Does Morning Cardio Burn Fat Faster?

We debate the merits of this popular fat loss legend.

The effectiveness of cardio training performed in the morning is a question commonly asked of fitness professionals--especially considering the challenges of fat loss. 

Morning training on an empty stomache or while fasting is a common practice within the bodybuilding community to ensure lowest possible body fat prior to competition. Training and fitness expert Jesse Burdick shares, “Fasted cardio is the prevailing wisdom in bodybuilding because these guys are dieting very hard.”

The reason why this particular training approach is effective concerns the depletion of glycogen, the body’s first source of stored energy. By keeping the body drained of this stored form of glucose, it’s then forced to burn fat or protein instead.

According to training and fitness expert John Kiefer When you’re fasted in the morning, the hormone cortisol is high and its only job is to break down the appropriate tissue based on what other hormones are around. Insulin is elevated after eating and cortisol will attack muscle. But, if you are fasted, insulin is low and cortisol will then go after body fat reserves.”

As far as the types of cardio you should do, Burdick suggests 15-20 minutes or less of high-intensity interval training or low-to-moderate intensity steady-state cardio.

What about the regular guy who wants to maintain his typical diet without fasting? Will cardio training in the morning be any more effective than at other times?

Nope.

Kiefer says, “On a regular, normal diet, there really is no difference in how much fat you will burn.”

Both men agree that training in the morning is good for getting the body energized, but unless you’re fasting, you might be better off getting those extra Z’s for a hardcore evening session.

It’s a common problem

How many times has one of your class participants complained of low-back pain? It’s a common problem—and one you probably hear about whether you teachindoor cycling, step, strength fusion, yoga or hip-hop. As an instructor, you’re in a unique position to help participants reduce and prevent discomfort in the lumbar spine and hip musculature. Use a few basic tools to bring the body into balance. The cool-down is the perfect time to do it because the body is warm.

Stretches

The following movements emphasize

• ankle and hip mobility;
• knee and lumbar stability; and
• hip, torso, trunk and shoulder integration.

Cue diaphragmatic breathing and ask participants to feel themselves elongating from the vertex of the head while imagining a downward pull of the pelvis.Shoulders should stay relaxed, and the pelvis is best visualized as a bowl that does not spill forward or backward.
Have participants hold each stretch for at least 20–30 seconds per side (a total of 2–3 minutes).

Lunge and Hold With Rotation

Stand in split stance by placing one foot forward (weight on heel, toes for balance), other foot back (weight on ball of foot). Sink downward, bending both legs to about 90 degrees. Push through heel of rear leg to stretch calf. Rotate torso away from rear leg to accentuate stretch in hip flexors and spinal rotators. Maintain uprightposture.

Kneeling With Side Bend

From lunge position (left leg forward), sink downward and kneel with right leg, pointing right foot into ground, ankle dorsiflexed. Keep both knees flexed to about 90 degrees. Reach right arm overhead and laterally flex torso to left to stretch quadratus lumborum (QL), obliques and intercostals.
Variation: Squeeze glutes and slowly extend spine. Lift arm up and back on kneeling side.

Self Myofascial Release

If your facility has invested in foam rollers (even small ones), tennis balls or other tools for self myofascial release, introduce participants to this form of self-care. For this particular cool-down, focus on iliotibial (IT) band and gastrocnemius/soleus. Instruct class to find and hold tender points for minimum of 20 seconds or until about 75% of tenderness has dissipated. Cue participants to breathe normally and avoid rolling over bones and joints.
Spend a total of 1–3 minutes on these exercises.

Sample Exercise Using the Foam Roller. To release IT band, lie on one side with hip on top of and perpendicular to foam roller. Have bottom leg straight, ankle dorsiflexed. Cross top leg over and in front of bottom leg, placing foot on floor for support and control. Roll from hip to knee.

Time permitting, lead class through additional self-myofascial-release techniques that target the gastrocnemius/soleus (see original article in May IDEA Fitness Journal), latissimus dorsi, tensor fasciae latae, quadriceps, adductors, peroneals and plantar fascia. Remind students about the importance and power of proper diaphragmatic breathing.

Abdominal/Core Circuit Details

Abdominal/Core Circuit Details

• Format: a circuit that focuses on the abdominals and core
• Total Time: approximately 30–40 minutes
• Equipment Needed: medicine balls, stability balls, mats, weights, weighted hoops, weighted bars, etc.
• Music: Beats per minute don’t matter here. Be creative when selecting music. Include international selections, themed scores or something different that you wouldn’t hear in a traditional class.
• Class Setup: When preparing for circuits in general, take the following into consideration:
  1. Choose exercises that will create a well-balanced workout.
  2. Set up the right amount of equipment at each station, including a little extra to cover latecomers.
  3. Estimate how quickly participants will be able to move in and out of the exercises without wasting time. If half the time at a station is spent on setup, rethink the exercise.
  4. Plan the circuit to incorporate a variety of equipment.
  5. Check all the equipment before putting it out for use.

Warm-Up (3–5 minutes)
This class can be done with or without a warm-up. The abdominal circuit works well after any cardio or strength format. If an additional warm-up is needed, lead 2–3 minutes of movement that slowly increases in intensity, raising core temperature. Include dynamic and active stretches for both the upper and lower body.
The Stations (approximately 24 minutes)
Time each station in 1½-minute increments: 1 minute and 15 seconds for the exercise and 15 seconds to transition and set up for the next station. Encourage great form, and have participants do as many repetitions as possible in the time available. Students will cycle through all the stations twice.
            Station 1: Abdominal Crunches on Stability Ball
Performing crunches on the stability ball is a bit different from doing them on the floor. Instruct students to press the buttocks into the ball and to avoid overarching or hyperextending the back. Look out for students trying to move the lower body as they flex forward; cue them not to bounce or push with the legs. Hands can be placed wherever is most comfortable. Focus special attention on “closing” the rib cage and compressing the back into the ball.
            Station 2: Negative Roll-Down
Start from a seated position, legs bent at a 90-degree angle, and hold the weight or medicine ball above the head. Roll down one vertebra at a time, contract the abdominals, and focus on slowly, deliberately squeezing all muscles from chest to pubic bone as the body lowers to the floor.
            Station 3: Oblique Curl on Stability Ball
This movement is similar to the abdominal crunch station (#1). Simply add slight spinal rotation to engage the obliques.
            Station 4: Isometric Abdominal Hold With Leg Extensions
Lie on the floor with the upper body slightly elevated and the hands supporting the head. Bring both feet up to a 90-degree angle above the hips, and slowly lower the legs to the floor (keeping the legs slightly apart while lowering). Students should feel no pressure in the back. If the back hyperextends, modify the leg movement to reduce back strain.
            Station 5: Plank Hold
Start by lying face down on the ground. Place the elbows under the shoulders, with forearms and hands in front of face. From the center of the abdominals, prop the body up, lifting onto the toes and forearms. Maintain a strong center—no arching or sagging. Keep the hips slightly elevated to avoid back stress. Contract the abdominals up to the spine and maintain this position.
            Station 6: Heavy Hula
From a standing position, hold a weighted hoop at waist level, open the feet about 1 foot wide and relax the knees. Push the hips to start momentum, release the hoop, and move the hips at a faster or slower pace to keep the hoop positioned around the waist.
            Station 7: Functional Training With Weight
Start from a seated position, with legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Hold a weight, medicine ball or weighted bar. Lean back slightly to engage the abdominals, and make figure-eight motions with both hands, working across the body from right to left.
            Station 8: Bicycles
Lie flat with the lower back pressed to the floor. With hands supporting the head, bring the knees above the hips. Slowly pedal or push out the legs, alternating between right and left legs. Touch the opposite elbow to the knee and continue the movement. Try to get the shoulders off the floor on each repetition. Breathe!
Cool-Down and Stretch (3–5 minutes)
Choose stretches that apply to the work done in class; include both upper- and lower-body moves. Although this class has focused primarily on the core and abdominals, be sure to cover some of these other affected areas: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, piriformis, chest, back, neck and lower legs.

Fuel Use During Exercise!!!

You use both fat and carbohydrates for energy during exercise, with these two fuels providing that energy on a sliding scale. During exercise at a very low intensity (e.g., walking), fat accounts for most of the energy expenditure. As exercise intensity increases up to the lactate threshold (the exercise intensity that marks the transition between exercise that is almost purely aerobic and exercise that includes a significant anaerobic contribution; also considered the highest sustainable aerobic intensity), the contribution from fat decreases while the contribution from carbohydrates increases. When exercising just below the lactate threshold, you are using mostly carbohydrates. Once the intensity of exercise has risen above the lactate threshold, carbohydrates become the only fuel source.

If you exercise long enough (1.5–2 hours), your muscle carbohydrate (glycogen) content and blood glucose concentration become low. This metabolic state presents a threat to the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. When carbohydrates are not available, the muscles are forced to rely on fat as fuel.
Since more fat is used at low exercise intensities, people often assume that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat, an idea that has given birth to the “fat-burning zone.” However, while only a small amount of fat is used when exercising just below the lactate threshold, the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories expended are much greater than they are when exercising at a lower intensity, so the total amount of fat used is also greater.

The Bottom Line

For fat and weight loss, what matters most is the difference between the number of calories you expend and the number of calories you consume. Fat and weight loss is about burning lots of calories and cutting back on the number of calories consumed. For the purpose of losing weight, it matters little whether the calories burned during exercise come from fat or carbohydrates.

Go Very Long
Long runs or bike rides (≥ 1.5–2 hours at 65%–70% max HR) that stimulate mitochondrial synthesis and promote the depletion of glycogen threaten the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. In response to this threat, muscles “learn” how to use fat more effectively and over time become better fat-burning machines.

Meditation Lowers Blood Cortisol Levels

Stress triggers many physiological changes in the body through the “fight or flight” response. When stress levels are high, levels of the hormone cortisol released into the bloodstream are also high. Studies confirm that chronic stress is associated with increased fat in the abdominal area, higher concentrations of blood sugar and insulin, higher blood pressure and higher levels of cholesterol—conditions that are associated with metabolic syndrome and that increase the risk of heart disease.
A recent small study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2004; [1032], 211–15) suggests that older women who regularly practice meditation may have a reduced cortisol response to stress—and that the longer a woman has been practicing, the less likely she is to react to stress with high levels of blood cortisol.
Walton and colleagues studied 30 women, 16 who were long-term practitioners of TM and 14 controls, all between the ages of 65 and 92 years. The subjects ingested 75 grams of glucose in order to stress their systems metabolically. Cortisol levels were measured before and after administration of the stressor. The researchers found that cortisol levels rose much higher and with greater speed among the controls than among the meditators. Moreover, the longer a subject had practiced meditation, the lower her cortisol response was. The study authors theorized that this lower cortisol response may reflect improvement of the endocrine system regulation and recommended that more research be conducted.

No pain no gain?

People today are becoming fitness freaks and are ready to explore several options to keep healthy. It seems as if they are on a continuous search for new, more advanced and beneficial regimes.
Unfortunately, what you hear is not always true. Here is the most popular myths pertaining to fitness:
1. 'No pain, no gain'
Pain is a warning sign that indicates any potential harm to the body. You should not feel any type of pain during or after exercise. If you feel pain, it means you are on the wrong track. One must be able to differentiate between pain and discomfort. When you begin a new exercise, an initial mild discomfort is normal and it is due to muscle soreness (DOMS).
Don't force your body to continue with a workout if you perceive any kind of pain. Remember, if there is pain there will be no gain. With a proper and planned exercise regime and a maintained exercise log, one can gain without pain.

Fitness Training Packages!!!

Personal Training Packages
Signature Fitness Introductory Personal Training Packages
Cost: $125

3 personal training sessions (50 minutes)
1 customized nutritional programs ($50 value)
1 Body measurements and personal goal assessment
Upgraded Package #2 Personal Training
Cost: $300
 6 personal training sessions (50 minutes)
 1 custom nutritional menu ($50 value)
 Body measurements and personal goal assessment
Upgraded Package #3 Personal Training
Cost: $400
8 personal training sessions (50 minutes)
 1 custom nutritional menu ($50 value)
 Body measurements and personal goal assessment
Custom Signature Fitness Programs
Packages of 10, 20 or 30 Personal Training Sessions
or Small Group Training Packages
How many Benefits are there in
A customized one on one personal training, small group training or boot camp  that are including but not limited to Strength training , weight loss, Core training, Cardiovascular, and Flexibility. Pick up the phone, make the call or send an email and find out what its like to work with a Signature trained professional and learn what a total body conditioning program  is that is designed for you individually and will challenge you to succeed and exceed with goals you seek out. A Signature Fitness Trainer will help the scope of practice for a personal trainer to enhance the components of fitness for healthy way of living, feel great and build confidence. The five classic components of fitness are muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility, although there are other subsets like power, skill, and speed.

Healthy alternatives to easter candy!!

Easter Bunny Loves His Carrots, :-) Another idea is to make cereal bars using whole grain cereals, nuts and seeds and make them into egg shapes. Then wrap them in plastic wrap, decorate them with Easter stickers and ribbon and let the kids find them at Easter. The traditional dyed eggs are also a healthy Fruits and cookies. You can bake natural cookies at home that taste yummy. Mini boxes of raisins and low fat candies. Stuffed bunny rabbits and jelly beans, which are low in calories. A basket of brightly colored plastic eggs; with coins inside each egg.Coloring books and crayons. Small toys, Peanut butter cookies and mini bran muffins.

WHAT THE HECK IS METABOLISM?

WHAT THE HECK IS METABOLISM?  Picture Pulled from the Internet
Metabolism, whether the word or process, can be defined in two simple statements.

First, it is the chemical process occurring within your body for the maintenance of life, yielding energy and forming substances necessary to life, such as blood, bone, muscle, fat, and so on.  Second, it is the processing of specific substances, such as fat metabolism, iodine metabolism, and many others. 

While both of these views relate to what we are talking about, the first statement is the important one for you at this moment. 

YOUR METABOLISM is how YOUR BODY goes about extracting energy from food, building and repairing tissue and organs, and how efficiently it performs this process.  That last part about efficiency is a key point in weight loss and weight gain.

HOW IS METABOLISM RELATED TO WEIGHT LOSS...AND EVEN WEIGHT GAIN?

At various times in your life, your metabolism will work in different ways.  Many of us can certainly remember the days when we could eat anything we wanted and never gain a pound...a large pizza, three sodas with sugar, and some cinnamon sticks, and absolutely no change!

In the younger years of life, your metabolism is in the higher gears, probably the highest gears it will ever be in.  For most of us in these years, weight gain and weight loss are not really issues of major concern.  Some people, however, do have slower metabolic rates than others at any age, and may have genetic tendencies or clinical conditions which cause them to have more of a weight gain than others of their age group. 

No matter which group you find yourself in, changing your metabolic rate, revving up your metabolism, if you will, will increase the speed and efficiency with which your body turns food into energy and body "parts and pieces".

Unfortunately, as you may have long suspected, as you age, your metabolism slows down. 

Part of this, the slowing down of metabolism,  is simply something the body does with age.  Part of it, also somewhat related to age, at least indirectly, is the affect of changes which take place in your way of life as you age.  Fortunately, both are somewhat reversible, essentially through the same process.  More on this in the last section.  The part where your body just slows down has to do with "resting metabolism", and the other part...well, let's just call that "rusting metabolism".

If you have limited time to work out!!

Come see me if you are short on time and need a good work out, I will be able to train you in as short as 30 min.... The other day, I was asked the following question: If only have about 20-30 minutes a day to exercise. What can I do in that amount of time? Well that's not much time but i have trained others and myself and have gotten a great work out,  Well I  did not want to limit answering him  with  just a few pushups and situps - I set out to prove how much you could do in such a little amount of time. I set a goal for myself  to several hours to maintain a fitness program  in just minutes a day.

So here is a list of 20-30 minute workouts you can do in your home, office, lunch time, or local gym:

I have to admit  superset is a great way to workout if you have limited time. Each cycle should only take you approximately two minutes. If you can do ten cycles of this you will total 300 pushups and 400 crunches, not to bad for 20 minute work out if i say so myself! O and ya one more thing NO RESTING BETWEEN SETS!!! You kinda get a rest by doing crunches, see me smerking. The two supersets you see below are great to alternate every other day.
 

Pushup/Crunch superset: Repeat 10 cycles of:
regular pushup 10
crunches 10
wide pushup 10
crunches 10
tricep pushup 10
Left/Right crunches 10 / 10

Leg / ab superset:
Repeat 5 cycles of:
Squats 20
crunches - 20
Lunges 10 / leg
crunches - 20
Calf raise 20
crunches 20

Running or walking! How much running or walking can you do in 20-30 minutes? Some people can run 3-6 miles or walk 2-3 miles in that time period. Try this one if you want to run.

Running

4 Mile Track Work
Jog - 1 mile in 7:00
Three sets of:
Sprint-1/4 mile in
Jog - 1/4 mile
Six sets of:
Sprint-1/8 mile
Jog - 1/8 mile

Or you can mix the two types of exercise together and do what I call a Spartan Run.

Spartan run
run 1 mile
100 pushups
100 crunches
run 1 mile
75 pushups
75 crunches
run 1 mile
50 pushups
50 crunches

Swimming? how much swimming can I do in 20-30 minutes? Some people can swim a mile in that time. Here is a great workout though if you want to mix a little PT with swimming.

Swim PT
Repeat 5-10 times
swim 100-200 yards
pushups 10-20
abs - 20-30
Or you can swim with fins. This is great for the legs and heart.

Swim with fins - 500 yards
500 yards without fins using the swim stroke of choice

As you can see, you can do quite a bit in as little as 20-30 minutes. These workouts are a little advanced and you should ALWAYS consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Vegan or Vegeterian Protein

OKAY A  common questions that vegans and vegetarians may ask is,  how do you get enough protein? Does this question really come up a lot? No but for those who are vegetarian and vegan it does. You especially definitely NEED it for those of us who regularly work out and tone up. I have have advised my clients to consume at least 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight on a strength training day. Even as a regular visitor at the gym, this ratio seems a bit excessive for any one who's not aiming to start a career as a body builder . However, it is important to provide your body with an ample amount of protein especially after an intense workout.
For those who are animal bi-product free there are many protein-packed and Cruel free protein Powders to choose from. Here are a few known name options, Pea-protein, Hemp Protein, Rice protein, Soy Protein, and a number of blends just to say the few. Honestly, the first time I looked at all the options that my local whole foods store had to offer, I became overwhelmed. Since then, I've tried a few different kinds, and as of right now, hemp and blends are at the top of my "favorite protein powders" list. Thanks to my Good Friend Morgan of Little House Of Veggies" Hemp Pro 70 has always filled me up and provides the amount of protein my body needs. Do to the "full" feeling it gives me, I'm not surprised to hear that hemp is one of the most complete plant based proteins. the taste for me with water or soy milk is all that because I don't find it to be very palatable on its own, So i mix it with Almond milk, yum changes the taste, your choice of course, this is just how I enjoy it after a work out, hemp protein it's such a high-quality option. And it tastes nutty and fabulous mixed in my oatmeal for an morning breakfast or snack!

Okay so those of you who know me,  I can't deny the fact that I have a pretty mean sweet tooth. I can't resist sugary-tasting treats, cup cakes behind closed doors Morgans specialty deserts, especially her cookies and if  they're actually good for me and if you're with me on this one, then protein blends are probably the way to go. Here is one I tend to really like myself even if I'm not a true vegan or vegetarian, Its Genuine health vegan proteins powder contains pea protein isolate, brown rice protein concentrate, cranberry protein, alfalfa protein concentrate, and hemp seed protein, this is direct from the label, so nothing missed. All those types of protein in there and yet this powder is simply so good, who would have thunk it would be so good, lol... When mixed in a smoothie you ask is it Kool-Aid? Is it some sort of Popsicle? I'm not sure, but whatever it is, I love it.

Alert Me Flavor: Strawberry | Size: 10 oz Want us to e-mail you when this item becomes available?

This is what its about...

Personal Training

5 Reasons to hire A Signature Fitness personal trainer

 

1.) Motivation – Lack of personal motivation is one of the main reasons people fail to live a healthy lifestyle.  Big Impact will provide structure and accountability, and help you develop a healthier lifestyle.
2.) Individualized program – Big Impact will develop a program that will suit the needs of each individual client.  Programs are designed to help each client achieve his or her goals.
3.) Efficiency – Time is a valuable asset to everyone.  Big Impact will make sure workouts are written and performed in the most time efficient manner as possible.  We focus on results and waste nobody’s time with inefficient workouts.
4.) Results – If you’ve been exercising consistently for weeks or even months and not seeing results, Big Impact can help.  We will look at your current program and dietary habits to help you see where you can make changes to create more effective workouts.  Big Impact will also help you determine whether your fitness goals are realistic.
5.) Workout at Home – Like to exercise at home but either don’t have the equipment or aren’t sure how to use it?  Big Impact’s trainers can help equip you at home and demonstrate how to use the equipment properly to get the best quality workout you can get.

Signature Personal Training Programs

One on One Training – The most individualized program that Big Impact has to offer.  With the one on one program we can focus on the goals of the individual and really challenge our clients to meet their expectations.  This program is perfect for the individual who wants the one on one attention, has health related issues, or is training for a sporting event.  This program is designed to cater to your needs.
Group Training – With anywhere from 2-6 in a group, group training is great for those who feel more comfortable training with others they know.  While not quite as efficient, group training is a great way to have fun and be challenged.  This program is also an excellent way to make training much more affordable for each individual.
In-Home Training – In home training is great for those who want the individualized workouts without the gym atmosphere.  Whether you have equipment or not, Big Impact can show you how to get an excellent workout from the comfort of your own home.
Boot Camps – Today’s most popular exercise routine, boot camps are a great way to be challenged in a fun and exciting atmosphere.  From our beginner, lower level 1 boot camps, to our more advanced level 3 boot camps, there’s a camp that suits the needs of all individuals, different levels of difficulty, times offered, and costs.

We call this the Mo Health Shake

1. 8 Ounces of Almond Milk

2. 1/2 - 1 Frozen Banana

3. 1-2 Tbsp Cacao

4. 1 Tbsp Maca

2-3 Packets of Stevia (Depending on Sweet Desired)

Great way to start your Day!!!

Top Superfoods Offering Super Health Protection

• Acai
• Almonds
• Avocado's
• Beans
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Cranberries
• Oats
• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Salmon
• Seitan
• Soy
• Spinach
• Tea (green or black with no caffine)
• Tempeh
• Tofu
• Tomatoes
• Quinoa
• Walnuts
• Whole Grain Lugumes
• Yogurt

Blueberries -- Antioxidant Superfood

Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.
"Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits,When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have. "I tell everyone to have a serving (about 1/2 cup) every day," Dr. Kulze says. "Frozen are just as good as fresh." Be sure to include lots of other fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. Remember too that, in general, the more color they have, the more antioxidants.

Omega 3-Rich Fish -- Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory

"We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer's," Somer says. "There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well."
Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week. Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.

Super Food

Quinoa

Just what is this weird grain with too many vowels and why should you be eating it?

The Incans considered it a sacred "mother grain" while the UN calls it a "super crop" because it's so healthy. But just what is this weird grain with too many vowels (say it: KEEN-wah)?
Cooked, it keeps a slightly crunchy consistency and has a slightly nutty flavor.
Although it acts like a grain, quinoa is actually a seed, small and often light yellow. Cultivated in the Andes for more than 5,000 years, quinoa boasts a stellar nutritional profile: "Quinoa is a great food that more and more people are discovering," says Ruth Frechman, RD, a Burbank-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "It's a whole grain that's also has enough essential amino acids to make it a complete protein." It's also packed with minerals, higher than most grains in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium as well as containing copper, zinc, and iron.
For you, that means it's heart-healthy versatile dish. Add it to your diet if you're working out because it's a "high-energy, relatively low-calorie food," adds Frechman. "It's also a great recovery food because it contains both carbs and protein."
You'll find quinoa with the pasta and rice in health food store and most supermarkets. With any recipe, be sure to rinse quinoa before cooking with it to remove any of the seeds' bitter coating. Boil it like rice, with two cups of water or stock for every cup of uncooked quinoa.
Try these simple ideas to get cooking with quinoa:

Better Than Rice
Use it pretty much any place you'd use rice, like in soups or as a side dish. You'll get more bang for your nutritional buck, too, since one cup contains five grams of fiber and eight grams of protein, compared with three and a half grams of fiber and five grams of protein for brown rice.
Oatmeal Alternative
Mix cooked quinoa with honey, dried fruit, and nuts. You can also add some agave nectar and almond milk.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Scubainstructor8

What is essential oils?

www.mydoterra.com/signature/

Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant. If you have ever enjoyed the gift of a rose, a walk by a field of lavender, or the smell of fresh cut mint, you have experienced the aromatic qualities of essential oils. In addition to giving plants their distinctive smells, essential oils provide plants with protection against predators and disease and play a role in plant pollination.
Essential oils are non water-based phytochemicals made up of volatile organic compounds. Although they are fat soluble, they do not include fatty lipids or acids found in vegetable and animal oils. Essential oils are very clean, almost crisp, to the touch and are immediately absorbed by the skin. Pure, unadulterated essential oils are translucent and range in color from crystal clear to deep blue.
Try this at home: Squeeze the peel of a ripe orange. The fragrant residue on your hand is full of essential oils.
In addition to their intrinsic benefits to plants and being beautifully fragrant to people, essential oils have been used throughout history in many cultures for their medicinal and therapeutic benefits. Modern scientific study and trends towards more holistic approaches to wellness are driving a revival and new discovery of essential oil health applications.
dōTERRA (CPTG) Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils represent the safest, purest, and most beneficial essential oils available today. They are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize dōTERRA's superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade essential oils.

www.mydoterra.com/signature/

Doterra Essential oil's
www.mydoterra.com/signature/

Fat into Muscle myths

There are many articles and advertisements on the internet and in magazines that depict different health and exercise myths. The media pushes these myths because over a period of time people have become accustomed to taking it for absolute truth, when in fact the media pushes these myths to help them sell a product, whether it be supplements or fitness equipment.One of the most common fitness myths is the belief that you can turn fat into muscle. I call it a myth because it has never been done, can't be done, and yet so many people believe that it is possible. Let me make it plain: You can't turn fat into muscle just as you can't turn grass into paper money. Fat and muscle are two different tissues which are not even similar to each other. Just because when you get fit you tend to lose fat and gain muscle does not mean that one is turned to the other. This myth which is used to encourage consumers to buy equipment selling people on the idea that their muscle will turn to fat if they do not use that product. While it is true that if you don’t use it, you lose it, it should also be said that muscle and fat are not composed of the same tissues.“Reduced calorie diets” are another myth sold to consumers with the idea that one will lose weight by reducing the caloric intake. While it is true that reducing one’s calories will make the body smaller in shape, it should also be told to consumers that reduced calorie diets also rob the body of proper carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that are necessary to the body. Without the proper nutrients, the body will break down muscle tissue for energy.The myth that “RDA recommendations apply to everyone” is not true. This is untrue because sedentary people and athletes have different nutritional requirements and the activity level and the height and weight must be taken into account. It is something that people say when they describe a person who lost a lot of weight and toned up. They say: "Wow, he turned all his fat into muscle." Because this has become a part of our day to day language, it has slowly filtered into our beliefs as well.
There may have been certain shady marketers in the past who claimed to be able to produce this effect. I don't know of any product that was promoted with such bogus claims, but I wouldn't put it past some marketers. We would like to believe this is true because losing fat and gaining muscle are the two most common and important goals a fitness oriented person wishes to achieve after maintaining proper health, of course. So, it's very tempting to believe that there's a connection between one and the other. It will sort of allow you to kill two birds with one stone. Well, sorry, it can't be done. However, this doesn't mean that you can't lose fat and build lean muscle tissue. You can indeed. But these are two separate processes that you do and not one and the same. To lose fat and gain muscle you need to follow a healthy diet plan and to workout regularly, doing intensive and effective strength training workouts. Otherwise, you will never be able to build lean muscle tissue. It just won't happen. When you do your workouts, make sure to train your entire body to develop the most muscle tissue you can as this will also help you to burn more fat. Do you cardio session after your strength training session and really push yourself throughout your workouts to get the best and fastest results possible.
Many supplements sell consumers on the “maximum fat burning” jmyth that with one jar, you will burn all the fat away. The truth of the matter is that most supplements take a long time and one must incorporate diet and exercise.

Signature Fitness 8: Tips to help you lose weight to look better

Signature Fitness 8: Tips to help you lose weight to look better: "Signature Fitness offers the following tips to help you lose weight to look better, feel better, and live a healthier life. These tips are ..."

Tips to help you lose weight to look better

Signature Fitness offers the following tips to help you lose weight to look better, feel better, and live a healthier life. These tips are short and sweet and are intended as a starting point or quick reference for individuals seeking to lose weight by using the resources offered on Calories per Hour. Read the related tutorial topics to learn more about the topics discussed in these weight loss tips
1. How Did I Get Here?
Do you simply need help learning how to eat better? Yes, Probably do. But if you eat poorly as a result of emotional, mental, or spiritual problems, they may have to be addressed before you can make any real progress with weight loss.
Even people who don't feel they have an eating disorder often turn to food for comfort. To learn to eat well and exercise regularly, you may also have to learn to handle the problems life throws at you without turning away from healthy eating and exercise.
Be particularly careful about all-or-nothing thinking. A common tendency when failing to stay on a diet is to abandon it altogether. Instead, try to learn from your mistakes and do better in the future.
2. Are You Ready to Diet? Again?
Diets entice us with promises of quick weight loss. But focusing on quick weight loss can lead to unhealthy eating and only short term success.
While most diets produce quick weight loss at the outset, they often cause your metabolism to slow. The result is that you have to eat less and less to keep losing weight. You quickly become discouraged, give up, and start eating like you used to. But now, with a slower metabolism, you regain all the weight you lost, and more.
Focus instead on improving your health and you will become fit and healthy.
3. Take Control of What You Eat
There are few things that we have complete control over, but what we put in our mouths is one of them. We don't have to lose control in a restaurant or at a friends home and we don't have to eat everything that's put in front of us.
Consider this: We love fat because it carries flavor, and restaurants aren't as interested in whether we'll be around in 30 years as whether we'll be back next week and what about our friends?
4. Eat Frequently, and Eat Slowly
It is important to understand what happens when you skip a meal or go on a crash diet. When you skip a meal your metabolism slows to conserve your energy. And when you lose weight too quickly for a few days, your body thinks it is threatened with starvation and goes into survival mode. It fights to conserve your fat stores, and any weight loss comes mostly from water and muscle.
Never skip a meal, especially breakfast, and eat healthy snacks between meals. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs and the binges that follow, provides consistent energy, and may be the single most effective way to maintain metabolism efficiency.
Eating slowly gives our bodies time to tell us they are full before we've eaten more than we need.
5. Eat More Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains (WHOLE GRAINS)!!!
People who eat healthy, mostly unprocessed foods, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and limited amounts of lean animal protein, often find that they can eat as much as they want without gaining weight. If they are switching from a diet containing lots of processed foods, they find that they can eat more yet consume fewer calories and they lose weight.
Historically, the Chinese ate mostly rice and vegetables with a little lean meat for protein and flavor, nothing like the American Chinese restaurant dishes of deep fried sweet and sour pork. A step back to more natural foods would improve our health and waistlines.
Related Tutorial Topic: Why health foods make you slim and are better for you, see little house of veggies by Morgan Anger s
6. Eat More Fiber
Fiber makes us feel full sooner and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, slowing down our rate of digestion and keeping us feeling full longer. Due to its greater fiber content, a single serving of whole grain bread can be more filling than two servings of white bread. Fiber also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.
Refined grains like white rice and those used to make white bread and sugary breakfast cereals have had most of their fiber and nutrients stripped away. They turn into blood sugar (glucose) so fast that, like sugar its self, they can cause a spike in our insulin level. This tells our body that plenty of energy is readily available and that it should stop burning fat and start storing it.
Eating foods with plenty of fiber will help keep our blood sugar at a more consistent level.
7. Cut Down on Sugar
Be careful about sugar in coffee and soda pop. It can add up quickly, and these drinks aren't filling.
Watch for "hidden" sugar in processed foods like bread, ketchup, salad dressing, canned fruit, applesauce, peanut butter, and soups. And be careful with "fat-free" products. Sugar is often used to replace the flavor that is lost when the fat is removed. Fat-free does not mean calorie-free.
The greater concern with the insulin spike (above) is not that it tells our body to start storing fat. Whatever we eat and don't burn up eventually gets turned into fat anyway.
The greater concern is that the insulin spike is followed by a drop in insulin level that leaves us feeling tired and hungry and wanting to eat more. The unfortunate result of this scenario is that it makes us want to eat something else with high sugar content. When we do, we start the cycle all over again.
Regulating your blood sugar level is the most effective way to maintain your fat-burning capacity.
8. Too Much of a Bad Thing
Foods like cheese stand out as among the most fat-laden, with a great number of calories coming from fat. But as important as it is to select the healthiest foods, it is also important to consider how they are prepared.
Fried foods, especially deep-fried, contain a great amount of fat. While chicken and fish are usually leaner than beef or pork, they can contain more fat when they are fried. Look at how the number of grams of fat in a chicken breast changes depending on how it is cooked:
1.
Cooking Method Fat
Meat Only, Roasted 3.1
Meat Only, Fried 4.1
Meat and Skin, Batter Fried 18.5
2. "Fried food? All I eat is salad and I still can't lose weight!"
3. Be careful with salad dressings, mayonnaise, and other condiments that are high in fat content. They greatly increase the calorie count and can negate the healthy aspects of a meal. Replace mayonnaise-based condiments with fat-free alternatives like fat-free yogurt, mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce.
4. And remember, a gram of fat contains more than twice as many calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrate.
5. Related Tutorial Topic: Calories in Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates
6. Too Little of a Good Thing
But don't try to eliminate fat altogether, as dietary fat is necessary to maintain a healthy body. It is a vital component for building body tissue and cells, and it aids in the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Many people eat too much of the bad fats, but also eat too little of the good fats required for optimal health.
Related Tutorial Topic: Good fats and bad fats
7. Exercise Regularly
People who exercise regularly not only lose weight faster; they are more successful at keeping it off. Exercise makes it possible to create a calorie deficit and lose weight without starving your body and slowing your metabolism.
At home, at the gym, or playing sports, participate in both aerobic and strength building activities on a regular basis. Not only does the exercise itself burn calories, but your body will continue to burn calories at a higher rate even after you're done exercising.
If walking is all you can do, then walk because it's great for you. But muscle burns more calories than fat, so put on a little muscle if you can and you will burn more calories just sitting there... looking good.
But don't sit too long. The human body is good at adapting. If you dig ditches without gloves, you will develop calluses to protect your hands. If you sit too long, you will develop extra padding to keep you comfortable!
8. Take It Easy
Unless you are excited to be following a very specific diet and exercise plan, do not try and change too much too fast. If you have been eating poorly and not exercising, both your body and your mind will have a lot of adjusting to do.
All the sugar and fat were actually quite enjoyable, and sitting on the couch didn't feel too bad, either. If you try and change everything too quickly the odds are greater that you will feel bad, get discouraged, and give up. So be patient.
A time will come when a healthy snack will taste as good as the junk food you felt bad about eating, and you will look forward to your regular exercise.
9. Begin Now
You can achieve your goals, but it won't likely happen as a result of the next fad diet, or the one after that.
Learning to eat well and exercise is the ONLY solution to long term weight loss.