7 fat loss myths debunked
7 Fat Loss Myths Debunked
Slow-moving folks rejoiced at the idea that a slower pace could mean more fat burned. And while moving slower—walking instead of running—may seem more appealing, there is a problem. Because moving at a faster pace and pushing yourself harder will always burn more calories in less time. Of course, if you plan to walk at a moderate pace for three hours, you will burn more than if you sprint 100 yards and call it quits. But if you can sprint 100 yards, walk 20 yards, and then sprint again, repeating the process for an hour, you will easily shed more calories, fat, and pounds, than just going for a walk.
Fat Loss Myth #4: Cardio Is All You Need
Want to lose weight? Good. You’ll need to get some cardiovascular exercise. But don’t buy into the idea that cardio is all you need to lose weight. If you don’t lift weights or do some sort of strength training, your aerobic workouts will eventually work to burn off your muscle as well as fat. In the end, this means less strength and a lower metabolism—both which could lead to an inability to maintain a workout routine.
7 fat loss myths debunked
Fat Loss Myth #5: Your Workout Should Be Killer
Ever feel your workout didn’t work you hard enough? If you’re improving and increasing, don’t sweat it. That’s just a sign that your body is growing stronger and better able to handle whatever you throw at it. While many think a workout isn’t good unless it leaves you unable to stand up straight or lift a book, don’t believe the hype. Pushing your body so hard that you can’t function after a workout may give you mental assurance that you’re working hard, but it’s putting you at extreme risk for extreme injury.
Fat Loss Myth #6: Heat Burns More Slide this one under the heading “Stranger Than Fiction,” but according to research, those hot yoga classes may not be paying off like you expect. Strangely, they found that people who slept in a colder environment increased their weight loss ability substantially more than those who slept in a warmer temperature. Granted, the study involved sleeping and not exercising, but the chill should transfer to your workouts. Get the temp turned down a notch for a month or two and see if there are any changes!
Fat Loss Myth #7: There Are Negative-Calorie Foods
Whether you’ve bought into the myth or not, you’ve likely heard that certain foods—celery is a favorite—burn more calories via digestion than they contain. So if you eat nothing but celery, you’ll burn more calories than you consume, which catapults your weight-loss ability into the heavens. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Celery is low in calories, but you could survive on it if there was no other food available.
7 fat loss myths debunked
Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body and shed that fat once and for all!
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
Why you’re gaining weight
Why You’re Gaining Weight (and how to stop it)
According to Edward Abramson, Ph.D. the author of Emotional Eating, “Any change in your life circumstances can produce changes in eating and exercise, which leads to weight gain.”
Let’s dive into the major changes in your life that have caused that annoying weight gain…
Life’s Fat Traps: We all gain weight for different reasons. You often hear about one-size-fits-all weight loss solutions that take little or no consideration of how the extra weight piled up in the first place. To experience true weight loss it is important to understand why you gained it in the first place.
Think back to the time in your life when your weight was just right. Were you in your teens? Your twenties? Or maybe your thirties? Picture yourself as you were at your ideal weight. Now when did things change? Was it a gradual addition of pounds that accumulated over a span of multiple years? Or did you gain it all at once?
Check out the following weight gain triggers and determine which one is responsible for your plight.
College: The college years are some of the easiest for gaining weight. In fact, a recent study by Cornell University found that on average, college freshman gain about 0.5 pounds a week – almost 11 times more than the average weight gain among 17-and 18-year olds and almost 20 times more than the average weight gain among American adults.
Marriage: There’s nothing like holy matrimony to encourage a barrage of calories to overtake your diet. Late night comfort snacks are always more enjoyable when you have someone to share them with—and who better than the person who pledged to stick by your side through sickness and health?
Pregnancy: Talk about a great time to gain weight! And we’re not just talking about women here—most men admit that they gained ‘sympathy’ pounds right along with their wife. Hormonal changes along with strong encouragement from everyone you know to indulge in anything their heart desires leave most pregnant women with a feeling of entitlement when it comes to food.
Career: Though you may not realize it, your career choice plays a major hand in your weight. Those who go from an active lifestyle to spending 8 hours a day behind a desk and another 2 hours commuting almost universally gain weight. Conversely, people who spend their 8 hours in constant motion find weight loss a natural byproduct of the job.
New Habits: Close your eyes and go back to the fat trap that triggered your weight gain. What changed in your lifestyle? To help sort things out, I’ve broken things down into two specific behavioral categories.
Eating Habits: Did your eating pattern change at this time in your life? If your weight gain occurred in college then maybe you went from eating 3 square meals to an all-you-can-eat buffet style cafeteria. Or if marriage was your weight gain trigger, then maybe you went from eating small meals to fattening comfort food. Pregnancy brings on the perfect environment for a change in eating habits. You go from eating normally, to eating ‘for two’, to munching on your baby’s snacks right along with him! Your job can also dictate your eating schedule. Long hours and early meetings may cause you to grab a donut or chips from the vending machine.
Activity Level: The second category that leads to weight gain is your activity level. Simply put, what kind of exercise were you doing before your life changing event and how does it compare to your current exercise regime? Chances are good that you were doing more exercise before your weight gain began—which means that you are doing less exercise today! Go ahead, think back to the exercises or physical activities that you used to do and compare them to your schedule today.
Your Transformation: You’ve figured out which fat trap in your life led to weight gain, and then narrowed down the exact behaviors that changed as a result, so this naturally leads us to a solution.
It’s time to make a change.
Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will make you immune to all of life’s fat traps.
Once you start working with me, those numbers on your scale will quickly change direction. Let’s do this!
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
29 ways to get fit
29 ways to get fit
Far too often fitness is presented as complicated and confusing.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Being fit comes from living the following simple everyday practices:
- Throw out your big dinner plates. Using small plates at home effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.
- Make exercise a regular part of your life. Create a network of accountability with workout partners or by working with me, your local fitness expert.
- Know what you want to accomplish. Visualize the end result of your hard work.
- Believe in you. I know that you CAN accomplish your goals.
- Don’t be a wimp. Keep the intensity high during your workouts. Remember that you don’t want to kill time; you want to burn calories and strengthen your body through intense exercise.
- Drink water all day long.
- Know when to ask for help.
- Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your routine by doing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.
- Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.
- Forget will-power; it’s about WANT-power. How badly do you want it.
- Never eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
- Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount of it that you eat. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from leafy plants and whole grains.
- It’s OK to be a skeptic. Watch out for products that are labeled as ‘health food’. Always read the nutrition labels and make your own informed opinion.
- Talk is cheap. Act now and get the job done.
- Exercise with people that are in better shape than you. This will encourage you to push your limits.
- Never indulge in negative self-talk.
- Don’t drink calories.
- Pay attention to everything that you eat.
- Keep consistent. Exercise at least three or four times each week.
- Expect more from yourself.
- Never eat High Fructose Corn Syrup. It spikes your blood sugar levels and encourages your body to store fat.
- Eat plenty of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, great for good health and weight loss.
- Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to encourage more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.
- Breakfast should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.
- If you know that you deserve better…then go get it.
- Challenge yourself during each workout. Try something new and exciting.
- Set specific, measurable goals and track your progress.
- Even if they are whole grain, eat carbohydrates sparingly. Carbohydrates are quickly stored as fat.
- Put an end to your struggle to get and stay fit. Call or email me today to get started on a proven fitness program that will change your life and body forever.
29 ways to get fit
Print this list and place it somewhere that you’ll see every day.
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
No time to workout?
No time to workout
The number one reason why you don’t exercise is that you don’t have time.
At least that’s what you tell yourself.
I know we are all busy. Between getting to and from work, balancing responsibilities and having time for yourself, there’s little left over for workouts.
With summer in full swing your busy schedule is sure to get even busier. There will be vacations, cookouts and family gatherings. It’s no wonder that exercise quickly takes a backseat to summer activities.
You don’t have to succumb to weight gain this summer. Escape the time crunch excuse in three easy steps:
Step One: Schedule Your Workouts: You’ve heard this before, and it makes so much sense. If you treat your exercise time with the importance of a work meeting then you’d never skip a workout and you’d be in amazing shape.
While the scheduling concept is brilliant in its simplicity, you have to put it into practice to reap the benefits. Pull out your calendar and a pen. Don’t laugh, I’m serious! Just do it. If you want to get into shape it starts with committing to a revised schedule with a set exercise time.
Identify three 40-minute time slots and mark them on your calendar. That is when you’ll exercise.
Remember this: if the thought that you should exercise this week is floating around in your head, but you haven’t anchored it down to a specific time and date, then it will quickly disappear.
Step Two: Get the Most from Each Minute: The days of endless, mind numbing cardio are over. A great workout can take place in under an hour, when done correctly. The idea is to burn more calories each minute. This is done through short, intense bursts of exercise.
Use the following three tips to bring your routine up to the next level:
1. Be Unstable: Use your entire body, and target your core, by performing exercises that engage stabilizing muscles. To do this use an exercise ball, a balance board, a balance disk, or you could simply stand on one leg.
No time to workout
2. Add Resistance: The more resistance that you incorporate with your routine translates into higher intensity and more calories burned. Some ideas for adding resistance include: carrying dumbbells while doing lunges, wearing a weighted vest while walking or jogging, or putting a weight between your feet while doing leg raises.
3. Use Intervals: Interval training is an amazing tool for creating short yet effective workouts. Don’t worry, it’s not complicated. Interval training is simply alternating between different short bursts of activity.
Here’s an example: Let’s say you want to focus on your legs and abs and to also get an effective cardiovascular workout. This would be a great interval routine for your goals:
- Lunge while curling dumbbells, 15-20 repetitions
- 30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks
- Squat while pressing dumbbells overhead, 15-20 repetitions
- 30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks
- Crunches on an exercise ball, 15-20 repetitions
- 30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks
- Leg raises off the end of an exercise bench, 15-20 repetitions
Step Three: Twice the Results in Half the Time: What if I told you that I have a proven way to deliver twice the fitness results in half the time? It’s simple really… When you attempt to lose weight or meet a fitness goal on your own, the odds are stacked against you. Sure, you could do it over time – but it’s a long and lonely road. A road lined with detours that threaten to undermine your progress.
When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. You have me in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement went the going gets tough.
No time to workout
And I’ll be the one congratulating you when your goal is met.
Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will put exercise firmly on your calendar, and results squarely in your future.
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
Fat loss benefits
Fat loss benefits
Almost every new client comes to me with the desire to lose fat – for a variety of reasons. The most prevailing reason that I hear is that they want to look more fit and attractive as a result of the fat loss.
Maybe losing fat in order to look better is a strong enough motivator for you, but I’ve found that most people need something more compelling. My experience with helping my clients achieve their fat loss goals has really opened my eyes to exactly what they gain when they lose the extra weight.
My hope is that by reading the 5 Big Benefits of Fat Loss below, you’ll feel the driving motivation that you need to jump into fitness with both feet, and that you’ll find out just how amazing and capable you’ve been to achieve your goal all along.
Big Benefit #1: Confidence
You may not consider it a concrete benefit, but that doesn’t stop confidence from being one of the most important perks of dropping fat. When you have increased confidence, you change how you view yourself and go about your daily routine. The world is at your fingertips and you are able to take on whatever it throws your way.
Additionally, when your confidence increases after losing a few pounds, you’re poised to keep losing. So the confidence you gain gives you what you need to lose more weight and feel even more confident.
Big Benefit #2: Money
It may be difficult to understand how losing weight saves you money, but it happens. How? Because one of the best ways to trim pounds is to cut down on the amount of calories you consume every day. When you start eating and drinking fewer calories, that means you don’t have to buy as much food or high-calorie drinks. Additionally, losing weight may make it possible to stop taking certain medications, which will help save you even more money.
On top of that, when you lose weight, you get a boost of confidence. (See previous point.) That boost of confidence will change how you handle yourself at work, helping you make the right impression on your boss, so you can get the promotion you need.
Big Benefit #3: Better Health Now
Go to the doctor with some sort of health condition, and unless it’s the common cold or flu, losing a few pounds can almost always help you manage the condition better. From diabetes to heart disease to joint pain, trimming the fat from your body gives you a heads up right now. Cutting fat makes it easier to get around on your joints, reduces your blood pressure, and helps you sleep better.
As additional perks, less fat today means better sleep and better sex tonight. Since both of these improve your quality of life, taking the time necessary to shave off fat will give you the best life you could experience!
Big Benefit #4: Better Health Later
Today isn’t the only time your health will improve if you lose some fat. Shed some pounds and you’ll reap the rewards for years down the road. Instead of having to manage a variety of health conditions, you will be able to keep those conditions at bay. A few health issues you can cut your risk for by cutting fat are diabetes, heart disease, joint pain, a variety of cancers, high blood pressure, and dementia. In other words, get rid of the fat today and you can avoid all the health issues in the future that requires fat loss for maximum management.
Big Benefit #5: Everything Tastes Better
As you settle into your new fat-burning lifestyle that includes eating healthily and working out regularly, you’ll notice something. Because you no longer overeat at the buffet or go for a second or third helping, you will begin enjoying every bite that you take. As the bite sits in your mouth, you won’t swallow it before tasting or chewing. You will take your time and really savor the flavor.
Fat loss benefits
And when you do start chewing your food and enjoying the flavors, your brain will have time to register when you’re full and cut you off before you stuff yourself with more calories than you can burn. Do this regularly and you’ll lose even more fat!
I’ve dedicated my career to helping people, just like you, conquer their fear of exercise and clear up their confusion with healthy eating. I know that a healthy life is within your reach – I’ve seen hundreds of my clients before you do it, and I’ll see hundreds after you do it. Today it’s your turn.
Fat loss benefits
Call or email now to get started on an exercise program that will make fat burning second nature, and will transform your body for the best.
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
9 ways to burn more fat – faster
9 Ways to Burn More Fat—Faster
Fat Burn Tip #5: Go to Sleep: Just because you’re awake doesn’t mean you’re doing good things for your body. Live in a constant state of sleep deprivation and you won’t be able to work out as hard as you should, and you’ll likely wind up making poor food and drink choices—especially late at night.
Fat Burn Tip #6: Stop Sitting: Working a desk job is no excuse to stay on your backside all day. Need to talk with a coworker? Leave the email and phone alone and get up and talk with your coworker face to face. Then take a quick walk during lunchtime to rejuvenate yourself and power up for the rest of the day. Making activity part of your lifestyle will go a long way toward shaving off pounds faster!
Fat Burn Tip #7: Wait for Seconds: Your instinct may tell you to grab a second helping of meat and potatoes as soon as round one is over. But if you want to burn off fat, give yourself 20 minutes after eating your first plate to let your brain catch up to your stomach. Most likely, you’ll feel full after that amount of time and will avoid adding unnecessary calories you’ll just have to burn off later.
Fat Burn Tip #8: Add Ice: Want to burn more fat faster, without even trying? Then stop drinking room-temperature water. Instead, drop some ice into your water and drink it when it’s nice and cold. It may seem like an old wives’ tale, but drinking cold water has been proven to force your body to burn calories in order to warm the water to body temperature.
Fat Burn Tip #9: Go for Lean Protein: You want to burn fat, and protein makes it possible. How? By helping to boost your metabolism and build more fat-burning muscle. So grab a chicken breast and a spoon of peanut butter to give your body the upper hand against forcing fat far, far away!
My programs are designed to help you quickly and efficiently burn fat and get into the best shape of your life.
9 way to burn more fat – faster
Call or email now to schedule your first body-transforming workout!
9 ways to burn more fat – faster
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
5 weight loss tips
5 weight loss tips
The world of fitness and weight loss is often confusing, with contradictory information swirling about. I’m going to cut through the confusion and make things really simple for you.
Below is a list of 5 foods that you should never eat.
These foods will derail your fitness and weight loss efforts every single time.
In addition, I will suggest a healthy substitute for each of these off-limits foods.
By simply swapping out the items below you will quickly and effortlessly become healthier, leaner and fitter than you are today.
Do-Not-Eat #1: Anything Fried
Fried food is loaded with fat and calories while offering zero nutritional value. It’s a lose-lose! Sure, fries and chips TASTE good, but healthier items also taste good. Just say no to the deep fried items on your menu. You’ll be thinner, healthier and won’t have greasy fingers.
Try This #1: Broiled
If you simply must have a French fry, then make them at home in your oven. Use sweet potatoes, as these are a more complex carbohydrate. Cut into matchsticks, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil along with a dash of salt, then place in your oven on broil. Mix every 5 minutes until the fries are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Do-Not-Eat #2: White Bread
White bread products have zero nutritional value and are quickly converted by your body into sugar. So you may as well eat a cupcake. Even breads that are technically wheat, but are as soft and smooth as white bread, should be avoided. Don’t be afraid to discard the bread from your sandwich or to push away that bread basket. Your waist will shrink and you’ll lose that bloated feeling that high carbohydrate meals give you.
Try This #2: Sprouted Grain Bread
If you must have bread, then stick with sprouted. Sprouted grain bread is a lot easier on your digestion and is packed full of nutrients. Two delicious brands are Food For Life’s Ezekiel bread, and Manna Organics. Sprouted grain breads are often kept in the freezer section since they don’t contain preservatives to prolong shelf life.
Do-Not-Eat #3: Creamy Salad Dressing
You were so good to order a salad, but then you ruined it by drenching the salad in fattening creamy dressing. Just a few tablespoons of creamy dressing contain more than 20 grams of fat and hundreds of calories.
Try This #3: Vinegar Dressing
Salad dressing is meant to lend flavor to the salad, not fat and calories. Vinegar-based dressings pack amazing flavor in with minimal fat and calories. You can even mix your own dressing at home. Take high quality vinegar, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, your choice of dried herbs, and a bit of olive oil.
Do-Not-Eat #4: White Rice
I’m sure by now you’ve heard that white rice is not a healthy choice. Just like white bread, white rice has zero nutritional value – other than calories. Fiber and vitamins have been removed and the glycemic load will quickly prime your body for storing fat.
Try This #4: Brown Rice
Brown rice has three times the amount of fiber, more B vitamins as well as other nutrients, won’t sky rocket your blood, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. That should be enough to convince you to swap your large pile of white rice out for a small pile of brown rice.
Do-Not-Eat #5: White Sugar
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the epitome of anti-fitness food. Nothing will destroy your progress, expand your waist and plummet your energy levels like sugar will. If you only take away one do-not-eat food from this article please let it be sugar.
Try This #5: Fruit
Don’t turn to artificial sweeteners to get your sweet fix, instead turn to nature’s wholesome source of sugar: fruit. Eat organic fruit that is seasonal and locally grown. Stay away from dried fruit and fruit juices, as these are high in simple calories.
5 weight loss tips
Eating right, along with challenging exercise, is the formula for a toned, lean body – so guarantee your results by teaming up with me.
Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals.
Call or email today to get started.
5 weight loss tips
www.placentiapersonaltraining.com
Flat belly myths
Flat belly myths
Bathing suit season is right around the corner…are you ready?
Most people want to slim down before baring it all, so I’m here to warn you of the 5 Flat Tummy Myths that could waste your time:
Myth #1: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.
Excessive crunches aren’t the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a toned look you’ll have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your tummy.
- Tip: Don’t obsess about crunches – instead focus on fat burning.
Myth #2: Take diet pills to speed results.
I know it’s so tempting! The ads make compelling claims about the power of popping a pill, but don’t fall for it. There is no ‘magic pill’. Diet pills are more likely to burn through your pocketbook than to slim you down.
- Tip: Don’t pop a pill – instead burn calories with intense exercise.
Myth #3: Turn to packaged diet products to boost results.
Don’t fall for the foods that are packaged as ‘diet’ or ‘weight loss’ aids. Quite often these products are packed with refined sugar and other artificial ingredients that your body doesn’t need, and certainly won’t help you attain that tight tummy.
- Tip: Don’t eat packaged diet foods – instead stick with nutritious whole foods.
Myth #4: Avoid all carbohydrates in order to achieve tight abs.
Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap, which is unfortunate because you can (and should) eat carbs while slimming down. The key is to stick with whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined flours and sugars.
- Tip: Don’t give up all carbohydrates – instead stick with wholesome carbs.
Myth #5: Starve the chub away.
Trying to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective it can also be dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you’ll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results.
- Tip: Don’t starve yourself – instead eat small wholesome meals throughout the day.
Now that you know what not to do in order to achieve tight abs, it’s time to go over your flat tummy game plan. Here’s what you need to know in 3 simple steps:
Flat belly myth
Step One: No more junk.
The best way to do this is by purging your kitchen. Throw out the sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out, don’t buy any more of it. Remember that your beach-ready abs depend on what you eat – don’t eat junk!
Step Two: Eat whole foods.
Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.
Step Three: Come train with me.
This is the most obvious step. You’re ready to get into great shape and I’m in a unique position to make that happen for you. Call or reply to this email to get started on an exercise plan that will get you those amazing abs.
Flat belly myth
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