Wednesday, December 24, 2008

A simple way to avoid holiday weight gain

Worried about gaining weight during the end-of-the-year holidays? Here's a short and simple guide to avoiding the dreaded "Christmas 10" that most people gain around this time...

1. Choose a cheat day. Choose one day to eat and drink everything you want... but just one! The rest of the week stick to a strict diet. Cheat days are a good way to reward yourself, avoid feeling "left out" of the fun, and even jump-start your metabolism.

2. Go all out on meats and veggies. Eat as much meat, veggies, and sugar-free veggie dip as you want. You'll fill up and feel good. You also won't have a spike in blood sugar and insulin production, meaning you probably won't put on much fat. Avoid just about everything else, especially baked good and anything else containing refined sugars and flours.

3. Stick to wine spritzers. While everyone else is drinking "liquid candy" in the form of high-sugar holiday cocktails (e.g. eggnog) and putting on pounds by the minute, you stick to wine with soda water/seltzer. It makes a refreshing low-calorie/low-sugar spritzer that will still help to put you in the holiday mood!






Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Home Chest Workout

You don't need heavy weights to build your chest/pectoral muscles. All you need is your bodyweight and maybe a pair of light dumbbells.

Check this out...








Tags: home workout, chest workout, chest exercise, pecs, pushups, bodyweight

Sunday, December 21, 2008

7 Simple Steps to Losing 20-30 Pounds Fast

Need to lose 20 to 30 pounds fast? As in, 6 weeks or less? Then follow these 7 simple and proven steps to fast, healthy fat loss success:

1. Focus your mind and actions. Create a simple goal statement. Read it out loud at least twice a day. Focus your mind and your actions toward achieving that single goal as fast as possible. This step is vitally important... so don't skip it!


2. Build momentum with some early "wins". Go after early "wins" by setting small, achievable goals each day and recognizing when you achieve them. If you eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, and do a short workout that's a "win" and you can draw a line through the day on your calendar. Now, see how long you can get that line...


3. Do a fat loss jump start. Do a 1, 2, or even 3 day juice diet/fast or raw diet. This helps to cleanse your system, boost your energy, "reset" your metabolism, and it even allows you to lose a couple of pounds quickly and easily.

Also, start developing a "morning exercise habit": first thing in the morning go out and do some form of refreshing exercise, even if it's just a 15 minute walk around the block. Do this 6 days a week. This is one of the true "secrets" to looking and feeling great fast!


4. Cut the junk. Avoid 99% of processed foods, especially anything containing refined/man-made sugars, flours, and fats. This step alone could easily allow you to lose 10 pounds of fat within just a couple of weeks.


5. Get back to your "diet roots". The best diet for losing pounds fast is a "paleo" diet based around lean meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, raw fruits, nuts, and seeds. Avoid starches (grain products, potatoes, rice, etc.) for at least the first week or two. Then begin to rotate healthy starches back into your diet. Try to eat a small, protein-rich meal or snack every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism boosted and your hunger at bay.


6. Do short, interval-based workouts. 3-5 days a week do a short workout that involves bursts of high-intensity activity followed by periods of active recovery. Full-body strength training using whole-body exercises (pushups, pullups, squats, etc.) done in circuits is a great example. Another proven fat-burning exercise is HIIT: high-intensity interval training... a type of cardio that will burn the fat off your body very quickly.


7. Take the Big 3 supplements. The only diet supplements you really should consider taking are whey protein powder, omega 3 fats, and a good multivitamin. These will cover all your nutritional bases and help you recover faster between workouts. If you want, you could also take a fat-burner/energy booster supplement that contains natural caffeine, green tea extract, B vitamins, and/or yerba mate.


That's it: everything you need to lose 20-30 pounds fast. Now get to work and start burning that fat!






Saturday, December 20, 2008

3 Fast Fat Loss Tips That Are Guaranteed to Work

Very few fat loss tips are 100% guaranteed to work. These ones are...

1. Raise your resting metabolic rate. Your body is constantly burning calories for energy. There is one proven way to increase the rate at which it burns calories, even when it's at rest: increase your lean muscle tissue. Building and maintaing muscle is vitally important to losing body fat and keeping it off through a fast natural metabolism.

2. Eat more frequently. Digesting food requires a very large amount of energy. So, obviously, the more often your body has to digest the more calories it will use for energy. Increase your meal frequency and you'll burn more calories. Try to eat at least 5-7 small, healthy, protein-rich meals and snacks a day... spaced about 2-3 hours apart. This will also make it much easier to control hunger!

3. Eat more protein. The thermic effect (the amount of energy needed to digest it) of protein is about twice that of carbs and fat. Your body uses much more calories to process protein than other macronutrients. Therefore, you should aim to increase your protein intake. Extra protein calories are much more unlikely to end up as stored body fat. Plus, protein kills hunger and stabilized blood sugar and insulin levels... all important keys to losing body fat quickly!

More fast fat loss tips.





Friday, December 19, 2008

Fast Full-Body Workout

Think you don't have enough time to workout? With just a light pair of dumbbells -- or even your own bodyweight -- and a very small amount of space you can get in a quick fat-burning, muscle-blasting workout just about anywhere.

Don't believe me? Check this out:



Do that circuit 3 times and you're good to do!





Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Best Way to Lose Belly Fat Fast

Looking for the best way to lose belly fat in a short amount of time? Here you go...

Jumpstart Your Mind

Create burning desire and powerful momentum by "jumpstarting your mind". The simplest way to do this is to create a powerful goal statement and read it out loud at least twice a day for the next month or so. This is a proven way to "program" your mind for success in just about any endeavor.

Jumpstart Your Fat Loss

Jumpstart belly fat loss by doing a 1-3 day fast and/or raw diet. Many people do well by doing a 1-day juice fast or "lemon water" fast followed up by a 1 or 2 day "raw diet" where they eat nothing but raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts (all uncooked, unsalted, etc. and preferably organic).

Control Blood Sugar, Insulin Levels, and Appetite

Controlling blood sugar, insulin production, and appetite is vitally important to losing belly fat fast. The simplest and healthiest way to do this is to avoid most processed foods, simple sugars, grain foods, and most starches (potatoes, rice, etc.). Also, eat a small, protein-rich meal or snack every 2-3 hours. Focus on lean proteins, good carbs (mainly vegetables and fruits), and healthy fats.

Do Short Bouts of Intense Exercise

The best exercise for losing belly fat is short sessions of "interval" exercise. This involves doing short bursts of higher-intensity exercise followed by brief periods of active recovery. Do both strength/weight training and cardiovascular exercise (especially HIIT).

Take the Right Supplements

The best supplements for getting rid of belly fat are whey protein powder, omega-3 fats, and a quality multivitamin. You might also want to consider a good caffeine-based fat burner/energy supplement to take before intense workouts.

That's it! Now you know the best way to lose belly fat fast. Now go out and do it!


Related:

What's the Best Fat Loss Program?



Wednesday, December 17, 2008

How to Lose 30 Pounds Fast

Want to lose 30 lbs in a short amount of time? Maybe you have an important even coming up such as a wedding, reunion, party, or "beach" day. Maybe you just want to shed the extra fat and look and feel better. Whatever the case, when you find yourself wanting to lose 30 pounds but you don't have a lot of time to spare, use the tips below. They could easily help you lose 30 pounds within just a few weeks... and the work 100% better than any of the crash diets out there!

Do a Juice or Lemon Water Fast

Doing a short 1, 2, or 3-day fast is a healthy and relatively easy way to "detox" your body, boost your energy, and lose several pounds quickly. For a juice fast, you'll need a juicer and a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables. A simpler alternative is a "lemon water" fast where you drink only pure spring water with fresh lemon juice squeezed into it for a day or two. You can also use fresh lime juice if you prefer the taste.


HIIT the Cardio

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is an incredibly effective form of fat-burning cardio exercise. It involves doing short bursts of high-intensity exercise interspersed with periods of active recovery. HIIT is a proven technique that even fitness models use to shed fat before competitions. If you want to lose 30 pounds quickly you should try to do at least 3-5 short (15-30 minutes) HIIT workouts a week.

To change things up, stave off boredom, and keep your body from adapting, you should also go do a fun sport or activity at least once a week. Basketball, soccer, tennis, hiking, bike riding, and martial arts are all good options.


Eat a Good Carb-Only Diet

During this time, avoid all processed carbohydrates. That especially includes anything made with refined sugars or flours. While you're at it, avoid all white potatoes and white rice. All your carbohydrates should come from vegetables, fruits, beans, and legumes. Be sure to eat plenty of protein and good fats, such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.

Losing 30 pounds fast isn't the easiest thing to do but, if you focus your efforts, you can make some big changes in the way your body looks within just a few weeks.





Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The 5 Simple Basics of Losing Fat and Getting Fit Fast

There is no great secret to losing weight and getting fit fast. Below you'll find the 5 simple and proven steps anyone can follow to create a fitter, healthier, sexier body in a relatively short amount of time...

1. Eat a "paleo style" diet: meat, vegetables, raw fruits, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, and a small amount of starches (e.g. grains, potatoes, rice, etc.).

2. Avoid nearly all processed foods, especially refined sugars, flours, and fats.

3. Do short, intense full-body strength workouts 2-3 times a week.

4. Do short cardio workouts involving high-intensity interval training (HIIT) 2-3 times a week.

5. Take whey protein powder, omega-3 fat supplements, and a good multivitamin every day.

That's it: everything you need to know to lose your ugly fat, get fit, and create a great-looking body in a matter of weeks!

Learn more at our new fast fitness blog: Full Tilt Fat Loss



Sunday, December 14, 2008

A 4 Minute Fat Loss Workout Using Tabata Training

Can you do a great fat-burning full-body workout in just 4 minutes? You can if you use Tabata training!




Note: Although this may be the "world's fastest workout" it doesn't really include a warmup. To prevent injury I would add at least a 3-minute warmup session of jumping jacks, light jogging, or shadowboxing to get the blood flowing and raise core temperature.





Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Clean and press your way to a fit, lean body

Few exercises do more for the entire body than the clean and press. This one exercise will dramatically increase your full-body strength and power, blowtorch the fat off of your body, strengthen and tone nearly every muscle in your body, burn tons of calories, and cause your body to produce those powerful steroid-like anabolic hormones that will boost your metabolism while building muscle at the same time.

Just make sure to already have some decent full-body strength and conditioning before you try to do the clean and press... or any "clean" for that matter. Also, always start off with light weights and always, always, always use PERFECT FORM!






Tuesday, December 9, 2008

How to Lose 20 Pounds Very Fast

Want to lose 20 pounds very fast? Use the safe and healthy weight loss methods outlined below and you could easily lose 20-25 pounds within just a few weeks.

1. Program your brain.

Write out a goal statement and read it out loud at least twice a day. Spend at least 5-10 minutes a day visualizing yourself having lost 20 pounds. Feel the incredible sense of accomplishment and pleasure that comes from achieving a big goal.

Do the above for at least 21 days and it will become a habit that will build unstoppable momentum!

Note: The main goal here is to build a burning desire to lose the 20 pounds fast. Try to think about your weight loss goal constantly. Surround yourself with photos of people with great-looking, fit bodies. Watch motivational videos on Youtube every day. Don't discount this stuff... it works and you need to do it!


2. Do a fat-loss jump start.

Do a 1 or 2 day juice fast and/or raw diet. For a 24 hour period consume nothing but spring water with fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice (preferably organic). The next 24 hours you can continue the juice fast OR you can do a 1-day raw diet. For 24 hours consume nothing but raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and spring water.

This "jump start" diet will help to flush toxins out of your body, "reset" your metabolism, and boost your energy. You will also likely lose a couple of pounds. Obviously this works best when you can stay home, such as a work-free weekend.

Note: During this time you may want to take a half hour and clean out your kitchen. Put all the junk foods, candy, sodas, etc. in boxes and bring them to a local charity.


3. Eat a paleo-style diet.

Base your diet around the foods the human body is designed to thrive on: meat, fish and seafood, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, and good fats (virgin olive and coconut oils, natural nut butters, avocado, etc.). Limit your intake of starches (especially grain products, white rice, and white potatoes) and dairy products (except for low-sugar yogurts and kefir).

After a couple of weeks you can begin to rotate/cycle your intake of starchy carbs in a way that keeps your metabolism off-balance and burning fat.

Avoid almost all processed foods, especially refined sugars, flours, and fats!


4. Do short, intense, metabolism-stimulating workouts.

Focus on doing 20-40 minute workouts that involve short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of active recovery. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one of the best examples of this type of exercise. Another is full-body strength training involving several "circuits" made up of sets of "compound" exercises (e.g. squats, pullups, pushups, situps, etc.).

This type of "burst" exercise is a proven fat-burner and metabolism-stimulator. Besides burning tons of calories, it causes your body to product powerful steroid-like hormones (such as human growth hormone/HGH) that burn fat while protecting vital muscle tissue and maintaining a healthy metabolism.

Try to exercise 4-5 days a week, with at least 2 days of rest. Creatively change your workouts constantly to keep your body from adapting. Routine and boredom are your great enemies!

Note: One day a week your workout should be 40-60 minutes of playing your favorite heart-pumping sport or activity. Bike riding, swimming, rowing, playing basketball, tennis, soccer, or volleyball, hiking, and climbing are all good examples of great fat-burning activities that many people really enjoy. If you don't currently do any of these things, now's a great time to learn at your local fitness or community center!


5. Take the BIG 3 diet supplements.

Whey protein powder, omega 3 fats, and a quality multivitamin. If you're eating the kind of natural, healthy diet explained above those 3 supplements are the only ones you should take... mainly because they'll help you recover from intense exercise faster. The whey protein, especially, is an extremely useful "wonder food" that does all kinds of good things for your body and health. The omega 3's and multivitamin will ensure that all your nutritional "bases" are covered.


Well... that's it: the steps to take to lose 20 pounds very fast. Do them all at the same time and you'll lose pounds of fat within just a few weeks.

Good luck... now get going! :-)







Friday, December 5, 2008

Fitness Shortcut: Protein before bed

Want to build muscle quicker, lose weight faster, and sleep much better? Try drinking a protein shake before bed!








Wednesday, December 3, 2008

A Quick and Easy 20-Minute Workout

Only have about 20 minutes to do a fat-burning workout? Give this one a try..

  • 5-Minute Warmup: Jumping jacks, light jogging, and/or light shadow boxing
  • 3-Minutes Jumping Rope
  • 2 Sets Hanging Leg Raises OR Crunches (10-15 reps per set, Approx. 1-2 minutes total)
  • 3-Minutes Jumping Rope
  • 3 Set of Burpees (5-7 reps per set, Approx. 2-4 minutes total)
  • 3-Minutes Jumping Rope

That's it! A fast, energizing, and fat-destroying workout you can do at your local park. Give it a try!

Note: The only "rest" in this workout is the few seconds it takes to switch between exercises or sets. Keep your heart-rate up, break a sweat, and burn that body fat!





Burpees = Fast, Functional, and FREE Fitness

Want to lose tons of body fat, get super fit, develop lots of "functional strength"... really fast... and all for free? Then do burpees at least twice a week. Almost no exercise workouts the entire body as well or as quickly as the good old burpee... aka the "#1 prison workout" exercise.

Here's how to do 'em:








Monday, December 1, 2008

How to eat healthy for less

Here's a great article with 16 tips for eating healthy without spending a lot of money. Believe it or not, it's very possible to make healthy foods the basis of your diet without spending hundreds of dollars a week on expensive foods/ingredients.

Here's the best part of the article: a brief rundown of what healthy food is exactly...
# Protein. The building blocks of muscles, needed for strength.
# Fat. A balanced intake of omega 3, 6 & 9.
# Veggies. All kinds, especially green fibrous veggies.
# Fruit. Full of vitamins.
# Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend.
# Whole grain food. Oats, rice, pasta, breads

Here's the rest: 16 Ways to Eat Healthy While Keeping it Cheap