Should you eat before or after exercise in the morning? The debate has raged for years.

The eat-first camp says food before exercise boosts blood sugars, giving the body fuel to increase the intensity and length of a workout. It also keeps you from being fatigued or dizzy.

The eat-after camp says you burn more fat if you fast before exercise.

A small UK study published Friday supports the latter point of view: In 30 obese or overweight men, those who exercised before breakfast burned twice the fat as men who ate breakfast before they worked out.

That’s because exercising with no fuel forces the body to turn to stored carbs, and when those are quickly gone, to fat cells.

Unfortunately the eat-after group didn’t lose more weight than the eat-before group during the six weeks of the study, but it did have “profound and positive” effects on the health of the group that fasted, researchers said.

Skipping the meal before exercise made the men’s muscles more responsive to insulin, which controls high blood sugars, thus reducing the risk for diabetes and heart disease.

“The group who exercised before breakfast increased their ability to respond to insulin, which is all the more remarkable given that both exercise groups lost a similar amount of weight and both gained a similar amount of fitness,” said exercise physiologist Javier Gonzalez, an associate professor in the department for health at the University of Bath, in a statement.

“The only difference was the timing of the food intake,” Gonzalez added.

A 2017 study from the University of Bath, also co-authored by Gonzalez, looked at 10 men and found the same results — because of lower blood sugar levels after fasting, the men burned more fat.

However, this time the men burned more calories if they ate breakfast first.

A 2010 study found similar results, this time in a group of 28 healthy, physically active men. One group did no exercise. Two other groups were put through grueling morning exercise of running and cycling four times a week; one group ate before exercise and the other after.

It’s likely no surprise that the group who didn’t exercise gained weight. But contrary to the 2017 study the group who ate breakfast before exercise also gained weight. It was the group who exercised on water and an empty stomach that maintained their weight, lost fat, and kept their blood sugars in good shape.

What’s the takeaway? Obviously science needs to look at this a lot harder, with much larger study groups. But based on the science in these studies, it does seem exercising before eating may be good for your overall health, even if it doesn’t always whittle your waistline.

If you do choose to work out on an empty stomach, keep these tips from the US Figure Skating Association in mind to keep your muscle tissue from breaking down:

• Use the four R’s of recovery: rehydrate, replenish, repair and reinforce.
• Do that by drinking water or sports drinks.
• Within 15 to 30 minutes, eat a meal with a 4:1 carb to high quality protein ratio.
• Some good choices are fruit and low-fat Greek yogurt, trail mix, or a banana with peanut butter.

The original article can be found here: 

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/18/health/exercise-breakfast-fat-burn-wellness/index.html

 

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Isn’t it great to hear that you don’t need to throw in money for the gym? Because you can workout at home! 5 Minutes of an intensive workout every day is good enough to maintain your body. You do need to pay attention to what you eat and try these techniques to burn your fat in just 5 minutes. This workout will help you to experience fat loss all over your body if practiced every day. All you need for this fat burning workout is a towel, a mat and a skipping rope (jump rope).

5 Minute Fat Burning Workout Set 1:

In this set, we have included 8 fat burning workouts that are done in the form of circuit training with 30 seconds to 1 minute allotted to each exercise. All the exercises mentioned in this circuit can be done in our home or any open space.

Inverted V Pipe Exercise: (30 seconds)

You will be doing this particular exercise for 30 seconds. This is one of the best mat exercises for abs in which you need to lie down on the floor facing downwards. Place your toes on the towel, which will help you in the smooth movement of the body. Place your hands on the ground and balance your body on the toes and hands. You need to pull your legs close to your body, making an inverted V shape with it. Push the legs away from your hands now, by stretching them backward. Pull and push your legs in and out for about 30 seconds. This movement will work the arms, the core and the lower back.

W Leg Lifts Exercise: (30 Seconds)

This exercise will work your legs and abs. You need to lie down on the mat facing upwards. Place your legs close to each other, now lift them straight up and bring them to your tummy. Put your legs down, while putting them down stretch them out in the opposite directions and bring them up to your tummy. Again as you place them down, close them and pull them up. Continue this same procedure for 30 seconds. You will feel a burn in your tummy and legs as you proceed.  This is undoubtedly the best exercise to lose fat from the lower part of the body.

Superman Exercise: (30 seconds)

This is a power-packed exercise to reduce tummy that work your thighs, abs and lower back. After the W lifts turn around and face the ground. Stretch yourself on the ground by keeping your hands and legs straight. You need to lift your chest and thighs of the ground at the same time by balancing yourself on the tummy. While doing this try to keep yourself as straight as possible. Repeat lifting your thighs and chest off the ground for 30 seconds. This exercise is extremely effective to tone your belly.

Jump Squats Exercise: (30 seconds)

The jump squat exercise is a power packed cardio exercise to lose weight that is often included in various fitness regimes. It helps in toning the thighs and working out the whole body. You need to stand straight with your feet at shoulder width. Bend down as much as you can into a perfect squat. However, while coming up, you need to exit in a jump. Again go down into a squat and jump up. This is a great intensive workout which will keep your heart beat up and make you sweat.  Make a nice and deep squat for best results. You will enjoy doing this exercise and also experience an effective weight loss by doing this exercise regularly.

Single Leg Lift Jump Exercise: (1 minute)

This is one of the most effective workouts to lose weight and tone the body. It works the core muscles and back of the thigh at the same time. It will also help you to gain balance. You need to start by standing straight and lifting the left leg of the ground. Try to touch the ground with your hands and as you come up, you need to jump. Make sure to keep your left leg up all the while. Keep it in a bent position and don’t strain it. First you will touch the ground and then jump on your single foot. Do this for 30 seconds. Then shake it off and continue with the next leg. Bend your right knee and continue the same exercise. It may be a little challenging for beginners, but with practice you will pull it off well.

Push up and Knee Kick Exercise: (30 seconds)

This is an innovated variation of the traditional push-up and is one of the best home exercises to lose weight that takes very less space to perform. This exercise will work your whole body and is great to lose arm fat, especially for upper arm fat removal. Men are recommended to do a proper push-up. Women can begin with knee push-ups. You need to lie down flat on the ground. Come up to your hands and feet. This is your starting position. You will do just one push up and come back to your starting position. After this you will need to bring your right knee forward to touch your right elbow, and then you will bring your left knee to your left elbow. This is the complete exercise; you need to do this for 30 seconds. Begin with a push-up, go for the knee kicks and then do a push up again. This will build strength in your arms and core.

Bent Leg Rotating Exercise: (1 minute)

This exercise will work your inner thigh and abs. You need to stand straight and place your hands on the back of your head. This is to give you more strength and bring your concentration to the legs. You need to lift your right leg which is bent, to your waist. Rotate your leg by keeping your knee bent in circular movements. Rotate it as much as you can for 15 seconds to the front. Now repeat the same rotation with the same leg to the back for 15 seconds.

After completing the right leg, move to the left and repeat the same. Bend the knee and rotate it forward for 15 seconds and backward for 15 seconds. This is a challenging weight loss exercise; do try it for strengthening your thighs.

Skipping Exercise: (30 seconds)

This is best exercise to lose weight for both men and women. It is simple, easy to do and entertaining so that you don’t get bored. It is the ultimate solution to the question of how to lose weight in thighs and stomach. Take your jump rope or skipping rope and jump for 30 seconds. You can do normal jumps for the first 20 seconds and go to an intensive one. Jumping with both your legs at once will be a much better choice. You will be warm enough to sweat by the end of this session. Keep your back and knees straight while jumping.

This amazing 5-minute fat burning workout at home will give you the best results. You need to try it. It is suggested to do this in the morning on an empty stomach. However, you can drink 2 glasses of water an hour before this workout to help flush the toxins out. You can take a very short break of 10 seconds after each exercise if you like. This is an exercise which will help you lose weight fast.

5 Minute Fat Burning Workout Set 2:

Here is another variation of the 5-minute fat burning workout where we have grouped 5 stretching exercises for fast and easy weight loss.

Glute Bridge (1 Minute)

The Glute Bridge is the most effective exercise to lose weight from the lower parts of the body because the move specifically targets the butt and core muscles. It tones the glutes along with core, calves, hamstrings, flexors and lower back. It is a complete workout for the lower body. In addition is is also an amazing back exercise that works as good as traditional yoga exercises for back pain. Lie flat on a yoga mat with your knees bent, and feet placed flat on the floor. Raise your hips in a way that your body forms a straight line from the shoulder to the knees. Now lift your right knee up towards your chest, wait a moment, lower it. Lift your left leg towards your chest, wait for a moment and lower it. This makes one complete repetition. Repeat the move as many times as you can for 1 minute.

Inverted Shoulder Press (1 Minute)

The inverted shoulder press is a unique exercise for the limbs that tones the deltoids, middle deltoids and triceps. It is an absolutely equipment free workout that effectively utilizes the body weight to tone the arm and shoulder muscles. Begin in a push-up position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor. Now, move your feet towards your hands and raise your hips to form an inverted “V”. Now bend your elbows till your head almost touches the floor. Pause for a few moments and return to the starting position. This makes one repetition. Repeat it as many times as you can in one minute.

Alternating Lunge (1 Minute)

Lunges are a time-tested cardio exercise to lose weight that targets multiple muscles of the body at the same time. This exercise of often included in the best calisthenics workout routine for fast results. This exercise not only tones and strengthens the leg, but also develops the muscles of the abdomen and lower back and enhances the stability of the core. It also increases the flexibility of the hip flexors. Stand straight with your right leg placed forward. Now, bend both the knees to lower your body to a lunge pose. Press through the heel of the right foot to return to the starting position and immediately move your right foot back and lower into another lunge. Press through the heel of your left foot and return to the standing position. This entire move makes one repetition. Repeat this exercise as many times as you can in one minute.

Skater Hops (1 Minute)

This is an amazing plyometrics workout that speeds up the heart rate effectively and helps in working the quadriceps and adductors along with hamstrings, abductors, calves and glutes. It requires absolutely no equipment and helps in toning the lower body and correcting strength imbalances in the legs. Stand straight resting the pressure of the body on the left leg and your hips and knees slightly bent. Now, extend our left knee and ankle and jump forwards towards the right and land on the ball of your right foot, bending your hips and knees slightly to absorb the impact of the landing and immediately jump off to your right with your right leg. Continue to repeat this jump with alternate legs for 1 minute.

Rotating T Extension (1 Minute)

This power packed exercise helps in working all the abdominal muscles – rectus abdominous, transverse abdominous and obliques along with the deltoids, rhomboids, glutes, abductors and quads. Begin in a push-up position and straighten your arms. Shift your weight from both arms to only your left arm and rotate your torso to the right completely. Raise your right straight up towards the ceiling and look up towards your right palm so that your body forms the shape of “T”. Hold this posture for a few moments and return to the push-up position and repeat the same on the other side. This entire move makes one repetition. Repeat the exercises as many times as you can within 1 minute.

The original article can be found here: 

http://www.gymrat.website/2018/03/21/the-best-5-minutes-fat-burning-workout-at-home/

 

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New research has found that drinking two or three cups of coffee a day may help women keep the extra pounds off.

Carried out by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, the new study looked at data gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States, a long-term study organized by the Center for Disease Control, which has surveyed more than 190,000 Americans since 1960.

The participants, who were aged between 20 and 69, were classified according to their daily coffee consumption: drinking no coffee; drinking 0 to 0.25 cups per day; 0.25 to 1 cup per day; 1 cup per day; 2 to 3 cups per day, and drinking four or more cups per day.

The team then analyzed the data to see if there was a possible relationship between the number of cups of coffee drunk and the participants’ total body fat percentage, their abdominal or “trunk” fat, and adiposity, more commonly known as obesity.

The findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition, showed that among women, drinking more coffee was associated with significantly lower total body fat percentage and trunk body fat percentage, and the relationship was dose-dependent.

For example, among the women who drank two to three cups of coffee per day, the overall average total body fat percentage was 2.8% lower than those who drank less.

In addition, women aged 20 to 44 who drank two or three cups of coffee per day had the lowest levels of adiposity, 3.4% lower than people who did not consume coffee, while women aged between 45 and 69 who drank four or more cups per day had an adiposity percentage 4.1% lower.

However, for men, the relationship between coffee and body fat was not significant, except among men aged 20 to 44 who drank two or three cups per day, with the team finding that this group had 1.3% less total fat and 1.8% less trunk fat than those who didn’t drink coffee.

The findings were also noticed among both smokers and non-smokers, among those with chronic diseases and those in good health, and it didn’t matter whether participants drank caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.

Coffee is among the most popular daily beverages in the U.S., say the researchers, and around 7 million tons of coffee is consumed globally every year. The drink has previously been linked with other health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, and even a lower risk of death.

“Our research suggests that there may be bioactive compounds in coffee other than caffeine that regulate weight and which could potentially be used as anti-obesity compounds,” explained Dr. Lee Smith, senior author of the study.

New research has found that drinking two or three cups of coffee a day may help women keep the extra pounds off.

Carried out by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, the new study looked at data gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States, a long-term study organized by the Center for Disease Control, which has surveyed more than 190,000 Americans since 1960.

The participants, who were aged between 20 and 69, were classified according to their daily coffee consumption: drinking no coffee; drinking 0 to 0.25 cups per day; 0.25 to 1 cup per day; 1 cup per day; 2 to 3 cups per day, and drinking four or more cups per day.

The team then analyzed the data to see if there was a possible relationship between the number of cups of coffee drunk and the participants’ total body fat percentage, their abdominal or “trunk” fat, and adiposity, more commonly known as obesity.

The findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition, showed that among women, drinking more coffee was associated with significantly lower total body fat percentage and trunk body fat percentage, and the relationship was dose-dependent.

For example, among the women who drank two to three cups of coffee per day, the overall average total body fat percentage was 2.8% lower than those who drank less.

In addition, women aged 20 to 44 who drank two or three cups of coffee per day had the lowest levels of adiposity, 3.4% lower than people who did not consume coffee, while women aged between 45 and 69 who drank four or more cups per day had an adiposity percentage 4.1% lower.

However, for men, the relationship between coffee and body fat was not significant, except among men aged 20 to 44 who drank two or three cups per day, with the team finding that this group had 1.3% less total fat and 1.8% less trunk fat than those who didn’t drink coffee.

The findings were also noticed among both smokers and non-smokers, among those with chronic diseases and those in good health, and it didn’t matter whether participants drank caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.

Coffee is among the most popular daily beverages in the U.S., say the researchers, and around 7 million tons of coffee is consumed globally every year. The drink has previously been linked with other health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, and even a lower risk of death.

“Our research suggests that there may be bioactive compounds in coffee other than caffeine that regulate weight and which could potentially be used as anti-obesity compounds,” explained Dr. Lee Smith, senior author of the study.

“It could be that coffee, or its effective ingredients, could be integrated into a healthy diet strategy to reduce the burden of chronic conditions related to the obesity epidemic,” the doctor added. “It is important to interpret the findings of this study in light of its limitations — the study was at a specific point in time so trends cannot be established. However, we don’t believe that someone’s weight is likely to influence their coffee consumption.”

Original article can be found here: https://technology.inquirer.net/99524/women-who-drink-coffee-may-carry-less-body-fat-says-study

 

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If you drink coffee or get caffeine from other sources here’s science to support it.

Original article can be found here: https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/science-proved-drinking-coffee-helps-improve-brain-functioning-slow-aging-now-research-shows-coffee-can-also-help-you-lose-weight-body-fat.html

 

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New research links coffee to effectively burning fat

Yep, another health study about coffee. For the last few years, coffee has been a major research topic for scientists around the world. Why? Because a sh*t ton of people drink it, and we still have so much to learn about the daily morning elixir that seemingly brings us back from the dead each and every morning. 

We’ve learned previously that coffee can help reduce your risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease, in addition to helping you focus and even exercise better. Even up to 25 cups a day is still safe for your heart.

Basically, coffee is magic. And a new study from the University of Nottingham supports this claim even more. 

The University of Nottingham looked at how coffee affects body fat. To give it context: Our bodies have two different types of fat — white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT — the good fat). 

BAT helps moderate our body chemistry to make us healthy. It helps us handle blood sugar, increase bone health and density, and helps us burn WAT efficiently. To burn WAT efficiently, we’re encouraged to exercise so we activate BAT. When BAT is active, we concert WAT into energy and burn fat. 

Now, scientists have found that coffee can literally help our bodies burn fat in the same way exercising can. Coffee heats up our BAT, similar to what exercising does, in result helping our bodies to burn fat.

“We all have that warm feeling after we drink a cup of coffee, because we’re stimulating that brown fat,” Dr. David Agus said in an interview. “It’s important and interesting that we actually know the mechanism now. … The goal is to stimulate brown fat. Exercise stimulates brown fat. Good sleep stimulates brown fat. And now we know caffeine or coffee can do the same.”

Of course, coffee has more benefits when you leave the additives out — so if you’re trying to be healthier with your coffee choices, leave the cream and sugar behind. 

Original article can be found here: https://www.deathwishcoffee.com/blogs/news/coffee-can-help-us-burn-fat

 

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After years of ups and downs with ketogenic living, one indisputable rule has stood out regarding food supplements. That is: high quality MCT Oils cannot be marginalized.

While coaching new Keto Warriors, this is a fact that often takes time to sink in. After all, how can eating a fat help you get skinner? At first glance it makes absolutely no sense.

But the reality is: taking medium chain triglycerides can encourage weight loss on any diet, and bring with it a wide range of benefits.

In the following article, we’re going to cover what MCT oils are, how they function in the body, the benefits these functions produce, and how you can best use MCT oils. For every statement we make, you will find a [number] source linking to research for further knowledge digging.

Let’s begin!

What is MCT Oil?

Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are a type of fat that contain fatty-acid lengths of 6 to 12 carbons. This length in particular means MCTs are large enough to pack worthwhile energy, while also being small enough to quickly breakdown.

The common MCT’s that you should know about are:

• C6 Caproic Acid
• C8 Caprylic Acid
• C10 Capric Acid
• C12 Lauric Acid (digests as an LCT)

While universally named medium chain triglycerides, each of these fats have unique characteristics. For starters, C6 digests faster than C8 but C8 produces more energy. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of each MCT.

Caproic acid

Also referred to as Hexanoic Acid, Caproic Acid is the shortest MCT logging a fatty acid tail length of 6 carbons. You’re not going to find stand-alone caproic acid supplements, due to this form’s acid-like taste and unpleasant odor.

Many MCT oils will contain caproic acid in their formulas, though, it should be a small amount to maintain ease and pleasure of use. We prefer MCT oils that avoid caproic acid altogether unless its naturally occurring like in coconut oil or milk fat.

Caprylic acid

Caprylic acid also goes by the name octanoic acid and is the star-child of MCT oils. While it digests slightly slower than C6, it produces more energy than C6 while still being quite quick.

On a larger scale, caprylic acid appears to be the most ketogenic of all MCTs. That means it produces the most energy-rich ketones, providing the body with a versatile energy source.

In terms of ease-of-use, when obtained from preferred sources and completely pure – C8 caprylic acid is tasteless, neutral and very easy to supplement with in oil, powder, or capsule form.

Capric acid

Known scientifically as decanoic acid, capric acid is an MCT containing a 10 carbon-length tail. Capric acid is energy rich and produces a ketogenic effect like C6 and C8. Though, capric acid isn’t as effective as C8.

In comparison to all MCTs, capric acid ranks #2 for digestibility and energy creation. Second only to C8 caprylic aid.

Lauric acid (technically not an MCT)

Lauric acid (also known as Dodecanoic acid) was named an MCT, however was later discovered to act as an LCT in the body. That means that while C12 Lauric acid produces energy and ketones, it takes much longer to do so and requires extra steps in comparison to true MCTs like C6, C8 and C10.

Despite this, lauric acid usage is still very high. This is because lauric acid is the most plentiful fat in coconut oil, making it extremely inexpensive. This is also the reason why coconut oil proves to be a superior cooking oil compared to MCT oil.

MCT versus short and long chain triglycerides

Medium chain fatty acids digest in a unique way, containing characteristics of both short and long chain fatty acids.

MCTs vs short chain triglycerides

Short chain triglycerides have more specific duties in the body due to their shorter fatty acid tails. For instance, here are the 3 most common short-chain fatty acids:

• C2 Acetic acid: Leads to acetyl-CoA production to aid fatty acid synthesis.
• C3 Propionic acid: Leads to glucose formation.
• C4 Butyric acid: The most valuable of short chain fatty acids, butyric acid leads to ketone production.

While the short chain fatty acids of SCTs participate in metabolism, and C4 butyric acid in particular leads to ketone production; they are not easily supplemented with nor are they an adequate food substitute. Likewise, many ‘SCT’ supplements contain very small amounts of actual short chain fatty acids, being composed mostly of long chain triglycerides found naturally in sources like butter.

MCTs vs long chain triglycerides

Long chain triglycerides refer to fats that have fatty acids extending beyond 12 carbons (biologically 12, and beyond).

Medium chain and long chain triglycerides vary greatly in digestion, with LCTs taking longer and requiring more steps.

The extra steps required by LCTs include:

• Pancreatic enzyme breakdown.
• Chylomicron formation and transport to liver.
• Subsequent mitochondrial breakdown requiring l-carnitine.

MCTs do not require the steps above.

Despite MCT having a weight loss and overall metabolic edge, you will be eating a great deal of LCTs if you practice a low carb or ketogenic diet – and that’s ok! After all, it is much easier to consume foods with large amounts of naturally occurring LCTs than MCTs.

But when we have a supplemental choice, the extra energy and weight loss benefits of MCTs are hard to resist.

 

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Lately it seems as though everyone is doing a juice cleanse, experimenting with fasting, or living off raw food. If you’re like me, and have a history of disordered eating, battles with countless diets, or struggles with body image, a typical “detox” may do more harm than good.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t reap all the positive benefits of detoxing your body, mind, and spirit. Here are my top eight tips to detox, free of fasting, juicing or restricting.

1. Consume whole foods as close to their natural state as possible.

Detoxifying the body doesn’t have to mean a crazy restrictive diet. By choosing whole foods, your body will be able to digest and metabolize them with ease, leaving more time for natural detoxifying to take place. Think fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season, organic free-range chicken or turkey, wild-caught fish, cage-free and organic eggs, naturally gluten-free whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds.

2. Eliminate trigger foods such as caffeine, sugar and gluten.

Foods like these can wreak havoc on your digestive system, zap your body of energy, and become addictive over time. By easing up on these choices, your body will naturally improve digestion and energy levels, and will learn to crave natural whole foods instead.

3. Hydrate.

Drink up pure filtered water, green tea and hot lemon water first thing in the morning. Staying hydrated can help cleanse your body of toxins, boost metabolism, clean up your skin, and do so much more. Hot lemon water can help to release toxins as well as bacteria from your skin.

4. Sleep well and often.

Getting enough sleep — and getting enough quality sleep — is crucial to a healthy body. Detox baths with Epsom salt and lavender can improve quality sleep and help you stay asleep. Turning off technology and using earplugs and eye masks can also aid proper sleep.

5. Practice slow eating and eating without distractions.

Eating slowly and without distractions will give your body time to register that you’re eating, will prepare you for proper digestion, and will allow your body to hone its natural hunger cues. This will teach you to eat what your body needs, and to stop when you’re full. Put the fork down between bites, savor your food, and limit distractions when you’re eating.

6. Move your body in ways that are restorative.

Be sure to move your body daily. This doesn’t always mean an intense workout. Sometimes your body will crave relaxing movement, such as a walk, jog, hike, yoga, or a dance class. By moving in such ways, you’re able to release tension and improve recovery and repair of your body.

7. Diminish stress.

When you’re stressed, your body kicks in with a fight-or-flight response. This means that any crucial actions within your body are halted as you fight your stress. This leaves little time for detoxing, cleansing, digesting, or pretty much anything other than combating the stress of the moment. Practice activities to diminish stress, whether it’s yoga, meditation, or watching a funny movie; whatever works best to manage your stress.

8. Eat three square meals a day and minimize snacking.

When your body is constantly metabolizing food, you leave little time to do anything else, including detoxifying, cleansing, and repairing. By eating three meals a day without snacking in between, you allow yourself time to fully digest your food. Plus you leave time to detox and heal your body.

 

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There are many ways to lose a lot of weight fast.

However, most of them will make you hungry and unsatisfied.

If you don’t have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.

The plan outlined here will:

• Reduce your appetite significantly.
• Make you lose weight quickly, without hunger.
• Improve your metabolic health at the same time.

Here is a simple 3-step plan to lose weight fast

1) Cut Back on Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches (carbs).

When you do that, your hunger levels go down and you end up eating much fewer calories (1Trusted Source).

Now instead of burning carbs for energy, your body starts feeding off of stored fat.

Another benefit of cutting carbs is that it lowers insulin levels, causing your kidneys to shed excess sodium and water out of your body. This reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight.

It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.

This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight or obese women.

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie-restricted and hungry.

Cut the carbs and you will start to eat fewer calories automatically and without hunger.

Put simply, cutting carbs puts fat loss on autopilot.

2) Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables.

Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20–50 grams per day.

Protein Sources

• Meat: Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc.
• Fish and Seafood: Salmon, trout, shrimp, etc.
• Eggs: Whole eggs with the yolk are best.

The importance of eating plenty of protein cannot be overstated.

This has been shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day.

High-protein diets can also reduce cravings and obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce the desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day — just by adding protein to your diet.

When it comes to losing weight, protein is the king of nutrients. Period.

Low-Carb Vegetables

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Kale
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Swiss chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20–50 net carbs per day.

A diet based mostly on meat and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.

Fat Sources

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Butter

Eat 2–3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.

Don’t be afraid of eating fat, as trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.

To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low-carb meal plan and this list of 101 healthy low-carb recipes.

3) Lift Weights 3 Times Per Week

You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.

The best option is to go to the gym 3–4 times a week. Do a warm-up and lift some weights.

If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.

By lifting weights, you will burn lots of calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight.

Studies on low-carb diets show that you can even gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat.

If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some cardio workouts like walking, jogging, running, cycling or swimming will suffice.

Optional — Do a “Carb Refeed” Once Per Week

You can take one day off per week where you eat more carbs. Many people prefer Saturday.

It is important to stick to healthy carb sources like oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit, etc.

But only this one higher carb day — if you start doing it more often than once per week you’re not going to see much success on this plan.

If you must have a cheat meal and eat something unhealthy, then do it on this day.

Be aware that cheat meals or carb refeeds are NOT necessary, but they can boost some fat-burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones.

You will gain some weight during your refeed day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next 1–2 days.

What About Calories and Portion Control?

It is NOT necessary to count calories as long as you keep the carbs very low and stick to protein, fat and low-carb vegetables.

However, if you really want to count them, use this calculator.

Enter your details, and then pick the number from either the “Lose Weight” or the “Lose Weight Fast” section — depending on how fast you want to lose weight.

There are many great tools you can use to track the number of calories you are eating. Here is a list of 5 calorie counters that are free and easy to use.

The main goal of this plan is to keep carbs under 20–50 grams per day and get the rest of your calories from protein and fat.

10 Weight Loss Tips to Make Things Easier (and Faster)

1. Eat a high-protein breakfast. Eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day.
   
   
2. Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. These are the most fattening things you can put into your body, and avoiding them can help you lose weight.
   
   
3. Drink water a half hour before meals. One study showed that drinking water a half hour before meals increased weight loss by 44% over 3 months.
   
   
4. Choose weight loss-friendly foods (see list). Certain foods are very useful for losing fat. Here is a list of the 20 most weight loss-friendly foods on earth.
   
   
5. Eat soluble fiber. Studies show that soluble fibers may reduce fat, especially in the belly area. Fiber supplements like glaucoma can also help.
   
   
6. Drink coffee or tea. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, then drink as much as you want as the caffeine can in them boost your metabolism by 3–11%.
   
   
7. Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Base most of your diet on whole foods.
   
   
8. They are healthier, more filling and much less likely to cause overeating.
   
   Eat your food slowly. Fast eaters gain more weight over time. Eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones.
   
   
9. Weigh yourself every day. Studies show that people who weigh themselves every day are much more likely to lose weight and keep it off for a long time.
   
   
10. Get a good night’s sleep, every night. Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain, so taking care of your sleep is important.

 

The post 3 Simple Steps to Lose Weight Fast, Based on Science first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post 3 Simple Steps to Lose Weight Fast, Based on Science appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

 

1. Do weight training

Doing weight training is less effective for losing weight than cardio workouts but they help to keep the level of metabolism which is important when you are on a long-term diet. Weight training makes the metabolism much faster and doesn’t let the body switch to the low energy consumption mode.

But don’t forget to eat some protein after a workout: the muscles will get stronger and you won’t have any extra fat.

2. Change the caloric value during the week

When we are on a diet, our smart bodies adapt to smaller amounts of food, cutting down the energy consumption. In other words, the body adapts to the new living conditions, still conserving the extra pounds — in case there will be no food at all. And when you start eating fewer calories, the body understands that its decision was right.

3. Tell the difference between a real plateau and an imaginary one

This Super Simple Morning Habit “Accidentally” Melted 84 LBS Of Fat

During the first days of the diet, extra fluids leave our bodies which makes the number on the scale drop quickly. But in order to lose just 1 lb, you need to have a 3,500-calorie deficit. It doesn’t matter how you achieve it, but the progress won’t be fast.

Many people think that losing weight slowly is a plateau, so they lose interest and drop the diet. Be patient and don’t step on the scale more than once a week: this way, the progress will seem bigger.

4. Eat more protein and vegetables

Low-carbohydrate diets are believed to the be the best strategy for losing weight. Protein and fiber make us full and increase the metabolism. Carbohydrates make the insulin level rise making us hungry. So if you are trying to lose weight, it’s better to eat a piece of low-fat meat rather than a sweet fruit.

5. Change the exercises you do

Thousands of years of fighting for survival taught our bodies one simple thing: resources should be saved by any means possible. After some time, the human body adapts to the exercises you do. So, after several weeks of similar workouts, the progress will definitely slow down.

There is only one solution: once every 1-1.5 months, you should change your workout program. There are a lot of different options: change out yoga for pilates, do new exercises, train new muscles that you haven’t before, and change the weights that you use.

6. Eat tasty food.

The ability to resist the urge to eat depends on the right function of the brain. However, if a person hasn’t eaten anything tasty for a long time, their brain starts to tell them that a piece of chocolate or a biscuit will give them much more joy that these foods really can.

This is why nutrition experts recommend including small portions of “prohibited” foods. If you let yourself relax from time to time, you have a smaller chance of losing control at some point and interrupting the diet.

7. Recalculate the caloric value of the food you eat

The number of calories necessary for losing weight depends not only on physical activity but also on the body mass. If an overweight person eats only 2,000 kcal a day, they will lose weight, and if a small woman does the same, she will gain weight.

Don’t forget to recalculate the caloric value of your food after every 10 pounds you lose.

8. Keep a strict sleeping schedule

9. Count calories

Scientists proved that people who lose weight without any supervision stop tracking what and how much they eat within several weeks. Of course, the progress stops and you can’t lose weight. So, you should always know how many calories you eat.

10. Take body characteristics into account

 

The post 10 Weight Loss Tips If Diets Don’t Help Anymore first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post 10 Weight Loss Tips If Diets Don’t Help Anymore appeared first on Healthy Gab.

The Benefits of Doing Planks

Planking is one of the most beneficial exercises for the health of the entire body. Planking offers several benefits for staying healthy and getting fit.

1) Tone the belly

Since planking involves all of the core muscles, they can tighten and tone the belly far better than crunches.

Crunches are good for a small part of the core, and the focus on the upper abdominal muscles. On the contrary, planks engage the upper and the lower abs and the obliques.

2) Reduce and heal back pain

By tightening the abs and strengthening the core muscles, planks relax your back muscles and at the same time whip them into shape.

What is interesting is that planks alleviate back tension when your body is at rest.

3) Improve flexibility, balance and posture

After you have improved the tone of the core muscles, the benefits could be felt all over the body. Planking can make the body more flexible, improve the balance and improve the spinal posture, no matter if you are standing or sitting.

They can easily be adapted to different fitness levels

People with different level of fitness can do planks. Beginners might start with basic level and gradually progress to a higher level. Some forms of planks can be challenging even to the most physically fit people.

How to do Planks Correctly

Draw the belly button and try to keep the body as straight as you can, not locking the knees. Breathe without holding your breath. Maintain that position for as long as possible. Repeat this for 2 or 3 times. Slowly but surely, lengthen the time of being in that position.

• Lie down on the ground in a flat position with your face down
• Place your shoulders directly over the elbows, the wrists should be aligned with the elbows in a straight line
• Tighten the gluteal and the abdominal muscles and maintain that position for as long as possible.
• Take  one minute rest before repeating it

Common mistakes

• Dropping the hips, shoulders or head during the plank can damage the spinal alignment and can cause injury.
• Putting the hands too close together can stress and strain the shoulders and it can be more hurtful than helpful.
• It is important that you breathe normally because you need oxygen for the exercise to have effect.
• Don’t hold the plank for a long time.

Planks’ Variations

Side Plank

Lie on your side placing the forearm on the floor, press the body upward. There should be straight, diagonal line. Hold this position for as long as you would for a basic plank.

Reverse Plank

Sit on the floor and extend the legs straight out in front of you. Then put your hands on the floor aligning them with your shoulders. Raise the body up so that your heels are on the floor creating a diagonal line with the body.

High Plank

The high plank resembles a push-up. In place of pressing up on the forearms which is the case with the basic plank, you align the hands with the shoulders and press on the hands, using your toes in order to balance.

The plank challenge which lasts for 30 days

Days 1 and 2: hold the plank for 20 seconds
Days 3and 4: hold the plank for 30 seconds
Day 5: 40 seconds
Day 6: rest day

Days 7 and 8: 45 seconds
Days 9 and 11: 60 seconds
Day 12: 90 seconds
Day 13: Rest day

Days 14 and 15: 90 seconds
Days 16 and 17: 120 seconds
Day 18: 150 seconds
Day 19: Rest day

Days 20 and 21: 150 seconds
Days 22and 23: 180 seconds
Days 24 and 25: 210 seconds
Day 26: Rest day

Days 27 and 28: 240 seconds
Day 29: 270 seconds
Day 30: 300 seconds

If you want to learn more click here

The post Planks – this Exercise Can Change Your Whole Body! first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post Planks – this Exercise Can Change Your Whole Body! appeared first on Healthy Gab.