Showing posts with label cardio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cardio. Show all posts

Monday, 10 July 2017

3 Tips for Men to Lose Weight


Today I have got 3 fantastic tips for weight loss which we use in our studio with clients every day. These tips have got the best results for the least effort for our guys, so we advise them to all our male clients. Have a quick read below and see what results you can get for yourself.

1. Limit Processed Carbohydrates

We have found that most just simply men don't want to count calories or start weighing food. Therefore, simple steps are the way to go. One of the most effective weight loss methods to start with is reducing processed carbohydrate foods. These include bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits and the like. You don't have to avoid them completely, but limit them to once or twice a week. I'll not bore you with the scientific details, but these foods are one of the biggest causes of belly bulge around today.

2. Eat Whole Natural Foods

Whole natural foods include chicken, beef, fish, vegetables, fruit, eggs and nuts. They should roughly look like their original state. For example - chicken fillets are great, chicken nuggets are not. Natural foods are full-to-brim with healthy nutritional ingredients.

To help you with your meals, a third of your plate should be filled with a healthy meat, and the rest should mostly be vegetables or fruit. This is a very simple tip, but very effective for weight loss.

3. Combine Weight Training and Cardio

A combination of weight training and cardio is perfect for losing weight. The two forms of exercise have different effects on the body. When you use both together, you are in weight loss heaven. Cardio can be anything from running outside, to using a gym machine inside. For weight training, you don't need to go overboard, a set of dumbbells will suffice if you cannot get to a gym. I have made a simple workout to get you started below.

Start with 10 minutes cardio (running, fast walk, treadmill, bike, cross trainer, doesn't matter just get moving and get heart rate up)

Move onto the following weight training exercises.

Squat: 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Bench Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Bent-over row: 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Kettlebell swings: 4 sets of 15-20 reps

After the weights are done, finish with 10 minutes cardio. Make sure you push yourself hard for these last 10 minutes. This is where the fat burning magic happens. Go hard and get sweaty.

So there you have it, a simple program to get you started. This is what our team uses with clients every day and you can use it too to get great fat loss results. Don't be fooled by the simplicity, we have found this is the best way for men to lose weight, without complicated gimmicks or programs.

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Sunday, 23 April 2017

The Lost Secret of Abdominal Training!


Today it seems everybody focus on the 6 packs abs!

Of course it is healthy to rip off the fat around the mid section, but I am not sure health is the main reason for most people: it's more for cosmetic appearance. 

The results depend on a well balanced program: abs exercises, cardio and diet. But we have to be aware that genetics is also a part of the game, so results may differ, 
results may be easy or more difficult according to people. 
We forget the most important functions of good and strong abs: posture and breathing. 
Abdominal training has to focus on strength because strong abs are the key for stabilizing the pelvis and low back. They maintain and compress vital organs.

The other important function is their role in deep breathing: an effective deep breath have to be done with the abdominals. It's means more oxygen to the entire body: muscles, brain, all vital organs. 
You have to train the deep abdominal muscles: transverse and internal obliques. Here two great exercises which will have a big physiological impact if done regularly:

- Deep abdominal breathing: can be done in sitting or standing position. Breath deeply and slowly, let expand the stomach when you inhale. Exhale and pull inside the stomach activating the abdominal muscles. Repeat 10 times. This exercise brings more oxygen and relax body and mind.

- The vacuum: take a deep breath and exhale. When you have exhaled all your air, lift your diaphragm and pull in your stomach. Hold for a few seconds. Release the tension, exhaling the little remaining air and inhale deeply. This 
exercise, if done regularly, is very effective to reduce the waistline and, most importantly, is very healthy for the internal organs of the abdomen: digestive and elimination system (bowel).

These two exercises can be done anywhere, anytime. It can take just one or two minutes. And do not forget: deep abdominal breathing boost your health and reinforce your 
vital organs.

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Thursday, 6 April 2017

Cheat Meal During A Diet - Good Or Bad?


After doing some reading, I'm thinking of adding some cheat meals into my diet. I know that these meals are supposed to be good for you mentally, but will they ruin my progress?

You'll often hear people talking about their cheat meals or Free Days while on a diet. One day while I was doing cardio, I overheard a guy talking to his workout buddy about how he put away an absurd amount of food on weekends- his Free Days. Wings, pizza, pretzels, cupcakes and of course plenty of beer.

For most people, the cheat meal is a nice mini reward for your hard work during the week. It breaks up the monotony of strict dieting and gives you something to look forward to. Many people report having an easier time mentally, thus increasing compliance rate. Of course this quick respite from your disciplined diet is not meant to undo all of the ass- busting work you've done all week.

The Cheat Meal Rules

- The cheat meal is not license to cram every high calorie morsel in sight down all day. Just one meal.

- The cheat meal is one (1) meal per week that you plan in advance.

- The cheat meal length is your duration at the table. Once you get up, it's over Johnny.

Can I reduce the potential damage of a free day even more?

Yes. Post workout is by far the best time to eat your cheat meal. Specifically within the hour after a heavy workout, because EPOC is highest at this time.

EPOC stands for Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption.

Basically this means your metabolic furnace is firing on all cylinders at this time. The more intense your workout is, the higher your EPOC will be. The extra calories you take in from the cheat meal will go to good use like building muscle or refilling glycogen stores rather than being stored as body fat.

In fact, I always schedule my cheat meals right after my heavy leg workout, or a sprinting session, depending on what phase of training I'm in at that time. No better time to eat a large meal like this.

Follow these rules and you can have your cake and eat it... post workout of course!



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Friday, 17 March 2017

Why Is Exercising In The Morning The Best Time?


There are several benefits when exercising in the morning in contrast to other times of the day. If this sounds surprising consider the time factor. We are getting more done and performance in general is better in the morning than at other times of the day. Getting the most benefits from an effective exercise program it has to become a pattern or routine, and the best time is in the morning. If you schedule your exercise later in the day, invariable, there will be something competing for that time, and you will miss out on that exercise.

Set aside those half n hour to 60 minutes for whatever exercise you may do in the morning. It will become such a routine that you can hardly do without it once it is in your system; even your breakfast will taste better afterwards. Another disadvantage of exercising late in the day or at night is it tends to rev up your system when its time for your body to relax, winding down and preparing for bed and a good night's sleep. This question often gets asked: What type of exercise is best? This can vary; it depends on what your objectives are. For sport purpose you would choose a different exercise than anyone who wants to improve his overall fitness or to overcome some health issues.

The best exercise and equipment!

When people are looking which exercise machine to buy, the best one is with four legs: A dog! A dog will remind and even force you to walk it every day which makes two positives: The dog is happy and pays you back with affection, and "You" will become fit and healthy. For a gradual exercise program to build a stronger body and overcome some health problems there is no better than walking. With 30 to 60 minutes brisk walking early in the morning you get better results than at any other time during the day. For some staying motivated is difficult. It can help to do this together with a friend or in a group where you feel more committed, this way it's not as easy to make excuses and to say no. Some other crucial element in exercising is enjoyment; having to force you into this exercise every time will soon lead to abandonment. Make sure to wear the appropriate footwear as walking can put pressure on your feet which can cause pain and become uncomfortable. Most cities have walking paths to keep away from traffic, or choose walking through park land or grass areas. Walking on grass if possible is better; it cushions and absorbs the impact on your joints and ligaments, this especially applies when you are jogging.

Long extended exercise is not always better for your health!

Long cardio sessions of exercise may not benefit your health; it could have just the opposite effect. By having or staying on for long periods such as marathons can pose a significant risk and damage to your heart. Long distance running can cause acute overload and stress to your body, but the heart is usually the most affected and sudden cardiac arrest is possible. According to research a more effective and safer exercise is high intensity interval training, in a time frame from 30 to 40 minutes, which consists of short bursts of intense exertion. Give your body a rest period after intense training and between workouts. It is also recommended a diet high in nutrients and a good amount of fluid intake, the best is water. Good exercise should consist of a balanced program. Just jumping on to a treadmill or exercise bike at a gym will not give you this level of fitness or health benefits.

It will make all the difference in your life being fit, flexible, no pain and feeling strong. With regular exercise you will be reaping the rewards and feel better than you ever did before. For a mere few hours a week of putting in some effort you get the benefits of regaining the energy you need, being able to do anything in life you want to do. In the morning combine the two most crucial strategies together: Exercise and a good breakfast. They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Having these two in that order, exercise and a healthy, protein-rich breakfast is the best start for the day and for taking control of your health.



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Saturday, 8 October 2016

What Are the Best Fitness Workouts?

The term "fitness workouts" is often misleading. While many believe that fitness workouts refer to anything that assists you in keeping yourself fit, the correct meanings are somewhat different. By definition, fitness workouts are those kinds of physical activity or workout that "when combined with well-balanced, recommended diet" will help you lose weight and extra body fat in the optimal time frame.
To better understand the term, consider the following examples of some recommended fitness workouts which, when combined with healthy diet, will help you lose weight fast and significantly:
1- Running (or jogging)
2- Brisk walking (one that makes you sweat profusely)
3- Playing football, soccer or any sport that involves running and intense physical activity

4-Swimming (an excellent fitness workout)
5- Treadmill / elliptical (cardio) exercise
Why they are so important?
Weight loss experts, dietitians and nutritionists are now of the unanimous opinion that any diet plan or fitness program (no matter how strong and famous it is) would not work alone until and unless it is implemented and practised in conjunction with regular fitness workouts such those mentioned-above. So, the million dollar question is; what's so special about these workouts?
Well, the main significance of these workouts is actually hidden in the fact that they greatly enhance the weight reduction process and fat burning effect of the diet consumed on daily basis. In other words the weight, that you would lose in one month by diet alone, can actually be lost in a period as short as two weeks by performing the recommended fitness workouts along with following a specific diet schedule.
How do fitness workouts work?
Almost all of the fitness workouts work by increasing the rate of the burning of dietary and body fat. In other words, such workouts tend to increase and speed up the rate of metabolism which eventually leads to faster calorie burning and greater calorie expenditure. As a result of this increased calorie burning, you lose more weight at a faster speed. On the other hand, at the same time, because of the weight loss diet you're on, you are already eating less. Therefore, this dual mode of action of fewer calorie consumption plus greater calorie expenditure leads to the overall weight loss effect.

How to get the maximum out of these workouts?
One of the best ways to intensify and maximize the effects of fitness workouts is to perform them in conjunction with the use of some recommended diet or herbal supplement. Studies and clinical data have proved that using a proven herbal weight reduction supplement along with regular weight loss workouts can actually help you maintain optimal body weight, figure and shape on permanent basis.

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