Friday, May 30, 2008

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!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

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


Friday, May 23, 2008

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!



Sunday, May 18, 2008

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.










Friday, May 16, 2008

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!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

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