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Wednesday 28 February 2007

Foods that Burn Fat



Good nutrition is a big part of any fitness endeavour. I prefer to use the term ‘Good Nutrition’ rather than the word ‘Diet.’ Diet just sounds like hassle to most people, hassle and pain, and to be honest it is. They also don’t work. The very definition of the word means, a severe restriction of calories that is temporary.
Diets are always temporary, so that means you have to come off them at some point, and that’s when the problems begin. You have triggered the body’s starvation response, because you have restricted your caloric intake. This evolutionary throwback, from a time when humans didn’t know where the next meal was coming from, was great for our ancestors, but not so great for today’s modern society, where food is fast, fat ladled and plentiful. These days it’s just a hindrance to any person trying to shed the pounds.

The key is not to limit the food you eat, but simply change it. I think everyone who has an interest in nutrition has heard of the 6 meals a day theory. Most people agree that it sounds like a good idea, but then very few actually give it a go. Personally, I think it’s a must for anyone wanting to lose weight.
Eating 5 or 6 small, balanced meals every day will get your metabolism burning calories like a furnace. It isnt always possible for some people, especially with work commitments, but just try eat something every 3-4 hours and you will be surprised at the results. Plan ahead!

So what should you eat then?
Well below is a list of foods that I believe you can’t go wrong with.

Carbohydrates (the good kind)
Brown Rice
Potatoes (especially sweet potato)
Carrots
Whole Grain Cereals & breads.
Most Pasta - just look on the pack and make sure it says wholegrain!
Fresh fruit.
Anything with the whole grain is good for you
Green vegetables or fibrous veg.
Eg:
Lentils
Broccoli
Sprouts
Asparagus
Peppers
Tomatoes
Spinach
Beans
Black eye peas
You can eat as much veg as you like.

Combining green veg with a good protein is like nature’s fat loss wonder drug!
All these complex carbs are great for energy

Good Protein
Turkey
Chicken
Egg Whites
Most Fish & Shellfish (they also contain the essential fats)
Lean cuts of steak
Cottage Cheese (non fat)
Dairy products are a good source of protein. Just try and get the low fat kind.
These foods are great for building muscle.

You can also get low fat ham & sausages. I wouldn’t class them as top grade protein, but they are fine for a bit of variation. The same goes for Beef and red meat. Eat it now and again for its nutritional benefits, like vitamin B-12 & iron, but try and find lean cuts, and keep portion sizes small.

I know the list isnt that big, but I’m just giving you the facts. If you want to lose weight and get lean - these are the foods that should be the building blocks of your diet. Throw in the odd indulgence day, maybe on the weekend. A day where you can eat anything you like! Just work twice as hard in the gym the next day ;)

Meal suggestions:

Meal 1
Chose from the dozens of whole grain cereals on the market
Scrambled eggs ( It is a good idea to remove the Yolkes)
Fruit

Meal 2
Oatmeal
Wholegrain Toast
Banana

Meal 3
Brown Rice
Turkey
Veg (Green Beans)

Meal 4
Chicken
Sweet Potato
More Veg. Plenty to choose from

Meal 5
Fish
Jacket Potato
Salad

If you can manage a 6th meal, try a combination of anything mentioned

It sounds a lot, but lower your portions and you should be fine. The idea is not to be bloated after any meal. Build up to it if you have to.
Obviously this isnt a comprehensive guide. It’s just my 2 penneth amidst all the confusion surrounding food these days. Combine this with visits to the gym and you will see dramatic results.

Good luck
Nicky Thomas

Sunday 25 February 2007

Weight Loss Tips


Maximum fat loss is something that everyone who wants to lose fat is looking for.
Getting great results in a short amount of time feels great because once you see yourself losing fat and becoming thinner you will start to feel great about the whole process.
This article will show you how to lose maximum fat safely and effectively.
What is a safe amount of fat to lose?

Maximum fat loss can be expected with losing 1-3 lbs of fat per week. You might say "that's it"? Before you order the next miracle infomercial product, stay with me here. If you want maximum FAT LOSS, 1-3lbs a week is a safe number for your body to lose. If you want maximum WEIGHT LOSS, then you can lose 10lbs in 1 week, but it will consist of water weight, muscle mass, and if you are lucky, maybe a little bit of fat.
This article is about helping you lose fat, not about helping you lose weight. If you lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time, expect it to come back on very fast and put you back even further than when you started!
This article is going to give you 2 awesome tips for maximum fat loss.

MAXIMUM FAT LOSS TIP #1:

You need to increase your metabolism!

Increasing your metabolism for maximum fat loss can be accomplished through a specific style of exercise.
You will want to use resistance training and interval training for maximum fat loss with exercise.
Resistance training is great for maximum fat loss because when performed correctly, it will add lean muscle mass. Adding lean muscle mass increases your active and resting metabolism, and helps you with maximum fat loss by burning calories long after your workout session is done.
Interval training is great for maximum fat loss because it is a faster and more effective way of doing cardiovascular exercise. With interval training, you switch back and forth between high and low intensity.

For example, you might go 2 minutes slow and then 1 minute fast on a recumbent bike. You would repeat this cycle 3-6 times, and you have a great cardio workout for maximum fat loss!
The key to making interval training work is by really pushing yourself during those intense minutes. This hard work will help to burn calories and maximum fat for hours after you are done!

MAXIMUM FAT LOSS TIP #2:

Make great food choices!

Instead of going to maximum fat loss by crash dieting, using some fad diet, or anything else of the sort, it is important that you understand what good food choices are for maximum fat loss.
You want to eat high quality protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats in small portion for 4-6 meals per day. This helps with maximum fat loss because it will help you keep your blood sugar regulated and will keep you from being too hungry.
If you try doing this, you will see that you can cheat every once in awhile and still achieve maximum fat loss!

Just be sure to avoid high glycemic "bad carbs" as much as possible. They are the enemy of maximum fat loss! These bad carbs will raise your blood sugar and will make your body release more insulin to store the excess as fat.
In conclusion, you can see that maximum fat loss is a synergistic effort involving the right type of exercise and the right type of diet.


Weight Training For Fat Loss

Weight training for fat loss can be the best thing you do in the gym if you want to lose some of those unwanted pounds.
Most people try to just use the strength training machines or avoid weight training all together.
The truth is that weight training for fat loss performed the right way can burn lots of calories, boost your metabolism, and give you more strength and support around your joints.
This article is going to show you some ways you can improve the time and overall effectiveness when it comes to weight training for fat loss.
Here are 3 awesome tips for weight training for fat loss.

WEIGHT TRAINING FOR FAT LOSS TIP #1:

Shorten your workout with circuit training.
When most people do weight training for fat loss, they get on a strength training machine and to 3 sets 10 of using a weight that is for the most part not challenging. Then, they go onto the next machine, and the next, and the next.
You want to try to focus your weight training for fat loss efforts more so on using a circuit training format that focuses more on bodyweight and dumbbell exercises.
By adding circuit training for your weight training for fat loss, you can get a lot of work done in a short amount of time.

An example of a fat loss circuit training routine would look like this:
1. Pushups
2. Bodyweight squats
3. 1 arm DB row
4. Hamstring leg curls on stability ball
5. Crunches on stability ball
6. Overhead DB shoulder press
7. Planks

REPS: 10-12 each
REST PERIODS: 30-45 secs
ROUNDS: 2-3

With this type of weight training workout, you can see that each exercise is either a multijoint or core exercise. By focusing on the multijoint exercises, you spend more time working more muscles. The more muscle you use, the more calories you will burn, and the more fat you will lose.
Weight training for fat loss really does not have any negatives when you do it correctly. It makes you stronger, increases your metabolism, burns more calories, and the list can go on!

WEIGHT TRAINING FOR FAT LOSS TIP #2:

Do weight training before you do interval training cardio.
Instead of doing your weight training for fat loss after doing 30 minutes at the same speed on a cardio machine, lets change it up a little bit.
You are going to do your weight training for fat loss at the very beginning of your workout after a proper warmup (5-10 mins on a cardio machine).
If you do your weight training for fat loss after you do a long time on a cardio machine, you will have already used a lot of the energy that you need to work your muscles the way you need to!
So warmup, then do weight training, then try doing some interval training.
Interval training is a great addition to a weight training for fat loss routine. It basically consists of going back and forth between high and low intensities for preset amounts of time.
For example, you might go 2 minutes slow and then 1 minute fast on an elliptical. Then, repeat that 2-1 round 3-6 times. In order to make it work, you really need to push yourself in that intense minute!

Interval training is a great part of a comprehensive weight training for fat loss program, but be sure to check with a doctor first. If you are deconditioned then you want to make sure you are physically able to do it safely in the beginning!
So in conclusion, weight training for fat loss combined with interval training 2-3 times per week is the perfect formula for doing a great exercise routine in a time efficient manner.
Work hard, be persistent, and good luck =)
If you want more information on how these things work for maximum fat loss, check out some of the links below.
Good luck =)


If you are interested in discovering the best techniques for a slim and sexy midsection, go to Maximum Fat Loss.
To avoid making the same fat loss mistakes that 97% of people make, go check out How to Look Sexy for some great information.
Tom Gifford is the author of The Fat Loss Zone, which is a site dedicated to providing the most cutting edge fat loss information around.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Gifford
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