

Posted in Fitness Tips by

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Hello everybody!

I am back with you again after a long brake. I wrote an article about some little guiding points which can help you to choose the best personal trainer for you.

If you want to lose weight, get healthy and/or build muscle, hiring a personal trainer can be a step in the right direction. A good trainer can help you set up a program that meets your goals and teach you the best way to exercise. 

Personal trainers are not just for Hollywood stars and the “rich and famous” anymore! Your personal trainer will motivate you, keep you on track and make sure your workouts are safe, enjoyable and effective.
Finding and choosing a trainer can be a little confusing or difficult for some people so here are some guiding points that you should consider when choosing your trainer!
1. May sound a little superficial but your personal trainers physical appearence is one of the moust important things about his knowledge, motivation and hard work. If he or she is not able to do it for him/herself why whould he do it for you?
2. Education! A personal trainer should be certified through a reputable personal training organization. The more education your trainer has, the better your workouts will be.
3. Experience. Make sure your trainer has experience, especially in relation to your goals. For example, if you’re a bodybuilder, you want someone knowledgeable in that exact area.
4. Nutrition. Your trainer must have a knowlegde about nutrition. We all know exercise without a healthy diet will not do the work. They are strongly linked together.
5. A good listener. A good trainer will listen closely to what you say and make sure he understands your goals.
6. Tracking progress: A good trainer will regularly assess your progress and change things if necessary.training styles
7. A good trainer should respect his/her job, should be informed about the new fitness trends, training styles machines etc.
8. Needs to be a good motivator! Most of the clients needs that little push from the trainer, when they feel a little lazy or without motivation.

So these are my thouths on this subject, I hope you enjoyed it (I know I made a few personal trainers very “happy” with this article)

See you very soon! :*

Top 10 tips for loosing fat

Posted in Fitness Tips, Lifestyle Tips, Nutrition Tips by

fatloss720pxHello everybody! 

One of the most common questions I get from my clients, is how to lose overall body fat, especially belly fat.So here are my best tips for YOU!

  1. Switch to single ingredient foods

This tip will help you improve the quality of your diet. Why? Because eating what nature gave us (vegetables, legumes, meat, nuts and fruits) you will cut out all the processed, unhealthy foods that can quickly put a stop to weight loss! Single ingredient foods in their most natural state will contain the most nutrition to help keep your body healthy throughout the weight-loss process.

  1. Increase your protein intake

A higher protein intake is the next step to seeing results in loosing fat. For every one of your daily meals make sure you include foods that contain high quality proteins (poultry, eggs, protein powders, red meat, fish). Protein-rich foods not only will calm your hunger, but they also have a higher thermogenic effect as well. So, for every 100 calories you eat, your body will burn about 20-30 % of those calories off simply breaking down the food. This means you net fewer calories overall. Protein also helps reduce the chance of muscle mass loss, which is so important in maintaining a fast metabolism long-term.

  1. Eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index!

Glycemic Index (GI) is the rate at which a carbohydrate contained in a food is converted into glucose (simple sugar) and enters into the bloodstream.

So, the higher the GI of a carbohydrate the faster it enters the bloodstream, the lower its GI the slower it enters the bloodstream. So, the lower the glycemic index of a food, the lower the insulin secretion and the less likely the tendency of a carbohydrate to be converted into fats. High glycemic index foods (e.g.: white bread, white pasta, white rice, puffed rice cakes, corn, carrots, etc.) are responsible for a shorter satiety feeling and excessive food intake on the following meal. Consume instead low GI foods like: barley, quinoa, rolled oats, lentils, beans, chickpeas, berries, apples.

  1. Perform HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training

When most people think of cardio, they think of long, boring jogs, or endless hours on the treadmill or elliptical. I’ve got good news for you: there’s a method of cardio that takes much less time and is far superior to jogging to help you burn fat. It’s called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This involves alternating between very intense bouts of exercise and low intensity exercise. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds is high intensity interval training. HIIT can be used both anaerobically (in the gym with weights) and aerobically with cardio. At higher intensities, you are burning far more fat, there’s also an after burn effect known as EPOC (excess-post exercise oxygen consumption). You increase your metabolism and burn more calories for up to 24 hours after interval training, whereas going for a jog burns almost NO calories after.

  1. Drink one glass of water before each meal

A great technique to try if you struggle to cut back on your food intake is to simply drink one glass of water before each meal.

This serves multiple purposes:

Staying well-hydrated makes sure your metabolism runs at top speeds.

The water will fill you up, therefore prompting you to take in fewer calories during the meal.

It’s refreshing and can help combat food cravings, making it easier to choose healthier foods for your meal.

Add a slice of lemon to your water glass and you’ll often find that the taste you had for whichever food you desired has passed.

  1. Go grilled, steamed, or baked.

Do you eat a lot of fried foods?  If so, start grilling, baking or steaming your food instead.  It may take a little getting used to, but eventually you’ll come to enjoy how much lighter and tastier the food is when it’s not loaded with fat.

  1. Clean your house of junk food, sweets, cadies, chocolate bars

If food you shouldn’t be eating exists in your fridge, cupboards, or freezers, you will give in at some point or another. You may think you have willpower of steel, but believe me we all have those crashes, and we are very tempted to give in. So if those foods are not in your house, you have more chances not too eat them at all!

  1. Supplement your diet with calcium

Scientific research found that calcium intake increases fat loss! In detail, researchers found that supplemental calcium (800mg/day) or high dietary intake of calcium (1200mg/day) promoted a greater fat loss (38-64%) compared to subjects on a low calcium diet (500mg/day).

  1. Eat Fat

Yes, you heard me! It takes fat to burn fat. Like I said in previous articles, it’s sugar that gets you fat, not fat. Good fats include foods rich in Omega 3′s, like salmon, avocados & nuts. These foods are full of nutrients that help keep you satiated throughout the day.

      10. Sleep

If you want to work late at night, think again. When your biorhythms are off, you end up eating more. When you’re tired you produce more ghrelin, which triggers cravings for sugar and other fat-building foods. Losing sleep can also alter your hormone production, affecting your cortisol levels that cause insulin sensitivity, prime reasons for belly fat! Getting about 7 hours of sleep a night is one of the best things you can do for your body shaping goals.

So here they are, my best tips for loosing fat! Hope you enjoyed! See you soon! :*

 

Why is sugar so bad for us?

Posted in Nutrition Tips by

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 Hello my dear readers!

Today I’m writing about a very commune topic, as you saw in the title, about SUGAR.

Everybody knows sugar is bad for us, but if you ask them why is so bad for our health people have just one answer: it makes us fat. Well it’s a little more than that…. So just pay a little attention and read 🙂

 First of all what is sugar?

When we talk about sugar we are mainly referring to refined sugars. The well known, granulated white sugar comes mainly from sugar cane or sugar beet plant.

In its raw state, cane sugar is a dark coloured, thick syrup known as black molasses. It is this syrup which is refined to produce the clean looking granulated form we all know. So from plant to granular form involves several chemical processes. Going through this chemical process the final product, the table sugar, has NO NUTRIENTS, NO PROTEIN, NO HEALTHY FATS, NO ENZYMES, NO VITAMINS, NO MINERALS. Contains just some empty and quickly digested calories, which actually pull minerals from the body during digestion.

Here is a short list of why sugar is bad for you:

Sugar is Highly Addictive

Like abusive drugs, sugar causes a release of dopamine in the reward centre of the brain. The problem with sugar and many junk foods is that they can cause massive dopamine release… much more than we were ever exposed to from foods found in nature. The “everything in moderation” message may be a bad idea for people who are addicted to junk food, because the only thing that works for true addiction is abstinence.

Not the fat, BUT the SUGAR is that raises your cholesterol and gives you heart disease

For many decades, people have blamed saturated fat for heart disease, which is the #1 killer in the world. However new studies are showing that saturated fat is harmless.  Studies show that large amounts of fructose can raise triglyceride and raise blood glucose and insulin levels and also increase abdominal obesity.

 Sugar suppresses the immune system

When you eat a big dose of sugar, like a bottle of Coke or a candy bar, you temporarily tamp down your immune system’s ability to respond to challenges. The effect lasts for several hours, so if you eat sweets several times a day, your immune system may be perpetually operating at a distinct disadvantage

 Sugar raises insulin levels

An influx of sugar into your body will have a fairly predictable result: Your blood sugar levels will rise up.  Shortly after, your pancreas will release a bunch of insulin to help clear sugar from your blood into your cells. As blood sugar levels go down, insulin levels return to normal. But when you eat a lot of sugar, you’re constantly calling for insulin. Over time, it takes more and more insulin to get the job done. Eventually, your pancreas may just stop responding to the call. So you become an insulin-dependent diabetic. And along the way, exposing your cells and organs to chronically high insulin levels accelerates the ageing process

 Sugar promotes inflammation

Eating sugar foods can fuel excessive, inappropriate inflammation that serves no useful purpose and actually promotes ageing and disease. Cutting back on sugary foods will help you avoid excess inflammation

Stresses the Liver

When we eat fructose, it goes to the liver. If liver glycogen is low, such as after a run, the fructose will be used to replenish it. However, most people aren’t consuming fructose after a long workout and their livers are already full of glycogen. When this happens, the liver turns the fructose into fat. Some of the fat gets shipped out, but part of it remains in the liver. The fat can build up over time and ultimately lead to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Sugar contains no essential nutrients and is bad for your teeth

You’ve probably heard this a million times before, but it’s worth repeating.

Added sugars (like sucrose and high fructose corn syrup) contain lots of calories with NO essential nutrients.

For this reason, they are called “empty” calories.

When people eat up to 10-20% of calories as sugar, this can become a major problem and contribute to nutrient deficiencies.

Sugar is also very bad for the teeth, because it provides easily digestible energy for the bad bacteria in the mouth.

The list could go on and on…..

So, what the scientist recommend?

We all know it’s hard to totally cut out sugar. What they are recommending is to be aware of the amount of sugar you are putting into our body.

Eat real or whole foods, like vegetables, meat, seafood, fruit and nuts. This ensures there are no hidden sugars.

Minimize your intake of processed or fast foods.

If you have to buy processed foods, read the food label!!

Don’t forget!!!!! SUGAR is everywhere

  • Bread
  • Pastry
  • Fruit juices
  • Milk shakes
  • Yoghurt
  • Mayonnaise
  • Peanut butter
  • Ketchup
  • Cereals
  • Salad dressings and so on!

But it is not enough that there is sugar in everything, we also like to add sugar to our tea, coffee, top our fruit in sugar and cream, soups, pancakes etc.

Try to eliminate processed sugar from your diet, if not, than try to replace them with natural sweeteners, like natural raw honey, natural stevia, raw, black molasses or natural maple syrup.

Remember!!

When you consume sugar, your body has two options on how to deal with it:

  • Burn it for energy
  • Convert to fat and store it in your fat cells

Depending on your genetic predisposition, your body might be better equipped to process sugar as energy, or you might be more likely to store it as fat.

Hope I gave you some new information on this addictive sweet “substance” called SUGAR 🙂

Have a great night  :*

 

How to get back in shape after the winter holidays

Posted in Fitness Tips, Lifestyle Tips, Nutrition Tips, Workout video by

Hello my dear readers!

I want to wish you again a very Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true, I really can’t wish you more than this! 🙂

I hope everybody is ok, in a good health full of positivity and energy!

Christmas and New Years are by far the best holidays of the year! You eat and drink lots, you get gifts, and you have tons of fun. For most, the last thing on our minds is putting on weight. Once all the festivities are over however, getting back physically to where you were before the holiday period can be a difficult task.

So, please!!!! Don’t feel guilty about the over indulging- you have to let your self go some time. If you’ve put a little weight on, don’t worry! Be positive and go hard!

I was on vacation for 2 weeks, so for me today is the first work day of the year! I really love the holidays, staying all days with friends, sleeping till noon, travelling, but somehow I’m glad to be back on track!

Today I am going to write about a very common subject that you guys and my clients and friends ask me all the time. How to get back in shape after the Christmas holiday?

Here are some tips that will help you get that little excess fat off you in no time. 🙂

Drink lots of water!

Drinking large quantities of alcohol is bad for your health. Alcohol contains many calories and also causes dehydration. To make up for your holiday alcohol consumption, drink plenty of water. Your skin, kidneys and many others organs will benefit. What’s more, drinking water makes you feel fuller:  if you drink more, you will eat less!

Drinking more water flushes out excess sodium to help you quickly de-bloat, and it get things moving in your digestive system. Aim for 2 to 2.5 litres a day (about 8 to 10 cups).

Start Eating on Schedule

Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up and eat again every 3 to 5 hours. Starting your day with a healthy meal and enjoying evenly spaced meals will maximize your metabolism; regulate your blood sugar and insulin levels. Please DON’T starve yourself because it won’t get you anywhere! Eating too little forces your body to switch into conservation mode and burn fewer calories. Under eating can cause your body to break down muscle mass for fuel, which also causes a metabolic slow down. Eating enough and at regular times is key.

Cut back on carbs, but DON’T cut them out completely!

Eliminating carbs completely can force your body to burn protein for fuel instead of using it to support and maintain your calorie-burning muscle. So instead of cutting carbs out, just cut back.

So replace the refined carbs with veggies and complex carbs! Refined carbs like white rice, white bread, sugar, pasta) will get stored in your body as fat if you do not use them as energy right away! For example instead of eating beef with white rice you should choose broccoli instead of rice.

Get plenty of sleep, relax, and don’t forget to exercise

It’s time to get back on track. Treat yourself to a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel rested and have more energy to take on the new challenges of the New Year. Avoid unnecessary stress and find ways to relax (yoga, meditation or just going out to the movies!). Gradually start to exercise again. Physical activity will bring balance and energy back into your life.

Do some cardio!

Running, bicycling, walking, swimming…anything that gets your heart rate up for an extended period of time is what will really start melting away at those extra pounds. Circuit training and high intensity training is also great because it can involve lighter weights but keeps you constantly moving.

Be consistent!

If physical fitness is a lifestyle it has to be just as important as brushing your teeth every morning.  You will have days where you are tired, worked late at the office but these are not reasons to stop with your program.  It’s all about mindset; do not give yourself a way out.

Never Quit!

It’s just that simple.  Never, ever, under any circumstance quit.  It’s not an option!!!  Success is your only possible outcome.

 So these are my 7 simple tips to get back in shape! Hope you enjoyed it, now let’s get started!!!

 Have a great day everybody! :*

Total body fat burn workout

Posted in Workout video by

Hey boys and girls!

As I promised some weeks ago, I have a workout video for you, so here is the proof :))

This is a total body fat burn workout  it is an intense, calorie-blasting workout that uses a unique blend of aerobic exercise, weight-training moves, and plyometric movements to kick start the metabolism, sculpt lean muscle, and ignite your weight loss.

Prepare to sweat as you work all of the major muscle groups of your body while elevating your heart rate with this highly effective exercise. You’ll challenge your core, activate your abs, and tone the arms, legs, butt, and chest for the ultimate total body-sculpting experience that will get you results fast.

To complete this workout you will need a pair of 3-5 kg weights or as in my case a bottle of water 🙂

Modify this circuit to fit your skill level by adjusting weight, reps, and rest periods.

Do it guys, I am not telling you it’s going to be easy, but I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it!

Have a nice day and a wonderful weekend! :*

 

Why are people not loosing weight?

Posted in Fitness Tips, Lifestyle Tips, Nutrition Tips by

beaaaa (1)Some of you guys are always  asking yourself why are you not loosing any weight, although you are going to the gym on a regular basis, you are eating write…. what is going on?!

So I’m telling you what might be the problem here…

Some of my friends are telling me they are eating right and healthy, but when I see what  are they eating…. I’m like OMG what are you doing. Since when frappuccino, ice cream, pasta and soda are eating right?

So the first problem could be…that you don’t have the knowledge about what eating right actually means. Although I think most of you guys who are fallowing me I believe you have the knowledge, but if you feel the need to know more about these things, nutrition, fitness, exercise weight loss there is a huge amount of information on the internet, that really everybody can learn. There are lots of healthy recipes, diet plans, and nutritional information for free, anything you want to know just Google it guys.

The other problem that you are not loosing any weight could be the consistency. You may have the knowledge, but you are not consistent with your diet with your exercises.

On the other hand, maybe you are consistent with your workouts, you go every day to the gym, but you are doing the same exercises, using the same machines and not pushing yourself to your limits. You have to get out of your comfort zone and push yourself every single time, if you want to see amazing results. Everything is up to you!

It is so important for you to want to change your body, your lifestyle; you have to believe in it. If you don’t want it enough you won’t make it. There is a good quote on this topic “If you want something you’ve never had, than do something you’ve never done.”

Don’t compare yourself to others! Sometimes I see some fitness trainers, who are totally out of shape…so you may ask how this trainer can help me. Why can he help himself?  So it is important to inspire people, and inspire yourself in the first place. You are your own competition, never try  to be like someone else, just look in the mirror, and try to be better than you were yesterday. Maybe these things sound like cliché but I hope you all understand the essence of these things I’m talking about  🙂

So guys, please be consistent with everything you do. Your workouts, your diet/ eating habits, always be informed, always try to learn new things. And really if you have any questions please feel free to ask me and I try my best to answer you all.

Have an amazing day!