How Are Weight Loss And Strength Training Related?

How Are Weight Loss And Strength Training Related? I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked this question. The truth is, they simply go hand and hand when it comes to a well planned fitness routine of diet, exercise programming and a few simple lifestyle changes!

Weight loss and strength training are directly related because the latter maintains lean body mass while it aids in long-term fat loss. It's important to remember that you want to lose fat not muscle mass, and that's why you will want to incorporate strength training into your plan to lose those extra pounds to get a leaner, toned look.

When it comes to losing weight, many people think that they would prefer to just diet and not have to commit to some form of exercise program. But what usually happens is that they try one diet which works for a short time and as soon as they are off the diet, they gain back their weight, often even more than what they started with! So, they try another diet and the same thing happens again, many call this the yo yo dieting trap. Most people who practice exclusive dieting with no accompanying fitness program will regain their lost weight, whereas strength trainers rarely do.

The concept of dieting is to eat fewer calories each day. Eating fewer calories causes your metabolism to drop and when your metabolism drops, you have a harder time losing weight. Also, when you drastically reduce your calorie intake or don't get enough of everything your body needs, you lose energy and you lose muscle mass which makes your body appear less toned and actually give a loose skin look. the dreaded "skinny fat" look.

A good weight loss and strength training program will make you feel and look healthier. It reduces the risk of injury, heart disease, strokes, cancer, arthritis and osteoporosis too. This type of training ensures that you burn more calories 24 hours a day, not just during your workouts, this is known as the post workout caloric burn. Maintaining muscle takes more calories than maintaining fat so if you're consistent in your strength training, you will be burning more calories all the time. So it is important to eat a healthy diet consisting of protein to build muscle.

The best way to lose weight is slowly and consistently. A good benchmark is to lose no more than two pounds per week. You can stick to this by reducing how many much fat and sugar you consume and making sure that you get enough whole grain, vegetables and fruits. And of course, you will combine your good eating habits with a solid strength training program.

If you're out of shape, start slow, just 10 to 15 minutes per session for two or three days per week. Eventually, you'll want to build this up to 60 to 90 minutes three days a week. On your off-strength training days, try to get some cardio activity in such as brisk walking, swimming, tennis, or whatever gets your heart rate up. Again, if you are just starting out, add this in gradually. You can wait until you've gotten consistent enough with your strength training and then take a 10 minute brisk walk a couple of times a week. This can be built up as well so that you are exercising between five and seven days a week for anywhere from a half hour to an hour each time.

Remember, the key with weight loss and strength training is consistency. My fitness programs consist of exercise, healthy food choices, meditation and Reiki for mindfulness and stress reduction which I feel is half the battle for many people due to the high levels of stress society endures on a daily basis. Stress increases cortisol which in turn makes many people choose unhealthy foods and sugary snacks and increases belly fat.

For more information on my fitness programs and how to start living healthy and fit go to fithealthyandfabulous.com

Gratitude

Everywhere you go, you hear it these days...Be Grateful! Yet we hear so many people complaining!

Gratitude is a very important part of your daily mindset. In fact, gratitude has been proven time and time again to make people feel happy, more content, less stressed, helps lower blood pressure and even can help promote better sleep habits. I am a firm believer in practicing gratitude daily. When I feel like I'm having a bad day, I stop myself, take a deep breath and think of all the things that I am grateful for such as my family, my health, finding the love of my life and all the amazing things that he has brought into my life, the love and mutual respect we have for each other is a true blessing every day. A rare and amazing man for sure xo

I often think about something as simple as having food on our table, a roof over our heads and a warm bed to sleep in as a gift in itself. After spending extended time in Mexico volunteering in dog rescue, meeting so many local residents with their dogs and families, I realized how much I have in my life. Seeing so many living without basic necessities, enduring daily abuse, literally working 12+ hours just to make enough to buy a few items was a lesson learned well by me. It made me a better person and one who will always live with gratitude and give back to those in need.

Once a week I have a ritual that I do it's called from the heart to pen to paper. I sit and write everything that I am grateful for down on paper, think about what I wrote and put it in a glass jar that I made with pretty little accents and photos of things that I am grateful for. It makes me stop and think about what was positive in the day instead of what may have gone wrong or was negative on that day, it honestly makes the not so happy stuff seem so less dramatic and stressful.

We ALL live with some level of stress and negative encounters in a day, it is a matter of how you want to respond to those things that can potentially take your energy levels down, ruin your day and make you feel negative and complain for the rest of day, which in my opinion always feels like the more you complain and hear the complaint the more life you give it and the worse it feels!

So what kind of day do you want to have today? Start the day with gratitude and positive energy! Try my little ritual of from the heart to pen to paper and even involve your entire family in it, it turns out it can be so much fun for the kids and brings spouses closer together too!

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I am GRATEFUL!

Basic Rules of Weight Loss and Workouts

Most of us realize that whether we like it or not we have to stick to weight loss workouts if we want to shed those extra pounds the right way, the way that will keep them off. There are basic rules of weight loss and workouts to follow to help you succeed. One common mistake that many people make when on a new fitness path and trying to lose weight is that in the first couple of days of their diet they diminish their food intake too much while exercising.

Doing this will not allow you all of the energy you need in order to get through your exercise routine. You'll tire too quickly and may not be able to follow through with your exercise program. Perfecting the delicate balance of eating right and exercise is what will get you to your goal weight and help you meet those set goals.

Many diets suggest that you cut down or even eliminate carbohydrates from your meals. However, you need carbohydrates for energy. Just make sure that you are getting the right kinds of carbohydrates. They should come from foods that are unprocessed and rich in fiber like whole grains, vegetables, fruit, brown rice and potatoes. When you eat the right carbohydrates, you're getting all the necessary fiber and other nutrients that your body needs. You also want to make sure that you are getting enough protein and healthy fat like olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish oil. You should be eating three moderate meals and two snacks or five small meals a day in order to have the energy needed to work out.

When it comes to working out, you need to first assess your current status and determine how in-shape or out-of-shape you are. You'll eventually want to incorporate both aerobics and strength training into your weight loss program, but if you're just starting out you need to start with one and start with a designed program that will allow you to reach your goals in a safe and effective way. In your assessment, be sure consider how much time you can dedicate to your workouts and your preferences.


If your goal is only to lose weight, you can really concentrate on cardio activities to start. Then you should incorporate strength training to tone and build muscle mass, build up your bone density and raise your metabolism, in my opinion strength training rules for caloric burn and a toned healthy look.  You can do five minutes or so of cardio for a warm-up before your strength training routine but save the cardio workout for after your strength training routine so you have the energy for your workout. If you don't have any real specific goals except to lose weight and just live a healthier lifestyle you could alternate days of strength training and aerobics training. This ensures that you will get both in and takes away the boredom of doing the same thing all the time. Also try to mix up what you do for aerobic training and what you do for strength training during your weight loss workouts. I love adding yoga, Barre and hiking to my workouts too. This will keep you engaged and excited for your workout routines!

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Natural Ways to Lose Belly Fat

With all the diet pills and other weight loss programs being offered out there, it can be tempting to think that there is no natural way to lose belly fat. This couldn't be further from the truth. The only long-term solution to toning up is through adopting a healthy eating and exercise program along with a more positive lifestyle. Everything else from weight loss surgery to quick fad diets is a quick fix and probably not the best choice.

In addition to doing abdominal exercises and cardio to lose belly fat you need to be more aware of what you eat. You should eat little and often aiming to have up to six small meals a day. This will accomplish a number of things not least avoiding bloating and cravings, two things that can put off even the most determined dieter. Obviously, you will need to make better choices and follow a sensible eating plan.

Take time to enjoy your food rather than grabbing a quick meal at a fast food restaurant or a frozen or processed dinner in front of your favorite TV show, this is a huge calorie consumer because people tend to eat mindlessly while focusing on the show and not what they are actually eating, also try not to snack straight from the container while sitting in front of the tv or computer, always put the portion in a bowl. Cooking your own food rather than relying on processed or restaurant meals will help you to lose pounds and slim down too. Taking your time and savoring every mouthful and chewing your food will help you to lose weight as well as you are far more likely to stop eating when you are full rather than just finishing what is on your plate.

Drink plenty of water as our brains often confuse hunger with thirst. If you have recently eaten but still feel hungry try drinking a glass of non-carbonated filtered water. You will often find that the "hunger pangs" go away as you quench your thirst. Don't drink a lot with your meals though as the water will dilute the digestive juices, slowing down the whole digestion process and causing waste retention which can lead to gas and bloating. And above all, do not drink soda and sugary drinks.
Steer clear of empty calories when trying to lose stomach fat. These are found in alcohol and fizzy drinks. They have no nutritional value and will play havoc with your plan for firm abs. Having some self-control and learning to say no to some of your favorite foods will help you lose tummy fat. We can all fall in bad habits such as having biscuits every time we have a cup of tea. Cutting out these small snacks will help to reduce your overall calorie intake and thus help you to drop pounds.

But all of the above is worthless unless you start increasing the amount of physical activity you do. You need to add weight training in order to firm up those abs. You need to increase the amount of aerobic exercise as well to increase your overall fitness level but also to help you tone up your whole body, not just the belly area. Speak to the trainer in your local gym about the areas of your body that you particularly want to change and he will help you to develop a workout to target these. Given some time and motivation you will find that the natural way to lose belly fat is the best albeit it might not be the quickest! Here's to a healthy, fit and toned new you!

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How Your Body Rebuilds Muscles During Sleep

Ever tried to go to sleep with a throbbing thigh or a swollen ankle? Muscle strains and sprains are painful, which can make it hard to fall asleep. However, sleeping seems to affect the speed at which your muscles recover. If you want to get back on your feet faster, your best solution may be to go back to bed for a few hours.

Many athletes can’t make time for sleep between a busy training schedule or other responsibilities. However, sleeping less than seven hours per night has been linked to multiple chronic diseases, such as diabetes and depression. In the short term, it can make you irritable and less happy about training. Also, sleep deprivation may impede your ability to recover from injuries.

Of course, if you increase your hours of sleep each night, the improvements in your athletic performance can be immediate and dramatic.

More Sleep, Improved Performance

The benefits of increasing the number of hours that you sleep may extend beyond healing your muscles faster. In one study, a basketball coach added a new requirement to the training regimen - sleep at least 10 hours each night. Well rested basketball players had faster reaction times and reported less fatigue, as expected. More surprising, their shot accuracy improved and those surveyed said that their physical and mental well-being was better after the sleep extension.

Why Sleep Is So Essential

Everyone knows that sleeping makes your muscles feel better after a while, though the feeling of lying in bed may be uncomfortable. However, scientists are now hypothesizing about the chemical processes that occur during sleep. One study suggests that certain chemicals, like growth factor 1, aren’t released as much when you’re sleep deprived. Since these components have a role in regenerating muscles, sleep loss may lead to muscle loss.

So, in addition to eating your protein (which has been demonstrated to help muscle recovery), make time for a few more hours of rest when you’re trying to recover from a hard workout or injury.

How to Rest Better

Aching muscles can keep you awake at night, but they need sleep to recover. You can overcome this situation by focusing on improving your sleep habits and comfort level in bed.

First, keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends. Your body calibrates its internal clock using many mechanisms, but it likes consistency. If you go to bed at 9 p.m. each night, your body will learn to start releasing sleep hormones, like melatonin, at that time. Even if you’re in pain from a rough workout, the melatonin release will help ease you into slumber.

Second, make sure your bedroom is comfortable. People need different firmness mattresses depending on their body weight and preferred sleeping position. Check mattress reviews to see if your bed is a good fit for the way that you sleep. Another way to make your room more restful is to minimize distracting light and sounds. Blackout curtains and a white noise machine may help.

Lastly, don’t exercise right before bed. In the summer, it can be tempting to wait for the cooldown of the sunset before working out. However, the rush of hormones from exercise can make it difficult to fall asleep afterward. If you must do some activity in the evening, keep it light, like easy yoga or stretching.

These tips should help you get the sleep you need to recover from tough workouts and feel better soon.

Guest Blogger @ SleepHelp.org