How Insulin Plays a Major Roll in Helping To Burn Body Fat

 

Insulin encourages body fat storage, but it also helps create an anabolic environment for muscle growth.
What you want to do is to keep your insulin levels as low as possible during rest periods (when you're inactive) and elevated after training.
Why you want to do this | Low insulin levels at rest help burn fat as long as calories are controlled. Elevated levels around training time prevent muscle loss and support anabolism--muscle growth.
How you do this?   Keep carbs low most of the day--stress low-carb vegetables and lean protein sources, such as egg whites, poultry, fish, and lean beef. Before and after training, make sure you eat carbs along with proteins. A rule of thumb while dieting is to eat .2 grams (g) of carbs just prior to training and .3 g afterward per pound of bodyweight. For someone weighing 200 pounds that would be 40 g before and 60 g after training. This creates an anabolic state during times when the body is most open to using body fat as fuel during and after training.

Are You Doing the Wrong Type of Exercise to Lose Weight?

 

While exercise is a critical component of any fat loss program, you might be exercising incorrectly. This means that your particular goals require certain kinds of exercise, performed in certain amounts, at certain times. What you're currently doing might not be right for you. For example long, boring cardio on the treadmill is quickly being replaced with the far more effective "interval training" for reaching one's fat loss goals. Interval Training consists of working hard for a short period of time (i.e. a 100 yard sprint) and then resting before performing another short burst of intense exercise. Working out in this way boosts fat loss, increases the number of calories burned, improves cardiovascular fitness, decreases workout time, adds variety to your workouts and will likely be much more fun than many other workouts you have tried.
Time and time again, interval training has proven to be the fastest method for burning fat. It does not require any equipment, it shortens your workouts considerably and it is far less boring, and more effective, than walking on the treadmill for hours at a time. For ultimate fat loss, interval training is one of the most effective ways to burn fat, beyond what any other type of exercise can provide.
Obviously there are limitations to who should perform this type of exercise and if you are new to it, you will want to start slowly and talk with your physician before embarking on a more intense level of exercise.
Here is just one example of an interval type workout:
Perform 20 repetitions of dumbbell squats, followed by a 60 second rest, then perform 12 push-ups, followed by another 60 second rest and repeat this process three times.
So in other words, it would look like this:

• 20 squats, 60 second rest
• 12 push-ups, 60 second rest
• 20 squats, 60 second rest
• 12 push-ups, 60 second rest
• 20 squats, 60 second rest
• 12 push-ups, rest 90-120 seconds and perform the next two exercises

For the next super-set, you would perform 15-20 lunges with each leg, followed by 12 dumbbell rows (or pull-ups if you have a bar). You would these in the same fashion - lunges, followed by a 60 second rest, dumbbell rows, 60 second rest, etc.
After your last set, you could then take a short 3 minute rest and perform 3-5 sprint intervals - run as fast as you can for approximately 60 seconds, then walk at a semi-brisk pace for approximately 2 minutes before performing your next sprint.
That is a great workout that will help many people lose fat rapidly.

How to have more Energy

How to have more Energy

July 9, 2009 by Fred Christy

‘How to have more Energy’ is an article from Dr. John Demartini’s July newsletter. Enjoy…

What are the most common causes of feeling flat and lethargic?

Distraction and lack of direction in life: Often people carry around so many tasks in their mind that they think they have to do, should have done, could do etc. The mental energy expended just thinking about this never ending to do list can leave you feeling drained, lethargic and completely overwhelmed. In today’s fast paced world it is essential we learn how to delegate and not try to take responsibility for everything. I suggest putting this imaginary list on paper, reviewing it and then separate what only you can do from what you know you can give to someone else to do. Once you have done this you will not feel as overwhelmed and immediately more motivated.

To paraphrase David Thoreau, most people are living quiet lives of desperation, not invigorating lives of inspiration. They are not doing what they love nor loving what they do. They aren’t grateful so they are putting on the brakes in life and lacking the energy and vitality to live. The body and mind are inseparable in their interactions. We need to be accountable for how our psychology may be affecting our overall health.

Are there any simple solutions?

1. Know where you are going. Your energy soars when you are clear on your aim and direction in life. When your heart and soul are guiding you, energy abounds.
2. Delegate low priority actions to those more suited and inspired to do them.
3. Be Thankful. When you are grateful for all that you have rather than dwelling on all that you are lacking, you will discover a very powerful source of energy. Count your blessings daily (Read my earlier book Count Your Blessings – The Healing Power of Gratitude and Love for more insights on the importance of gratitude).
4. Eat Moderately – Many people try to perk themselves up by pigging out but this is definitely not the way to do it. It has actually been shown that if you eat less you have an increase in vitality and overall energy. Biological research also shows people who eat less live longer. Walk away from the table a little less full and you will have a lot more spark to do the things you want to do.
5. Eat wholesome nutritious foods – become aware of what you eat. Be sure to “eat to live” not “live to eat”.
6. Drink Water – lots.
7. Breathe fully and deeply – Use your diaphragm.
8. Connect your vocation with your vacation. If you aren’t doing what you love and loving what you do you have the brake on all the time.
9. Smile. Smiling can change your physiology and make you look up at life.

10 Tips for Breaking Bad habits and Developing Good Habits

Most of life is habitual. You do the same things you did yesterday, the day before and every day for the last month. It's estimated that out of every 11,000 signals we receive from our senses, our brain only consciously processes 40.

Habits, good or bad, make you who you are. The key is controlling them. If you know how to change your habits, then even a small effort can create big changes.
Here are some tips to get you started:

One Habit For 30 Days - You focus on one change for thirty days. After that time it has been sufficiently conditioned to become a habit. It definitely works to sculpt the automatic programs that run in the background of your mind.

Use a Trigger - A trigger is a short ritual you perform before a habit. If you wanted to wake up earlier this might mean jumping out of bed as soon as you hear the sound of your alarm. If you wanted to stop smoking this could be snapping your fingers every time you feel the urge for a cigarette. A trigger helps condition a new pattern more consistently.

Replace Lost Needs - If you opened up your computer and started removing hardware, what would happen? Chances are your computer wouldn't work. Similarly, you can't just pulLout habits without replacing the needs they fulfil!. GMng up television might mean you need to find a new way to relax, socialize or get information.

One Habit at a Time - A month may seem like a long time to focus on only one change, but trying to change more than a few habits at a time is too hard. With just one habit change you can focus on making it really stick. Multitasking between three or four often means none become habits.

Balance Feedback - The difference between long-term change and giving up on day 31 is the balance of feedback. If your change creates more pain in your life than joy, it is going to be hard to stick to. Don't go to the gym if you hate it. Find diets, exercise, financial plans and work routines that are fun to follow and support you.

"But" to Kill Bad Thoughts - Anytime you feel yourself thinking negatively about yourself, use the word "but" and point out positive aspects. "I'm lousy at this job - but - if I keep at it I can probably improve."

Write it Down - Don't leave commitments in your brain. Write them on paper. This does two things. First, it creates clarity by defining in specific terms what your change means. Second, it keeps you committed since it is easy to dismiss a thought, but harder to dismiss a promise printed in front of you.

Get Leverage - Give a friend some money with the condition to return it to you only when you've completed thirty days without fail. Make a public commitment to everyone you know that you're going to stick with it. Offer yourself a reward if you make it a month.

Keep it Simple - Your change should involve one or two rules, not a dozen. Exercising once per day for at least thirty minutes is easier to follow than exercising Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays with yoga the first day and mountain biking the third day, except when it is raining in which case you will do... Simple rules create habits, complex rules create headaches.

Consistency is Key - The point of a habit is that it doesn't require thought. Variety may be the spice of life, but it doesn't create habits. Make sure your habit is as consistent as possible and is repeated every day for thirty days. This will ensure a new habit gets set in.

How Eating Affects the Body

For many, springtime means revamping exercise regimens, improving appearance, reading more books, taking on a new hobby, and improving dietary habits.

Vegetables, like spinach are key to keeping your heart in prime condition and building better bones.

Great news is that following good-for-you food goals will help your whole body -- from your skin to your brain -- so you can tackle those other resolutions with ease.

"The best way to have healthy hair, eyes, and skin is to take good overall care of yourself. That means eating well," said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center at Yale University. So whether it's your heart, brain, bones, eyes, skin, or hair you seek to nurture, there are foods up to the task.

"The more colors you get into your diet, the better," Katz said. A variety of fruits and vegetables supplies antioxidants and vitamins that are most powerful when working together. Daily servings of whole grains, lean protein, and dairy round out your body's needs. A diet rich in fresh, whole foods, full of colors and rich textures, satisfies with abundant flavor, and nourishes every part of your body.

For Silky Skin and Hair

Antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C, as well as soy protein and omega-3 fatty acids, help keep skin glowing. Antioxidants have long been the rage in topical skin care, but those same nutrients work even better from the inside out. When skin (the body's largest organ) is exposed to the sun's rays, free radicals can develop, Katz explained. "These free radicals attack the skin and impair blood flow to the area, causing premature aging. Antioxidants fight that process."

Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, facilitates collagen production, a critical component for vibrant skin. Another antioxidant, lycopene, found in foods like canned tomatoes and red grapefruit juice, also promotes skin health. Tofu is a good option since its omega-3 fatty acids help regenerate new skin cells and reduce inflammation, while its soy protein has been shown to boost collagen.

Shiny, healthy hair starts with the vitality of cells in the hair follicle, where hair is manufactured, says Katz. Eat foods high in calcium and quality protein like eggs, dairy, or fish. Eggs also provide biotin, a structural component of both bone and hair. Vitamins B6, B12, and folate nourish follicle cells, too.

Eat For Your Eyes

According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, people who ate two servings of fish weekly benefited from an almost 50 percent decrease in the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Dr. Emily Chew, deputy director of the division of epidemiology and clinical research at the National Eye Institute. Eggs, leafy greens, broccoli, winter squash, and Brussels sprouts all contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (both associated with eye health), as well as vitamins C and E, zinc, and beta-carotene.

Scientists are still investigating how these foods promote eye health. Observational studies show they likely reduce the risk of AMD, Chew said. No one knows exactly what lutein and zeaxanthin do for the eye, but it's thought they filter damaging light and support cell structure. Expect more answers in 2012, when Chew and colleagues hope to publish research on the effects of lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids from a study following 4,000 patients for five years.

Build Better Bones

Calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus work together to build strong bones. Even though green leafy and cruciferous vegetables (like spinach and broccoli) contain calcium, the body absorbs it best from dairy products, said Joan Lappe, a bone health researcher and professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dairy products offer a package deal: they are abundant in phosphorous, and vitamin D added to milk and dairy products aids in calcium absorption. Some nondairy foods high in calcium include canned salmon, sardines, and calcium-fortified firm tofu.

Greens are still good bone foods, however. Broccoli, kale, and bok choy may provide little calcium, but they offer plenty of vitamin K. Research is showing promise that vitamin K -- or some antioxidant or phytochemical in foods high in the vitamin -- boosts bone mineralization. Research published last year in Osteoporosis International followed postmenopausal women for three years, and found that those taking supplemental vitamin K maintained or enhanced bone strength, compared to those on a placebo.

Heart Helpers

Whole grains, fatty fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables are the keys to keeping your heart in prime condition.

A recent review of seven studies showed that two and a half servings of whole grains per day reduced heart attack and stroke risk by 21 percent, said lead author Dr. Philip Mellen, then an assistant professor at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Whole grains are rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E (also found in almonds, peanuts, and green leafy vegetables), which helps maintain healthy blood vessels. And soluble fiber from fruits, vegetables, and nuts helps lower harmful LDL cholesterol and control weight, both of which have a positive impact on heart health.

Further cut your risk of a heart attack by eating fish, especially those high in the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats like salmon, mackerel, or rainbow trout. Omega-3s make platelets in the blood less sticky, reducing clotting and the likelihood of a heart attack.

Brain Boosters

Omega-3 fatty acids and whole grains are good for your heart -- and they're good for your brain and mental health, too. "People who are heart healthy are brain healthy," said Dr. Joseph S. Kass, assistant professor of neurology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Health Library

• Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid: A sample menu

Kristen E. D'Anci, a research psychologist in the Nutrition and Neurocognition Laboratory at Tufts University and professor of psychology, noted, "Diets rich in vitamins C and E are consistently associated with lower levels of cognitive impairment in aging." Abundant in fruits, vitamin C may also reduce the risk of stroke. 

Additionally, vitamins B12, C, E, and folate may play a direct role in keeping your mind sharp. Research shows that B12 (found in lean protein like turkey) and folate (found in many grains fortified with the vitamin) help improve memory and lower the risk of Alzheimer's. They may also help people over age 60 with learning, attention, and response speed, according to study results from Tufts University.
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Who is making us fat?

Here's an easy way to lose weight !

The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. This principle is widely used in business but it can also apply to your eating habits.

80% of the calories you consume most likely come from 20% of the foods you eat.

Not convinced? Keep a food journal for a week. Record the foods you eat and their associated calories – you may be surprised.

By focusing on the 20% of foods that contribute most to your caloric intake, you can make significant changes in your health. Think about the nutrient quality of those foods.

Do 80% of your calories come from candy, chips, cookies, soda – foods that have very little nutritional value?

Or do they come from fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and lean meats – foods that are high in vitamins and minerals?

You see, it's not just about the calories – it's about providing your body with the right nutrients and energy to function at peak performance.

You don't have to make drastic changes in your diet to see positive results.

• Try swapping out those cookies for an apple and a handful of dry roasted peanuts.
  
• Or, if you must eat at a drive-through window, skip the greasy hamburger and opt for a grilled chicken sandwich without the fattening sauces.
  

Your body will appreciate it and you will feel better. As a side benefit, you will probably shed a few of those unwanted pounds.