Tag Archive for: @WonderfullyFitPT

The Benefits of Eating Six Small Meals Each Day

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Starving yourself is not a healthy way to restrict how many calories you consume. Research now shows that eating 6 smaller meals a day can help you achieve your summer weight loss goals, as opposed to the traditional thinking that 3 complete meals a day is best. You can seriously put your health at risk if you limit your calorie consumption too drastically.

More and more people are victims of a “roller coaster diet” while trying to lose weight. Diet plans that restrict your calories decrease your body’s metabolism, and as a result your body will experience starvation. When this occurs, your body doesn’t use a lot of calories, and that leads to extreme hunger.

diet

To increase your body’s metabolic rate, you should eat 5 or 6 smaller meals each day. Your metabolism will increase, and thus burn more calories all day long. You can further increase your metabolism by eating foods high in protein during your 6 meals.

Eating regularly will boost your metabolism due to the thermic effect of food.

You need a lot of calories to digest and absorb food, creating the thermic effect.

Different foods have different percentages of thermic effect, ranging from 3 to 30 percent. High protein foods have a 30 percent thermic effect. Some examples are turkey, salmon, and tuna. By simply digesting, 30 percent of the calories in these foods are burned. 20 percent of the calories found in fibrous and complex carbohydrates are burned during digestion. Some examples of these foods are corn, broccoli, green beans, and spinach. Foods with a very low thermic effect include refined carbohydrates and fats. This is the reason why dietary fat is stored so easily.

Your level of hunger will diminish while your energy level rises when you eat 5-6 smaller meals each day. You will also be able to maintain balanced blood sugar levels, which will help prevent hunger.

You can develop muscle to increase your metabolism. By eating regularly, you can maintain insulin levels which produce amino acids into your muscle’s cells, thus promoting muscle growth. Eating every 3 hours will yield a steady output of insulin. This is good for muscle growth and storing glycogen. As a result of eating healthy foods regularly, your summer weight loss goals will be easier to accomplish, and your body will be able to process vitamins and minerals more effectively.

The trick is to make sure you have a constant eating schedule. It might be difficult at first, but planning your meals will be well worth it. To prevent cravings and hunger, it’s good habit to feed your body foods that are rich in nutrients. A summer weight loss plan including a diet of healthy fats, vegetables, fruit, and lean protein is the best way to go. Eating such a diet with 5-6 meals each day can accelerate your muscle growth. It can increase your energy level, increase your metabolism, and you’ll burn half of the calories by eating regularly, and store very little fat.

Combine your diet with strength training and cardiovascular exercise to make it even more effective! Using these three methods, you’ll be on the fast track to burning fat and accomplishing your summer weight loss goals.

5 Best Healthy Foods For A Longer Life

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Living longer is about exercising and eating only healthy foods. The healthier the foods that you eat, the more likely you are to live a happy life for a very long, long time.

Obviously there are thousands upon thousands of healthy foods. Almost all vegetable that you may come across is likely healthy, as are the majority of all fruits. Natural grains tend to be in the upper pinnacle of healthy eating, etc.

foods

But what are the healthiest foods – the foods that if you eat them regularly you are guaranteed to get the most nutrients you can from your meal? What are the foods that everyone should be eating in order to live a long and healthy life?

The Healthiest Foods – a Countdown

Quinoa (Whole Grains)

Whole grains are vital for healthy living, and quinoa is one of the healthiest of those whole grains. A rather bland food overall, quinoa is very easy to flavor with things like lemon, garlic, oils, salt, and other flavors that make it taste significantly better. It is extremely high in both protein and fiber, and it is also a good source of iron and magnesium.

Cranberries (Berries)

Berries are another extremely healthy food. They have a number of antioxidants that are vital for healthy living. Cranberries are just one of several berries that are extremely high in antioxidants, but all berries have their benefits and should be eaten regularly.

Spinach (Greens)

Greens are a great source of protein, fiber, calcium and other important pieces of nutrition. Spinach is actually not quite as good for you as Kale and Collard Greens, but Spinach is more versatile and can be eaten in far more ways that just salad, so it can easily become a staple in your cuisine even when you want to mix it up.

Soy

Soy is simply a fantastically healthy food. It has fiber, vitamins, Omega-3, protein, calcium – almost everything that you could need from a meal. It can also be found in almost every different type of food, as vegetarians can find soy meats, soy cheeses, tofu and other food types that can all be used to get soy in every meal.

Salmon

Salmon, however, is like soy on steroids. Loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, protein and other beneficial nutrients, salmon has almost everything that you need all in one grilled piece of fish. It is also low in fat and cholesterol (high in good cholesterol), and is a great addition to anyone’s diet.

All five of those foods are considered some of the healthiest foods in the world – but beyond that, they are all also incredibly versatile, so it is not too difficult to get them into your daily diet regularly. For anyone who want to improve their overall health and wellness and planning on eating a significantly healthier diet regularly, these foods are the first place you should go. They are simply loaded with all of the necessary ingredients that you need in order to improve your health.

How to Quickly Get Lean

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You’ll be happy to know that there’s no reason you can’t build muscle and lose fat fast. Once you’ve turned fat into muscle, with a few changes to lifestyle you can look lean and fit for the rest of your life. But how does one get started in building muscle and losing fat? Glad you asked! And there’s great news because you can do it quickly.

The quickest way to build your muscle mass is to get stronger. Any type of strength training will work. There’s weight training that involves dumbbells, barbells, and exercises like squats. You can use either free weights or weight machines.

fat

As you build muscle, your body fat will decrease. Along with strength training, you need 30 minutes of cardio exercise three times a week. The goal here is not to exhaust yourself but rather to burn fat. When doing your cardio you should be breathing heavier than you normally would but you should not be gasping for air. You should always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.

You can’t build your muscles unless you are feeding them properly, and when you are eating right, you’ll also be losing fat. Your nutrition needs to included at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily. So things like poultry, fish, and eggs are good sources of protein.

You also need the good fats, which include omega 3, 6, and 9 found in things like olive oil and fish oil. Make sure you are eating plenty of veggies, especially the greens. Steam don’t cook. All kinds of fruit is good for you, and you’ll also want to make sure your eating only whole grain foods. Water is critical to your fast fat loss program. Stay away from packaged foods and fast foods, and get rid of the soda.

As well as eating healthy, you are going to have to reduce your calorie intake. Don’t do anything drastic because that triggers the body to think it’s in starvation mode and it actually becomes more difficult to lose those pounds. Instead, reduce gradually. The first week cut out 500kcal. After a week check to see if you’ve lost weight and reduce more as necessary. Never cut more calories if you see you are losing weight.

Keeping a journal can help to motivate you and stay on track. There are even free websites that allow you to track your progress online.

 

Why Sleep Is Essential For Our Health

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In today’s modern society, there are lots of things to do that causes we always come to feel we do not have sufficient time to complete everything. It is not unusual for many individuals to go to bed until midnight and then wake up too early every day to fit in everything.

You may think that it is not such a negative thing. Okay, now let us take a peek at the significance of having a quality sleep for our overall health.

sleep

Numerous aspects of sleep are still undiscovered at present, even though experts have been engaged in many different scientific studies for decades. Clearly, sleep has long been a mystery. Even so, there are a few facts to convince you that sleep is an important activity.

Simply have a look at a young child. When it happens to be the time for him/her to take a nap, soon you will have to deal with problems since the child will start conducting unpleasant things. Having said that, after getting a short nap, he/she will get back to be fun again. In reality, the same also happens for older people when they have sleep deprivation. Needless to say, they will not exhibit the same responses as toddlers will do, but similar things truly happen.

Some processes take place during sleep. A bodily chemical that influences growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans is issued while you are getting a good sleep. This hormone is very essential during the growth period of children. This clarifies the reason babies require sleep so many hours every day. HGH, or human growth hormone, is at the same time used for restoration of tissue structure that is the reason older people need eight hours of sleep every night for their bodies to get the rest they need to repair and re-energize.

Besides issuing HGH, while sleeping other important processes also take place. A system that protects against disease, for example, is affected by the quality of your sleep. Simply put, the body’s defense mechanism will not function normally in case you have sleep deprivation. It has also been known that acquiring a sufficient amount of sleep is important for an individual who wants to manage his weight.

In essence, the significance of sleep cannot be emphasized enough. Lack of sleep has unwanted side effects on your physical and mental condition such as finding it hard to concentrate and to make reasonable judgments. This can put you into a dangerous situation, especially when you must react to something extremely fast.

As just stated, sleep can be viewed as-as an activity for developing and rebuilding. It is needed to regain the energy that has been worn out all day. If you have quality, sound sleep, you will acquire an adequate amount of energy to carry out the new day’s tasks. Even so, bear in mind that the amount of sleep you must have may be not equal with others. Just make sure you always get the full amount of sleep required. If not, your system will begin asking for it.

Top 5 Foods That Combat Stress

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Nothing can ever replace the damage caused by stress to your body. Busy schedules, work deadlines, and other environmental factors promote stress and reduce the natural defenses of the body. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to combat stress.

Healthy eating has a positive effect in reducing stress in a natural and effective way. Here are top foods that combat stress.

stress

1. Blueberries

Blueberries are a proven stress buster. It is crammed with antioxidants that revives and rejuvenates the damaged cells in the body and relieves stress. It neutralizes free radicals in the body and prevents cell damage. It also improves the body’s response to fight stress and anxiety. Besides, blueberries also improve immunity, which again, plays a vital role in reducing stress.

2. Dark chocolate

This could be an ultimate delight for chocolate lovers. Not all chocolates have the power to combat stress in an effective way, but the dark chocolate which has a relaxing effect on your body. Studies reveal that consumption of dark chocolate shows a reduction in cortisol- the stress hormone, thereby relieving stress. The cocoa has a high amount of antioxidant that lowers the blood pressure and relaxes the blood vessels. For a calming effect, go for chocolates that have over 70 % cocoa, says experts.

3. Avocados

If you are not trying to lose weight, avocados may prove to be beneficial for combating stress. The creamy fruit contains glutathione that blocks the absorption of fats responsible for the oxidative damage. The fruit also increases satiety and you feel more satisfied. This reduces stress and promotes a better health. Since it is high in fats, consider limiting your intake by adding just half an avocado in your lunch.

4. Cashews

Nuts have always been a great snack, but cashews have an added advantage. The crunchy nut is packed with proteins and omega-3s that reduce cravings and make you feel full. They are rich in zinc that helps in preventing stress. Zinc deficiency is one of the major causes of stress and anxiety. So, replenishing your zinc stores may help in preventing stress altogether. Having a few every day may seem beneficial for anyone. Besides, they can also be a great snack for those trying to lose weight due to its high protein content.

5. Salmon

Eating salmon has many heath benefits, the major being stress relief. The fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acid which is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Studies show that it helps in reducing the stress hormone cortisol as well as adrenaline and induces a calming effect. People who consume salmon on a regular basis have shown a reduced level of stress as compared to those who do not. In addition to it, salmon is also a great food for your heart.

5 Tips to Fast Weight Loss

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Weight loss is a touchy subject for many of us. After all, it’s a bit frustrating to see those pounds go on a lot easier than they come off and with so many different claims of fast weight loss it’s hard to decipher what works and what doesn’t.

Check out these 5 tips to fast weight loss.

weight loss

  1. Make a Plan – Saying I want to lose weight isn’t a plan for losing weight. Telling yourself you’ll eat healthy starting tomorrow, or you’ll start jogging next Monday, isn’t a plan for action, and it’s not going to help you lose those extra pounds. In fact, the failure rate is almost 100% when there is no plan. What’s a plan look like? Well it goes something like this: I’m going to lose 10 pound in 35 days and I’m going to exercise for 30 minutes every day at 4:30pm.
  2. Acai Berry – The buzz of Acai Berry seems to have traveled quickly around the globe. This is one of the best antioxidant foods out there and the Acai Berry Select Weight Loss Supplement has been talked about by Dr. Oz as being a successful tool by many.
  3. Chew it Properly – If you’re wondering what chewing has to be with weight loss you’ll be surprised to learn that chewing your food 10 times before you swallow allows your body to better use the nutrient and it also means better digestion of foods leading to weight loss.
  4. Drink Plenty of Water – When you drink adequate water your body is able to flush away harmful toxin. Water has no calories and the more of it you drink the fuller you’ll feel. There are no calories in water. Drinking a large glass before you eat means you’ll eat far less. And when you find yourself reaching for an unhealthy snack drink a glass or two of water and watch the urge disappear.
  5. Resistance Training – With resistance training you muscles responds to the resistance placed on them. If you life weights there’s tiny tears in the muscles which require energy to rebuild and that energy comes from the fat stored in your body. To lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit so when muscles use calories you lose pounds. It’s not nearly as complicated as some might want to make it.

Fast weight loss isn’t as difficult to accomplish as you might think. Put these 5 great tips to work and you’ll see your waist start to shrink in no time.

 

How Food Affects Your Mood

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Few things affect our state of mind, aka our mood, as profoundly as food. Women being propelled by some mysterious hormonal force to eat chocolate during PMS is one good example. There’s just something in that chocolate that makes them feel so good!

Aside from the emotional ties around food, such as associating it with celebration or entertainment, there is also the physiological side that affects our mood. We’ve all seen children throwing fits in the cereal aisles or at the checkout stand where all the sweets have been placed for impulse buying. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen such outbursts in the broccoli aisle.

mood

People crave almost instinctively comfort foods which are high in carbohydrates, which the body immediately converts into sugar in the bloodstream upon consumption. Consuming processed and refined foods which contain exorbitant amounts of sugars and artificial ingredients and practically no dietary fiber renders the eater into a blood sugar nightmare.

Even cooked starches that some consider healthy such as potatoes, rice and pasta are converted into simple sugars quickly in the body. This gives an immediate burst of false energy and a short-lived sense of well being, followed by a nasty letdown and what some call ‘self induced hypoglycemia.’

In order to feel better after the letdown phase, which can make people feel exhausted, cranky and unable to focus, the body compels one to simply eat more of the substance that gave it that happy rush in the first place. Now we see how we get set up for addictions. Ever tried to be in a good mood, feel jubilant about life or get lots of work done when you are in the throes of caffeine withdrawal?

The main function of most anti-depressants on the market is to enhance the uptake of that famous ‘feel-good hormone’ serotonin. When this brain chemical is low, people crave carbohydrates and comfort foods in order to get it.

But if we learn how to nourish the brain properly, we need not suffer from nutrient or serotonin deficiencies and consequently we can avoid the addictions that keep us bound to the constant highs and lows. There is a sound and foolproof way to accomplish this.

One of the main reasons a raw vegan diet is so helpful in maintaining stable moods is due to the fact that there are no toxins, addictive substances or artificial ingredients in living foods. Moreover, raw foods are loaded with fiber to keep the intestinal tract and colon in tip top shape as well as clean.

If the colon is overloaded with waste, this waste is recirculated in the bloodstream again and again. How peaceful and blissful do you think you can feel with your body’s own waste nourishing your brain? Consumption of foods that are high in fiber and natural sugars also eliminates the wild roller coaster blood sugar swings which are notorious for ultimately depleting our serotonin supplies.

After a period of detoxification, which may sometimes be a bumpy road as our emotions are detoxified as well, the mind becomes clearer and sharper. Better health also brings an improved outlook on life and renewed hope that other improvements are possible. When we begin to look better, perhaps by dropping a few pounds or our skin clears up, we definitely begin to strike a more cheerful tone.

On a raw food diet, our brain becomes cleansed and nourished on a cellular level, our senses sharpen and we begin to see the sun come out in our life once again. Won’t you join me in eating naturally?

 

How Cardio Training Can Lose Weight and Build Muscle Quickly

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The topic of losing weight can often elicit “groans.” There’s no need you know. In fact, did you know that cardio training can lead to quickly building muscle mass and losing weight. Cardio training can be as simple or as complex as you like.

Walking, jogging, and cycling are all goof forms of aerobic exercise that can quickly burn body fat. Aerobic exercises are a great choice for the entire body.

cardio training

There’s all kinds of sites promoting the “secret to successful weight loss” online but it’s really not as complicated as we might want to make it out to be. If you want to lose weight quickly then you must change the ration between calorie intake and calorie use. You can either increase your exercise or decrease your calories. The best plan of attack is to combine the two. Reduce your calories by no more than 500 and increase your activity with a daily 30 minutes of cardio a day.

When you build muscle you burn fat. Strength training builds muscle. Squats, lunges, and push ups require no equipment are very effective. Free weights are also very effective – dumbbells can be purchased for cheap and cans always work too. Don’t make this more expensive or complicated than it has to be.

Fat burning aerobic exercise is different than recreational exercise. For example Tennis and golf are recreational exercise and won’t do a thing for your weight loss, or very little. Then again aerobic exercise such as running, walking, and jogging for 30 minutes without stopping will get the heart pumping and the fat melting.

For awhile it was thought that low intensity exercises would do the job of burning fat but that myth was quickly dismissed. If you don’t get your heart rate up you won’t burn fat. When you have a high intensity aerobic workout you will consume around 70% of the body’s energy. This means calories are burnt and that includes fat cells.

Your cardio workout can be as little as 10 to 15 minutes but a 45 to 60 minute workout is the most effective for burning fat. Don’t think for a minute that more is better, because after 60 minutes the amount of weight loss actually goes down not up.

Cardio training can lose weight and build muscles quickly but when it comes to healthy weight loss that you can maintain you’ll want to ensure you have a healthy lifestyle.

 

What Is Primal Eating- What You Ought To Know About This Healthy Plan

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Primal Blueprint eating has been very popular since quite some time now. The strategy of this meal plan is simple- eat fish, eggs, meat, veggies, nuts, fruits and some high fat dairy. But it is not that simple as it may sound to be. You need to hunt for these things just like your ancestors and make meal plans, shopping list and recipe to get started with your Primal meals.

Primal diet basically lays stress on eating foods in natural state or maybe very close to the natural state. As when food was not there before the Industrial Revolution, it was considered to be off limits. Lentils, peanuts, soy, legumes, sugar, alcohol, refined vegetable oils, processed food are definitely excluded.

primal

Rather, this diet lays emphasis on eating lots of veggies, nuts, seeds, meats, fish, fruits, eggs, fermented and raw dairy products and healthy fats. The natural sweeteners like maple syrup or raw honey are allowed as well.

There are basically some principles of Primal Blueprint eating. They include:

Lean Body Mass is all crucial

It is important to remember the fact that lean mass muscle is directly linked with better and longevity of your health. Instead of striving to lose weight, it is better to lose just the fact and maintain muscles. Since some organs function at the level which correlates with muscle mass, so, more the muscle you maintain, more is the organ reserve.

80% body composition is determined by diet you eat

Exercise is as important as the diet but the best results are experienced by the way you eat. Exercise is crucial to speed up muscle building and fat burning. Eating healthy is actually the main watchword behind getting a healthy and fit body. So, you need to pay close attention to what you eat.

Excess of fat is bad

Many studies report that being overweight increases the risk of most diseases. Also, being fat doesn’t make you look good. So, it is better to eat healthy to look good and be fit. Eating properly ensures that excessive fat is eliminated from your life.

Excessive insulin is bad

You need to keep in mind that excess insulin is even worse than excessive sugar. All the animals produce some extent of insulin with within some species, the ones that produce less of insulin live for longer span of time than the ones who produce lots of insulin. So, it is important to eat in a way that your insulin level is kept low.

Conclusion

Rather than counting your calories, the primal eating habits ask you to pay attention to your portion sizes, eat quality food and focus on the natural things more. Say for example, elk, deer and venison are preferred over beef as these are the types that our ancestors would have hunted in their times. So, when choosing the meats, primal blueprint encourages the grass fed over conventional.

Last but not least, organic veggies, fruits and eggs are more preferred as well. Thus, this is a kind of introduction to what primal eating is all about. Know more about this eating style to have a healthy and better life.

 

The Down and Dirty on How to Gain Muscle While Losing Fat Fast

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So you’ve decided it’s time to lose those extra pounds – good for you! We thought it was time to share the down and dirty on how to gain muscle while losing fat fast!

These simple steps will have you leaner in no time at all.

muscle

1. Drink Away

Don’t get too excited. We’re not talking about beer, but rather water. If you’ve never really understood the importance of this clear, tasteless liquid it’s time you did. Every process in the body used water. You should drink at least a gallon a day. Take a bottle with you wherever you go. It detoxifies the body so that your organs run optimally and it fills you so you’ll eat less.

2. Be a Goal Setter

Until you actually set goals about how much body fat you wish to lose and how much muscle you want to gain, you’ll never actually take the first step needed to achieve your goal. Instead you’ll spend your days dreaming about what your body would look like and what life would be like if you were leaner, more muscular, and more toned. Set your goal and then put a plan into action and you’ll be successful.

3. Eat Small Meals

Rather than 3 large meals a day, you should eat 5 to 6 small meals consisting of moderate carbs, low fat, and high protein. This will keep your metabolism optimized and calories burning more efficiently. You should eat 50% of your calories from protein, 40% from carbs, and 10% from fats.

4. Turn Your 30 Minute Cardio Workout Into Two 15 Minute Workouts 4 Times a Week

Rather than doing a 30 minute cardio workout do two 15 minute cardio workouts. It’s easier to have an intense 15 minute cardio workout twice a day than a 30 minute session. Warm up for a couple of minutes and cool down for a couple of minutes leaving you with about 11 minutes of workout. You should only do cardio on the days you aren’t doing weight training.

5. Do Weight Training 3 Times a Week

Weight training builds muscle. Weight training doesn’t burn fat, but muscles will burn more calories to maintain the muscles. If you want to lose fat, simply make your weight training or resistance training a priority.

6. Calculate Your Calorie Needs

To lose body fat calculate your calorie needs. Then reduce your calorie intake or increase your calorie output. A good starting point is around 200 calories and never more than 500 calories or your body will go into starvation mode and store fat.

These six tips are a great way to gain muscle while losing fat fast.