Ah, so you thought this topic wouldn't ever be brought up. Why am I talking about sleep in a diet and fitness blog? Well, sleep is a crucial part to a healthy lifestyle. There are many benefits to getting a good night's sleep, and you will really see the results or lack of (with little sleep) when exercising.
Benefits of a good sleep:
1. Higher concentration levels throughout the day. This means you will perform better at school and/or work.
2. Energy for the whole day.
3. Growth hormone secretion. During sleeping, your body secretes growth hormones which are necessary, especially for bodybuilding.
4. Stronger immune system.
5. Better judgmental skills.
Effects from lack of sleep:
1. Lack of energy
2. Hard time concentrating
3. Mood swings
4. Stress
You get the idea, basically the reverse of the benefits is what you will see with a lack of sleep. Studies have shown that one complete night of no sleep has the same effect during driving as a legally intoxicating blood alcohol level. Sleep is something that should be taken very seriously because of how important it is.
How many hours do I need?
It is recommended for an adult to have somewhere between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. This number does not change as you age. You should consistently trying to aim for this. If you cannot do this, then consider taking power naps throughout the day.
How do I get a better sleep?
There are numerous ways to getting a better sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, but you do not have a sleeping disorder, try replacing your mattress. Many people have trouble sleeping on conventional mattresses. You can also take supplements to help aid your sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that is released by your body to signal for it to go to sleep. You can buy melatonin at any health store to help aid the process. Another supplement Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) has great sleep benefits as well. People claim that you will experience vivid dreams and wake up refreshed. I haven't tried it, but I might in the near future. If you are getting enough sleep, but you still feel tired when you wake up, eat some carbohydrates before bed. You will not magically gain weight because you ate before going to sleep, but you will wake up more refreshed because your blood sugar levels are less depleted than without the carbs when waking up.
Although there isn't too much information in this, there isn't too much to say on the topic. Sleep is something everyone does. If you want to improve your sleep, you probably need to be getting more in the first place. Set a consistent schedule and try one of those supplements. You will definitely see the results during your workout with a good night's sleep.
Sources:
http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/sleep.html
http://www.shuteye.com/stages-of-sleep/benefits-of-sleep.aspx
Monday, July 13, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Advanced profiles of carbohydrates, proteins, and dietary fats
If you haven't read the first post about calories and its relationship to carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, then I suggest you read that before reading this. Alright, let's talk about the different types of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Let's start with dietary fats.
People seem to be fearful of consuming dietary fats. This probably has to do with the fact that people associate dietary fats with body fats. They, however, are not the same. It would be much less confusing and libelous if body fat was always referred to as adipose tissue. On the other hand, fats also get a bad rap because there are bad types of fats. Nevertheless, dietary fats are important, and there are good ones. Now I will talk about the different types of fats.
Let's start with the harmful fats:
Saturated fats:
While this fat is bad, it is necessary to have a small amount in your diet. Saturated fats are a main factor for contributing to high LDL (low-density lipid) levels in your body. These fats are solid at room temperature because their structure allows for them to pack closely together, thus creating a solid. Too much intake of saturated fats is thought to increase the risk of heart-related problems such as atherosclerosis (clogging of arteries.) The main reason for the necessity of saturated fats is hormone production. A lack of saturated fats could cause some hormone-related problem.
Types of saturated fats:
There are many types of saturated fats. A full list is available on wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_saturated_fatty_acids
The main ones that are important for consumption are 12-carbon lauric acid, 14-carbon myristic acid, and 16-carbon palmitic acid.
Trans fats:
These are absolutely the worst fats. These not only raise LDL levels, but lower HDL (high-density lipid) levels (the good type of cholesterol.) These fats are created through the process of hydrogenation. They are used often in foods to improve shelf life. The worst part: anything that has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat (or carbs, sugars, etc.) can be said to have 0 grams on the label. This means that many foods you thought have 0 grams of trans fats actually probably contain nearly 0.5 grams. Scary? Well, it is if you don't know how to spot it. Anything that has the word hydrogenated (partially counts) has trans fats. So make sure to always check the ingredients of foods you eat. Why is trans fat so bad? The process of hydrogenation is adding hydrogen atoms to an unsaturated fats to eliminate their double bond and make them more saturated. (We already know the effects of saturated fats.) In addition, trans fats are non-essential, so they should be avoided as much as possible.
Unsaturated fats:
These are the "good" type of fats. They are completely essential to the human body and under no circumstances should be eliminated. An unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds. Thus, a monounsaturated fat contains one double bond, and a polyunsaturated fat contains two or more double bonds. Lastly, omega fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6, and omega- 9) are a form of unsaturated fat.
Monounsaturated fats:
These are widely considered the best fats for cholesterol levels. These fats will lower LDL, and "protect" HDL levels. It is still debated whether these fats will actually raised your HDL levels or not. However, these fats are quite important for a diet and are found in a variety of oils. Oils that include this fat are olive, peanut, and canola oils. While this is a wonderful type of fat to intake, it is imperative to intake polyunsaturated fats as well.
Polyunsaturated fats:
These fats are good because the lower LDL levels, but unforunately, they lower HDL levels as well. However, these fats are important because of essential omega fatty acids that they contain.
Omega-3 (polyunsatured fat):
An essential fatty acid that is often found in fish and supplements such as fish oil. Omega-3 is said to be a possible protectant against cancer, promote better heart health and cholesterol, and improve brain health. However, there are some negative effects it can have on people with certain conditions. Talk to your doctor before supplementing your diet with fish oil.
Omega-6 (polyunsaturated fat):
While this is an essential fatty acid that has positive effects, the Western diet is plagued with an abnormally high omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. Generally around 10-15:1 and sometimes higher. This inbalance is quite unhealthy and can have many negative side effects.
Omega-9 (monounsaturated fat):
This type of fat is non-essential because it can be created within the body from other unsaturated fats. This fatty acid is found in oleic acid, a component in sunflower and canola oil. While this is non-essential, this fatty acid is not bad for intake since it is a form of monounsaturated fat. However, when trying to construct a better diet, focus more on limiting intake of omega-6 and focus on taking in more omega-3.
Phew, so this is just the basics of these fats. The key is to have a good balance of all fats since saturated and unsaturated fats are important for any diet. Remember that trans fats are the only fats that you always avoid. Now onto carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates:
Simply put, there are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex.
In detail, there are three different classifications: Monosaccharides (simple), Disaccharides (simple), and polysaccharides (complex).
Monosaccharides:
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of a carbohydrate. They cannot be broken down any further as they contain one simple sugar (hence, mono.) Monosaccharides are great if used correctly. They provide quick energy boosts since there is no breaking down of the molecule required. This is great for quick energy or an after workout recovery. However, these are also the most likely to cause weight gain. When your body cannot use the energy, the extra sugars can turn into fat since the body cannot use them right away. Some examples of monosaccharides are glucose (dextrose), fructose, xylose, ribose, and galactose. Look for glucose, dextrose, and fructose on labels, and watch out for "high fructose corn syrup." That is the worst in terms of health.
Disaccharides:
These are created when two monosaccharides join together by the removal of a molecule of water. Since disaccharides are basically two monosaccharides, disaccharides have a similar effect to monosaccharides; these provide quick energy. The two most common examples of a disaccharide are sucrose, a.k.a. table/cane sugar (glucose and fructose) and lactose (glucose and galactose.) Lactose is found in milk, which is notorious for weight gain because it is not as healthy as it is made out to be.
Polysaccharides:
These are the complex form of carbohydrates. They are formed from the combination of multiple mono and disaccharides. These are great for long term energy as the body has to break down the bond in order for the body to use the energy. Two common forms of polysachharides are glycogen and startch. Some examples of foods that contain complex carbohydrates are cereal, rice, pasta, potatoes, and carrots. However, you should note that these foods can also contain some simple carbohydrates based on how they are processed. Try looking for whole grain in order to get the most complex carbohydrates.
That is basically all you need to know about carbohydrates. It's quite simple. Limit your simple sugars and take most of them in before, during, and after workouts. Eat complex carbohydrates for the main source of your calories from carbohydates. While the FDA recommends a significant amount more intake of carbohydrates, I believe that they are a contributing factor to obesity. People take in too many carbohydrates. Try taking in 20 percent of calories from fats, 40 percent of calories from carbohydrates, and 40 percent from protein. Speaking of protein, that's our final topic.
Protein:
This is by far the most underrated source for calories, and I believe it is the most important source (I'm biased, of course, since I am a bodybuilder.) However, regardless of that fact, this is a VERY important source of calories. If you have a lack of protein (some vegetarians) then your body will be weak, and you will probably be sick often. Proteins contain amino acids. Amino acids are referred to as the "building blocks." Amino acids are absolutely essential to intake. These are what feed your muscles. In fact, there are NINE essential amino acids: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionin, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine. These are obtained from food, but there are also amino acid supplements in case you are not receiving enough of these in foods (chances are, you probably are not.) The other 11 (20 total amino acids) are non-essential because the body can produce them naturally. Along with these amino acids there are different types of protein. However, the types of protein really are how fast it gets released into the body. The three big types of protein are whey, casein, and egg. Whey is the fastest releasing protein, and because of this, it is used most commonly by bodybuilders before and especially after workouts. Casein is a slow releasing protein. This is often taken by bodybuilders before going to bed to prevent the body from starving overnight and eating muscle. The last, egg, is a medium-speed releasing protein. While there is a lot more technical information on protein, I believe I covered everything necessary. Basically, you need protein because of the nine essential amino acids obtained by them. The dietary guidelines state that a person on a 2000 calorie diet should eat 50 grams a day. I say, double that. And if you are a bodybuilder, eat at least 1 gram per a pound of body weight, daily. People are scared of protein for whatever reason just because the dietary guidelines call for such a small amount. People then come up with BS excuses such as, "it taxes your kidneys." Don't listen to that. You probably aren't getting enough protein in your diet in the first place, (25 grams of protein is in 4 oz of chicken) especially if you don't eat meat daily. Get some more protein in your diet and see the results. Thanks for taking time to read this whole article. I am sure you learned something.
Sources:
Wikipedia (Various articles on dietary fats, carbohydrates, and proteins)
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/import_sat_fat.html
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=532
http://www.womensheart.org/content/Nutrition/fats_&_cholesterol.asp
http://www.cocoonnutrition.org/catalog/page_aminoacids.php
People seem to be fearful of consuming dietary fats. This probably has to do with the fact that people associate dietary fats with body fats. They, however, are not the same. It would be much less confusing and libelous if body fat was always referred to as adipose tissue. On the other hand, fats also get a bad rap because there are bad types of fats. Nevertheless, dietary fats are important, and there are good ones. Now I will talk about the different types of fats.
Let's start with the harmful fats:
Saturated fats:
While this fat is bad, it is necessary to have a small amount in your diet. Saturated fats are a main factor for contributing to high LDL (low-density lipid) levels in your body. These fats are solid at room temperature because their structure allows for them to pack closely together, thus creating a solid. Too much intake of saturated fats is thought to increase the risk of heart-related problems such as atherosclerosis (clogging of arteries.) The main reason for the necessity of saturated fats is hormone production. A lack of saturated fats could cause some hormone-related problem.
Types of saturated fats:
There are many types of saturated fats. A full list is available on wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_saturated_fatty_acids
The main ones that are important for consumption are 12-carbon lauric acid, 14-carbon myristic acid, and 16-carbon palmitic acid.
Trans fats:
These are absolutely the worst fats. These not only raise LDL levels, but lower HDL (high-density lipid) levels (the good type of cholesterol.) These fats are created through the process of hydrogenation. They are used often in foods to improve shelf life. The worst part: anything that has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat (or carbs, sugars, etc.) can be said to have 0 grams on the label. This means that many foods you thought have 0 grams of trans fats actually probably contain nearly 0.5 grams. Scary? Well, it is if you don't know how to spot it. Anything that has the word hydrogenated (partially counts) has trans fats. So make sure to always check the ingredients of foods you eat. Why is trans fat so bad? The process of hydrogenation is adding hydrogen atoms to an unsaturated fats to eliminate their double bond and make them more saturated. (We already know the effects of saturated fats.) In addition, trans fats are non-essential, so they should be avoided as much as possible.
Unsaturated fats:
These are the "good" type of fats. They are completely essential to the human body and under no circumstances should be eliminated. An unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds. Thus, a monounsaturated fat contains one double bond, and a polyunsaturated fat contains two or more double bonds. Lastly, omega fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6, and omega- 9) are a form of unsaturated fat.
Monounsaturated fats:
These are widely considered the best fats for cholesterol levels. These fats will lower LDL, and "protect" HDL levels. It is still debated whether these fats will actually raised your HDL levels or not. However, these fats are quite important for a diet and are found in a variety of oils. Oils that include this fat are olive, peanut, and canola oils. While this is a wonderful type of fat to intake, it is imperative to intake polyunsaturated fats as well.
Polyunsaturated fats:
These fats are good because the lower LDL levels, but unforunately, they lower HDL levels as well. However, these fats are important because of essential omega fatty acids that they contain.
Omega-3 (polyunsatured fat):
An essential fatty acid that is often found in fish and supplements such as fish oil. Omega-3 is said to be a possible protectant against cancer, promote better heart health and cholesterol, and improve brain health. However, there are some negative effects it can have on people with certain conditions. Talk to your doctor before supplementing your diet with fish oil.
Omega-6 (polyunsaturated fat):
While this is an essential fatty acid that has positive effects, the Western diet is plagued with an abnormally high omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. Generally around 10-15:1 and sometimes higher. This inbalance is quite unhealthy and can have many negative side effects.
Omega-9 (monounsaturated fat):
This type of fat is non-essential because it can be created within the body from other unsaturated fats. This fatty acid is found in oleic acid, a component in sunflower and canola oil. While this is non-essential, this fatty acid is not bad for intake since it is a form of monounsaturated fat. However, when trying to construct a better diet, focus more on limiting intake of omega-6 and focus on taking in more omega-3.
Phew, so this is just the basics of these fats. The key is to have a good balance of all fats since saturated and unsaturated fats are important for any diet. Remember that trans fats are the only fats that you always avoid. Now onto carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates:
Simply put, there are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex.
In detail, there are three different classifications: Monosaccharides (simple), Disaccharides (simple), and polysaccharides (complex).
Monosaccharides:
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of a carbohydrate. They cannot be broken down any further as they contain one simple sugar (hence, mono.) Monosaccharides are great if used correctly. They provide quick energy boosts since there is no breaking down of the molecule required. This is great for quick energy or an after workout recovery. However, these are also the most likely to cause weight gain. When your body cannot use the energy, the extra sugars can turn into fat since the body cannot use them right away. Some examples of monosaccharides are glucose (dextrose), fructose, xylose, ribose, and galactose. Look for glucose, dextrose, and fructose on labels, and watch out for "high fructose corn syrup." That is the worst in terms of health.
Disaccharides:
These are created when two monosaccharides join together by the removal of a molecule of water. Since disaccharides are basically two monosaccharides, disaccharides have a similar effect to monosaccharides; these provide quick energy. The two most common examples of a disaccharide are sucrose, a.k.a. table/cane sugar (glucose and fructose) and lactose (glucose and galactose.) Lactose is found in milk, which is notorious for weight gain because it is not as healthy as it is made out to be.
Polysaccharides:
These are the complex form of carbohydrates. They are formed from the combination of multiple mono and disaccharides. These are great for long term energy as the body has to break down the bond in order for the body to use the energy. Two common forms of polysachharides are glycogen and startch. Some examples of foods that contain complex carbohydrates are cereal, rice, pasta, potatoes, and carrots. However, you should note that these foods can also contain some simple carbohydrates based on how they are processed. Try looking for whole grain in order to get the most complex carbohydrates.
That is basically all you need to know about carbohydrates. It's quite simple. Limit your simple sugars and take most of them in before, during, and after workouts. Eat complex carbohydrates for the main source of your calories from carbohydates. While the FDA recommends a significant amount more intake of carbohydrates, I believe that they are a contributing factor to obesity. People take in too many carbohydrates. Try taking in 20 percent of calories from fats, 40 percent of calories from carbohydrates, and 40 percent from protein. Speaking of protein, that's our final topic.
Protein:
This is by far the most underrated source for calories, and I believe it is the most important source (I'm biased, of course, since I am a bodybuilder.) However, regardless of that fact, this is a VERY important source of calories. If you have a lack of protein (some vegetarians) then your body will be weak, and you will probably be sick often. Proteins contain amino acids. Amino acids are referred to as the "building blocks." Amino acids are absolutely essential to intake. These are what feed your muscles. In fact, there are NINE essential amino acids: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionin, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine. These are obtained from food, but there are also amino acid supplements in case you are not receiving enough of these in foods (chances are, you probably are not.) The other 11 (20 total amino acids) are non-essential because the body can produce them naturally. Along with these amino acids there are different types of protein. However, the types of protein really are how fast it gets released into the body. The three big types of protein are whey, casein, and egg. Whey is the fastest releasing protein, and because of this, it is used most commonly by bodybuilders before and especially after workouts. Casein is a slow releasing protein. This is often taken by bodybuilders before going to bed to prevent the body from starving overnight and eating muscle. The last, egg, is a medium-speed releasing protein. While there is a lot more technical information on protein, I believe I covered everything necessary. Basically, you need protein because of the nine essential amino acids obtained by them. The dietary guidelines state that a person on a 2000 calorie diet should eat 50 grams a day. I say, double that. And if you are a bodybuilder, eat at least 1 gram per a pound of body weight, daily. People are scared of protein for whatever reason just because the dietary guidelines call for such a small amount. People then come up with BS excuses such as, "it taxes your kidneys." Don't listen to that. You probably aren't getting enough protein in your diet in the first place, (25 grams of protein is in 4 oz of chicken) especially if you don't eat meat daily. Get some more protein in your diet and see the results. Thanks for taking time to read this whole article. I am sure you learned something.
Sources:
Wikipedia (Various articles on dietary fats, carbohydrates, and proteins)
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/import_sat_fat.html
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=532
http://www.womensheart.org/content/Nutrition/fats_&_cholesterol.asp
http://www.cocoonnutrition.org/catalog/page_aminoacids.php
Monday, July 6, 2009
THE Guide to Getting a Six-Pack (Men) or a Nice, Firm Stomach (Women)
I see this asked all the time: "How do I get a six-pack" or "How do I get a nice, toned stomach?" Well, this is easier than you think. The reason why people don't have one is because they aren't doing the right thing to get one. People recommend things such as hundreds of crunches, and that just will not do anything. See, your abdominal is composed of six muscles. You have four components to your abdomen. The rectus abdominis, the transversus abdominis, the external oblique, and the internal oblique. That's right, 4 different muscles that make up the abdominal section. However, the rectus abdominis is a SINGLE muscle. Surprised? Even I was surprised to read this the first time I did. The reason that the abs appear to be six different individual muscles is from the fact that connective tissue separates the muscle. So, what does this mean? That means you can't work a certain section to obtain a six-pack. Along with this, your obliques are also important to train. This muscle is located on the left and right side of your body right next to the lower section of the rectus abdominis. Basically, where your torso twists. So what does this all mean? As far as exercises are concerned, when you work your "abs," you are working the WHOLE muscle, not just a section of it. Anyways, how do you get this look?
If you read my post earlier about "spot reduction," then you are probably aware. You must have a strict diet and perform many exercises to burn off the extra body fat. There are three solid, proven techniques that help shed body fat.
On the diet side, there is something called "ketosis." This happens when your body is deprived of carbs and has to use ketones from body fat as a source of energy. This means, that your body will be eating its own fat as energy! All you need to do is avoid all carbs for about a day or so, and your body will begin this process. However, I recommend you do this diet in short periods. No more than for 2 weeks straight. When consuming carbs again, you must progressively intake them. This way your body can process them and not turn them into fat.
The second technique is called "carb cycling." This technique is done by changing how many carbs you eat on every third or forth (usually forth) day. For example, you may eat 200 grams of carbs (not recommending any specific number. For demonstration only) on the first day, 250 grams on the second day, somewhere between one of these amounts on the third day, and then the fourth day you eat about 50 grams or so. That way your body becomes confused, and thinks it will be eating 200 or so grams that day, but when it discovers it does not have that many, it looks for alternative energy sources. e.g. body fat.
The last technique is an exercising technique. It is called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT.) Basically, you do less time on cardio 20-30 minutes, but at a higher intensity. Since it consists of "intervals" you would do, for example, one minute of regular intensity, then one minute of high intensity, then one minute of regular intensity, then one minute of high intensity, and so on. This is effective because you are burning around the same amount of calories, but the effects linger on for hours. This is because this form of cardio speeds up your metabolism.
So, now that you know three solid techniques, give them a try. I'd love to hear the results from them.
As for abdominal exercises, here are some of my favorite:
Cable crunches: Grasp a cable rope and kneel on the ground. Split the rope so that your head is between the rope and your hands are near your shoulders. Pull with your BODY, not your hands. You should feel your abs doing the work. If you do not, select more weight and try again. This is one of the best exercises, and you should really feel the effort from your core. Do about 10-15 of these per set.
Russian Twists: This can be done on a mat or a balance disk (things that look like half of a workout ball.) Place your feet together, bring your knees in a little bit, so your feet are off the ground. Then grasp a medicine ball in both hands and move the medicine ball from side-to-side. Your core will be twisting. Do about 50 of these on each side per set.
Pikes: This is a fun exercise, but it requires a strong core. You will need a pull-up bar. Grab the bar with both your hands and bring your knees up to a 90 degree angle. Stablize yourself, and keep your knees in that position while using your core to bring your shins up to the bar. Then lower your knees back to the 90 degree position. This is a tough exercise, and you may not be able to do one of them if you don't have a strong core. I recommend about 5 of these per set, but if you can do more, that is great.
Hanging Twists: Same position as the pikes, but instead, you will move your knees side-to-side. Works the oblique muscle. Do about 10 per side per set.
Captain's Chair Leg Raise: These I apparently do wrong. First you need a captain's chair (two pads for your arms to be placed on. Google it if you don't know what it looks like.) The correct way is to bring your knees to the 90 degree position (like pikes and hanging twists) and then bring them up to your chest. Keep your back on the back pad. However, I do them where I keep my legs straight and bring them up (like I am doing leg raises from the ground.) Do about 25 of these per set.
Weighted Leg Raises: These are my favorite. This is basically what you can do if you do not have a Captain's Chair. (This is what I do to replace the "correct" form of the Captain's Chair Leg Raises). Grab a dumbbell and place it between your feet. Then bend your legs and raise them to your chest. Try to keep your back on the ground. You should really feel this in your abs. As a bonus, try to extend your legs on the way down, so they are straight (akin to my legs on the Captain's Chair.) Do about 10-15 of these per set.
Heel-Touchers: This is an easy exercise. Place your feet on the ground out in front of you. Keep your hands flat on the ground and alternate hands, so they are touching the corresponding foot. Make sure your feet are far enough just so you can touch. It is a good exercise to do without any equipment. Do about 30-50 of these per set.
Decline Sit-Ups: These are sit-ups that actually work. You will need a bench that can decline. Secure your feet and grab a plated weight. Put that weight on your stomach and act like you are doing a regular sit-up. Do about 10-15 of these per set.
That's about all I need to say. The key to exercising your abdomen is using WEIGHT. All muscles that are exercised need to use weight. Abs are no exception to this. You will notice your core getting stronger and more prominent. However, to do this, you need to lose enough body fat (people say around 12% percent for men, and that is probably the same for women too) to see it. Women have a harder time with this because their bodies naturally have more fat. Good luck with whatever your goal is.
If you read my post earlier about "spot reduction," then you are probably aware. You must have a strict diet and perform many exercises to burn off the extra body fat. There are three solid, proven techniques that help shed body fat.
On the diet side, there is something called "ketosis." This happens when your body is deprived of carbs and has to use ketones from body fat as a source of energy. This means, that your body will be eating its own fat as energy! All you need to do is avoid all carbs for about a day or so, and your body will begin this process. However, I recommend you do this diet in short periods. No more than for 2 weeks straight. When consuming carbs again, you must progressively intake them. This way your body can process them and not turn them into fat.
The second technique is called "carb cycling." This technique is done by changing how many carbs you eat on every third or forth (usually forth) day. For example, you may eat 200 grams of carbs (not recommending any specific number. For demonstration only) on the first day, 250 grams on the second day, somewhere between one of these amounts on the third day, and then the fourth day you eat about 50 grams or so. That way your body becomes confused, and thinks it will be eating 200 or so grams that day, but when it discovers it does not have that many, it looks for alternative energy sources. e.g. body fat.
The last technique is an exercising technique. It is called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT.) Basically, you do less time on cardio 20-30 minutes, but at a higher intensity. Since it consists of "intervals" you would do, for example, one minute of regular intensity, then one minute of high intensity, then one minute of regular intensity, then one minute of high intensity, and so on. This is effective because you are burning around the same amount of calories, but the effects linger on for hours. This is because this form of cardio speeds up your metabolism.
So, now that you know three solid techniques, give them a try. I'd love to hear the results from them.
As for abdominal exercises, here are some of my favorite:
Cable crunches: Grasp a cable rope and kneel on the ground. Split the rope so that your head is between the rope and your hands are near your shoulders. Pull with your BODY, not your hands. You should feel your abs doing the work. If you do not, select more weight and try again. This is one of the best exercises, and you should really feel the effort from your core. Do about 10-15 of these per set.
Russian Twists: This can be done on a mat or a balance disk (things that look like half of a workout ball.) Place your feet together, bring your knees in a little bit, so your feet are off the ground. Then grasp a medicine ball in both hands and move the medicine ball from side-to-side. Your core will be twisting. Do about 50 of these on each side per set.
Pikes: This is a fun exercise, but it requires a strong core. You will need a pull-up bar. Grab the bar with both your hands and bring your knees up to a 90 degree angle. Stablize yourself, and keep your knees in that position while using your core to bring your shins up to the bar. Then lower your knees back to the 90 degree position. This is a tough exercise, and you may not be able to do one of them if you don't have a strong core. I recommend about 5 of these per set, but if you can do more, that is great.
Hanging Twists: Same position as the pikes, but instead, you will move your knees side-to-side. Works the oblique muscle. Do about 10 per side per set.
Captain's Chair Leg Raise: These I apparently do wrong. First you need a captain's chair (two pads for your arms to be placed on. Google it if you don't know what it looks like.) The correct way is to bring your knees to the 90 degree position (like pikes and hanging twists) and then bring them up to your chest. Keep your back on the back pad. However, I do them where I keep my legs straight and bring them up (like I am doing leg raises from the ground.) Do about 25 of these per set.
Weighted Leg Raises: These are my favorite. This is basically what you can do if you do not have a Captain's Chair. (This is what I do to replace the "correct" form of the Captain's Chair Leg Raises). Grab a dumbbell and place it between your feet. Then bend your legs and raise them to your chest. Try to keep your back on the ground. You should really feel this in your abs. As a bonus, try to extend your legs on the way down, so they are straight (akin to my legs on the Captain's Chair.) Do about 10-15 of these per set.
Heel-Touchers: This is an easy exercise. Place your feet on the ground out in front of you. Keep your hands flat on the ground and alternate hands, so they are touching the corresponding foot. Make sure your feet are far enough just so you can touch. It is a good exercise to do without any equipment. Do about 30-50 of these per set.
Decline Sit-Ups: These are sit-ups that actually work. You will need a bench that can decline. Secure your feet and grab a plated weight. Put that weight on your stomach and act like you are doing a regular sit-up. Do about 10-15 of these per set.
That's about all I need to say. The key to exercising your abdomen is using WEIGHT. All muscles that are exercised need to use weight. Abs are no exception to this. You will notice your core getting stronger and more prominent. However, to do this, you need to lose enough body fat (people say around 12% percent for men, and that is probably the same for women too) to see it. Women have a harder time with this because their bodies naturally have more fat. Good luck with whatever your goal is.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Weightlifting Basics
So you just purchased a gym membership, but you are uncertain what to do when you actually go to the gym. Well, this guide will tell you exactly what you need to do to become acclimated with the gym.
First, we must determine your goals. If you are trying to build strength, you want to use heavier weights and less reps. Anywhere between 3-5 reps is ideal when trying to build strength. If you are looking to build muscle mass, higher reps is ideal. Anywhere between 8-12 is a good range. Personally, I like to mix this up. I think regardless of your goal, it is important to incorporate a variety of reps. You cannot build strength without building some muscle mass, and you cannot build muscle mass without building some strength. One popular technique is the 5x5 program. This means that you do 5 sets of 5 reps per set. I integrate this technique with the rest of my workout, and it seems to do the job nicely. The key is variety. If you do the same exercises with the same reps for months, you will notice your body becoming too acclimated to your regimen. Anyways, onto some of the basics when actually lifting weights.
1. Never lift more than you can handle. Do not be embarrassed if you cannot lift too much weight because everyone who is in that gym started out with that much weight. Leave your ego at home.
2. Focus on your technique. While perfect technique isn't essential, good technique is. Bad technique can and probably will lead to injury. Plus, bad technique will not benefit you as much with growth. The first time you lift weights, your technique will probably be poor. I recommend visiting www.bodybuilding.com - they have videos on almost all of their exercises, and you can see the proper technique.
3. Train ALL muscles in your body. This one for sure veterans and newbies alike do not seem to follow. There is no reason to never train your legs. You will start to look disproportionate.
4. Decide whether you are going to do a full-body workout, or individual body parts. I'd recommend a full body workout when starting since your muscles will tire easily. I used to do three upper body day and two lower body days. Now I do a chest day, a back day, a shoulders/traps/forearms day, a leg day, and a biceps/triceps day. You'll be able to figure it out as you go along.
5. Do NOT overtrain. Especially when beginning. I'd recommend spending about an hour to an hour and a half in the gym. No more is necessary per day. Your body starts to fade around an hour, so anything significantly after that will probably suffer from poor form. Thus, you'll end up wasting time and possibly injuring yourself.
6. REMEMBER THE BIG THREE: Squats, deadlifts, and bench press. These power exercises are essential to any workout. You'll see the most gains in strength and mass by incorporating these exercises into your routine. They also burn a significant amount of calories, so they are great if you are trying to lose weight. I generally only see people doing the bench press; much of that has to do with those people only working their upper body. These exercises are ESSENTIAL. Do not skip them.
These are just some of the basics to weightlifting. I'll follow up this article with an article on some more advanced techniques. However, if you are beginning, I highly recommend you follow this advice. It will save you time and potential injury.
First, we must determine your goals. If you are trying to build strength, you want to use heavier weights and less reps. Anywhere between 3-5 reps is ideal when trying to build strength. If you are looking to build muscle mass, higher reps is ideal. Anywhere between 8-12 is a good range. Personally, I like to mix this up. I think regardless of your goal, it is important to incorporate a variety of reps. You cannot build strength without building some muscle mass, and you cannot build muscle mass without building some strength. One popular technique is the 5x5 program. This means that you do 5 sets of 5 reps per set. I integrate this technique with the rest of my workout, and it seems to do the job nicely. The key is variety. If you do the same exercises with the same reps for months, you will notice your body becoming too acclimated to your regimen. Anyways, onto some of the basics when actually lifting weights.
1. Never lift more than you can handle. Do not be embarrassed if you cannot lift too much weight because everyone who is in that gym started out with that much weight. Leave your ego at home.
2. Focus on your technique. While perfect technique isn't essential, good technique is. Bad technique can and probably will lead to injury. Plus, bad technique will not benefit you as much with growth. The first time you lift weights, your technique will probably be poor. I recommend visiting www.bodybuilding.com - they have videos on almost all of their exercises, and you can see the proper technique.
3. Train ALL muscles in your body. This one for sure veterans and newbies alike do not seem to follow. There is no reason to never train your legs. You will start to look disproportionate.
4. Decide whether you are going to do a full-body workout, or individual body parts. I'd recommend a full body workout when starting since your muscles will tire easily. I used to do three upper body day and two lower body days. Now I do a chest day, a back day, a shoulders/traps/forearms day, a leg day, and a biceps/triceps day. You'll be able to figure it out as you go along.
5. Do NOT overtrain. Especially when beginning. I'd recommend spending about an hour to an hour and a half in the gym. No more is necessary per day. Your body starts to fade around an hour, so anything significantly after that will probably suffer from poor form. Thus, you'll end up wasting time and possibly injuring yourself.
6. REMEMBER THE BIG THREE: Squats, deadlifts, and bench press. These power exercises are essential to any workout. You'll see the most gains in strength and mass by incorporating these exercises into your routine. They also burn a significant amount of calories, so they are great if you are trying to lose weight. I generally only see people doing the bench press; much of that has to do with those people only working their upper body. These exercises are ESSENTIAL. Do not skip them.
These are just some of the basics to weightlifting. I'll follow up this article with an article on some more advanced techniques. However, if you are beginning, I highly recommend you follow this advice. It will save you time and potential injury.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Want to Lose 5 lbs in a Month?
Yes, this is a possible goal. The problem is, most people who go about losing a significant amount of weight in a short period of time do it in a unhealthy way; this causes that person to gain more than he or she actually lost when resuming a normal eating pattern. So, you want to know how to lose this weight? It requires no pills, lack of eating, etc.
Use this calculator to see what it recommends for weight loss. 3500 calories is equal to a pound.
So in order to lose 5 pounds in a month, you need to intake/burn 17,500 calories less than your maintenance weight. While you could theoretically could lose more weight, it is not a very healthy thing to do. Losing 5 lbs a month is a pretty realistic goal for someone who is slightly overweight. As you can see, there is a good reason for why diet and exercise is required to lose weight. Construct a strict diet and exercise everyday. If you do those two things, you will lose weight. The reason people fail so often is from lack of exercise or lack of consistent diet. They can't follow their diet, or they try eating too little. Do not starve yourself; make the weight loss come from exercise.
Use this calculator to see what it recommends for weight loss. 3500 calories is equal to a pound.
So in order to lose 5 pounds in a month, you need to intake/burn 17,500 calories less than your maintenance weight. While you could theoretically could lose more weight, it is not a very healthy thing to do. Losing 5 lbs a month is a pretty realistic goal for someone who is slightly overweight. As you can see, there is a good reason for why diet and exercise is required to lose weight. Construct a strict diet and exercise everyday. If you do those two things, you will lose weight. The reason people fail so often is from lack of exercise or lack of consistent diet. They can't follow their diet, or they try eating too little. Do not starve yourself; make the weight loss come from exercise.
Spot Reduction
This is one myth that baffles me. Spot reduction is the belief in which you can trim off fat from a certain area by exercising that area. Mostly, you can do crunches to reduce the size of your stomach. Well let me just say this is 100% FALSE. Spot reduction does NOT exist/work. Doing hundreds of crunches is also a waste of time. You need to use weight with your abs just like you do with other parts of your body. You also need to work out the different parts of your abs: lower, upper, and obliques. Some exercises that are good for abs are cable crunches, Russian Twists, and decline sit-ups. However, that is not what this article is about. How can you trim off that fat? The key is to have a good diet supplemented with a strong exercise regimen. Good luck and remember that spot reduction does not exist, so start getting on the treadmill instead of wasting time with hundreds of crunches.
Training Basics
I see this all the time; people who do not want to workout and think they can lose weight by avoiding it...WRONG! You MUST workout in addition WITH a good diet. These are non-negotiable. You must have a good diet with exercise to lose weight. Why is this? Simply put, your body will not consume your body fat if there is no reason to do so. If you eat enough food in a day, your body will grab food from there. Only when there is no source of energy from food will the body start to consume body fat for energy. Working out is the safest, most effective way to reduce body fat. When your body runs out of glycogen (sugars from carbs), it will dig into the fat sources. However, this doesn't mean you can avoid eating. If you didn't eat, your body will start slowing down your metabolism and you will end up gaining weight because your body will think it needs less calories. Now that you comprehend the fact that working out is necessary, you must devise a workout plan. While cardiovascular exercise is great, the best way to lose weight is by lifting weights! Yes, this is the most effective way. Why is this? Cardio exercises are aerobic. Lifting weights is an anaerobic exercise. That literarly means "without air." This is because anaerobic exercise requires your body to use sugars (glycogen) in substitue of oxygen. Thus, your body will resort to fat for energy. Along with this, the body will get used to the aerobic exercises and burning off fat will happen less likely. When performing high intensity exercise, your body will tire from it and will cause your metabolism to speed up. A common technique for losing body fat is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT.) This form of training takes less time than aerobic training, and the end result is better. Your metabolism will continue to work for hours after terminating exercise. So what do you need to do?
First, if you beginning to exercise, start with aerobic exercise. Walking at a brisk pace, cycling, and jogging are good to start. Once you have adapted your body to this exercise, you can start to perform more anaerobic exercises. My recommendation for starting: 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weightlifting, DAILY! You must exercise daily in order to get results. After you have been doing that for awhile, you can decide what you need to do to improve your body. Good luck!
First, if you beginning to exercise, start with aerobic exercise. Walking at a brisk pace, cycling, and jogging are good to start. Once you have adapted your body to this exercise, you can start to perform more anaerobic exercises. My recommendation for starting: 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weightlifting, DAILY! You must exercise daily in order to get results. After you have been doing that for awhile, you can decide what you need to do to improve your body. Good luck!
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