Although quinoa is a little known grain, its nutritional value is amazing. I first heard about it not too long ago, but I had no idea of its nutritional prowess compared to other grains and how well it could help to burn fat and lose weight. A couple months after I heard about it I came across it again, but this time I was reading a book about superfoods. I couldn't believe that I had only heard about this grain recently when it is one of the healthiest grains out there!
Ok, so what makes it so healthy? Well, quite a number of things actually. What I like about quinoa the most is its protein content. Only 1/4 cup uncooked has as much protein as an egg! The high protein content will help to burn fat and lose weight. That's really impressive for a grain. But even more importantly, it contains all the amino acids, meaning its a complete protein! Complete proteins aren't all that common in the plant world, which is why vegetarians need to monitor their diets to make sure they get all the amino acids, and which makes this grain so amazing.
In terms of other nutrients, quinoa is a powerhouse. For a grain it has a good amount of manganese, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, and fiber, not to mention it is relatively low in calorie content. All of these factors make quinoa a great food for people looking to burn fat, lose weight, and get more toned muscles.
Quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor to it, but it goes great with just about anything. I've tried it at least once for each meal of the day (different days of course). For breakfast I like to have it with some raisins or other dried fruit mixed in, just like oatmeal. Honey also goes great with it as a sweetener. For lunch it's pretty much the same thing. For dinner I like to simply fry up some vegetables and mix them in with the cooked quinoa. However, just about anything will work, so you can look up some recipes online or experiment with it and know that it's helping you burn fat, lose weight, and tone your muscles either way!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Interval Training: Burns Belly Fat and Helps You Get Back In Shape Fast
I would next like to say some things about interval training. This is probably my favorite method of training to burn fat and lose weight fast. Not to mention it will help you get in much better shape so you don't tire as easily during other exercise. First I'll explain what it is and then I'll give a couple sample routines that I like to do. One will be more strictly cardio training and the other will include weights in case you would like to tone your muscles more as well as burning fat. Interval training requires a period of high intensity exercise followed by a low intensity "rest" period. High intensity meaning as high intensity as possible, such as a full out sprint for a short period. For low intensity cardio, generally only slow down, but don't completely stop, such as a slow jog or walk but don't stop entirely. With weights, you may take a break altogether during the low intensity period. The high intensity:low intensity time period ratio should be about 1:3. In other words, for a 15 second sprint you should jog slowly or walk for the next 45 seconds before repeating the high intensity interval. Ok, now for some sample exercises and routines.
You may want to use a track:
Sprint for 15 seconds
Rest for 45 seconds
Repeat 4-5 times
Weights/lifting:
As many pull-ups or pushups you can do in 20 seconds
Rest for 60 seconds
Repeat 3-4 times
Really, it's that simple! As you get better you can increase the time for each exercise or the number of times you repeat the exercise. Just remember to increase the low intensity time accordingly. Furthermore, this sort of training can be applied to nearly any exercise such as swimming, bicycling, bench press, arm curls, etc. Ever since I learned about this sort of training I have been using it to burn fat, lose weight, and get back in shape quick. It's a great method and I highly recommend it. You may also want to combine it with healthy foods and maybe even supplements such as the acai berry I talked about in one of my previous posts. This will give you even better results!
You may want to use a track:
Sprint for 15 seconds
Rest for 45 seconds
Repeat 4-5 times
Weights/lifting:
As many pull-ups or pushups you can do in 20 seconds
Rest for 60 seconds
Repeat 3-4 times
Really, it's that simple! As you get better you can increase the time for each exercise or the number of times you repeat the exercise. Just remember to increase the low intensity time accordingly. Furthermore, this sort of training can be applied to nearly any exercise such as swimming, bicycling, bench press, arm curls, etc. Ever since I learned about this sort of training I have been using it to burn fat, lose weight, and get back in shape quick. It's a great method and I highly recommend it. You may also want to combine it with healthy foods and maybe even supplements such as the acai berry I talked about in one of my previous posts. This will give you even better results!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Burn Fat and Lose Weight With The Incredible Edible Egg
Alright, this is likely to be a relatively short post. Eggs are good. It doesn't matter too much about what you are looking to do. Whether you are looking to gain muscle or burn fat and lose weight, eggs will help. I was reading a Men's Health magazine when I came across an article about eggs. It talked about a study where one group ate two eggs for breakfast every day for several weeks and another didn't. The subjects who ate eggs lost a decent amount more weight than the people who didn't. Of course, since we own chicken's, I decided I had to try it. I ate just plain scrambled eggs or occasionally an omelette with peppers, onions, and cheese. Sure enough, I started to notice a difference in only a couple weeks!
Now, I've read multiple other places that high-protein and low-carb diets are good for burning fat, losing weight and/or building lean, toned muscles. I'm not sure if it's simply because of the high protein, low carb content in eggs that they worked, but I'm not about to complain. They worked for me and are relatively cheap to buy if you don't own chickens. The only problem that I found was that I started to get tired of eating eggs every morning. Even so, they make a great healthy snack if you make deviled or hard-boiled eggs and keep them in the fridge. I also love hard-boiled eggs in salads, or you can try them with some vinegar, mustard, or horseradish, which are also healthy for you.
Now, I've read multiple other places that high-protein and low-carb diets are good for burning fat, losing weight and/or building lean, toned muscles. I'm not sure if it's simply because of the high protein, low carb content in eggs that they worked, but I'm not about to complain. They worked for me and are relatively cheap to buy if you don't own chickens. The only problem that I found was that I started to get tired of eating eggs every morning. Even so, they make a great healthy snack if you make deviled or hard-boiled eggs and keep them in the fridge. I also love hard-boiled eggs in salads, or you can try them with some vinegar, mustard, or horseradish, which are also healthy for you.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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Update:
This privacy policy was last updated January 2010.
Google itself uses the DART cookie to service ads. To learn more about this cookie or to opt out visit DoubleClick DART Cookie.
Or if you do not want third-party companies to track you and provide ads relevant to this and other websites you have visited, you may choose to opt out at Network Advertising.
Privacy
I respect your privacy and I am committed to safeguarding your privacy while online at this site weightlossmuscletone.blogspot.com The following discloses how I gather and disseminate information for this Blog.
Links:
This blog may also contain links to outside websites. As such, the privacy policies of these other websites may differ from my own and I am not responsible for such differences.
Cookies:
Cookies are pieces of information on a user's computer which is related to the user. The third-party companies serving ads to this site may use cookies. However, the blog itself does not. Furthermore, I have no control over the cookies used by the third-party companies.
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I use outside ad companies to serve ads to this blog. These ads may contain cookies and are collected by the advertising companies and I do not have access to this information. I work with the following advertising companies: Google Adsense. Please check the advertisers websites for respective privacy policies.
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If a user wishes to subscribe to my RSS Feeds or Email Updates (powered by Feedburner), I ask for contact information such as name and email address. Users may opt-out of these communications at any time. Your personal information will never be sold or given to a third party. (You will never be spammed by me)
Log Files and Stats
Like most blogging platforms I use log files for this blog. In this case, Statcounter. This stores information such as internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring, exit and visited pages, platform used, date/time stamp, to track user’s movement in the whole, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. The IP addresses etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.
Update:
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Abs: Burn Fat, Lose Weight, and Get That Flat Stomach
Everyone has abs...sometimes it's just a matter of what's covering them. If you really want a flat stomach then you need to focus both on burning fat and strengthening those muscles. I have both seen and tried many different abdominal exercises. Some were completely new to me while others were ones that I have known since briefly running track my freshman year of high school. I tried nearly all of the exercises that I came across and found quite a few that I liked. I'll list the ones I use, explain them briefly, and then provide one or two example routines that I use and really like to help me burn fat fast, lose weight, and get a flat stomach.
Crunch
Yes, the basic crunch is great for burning fat and losing weight. There are many different variations such as using an exercise ball or holding a weight. However, just the basic crunch is a great place to start for beginners. It's even a good exercise for the more experienced. Simply hold a weight plate on your chest when performing it. Ok, so for those who aren't sure how to do a crunch here it is. Lie on your back on the floor with your feet flat and your knees bent. Then hold your hands on your shoulders or by your ears. Finally, lift your torso enough to bring your shoulder blades off the ground and reach your elbows toward your thighs without moving your hands. That's about it, pretty easy huh? (Note: Try not to put your hands behind your head as there is a tendency to pull your head up with them when performing the crunch.)
V-Up
This one is also relatively easy to perform. Again, lie on your back, but this time with your legs straight out. Keep your arms straight at your sides for now. Then lift your legs (while straight), torso, and arms off the floor. As you raise your arms, keep them straight and point them toward your toes. Then slowly lower yourself back down.
Reverse Crunch
To perform the reverse crunch, lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor (like the normal crunch). However, keep your hands at your sides and raise your knees toward your chest. Then return to the starting position.
Bicycle
Begin this exercise lying flat on your back, legs straight, and hands by your ears. Raise your torso and your left leg toward your chest. While raising your torso, twist to bring your right elbow to your left thigh. Then lower back down slightly and repeat on the other side. When you lower back down between reps, don't let your legs go all the way to the floor. Instead, perform multiple reps (about 12-15 to each side) before lowering all the way to the floor to complete the exercise. This exercise will help you burn fat, lose weight, and reveal great oblique ab muscles.
Vertical Leg Raise
This one might take a bit more abdominal strength than the other ones. Lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air and your hands at your sides. Then simply raise your legs toward the ceiling, tightening your abs. Lower back to the starting position. You may also rotate both your legs slightly to one side while raising them. This will focus more on the obliques. Just be sure to rotate in the opposite direction for your next rep.
Planck
This is one of my favorite ab exercises. Start face down with your elbows on the floor (or a towel to make it softer on them) and your legs straight out behind you. All you need to do is rise up on your elbows and toes, keeping your legs and back straight. You should feel your abs tighten when you do this. Hold this exercise for a period of time rather than a number of repetitions.
I generally try to do 2-3 different exercises every other day. I like to do 3 sets of each exercise and 12-15 repetitions per set. For the planks, I usually hold that position for about 30 seconds as one set. An example of something I might do to lose weight is:
Crunch
Set 1: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 2: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 3: 12-15 repetitions
60-75 second rest before next exercise
Bicycle
Set 1: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 2: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 3: 12-15 repetitions
60-75 second rest before next exercise
Planck
Set 1: hold for 30 seconds (or however long you desire/are able to)
Done
Of course, you may choose to do the planck as a first or second exercise and perform 3 sets. I just like to end my ab workout with it and usually hold it for as long as I can. However, all of these exercises have given me great results with more visible abs. Just remember that some exercises focus on different parts of the abs such as the upper, lower, or obliques (sides). So although they are all great exercises, be sure to switch up one of them every so often to work your abs more evenly. If you stick with it you should be burning fat, losing weight, and starting to get a flat stomach in no time!
Crunch
Yes, the basic crunch is great for burning fat and losing weight. There are many different variations such as using an exercise ball or holding a weight. However, just the basic crunch is a great place to start for beginners. It's even a good exercise for the more experienced. Simply hold a weight plate on your chest when performing it. Ok, so for those who aren't sure how to do a crunch here it is. Lie on your back on the floor with your feet flat and your knees bent. Then hold your hands on your shoulders or by your ears. Finally, lift your torso enough to bring your shoulder blades off the ground and reach your elbows toward your thighs without moving your hands. That's about it, pretty easy huh? (Note: Try not to put your hands behind your head as there is a tendency to pull your head up with them when performing the crunch.)
V-Up
This one is also relatively easy to perform. Again, lie on your back, but this time with your legs straight out. Keep your arms straight at your sides for now. Then lift your legs (while straight), torso, and arms off the floor. As you raise your arms, keep them straight and point them toward your toes. Then slowly lower yourself back down.
Reverse Crunch
To perform the reverse crunch, lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor (like the normal crunch). However, keep your hands at your sides and raise your knees toward your chest. Then return to the starting position.
Bicycle
Begin this exercise lying flat on your back, legs straight, and hands by your ears. Raise your torso and your left leg toward your chest. While raising your torso, twist to bring your right elbow to your left thigh. Then lower back down slightly and repeat on the other side. When you lower back down between reps, don't let your legs go all the way to the floor. Instead, perform multiple reps (about 12-15 to each side) before lowering all the way to the floor to complete the exercise. This exercise will help you burn fat, lose weight, and reveal great oblique ab muscles.
Vertical Leg Raise
This one might take a bit more abdominal strength than the other ones. Lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air and your hands at your sides. Then simply raise your legs toward the ceiling, tightening your abs. Lower back to the starting position. You may also rotate both your legs slightly to one side while raising them. This will focus more on the obliques. Just be sure to rotate in the opposite direction for your next rep.
Planck
This is one of my favorite ab exercises. Start face down with your elbows on the floor (or a towel to make it softer on them) and your legs straight out behind you. All you need to do is rise up on your elbows and toes, keeping your legs and back straight. You should feel your abs tighten when you do this. Hold this exercise for a period of time rather than a number of repetitions.
I generally try to do 2-3 different exercises every other day. I like to do 3 sets of each exercise and 12-15 repetitions per set. For the planks, I usually hold that position for about 30 seconds as one set. An example of something I might do to lose weight is:
Crunch
Set 1: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 2: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 3: 12-15 repetitions
60-75 second rest before next exercise
Bicycle
Set 1: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 2: 12-15 repetitions
45-60 second rest
Set 3: 12-15 repetitions
60-75 second rest before next exercise
Planck
Set 1: hold for 30 seconds (or however long you desire/are able to)
Done
Of course, you may choose to do the planck as a first or second exercise and perform 3 sets. I just like to end my ab workout with it and usually hold it for as long as I can. However, all of these exercises have given me great results with more visible abs. Just remember that some exercises focus on different parts of the abs such as the upper, lower, or obliques (sides). So although they are all great exercises, be sure to switch up one of them every so often to work your abs more evenly. If you stick with it you should be burning fat, losing weight, and starting to get a flat stomach in no time!
Acai Berry: Can It Help You Lose Weight And Get More Toned Muscles?
The acai berry is a product/supplement that recently has been increasing in use and popularity for fat burning and weight loss. Like many other people, when I first read about it I thought it was too good to be true. A simple berry supplement that could help me burn fat, lose weight and get a toned/ripped body? Truth is...yea, like all new and old "miracle supplements," it is too good be true. I see the same type of marketing in many many different places. Some new, rising product that will burn fat and make you lose weight in no time at all...and look just like the people in the pictures do. Yea...right...and in only a few weeks?
The truth about these supplements, including the acai berry? They most likely won't give you your dream body (in no time at all) simply by taking them as directed. So then how did the people in the pictures lose weight and get their lean, toned bodies? Exercise and/or diet. I say "or" because, like myself, your diet may not be the best, but exercising the right may do the trick (depending on how soon you want your new body). But I'll get back to that.
Don't get me wrong! Many of these supplements, including the acai berry, can be quite helpful in burning fat and reaching your personal weight loss goals. And I don't disbelieve that the people in the pictures used the supplements they are showing off for. However the keyword is "supplement." That's right, they work best if you use them along with another method of weight loss or muscle toning. This goes for the acai berry as well.
The acai berry comes from Brazil, is revered a superfood for its nutritional value, and has been grown and utilized by the natives for a long time. I've read many places about it's great antioxidant prowess and effect in aiding weight loss among many other things. I don't know the specifics about acai, I'm just saying what I found. Acai berry supplements can be found in the form of drinks, powders, or pills. So far I have tried two different drinks. One was a pure organic acai berry drink that I found at the local GNC (I can't recall the name of it but I'll post it if I see it there again). The second one is a mixed blend of acai and other berry extracts. It's called AcaiSplash. First off, I liked the taste of both of them. Even though the serving size is only 1 ounce, I preferred to take it by itself rather than mixing it with another fruit drink or blending it into a smoothie.
Now for the effects. Both acai berry drinks seemed to be rather helpful in losing weight and gaining toned muscles. After a couple of weeks using the AcaiSplash (along with exercise of course) I began to notice a bit more muscle definition. I really like what the acai berry has done for me so far and will most likely continue to use it as long as I'm still interested in burning fat, losing weight, and toning my muscles.
The truth about these supplements, including the acai berry? They most likely won't give you your dream body (in no time at all) simply by taking them as directed. So then how did the people in the pictures lose weight and get their lean, toned bodies? Exercise and/or diet. I say "or" because, like myself, your diet may not be the best, but exercising the right may do the trick (depending on how soon you want your new body). But I'll get back to that.
Don't get me wrong! Many of these supplements, including the acai berry, can be quite helpful in burning fat and reaching your personal weight loss goals. And I don't disbelieve that the people in the pictures used the supplements they are showing off for. However the keyword is "supplement." That's right, they work best if you use them along with another method of weight loss or muscle toning. This goes for the acai berry as well.
The acai berry comes from Brazil, is revered a superfood for its nutritional value, and has been grown and utilized by the natives for a long time. I've read many places about it's great antioxidant prowess and effect in aiding weight loss among many other things. I don't know the specifics about acai, I'm just saying what I found. Acai berry supplements can be found in the form of drinks, powders, or pills. So far I have tried two different drinks. One was a pure organic acai berry drink that I found at the local GNC (I can't recall the name of it but I'll post it if I see it there again). The second one is a mixed blend of acai and other berry extracts. It's called AcaiSplash. First off, I liked the taste of both of them. Even though the serving size is only 1 ounce, I preferred to take it by itself rather than mixing it with another fruit drink or blending it into a smoothie.
Now for the effects. Both acai berry drinks seemed to be rather helpful in losing weight and gaining toned muscles. After a couple of weeks using the AcaiSplash (along with exercise of course) I began to notice a bit more muscle definition. I really like what the acai berry has done for me so far and will most likely continue to use it as long as I'm still interested in burning fat, losing weight, and toning my muscles.
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