Need to lose weight?

Find out the best ways to lose weight in a healthy way, including how to set realistic goals you can stick to.

Friday, 29 June 2012

How To Train Like A Boxer For Rapid Fat Loss


How To Train Like A Boxer For Rapid Fat Loss



When you look at some of the physiques most of the professional boxers have they’re pretty darn impressive. Their body fat percentage is practically nil and they got lean muscle ripping through their body.

They’re workouts are super intense and they have to be well conditioned while also having a super strong core so they don’t get knocked out in the ring. And you won’t find any boxer training on a machine or doing a jazzercise class, they’re doing athlete workouts that not only make them better athletically but also produce rapid fat loss results.

Discovering how to train like a boxer is a fantastic way to spice up your workouts and go back to the extreme workout basics. Training like a boxer isn’t going to be a friendly workout, but if you’re up for pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and elevating your rapid fat loss journey then I’m going to show you how.

Dynamic Warm-Up For Rapid Fat Loss

The first component of the exercise routine to train like a boxer you’re going to want to hop of the elliptical and grab a jumping rope. If you don’t have a jump rope then you can easily do jumping jacks instead. Start skipping away with the jump rope but don’t make the rookie mistake of jumping to high or else you’re going to tire yourself out fast.

Getting your heart rate cranking high is going to be super important when first discovering how to train like a boxer because we’re going to want to keep your BPM (beats per minute) high while we’re training to mimic the actual boxing rounds.

And if you’re not able to keep your heart rate high for a few minutes at a time then it ‘s likely you’re going to get your teeth knocked out by the other guy…and who really wants the toothless look?

Strength Training With A Cranked Heart Rate

The first couple rounds of a boxing match are going to be easy as pie when compared to the final rounds. Ever seen the movie Rocky? By the time the final round hits you’re so beat up and exhausted that only the strong will survive.

While most exercise routines will have you doing bicep curls all day long, athletes are training for the championship and they need to be able to go that “extra round” when necessary.

Circuit training is going to be key in these workout routines because they’ll keep your heart rate high and they’ll also help strengthen your muscle groups. The best way to mimic an actual boxing round is to do 3 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest. Here’s an example of a boxer workout circuit:

30 seconds each with no rest in between for rapid fat loss…

1. Dive bomber Push-ups

2. Jump Squats

3. Pull-ups

4. Burpees

5. Squat Presses

6. Sprints

To Train Like A Boxer You Gotta Punch Something

I honestly won’t be able to teach you how to do any boxing that would make Manny Pacquiao get the jitters in just a couple paragraphs. But try doing a combination of punches, throw some jabs, use your off-hand, toss in some uppercuts and hooks while you constantly move your feet. You should feel the lactic acid burning your muscles in no time flat.

I definitely recommend using an actual punching bag for the punching but if you don’t have access to one then you could just hold a pair of light dumbbell or do shadowboxing instead.

You can even use intervals doing this workout as well, you could do 60 seconds of punching following by 30 seconds of jumping rope. This would make it much more intense and your calves would be burning like hell but you’ll also get better quick fat loss results too.

Strengthen Your Core Like Rocky

Building a stronger core is going to be essential for any boxer’s workout program. If you’re going to train like a boxer then developing a strong core will help you throw harder punches while also being able to take the force of your opponent’s punches.

A couple great boxer exercises to strengthen your core are Dragon flags and medicine ball sit-ups and side tosses. For the dragon flags lay on a bench with your body straight as an arrow and hold the headrest behind your head. Next explode your hips up so your feet are straight overhead and then tighten your abs and slowly bring your feet back down so they’re lying on the bench. Try to keep your hips up as long as you can and lower your hips as slowly as possible.

For the medicine ball core strength training exercises lay on a decline bench while holding a medicine ball. As you descend down bring the ball over your head and touch the floor, then explode back up and bring the ball in front of you. To make it even harder, twist side-to-side at the top.

Immediately after doing the medicine ball situps, stand up and find a solid wall & Standing sideways about 6 feet from the wall, start tossing the ball against the wall for 10-15 reps per side. Make sure you’re really exploding and throwing that ball hard!

Finish Out By Cooling Down

Since we warmed-up properly we also should cool-down the right way as well. After an intense workout it’s going to be critical to stretch out your body and keep your muscles limber. Make sure you stretch all your tight muscles that can lock up after this exercise routine such as your hip flexors, hamstrings, chest, hip rotators.
Finish your workout with a protein shake, and it doesn't even need to be expensive powders, just a 1/2 pint of milk blended with one fresh egg and a banana, you could even add a little vanilla essence for flavouring, and you’re already recovering and rejuvenating your body.

Just because you don’t want to get punched in the face doesn’t mean you can’t train like a boxer and get the same rapid fat loss results, time to crush it!





References:





Saturday, 23 June 2012

How To Lose Face Fat


How To Lose Face Fat

Here is a fact that you should take note of. What do you look at first when you meet somebody? You look at their face first right? For example you meet up with old friends, colleagues, your neighbor or new friends, most of the time you will focus your attention on their faces first.

 The point is that the face is very important and that is also why so many people are looking for ways to lose face fat. Any weight loss will show on the face first and when people look at your face, they will straight away notice changes. Plus, influences from the media and the entertaining world also create an impact on how a pretty or sexy face should look like. If you just would flip through the magazines, the faces of the models are all very slim and well defined with high cheekbones, sharp nose and a lean face.

Well, since so many people is looking for the answer to lose fat in their faces, here is a couple of tips on how to lose face fat. Before we move on to that, lets understand that there is no such thing a spot reduction. This means that if you are looking at a miracle pill or gadget that can get your cheeks down, you will be disappointed.

If you want to lose face fat, you have to begin with losing weight. This means losing excess water retention and also losing body fat. Usually, when a person loses weight, it is very noticeable that his face also gets sharper and leaner. Usually the face will slim down first because excess water is gone. Follow these simple steps to lose weight and you will get a lean, healthy and toned face.

Lose Face Fat Step 1: Drink lots of water.

You have to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Drink at least nine 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Drink more than that if you are an active person and always exposed to the sun. The thing is our body has a natural protective system. When you do not drink enough water, the body will naturally think that you are stranded in a dessert and have not enough water. As a result, it will store as much water as it can to keep you living and there is when you will get bloated. Vice versa, if you drink enough water, the body will flush out all the unnecessary water because it knows that the system has enough water. Stick to plain water. Sodas and sugared drink would not help because they contain sugar and will lead to bloating too.

Lose Face Fat Step 2: Do not forget your fruits and vegetables!

Stay natural and eat at least three servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables every day. This will not only fill you up with less calories and help you stay away from junk food, fruits and vegetables also contains water that can help you stay hydrated. Plus, they are filled with fiber that gives many health benefits. Make yourself a healthy fruit salad for snack instead of a chocolate bar. Choose your fruits carefully though; control the amount of bananas, grapes and pineapples because they are high in fructose. Go for apples, oranges, all sorts of berries and grapefruit because they are low GI carbs and they packed full with anti-oxidants.



Lose Face Fat Step 3: Reduce the alcohol

It does not matter what alcohol you drink. Wine, brandy or beer, alcohol is still alcohol. Alcohol can cause a good amount of bloating in the body because it really dehydrates the body. It can also add inches in your belly and under your chin because one gram of alcohol contains seven calories! That is almost like drinking fat! A five ounce glass of wine has 100 calories, which means drinking a little bit can add inches in your waist.

 Lose Face Fat Step 4: Bump up the calcium

A lot of studies have proven that taking at least 1200 milligrams of calcium from dairy if possible daily can help in fat loss. There is also a study that showed that half of the females in that study experienced reduced symptoms of PMS including water retention after consuming 1200 milligrams of calcium. So, do not eliminate dairy in your diet, have some in moderation.

Lose Face Fat Step 5: Calories out more than calories in.

This is the golden rule of fat loss. In order to lose weight, you have burn more calories than you consume. So, the easy and healthy way to do this is to burn 250 calories and reduce 250 calories from your food intake. The reason to reduce 500 calories a day is because we need to hit a reduction of 3500 calories a week and that will result to healthy recommended weight loss of one pound of body fat per week.
To burn 250 calories, just go for a simple walk or jog for 30 to 40 minutes. To reduce 250 calories, just eliminate all the junk food and excess fatty foods from your diet right now and I am sure you can reduce 250 calories. Eat healthy and eat with a mind to feed your muscles and body with good fuel!

Lose Face Fat Step 6: Control Your Salt Intake

Salt is another culprit of water retention. That is why when you snack with junk food that is high in sodium, you will feel every thirsty and your face will bloat up the next day. Avoid foods like pizza, burgers, junk food, chips and other similar foods because they are loaded with salt! When eating out, be careful of the gravy, some gravy use a lot of salt. Eat home and prepare your own food whenever possible! Sprinkle your salt, do not use your spoon, that way you can really control the amount of salt that goes into your food!

Lose Face Fat Step 7: Go For Weight Training

You have to weight train to maintain and increase lean muscle tissue. With more muscles packed in your body, your metabolism will increase and you can burn more calories and fat! Plus, with more muscles in your body, you can burn more calories while you do your cardio and even while rest because muscles are living tissues and require calories to function and survive! For optimum fat loss results and to lose fat on your face, you have to diet, do your cardio and also weight train.

So, if you want to lose fat on your face, the main objective is to lose weight. By losing body fat, you will look much leaner and have a much more cut features because fat and water under the skin is reduced.

So follow these simple steps and get on a fat loss program now. Mark my words; if you manage to lose body fat until your desired body fat, your face will look much leaner and thinner. Even your nose will look sharper

Wednesday, 20 June 2012

The 4 Big Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight

The 4 Big Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight



1. Your body is not producing enough Adiponectin.

Adiponectin is literally the hormone that tells your body to burn fat for fuel. And it’s like your body’s “fat burning torch.”

The research is clear that low levels of Adiponectin are associated with a higher incidence of obesity.



The frustrating thing about Adiponectin is that the fatter you are, the lower your levels – which are why LOSING fat is so darn difficult at the beginning. You need a kick start…



So here are 2 “at home” methods for naturally boosting your Adiponectin levels and stoking your fat burning fire:

  • Increase your magnesium intake, either by taking a high quality supplement, which is quite inexpensive, or by consuming seeds – pumpkin seeds are great – and green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale.
  • A much more aggressive approach is to do something called “intermittent fasting,” which has been shown to significantly increase Adiponectin levels. This works by fasting one day, and then eating big the next... and so on. While it can work for weight loss, the jury is still out as to whether this is healthy or not. Plus, who wants to live this way?

There’s another solution I will get to later that I think you’ll really enjoy.



Now let’s move on to the hormone that’s keeps you famished and running to the fridge, especially at night, which is the worst possible time to be overeating.



2. Too Much Ghrelin

Ghrelin is called the “Hunger Hormone” and, basically, the more ghrelin you have in your system, the hungrier you are.



So if you find yourself fighting cravings and can’t seem to stay away from the fridge after dinner, it’s probably due to elevated ghrelin levels…



And the hard fact is that ghrelin works directly on the hunger center of your brain by activating the brain’s reward response to highly addictive sweet, fatty foods. This increases your food intake at the worst possible time, usually at night, and ultimately makes you gain more weight.

Even worse, it appears ghrelin makes us fatter whether we eat more or not.



You can see now why losing fat is almost impossible with elevated ghrelin levels.



But here’s something you can start doing TONIGHT to lower your ghrelin levels and feel more satisfied tomorrow...

Get More ZZZ’s



New research makes it clear that even low levels of sleep deprivation increase your ghrelin levels and lead to more fat being stored in your body.



Most people need between 6-8 hours of sleep and jacking yourself up in the morning with caffeine or energy drinks is exactly the WRONG thing to do if you want to lose weight, which you’ll see why in just a moment.



But if you thought Ghrelin was bad news for your waistline, YOU need to see what’s been dubbed the “Fat Storage Hormone.”



3. Insulin Resistance



If you’re overweight, there’s a good chance that you’re experiencing some level of insulin imbalance, resulting in excess glucose, or sugar, in your system.



While this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re diabetic, it does mean that your body’s insulin, or glucose regulator, becomes less effective at lowering your blood sugars.



The end result is that instead of using the excess sugar to feed your muscles or burning it for energy - most of the carbohydrates you consume get stored as fat.



It’s simple, if you have insulin resistance it makes it virtually impossible to lose fat…



But there’s a surprisingly simple trick to addressing the excess glucose problem, and it just might already be in your kitchen cupboard...



A recent study found that consuming 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before a high carb meal significantly reduces blood glucose levels for those people with insulin resistance, which is that imbalance I spoke about.



While this might not be appetizing for everyone, the study did say that apple cider vinegar might work as well as prescription drugs at regulating blood sugar.



But even if you do drink your vinegar, you’ll still continue to store additional fat, especially abdominal fat, if you don’t keep this final fat burning barrier at bay.



4. Cortisol Overload

Your body produces cortisol in response to stress and ramps you up so you can be ready to fight or flee.



This CAN be a good thing in dangerous situations, like if you were to run across a bear while hiking.



But the constant stress we’re all under in today’s hectic, 24/7, crisis-driven world elevates our cortisol levels far beyond what we were originally designed to handle.



The result is a quadruple whammy on your waistline:

Number one: excess cortisol increases your cravings for sweets and carbs, which can lead to overeating and constant hunger.



Number two: Cortisol causes your body to actually BREAK DOWN your muscle tissue for energy. Which is absolutely the worst thing for weight loss since the less muscle you have, the lower your metabolism will be and the more fat you’ll gain.



Number three: Elevated cortisol levels cause a larger percentage of fat to be stored in the abdominal area. What’s worse is that the more abdominal fat you have, the more cortisol you produce in response to stress, which then causes more abdominal fat to be stored.



Finally, recent studies link high cortisol levels to depression in adults and children. And we all know that when you’re depressed, you eat MORE.



It’s like a vicious cycle with no end in sight!

So here is how to lower cortisol in three steps…



First of all, you need to know that caffeine increases cortisol secretion in people undergoing mental stress. For many of us, that’s just about all the time. So, the first thing you need to do is to greatly reduce or even eliminate your caffeine intake.



Next, and don’t roll your eyes at this one, but layer in some exercise into your routine. Even just walking for 30 minutes each day will work wonders.



Lastly, here’s a really good exercise I use with my patients (and my family) that reduces stress fast: As you’re sitting there, simply breathe in through your nose and count to four, hold it for 2 seconds. (Make sure to breathe into your belly -- it should expand). 



Then let the air out through your mouth until it’s comfortable – then pause for one second. Repeat this 8 times and you’ll reset your stress response… easy!

The Fat Burning Barrier No One Talks About:

Unscrupulous Supplement Manufacturers


As I promised earlier, I’m going to tell you why all the diet supplements you’ve tried have failed to work. And it’s disturbing…

First: I look for double blind, placebo controlled clinical studies... ON HUMANS… You’d be surprised how many supplement companies base their claims on animal studies. And the truth is… what works on mice, rarely works on humans.



Second: Even if there are double blind human studies on an ingredient, almost every company I’ve come across neglects to put the same exact ingredient used in the research into their formulation!

For example, there’s a green coffee bean (which we’ll talk about later) that has solid human clinical studies backing it up. However, the research was only on a green coffee bean sourced from a specific region and extracted in a special way. 



What too many supplement companies do is find a cheap source for the ingredient (China, for example) and don’t use the proper extraction method. The real active ingredient is then either nonexistent or in such small quantities as to be worthless.



They do this to save money…. Lots of money! As cheaper sources can often be found for less than 1/10 the price of the real thing…



Finally, (also to cut costs) even if they do happen to include the right ingredient – they rarely, if ever, include the same amount of the ingredient used in the study to get the claimed result. They usually hide this in a “proprietary” formula… or just assume that most consumers won’t have access to the research. 



The reason they do this is because ingredients that work are not cheap when delivered at the right dose.

So when shopping for supplements, make sure to ask yourself:

Has the ingredient actually been researched in human double blind studies?

Is it the real ingredient used in the study? And...

Are you getting the ingredient at the real dose?





Reference



Dr. Steven Sisskind, M.D.


Monday, 18 June 2012

Losing the Last Ten Pounds of Stubborn Fat


Losing the Last Ten Pounds of Stubborn Fat

Introduction

For anyone who begins their body transformation program with a significant amount of fat to lose, the initial stages can be deceptively easy; just by eating healthier and/or exercising makes excess body fat magically vanish. However, as a person approaches the range of single-digit body-fat-percentages, it is the human body's natural inclination to attempt to hold onto the last stores of body fat. I have been stuck in this seemingly impossible situation, and it required years of trial and error experimentation until I found out what works for me. I wrote this article to help other people who are experiencing the same difficulties. I cannot ensure that what has worked for me will also work for you, and I strongly encourage you to consult with your physician before changing up your diet or exercise regimen.

Alternate Different Types of Cardiovascular Exercise

Our bodies are biomechanical machines, and the more our bodies repeat the same physical activities, the more efficient our bodies will become at performing these activities. Unfortunately, there are only so many different types of exercises that we can do to train the same muscles, so the best we can do is to occasionally change it up a little bit to keep our bodies challenged. When I approach the last ten pounds of fat-loss, I keep my strength training constant, but I routinely alternate my cardiovascular exercise between high-intensity and low-intensity cardiovascular exercises.

There are two reasons for alternating different types of cardio: high-intensity cardiovascular training targets fast-twitch muscles and accelerates my metabolism for 24-48 hours following the exercise, and low-intensity cardiovascular exercise targets slow-twitch muscles and uses large amounts of energy during the actual exercise. I have found the greatest success by alternating these two types of cardio (every other day), partly because my legs are too sore to do high-intensity workouts every day, but I can also ride the metabolic boost for 2 days following a high-intensity workout, whilst doing long distance, low-intensity calorie-burners (hiking, walking, etc.) in-between.

High-Intensity Cardio: Accelerates the metabolism for 24-48 hours following the workout, and can be great for building leg muscles (if the workout includes squats, lunge-jumps, squat-jumps, high stepping, etc.).

Low-Intensity Cardio: Uses a lot of energy during the exercise and is a good stretch for the legs on the days following high-intensity workouts.

Stop Drinking Alcohol

Many trainers tell their clients to avoid alcohol in order to lose weight, but they do not usually explain why. This is unfortunate, because their advice would be much more persuasive if they provided some basis. Here are few reasons: Alcohol is empty calories; alcohol can suppress testosterone production in men; the presence of alcohol prevents the liver from sourcing body fat from the body's fat stores, because alcohol is toxic and is therefore processed by the liver before anything else; and, alcohol can impair good judgment regarding dietary choices. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should be sufficiently persuasive.

Increase Water Intake

Water is important for several reasons: joint lubrication, kidney function, liver function, fat metabolism, and much, much more. Sometimes when the body needs water, we mistake thirst signals as hunger pangs. Staying hydrated will prevent this mix-up from occurring. I try to drink at least one gallon of water every day, and sometimes more during intense cardio phases. Although it is possible to drink a toxic amount of water and cause some serious damage, most people do not get anywhere near water intoxication (Google "Water Intoxication").

Increase Fiber Intake

Fiber is beneficial to the digestive and circulatory systems; and can help to balance blood sugar levels. Controlling blood sugar levels is vital to fat loss, because blood sugar triggers insulin release. When insulin levels are constantly elevated, the body can become stuck in fat-storage mode. When I approach the last phase of fat loss (cutting), I eat a lot of fiber (beans) to control blood sugar/insulin levels. For fiber, the USRDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is somewhere in the range of 20 to 30 grams per day for adults; I increase my fiber intake to 60 to 80 grams per day. This is difficult and painful for many people- talk to your doctor before you try this.

Decrease or Eliminate Refined Carbohydrates and Other Processed Foods

eliminate all sugars during a cutting phase.  limit carbohydrates to very simple, unprocessed foods, such as brown rice, potatoes, beans, and other unprocessed vegetables. This is primarily to manage blood sugar/insulin levels, but it is also to aid in digestion. Overall, I have found that the body functions better when it does not have to un-process, or reverse the chemical processes that went into, many processed foods- this goes for proteins and fats as well as carbohydrates.

Keep a Food Journal

If you are not already doing this, then start now. Keeping a food journal, even for a week or two, will help you gain insight into your actual food intake. Many people are surprised when they look back over their journal and discover how much [and what] they are actually consuming. After keeping a food journal for a short time, most people become adept at remembering everything that they eat and the food journal becomes unnecessary. I still do it sometimes to track my protein intake.







Reference

R. West

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Learn How to Lose Cellulite on Your Legs


Learn How to Lose Cellulite on Your Legs


How do I Lose Weight Around My Hips, Stomach, and Thighs? Discover 8 simple moves that will literally reshape your body in less than 8 weeks.

How many times in the past year have you casually strolled into the gym giving off the impression that you were going to get in great shape? You know what I mean, lose weight, burn some fat, build some lean sexy muscle, tone and tighten your legs and arms. Heck even lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

How many times in the past 10 years of you tried getting into better shape but always seemed to fail?

No matter how many times you have failed, it isn’t necessary your fault. Sadly enough, the government and fitness magazines have been pumping out lies for years now. Trust me when I tell you, half of what you read in the latest issues of these fitness magazines are not even half true. If you ever pay close attention you will see how they contradict each other on a monthly basis.

So don’t get so down about not achieving the results you’ve been Sweating After. I doubt that you are going to quit anymore.

Why am I so sure that you will see great results following this plan? Because I know it works, and you will see it work.

Here is what you need to do in order to tone and tighten your legs, flatten your stomach and shrink your hips to a normal sexy size. Simply follow this workout and you will be amazed with your new body. You are allowed a 45 second break in between sets.

Oh make sure you remember that you need to follow a well-balanced meal plan.


High Knee Drill * warm up exercise- do this for 3-5 minutes

1. Stand in place with feet hip width apart.
2. Drive knee up towards chest and quickly place the foot back on the ground.
3. Drive other knee up in a moderate to fast jog with minimal ground contact time.


Squat Jump 3 sets of 15 reps

1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back straight in a neutral position.

2) Arms should be in the ready? Position with elbows flexed at approximately 90?
.
3) Lower body where thighs are parallel to ground.

4) Explode vertically and drive arms up.

5) Land on both feet and repeat
.
6) Prior to take off extend the ankles to their maximum range (full plantar flexion) to ensure proper mechanics.


Boxing 2 sets of 45 seconds

1. Start by fitting yourself with the proper sized gloves.

2. Next you want to hit the bag with a variety of movements. For example a left jab with a right cross, body punches, right cross only.

3. Proceed to hit the bag for the required time or however your cardiovascular program is designed. 


Lateral Lunge on Box 3 sets of 15 reps

Start position: Stand with feet hip width apart. Place
hands on waist or out to sides for stability.
Step laterally 2-3 feet and place foot onto a box 12-24? high. Bend knee into a lunge.
Pushing off foot, return to start position. Continue with same leg or alternate as prescribed.
Remember to keep head and back upright in a neutral position. Shoulders and hips should remain squared at all times.
 

Burpees 3 sets of 10 reps

1. From a standing position, jump as high as possible and land down on your feet with your hands on the ground.
 
2. Kick your feet back. For a moment you will be in a push up position and jump back up again as fast as possible.

3. Repeat for the required repetitions


Hamstring Curl 3 sets of 15 reps

1) Assume back lying position on floor. Place hands at sides with palms down on floor.

2) Start position: Place heels of both feet on top of stability ball. Raise hips off floor.

3) Curl heels toward glutes by flexing at the knee. Hips should remain off floor.

4) Return to start position

5) Remember to maintain stability of ball by utilizing muscles in the trunk and core. To increase difficulty, cross arms hands over chest to take away base of support.


Plank 2 sets of 45 seconds

1. Start by placing your forearms on the ground and forming a plank with your forearms and feet.
2. Hold this position keeping your body parallel to the ground for the required time.

Side Plank 2 sets of 45 seconds

1. Lay on the ground on one side. Raise your body using one forearm and support it in this raised position for the required time.
 
2. Lower your body and repeat on the other side.
 
3. Remember to keep your head, neck and body in a straight line.