Easy Metabolic Boosters

4 Easy Metabolic Boosters

 

 

Metabolism is such a nebulous term in the fitness industry. But it has a specific and very elaborate meaning. For our purposes, it is the rate at which your body burns energy. This, of course, is good to know for those of us concerned with body composition because the more energy you can burn, the leaner you will generally be. Resting metabolism refers to the rate that your body burns energy while you do nothing. So if you can find a way to crank up your metabolism, you’re on your way to a much better body. There are a few ways that you can enhance this rate of burn and some might be less obvious than others.

Use this short checklist to see if you’re doing as much for your metabolism as you can.

1. Exercise

This shouldn’t come as a shock. Even daily movement such as walking around your home or office will increase your metabolism but they key here is exercise – a conscious effort to train your body (and metabolism). Exercise releases a variety of hormones that benefit your body in more ways that you can imagine. By strength training just a couple of times a week, you’ll reverse 50% of the seemingly inevitable metabolism slow-down that comes with age.

2. Build Some Muscle

Have you ever heard a family member or friend say that a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat? It’s true! However, what each does to your body is completely different. By exercising and building a leaner and stronger physique you can change your body composition into more muscle and less bodyfat. What’s the advantage there? Muscle is more metabolic – a pound burns 5-6 calories per day at rest – and demands more calories to be burned up in your body than fat. The more muscle you carry the more calories your burn daily.

3. Get a Morning Kick Start

If you are not a morning person, then listen to this: Exercising in the morning can lead to greater caloric expenditure throughout your day. An elevated metabolism throughout the day only means that you'll burn more calories and lose more weight.

4. Eat to Increase Metabolism

Every time you consume food your body needs to break it down so it can be used by your body. That process in and of itself increases your metabolism – it’s called the Thermic Effect of Food. That’s just one of the ways that eating solid meals increases your metabolism. But certain foods contain certain properties that can increase your metabolism.

Source: Google, MuscleandFitness.com, santabanta.com

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How to Train Hard in a Commercial Gym

You’ve put in a few solid years of training and you’re ready to take your workouts to the next level. Problem is there’s no sports performance facility or powerlifting gym within a 50-mile radius of where you live. So how do you get in hardcore workouts while being surrounded by cardio bunnies and dudes flexing in the mirror? Follow these 5 tips and you can turn any average, commercial gym environment into your version of muscle beach.

1: Forget the Supersets

Everyone knows that one of the biggest problems in commercial gyms is overcrowding - particularly during prime time hours. Walk away from the squat rack to hit a set of pull-ups and you are likely to find your barbell stripped and some guy setting up for a killer set of curls by the time you get back. Rather than going with supersets (which, of course are efficient) stick in one spot and perform all the sets of your main strength exercise as straight sets. Face it, the gym is a pretty territorial place. And while someone may ask to work in with you, the chances of someone trying to completely reset the rack is unlikely. And while it may take some more time, straight sets do allow you to place more focus and energy on one big lift.

2: The Barbell is Your Best Friend

Machines, dumbbells, kettlebells and even treadmills can all have their place in well designed training program. But if we’re talking hardcore movements, most of those start and end with the barbell. You can squat, military press, bench, clean, snatch and deadlift all with the same piece of equipment. And most commercial gyms have no shortage of barbells. So grab one, make your way into an empty corner of the gym, gather some plates and get to work.

3: Find a Great Training Partner

Even the typical Globo-Gym has a few guys who are very knowledgeable and take their training seriously. Seek these people out and train with them or, at the very least, try to train at the same time they are there. Surrounding yourself with guys who want to get stronger and bigger will instantly improve your training environment. Plus you’ll automatically be surrounded by guys who will spot you, give you good advice and cheer you on as you go for personal best lifts.

4: Add Resistance to Your Conditioning

Nothing will lull you to sleep in a typical gym like the cardio area. The wait for machines and endless banks of TVs are less about dedication and more about distraction. If your program calls for conditioning, stay in the free weight area and hit some timed circuits or kettlebell complexes. Going about your energy system work this way will keep you in the right frame of mind and around other people who are pushing their limits, not pushing buttons on a remote.

5: It’s All About Attitude

It may be tough to get psyched up for a big set when no one else in the gym seems to care. But bringing the right attitude into each training sessions is just as important as bringing your gym bag. If you can’t find like-minded people to train around, make yourself a playlist of music that gets you psyched to lift and engage in some positive, motivating self-talk before each set. Visualize an entire, successful training session before you even head to the gym. Doing these things will allow you to rise above a not-so-inspiring training environment and be able to achieve your best every time you step up to the bar.

Source:Google,  MuscleandFitness.com

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Snuffing Out Body Weaknesses For Muscle Building

No physique is perfectly balanced. Here’s 

how to identify and correct weaknesses

No matter how well developed you think you are, there are muscles on your body that can use some catching up. For example, those who have spent years trying to build bigger pecs often end up suffering from lagging back development, the result of simply training most what is seen most often. Not only does this lead to visual imbalances but it can create postural or strength disparities that can produce serious injury.

So what is the proper process for this issue? Here are a few ideas and it all starts in the mirror.

1. Be Honest with Yourself

Take a look in the mirror, or have someone take well-lit pics of you. What do you see? Are certain muscle groups out of whack? Do you have big front delts but barely-there rear delts? Hefty lower pecs but no upper chest mass? Meaty triceps but small biceps? You may think that you’re doing everything you can but different muscle groups react differently to training programs so if you’re doing the same amount of volume and intensity for similar muscles, you may still have some imbalances that need to be addressed. What is the mirror telling you?

2. Add New Variations

If you have tried growing biceps by simply doing more barbell curls and it’s not working, try different arm angles.Preacher curls, high-pulley cable curls, hammer curls, incline curls – all of these moves target the biceps slightly differently and one of them may hold the secret to new growth.

3. Train More Frequently

Most lifters subscribe to a “once a week” approach when it comes to individual bodypart training. But if your delts, for example, are lagging then you may need to add extra sessions. Try starting with one extra session, allowing 3-4 days of recovery between workouts. Continuing the delts example, if you train them with back on Tuesday, try a delts-only session on Friday or Saturday to instigate new growth.

4. Crank Up the Volume

As with training frequency, adding more volume to every session may help. The general prescription that many lifters learn and stick to calls for 12-16 sets of work for larger muscle groups like chest and quads and 9-12 sets for smaller ones like biceps and calves. But if you’re not growing, this isn’t working. Try increasing this volume by about 50 percent to see what kind of results you get. That means 18-24 sets for large groups and 12-18 for small ones. Of course, this means more muscle breakdown and thus recovery is more demanding –you have to get adequate rest and nutrition to make this a worthwhile move.

5. Pump the Brakes

Got a killer set of quads? We’re proud of you. You’re a winner. We don’t want you to fully rest on your laurels but maybe it’s time to cut back a bit on your quad training a bit so they don’t overpower your hamstrings as much. An overdeveloped chest will dwarf delts and a barn door back can overshadow undertrained legs. Simply scaling back on training “gifted” muscle groups may help naturally correct huge visual imbalances.

Source: Google, MuscleandFitness.com

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Food You Should Avoid During Fat Loss

FOOD YOU SHOULD AVOID DURING FAT LOSS

Frosting

That store-bought frosting from a tub might taste great on cakes and cookies, but it's packed with problems. "It's one of the only items in the grocery store that still has trans fats, which are terrible for your health and waistline," says Melina Jampolis, MD, physician nutrition expert and coauthor of The Calendar Diet. "Trans fat raises bad cholesterol, lowers good cholesterol, and causes inflammation, which can lead to belly fat and diseases ranging from heart disease to diabetes." On top of that, tub frosting is loaded with sugar, and high-sugar diets contribute to premature wrinkles. Yikes.

Bagels

If you're prone to skin problems and tempted to grab a bagel before you go in the morning, think twice. "Bagels have a massively high glycemic index, which increases insulin and leads to increased inflammation in the body, which is shown to possibly accelerate aging and worsen acne and rosacea," says dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, codirector of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington, DC. Opt for an English muffin with peanut butter instead.

Processed Baked Goods

So convenient, so tasty (if we're being honest here), butso not worth it. Those pre-packaged mini muffins, doughnuts, and dessert cakes will add tons of calories and loads of unwanted sugar to your diet, plus they aren't easy to digest. "These foods are bad on so many levels, because they are filled with high sugar content and preservatives for a longer shelf-life -- they can literally sit there forever," says Dr. Tanzi. "Sugar increases inflammation in the skin, which on top of irritating acne and rosacea, can make you look puffy and bloated. Skip the wrapped stuff and grab fresh fruit for a sweet fix instead.

Soda

Dietitians and doctors all agree: Soda should be nixed from your diet completely. "One can of soda is like a can of water with 10 packets of sugar in it," says nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, and director and owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, LLC. "The recommended amount of daily sugar for a woman is about six teaspoons or 24 grams, and soda has way more than that." Good old fashion H2O is still your best option. If you want to jazz it up, add a slice of fresh fruit for flavor.

Sugary Cereal

A bowl of Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, or Cap'n Crunch might taste like nostalgia, but it'll wreak some havoc with its high amount of inflammation-causing sugar and gluten content. "For some people with sensitive skin, gluten can exacerbate breakouts, leading to increased redness and, yes, more breakouts," says Dr. Tanzi. Opt for low-sugar, gluten-free options like Rice Chex and Corn Flakes.

Stick Margarine

Choose a small amount of regular butter or soft spread over stick-shaped margarine when topping foods or baking, says Taub-Dix. "Margarine is usually loaded with trans fat," she says. Don't forget that stick margarine is found in plenty of pastries, crackers, snack foods, and even microwave popcorn, so limit intake to keep cholesterol levels in check.

Jarred Tomato Sauce

It's easy to forget sources of sugar when you're making recipes that aren't traditionally considered sweet, but they do exist. Tomato sauce is a big culprit, says Dr. Tanzi. "Make your own, because the store stuff has a ton of sugar."

Bacon

Noshing on bacon as a side for breakfast, as a topping for salads, or as an addition to your sandwich? Bad habit. "I know it's only 45 calories a strip, but it is really high in fat, sodium, and the preservative sodium nitrate," says Taub-Dix. Veggies or a few nuts are better options for a crunch, and won't create such problems for your heart and digestive system. You're better off avoiding it, but if you must have a little bacon? "Stick to half a strip to crumble on foods like salads and sandwiches," Taub-Dix says.

Maraschino Cherries

This preserved fruit might turn up in your cocktail or on your sundae. Start choosing the real deal over sugar-packed, processed maraschino cherries. "These have artificial colors, like red-40 and red-3 dyes, that add no nutritional value," says Taub-Dix.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is low in calories and has some good vitamins and minerals like riboflavin and vitamin B-6, but the extremely high sodium content will leave you bloated and at risk for conditions like hypertension. "There are so many low-sodium, lighter soy sauce options, there's no reason to buy the regular stuff anymore," says Taub-Dix. Yet she still recommends using the light stuff sparingly. "A tablespoon of the low-sodium soy sauce is about 600 milligrams of sodium instead of 900, so it is less but not none."


Source: Google, Fitnessmagazine.com

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