Posted March 13th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
Healthy body fat can be higher than you realize. The absolute minimum percentage of body fat which is considered safe and healthy is 5% for males while it is 12% for females. However, the average body fat in adults is much closer to around 15-18% for males and 22-25% for females.
If you do plenty of high intensity training then you will most likely be at the lower end of this scale. This, of course, will depend largely on the type of sport you are training for. If you are a triathlete then your body fat will be lower than a footballer for example. Moreover, heavy weight training routines will result in increased muscle mass.
While we hear about the obesity problem arising in the western world, with the average body fat percentage steadily increasing, we don’t often hear of the health risks involved with a body fat percentage that is too low.
Female athletes, in particular, are susceptible to health issues if their body fat is too low (under 12%). This could result in decreased performance as well as a much higher risk to injury. Problems are often related to eating disorders and nutrient deficiencies. Other extremely detrimental effects include a high risk of osteoporosis due to decreased bone mass, reproductive disorders and even cardiovascular problems in the long term.
If you need to increase your body fat percentage, start by creating the correct balance between calories in and calories out. It is recommended that you consult a health care professional if you feel your body fat percentage is too high or too low so you can achieve the optimum health body fat.
Posted March 11th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
The secret to success when looking for a burn the fat diet, is to eat six meals a day. This doesn’t mean six huge, unhealthy meals however! Rather, you are taking your three meals you would normally eat and spreading them out throughout the day.
Your goal is to eat every two to three hours. This type of burn the fat diet is excellent for your metabolism and will keep it working for optimal performance. Your digestive system works much better this way too as it keeps it from overloading.
Each of the six meals should contain a good amount of protein and as well as carbohydrates. The carbohydrates should be complex carbs and vegetables and fruits. Protein should be of high quality and with the least amount of fats.
Good examples of high quality protein are chicken breast, fish, lean red meat and lean turkey. Complex carbs could include pumpkin, sweet potato, brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Include vegetables to at least two of the six meals such as broccoli, spinach, cauliflower or carrots. A small portion of good fat is also essential each day such as avocado, flaxseed oil, olive oil or sunflower seeds.
Lastly make sure you drink plenty of water every day, recommended is 8-10 glasses a day.
By eating moderate portions, six times a day you are well on your way to achieving a successful burn the fat diet.
photo credit: elitatt
Posted February 25th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | 1 Comment
The term “cardio” can apply to various types of training, however to burn fat with cardio is a common goal for many people. To burn fat with cardio we need to get more specific as to the types of cardio we perform.
According to Wikipedia, the term “cardio” means Aerobic exercise refers to exercise that involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body. Aerobic means “with oxygen”, and refers to the use of oxygen in the body’s metabolic or energy-generating process.
Your actual cardiovascular system comprises the heart, lungs and circulatory system, therefore any form of cardiovascular exercise will help condition these areas to become more efficient.
To burn fat with cardio, it is important to include high intensity cardio sessions as well as focusing on endurance training.
Intervals are an excellent way to include high intensity training. These can be performed on various equipment at your gym such as treadmill workouts, elliptical exercise, rowing machine, stationery bike or the stepper machine. You can also perform intervals when running, cycling or swimming.
Endurance training that will help to burn fat includes using any of the suggestions above, however at a lower intensity and for longer periods. To burn fat with cardio, you will still need to perform your endurance sessions at a moderate to hard pace, just not as intense as interval workouts.
photo credit: bernardoh
Posted February 15th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
Including good fat in your diet is essential for optimal nutrition. Contrary to popular belief, not all fats are bad.
Many people are taught from a young age to believe that fats are evil and should be avoided, nothing could be further from the truth.
Good fat carries fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) which are the important building blocks for the cells of your body. They contain essential fatty acids which are the fats our body is unable to manufacture itself so we need to acquire them from dietary sources.
These good fats fall into two groups which are called omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. You will find omega-3 in leafy green vegetables, oily fish and a small amount in walnuts, eggs and animal meats. Omega-6 EFAs are found in meats, grain products, and cooking oils such as corn, sunflower and safflower.
Fats that you must avoid or at least minimize, are the saturated fats which are found in fried foods and the visible fats you see on meats. Other fats to avoid are trans-fatty acids in food such as margarine.
Good fat is an excellent fuel source and should be included as a regular part of your every day diet.
photo credit: SNAKPhotography
Posted February 8th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
A Guest Post by Fat Loss Factor
To understand body fat percentage it is important to remember that it depends on the amount of fat that is consumed and the amount of fat that the body needs to stay healthy, these levels can reach higher levels in some individuals. One of the biggest issues some face is how to lose body fat percentage.
Low body fat percentage can increase your energy level and lessen the feel of fatigue. Uou have a higher potential to contract serious disease if your body fat percentage is high. The body fat percentage varies in women and men, and this is because women tend to have more fat over their entire body.
These easy steps will allow you to become more aware of the negative effects of excess body fat and will give a clear plan to help you lose this excess body fat.
- The basic need for any weight loss program is to drink plenty of water. Consuming plenty of water should be a priority as it helps to detoxify your body. This is one of the easiest ways to raise your metabolism rate and rid your body of all unwanted toxins from your body.
- Cut out the fast foods that consume saturated fat such as pizza, burgers etc. Junk food contains refined carbohydrates and will increase fats in your body.
- Include proper exercising schedules in your routine. For some of the best results if you want to lose body fat percentage is to include anaerobic exercises into your daily exercise schedule. The strenuous nature of anaerobic exercises help you burn excess calories. Due to lower carbohydrate and sugar levels it is better to exercise early in the morning. Once you have designed your exercise program it is important to ensure that you have included two periods of walking, one in the morning and one in the evening, preferably after dinner. It is important to remember that walking is one of the best ways to not only burn fat but to also improve the health of your heart.
- Due to weakness and fatigue it is important to always avoid crash diets. In other words, you will actually gain weight and sometimes more than you lost very quickly once you go back to a normal diet, after you have completed your crash diet.
- Divide your three large meals into five smaller meals. Making this small change will increase your metabolism and will allow your body to absorb all the nutrients it needs.
- It is important not to starve yourself, but it is also important to never overeat. Doing either of these actions will be detrimental to your overall goals. Include lots of vegetables and fresh fruits in your meals.
Always talk to your doctor or nutritionist before beginning any new diet or exercise program. It is important to always have a positive outlook when it comes to diets and exercise, and this process begins by always starting this process the right way. One of the best ways to see positive visible results in your appearance in a matter of a few weeks is with the right combination of diet and exercise. You may find new energy and this will enable you to lose body fat percentage. Keeping your stress level low is the key to getting the maximum results; this is why it is vital to only choose a diet and exercise plan that is convenient to you.
Posted February 5th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
I’m often asked, by people who are wanting to lose some fat, what are some of the low calorie foods. While low calorie foods may be what people are looking for, it’s also important that these foods have good nutritional content.
Below is a list of my ten favorite low calorie foods. The table includes the amount of calories per serve as well as amounts of the main macronutrients protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
| Food |
Serving |
Calories |
Fat |
Carbohydrates |
Protein |
| Cucumber, peeled |
1 slice, 7 g |
0 |
0.01 g |
0.15 g |
0.04 g |
| Garlic, raw |
1 clove, 3 g |
4 |
0.02 g |
0.99 g |
0.19 g |
| Almonds |
1 almond, 1.2 g |
6 |
0.61 g |
0.24 g |
0.26 g |
| Spring Onions |
1 large, 25 g |
8 |
0.05 g |
1.84 g |
0.46 g |
| Mushrooms, raw |
½ cup |
10 |
0.16 g |
1.57 g |
1.48 g |
| Tomato |
½ cup |
13 |
0.15 g |
2.9 g |
0.65 g |
| Apricot |
1 small |
16 |
0.14 g |
3.89 g |
0.49 g |
| Asparagus |
½ cup |
19 |
0.2 g |
3.7 g |
2.16 g |
| Red cabbage, raw |
½ cup shredded |
21 |
0.07 g |
5.21 g |
1.13 g |
| Cauliflower |
1 cup |
25 |
0.1 g |
5.3 g |
1.98 g |
Not surprisingly, you will see that all of the low calorie foods in the table above are vegetables, fruit and nuts. There are many other excellent choices such as carrots, beetroot, eggplant, spinach, and blueberries. If you stick to fresh fruit and vegies, you can’t go wrong.
Posted February 4th, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
A Guest Post by Fat Loss Factor
All the amazing stories of fast and massive weight loss don’t really interest me. How to lose weight fast is not the most important thing. The truth is, that those who are at the highest risk of failure, are the very ones to lose weight fast.
If I’m going to listen to somebody, I want to listen to those who have maintained their perfect weight for a long time. There have been lots of studies done about weight maintenance.
One report studied pre-existing data and discovered that less than one third of the people who lost weight were able to keep it off permanently. The wise thing to do would be to study what that small number of people did to keep their weight steady once they reached it. This is how it should be on every weight loss forum. One fact that was uncovered in the successful group, was that there was a higher percentage of people who worked out on a regular basis.
Those were successful at keeping their weight loss also spent less time watching TV, and were generally more active. Perhaps what sets the successful group apart the most is that they spend more time monitoring themselves. The people who tracked their calories, their weight, their meals, and their body composition were more likely to keep from regaining their weight.
From these observations we can discern a few things that we need to do to keep the weight we lose off.
- Get more active. This includes exercise, work, and recreation.
- After losing the fat, continue your regular exercise routine as part of your maintenance.
- Constantly monitor what you eat and what you do.
Above all, don’t listen to those who have lost weight: listen to those who are able to keep that weight off for a long time. For information about how to lose weight fast go to www.fatlossfactor.com.
Posted February 3rd, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
It’s important to know how to read food labels if you’re wanting long term success in your fat burning efforts. There are new products entering the market on a regular basis, therefore, it makes sense for you to be aware what various terms means and how you can analyze the food labels for yourself.
It is now a requirement that most foods have labels on them. Those foods that do not have labels are best to avoid as the manufacturer may not wish to disclose exactly what the content is! Ingredients must be listed in order from largest to smallest amounts. Many companies attempt to hide certain contents by listing them under various technical names, so it’s important to know exactly what some of these terms are as often they can be quite misleading.
Below is a list of the various terms you may find on food product labels:
- FREE
- Contain none or scarce amounts of the nutrient such as fat, cholesterol, sugar, or calories
- GOOD SOURCE OF NUTRIENT
- Contains 10-19% of the RDA for that nutrient
- HIGH
- Contains at least 20% of the RDA for that nutrient
- HIGH PROTEIN
- Must contain at least 10 grams of protein per serving
- HEALTHY
- Low in fat, saturated fat and sodium. Must provide 10% of RDA for Vitamin A, C, Calcium, Iron, Protein, or Fiber.
- LEAN
- Meat, protein, seafood or game meat that has per 3 ounces, less than 5 grams of total fat, less than 2 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol.
- LIGHT FOR CALORIES
- 33% less calories than comparable product and 50% less fat
- LIGHT FOR FAT
- 50% less fat than a comparable product
- LIGHT FOR SODIUM
- 50% less sodium than a comparable product
- LOW-FAT
- Less than 3 grams per serving
- LOW-CALORIE
- Less than 40 calories per serving
- LOW-CHOLESTEROL
- Less than 20 milligrams per serving
- LOW-SODIUM
- Less than 140 milligrams per serving
- LOW-SATURATED FAT
- Less than 1 gram per serving
If you can familiarize yourself with these regularly used terms, you are well on your way to learning how to read food labels which will help to choose the best fat burning foods which in turn will benefit your long term health.
Posted February 2nd, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
As a follow up to yesterday’s post about CrossFit Workouts, today we will give you some CrossFit workout examples so you can try this type of training for yourself.
Where the exercises below require weights, choose the appropriate weight for you that is enough of a challenge to give you a hard workout.
CrossFit Workout Example 1
This first example of a CrossFit workout, focuses on power, agility, accuracy and strength. The workout should last for 25 minutes in total, repeating the required number of repetitions over and over until your 25 minutes is up. Make sure you keep good form and posture throughout.
- 8 reps of Clean and jerk
- 10 x Burpees
- 12 reps of Kettlebell swing
CrossFit Workout Example 2
This second CrossFit workout example, uses five different workout stations. The idea is to perform as many repetitions as you can at each station within 1 minute then immediately move on to the next station. Again, ensure you keep good form in all these exercises. Repeat each round 5 times with a 1 minute rest between each one.
- Squats
- Push Ups
- Box jumps
- Deadlift High Pulls
- Rowing
These CrossFit workout examples give you an idea of the types of intensities you need to be working at. Check out a CrossFit gym near you if you’re interested in learning more and getting into this type of training.
photo credit: jontunn
Posted February 1st, 2010 by Fat Burning Exercises | No Comments
CrossFit workouts are an excellent addition to your fat burning exercises routines. If you haven’t heard of CrossFit workouts, it’s the latest fad in fitness and is attracting folks from all walks of life.
The principles of CrossFit workouts are designed around ten fitness abilities, with the idea of developing skills in all of these disciplines:
- Cardiovascular endurance
- Strength
- Stamina
- Flexibility
- Agility
- Balance
- Coordination
- Power
- Endurance
- Accuracy
The aim of a CrossFit workout is to test the three metabolic pathways of the body:
- Phosphagen – short bursts of high-powered exercises lasting about 10 seconds
- Glycolytic – moderate-powered exercises lasting about 3 minutes
- Oxidative – low-powered exercises lasting more than a few minutes
CrossFit workouts can be competitive, where the individual is timed in the various activities, and the winner has the fastest time. However, not everyone uses these workouts in a competitive nature. Some people choose to use the timings as a guideline and just simply enjoy the variety of exercises.
A CrossFit gym will have very little equipment compared to some of the bigger gyms. Often you will find free weights, rowing machines, and skipping ropes, in a fairly basic set up.
Our next post will cover some CrossFit workout examples should you wish to try it out for yourself.
photo credit: etee
