Today's society is about speed. We no longer have to wait for the oven to warm our food because we have microwaves ready to do the work in less time. Breaking news events don't travel by telegraph across the great oceans; they are transmitted instantly with live video over the Internet or bounced from the array of satellites that float in constant, geosynchronous orbit. It comes as no surprise that supplement sales are on the rise as we continue to seek out quick, convenient ways to lose fat ? fast!
Losing fat is not difficult. I have been coaching clients to break through plateaus and send their fat cells running for cover for years now. So why does this continue to be an elusive goal for so many people, who "struggle" just to lose a few inches?
We can address this by creating a practical guide to lose fat. Is this a special diet that will have the pounds melting off? No. Is it a secret workout program that causes you to burn fat while you sleep? Nope, not that, either ? your body already does it. So what on earth can we share?
There is a secret, over 2,000 years old, that was leaked to the general public by the father of medicine, Hippocrates. Somewhere along the way, it was lost again. Let's bring it back to light. It goes like this:
"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health."
Sound almost too good to be true, doesn't it?
The problem is that in our efforts to find something ? fast ? we tend to resort to equations and formulas that should magically spit out the right number of calories, or eliminate entire food groups like sugars or carbohydrates in our quest to make our fat cells cry (what some people call "sweat.") The triathlete will benefit by reducing fat and increasing muscle. It's not so much your weight that may slow you down, it's the percentage of that weight that comes from fat! So how do you target the love handles and saddle bags without losing your guns or wheels, as biceps and thigh muscles are affectionately termed in the bodybuilding world?
1. Move more, eat more.
Whoa ? wait a second! We all understand the idea behind moving more. That means burning more calories. But eat more? You thought it was eat less, didn't you?
The truth is that you must eat more ? more intelligently. You must eat more nutrient-dense foods. In turn, you will consume fewer calories. Less calories does not mean less nutrition, when done correctly.
Even engineered foods (shakes, bars, and sports drinks) contain little nutritional value for the calories that go with them. There is nothing that beats nature's own packaging ? fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and so on. If you want to remain satisfied and full, try consuming over 50% of your calories from fresh fruit and vegetables. Your calories automatically go down, while your intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients goes up. The idea is to consume foods as close to their natural state as possible. This means you'll do most of your shopping on the outer edge, or perimeter, of the grocery store, where the meats, eggs, and fresh produce exists, rather in the middle, where everything comes in boxes, bags, and cans.
Want some nutrition-packed snacks? Try dates or figs with raw cashews. Roasting nuts may damage some of the healthy fats. You'll notice that roasted or cooked nuts are addictive, while raw nuts are not. Can't take the blandness? Buy roasted, lightly salted and raw nuts, then mix the two together for a compromise. Afraid of the fats? Don't be. These come loaded with fiber, protein, and carbohydrates, along with a healthy dose of fatty acids. My personal favorite is celery sticks with all-natural peanut butter.
2. Make Your Muscles Resist!
As your calories decrease, there is a chance you may lose muscle mass. Avoid this by making your muscles resist. Your muscles don't know the difference between gravity or any other form of resistance. The way to keep them active and toned is to engage in weight bearing activity. While the majority of your training will be focused on endurance, don't neglect the power of strength training. Strength training will improve your bone density, build lean muscle mass or preserve it while you are trimming the fat, and provide explosive power when you need that kick during your competition. It also helps maintain joint integrity and strength, which is necessary to combat the repeat-use syndrome many runners develop in their ankles, knees, and hips.
Because your goal is not to stand on stage in a bodybuilding competition, but instead an endurance goal, keep your workouts to two or three short, intense training sessions ? 20 or 30 minutes each ? every week. Get in, give it 100%, and then recover and focus on the rest of your training. Stretch thoroughly ? check out our stretching guide at:
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=159
There is an added benefit as well ? resistance training burns calories for hours after you are finished, and studies show the combination of resistance training and aerobics burns more fat than aerobics alone.
3. Slow and Steady
Want a recipe for disaster? Try doing too much, too soon. Most people grasp this concept with training, so why do they fall short when it comes to nutrition? Think "better," not "perfect" when changing your nutrition habits. You want to crash? Go on a diet. You want to change? Transform your lifestyle. Small changes over time tend to last longer than quick-fixes like fad diets or magic bullet pills and supplements.
As an example, if you currently drink soda, don't go cold turkey and jump straight to water. Most will find themselves chomping at the bit for something cold and fizzy! Instead, make a gradual transition. First, switch to diet soft drinks. After you are used to the change, try sparkling mineral water with a lemon or lime. Finally, transition to water. Make small changes, get used to them, and you will be well on your way to trim, fit body.
Conclusion
If you are like most people, you did not suddenly gain fat overnight. It was a gradual transition. So why should you expect losing the weight to be any faster? Take it slow. A pound of weight per week is a good rule of thumb for permanent fat loss. Anything faster may be too restrictive and could be lean mass (even muscle) instead of simply fat weight. Perhaps the most useful tool for losing fat isn't a nutrition guide or workout program after all ? it is a trait. Patience is by far the most powerful tool to lose fat and keep it off.
Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=159 and the companion http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=159. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto's Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy's approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=159.
shuttle from O'Hare Orland Park .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWorld Health Organization has observed that obesity has now reached... Read More
LivingAfterWLS reader feedback indicates snacking is the single biggest problem... Read More
Name a diet...any diet. It doesn't work. Try to name... Read More
Your health is affected not only by how much body... Read More
There are many subscriber programs available both online and in... Read More
An Interview with Success Story, Caitlin JohnsonIf you don't know... Read More
Natural therapies uphold the importance of minerals, vitamins and herbs... Read More
Dieting and weight loss is almost certainly the most lucrative... Read More
As I explained in the first part of this article,... Read More
When was the last time you focused so much on... Read More
The problem isn't that you don't have enough will power... Read More
A little information if often a dangerous thing... and many... Read More
According to the American Obesity Association, an astounding 64.5 percent... Read More
At its most basic, dieting is about burning more calories... Read More
Many people today are interested in weight loss and weight... Read More
Diet Fads-Forget about 'EmAnother fad "best diet" bites the dust.... Read More
The story broke in the international press on October 4th,... Read More
Think for a moment about the highest mountain you ever... Read More
There are currently over 100 billion dollars sold in weight-loss... Read More
Frankie saddled up to the bar at the We-Stuff-Em-All Diner,... Read More
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, writing... Read More
Obesity is now assuming epidemic proportions. Worldwide there are over... Read More
Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More
You've heard them before and may even have believed some... Read More
Diners have become more health-conscious the last few years, and... Read More
Lincoln Town Car rentals Addison ..We all know it's hard to begin losing weight, no... Read More
Every day you walk down the street it is becoming... Read More
Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More
If all we have to do is exercise to live... Read More
Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat.... Read More
Axiom Number One - Nourish your body.Probably the most important... Read More
Green Tea Also Has Anticancer PropertiesGreen tea, which has been... Read More
Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More
Are you sick of the hype? Wondering what diet products... Read More
From the book Spider's Big CatchLike many people, I've decided... Read More
A typical breakfast consists of 3 or 4 strips of... Read More
How do we know what we know? Often, our knowledge... Read More
Carnitine is simply the safest and healthiest supplement you can... Read More
The Quest to Reach Your Ideal WeightIt was late in... Read More
"I tried that diet and lost 8 pounds in the... Read More
Diet advice ? a million "experts", hundreds of snake-oil miracle... Read More
Let me ask you a personal question. As you read... Read More
Have you ever decided to take a trip somewhere relatively... Read More
Phentermine, like many other prescription drugs, works with chemicals called... Read More
One of the most popular diets is the low carb... Read More
Dieting presents many complications if you are not fully committed... Read More
Liposuction is also referred to as lipoplasty, suction-assisted lipectomy and... Read More
I did it without starving myself or taking pills. How... Read More
Yes, my healthy diet has at times suffered at the... Read More
There are several theories on the origins of Valentine's Day.... Read More
Weight Loss |