Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 1,518«..1020..1,5171,5181,5191,520..1,5301,540..»

Home » Page 1518

New year, new me is a line plenty of Americans utter as the new year officially gets underway.

Exercising more and losing weight is topping the list of 2020 New Years resolutions, according to a recent survey by the online deals siteOffers.com.

While January 2nd historically sees a large influx of gym goers, mounting competition from at-home fitness options like Peloton (PTON) are adding newfound pressure to legacy fitness chains.

The home fitness industry is certainly disrupting the industry a little bit and making people more aware, Golds Gym CEO Adam Zeitsiff toldYahoo Finances YFi PMrecently. Golds has been in business since 1965, and currently has more than 400 locations in the United States.

Yet Zeitsiff argued that companies like Golds are maintaining a crucial advantage over their at-home fitness rivals, despite their convenience.

Its that sense of community, Zeitfsiff said. You can engage with people...and you can support them along the way.

Health care and fitness are the ultimate people businesses, Zeitfsiff added.

"So we look at January as: how do you get engaged? How do you work with the memberhow do you make sure they dont bite off more than they can chew no pun intended in January so they can achieve their goals in small, measurable results, he asked.

Athletic man doing interval training running on stairs in urban setting

But traditional gyms have more than just at-home fitness to contend with.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout companies and classes have also becomeone of the most popularfitness trends in recent years.

However, Zeitsiff cautioned that HIIT workouts are leading to potentially unhealthy consequences.

Were seeing people get mental and physical fatigue and burn out, Zeitsiff explained. The more you push it with these high intensity workouts, the harder it is to recover and do well the next time you work out.

As a result, Zeitsiff is predicting another trend to gain traction in 2020.

Recovery and restorative fitness is really going to be big whether its yoga, or low intensity workouts, or things like the cost of therapy, he said.

Get out there and be strong for whatever works for you in life, Zeitsiff added. Thats something weve been good at for 50 years.

Nick Robertson is a senior producer at Yahoo Finance.

READ MORE:

Follow Yahoo Finance onTwitter,Facebook,Instagram,Flipboard,SmartNews,LinkedIn,YouTube, andreddit.

See original here:
Gold's Gym CEO breaks down why home fitness is 'disrupting the industry' - Yahoo Finance

Read More..

Ryan Poehling leads stretching exercises at a Laval Rocket practice in October. Gymnasts, hockey players and swimmers all require different levels of flexibility.Dave Sidaway / Montreal Gazette

The last time I wrote a controversial column about stretching, I got a record number of readers questioning the rationale behind eliminating stretching before a workout. That was 20 years ago, when stretching was an integral part of almost all warmups. Nowadays, not only has stretching disappeared from most pre-workout routines, American exercise scientist James Nuzzo is recommending removing stretching as one of the foundational pillars of physical fitness.

Nuzzo doesnt believe stretching is irrelevant. He just wonders why trainers still prescribe stretching exercises for healthy individuals who want to improve their overall fitness, and why evaluating flexibility is still part of the curriculum of fitness tests delivered in schools and fitness clubs.

To be clear, the type of stretching in question is static stretching, which requires holding stretches for 10 to 30 seconds. Dynamic stretching, also called range of motion exercises, are movement-based and dont require any one position to be held for any length of time.

Static stretching does not clearly and consistently improve health and function, Nuzzo said in a recent online edition of Sports Medicine. Moreover, flexibility can be maintained or improved by exercise modalities that cause more robust health benefits than stretching (e.g. resistance training).

Stretching was once heralded as an important element in preventing sports injuries and post-exercise soreness, but many of its fitness and health benefits have been debunked. Current Canadian and American exercise guidelines make no mention of stretching in their recommendations for pursuing a healthy, active lifestyle. Yet assessing flexibility still remains part of most fitness testing protocols, and the American College of Sports Medicine still recommends stretching all major muscle groups two to three days a week, claiming flexibility training will help to improve balance and postural stability.

Flexibility testing is done using the sit-and-reach test, which entails sitting on the floor with both legs extended out in front of the body and reaching toward the toes. Flexibility is assessed based on how far the fingers can extend toward the toes. A single measure of flexibility, the sit-and-reach test evaluates range of motion in the hamstrings and lower back. Since flexibility differs from joint to joint, its possible to demonstrate a lack of mobility through the hips, hamstrings and lower back but still score in the upper percentiles for flexibility through the shoulders or ankles.

Nuzzo performed a scientific review to see if acing the sit-and-reach test has any health or functional benefits, including fewer injuries, reduced risk of falls among the elderly, a longer life, superior athletic performance, improved aerobic capacity, muscular strength or body composition or a better quality of life. It turns out that whether flexibility is great, good or mediocre, there is little impact on any of these measures of health and fitness.

In fact, when it comes to static stretching, there are plenty of reasons to be cautious. Stretching temporarily reduces the amount of power the muscles can deliver, thereby reducing overall gains in speed, strength and power. But Nuzzo says theres another good reason to forget about prescribing stretching as part of a general fitness program: its a waste of time.

Time previously dedicated to stretching can be reallocated to activities that cause more robust health benefits, including improved flexibility, said Nuzzo.

Strength training exercises that move a joint through its full range of motion can improve flexibility. In fact, studies have shown weight training has the potential to increase sit-and-reach scores by 10 to 25 per cent. Aerobic exercise boosted sit-and-reach scores by 10 to 17 per cent. While those scores are lower than the improvements in flexibility gained through static stretching (nine to 43 per cent), theyre in the ballpark.

Keep in mind that greater flexibility isnt always a goal worth pursuing. Joint hypermobility has been associated with joint pain and a greater risk of injury. A healthy joint is strong and flexible enough to perform sport-specific movements with efficiency and power. That means gymnasts, hockey players and swimmers all require different levels of flexibility. The same goes for a hockey goalie, kicker in football and martial arts aficionado. Each sport has its own requirements when it comes to what kind of stretching delivers the best possible performance with the lowest risk of injury.

So, should you stretch or not? The choice is yours. If your yoga class makes it easier for you to get in and out of a squat, bend over to pick something up off the floor or skate from end to end during your beer league hockey game, then stick with it. Or if your physiotherapist suggests improving flexibility or range of motion in order to improve movement patterns or fend off specific aches and pains, go for it. For everyone else who is otherwise healthy but feels guilty about avoiding stretching, consider this a hall pass.

See the original post here:
Fitness: Is stretching a waste of time? - Montreal Gazette

Read More..

The festive season might have given you extra motivation to get back in to your daily routine this New Year, or maybe youre looking to kick-start January by getting more active with a healthier lifestyle.

If so, these simple fitness tips from Slimming Worlds experts will help you find easy ways to build activity into each day.

From fun-filled activities with the kids, to getting your groove on while you do the household chores, or just getting off the bus a stop early heres how you can make the most of all 2020 has to offer.

1 Start small

You dont have to run marathons, play team sports or even join a gym to get fitter and improve your health. If youre just getting started, simply aim to move more than you usually do.

That could mean getting off the bus a stop early, parking the car further away from work, or taking the stairs, not the lift.

Every step really does count and youll soon notice a change in how much you can do, and how much you enjoy doing it.

2 Snow business

Why let the kids have all the fun? Building a snowman and having a snowball fight are enjoyable ways to get active outdoors, but all that shovelling, throwing and dodging is actually good exercise. No snow? Make balls from pairs of socks and have a sock snowball fight instead.

3 Into the woods

A trip to the woods is always a hit with children especially if you find something for the nature table along the way.

Compete to see who can collect the best-looking fallen fir branches, pine cones and holly sprigs. Squatting down to pick them up gives thigh muscles a workout and you can take what you find home to make decorations for next Christmas, too!

4 Ad-break boost

As well as putting the kettle on, you might be surprised how much exercise you can fit into all those TV advert slots. Stay motivated by setting yourself a different challenge each time just how many lunges can you do before your show starts again?

5 Tis the season to shop

Choosing a cheaper edge-of town car park rather than a pricey town-centre one wont just help your budget. All those extra steps are fantastic for boosting your daily exercise, and walking with bags full of clothes youve bought in the New Year sales is even better exercise. Carrying any kind of weight creates resistance, so your muscles work harder.

6 Olympic games

When its cold and wet outside you can burn off energy indoors. Whether its a sprout-and-spoon race or an indoor hockey tournament using kitchen roll tubes and a sponge ball a winter family sports day will keep everyone entertained.

You could even make your own medals for the winners.

7 Out and about

Fresh air, lovely views, birds singing no wonder a study found that people who head outside for a stroll feel their mood lift in less than 15 minutes. And while any walk that makes you feel warmer and speeds up your heart rate brings benefits, walking uphill works the muscles even harder, so find some inclines.

8 Strike a pose

Yoga uses body weight, so it counts as one of your two recommended strength exercise sessions a week. Its also a good de-stressing activity, encouraging you to slow your breathing and release tension through gentle stretching. Try an online beginners tutorial or find a class and get through the winter feeling calm and a bit more in control.

9 Musical chores

Vigorous cleaning counts as exercise, and music has been shown to motivate us to get moving. So when youre getting the house spick and span during the spring clean, cranking up the music could help you increase the pace speeding up your heart rate and the housework.

10 Run for it!

Signing up for a winter fitness event is a great move-more motivation whatever the weather . Most are suitable for all fitness levels and running in fancy dress is completely optional.

11 City breaks

Cities are great places to rack up steps, whether exploring on your own or on a guided tour. Youll probably be so absorbed by the sights you wont notice how much ground youre covering. To help put your body into its prime walking position head up and shoulders back cast your eyes up to the tops of the buildings ahead of you.

12 Strut your stuff

Strictly Come Dancing may have finished but learning to dance could be just the start for you. A dance class is a great way to exercise and it also gets your feel-good endorphins flowing.

13 Swimming at a stroke

Swimming is a great way to stay cool and active it works your whole body and its easy on your joints, too. If you find just doing lengths a bit dull, look out for free apps to join virtual challenges to swim stretches of water, from Loch Ness to the Great Barrier Reef.

14 Volunteer

If you fancy being more active, getting some fresh air and doing good all at once, volunteering could be just the thing. Websites such as do-it.org list all sorts of opportunities across the UK.

15 Get the kids involved

If youre struggling to get back into your normal exercise routine, find child-friendly activities to motivate you and help you get back on track. Oil your bike chain and go on a family cycle, or play tag in the park. If youre at home, keep active in the garden skipping, hula hooping and ball games are all inexpensive ways to keep moving.

16 On your commute

Walking to work, whether its all the way or getting off the bus or train a few stops earlier, is a fantastic time saver youre combining your exercise with a journey you already do every day. And as well as creating a healthy routine, it might even result in you enjoying your job more.

17 Be a sport

There are lots of reasons to give a sport such as indoor tennis a go. This full-body workout improves coordination, helps your heart health when played regularly, and is a great way to socialise while getting in some exercise. For advice on getting started, or to find your nearest court, visit lta.org.uk/play.

18 Move to the beat

Exercising to music can make it more fun. Tap in to the power of your favourite tunes and it may even keep you going for longer!

If there are days where it can be tricky to fit in exercise, this is where one-song workouts come in. When you have a spare few minutes, just turn on the music and dance, or do a mix of toning moves such as squats, jumping jacks and sit-ups for as long as the track lasts youll find tons of inspiration online.

19 Walk more briskly

Brisk walking is a fantastic form of physical exercise and just 10 minutes a day provides a number of health benefits. Going for a walk as a family also helps as it is a great way to spend time together. No wonder so many families wrap up warm and head out together in their boots and wellies in the winter.

For tips on how to incorporate more walking into your daily life, as well as a free app that tracks exactly when you are walking briskly and reaping the benefits, search Active 10 online.

20 Share your success

Doing things in a group can be great fun, so buddy up!

Encourage friends and family members to feel as good as you do and build activity into their daily life too.

Rather than meeting friends for a coffee and cake, find an activity you all enjoy, or join a fitness class for a giggle and a workout. If you do it together, youre more likely to stick to it too.

Read more here:
20 easy fitness tips from Slimming World to improve your health in 2020 - Mirror Online

Read More..

New Years resolutions are often health- and fitness-related. So what do the experts in those fields hope to accomplish in a new year? Below, six DC-area fitness professionals share their goals for 2020whether its running a race with their baby, studying nutrition, or lowering their cholesterol.

Im actually studying for a nutrition coach certification right now. I was just promoted to master instructor at SoulCycle, which is a huge deal. So Im focusing on what the next step is and how I can up my game. Nutrition is a big part of that.So many of us just work out without thinking about what it is thats fueling our bodies or whats making us feel good or bad. Im all about what makes us feel good. What works for one person doesnt always work for another. My goal is to work on my own nutrition and hopefully help some others along the way.

Im supercharged to take on some great fitness challenges in 2020. One of my resolutions is to run 35 miles each month alongside another F45 trainer. Another resolution is to focus on my work/life balance. Washingtonians are always chasing the side hustle and not leaving enough time to take care of ourselves, so getting in a daily sweat is one of my big goals for 2020. Id like to continue to introduce F45 to new audiences and spread the word through pop-up classes, like the one we did this fall at 12 Stories. Lastly, I want to try a new workout each monthsince there are so many different types of fitness options in DC, why not get outside that comfort zone?

I want to lower my cholesterol, run my first race while pushing my son in his jog stroller, and run the SeaWheeze half-marathon for the fourth time. (That wont be the stroller race!)

For 2020, my clients and I are going to focus on overcoming plateaus. I hear it all the time, especially in group fitness, that clients can become bored or are no longer seeing results. These are common feelings, so we have to continue to spice things up and find new personal challenges by finding different ways to make our fitness goals fun and productive such as:1) Invite friends: Youll be surprised how much a familiar face could push you during a workout. 2)Utilize technology more:If you have a Fitbit, Apple Watch, etc., use these devices to measure workouts. If you burned 200 calories on Monday, see if you can burn 250 when you work out the next time. For heart rate monitoring, try to limit the recovery time even if the rest of the class is recovering. Although you are in a group class, you still want to maximize your results.3)Monitor your resistance weight:Im guilty of taking the most convenient weight, although I could do more. Most HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts consist of compound movements with high reps, so you want to increase slowlymaybe 2.5-to-5 pounds per month. For more focused moves like a squat or chest press, I would say increase by 5-to-10 pounds per month.4)Work out with your favorite fitness trainer:Id be thrilled to find out someone wanted to know the next time I was taking class so they could join! Its a great way to get free advice and learn how to level up moves and workouts. Definitely a win-win.

My 2020 New Years resolution is to support those beyond myself and the typical group fitness experts. Group exercise has so much to offer those who invest emotionally: you become stronger both mentally and physically. So in 2020, Ill expand my services to a population who needs it the most: educators. In 2018, 26 percent of DC educators left the classroom. As a former teacher, I will help prevent further educator burnout through six-week programs, in-school sessions, and overall stress support at Sweat DC. All are invited to join!

Im turning 40 this year (January 5) and aiming to be the healthiest version of myself. I recently gained lottery entrance into the 2020 Cherry Blossom race, and I couldnt be more excited. I ran my very first Cherry Blossom race at the sweet age of 30, and 10 years later, Im planning to show myself and others how we can only get better with time (and wisdom). Although this will be my seventh race, Im planning to set a personal record this year.

Join the conversation!

Associate Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She previously was the editorial assistant at Walter Magazine in Raleigh, North Carolina, and her work has appeared in Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Adams Morgan.

See the article here:
Six DC Fitness Influencers Share Their New Year's Resolutions - Washingtonian

Read More..

Walking 10,000 steps a day isa goodbaseline to help you stay fit, but it isn't the one-size-fits-all goal you might think.

Fitness trackers such as Fitbit usethe number as a default goal, but fitness experts suggest tailoring a step goal to an individual. Researchers traced the origins of the 10,000-step practiceto a marketing gimmick from the 1960s and suggested some people don't greatly benefit from walking so much.

Harley Pasternak, a celebrity personal trainerwho works with Fitbit,sets the goal of at least 10,000 steps for his clients. He explained in an email to USA TODAYthat the step requirement, if it includes 30 minutesat a moderate intensity,satisfies guidelines for exercise set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week.

I recommend to strive for 14,000 if youre trying to lose weight, he said.

Pasternak cautioned that the suggestionvaries based on lifestyle, and for some people, setting a lower goal would be ideal.

A Harvard study of nearly 17,000 women ages 66 to 78 found that those who walked 7,500 steps or more had the lowest mortality rate.

Even women who walked 4,400 steps had a lower mortality rate than those who were the least active and walked only about 2,000 steps. There were few, if any, additional benefits for the women who walked more than 7,500 steps.

I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the lead researcher in thestudy, told USA TODAY the 10,000-steps-a-day recommendation was developed in the 1960s by early pedometer makers.

"It got started as a marketing tool for a Japanese company," Leesaid, referring to a Japanese pedometer released in 1965called the "10,000 steps meter." She said there haven't been any scientific studies backing up that number. Asked why it became standard, she explained simply,"It's an easy number to remember."

Lee suggestedwalking 2,000 more steps than you usually walk every day.

You'll meet health guidelines by walking 10,000 steps a day and it's not bad advice for younger people or those who have more experience with a fitness regimen. But Lee said that for older peopleand those who are less fit, the so-called magicnumber is demoralizing. She notedthat for people who are inactive,setting too high a standard may discourage them from exercising entirely.

"If you're inactiveand your goal is to become more active, then set a reasonable goal," she said.

The average American, according to Lee, gets 4,000 to 5,000 steps every day.

Although the Department of Health and Human Services lists a 150-minutes-a-week requirement, it makes it clear that any physical activity no matter how slight is better than none.

Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/04/walking-10-000-steps-day-good-fitness-goal-heres-better-one/2784372001/

More here:
Do you really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? Experts say there's a better goal - USA TODAY

Read More..

Your phone has put the global hive mind at your fingertips, so why squander your storage on face swaps and unused messenger services? These fitness apps are programmed to transform your health by the gigabyte. Your smartphone is about to get a whole lot smarter...

What Peloton did for your spin session, now Rowith can do for your dry-land rows. The app transforms your monotonous ergo training into inspiring full-body workouts, with audio-guided coaching and motivation from top Olympic rowers, such as James Cracknell and Steve Redgrave.

Choose from a deep pool of sessions that range from beginner to Boat Race hopeful, and follow training plans that adapt to your current level of fitness. All of your stats are logged, and you can challenge friends and strangers to make your time in the hot seat more competitive.

Every year in the UK, we bin roughly five million tonnes of perfectly edible food, placing a huge strain on the planet, not to mention your weekly grocery bill. Food-sharing app Olio reduces waste by linking people who overestimated their appetites (or bought a four-pack of avocados two days before their winter ski break) with those in search of extra ingredients. Simply snap a photo, set a safe location for collection and use the in-app ratings to filter trusted recipients.

Well assume that, by now, youre fairly clued up on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness. But scheduling effective timeouts between meal prep, school runs, conference calls and workouts isnt easy.

With more than 100 guided sessions for stress-busting, anxiety management and enhancing focus, Calm is your co-pilot to the land of chill, and it can also help you get to sleep. Specially selected bedtime tales narrated by the likes of Stephen Fry and Matthew McConaughey (really) will coax you into a higher state of unconsciousness.

Nutrifix calculates your daily macros and scans popular local eateries for meals that meet your requirements

Even for those who meal prep religiously on Sunday nights, the best-laid nutritional plans can fall apart when life gets busy. Whether youre a pescatarian keen to fit more nutrients into your diet, gluten-free and cutting weight, or a vegan trying to pack on muscle mass, Nutrifix hunts and gathers the information you need. It starts by calculating your daily macros and scanning popular local eateries for meals that meet your requirements. Then, all you have to do is order a delivery, or click and collect. Its a meal deal worth capitalising on.

Another pioneer in remote training for riders and runners alike, Zwift transforms tedious turbo rides and treadmill slogs into challenging, social sweat sessions. Pair any Bluetooth-enabled static bike or a runner with the app and power your avatar around the virtual roads of six immersive environments, including a futuristic New York. There are more than 1,000 structured workouts to choose from, plus around 300 group rides or races each day and you can even chat to strangers as you fly past them up the pixel mountains.

RunFriendly uncovers local gyms, hotels and other places you can use to wash after a workout

Given the chance, most of us would convert the dead time of our commute into a daily workout. But having nowhere to freshen up before your morning meeting can put you off smashing out a sweaty commute, or squeezing in a lap of the park during your lunch break.

RunFriendly is a bit like Airbnb for showers. It uncovers local gyms, hotels and other places you can use to wash off the sweat on a one-off basis. As a bonus, your colleagues will never have to see you in Lycra, either.

ClassPass allows you to book workouts in 20,000 venues around the world with a flexible monthly fee

Committing yourself to a single gym membership, fixed to just one club and location, feels well, a bit 2019. Make this the year you untether your fitness goals. ClassPass allows you to book workouts in 20,000 venues around the world. A flexible monthly fee unlocks gym access, passes to group fitness classes from CrossFit to cardio, and even recovery treatments such as cryotherapy. You can search easily by location and activity and, when you cant travel, you can stream classes.

Until we can upload information directly into our brains, we'll have to make do with reading. But with so many new books being hyped and limited time to look into them, many life-changing ideas will inevitably pass you by. Blinkists app abridges the gap. Its experts distil the main concepts of best-selling non-fiction books into bite-sized text and audio files, so you can get the elevator pitch for the latest in fields such as leadership, health and nutrition. Consider it a York Notes for self-improvement.

WFA contains four comprehensive, 12-week training programmes, each tailored to your chosen fitness goal

If youve made it your mission to get leaner, quicker, fitter and/or stronger this year but dont quite have your action plan nailed down, this app is for you. Co-created by athlete-adventurer Ross Edgley, along with the editors at Men's Health, it contains four comprehensive, 12-week training programmes, each tailored to your chosen fitness goal.

Video guides help you nail the moves with proper form, while easy-to-follow workouts teach you how to put them all together. Plus, its roughly half of the price of a personal training session. Transform your body into an instrument not an ornament.

Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.

SIGN UP

Visit link:
Best Fitness Apps for 2020: Best Free Fitness Apps and Fitness Trackers - Men's health UK

Read More..

BRAZIL, Ind. (WTHI) - We're wrapping up the first week of the new year, and maybe you're new year's resolution was spending more time in the gym.

That's why folks at a Wabash Valley gym are helping people meet their fitness goals.

Brother's Gym in Brazil opened for "Resolution Sunday."

It was a free workout session with staff members.

Current gym members and those looking to join were invited.

The goal was to help people find the best gym for them, and get them on the right track on their fitness journey.

"You truly feel like you're a part of the community, and you want to be a better community. Everybody that comes in here is trying to make themselves better, so if we can in turn help them get better, then we can help Brazil, Indiana become better, because we love being here," said Jeremey Peevler, Owner.

There were nearly 20 people at the workout session.

See original here:
Wabash Valley gym offers free workout to help people meet their fitness goals in the new year - WTHITV.com

Read More..

I dont want to train for a marathon (because if I did, Id be telling you about it constantly). I cant stomach a radical new diet, and Im not spending money on an expensive gym or trainer.

But I do want to lose about 20 lbs before summer.

In lieu of radical change, I decided to go the opposite route: I sat at my computer crowd-sourced food and fitness advice from health professionals.

(Some quick background: I exercise 5-6 times per week and walk a lot, but I also have a desk job and I write about booze, which means Im out and about doing unhealthy things several nights per week.)

My requirements: No life upheaval. No complicated routines. Just a few basic changes to my life that could get me where I wanted.

Their thoughts below. And of course consult a doctor if you plan to make significant changes to your diet or fitness routine.

The average person chews a mere three times before swallowing, says Bianca Riemer, a Certified Health Coach. Ideally, you want to chew 20-30 times, and spend 20 minutes on each meal.

The magic number is 10, says personal trainer and 19-time world champion powerlifter Robert Herbst. Do it first thing in the morning, then add two more every week (which will get you over 100 by years end). It is amazing what that will do for tone, mass, definition, and strength, says Herbst.

Give yourself a 14-16 hour window for fasting, and then just 8-10 for eating, says Brian Kiselstein, founder of ThinkHealthyFITNESS. Not only will this aid in weight loss, but it is way less disruptive on your schedule, he says.

Instead of separating cardio days from strength training days, combine em, says Kiselstein. Itll save you time and you get it all done on the same day.

Yes, you do need to sleep more. Most of us arent getting enough, and when we are sleep deprived it messes up our fat loss goals, says fitness/nutrition coach Tim Liu. That throws off our hormones, makes us have food cravings and decreases our gym performance.

If you have a desk job, take a 20-30 minute walk a few times per week. Not only did it help with my weight, it helped me de-stress, says Don Dulin of Unfinished Success, a site that helps people become better by making small changes in their lives. By combining the walking habit with smoothies twice a week (making his own in lieu of breakfast), Dulin claims he lost 10 pounds in two months.

Put more fruit (or other healthy low calorie foods) in visible areas around the house, like the kitchen table or front and center of the fridge, says fitness coach Jay Spencer. We often reach for unhealthy food because it is convenient and delicious, he says. With fruit around, youll be constantly reminded of your aspirations to eat healthy.

If you need a quick fix, just learn to stand tall and sit up straight. Guys slouch a lot, says Brice LaGrand, a professional dancer and performer. This can lead to low back and neck pain, a tight chest and potential injuries from walking improperly. And slouching isnt very flattering because it gives a guy a flat butt and a big gut. Standing up properly will make a guy look slimmer.

I recommend two meals a day for everyone who mostly sits for a living, says self-help author David Zoucha (The Happy Marriage Hot Sex Handbook, Happy Rich). Breakfast kick starts metabolism, and I want something to look forward to at night. So for 14 years, Ive chosen to skip lunch.

As in at least (seriously, at least) eight cups per days, says Dr. Ajala Ngarndi, the Medical Director of The I.V. Doc in Atlanta. That will help keep the metabolism supported, she says. Itll also suppress the appetite; its common for people to mistake the feeling of thirst with hunger.

Substitute all white carbs (bread, rice, etc.) with whole grains. When you eat whole grains, you feel more full due to the higher protein/fiber content and so you will need to eat less overall, says Dr. Nikola Djordjevic MD, co-founder of LoudCloudHealth.

Its crucial for losing weight and getting in shape because it activates hundreds of enzymes that control digestion, absorption and the utilization of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, says nutrition expert and author Dr. Carolyn Dean. She suggests adding a teaspoon of liquid picometer magnesium and a 1/4 tsp of sea salt to every quart of drinking water you take in.

Seriously. Instead of dominating yourself with changes that require adjustments in other areas of your life, lower the bar so low your goal is impossible not to do, says life coach and author Matthew Ferry (Quiet Mind Epic Life). For Ferry, that meant starting a daily yoga habit by simply doing a dead mans pose for eight minutes every night before bed, then slowly adding moving and poses.

Your fit friends on social media who constantly rattle on about marathon training? Theyre on to something, says Matthew Locker of the health/wellness platform BurnAlong. Weve seen incredible results when people include their social network in activities that are often done in isolation, he says. There is stronger motivation to stick with goals and people feel more accountable.

See the original post here:
The Lazy Man's Guide to Getting Fit and Losing Weight - InsideHook

Read More..

America is in the midst of a keto craze. The trendy diet which bans carbs to make your body burn fat for fuel has kicked Weight Watchers derrire on the stock market, captured the endorsement of celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian and Halle Berry, and deluged the internet with recipes and copious social media chatter about pounds lost.

Now the popular diet even has a day named after it. The Vitamin Shoppe, which wants to sell you a ton of keto-based products, has named the first Sunday of this new decade National Keto Day.

What on Earth justifies granting a day to memorialize a fad diet? said Dr. David Katz, founding director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. The grapefruit diet surely warrants its own day too!

Katz is no fan of keto, or any other diet that restricts entire food groups, calling them unhealthy and unsustainable.

Losing weight fast by using a severely restricted, silly, unbalanced diet inevitably leads to even faster weight regain, said Katz, who is the president of the True Health Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to health promotion and disease prevention.

Absent ketosis, keto is just a false label for some kind of diet that presumably restricts added sugar and refined carbohydrate which, frankly, any good diet does, Katz said.

Katzs low opinion of keto is echoed by many nutritional specialists across the country. Katz joined 24 other top names in the field to rank 35 popular weight loss programs for 2020 recently put out by U.S. News and World Report.

The popular keto diet flunked, coming in next to last which it has done for several years now. Only the highly restrictive protein-only Dukan Diet ranks lower.

Most health professionals are concerned that the degree of carb restriction requires someone to cut out many of the foods that have been consistently recommended as being healthy: fruits, beans/legumes and whole intact grains, said Stanford professor Christopher Gardner, who conducts research on low-carb diets at Stanford Prevention Research Center.

With such negative reviews, just how did keto capture such a faithful following? Experts say its because its legions of fans are focusing on the short-term benefits of fast weight loss, without factoring in possible long-term risks.

What is keto?

Keto is short for ketosis, a metabolic state that occurs when your liver begins to use stored fat to produce ketones for energy. The liver is programmed to do that when your body loses access to its preferred fuel carbohydrates and thinks its starving.

The diet has actually been around since the 1920s, when a doctor stumbled on it as a way of controlling seizures in children with epilepsy who didnt respond to other treatment methods.

It was recognized long ago that denying the brain access to glucose, and converting to ketone-based metabolism, dampens brain electrical activity, Katz said. But why on Earth would you want to dampen brain electrical activity unless you had refractory (unmanageable) epilepsy?

Creating ketosis is not as simple as it seems. Your liver is only forced into producing ketones when carb intake is drastically slashed. In the keto diet, you limit your intake of carbs to only 20 to 50 a day, the lower the better. To put that into perspective, a medium banana or apple is around 27 carbs, the full days allowance.

It can take several days to weeks before your body fully transitions into burning fat. In the meantime, it will scream for carbs, and (speaking from personal experience) will punish you by sending a zombie to suck out your brains, a vampire to drain your blood and a giant troll to jump up and down on your body.

The feeling of fatigue and malaise is so bad that keto-lovers have christened the experience keto-flu.

Youll also have keto-breath, a wonderfully metallic smell similar to nail polish remover emanating from your mouth. Other than urination, thats the only way ketones can escape your body.

Drinking water might help with dragon-breath. Youll also need to drink a lot of water to try to counter constipation and other gastric-grumblings due to the lack of fiber from fruits and starchy veggies.

Once all that passes, keto-lovers maintain, youll have more energy, a more focused brain, and best of all, very little hunger.

But those effects only last if you stay in ketosis. Cheat a bit, and your body scrambles to go back to what nature intended.

Therefore low-carb diets like keto rely heavily on fats to fill you up. At least 70% of the keto diet will be made up of fat some say its more like 90%. Of course you can get all that fat from healthy unsaturated fats such as avocados, tofu, almonds, walnuts, seeds and olive oil.

But just in case you cant eat that many avocados, the diet also allows those not-so-good-for-your-arteries saturated fats like lard, butter, palm and coconut oils as well as whole-fat milk, cheese and mayonnaise.

And heres a twist: You cant rely too much on lean protein to accomplish ketosis. Eat more protein than an average 20% of your daily calories and your body will use that, and not fat, for fuel. Bye bye, ketosis.

Therefore protein sources for ketosis reply on skin-on poultry, fattier parts like chicken thighs, rib-eye steaks, grass-fed ground beef, fattier fish like salmon, beef brisket or pork shoulder, according to U.S. News, as well as get ready America bacon!

Yessss. Thats why this is a popular diet right? Like the dog in the 1980s commercial, we as a nation collectively jump up and down for bacon.

Dirty vs clean eating

Of course the lure of all-the-bacon-or-fat-you-can-eat was arguably behind the initial success of the Atkins diet that exploded into popularity in the 90s. It was followed by more low-carb options such as South Beach, Paelo, Whole30 and Zone, among others.

Yet critics say those initially popular plans have struggled to keep the publics interest as dieters have succeeded in losing some weight, only to fail to keep it off over the long term.

Atkins has rebranded, offering different levels of carb restriction they call Atkins 20 and Atkins 40. Colette Heimowitz, Atkins vice president for Nutrition Communication & Education, told CNN the companys approach allows for more flexibility than keto as we encourage people to incorporate foods back into their meals and find their carb tolerance level.

Keto appears to be undergoing the same process, with some promoting clean keto, which focuses on using all those avocados, nuts and seeds for fat sources, instead of dirty keto, in which folks take the buns off their fast food burger and chow down.

Clean keto advocates admit that it takes a good deal of effort to research food items and plan and prep meals, so unsurprisingly, many a keto eater takes the easy way out, eating a diet centered around foods like bacon, cheese, butter, and packaged foods, according to an article on the Vitamin Shoppes Keto HQ.

And thats the crux of the problem for nutritionists.

Most people who claim to eat Paleo use that banner to justify eating any kind of meat they like, notably, bacon, burgers and pepperoni, Katz said. There was no paleolithic pepperoni!

No doubt, the same is going on with keto people invoke the label to eat the foods they want to eat, notably processed meat, he said. I suspect a very tiny minority of those attempting to eat keto are either eating clean or are in ketosis.

What do the studies say

Then theres the issue of varying health claims for keto and other low carb diets.

The ketogenic diet is designed to be a short-term diet, and there are a number of studies and trials demonstrating its effectiveness, said chiropractor Josh Axe, a spokesperson for the Vitamin Shoppe, in statement.

When done correctly, it can be a great tool used to treat and prevent several chronic conditions while also supporting overall health, said Axe, who is the author of The Keto Diet: Your 30-day Plan to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones and Reverse Disease.

An Atkins spokesperson pointed to a two-year study by a health group selling ketosis diet interventions and told CNN in a statement that todays science shows people can improve health markers pertaining to weight loss, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome when they control carbs.

Not exactly accurate, according to Gardner and Katz.

Theres very little research, and to the best of my knowledge, all of it is linked to a company marketing the keto diet, Katz said.

The bottom line is that despite its current popularity, we have very few studies that can support or refute its impact on health, Gardner said.

The National Lipid Association Nutrition and Lifestyle Task Force reviewed all the available evidence in 2019 and found low and very-low carb diets are not superior to other dietary approaches for weight loss, and in some cases even raised cholesterol levels.

In addition, they found three separate observational studies, including a large prospective cohort study with long-term follow-up, showed an association between very low-carb diets and all-cause mortality.

So far, at least, it appears science has found the benefits of low-carb diets are fleeting.

What the early studies have shown is that there are early benefits in terms of weight loss and glucose control, Gardner said. But in the few studies that have gone on for 12 months, the benefit in comparison to other diet approaches diminishes and is no longer statistically significant.

Which is why nutritionists fail to see the benefit of subjecting your body to the stresses of a low-carb diet just to lose a bit of weight, gain it back, and then start all over again.

To achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, or optimize diabetes or heart disease risk factors, we should not be focusing on a diet, said Alice Lichtenstein, director and senior scientist at Tufts Universitys Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory.

We should be focusing on dietary patterns, making changes in current practices that can be sustained lifelong.

Original post:
Experts say the keto diet isnt sustainable, so why is it so popular? - KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis

Read More..

Although cereal is a popular and easy breakfast option, it could be hurting your weight loss goals. Even supposedly healthy cereals can have surprising ingredients that hinder your ability to lose weight quickly. To make it easier to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy cereals, we spoke to Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet.

Richards explains the main problem with breakfast cereals: Cereal is a go-to breakfast food for many people, even those who follow a relatively healthy eating pattern. However, there are some ingredients in breakfast cereals, including those that claim to be good for you, that are unhealthy.

Shutterstock

The biggest health concern with cereals are their refined carbohydrates. Richards explains, "Because of the way many cereals are made, the use of refined grains is very common."

Just because it is common, however, does not make it healthy. "This form of carbohydrate is highly inflammatory and turns to sugar quickly in the body. Always check the ingredients list and avoid cereals that state enriched flour, even if it says it is wheat. This ingredient could be slowing down your health and weight loss goals," Richards tells SheFinds.

Shutterstock

Another ingredient to stay away from is sugar. Richards says, "This is a fairly obvious ingredient to limit in breakfast cereal. However, it can often be listed under different names to hide the amount the cereal contains."

With that in mind, although you may think your cereal is low in sugar, it could be disguised under a different name. Richards warns, "Some common alternative sugar names include: HFCS, fructose, sucrose, caramel, castor sugar, sorghum syrup, invert sugar, evaporated cane juice, and agave nectar."

Shutterstock

According to Healthline, starting your morning with one of these cereals could hurt your long-term weight loss goals: "Starting the day with a high-sugar breakfast cereal will spike your blood sugar and insulin levels."

This could affect your cravings later in the day. "A few hours later, your blood sugar may crash, and your body will crave another high-carb meal or snack potentially creating a vicious cycle of overeating," Healthline explains.

Shutterstock

According to Eat This, Not That!, there are a wide range of high-sugar cereals from the more obvious ones to the more surprising ones. As always, your best bet is to pay close attention to the nutrition label and stick to cereals that are low in sugar and refined carbs. Keeping an eye out for alternative sugars when choosing a cereal can also help you stay on track for your weight loss goals.

More:
The Worst Breakfast Cereals That Are Slowing Down Your Weight Loss, According To A Nutritionist - SheFinds

Read More..

Contact Us Today

Page 1,518«..1020..1,5171,5181,5191,520..1,5301,540..»

Home » Page 1518