Eating small meals every 2-3 hours will increase your metabolism and reduce fat storage. Make sure that these are healthy meals containing balanced amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

During your workouts do exercises that incorporate compound movements rather than simple ones. This will not only help in burning more calories, but will also tone more muscle at once!

Fat free foods, when eaten in excess, will still be stored as fat! Fat free cookies and crackers are made up of a whole lot of SUGAR! The secret is out! Sugar is just as fattening of a substance than fat itself, when eaten in excess.

Pump some iron! Did you know that 1 lb of muscle burns 30-50 calories per day, while 1 lb of fat only burns about 9 calories per day? The more muscle your body contains the more calories you burn each day.

Make a habit of weighting and measuring yourself monthly and tracking your gains and losses. This will prevent gradual weight gain from creeping up when you least expect it.

Millions of people drink an average of 2 regular soft drinks a day, which is a total of 300 calories. When you add these extra 300 calories up over a year, the result will be over 15kg of weight gain!

The easiest way to effortlessly lose weight is to not eat three hours before bed. By doing so, you will reduce the amount of fat your body stores throughout the night.

6 Components of Good Fitness

A good fitness program should include the following components of physical activity; rest; and nutrition:

• Cardio Vascular & Respiratory (heart, lung and circulatory benefits)
• Strength Training (musculoskeletal)
• Flexibility (e.g. increasing range of motion etc.)
• Functional Training (movement specific)
• Rest (mental and physical)
• Nutrition (well-balanced)

However, the majority of most people only focuses on one of the above components, and overlooks the other vital benefits that are instrumental to making the difference between an effective fitness program and an unsuccessful one.

If you can make a commitment to yourself to modify  your daily diet and approach towards your long term fitness, you are well on your way to making a significant difference in your life to reduce stress, gain more energy, and enjoy long term health benefits.  In addition, you can further ensure your long-term success if you not only practice “clean eating” and a balance of a variety of regular physical activity (e.g. CV, strength training, sports conditioning, etc.), but also if you do so under the proper supervision of a trained fitness professional.

1) Cardio Vascular/Respiratory Exercise:

Purpose: Getting oxygen to your working muscle while removing your metabolic waste products thereby improving your heart, lung and circulatory function.

Duration: Ideally 20-30 minutes.  The amount of time you exercise would require modification if you are under medical supervision. Consider your fitness level (Duration and intensity should be modified) before beginning exercise.

Health Benefits: Cardio vascular exercise can help you reduce your (LDL, – i.e. bad) cholesterol level, prevent heart and lung disease, lower your blood sugar level, reduce your risk for hypertension.

Common Activities: Swimming, Aerobic Classes, Cycling, Walking the Dog, Hiking, evening or morning walks with your family and friends.

2) Strength Training:

Purpose: Improve the function of your musculoskeletal system by increasing your strength and power and muscular endurance.

Duration: This can be in the form of resistance training (under supervision), with the appropriate amount of proper weight, rounds and repetitions (reps,) of each type of exercise/(a set), as well as adequate rest for a healthy adult, e.g. –  3 sets of 6-10 repetitions for each major muscle group with 30 seconds rest inbetween rounds is ideal.

Benefits: Strength training can aid not only in the prevention and controlling of Osteoporosis, other types of Arthritis, muscle imbalances, rehabilitation from injury, but also will help you increase the ease and ability in which you will be able to perform your daily physical activities.

Common Activities: Sports activities (like lifting heavy weights and other strength training), carrying your kids, moving furniture, lifting heavy objects etc.  Strength Training protocols may vary in athletic training for different sports will cover them in a subsequent follow up article in the near future.

3) Flexibility:

Purpose: Improve your ability to flex, – i.e. extend and rotate around your joints without injury and restriction.

Duration: In general, flexibility exercises can be done in the form of static stretching (without movement) ideally hold each major muscle to the point of stretch and “NOT TO THE POINT OF PAIN” time limit is 40 – 60 seconds and then repeated one to two times.

Benefits:  Regularly performing flexibility exercises will enable you to increase your range and freedom of motion, your ability to perform daily activities with ease, as well as to reduce and minimize any muscle tension.

Common Activities: Reaching for an object upwards, bending down, sudden turning and almost any activity.

4) Functional Training:

Purpose: Enhance daily activity (walking, lifting, carrying etc.) or specific activity (Sports specific, physical rehabilitation specific etc.)

Duration: Can be repeated as you often as you required for a specific task without over-taxing your body in specific way to aid your intended final tasks (E.g. – while playing tennis on a clay surface tennis court, you might rally for an average of 15 seconds, rest 15 seconds, and repeat the cycle again with the same activity until you have achieved a comfortable level of physical challenge.

Benefits:  Regularly doing functional training not only will enable you to be able to reduce the risk of activity related injury and but also improve your productivity in a specific task with less physical stress on your body.

Common Activities:  household chores, playing with kids, cooking, sports and other physical activities, – e.g. anything from recreational physical activities, to competitive sports, to post rehabilitative corrective exercises and sports conditioning.

5) Rest:

Purpose: To recover from mental and physical stress.

Duration: Allocate one to two hours a day to relax and get adequate sleep also one day a week to totally relax.

Benefits:  Regularly  ensuring your body gets an appropriate amount of daily rest will aid in the prevention and control of mental and physical stress found to be linked with certain Cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, gastrointestinal tract issues, and stress fractures.

Common Activities: Regular massages, Jacuzzi/or spa therapy, listening to music, spending time outdoors in a natural and calm setting, many forms of meditation, etc.

6) Nutrition:

Purpose: To maintain and regulate bodily functions.

Key components: Proteins (repair body cells), Carbohydrates and Fat (provide source of energy) Vitamins and minerals (regulate bodily functions).

Benefits:  Maintaining proper and balanced nutrition can aid not only in the prevention of a number of diet related diseases, provide adequate energy for your bodily functions, but also help facilitate the healing of physical injuries.

As babies, from the moment we’re born, we’re developing an ability to control our movements. The classic case being the ability to crawl, stand, walk, and run. After years of growing and learning, we eventually get to the point where we’ve achieved mastery and no longer have to think about how our body moves and functions in order to perform the action. Suddenly, the focus you have on keeping your balance isn’t important, so we stop thinking about it.

The same is true for most people you see in the gym today. For most people, going through the motions and showing up to their gym routines day in, day out is enough. The focus is all on what’s for dinner or what you’re going to do after the gym.

Well, there’s more to it than that.

Drugs and scandals aside, there are reasons why the top bodybuilders are bigger than everyone else. It’s not just your typical repetition, passion, and love for the sport. One of the biggest differences is how they perform the exercises. This is where developing your mind-muscle connection comes in.

What is the Mind-Muscle connection?

 

When you grab the device you’re reading on, moving your fingers and arms to get you there, you’re probably not thinking about the individual actions each muscle has to perform in order for the movement to happen. Actually, you’d probably go crazy if you tried to. But one of the keys to muscle-building success is the ability to control, fire, and relax those muscles on demand. This is called the ‘mind-muscle’ connection. And just like learning how to walk, you have to develop it over time. But how do you develop superior mind-muscle connection?

Through the power of your mind, of course! Kind of self-explanatory, isn’t it? I mean, it’s all in the name, after all.

But because it’s that obvious, perhaps that’s why most people don’t employ a greater focus on improving it.

The main idea behind establishing a greater sense of mind-muscle connection in bodybuilding is to employ the maximum potential (and number of fibers) of the targeted muscle to contract, therefore enhancing your muscle pump, efficiency of the muscle, damage to the muscle, and subsequent repair of the muscle, which gets you closer to your bodybuilding goals.

Basically, it’s using your mind to control the most efficient way to perform the action.

But realistically, if you can pick up a weight and do a biceps curl, you’ve already got some degree of mind-muscle control. But what if you can’t feel them burning after 2 sets of 12 reps?

Then you probably need to learn how to increase the connection between your mind and your muscle for it to fire more efficiently.

The best 4 ways to improve mind-muscle connection

1. Visualization

The first way is through visualization. After all, what the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. The same is true for building muscle. If your mind doesn’t believe it, your body won’t follow.

This is why it’s important to always visualize yourself performing the movement successfully prior to doing it. When you’re visualizing the movement, focus on imagining your entire muscle contracting forcefully and try to imagine all the blood rushing into your muscle. This establishes a much better connection with your body and focuses your mind on the targeted muscle in question.

As a side note, it’s also extremely beneficial to envision your entire workout prior to even stepping foot in the gym. This will create a stronger mind-muscle connection throughout your entire body, setting yourself up for a successful workout.

2. Warm up with perfect sets and low weight reps

Warming up with light weight, perfect form sets prior to performing your working sets is a great way to establish your mind-muscle connection. Using light weights allows you to concentrate harder on your squeezing and contracting with the target muscle. Once you’ve established the initial connection with your warm up sets, add more weight and try to keep that connection going. If you’ve lost it, that probably means that you’ve gone too heavy, too fast.

Remember, in bodybuilding, it’s important to leave your ego at the door. Focus on maximum contraction of the muscle, not the kilos of weight you move.

3. Touch, Feel, and Flex

In between or just before beginning another set, give your muscles a touch, feel, and flex. This drives more blood into the muscle prior to performing the movement and keeps your connection going. The additional benefit of touching your muscle while it’s flexed also brings a physical kind of mind-muscle connection, which aids and strengthens your contractions overall.

4. Leave Your Ego At The Door!

One of the most common reasons why people fail to develop a proper Mind-Muscle Connection is because they are obsessed with pushing more and more weight. Forget about how much weight you’re pushing, concentrate instead on the quality of each repetition.

 

Simply put, you can train as hard as you want but if your Mind-Muscle Connection is not fully developed you will never reach your full potential. Getting into the ‘zone’ in sports is one of the toughest things to do but it is one of the most vital aspects of it.

Training hard is important, and of course everybody wants to lift big weights. Letting go of your ego can be a difficult thing to do. Nevertheless, if you want to make serious gains it’s something that you absolutely have to do. There’s no point in working your butt off if you’re not working your muscles effectively.

 

Think of all that wasted energy. We all want to be able to brag about how much we lift; it’s a part of the game. But if you never master the Mind-Muscle Connection you’re never going to make the big gains you dream about. It’s time to start training smarter not harder.

GYM is indeed a holy place for those who are dedicated to fitness activities and living the Fit Lifestyle. It is a unique environment where people come to improve their bodies and feel better about themselves. And it’s not a place for one but rather for everyone who are in different ages, different backgrounds and have different fitness levels. Most gyms have a written set of rules to govern our behavior while working out however, there is also an unwritten code of behavior that is not always readily apparent to sometimes even the most advanced of us. These Dos and Don’ts will guide you on behavior within a gym.

DOs

Wipe it off
We all are sweating when we are working out. But none of us want to deal with another’s sweat when they take over the machine. Always make sure to wipe your sweat off from the machine before you change over to the next.

Everyone gets a chance
We all want a go with the treadmill. But that one person is always on it. Don’t be a magnet to the machines. Changeover is a good thing. It will add variation to your workout and others will get a chance to use it as well. Plan your time on one machine. Especially on cardio workouts. Let the next person knows how much time left if you can. It will be very helpful.

Trust your instructor
If you are a newbie to the gym, it’s always good to get the help of an instructor. However, if an instructor advised you on something, it’s always best to accept it. If you try to argue the relationship may go down the drain. Believe me, he knows what he is telling.

Arrive Early
Arriving early = less waiting when it comes to machines. And best of all you could prepare your schedule accordingly without a hurry to go home and could complete it successfully.

Be gentle in the locker room
Locker room is a vital part of the gym. No one likes to be in close vicinity with an individual with bad manners. This is a time to show your true colors. Be gentle as locker room is for every member.

Unloading your weights
Make sure you unload your weights and put them back where you found them. It’s not the next person’s task. It’s yours.

It’s nice to wear a deodorant
This is not a must but something that most of the gym goers tend to do. Wear a deodorant. Though gym is a place where people sweat, everyone likes to be in an odorless environment.

Make your surrounding clean
This is an essential part when it comes to a gym. Make sure your towel, water bottle is in your gym bag and the gym bag is in the right place so no one is disturbed with your stuff.

DON’Ts

Don’t be a peeping Tom
This is a big NO NO. Yes, there are ladies coming in to the gym. Yes, they may wear tight gym wear. But if you start checking on them by skipping your workouts, it will be a waste. A useless time spent in the gym. And people may start disliking you and your behavior. Always obey one another. Be friendly.

No territory
Gym is for all the members. Not only for you. Marking your territory with the next machine you are going to use is a big NO NO. Because most of the time it’s 1st come 1st use basis. Not all gyms have the luxury of keeping 10-15 treadmills.

Newbies
There are people with different levels of experience at a gym. From the Beginner to the expert. The new comers may do an exercise wrong. Please correct them instead of bullying them or taking pictures of their mishaps to post online. And always remember that you were once a beginner too so be kind to them and that will have a positive light on their fitness journey.

Smartphone
It’s not easy to workout when you have distractions. Especially a smartphone that could make you scroll away for hours so you will forget your next exercise. The gym selfies, text messages and social media can wait until you finish off the day.
Chatting/ Flirting
Another distraction and this time not only to you but to the other person as well. And before you know, you will be all warmed down. No one is coming to the gym to waste time. But a small chat can go a long way. Say Hi to people but don’t let anyone drag you to No Workout zone in the gym and no one expects the same from you too.

Mind your Gum
Hygiene is always something to be considered in a gym. Chewing gum is ok but refrain from sticking it on weights, benches or just dropping on the floor.

Everyone hates Showoffs
Racking on heaps of weights that you can hardly lift is not a key to impress anyone. But you could be friendly, polite and helpful so you could be a star in the gym.

 

 

~Written by – Shehan Perera

Testosterone is the most important male sex hormone. It is natural for testosterone levels to decline as a person ages, but there are steps that they can take to slow, and perhaps reverse, the process.

During puberty in boys, testosterone is one of the main drivers of physical changes like increased muscle, deeper voice and hair growth. However, having optimal levels is also important throughout adulthood and even during old age.

In adults, healthy levels are important for general health, disease risk, body composition, sexual function and just about everything else .

Additionally, increasing your testosterone levels can cause rapid gains in muscle mass and vitality in only a matter of weeks.

Here are 8 evidence-based ways to increase testosterone levels naturally.

1. Exercise and Lift Weights

 

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to prevent many lifestyle-related diseases. Interestingly, it can also boost your testosterone.

A large review study found that people who exercised regularly had higher testosterone levels. In the elderly, exercise increases testosterone levels, fitness and reaction time

New research in obese men suggests that increased physical activity was even more beneficial than a weight loss diet for increasing testosterone levels

Resistance training, such as weight lifting, is the best type of exercise to boost testosterone in both the short- and long-term.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can also be very effective, although all types of exercise should work to some extent.

Taking caffeine and creatine monohydrate as supplements may further boost your levels when combined with a training program

BOTTOM LINE:All forms of exercise may increase your testosterone levels. Weight lifting and high-intensity interval training are the most effective.

2. Eat Protein, Fat and Carbs

What you eat has a major impact on testosterone as well as other hormone levels. Therefore, you must pay attention to your long-term calorie intake and diet strategy.

Constant dieting or overeating may disrupt your testosterone levels.

Eating enough protein can help maintain healthy levels and aid in fat loss, which is also associated with your testosterone.

Carb intake also plays a role, with research showing carbs can help optimize testosterone levels during resistance training .

However, research demonstrates that sufficient healthy fats are also beneficial for testosterone and health.

A diet based mainly on whole foods is best, with a healthy balance of fat, protein and carbs. This can optimize both hormone levels and long-term health.

BOTTOM LINE:Don’t overeat and don’t restrict calories too much for too long. Try to eat balanced amounts of carbs, fat and protein.

3. Stress reduction

Managing stress may help to increase testosterone levels. Long-term and chronic stress is dangerous and can lead to many issues in the body.

Stress elevates the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for managing a variety of processes, including immune response and metabolism.

Elevated cortisol negatively impacts testosterone. One 2016 study found that stressful events contributed to erratic changes to testosterone levels in males.

In the 2 months before their final exams, 58 male and female medical students filled in questionnaires and gave saliva samples while under exam stress.

The men in the study showed significant increases in salivary testosterone under exam stress, while the women had substantially decreased testosterone levels.

The researchers suggest the stress response in the male study participants resulted in aggression, emotional inhibition, and rumination, and this could explain the differences in the sexes.

4. Get Some Sun or Take a Vitamin D Supplement

Vitamin D is quickly becoming one of the world’s most popular vitamins. Research has shown that it has various health benefits, and may also work as a natural testosterone booster.

Despite its importance, nearly half of the US population is deficient in vitamin D, and an even higher percentage has sub-optimal levels .

A 12-month study found that supplementing with around 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day increased testosterone levels by around 25%.

In the elderly, vitamin D and calcium also optimized testosterone levels, which led to a reduced risk of falling.

To boost testosterone and reap the other benefits of vitamin D, try to get regular exposure to sunlight or take around 3,000 IU of a vitamin D3 supplement daily.

BOTTOM LINE:Vitamin D3 supplements may boost testosterone levels, especially in the elderly and people who have low blood levels of vitamin D

5. Take Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

 

Although the benefits of multivitamins are hotly debated, specific vitamins and minerals may be beneficial.

In one study, zinc and vitamin B supplements increased sperm quality by 74%. Zinc also boosts testosterone in athletes and those who are deficient in zinc.

Other studies also suggest vitamins A, C and E can play a role in your sex hormone and testosterone levels, although more research is needed.

Out of all the vitamins and minerals available, the research on testosterone shows vitamin D and zinc supplements may be best.

BOTTOM LINE:Vitamin D and zinc have the strongest evidence as testosterone boosters. Other micronutrients may also have benefits, but require further research.

6. Get Plenty of Restful, High-Quality Sleep

Getting good sleep is just as important for your health as diet and exercise.

 

It may also have major effects on your testosterone levels.

The ideal amount of sleep varies from person to person, but one study found that sleeping only 5 hours per night was linked to a 15% reduction in testosterone levels.

One long-term study observed that those who slept only four hours per night had borderline deficient levels .

Other long-term studies support this. One study calculated that for every additional hour of sleep you get, testosterone levels rise 15% higher, on average.

Although some people seem to do fine with less sleep, research suggests around 7–10 hours of sleep per night is best for long-term health and your testosterone.

BOTTOM LINE:Make sure you get plenty of high-quality sleep to maintain healthy testosterone levels and optimize your long-term health.

7. Take Some of These Natural Testosterone Boosters

Only a few natural testosterone boosters are supported by scientific studies. The herb with the most research behind it is called ashwagandha.

One study tested the effects of this herb on infertile men and found a 17% increase in testosterone levels and a 167% increase in sperm count .

In healthy men, ashwagandha increased levels by 15%. Another study found it lowered cortisol by around 25%, which may also aid testosterone.

Ginger extract may also boost your levels. It is a delicious herb that also provides various other health benefits .

Most of the research on ginger has been done in animals. However, one study in infertile humans found that ginger can boost testosterone levels by 17% and increase levels of other key sex hormones.

Other popular herbs that are supported by some studies in both animals and humans include horny goat weed, Mucuna pruriens, shilajit and tongkat ali.

Yet it’s important to note that most of the positive research has been conducted in mice or infertile humans with low testosterone levels.

If you have healthy testosterone function and normal levels, it is unclear whether you will benefit much from these supplements.

BOTTOM LINE:Several herbal supplements are a natural way to boost testosterone for those with infertility or low levels.

8. Follow a Healthy Lifestyle and Avoid Estrogen-like Compounds

There are several other factors that may affect your hormone levels. A healthy sex life plays an important role in regulating your sex hormone and testosterone levels .

High exposure to estrogen-like chemicals may also affect your levels, so try to minimize daily exposure to BPA, parabens and other chemicals found in some types of plastic .

It’s probably no surprise that excess alcohol or drug use, whether it’s medical or recreational, can also decrease testosterone levels.

In contrast, laughter, happiness and success may help boost your health and testosterone levels — so make sure they’re a part of your daily life .

BOTTOM LINE:Reducing exposure to estrogen-like chemicals, alcohol and drugs can positively affect your testosterone levels and health.

Why Do Testosterone Levels Matter?

From the age of 25–30, a man’s testosterone levels naturally start to decline. This is a problem because strong research shows a link between low testosterone and obesity, increased disease risk and premature death.

Healthy testosterone levels are also important for women, along with other key hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.

Therefore, everyone should take the necessary lifestyle steps to optimize testosterone levels. You will improve your health and body at the same time.

The term skinny fat can be confusing – how can someone be skinny and fat at the same time?

Well, skinny fat people are those that look skinny in clothes but have high body fat and low muscle mass.

So underneath those clothes, they actually look soft and flabby.

The real problem behind skinny fat is that there is a little too much fat and not enough

muscle on a frame that may be prone to thin limbs and narrow shoulders. Some of the most common reasons for this include:

• Sedentary Lifestyle– are you moving enough?
• Insufficient Protein– you’re always losing or gaining muscle mass, it’s your choice every day.
• Underdeveloped Core – a strong foundation shapes your body.

The first of these problems is lack of movement or sedentary lifestyle.

The less muscle you have, the lower your body fat levels have to be to have noticeable muscle definition.

This is why fairly muscular people can look good at higher levels of body fat than under-muscled people.

15% body fat on a guy with a good amount of muscle looks athletic whereas the same body fat percentage on a spindly frame doesn’t.

So, then, the real “skinny fat solution” involves improving body composition, and this almost always involves weight going up.

How People Wind Up Skinny Fat

The primary reason so many people struggle with being skinny fat is the bulk of mainstream diet and exercise advice is basically a recipe for it.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

• Severe calorie restriction.
• Low-protein dieting.
• Excessive amounts of cardio.
• Minimal weightlifting with an emphasis on high-rep training.

Conventional wisdom says you have to choose: Either cut the fat and get even skinnier, or build muscle that remains buried under layers of fat. Bulk and then cut, or cut and then bulk.

But for the “skinny-fat” guy who’s ready to commit to a serious lifting and diet overhaul, it’s possible to do both simultaneously

The solution?

 

If you’re more skinny than fat: Start by gaining weight and gaining size. You need to build a solid base of muscle mass. If you cut down instead, you’re just going to look scrawnier and scrawnier.

Here’s what to do: Use our Macro Nutrient calculator to estimate how many calories (and how much protein) you should be eating to gain mass. Then download a simple calorie counting app like “MyFitnessPal” to track your calories every day.

If you’re more fat than skinny: Start by losing weight and cutting down. You need to get rid of some fat so that you can expose the muscle that’s been hiding underneath. If you bulk up instead, you’re just going to look chubbier and chubbier.

Here’s what to do: Use our Macro Nutrient calculator to estimate how many calories (and how much protein) you should be eating to get lean. Then download a simple calorie counting app like “MyFitnessPal” to track your calories every day.

Learn to Diet Properly

 

A bad diet will make even the best workout program impotent.

If your calorie intake is already quite low (somewhere close to your basal metabolic rate), you do not want to further decrease it to try to lose fat.

When you restrict your calories to lose fat, your body responds in various ways to reduce its total energy expenditure.

And when you have dramatically reduced your calorie intake for weight loss and then left it there for a long period of time, afraid to raise it lest you gain weight, you’ve also left yourself with a metabolism that’s running on fumes.

If your calorie intake is in a normal range, and your body fat percentage is too high, then you should focus on losing fat.

If you’re eating somewhere around your total daily energy expenditure, then your metabolism is in good shape and you can use your diet to focus on fat loss.

If your calorie intake is in a normal range, and your body fat percentage isn’t too high, then you should focus on building muscle.

If your body fat percentage is closer to 10% (men)/20% (women), you can plan your nutrition around maximizing muscle growth.

Focus on Heavy, Compound Weightlifting

As you know, the major problem with a skinny fat physique is the lack of muscle, and thus, focusing on building muscle is key.

This not only means your training emphasis needs to shift from cardio to weightlifting, but to proper weightlifting.

• You should be focusing on increasing strength on compound lifts like the squat, deadlift, bench press, and military press.
• To do that, you’re going to have to focus on heavy weightlifting (I recommend the 4 to 6 rep range for men and experienced female weightlifters, and the 8 to 10 rep range for inexperienced female weightlifters).

Like mentioned earlier, skinny fat comes from lack of muscle, so you’re going to want to focus on building up that muscle.

• This means you need to shift your focus from cardio to weightlifting. Work on increasing your strength with compound lifts from the military press, squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Gals, aim for a rep range of 8 to 10 and guys, 4 to 6.
• Do this on top of a proper diet (don’t worry, we’re getting there) and you will see a huge increase in your overall strength and muscle size. Your body is going to be on its way to having a leaner, more athletic look.

Cut Back on the Cardio (steady cardio)

 

When you supply your body with a lot less energy than what you need, sure you are going to lose weight. Guess what else you’re going to lose? Muscle. And the speed of your metabolism.

Now, cardio isn’t your enemy, especially if you’re trying to build muscle and stay lean at the same time. But steady cardio fails you, doing excessive amounts of it aren’t going to do you any good.

Research shows that the longer you make your cardio session, the more it’s going to impair  strength and potentially cause hypertrophy.

This is why you need to keep your cardio sessions relatively short. You want to go for long enough that you’re going to see some fat loss, but not long enough that you’re going to damage your muscles. The best way to do this?

Check out our high intensity interval training tips to torch fat and build muscle.

If your goal is simply to be lean, muscular, and healthy, you never have to do more than 1 to 2 hours of cardio per week.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Here’s what it all comes down to:

• Limit your cardio to 1 to 3 sessions per week when bulking and 2 to 4 sessions when cutting.
• Do high-intensity interval training unless you have a good reason to do steady-state cardio.
• Keep your cardio sessions relatively short (30 minutes or less is best).

Follow these rules of thumb and your cardio will never get in the way of your goals.

CONCLUSION

 

All in all, being skinny fat sucks but you certainly aren’t alone. We all have things we’d rather change about our bodies. With a little help, we can all get there. Remember, ample protein, caloric deficit and HIIT workouts are your best bet for building muscle and losing fat.

If you focus on getting your body fat percentage down, and then weightlifting, you will see a huge increase in your overall body composition. There’s no better time than the present – this will only get harder to do the older you get, so get to it. Brush off those weights in the basement, clean out the pantry so you have clean, healthy food, and renew that gym membership. All you need is a little jumpstart to start your transformation

The so called beer belly is a common ailment in our society, particularly in men, No one is born with a belly, but after years of weekly beer pong games and endless tailgating parties, your flat stomach may have been replaced with the dreaded beer gut. Each beer you drink is about 150 calories, which adds up quickly after several hours of dedicated drinking.

What causes a Beer Belly?

When you drink alcohol, your liver prioritizes the burning of alcohol instead of fat, leaving you with some excess pudge around the waistline. Men in particular tend to store excess fat and calories around their belly.

Men also tend to store more fat in their bellies than women and belly fat or visceral fat is lined to a variety of health issues from diabetes to heart disease and high blood pressure.

Here are some tips to get rid of that Gut:

1. Lift weights

If you have a beer gut it means you are consuming more calories (from beer or food) than you burn. Beat the cycle by hitting the gym. Lifting weights strengthens your muscles and boosts your metabolism. Not only will you look more toned, but with a higher metabolic rate you will actually burn more calories all day long.

2. Use Timed Circuits

If you want to get a flat tummy, you can’t expect it to happen by endless hours of steady-state cardio, Performing HIIT (High Intensity Training, which involve intense bursts of energy followed by a short rest period. This sort of cardio targets body fat as fuel and is less time-consuming than an hour-long jog or bike ride. If you up the intensity, you can get in a fat-burning workout in a quick 10 to 15 minutes. weight.These interval-type workouts burn more calories both during and after exercise.

Got No Gym? No Problem Do this exercises at home, Perform them as a circuit working up to a minute each. Rest for a minute and then repeat 5 to 8 times.  Complete the workout 3 to 4 times per week along with other steady-state exercise, such as walking or jogging, on other days

1. Squat Thrust

2. Jumping Jack

3. Mountain Climber

4. Squat

3. Prioritize Sleep

This may literally be the easiest way to beat the bulge. Significant research shows that getting enough sleep will help you beat the temptation of high-carb snacks, which lead to weight gain. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends eight and a half hours of sleep every night for the best results. While this may mean an earlier bedtime and less TV time, adequate sleep will help lower stress and improve your memory in addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight.

4. Eat Smart Eat Clean

When it comes to diet, it’s important to stick to whole, mostly unprocessed foods that are nutritionally dense (“Whole” and “dense” does not mean an entire deep dish pizza, wise guy). Furthermore, foods that are rich in protein contribute to feelings of satiety, which is one way to curb overeating.

Reduce portion sizes

Excessively large portion sizes are a common source of excess calories that can cause weight to creep on.  To avoid this, measure out serve sizes according to the nutritional information label so as to be sure as to how many calories you are consuming.

Eating off a smaller plate can also help to reduce portions.  When eating out share a meal with a friend or choose an appetizer as an entrée as restaurant meals tend to be very big.

You may be cutting down on calories, but if your diet consists of refined grains and sugars like white bread, crackers, chips, and cookies, you may still have trouble losing weight around your belly. Stomach fat is associated with inflammation, so eating processed foods (which increase inflammation) will hinder your ability to lose the gut. Swap out your packaged foods and snacks for fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods contain powerful antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory properties and can actually prevent belly fat.

 5. Monitor your beer consumption

This may not sound like fun, but if you really want to burn off that beer gut, you’re going to have to cut back. Try picking just one day a week to drink beer. By skipping the carb-loaded beverage six days a week, you will cut back on overall calories consumed and can drink to your heart’s desire on the seventh day. When drinking, try to have one low calorie drink, ideally water, between each alcoholic beverage to limit your intake. This will control the volume of beer you drink while keeping you better hydrated. The more water you drink the less space there will be in your stomach for beer and all the high-calorie foods that usually accompany it.

Slow your intake of alcohol, start eating better gradually, and make a habit of working out with steady progression and that beer belly will be a memory in less time than you’d think!