Nutrition Tip of the Week #3

To make sure I'm getting all of the healthy fats my body needs, I take two fish oil capsules in the morning, one with lunch and another with dinner. Read on to discover all of it's amazing health benefits.
~Laura


Tip #3
Fish Oil Rules
by Dr. John Berardi

I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA).

SEE ALSO:
This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

My Fat Burning Workouts

I used Turbulence Training workouts to lose nearly 5% body fat and nine lbs during my 12-week body transformation. You can see my before and after photos in my previous post: "What is Bye Bye Body Fat???"

Click on any of the blue links in this article to learn even more!

Turbulence Training workouts consist of performing three weight lifting (or body weight) circuits each week and three short interval cardio sessions each week.

So, how is this different from any other program out there?

• Each workout takes only 45 minutes on average - that's BOTH weight training AND cardio. Do the math: you can burn body fat in under three hours a week.

• There are a variety of Turbulence Training programs to choose from for people of all different strength and experience levels. You are given all the programs you will need when you order Turbulence Training.

• You perform each workout for only four weeks and then move onto another. This keeps your metabolism fired up and stops you from hitting the dreaded "plateau". It also holds your interest! No more boring, minotenous workouts.

• People are often surprised to learn that men and women perform the SAME Turbulence Training workouts.

• Turbulence Training is sold as an e-book in downloadable PDF format. This means you don't have to wait two weeks for shipping when you order, and can start your own journey toward fat loss TODAY.

The first video below (featuring creator Craig Ballantyne) demonstrates a Superset, which is used in the weight lifting portion of Turbulence Training. Craig Ballantyne says, "By pairing exercises together in Supersets (where you perform two exercises back to back without rest), you are able to get more work done in less time... they are the cornerstone of the Turbulence Training workouts."

This next video demonstrates interval training. This is an a-traditional type of cardiovascular workout that is THE best, most time efficient way to burn fat! Here, Craig shows us what beginner interval training looks like. Check it out!



You can view more of Craig's fantastic videos at: http://www.youtube.com/user/cbathletics

Nutrition Tip of the Week #2

Check out this week's nutrition tip below. This is something I do myself. Whether you prefer to perform your own "ritual" on Sunday, Saturday, or break it up across several days, planning is key to nutritional success. Fail to plan and you'll plan to fail every time!

~Laura

Tip #2
The Sunday Ritual
by Dr. John Berardi

To ensure that good foods will be available when you need them, use the Sunday Ritual. This is performed by setting aside three hours every Sunday to write out your menu for the week, shop for the week, and prepare your meals for the week. Cook all the meat, chop all the vegetables, measure out all the yogurt and/or cottage cheese, and distribute all the powders. Have them ready and set aside so that you can grab them in the morning and bring them with you regardless of what your day holds in store for you.

SEE ALSO:
This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

The Home Gym

If you're a busy bee with work and family and a hectic life, there's no better way to ensure you get your workouts in and build lean muscle than putting the gym right in your home. It reduces the stress associated with working out and makes it easier to incorporate into your every day life. No more monthly dues, no more 15 min drives to and from the gym, no more lugging around a gym bag, no more "working in" your sets with some sweaty stranger. You can exercise any time in the privacy of your own home!

A few key, inexpensive items can equip you to perform fat burning workouts, like those designed by Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training (click blue link to learn more):

Exercise mat
The variety with Velcro straps rolls up and stores nicely in a closet


Stability ball
Be sure to get the right size for your height. 65 cm works well for me at 5'6"


40 lb adjustable dumbbell set
(guys, you will probably want to go with a 70+ lb set)


Have a treadmill or exercise bike collecting dust in the basement? Put it to use! Know someone who has a cardio machine just sitting in their house? Offer them some cash to take it off their hands! Look for used equipment at garage sales, in your local paper or on Craig's List.

That's enough to get a beginner started. As you progress you can consider these other additions:

Dry erase or chalk board
Consider this to track your workouts and progress.


Adjustable step
You'll need a step to perform my favorite "butt-lifter", the dumbbell step up. Don't have a step? Use your stairs, or a sturdy chair or stool up against a wall, with caution!


Adjustable utility bench
Something in the $100-$150 range should be decent quality for home use.



Additional weight plates for your dumbbell set
You can make your workouts more challenging by adding weight, and/or reps.


Kettlebells
http://www.russiankettlebells.com/
This site will have everything you need to get started. Be sure to check out You Tube videos and books by experts like Pavel Tsatsouline, Steve Cotter or Mike Mahler, etc. to learn proper form before attempting any kb exercises!

Check out our humble little basement gym below. It's free, open 24 hrs and hey, you can get a load of laundry done while you work out! ; ) No more excuses.

Nutrition Tip of the Week #1

Eat Pasta... Carefully
by Dr. John Berardi

As a God-fearing Italian, I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing weight lifter and athlete, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I'll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I'm trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

SEE ALSO:
This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

Nutrition Tips of the Week!

FREE Nutrition Tips Coming Soon...

Starting this Friday - May 16th, I'll be posting free nutrition tips written by Dr. John Berardi. These tips will include solid, proven nutritional strategies and information that are part of the same program I'm following right now; Precision Nutrition.

This 27-tip series will cover topics such as fish oil, fiber, organics, macronutrient management, water intake, and more!

Stay tuned!!!

JohnBerardi.com

Precision Nutrition

Over-Looked Fat Loss Secret

This often over-looked secret actually has nothing to do with what you eat; and nothing to do with what you don’t eat. And, contrary to popular belief, it’s NOT spending an hour or more on a piece of cardio equipment.

I can say from personal experience that an important key to burning fat and keeping it off (in addition to nutrition) is BUILDING LEAN MUSCLE!

Why?

Muscle is a metabolically active tissue that works FOR you burning up calories all day long, even while you sleep!

Metabolic slow-down and fat gain isn’t part of the aging process, it is a result of losing muscle as we age! Did you know that we lose on average 5 lbs of lean muscle mass every decade if we don’t take measures to preserve it? Source: Dr. John Berardi of Precision Nutrition

Muscle will change your body shape – making your limbs appear longer/leaner, pulling in your abdomen, lifting your glutes, etc. The more muscle you build, the better your clothes will fit – guaranteed!

The good news is you can start building and preserving your lean muscle TODAY!

And ladies – no need to worry about “bulking up”. The only thing making you look “bulky” is body fat! Improving your lean muscle mass will actually make you smaller. I am proof that you will NOT end up looking larger if you participate in a weight training program three times a week. I was actually featured in the Turbulence Training Blog for this very reason – I gained muscle and lost inches! Click link below to check out my story:
Click HERE for Turbulence Training Blog: Great to Amazing Body

8 Day Nutrition Email Course

Excelent information from physical performance and nutrition expert, Dr. John Berardi!

I have learned so much from Dr. Berardi's advice and plans, and think everyone can learn something new from him that will completely turn their diet around. I've signed up for this 8 day email course, and hope you will too!

Click HERE to sign up!

Here are just a few of the things you'll learn:

1. What "good nutrition" means, specifically; the simple reason why others have it wrong, and how you can get it right. He'll teach you 10 rules that cover everything you need to know.
2. How striving for dieting perfection is a recipe for failure, and how to include your favorite foods in your diet and still get the body you want. (There's a trick here, and he'll share it with you.)
3. The one thing that will absolutely prevent you from getting in shape. The good thing is that it can be fixed in an afternoon, and when fixed, can nearly guarantee your success.
4. Everything from exactly what to eat, when to eat it, what to buy and what to sell or trash; heck he even provides three online quizzes to show you exactly where you're going off track (and what to do about it).

Best,
Laura

Every Day Nutrition

One of the ways I make sure I'm keeping my diet in check is to do about 75% of my food shopping in the produce section of the grocery store. I try to only bring into the house the things I know are going to get me closer to my fat-loss goals. I do have a couple treats tucked away for those times that I've "earned" them, but I know that having my cupboards and refrigerator stocked with items that are not good for me is too tempting.



I love to keep things easy. If I've got to cut and clean every vegetable, I'm less likely to choose that food. So, I'm always buying baby carrots which are already cut and washed, steam-in-bag vegetables, bagged salads, etc. Foods that can be cooked ahead of time are great too. Butternut squash and sweet potatoes are two great examples. Just bake, mash and store in container in fridge for up to a week. Fruits that I can just wash or peel and eat are great too - apples, plums, pears, bananas, oranges make awesome on-the-go snacks; no refrigeration required!

If there are things you love and can't live without, get creative and find substitutes. It's not about deprivation! Below are my favorite substitutions...

• Butter: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray or Brummel and Brown yogurt spread. The spray has 0 calories. Brummel and Brown has no trans fat, only 1g saturated fat and only 45 calories in a tablespoon.

• Coffee Creamer/Milk: Unsweetened Almond Breeze (almond milk). Only 40 calories in a cup! I will use this instead of milk in shakes and oatmeal, too.Mayonaise: NayoSoya - soy mayo. No cholesterol and 35 calories in one tablespoon. Great on sandwiches and in tuna.


• Cooking Oils: Mazola Olive Oil Spray and Smart Balance Cooking Spray. Zero calories!


• Chips and Crackers: baby carrots, raw nuts or sliced bell pepper. Crunchy snacks that have little calories - just watch over-eating nuts! 1 raw almond = 7 calories. 1 raw pecan half = 16 calories. 1 oz dry roasted peanuts = 85 calories. It adds up quickly!


• Cookies or Granola Bars: apples, pears, plums, prunes or grapes. Sweet snacks with fiber, vitamins, and few calories. Just watch out for dried fruit. Just like nuts, they are calorie dense. For example, a cup of red grapes only has 60 calories, but a cup of raisins has 430 calories!

• Sugar: Stevia (all natural - Splenda IS a chemical). This is a great way to sweeten your coffee or tea. I found Steviva brand that sells Stevia extract, and recommend Stevia Blend that you can use in baking and cooking. 1 cup of Steviva Blend = 1 cup of sugar sweetness.Click HERE to learn about/order Steviva

• Cream Cheese: Laughing Cow Light in Original Swiss, Garlic Herb or French Onion. 1 wedge is only 35 calories, as opposed to the 100 calories in 2 tablespoons of cream cheese.

• Ground Hamburger (tacos, spaghetti sauce, chili): Smart Grounds or Morning Star Burger Crumbles. 70 calories and no fat in a serving of original Smart Grounds vs. the 165 calories and 6g fat in a serving of 95% lean ground beef.

• Sandwich Bread: Flat-Out whole grain wraps - 100 calories in a large wrap and 60 calories in the mini wrap.

• Tortilla Chips: cut a Flat-Out whole grain wrap into pieces and toast. About 10 Restaurant Style Tostitos has 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. And, who eats only 10 chips???