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How To Successfully Lose Weight and Keep It Off
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Diet and Nutrition
"Hello everyone,
I see there are alot of tips and articles on here on how to lose weight. Well from my research and experience, I can provide you with some basic guidelines. They are as follows. In this article I will go over 3 points and explain them in detail and in future articles, I will explain the rest.
Eat every 2-3 hours. This will keep your blood sugar stable and keep you metabolic rate high (which burns more calories).
Eat lean protein with each meal. Protein has a high thermogenic effect. What does that mean? Well, it means that your body uses more calories to burn protein, compared to carbohydrates. Also, protein slows down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream when eaten with carbohydrates.
Eat vegetables with each meal. Protein and carbohydrates, when eaten, put your body into an acidic state. Now for those of you who dont understand acididty and alkalinity, simply put, your body will store more fat and run at lower than optimal levels if its in an acidic state. This is where vegetables comes in. Vegetables help to neutralize all those acids that are in your blood and return your body to an alkaline state (which is good). Also, if your body is continously in an acidic state, then your body looks for ways to neutralize it on its own. Well guess what. Your body will take glutamine from your muscles and calcium from your bones to help change this acidic state. What does this mean for you. Well, it means muscle and bone loss, which is what you don't want.
Look for my next weight loss tips.
Hope you enjoyed them.
Albert"
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created by
albert
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saved on 5/7/2008
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8
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36.1
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100 %
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Cardio Confusion - Long and Slow or Short and Fast
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Endurance
"Exercising aerobically within the lower limits of the Target Heart Rate Zone (i.e. 50-70% of the Maximum Heart Rate) for longer durations was once considered to be the most beneficial for fat-burning. Current research findings now indicate that greater fat-burning is accomplished with exercise in the upper limits of the Target Heart Rate Zone (i.e. 70-90% MHR). The following four points reveal the myth of the fat-burning workout and provide support for exercising at relatively higher intensities:
Fat vs. Carbs for Fuel: During low-intensity activities you primarily burn fat; when the intensity of the activity increases so does the percentage of carbohydrates that you burn. While the percentage of energy from fat decreases proportionately as you progress to higher exercise intensities, the total caloric expenditure and total amount of fat used increases significantly.
The Post-Workout Metabolic Boost: Vigorous exercise elevates the resting metabolic rate (RMR) to a greater degree than low intensity exercise. Studies have demonstrated a return to the resting metabolic level within minutes after exercise of low to moderate intensity, while higher intensity exercise has shown a sustained elevation in RMR for many hours. Some experts estimate that exercise must be sustained for 20-30 minutes at 70% or more of aerobic capacity in order to derive any benefit from this elevated caloric expenditure after the workout. This post-excess calorie burn, from a shorter, but more intense session accounts for far greater results than just the calories burned during a longer exercise session itself at low to moderate intensities.
The Dose Response Relationship: The lower cardiovascular stimulus acting on the body at lower exercise intensities causes a smaller increase in aerobic fitness than working at higher intensities of exercise. The person who only exercises at lower intensities is still burning fat, but is not conditioning their body to the same degree to become an even better fat-burning machine!
Hormonal Influences: Intensities above 70% of aerobic capacity are required to stimulate the release of growth hormone. This hormone is involved in the processes of fat release, fat transport and fat metabolism.
The bottom line: When beginning to exercise, do so at an intensity and duration that is appropriate for your fitness level. Also, keep the three C’s of cardio in mind – Make it the most CONVENIENT part of your day, a CONSISTENT part of your lifestyle, and keep it CHALLENGING and FUN."
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created by
albert
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saved on 5/6/2008
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8
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38.6
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100 %
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How Much Sleep Is Enough?
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General/Other
"It’s different for everybody. Infants generally require the most sleep, approximately 16 hours a day, teenagers about 9 hours on average. Most adults find they need about 7 to 8 hours a night, although some can get by on as few as 5, while others may need 9 or 10. What really matters is how well rested you feel when you wake up in the morning, and how alert you are during the day. And this is not contingent on just sleep. Nutrition plays a key role in balancing your brain chemistry to help promote quality sleep and energy during the day.
Here are a few tips for a good nights sleep:
• One of the best things you can do is invest in a quality mattress! Such a mattress not only provides proper support for your spine, but is also made of materials that wick moisture away and assist in regulating body temperature.
• Avoid caffeine (such as in chocolate, coffee, teas and soft drinks), nicotine, and alcohol. If you do have them, make sure it is no closer than 6 hours before bedtime. Research has shown that alcohol not only interferes with deep sleep, but it also relaxes muscles in the throat, causing snoring and possible breathing problems. Instead, it keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep, from which you can be awakened easily. Nicotine is a stimulant, raising blood pressure and elevating the heart rate. Sleeping pills can also cause problems, as often they interfere with sleep cycles and create dependency.
• Do your best to adhere to a regular schedule for going to bed and waking up. Your body functions at its best when you follow set patterns, and responds well to what it is used to.
• Spend an hour or so before bedtime simply unwinding and relaxing. This will calm you down, and help you to avoid thoughts associated with stressful events of the day.
• Try getting up a half hour earlier in the morning for a few days. By re-adjusting your "time clock" you will be more apt to fall asleep quickly and sleep more soundly. Once the pattern of quality sleep is established, you can go back to your normal wake-up time.
• Proper air circulation and room temperature are important for a good nights sleep. If the room is too warm or too cold, you will be uncomfortable and less likely to rest peacefully. People lose some of the ability to regulate their body temperature during REM, so abnormally hot or cold temperatures in the environment can disrupt this stage of sleep.
• Keep your bedroom as dark and quiet as possible. If you are a light sleeper, use "white noise" or soft music to mask sounds that interfere with sleep.
• If you find that no matter what you seem to do, you still cannot fall asleep, don't fight it! Listen to your body, go ahead and get up, or spend this time doing some sort of relaxing activity until you feel sleepy. Worrying about being awake serves no purpose and just makes matters worse."
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created by
albert
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saved on 5/6/2008
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2
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15.1
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When is the Best Time to Workout?
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Strength Training
"Today’s lifestyle is extremely hectic and stressful. Everyday, we wake up in the morning and follow our same routine. If it’s going to work, picking up the kids, going grocery shopping, running some errands or trying to have a social life, we are always complaining about not having enough time . And we still haven’t scheduled in our workout for the day. How can we possibly workout when so much is going on? Keep reading this article and find some helpful tips for your workout schedule.
I’m sure you have asked yourself this question, “When is the best time to workout?” First and foremost, workout when you can. If you have time in the morning, then workout in the morning. If your only free time is in the evening, then schedule your workout then. Some people don’t have a set schedule for their training. So it’s critical that you workout whenever you have the time.
However, from a physiological standpoint, your hormones peak at about 3 and 11 hours upon awakening. Well, what does this mean? It means that if you wake up at 7:00 a.m., you are strongest at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Also, the synovial fluid that is found in your joints (fluid that helps to lubricate your joints) reaches optimal levels 3 hours upon awakening. So if you are able to schedule your workouts around these times, you will find yourself stronger, more alert and less prone to injuries during your training.
Another important factor regarding when to workout lies with the fact if you are a morning or night person. If you are a morning person, then your body may respond better to your workouts in the morning. If you are a night person, then schedule your workouts at night. It’s also important to keep the same workout times from day to day. This way, your body can mentally and physiologically prepare itself when you are close to your workouts. If you do need to change the time of your training, then allow your body about 3 weeks to adapt to the new time change.
If you decide to workout in the morning, make sure you gradually workout with proper progression. Start off slow and work your way up to a full body workout. Your body needs to adjust to this new time change. There are a handful of benefits when training in the morning. These include:
• Elevated metabolism
• Keeping you energized all day
• Regulated appetite
• Better sleeping patterns
• Mental acuity increased 4 hours after exercise
So there you have it. Now you know some facts circulating around the best time to train. Hope this article was helpful to you and your training."
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created by
albert
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saved on 5/6/2008
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4
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25.4
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