Weight Loss Benefits of Massage

There is no question that having a massage makes you feel great. Even having a deep-tissue, sports massage makes you feel wonderful afterwards. Massage can relieve stress, help you recover from hard physical activity or injury and even reduce anxiety, but can it help you to achieve your weight loss goals?

Research shows that massage can have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels, which in turn increases your capacity to control or loose weight.

Healthy strong muscles burn calories and give you the freedom to participate in all sorts of sports and activities that can help you burn excess calories and improve your overall fitness and wellbeing.

Massage has the following benefits that can directly influence your ability to control or loose weight:

1. Massage has been shown to improve circulation and the supply of nutrition to the muscles. Massage increases the interchange of vital substances between the blood and tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After muscles are exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied to them so that they can recover and rebuild themselves. Massage maximizes the supply of these nutrients and oxygen though increased blood flow, which helps the muscles to grow and burn more calories as a result.

2. Massage improves your muscles range of motion and their flexibility. This allows them to maintain maximum power and performance while active, and burn the maximum number of calories in the process.

Improved range of motion and flexibility also reduces muscle soreness during periods of recovery and muscle repair.

Having a wide range of motion and maximum muscle flexibility also reduces the danger of experiencing injuries during exercise which can severely limit activity, exercise and weight loss progress.

3. Massage helps to shorten the recovery time needed between your workouts. Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles during and after exercise. Increased circulation to these muscles helps to eliminate toxic debris buildup caused by these waste products and in doing so shorten recovery time.

Shortened recovery time means you can safely have more workouts over a given period of time, which in turn means that you have the opportunity to burn more total calories in your effort to achieve your individual weight loss goals.

4. Massage can also help reduce the chance of you over-training. Massage has a relaxing effect on the muscles and a sedative effect on the nervous system. By helping you to rest, which is a very important element of any exercise program, massage can reduce the likelihood of you experiencing over-training syndrome, which is known to limit your ability to build strong healthy muscles and therefore loose weight with maximum efficiency.

5. In addition to all of the above, massage may directly aid in fat loss. According to some research studies, massage is thought to be able to burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so that the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. In this way, combined with proper nutrition and exercise, massage may actually help in weight loss.

6. As we have already touched upon, massage helps prevent and heal injuries. By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions and scar tissue that result from muscle tears and other common muscle injuries. Massage also influences the excretion of certain fluids (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur) that aid in tissue repair. Fast and effective recovery from injuries means that you can begin exercising sooner after suffering an injury and getting your weight loss progress back on track.

So there you have it. Massage has a lot of benefits that can indirectly and possibly even directly aid you in achieving your weight loss goals.

Regular massage is just as important a component as regular workouts and correct nutrition in any comprehensive fitness and weight loss program, which is great news for those of us who thought that exercising and loosing weight was all hard work! Remember, weight loss is all about leading a balanced lifestyle and massage is an essential part of any balanced lifestyle.

If you havent had a massage lately, what are you waiting for? Get on the phone and make yourself a booking. If you havent had a massage before, just remember to have your massage done by a qualified massage therapist.

If you are unsure about a massage practitioners qualifications and experience, ask for referrals, professional training information, and make sure they are certified by reputable agency or institution.

And remember, have fun!

Scott Haywood is the editor of Australia's leading weight loss and healthy lifestyle website weightloss.com.au. Weightloss.com.au is a free weight loss resource that has healthy recipes, weight loss product reviews, a weight loss business directory and a very popular weight loss forum.

5 Fast Weight Loss Tips

We all want to lose a bit of weight, and a change in diet and mental attitude towards food can really bring huge benefits in the long term. But what about when you want to lose weight quick! Maybe you have a wedding to go to, or you are going on holiday and need a beach body? Don't despair, follow these 5 fast weight loss tips and you can get yourself looking trim faster than ever, just be sure to also work on your long term techniques after the event so it doesn't come back!

Let's look at each one in turn:

Working out more - yes, I'm afraid there is some work involved in this one, if you are not exercising already then you need to start. You can't just jump into a vigorous routine though, if you are stretched for time then go for a one hour walk a day, non-stop, no stopping to talk to people along the way and wasting the hour, one hour of solid walking. This will start to have a dramatic effect when combined with the other fast weight loss tips.

If you are already exercising then you need to take it to the next level, either increase the intensity or the frequency of your workouts, maybe add a one hour walk onto the days where you don't go to the gym as well.

Eating breakfast - some people think that skipping meals will help them to lose weight, wrong! Skipping breakfast is the biggest mistake people make. When you wake up your body is conserving energy as it doesn't know if and when you will eat again. By eating breakfast you are telling it that food is available and your metabolism increases so you actually burn up more fat during the rest of the day.

Drink lots of water - water has lots of health benefits so we know we should drink it, but did you also know it is an appetite suppressant? If you are hungry you can drink water and it will fill you up so you are less hungry, try to drink about 8 glasses a day to get the best effects.

Eat lots of fibre - fibre fills you up just like water so that you feel less hungry and are less likely to snack. An added benefit is that it cleanses out your system so that you feel less bloated and stuffy and it gets rid of old waste in your system to help you feel better, when you feel better you are more likely to exercise!

Replace snacks - trying to cut down on snacking is actually counterintuitive, you need to have lots of small meals during the day rather than 3 large meals, so snacking is important. The problem is snacking on the wrong things.

If you try to stop snacking you will more than likely lose the battle with your willpower! You have to replace it so you get the psychological satisfaction of snacking but you are doing it in a healthy way. Try eating nuts & dried fruit during the day instead of chocolate.

If you follow these fast weight loss tips you will start to see rapid improvements in your energy levels and your body, keep it up until that event and then moderate it afterwards to make sure the weight stays off!

I have reviewed the most effective weight loss strategies on the internet today, if you want to find out the results click here to visit the site

Weight Loss Workout Routine

Everyone who wants to be successful at losing weight has got to have a workout routine. A routine that you stick to every day. The workout routine you choose has to be an effective one, and you have to be willing to do it, it has to be in your comfort zone. Choosing a workout routine is actually more difficult than it sounds, because you have to decide what you're going to work on which day. You have to decide when to have a day off. What time of day do you workout? There are so many questions, that I can't answer, and only you can decide.

My Weight Loss Workout Routine

Now this is an example of my weight loss workout routine, hopefully this will give you an idea of what is needed in a routine, or you can just copy this one, as it works for me, and has proven itself to be quite effective.

Monday - Work on Chest/Back

Tuesday - Work on Shoulders

Wednesday - Go for a quick swim before work

Thursday - Work on Biceps/Triceps

Friday - Work on Legs

Saturday - Quick morning jog then rest of the day off

Sunday - off

As you can see it's a tight routine. But every single day I spend at least an hour working out the only exception is Saturday, when I go on a jog which usually takes me about 45 minutes, and a Sunday.

You don't have to follow this exactly, but it gives you a good idea of what you have to do to lose weight. You change it accordingly, but you should definatley spend at least 4 hours a week, working out.

Thomas Lee Dean used to be a fat greasy monkey, until he found The Secrets to Weight Loss at BodyWorkout.org - click here

Death by Jogging

I am going to say this upfront... I absolutely hate those long, endurance cardio such as jogging and marathons...

Not only they are incredibly boring... they can also kill you!

And sure, the boring part is my opinion... I still have friends who swear by jogging.

One of them died several years ago. Man, this guy was the fittest person you would ever know. I mean, he was in shape! He died doing a five mile jog -- from a heart attack. A former NBA basketball player by the name of Dennis Johnson died after finishing his jog -- from a heart attack last year. The head coach of Wake Forest's college basketball team, Skip Prosser, died last year while jogging. It was ruled a heart attack.

And let's not forget Jim Fixx, the guy who pioneered jogging as an health benefit. He died at the age of 52 from a massive heart attack on his daily run over twenty years ago.

And all these men that I mentioned are not the first or the last to die from jogging or running a marathon.

Then there is another friend of mine... and boy, is he healthy for his age -- around fifty! He runs all the time... And I talked with his wife the other day, and it is the usual... if it isn't his knees, it's his ankles. If it isn't his ankles, it's his feet. And now he got incredibly painful, bone spurs in his feet.

Doesn't sound like a lot of fun?

I don't think so!

My personal opinion is that the human body wasn't designed for long distance running. If the saber tooth tiger doesn't get the caveman in the first 30 seconds... then he is probably too far away or up in the tree. No need to "train" your body to run 5-10 miles because that big cat ain't gonna be interested in you that long!

So why run for long distance in the first place? Too push yourself beyond human endurance? Well, you have a lot to lose so why put your heart at risk? Why not save yourself and your loved ones from the pain when you are gone by selecting much better exercise choices?

Here are the "benefits" (sic) that I see so far for long distance running:

* Long hours pounding the pavement that you could spend with your family and friends

* Sore knees, back pain and foot problems

* Expensive visits to the specialists to repair your worn out body

* Weak body -- have you ever seen those skinny, emaciated long distance runners on TV or the sports magazines? Just say no thanks!

So if you HAVE to run marathons and jog for long distances... DO get a full physical from your family doctor. Pay attention to your body while running -- use a hr monitor -- be moderately hydrated during the run.

And then there is another fat loss myth created by jogging...

That myth is probably responsible for most of the misinformation about what exactly you need to do to lose body fat. You see, most of the information we have for cardio is based on the studies on jogging back in the 70s and 80s when jogging was king.

And the message was... to lose that body fat, you must include those long, slow endurance jogging or cardio. Nowadays, we know that is a false message but many folks still believe in it...

Sigh...

And to top that myth, many folks believe you must eat a low-fat, high carbs diet (which incidentally was the rage during the 90s). It meant eating lots of sugary foods with flour. And again, many folks believe this type of diet still holds true...

Sigh...

And now we see the results of these mixed messages -- rising obesity and running injuries... every. single. year!

But there is light at the end of the tunnel... The media is starting to pick up on proven and effective workout methods that are healthy for our heart and burn fat from our bodies.

And those workouts incorporate strength training and interval exercises for muscle power and heart endurance.

We shouldn't leave out the most important thing and that would be (drum roll please...) NUTRITION!

Getting your nutrition right is the key to fat loss...

* Mom was right... eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for you!

* Good quality and lean source of proteins

* Eating fiber rich carbohydrates that are in the low end of the glycemic index

In short, good nutrition and good exercise choices will give you the body you want without the injuries and fat. And you get to live longer too...

But watch out for the speeding bus anyway, huh?

If you are looking for an effective workout program no matter if you are a beginner or at an advanced fitness level... that is guaranteed to get you in the best shape of your life... then be sure to head over here to find out how you can transform your body into one that will be slim, toned and muscular here:

http://www.healthy-weight-loss-fitness-program.com/turbulence-training-weight-loss-programs.html

Recommended fat loss program that rocks!

5 Tips To Help You Lose Weight Faster, Easier And Make It More Fun

Let me share with you 5 six weight loss tips that you can start practicing in a few minutes from now...

1. Never say "It's OK, I'll burn it off tomorrow"

It's easy to fall into this trap. When you have your favorite food in front of you, it's really difficult to resist the temptation. So you end up saying, "It's ok, I'll burn it off tomorrow" and then you give in. Now this is where you're making one of the worst mistakes! That workout tomorrow rarely happens. You know it too. Trust me, refrain yourself from giving in at all costs and you'll be well on your way to achieving that desired weight loss.

2. If you're gonna commit to a plan, make sure it's a viable and realistic plan:

Many people make empty promises to themselves thinking that they'll get it done. When it comes to weight loss, they do the same, they don't think or plan out a realistic weight loss plan. When your plan is not realistic, you will fail. And when that happens, you will feel so depressed that you're just gonna give everything up. You need to think and make a commitment that's viable and you know you can stick to.

3. Do cardio exercises and burn calories

To really lose weight, you need a good balance of the right diet and the right exercises. Walk, run, jog, swim, play sports, do exercise, aerobics or weight training, dance, use exercise machinery, anything you want and anything you like. Just make sure you pick at least one. These activities help you boost your calorie burning, making it easier and faster to lose weight. Do it regularly and you body will start to burn all the fats away.

4. Rest

You must get enough rest in and maintain a relaxed state of mind. When you're in stress, either mentally or physically, your body system automatically gets into "flight or fright" condition. When that happens, it starts preserving fat for energy usage in future. Now that's not good right. Therefore, you must get a good mental and physical relaxation so that you can pursue your weight loss at ease and with success.

5. Keep the fire burning

Most people start out with fire burning in their eyes. You can always feel their determination whenever they're near. But, they'll never make it to the end unless they know how to keep the fire burning. Find things that you know will motivate you to spur on and continue the tough journey. Hey losing weight ain't the same as taking a walk down the beach, it takes hardwork and determination. Be determined and face all challenges with open arms.

There you go, 5 easy weight loss tips just for you. I hope these tips help, cheers!

Jimmy Dickens is a weight loss coach and mentor from Boston. He teaches people how to lose weight fast with a unique system he created called the "Gimme Weight Loss Now" System. If you're looking for a complete, step-by-step weight loss system that can help you lose weight fast, do visit his website and grab his system (in the form of an ebook) at http://www.gimmeweightlossnow.com

Weight Loss Through Diet and Hypnosis

Over the years you tend to put on a few pounds, and its only later on that you may realize you've become a little overweight. So then begins the battle of fighting the bulge and trying to lose weight, the visits to the doctor and gym. For a person to be successful at weight loss, they need to condition their mind as well as work on their body.

A good place to begin is by keeping track of your eating habits, thereby cutting down on food that adds calories and have a high fat content. Many people assume that if they eat less or starve they will lose weight, in fact it is quite the opposite. And there are some who eat when they are going through extreme emotions and have difficulty following a diet routine between their busy work schedules. There are some who have tried but been unsuccessful, and so have resorted to visiting a psychologist to help them tune their mind into losing weight.

An alternative that the counselors suggest is hypnosis for weight loss, which will not involve any dieting but sheer pre conditioning of the mind. Hypnosis is where a person's subconscious state is trained to aid them in reaching their goals and this is done after the person has listed down their specific goals. This could be through auto response or using certain words that trigger a kind of reaction, and help them rid of all the stress that is bogging them down. The person who has been through hypnosis will be asked to make a commitment to work out or stick to a diet regime. Hypnosis has been found to be a very effective way to build positive thoughts and motivational traits in the person and helps them get rid off any weight gaining habit they might have.

Weight loss through hypnosis helps the person change their outlook on life and become more focused, be it to do with exercise or diet in order to accomplish their goals. Using the commands given at the time of hypnosis, the person battling with weight issues will be pushed towards following them with no side effects.

Thera-diet weight loss program
Download Information

How I Lost Weight - My Weight Loss Success Story

This is my story about how I lost weight. I hope my success will inspire other people to succeed as well.

I remember it was after I heard something about another scientific research which revealed that being overweight is bad for health.

Every time I heard something like that I would promise myself that I'm going to lose weight, but I failed miserably and completely.

However, this time I made a decision that I must do something about it.

You see, pride is very important to me.

I do not like when people see me in bad light.

So I thought: "Maybe I can use my pride to help me get rid off extra pounds." I made a list of all people that I want to respect me. Next, I bought 20 or so postcards and wrote on them: "I promise you that I will lose weight."

Within one week, I gave or sent the postcards to the people on my list - dad, mom, brother, my boss, the best friend, five other friends and my neighbors. The only person I did not give the postcard was my girlfriend.

I was mad about her and I really wanted her to respect me. I knew that I would die of shame if I broke my promise.

But one day, I came to her house, gave her the postcard and left without a word.

Losing weight was the hardest thing I did in my life. Many times I was on the brink of breaking my promise. But every time this happened, I would remember the people on my list and how I would lose their respect for me.

Why am I telling you this?

Because one of the most important reasons why lots of people fail to lose weight is the lack of motivation.

Wanting to lose weight or wanting to look good is often not enough for most people to stick to a weight loss program or diet.

In other words, the stronger your motivation, the better your results!

Once armed with strong motivation, it was easy for me to shed extra pounds.

In case you want to know what weight loss program I used ... well, I did not use any of popular diets.

My plan was simple. It included three elements:

1. Eating half of everything I usually eat. No food supplements or calorie counting.

2. Exercising 30 minutes a day, seven days a week - everything from brisk walking, swimming, playing basketball to weight lifting.

3. I used some tools that significantly helped me lose extra weight.

I'm 100 percent sure that without using these tools I would not be able to achieve my success. Click here to learn more about these weight loss tools.

Exercise Tips For Free Pilates Exercises

The whole idea of free Pilates exercises is to increase your flexibility and your strength, and in doing so no bulk should be built. All Pilates is, is a series of different muscles you exercise by controlled movements.

Free Pilates exercises may be used by anyone of any age. It helps your body to be balanced and it lengthens your muscles.

A very common exercise of free Pilates exercises is the body roll; it is used to strengthen your abdominal muscles.

You sit in a ball with your head is to be kept between your knees while you balance on your behind and work your abdominal muscles while you are doing so. Roll backwards while balancing on your spine then roll back up to the sitting position.

Pilates is very similar to yoga and the two have become very popular in the past decade or so. There are lots of ways you can do it, at home with the free Pilates exercise videos and DVDs, go one on one to training sessions or you could go to group classes.

Besides helping you physically, free Pilates exercises also helps you mentally improving the following areas, moods, mental control, concentration, attention, energy level, well being and self acceptance. It also decreases the following, depression, stress, and tension.

Get In Shape With Free Pilates Exercises

Another excellent free Pilates exercise frequently found on winsor pilates dvds is the one leg raise. Lie on your back and lift your leg up straight over your body, doing this at ninety degrees, then lower your leg but without letting it touch the floor or you could rotate your leg in circular motions repeating this a few times.

If you are looking to exercise and strengthen your lower back and biceps then you should do the leg curl and back hyperextension with the free Pilates exercises workouts.

You can accomplish the above exercise by lying on your stomach with your hands firmly behind your back, then curl your legs behind you, do that twice and then proceed to lower your legs, once that is done you will now lift your torso using your lower back.

This free Pilates exercise could be difficult at first but it works wonderfully on your lower back and hamstrings.

There are also a lot of mat exercises that you could do if you want a quick workout. Free Pilate exercises includes exercises that will strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles, legs, arms, back and butt, some stretching will also work.

Free Pilates exercises not only helps to strengthen and tone your muscles but it also helps you to control your movement and balance. When doing these exercises at home you should have a foam mat to do it on and not on the bare floor otherwise you will most likely experience pain or discomfort afterwards.

To get started with Pilates exercises today, check out Jack website at: Free Pilates Exercises

Sensible Weight Loss Whilst Breast Feeding

Many women have a hard time losing weight post pregnancy, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"I've always believed if it took you 9 months to gain it, give yourself 9 months to get rid of it"

Have NO high expectations of this quick weight loss diets and fads, as it could be detrimental to your health and of your child's. Enjoy the time you have with no worry or hassles in the first few weeks as this time is best spent bonding with your new baby, and for you to recover mentally and physically after the birth.

Breastfeeding is the most natural and healthy way of nourishing your new baby. A mother's breast milk provides sufficient nutrients and a certain amount of antibodies from the mother that may help the baby to resist infections.

A mother has to eat double the amount of calories per day to sustain a high quality supply of breast milk. But don't let that fool you into eating whatever is in sight. By simply making sure that you remain well nourished by eating a healthy diet, gentle exercise and eating small snacks regularly and at least drinking 2 litres of water a day.

These things combined have shown to assist in gradual weight loss whilst providing an adequate supply of quality breast milk for your baby.

Breast milk is the primary source of food for a baby up until the age of 6mths that's when the infants iron stores are starting to run low. This is when solids are slowly introduced.

During this 6 month period and beyond, breastfeeding has many health benefits for the mother. One being the closeness that a mother and baby feel while feeding, the calming effect it has on him/her and the retracting of the mother's uterus, back to post pregnancy size.

For many mothers breastfeeding along with a healthy diet is the perfect combination for steady weight loss.

Breastfeeding places a great demand on mother's blood sugar supply and if the diet is not adequate in complex carbohydrate foods, sugar cravings and extreme hunger may occur.

By eating 3 healthy small portioned meals a day with snacks in between you will be soon on your way to a slimmer you. Eating every two to three hours helps maintain a good blood sugar supply and controls hunger.

Some simple suggestions for snack foods are:

Full Fat Yoghurt's Lots of fresh fruit & vegetables Rice crackers and cheeses At least 2 litres of water per day

Foods to avoid when the cravings attack are:

Refined foods i.e. fast foods Low fat foods (not giving you the calories to supply quality milk) Sweet biscuit, cakes Soft drinks, coffee & cordials

Don't expect the weight to just drop off, it takes time we all know that, but by following these basic steps you will be heading in the right direction to a slimmer you.

Di Amarosi writes for weight loss file a website dedicated to helping people loose weight and keep it off, it has some great information and ideas so don't delay and visit http://www.weightlossfile.com today.

Gastric Bypass Surgery - Get Your Vitamins!

Gastric bypass patients face a great task in the following months and years after surgery, most of which includes monumental lifestyle changes in comparison to their old habits and methods. The most important of all, given that gastric bypass patients have a new, tiny stomach to fill is diet. Similar to how those on a diet of any kind, the body will be taking in less food then usual and so its crucial to ensure that the food and nutrients youre feeding your body are packed with goodness.

This can be a difficult task for the gastric bypass patient, but help is always at hand from the dedicated nutritionists and physicians after surgery. The Internet is also jam-packed with information for healthy diets specifically for patients.

Most of all, as the general gastric bypass diet lacks minerals and vitamins, patients must take extra vitamins to supplement their diet and ensure their body gets all thats required. Among the vitamins recommended are multi-vitamins (chewy if possible!), then calcium, iron and patients may be advised you also take vitamin B-12.

Its important gastric bypass patients dont slip up on taking their vitamins certain conditions can develop soon after surgery if the body isnt getting the required vitamins and minerals. Patients should always keep in touch with their doctor and follow the guidelines set out post-surgery.

Article by Beverley Brooke, visit the section on the gastric bypass at her website to learn more about the procedure and what's involved post-surgery http://www.healthandfinesse.com/gastric-bypass.html

Lose 15 Pounds Fast - It Is Not Hard To Lose Weight Fast!

Tried all the diets and still need to lose 15 pounds fast? Well, here's something you probably haven't tried, but it works fantastically!

It's called a detoxification. I know that sounds weird, but hear me out -- especially if you've tried everything else and found diets are NOT the all-in-all answer.

Here's the scoop. Inside your gut there lives many different organisms. Some are very helpful to you and others make you heavy, crave food, low in energy, and simply unhealthy.

To lose weight fast, all you have to do is get rid of the organisms that are no good to your body. (You should get rid of them anyway just for good health -- weight loss is an added benefit).

These unhealthy critters in your gut get there through water, food, etc. Almost everyone in the nation has them. No wonder 68% of the population is overweight! These unwelcome, but prevalent critters actually make the body crave food! Once they are gone, weight tends to come off quite rapidly and in large portions!

Getting rid of these fat keeping critters is simple. It doesn't require exercise or special foods. It's simple, but most diet companies (if not all) won't tell you how to do it. I guess they know that if you do, you simply might not need their diet so then they wouldn't make any more money off your weight.

Once you take the simple steps to get them gone, you will find you have so much more energy, less weight, and less of a tendency to gain weight as well!

Learn about how to get rid of these nasty critters so you can lose 15 pounds fast, or even lose considerably more weight. Visit http://www.thedoctorsfatlosssecret.com NOW!

9 Things I Noticed About Weight Loss Failure

As an expert and someone that has been in the community of fitness and bodybuilding for many years, I've seen people start diets and fail after 3 weeks even when they did lose 5 pounds the first week on their diet. Here are some facts about weight loss that you should know if you dare attempt to start a diet on your own.

• If done incorrectly can cause serious rebound effects.
• First week of initial Weight Loss is all water and glycogen -- Not Fat.
• Second week of Weight Loss is water glycogen and muscle -- Not Fat.
• Diets are a temporary solution to weight loss.
• Your body adapts to your diet within 3-4 weeks.
• There are different types of metabolisms and the diet that you are currently on might work against your metabolism. This is VERY common.
• Healthy Fat Loss on diet alone does NOT work.
• Beware of Diet pills, if it's not a drug it will NOT work. If it is a drug, it will NOT work without proper nutrition and exercise, however caution must be used as the fat loss will only be temporary once you come off the drug.
• Losing 15 pounds does not mean you lost 15 pounds of fat (adipose tissue).

Fat burning should be part of the weight loss process if done correctly. A nutrition plan and exercise work best for ultimate fat loss. Losing fat greatly improves life expectancy, physical and mental well-being. The true goal behind weight loss is FAT LOSS. You want to lose weight from FAT which is mainly adipose tissue. Weight Loss is a generic term for losing unwanted scale weight. If your not losing fat, your losing water, glycogen and muscle. These are three of the most important things your body needs to stay healthy and function. No wonder people that go on so called diets feel like worse than when they started, see no beneficial results and don't meet their long term goals.

This can easily be solved by hiring an expert. With an expert, your obstacles and goals will be concretely defined on paper and you are guaranteed a success plan to losing fat for good.

Robert Lagana
http://www.laganafitness.com

Rob Lagana has competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions and is a multi-title winner. He currently holds the 2006 Mr. Canada Natural Bodybuilding title in the NFSO & IFSB. Along with experience, Lagana Fitness provides the ultimate pathway to achieving your cosmetic, health and wellness goals. Lagana Fitness offers unique motivational, bodybuilding and fitness tips with free subscription to his newsletter.

Weight Loss Methods, How to Lose Fat

People who try different weight loss methods often find themselves in the middle of a hard situation, this happens when they are incapable of following those methods until the time when they really start showing the benefits. I have something to tell you, I used to be a fat person, I used to suffer from overweight; however I found out that it really does not matter the kind of weight loss method that you follow, because in the end you will only see the results if you actually enjoy following the method.

In the past I tried everything, from those miraculous diets that artists announce in the television, to those bizarre exercise machinery in which you are supposed to reach your weight loss goal without even realizing you are doing something. I also got myself inside those sauna baths, wore patches, tried acupuncture, and even hypnosis; but there was only one thing that got me to my ideal weight, and it was called motivation.

As I wrote before, there is no single weight loss method that will help you burning fat if you do not actually enjoy following it. Whether it is a diet or a routine exercise, if you do not like what they make you eat, or you do not feel motivated to wake up every morning and perform your exercise routine, after a few days you will dispose the method; believe me, you will toss the exercise machine in your closet never to see it again, and you will go back to your chocolates and candy bars, there is no escaping this situation.

So, the first thing that you need to do in order to discover the best weight loss method and lose some fat, is to find something you will actually like. In my case it was martial arts, I really have fun throwing some kicks and punching stuff, and while at the beginning my technique was not very good, I got better with time; and time also brought results, and results boosted my confidence and my motivation until it became a cycle: the more exercise I did, the more results I got, and the more results I got, the more motivated I was for following this weight loss method. Try it yourself, just keep in mind that the best weight loss method is the one that you actually want to follow, not for the results themselves, but for the actual process.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it's not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus all the hyperlinks must be made active just like below.

Jean Lam is a writer, author, publisher and owns several sites. Visit his weight loss obesity website for lots of articles about losing weight. Also check out the weight loss eBook that will give you tips for your weight loss problems.

How To Get Brady Quinn's Body

Brady Quinn's workout was recently featured in Men's Health magazine, and showed how he built his muscle mass and strength for football. Brady has the all-American physique, and you can have it too by using the same weight lifting methods.

One of my jobs for Men's Health is to film exercise videos. And recently, I filmed the exercises from Brady Quinn's workout that was featured in the magazine.

The weightlifting exercises in Brady's workout include the front squat, the bench press, some dumbell rows and deadlifts, pullups, and even stability ball leg curls. These exercises are perfect for building a great, muscular physique as well as improving performance. You really have to see them performed properly to understand the benefits.

According to Men's Health, "Brady Quinn's workout centers on exercises that build strength, stability, speed, and power in the least amount of time. Quinn trains his upper body and lower body in every workout, with basic, muscle-building exercises that keep his metabolism elevated."

The front squat is a tough version of the regular squat exercise and works almost every muscle in the body. Your abs get a heck of a workout, even though its a leg exercise. Brady will get bigger, faster, and stronger with this type of exercise.

The workout was designed by one of the experts at the Athlete's Performance Gym in Arizona, and I think that's where Brady trained and did his workouts in preparation for playing football in the NFL next year.

And many people might be surprised that Brady's workout included the bench press. But the experts at Athlete's Performance know how to do the bench press right and reduce the stress on his shoulders. In fact, Brady did 24 reps of the 225 bench press test at the NFL combines. That is unheard of for a quarterback!

I also like the Close-grip Bench Press as a variation of the normal bench press. And that was one of the exercises in my recent workout designed by Strength Coach, Jason Ferruggia.

To do this exercise, make sure you tuck your elbows into your sides to get maximum triceps effort, and focus on pushing yourself away from the bar. That protects your shoulder, and works your triceps more than your chest. A great variation for your arm day training.

So if you want to build mass and get strong, stick to the basics like Brady Quinn and Jay Ferruggia. Squat, bench, row, and pull your way to strength, power, and a better body.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked muscle building, fat burning workouts have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. Craig's fat burning secrets help you lose fat and gain muscle without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. And Craig's bodyweight-only workouts help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

How Can I Lose Weight Fast

Fast weight loss is possible but doing it safely is another matter altogether. This article hopes to give you some information about how to increase the rate of your weight loss.

LOWER CALORIE INTAKE

This is what many diets are based and although they do give results initially they tend not to last. The main reason for this is that your by taking in less calories than your body is used to it senses you are starving yourself and so it decides to make it harder for you to lose weight.

It does this in two ways, firstly it slows down the rate at which your metabolism works resulting in you burning foods slower. Secondly it starts to store your fat for reserves and future usage and instead starts to burn your muscle for energy.

You can lose weight using low calorie diets but to do it quickly would require too big a drop in calorie intake and result in the problems I have just mentioned above.

INCREASE EXERCISE LEVELS

You can burn more calories by exercising so a simple logic should tell you that doing a more rigorous program will result in speedier results. This is fine in theory but more than likely isn't a realistic option.

People looking to diet usually aren't the fittest and this is where the problem is. If you aren't used to exercise and you try over doing things then there is a huge risk of serious injury. This obviously isn't going to help in any way with weight loss.

The only fast weight loss method I know that brings results works by fooling the metabolism into working at a higher rate. You can find out more about that diet at the links below but apart from this diet weight loss and fast aren't words that go together successfully and patience will be required.

To find out more about the one quick weight loss program I've found that has been proven to work take a look at this blog: http://shiftingcaloriesdiet.blogspot.com

Katie Turner lost 34 lbs after having her twins and you could too. To find out more click here.

Jennifer Aniston Zone Diet

Jennifer Aniston uses the Zone diet to control her weight as do other hollywood stars. Some of the other's include Demi Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sandra Bullock. The Zone diet is in fact a very safe and effective way to lose and control your weight.

Some try to compare it with fad diet's but the Zone diet is no fad diet. It has gotten some bad publicity because most people go back to their old eating habits after they have lost some weight. Their old eating habits are the cause of the weight gain.

The Zone diet that Jennifer Aniston uses is intended to be a lifestyle pattern change instead of a temporary diet. The zone diet is in fact a safe eating plan that can be adopted for life if you desire. By making a permanent switch to the Zone diet you can lose and maintain any weight that you desire. On this diet you are still eating from all of the food groups in the food pyramid.

The only difference is you are eating food in different ratio's than what was commonly thought to be correct. You will still have a healthy and balanced diet, the main change is in the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.

Anyone who is serious about permanent weightloss should give this diet a chance. It can really change your life in a positive way. This is a pretty simple diet to understand once you know the basics. You do not need to take supplements on this diet plan, however you can if you want to.

For those of you who would like faster results, The natural supplement Hoodia Gordonii has been shown to increase the effectiveness of any weightloss plan. Hoodia works especially well with this diet because it will dramatically help stop cravings...Continue

The Secret Of How To Lose Weight Fast And Easy

Everyone goes on a diet sometime. Whether it's for a day, a week, a month, or a year, odds are that at one time or other you will need to shift a few stubborn kilos in order to feel better about yourself. That's where knowing the secret of how to lose weight fast and easy comes in.

Dieting is an industry that makes millions. Actually no, it makes hundreds of millions of pounds every year. Why? Because no-one wants to follow the age-old equation that hard work and exercise plus a good diet equals weight loss. Everyone wants to know the secret. Who wants to work for it if there is a way to shift the weight quicker and more easily?

So, fad diets, packaged foods, vitamin drinks, specially-designed clothing, weight reduction pills, and home exercise equipment (usually easily stored away) are sold on a massive scale. If there's a trick or a knack that will help shed those kilos, the masses want to know. That's where the money lies, in people's desperation to know how to do this.

However, you need not spend millions to learn the secret of how to lose weight fast and easy. In fact, it's no so much a secret as a change in attitude. It comprises five different aspects, each as important as the other and needless to say, that if you follow it rigidly, you will have learnt how to do it.

Firstly, you have to change your way of thinking. By thinking or saying "I'm on a diet" automatically you place yourself under stress and temptation to break it. It's like someone saying "Don't look down" when you're up high - as soon as the words have been said you have an overwhelming urge to look down.

Instead, you should be thinking, "I'm changing my eating habits" which is a lot less daunting and much easier to actually do. Changing your eating habits can take place immediately and provide instant results.

For example, replace salad cream with a little olive oil and lemon juice; white bread with brown; boiled vegetables with raw ones; fruit juice and soft drink with water; fried food with grilled food; and sugar with honey.

In this way, you have not deprived yourself of anything, nor cut down the amounts of food you are eating, but with very little effort, you have reduced major sources of fat and calories.

Secondly, you need to change the way you spend your energy. The idea of replacing taking a lift with walking up the stairs is unbearable if you have to go to the 30th floor, however, if it's just one floor, then chances are it's no more than 25 steps, which is not so bad.

By improving your food intake, and increasing your energy output - even by just a little - it's logical that you will lose weight. How much weight you lose and over how long a period of time will just depend on how rigidly you stick to these two criteria, neither of which is particularly difficult in its own right.

In reality, no-one wants to work really hard for a very long time, however if you know that it's going to be for less than 15 minutes, it can seem a lot more bearable. E-books such as "12 Minutes to Fit and Fabulous" available from http://www.weightlossfatburnersecrets.com are a cheap way to learn how to lose weight fast and easy.

How To Lose 5 Pounds of Stomach Fat in 5 Days With This Weight Loss Plan

Being overweight expose you to a lot oh health risk such as heart diseases and diabetes. Therefore every time when it comes to a New Year, a lot of people will want to lose weight and set it as one of their New Year resolutions.

A lot of people who are excessively overweight tend to think that losing those pounds of stomach fat is not possible for them. But as long as you have a plan to achieve your goals, you will be able to achieve it sooner or later. What is important here is to know what are your long term goals and short term goals. By determining the duration of your goals, you will stand a higher chance to lose those pounds of stomach fat that have been with you for years.

Let me share with you some tips on how you can lose weight with proper planning and goal setting:

1. Setting realistic goals

When it comes to weight loss, most people set goals which are too ambitious. For example, if you are currently weighing 200 pounds and you set a short term plan to shed 100 pounds, this is not a realistic goal.

To lose weight effectively, you need to have a sensible weight loss plan that will guide you step by step to achieve your target weight.

2. Determining your objectives to lose weight

To succeed in doing something, you need to have a very compelling objective or reason so that you will not lose track of your goal. Losing weight just for vanity's sake is usually less helpful than losing weight to improve health.

Other than just exercising, you need to have a healthy diet so that you will have a better body and more energy to be positive throughout the day.

3. Focus on doing, not how much you are going to lose

By focusing on how many times you are going to exercise per week rather than setting how much pounds you going to lose per week, you will definitely be able to come out with a more effective weight loss plan.

As long as you have the discipline to attend all the exercise session that you have plan out per week, weight loss will come naturally.

4. Losing fat step by step

Let say if you have set a goal to lose 20 pounds after 1 month, you need to break down to how much pounds you are going to lose per week. Then plan out how many times you are going to exercise per week and what are the foods that you need to take to achieve your 1 week goal. By achieving weekly goals, you will definitely be able to achieve your final goal.

5. Having self-motivation

You need to always encourage yourself to achieve the goals that you have set. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fail to achieve your target for the week, find out why is it so. Is it because you have missed a jogging session? Or you have been eating junk food for one of the days?

After evaluating, look ahead to next week and try your best to stick to your plan.

Find out how you can lose 9lbs every 11 days using effective dieting secrets from my website below:

Click Here --> Lose 9 lbs Every 11 Days Now

Please feel free to republish this article on your website, or distribute it to your friends or clients, as long as you leave the above resource box intact.

End Your Love Affair with Food

If you are going to get serious about a weight control diet, i.e. losing weight and maintaining your goal weight, you are going to have to end your love affair with food. Now don't try to deny it. You've been seen. And if you don't call it off right now, it's all going to end in tears.

You cannot embrace fatty, sugary and salty treats to prop you up when the going gets tough. It's not what you need and deep down in your fat encrusted heart, you know it's not what you really really want.

The way I see it, there are 3 major reasons we comfort eat. Stress, boredom and the influence of negative emotions such as sadness, anger and loneliness.

Comfort food is not going to fix any of these problems. You are. By recognising the triggers for what they are and disassociating food from your solution.

Everyone suffers from stress. More so in our fast paced and demanding modern society than ever. You are attempting to escape from your stress by indulging in food treats. It's not the right thing to do. You can deal more effectively with your stress through relaxing activities such as meditation, yoga, massage or taking a walk. You can face your stress head on and develop strategies for working through it. Both methods are much more positive for you than feeding your

insecurities and worrying some more.

If you eat through boredom, you need to get another hobby. Eating should not be a time filler. Having coffee can be a time filler, but not if it incorporates a big fat chocolate brownie as an essential side dish. Taking up a sport or a class can be a new hobby. Eating should not be the focus of your day. If the things you look forward to most every day revolve around the contents of the refrigerator, then it's time to get a life. Do something you've always wanted to do, so long as it does not involve food.

You don't want to hear this but you choose your own emotions. If you are typically sad or angry or lonely, that is what you have chosen to be. It's become a nasty habit to be negative or down. No one actually "makes" you feel a certain way. You choose an emotion as a response to whatever situation you are in. With a lot of initial effort (that gets easier with practice) you can choose to be happy or satisfied or calm instead. Your choice.

There's one other major reason we comfort eat. And it's both insidious and alluring like the seductive song of a sugar coated siren. We are told to comfort eat. We are encouraged to give in to our stresses, boredoms and negative emotions by our old nemesis the mass media.

Have a good long objective look at how advertisers market their food products. How many of these foods claim they'll make you happy, interesting, popular and/or sexy??? (I'm guessing probably all of them). Learn to recognise the tricks of the advertising trade and you will be more readily able to repulse them.

If you are overweight, chances are that you indulge in some form of comfort eating. Figure out why you comfort eat and you will be well on the way to a D-i-v-o-r-c-e from your thoroughly unsuitable love.

You'll be much happier once it's all over.

Rosie Peters gives common sense advice, encouragement and tips for weight loss, sensible diet and lifelong fitness. Sometimes it's not what you want to hear, but what you need to know. Visit Rosie at weight-control-diet-advice.com Rosie's ebook, Weight Loss is Simple may be the inspiration you need.

The Best Way to Lose Belly Fat - 5 Easy Tips

The best way to lose belly fat is - eat better and be active. Full stop.

Fact is, if you want the best way to lose belly fat - you need to change your lifestyle habits like the way you eat and exercising more.

And to change all that, you need to know what you're doing - and do it right - by eating well with the right kind of foods and not wasting hours at the gym.

Below are 5 tips on the best way to lose belly fat for good-

1. Don't be obsessed with your weight. Your health should be measured by assessing how well you look after yourself - like your eating behaviors, lifestyle habits, such as stress levels, smoking, drug use and physical activity. Studies have proven that fitness is the key, not the level of fatness.
2. Forget low carbohydrate diet, we need carbs. Get some complex carbs into your body - that is carbs that are in high in fiber or have a low glycemic index (GI) value. Low GI foods tend to be complex carbohydrates, rather than simple or more refined carbs, and will keep your glucose level stable and provide a steady supply of energy. So that means things like grainy breads, wholegrain cereals, brown rice and pasta.
3. The best way to lose belly fat is with regular intensive exercise - Big or small, apple or pear shape, one thing remains certain - regular exercise is a must for keeping in peak shape, both inside and out. Look at a minimum of 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week. For beginners, more overall daily movement, such as walking is a good start. Schedule time in your diary for yourself, just like a meeting, and stick to it to improve your fitness.
4. Variety Is Crucial. If you don't vary your diet or workout, you will get bored and lose motivation fast. Furthermore, our bodies are smart and adapt very quickly to the environment exposed. Repeating the same diet and workout will no longer have the desired impact. Reduce the risk of plateaus, by mixing up the meals and workout on a monthly basis. Changes include, increasing the intensity level or mixing up the meals - which can make a huge difference to your fat loss.
5. Eating less is not the solution - eating more is. That is, get into the habit of 5 to 6 healthy mini meals a day (in controlled portions) to stop the cravings. It's a great way to feed your body - and avoid over-eating.

At the end of the day, the best way to lose belly fat is change your lifestyle. You will not change overnight, but if you are progressive with the changes - and consistent - you'll lose the belly fat.

For More on The Best Way to Lose Belly Fat, Visit http://burnfatloseweight.info/ And Get FREE Chapters to Turbulence Training Where You Will Find The Best Exercises For Quick Weight Loss and The Best Diets to Lose Stomach Fat

Lose Weight Now

Have you come to a point in your life when you don't want to look at mirrors already because you don't want to see your fat or chubby self? Well, if you have, there's no point in mulling over in misery and desperation. There's always a solution to each problem and in this case, there's only one concrete solution to your dilemma: lose weight now! But how?

First of all, you must keep in mind that each individual has his or her own metabolic rate which greatly affects the speed of their weight loss. Therefore, if you want to lose weight now, try not to compare the speed of your weight loss with other people because you have different rates of metabolism.

Another thing to remember in the process of losing weight is that you don't have to starve yourself, go on crash diets or undergo excessive exercises because all your efforts will just end up in vain.

For you to be able to lose weight successfully, you must eat the right kinds and amount of food at the proper intervals. There is no such thing as successful crash diets because the only thing that crash diets bring about is harm to a person's health.

In a nutshell, too much dieting or exercising will just bring more harm than good. In the game of trying to become slimmer and leaner, always remember that balance is the key and there is no need to punish and push one's self to the limits just to lose weight now.

Charlene J. Nuble is a healthcare professional who loves writing about women's issues, parenting and other health related stuffs. Click on the link to learn more about Lose Weight Now...

Weight Loss Through Diet and Hypnosis

Over the years you tend to put on a few pounds, and its only later on that you may realize you've become a little overweight. So then begins the battle of fighting the bulge and trying to lose weight, the visits to the doctor and gym. For a person to be successful at weight loss, they need to condition their mind as well as work on their body.

A good place to begin is by keeping track of your eating habits, thereby cutting down on food that adds calories and have a high fat content. Many people assume that if they eat less or starve they will lose weight, in fact it is quite the opposite. And there are some who eat when they are going through extreme emotions and have difficulty following a diet routine between their busy work schedules. There are some who have tried but been unsuccessful, and so have resorted to visiting a psychologist to help them tune their mind into losing weight.

An alternative that the counselors suggest is hypnosis for weight loss, which will not involve any dieting but sheer pre conditioning of the mind. Hypnosis is where a person's subconscious state is trained to aid them in reaching their goals and this is done after the person has listed down their specific goals. This could be through auto response or using certain words that trigger a kind of reaction, and help them rid of all the stress that is bogging them down. The person who has been through hypnosis will be asked to make a commitment to work out or stick to a diet regime. Hypnosis has been found to be a very effective way to build positive thoughts and motivational traits in the person and helps them get rid off any weight gaining habit they might have.

Weight loss through hypnosis helps the person change their outlook on life and become more focused, be it to do with exercise or diet in order to accomplish their goals. Using the commands given at the time of hypnosis, the person battling with weight issues will be pushed towards following them with no side effects.

Thera-diet weight loss program
Download Information

Weight Loss through Acupuncture, All the Facts

Recently you might have noticed that there is a seemingly endless amount of products announced on TV and magazines that claim to be the best method when aiming to lose a few pounds. There are advertisements regarding diets, creams, exercising machines, even hypnosis and suggestion; however there is one method to do this that has not been advertised that much, and that many people claim to be the most outstanding and effective weight loss procedure, acupuncture. But, how much is true about whats being said about this method? Is it true that weight loss through acupuncture is really the best method available today?

Acupuncture is by no means a recent discovery; it is actually a technique that has been around for centuries. In the past, acupuncture was used in several different healing procedures, and it is one of the only methods that has endured the passage of time, and one that continues to prove its efficiency throughout the world. The acupuncture method consist in placing needles strategically in different parts of the human body in order to stimulate certain nerves that will balance the body energy, and therefore alleviate different illnesses, both physical and mental. When talking about weight loss, acupuncture helps the patient by allowing him or her to burn calories faster; weight loss through acupuncture is great, because it provides the necessary energy to perform different exercise routines and it also accelerates the metabolism of the patient, which allows him or her to dispose the excessive amount of body fat in a very short period of time.

One of the most attractive issues regarding weight loss through acupuncture is that this method works even if you are not really exercising your body. Given the fact that acupuncture accelerates your blood circulation, you will be burning fat even by sitting idly on your couch just watching your favorite TV show. However, weight loss through acupuncture requires discipline as well as any other method, you will have to endure the placing of needles throughout your body for at least 2 times a week.

If you combine your weight loss through acupuncture process with a healthy diet and frequent exercise routines, it may take no longer than 6 months to reach your desired weight goal, which is, by far, one of the lowest amount of times available today. If you are planning to turn to acupuncture alone when trying to lose some weight, then you will have to be very patient, because weight loss through acupuncture alone may not be as fast as you wish.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it's not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus all the hyperlinks must be made active just like below.

Jean Lam is a writer, author, publisher and owns several sites. Visit his weight loss obesity website for lots of articles about losing weight. Also check out the weight loss eBook that will give you tips for your weight loss problems.

The Science of Post-Workout Supplementation

In this age of complex supplementation, the basics of sport nutrition have been forgotten. Simply put, in order to gain mass one must stay in an anabolic state. The off-season is often a time focusing on strength gains and hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is an essential step towards developing greater strength because in the most basic equation, strength correlates with the cross-sectional area of the muscle. The easiest way to attain a consistent anabolic response is through a properly scheduled intake of nutritionally balanced meals.

A post-workout drink is optimal for providing a balance of protein and carbohydrates plus it provides the added bonus of an improved hydration state. The continuous presence of calories will fuel muscle growth and recovery by supporting protein and glycogen synthesis. Periods of more than 3-4 hours without food can result in a post-absorptive catabolic state.

Muscles are catabolized ("broken down") for energy, essentially robbing you and your muscles of all the hard work and growth previously accomplished. Immediate post-exercise energy consumption prevents a delay in the delivery of energy substrates to the depleted muscle cell and is therefore an important method to remain anabolic.

Post-exercise feeding can reduce protein degradation and increase protein synthesis. Post-exercise caloric intake is also necessary to restore liver and muscle glycogen (energy stores). The benefits of a post-workout drink occur through the hormonal response to insulin and an increase in amino acid uptake by muscles is also due to an increase in insulin.

Carbohydrates should not be left out of the post-exercise drink because these are necessary to provide the insulin "spike" and are an essential source of energy for the recovery process. Ingesting a mixed carbohydrate-protein drink after training is much more anabolic than consuming only a protein shake. This is also an optimal period for creatine supplementation.

Protein provides the building blocks for muscle growth. Protein synthesis increases 50% 4 hours and 109% 24 hours post-training (MacDougall et al., 1995). The nutrient intake within this time period thus has important implications on the adaptations to training. The protein recommendation for experienced strength athletes is ~1.7 g/kg while novice trainers may need more.

Requirements may transiently increase if intensity or volume of activity is increased (up to ~ 2g/kg) and especially for athletes involved in both strength and speed activities. Endurance exercise also creates an increase in protein requirements of up to 1.6 g/kg/day because of the increased catabolism of protein during exercise. To assist in meeting these requirements, supplements should contain at least 20 grams of protein per serving.

The carbohydrate component should consist of simple, high-glycemic carbohydrates because of their fast absorption into the bloodstream and quick delivery to muscle cells (Burke et al., 1993). The increased cellular sensitivity to insulin post-exercise provides for the rapid delivery and intra-cellular transport of glucose and creatine.

Carbohydrate has also been shown to have anabolic properties by helping to prevent protein breakdown through the insulin-stimulated response. The increased insulin levels post-exercise will not result in increased fat storage because skeletal muscle is the primary consumer of nutrients at this time.

Carbohydrates cause glycogen re-synthesis and replace the fuel source previously depleted by your resistance training (Ivy et al., 1988). The dose of post-exercise carbohydrate should be 0.7-1g/kg (Burke et al., 1996). Glycogen synthesis can be impaired by eccentric muscle damage (Costell et al., 1990) but fortunately most resistance training programs incorporate several rest days before the same muscle group is trained again, therefore glycogen depletion is not a big issue in strength training. The highest rates of glycogen re-synthesis occur following energy intake that is within 2 hours of training (Ivy et al., 1988).

Perhaps even more important is the fact that 1g of carbohydrate per kg body weight has been shown to prevent post-exercise protein breakdown (Roy et al., 1997). Therefore optimal energy intake occurs A.S.A.P. (within 30-minutes of training may be best) in order to raise insulin levels (an anti-catabolic hormone). This is extremely important if a second training session is scheduled within 24 hours, such as for individuals training related muscle groups and athletes involved in tournament play.

Individuals that often complain of the inability to gain weight simply do not consume enough calories. A large portion of the sedentary American population has mastered weight gain through inactivity and constant snacking. Although fat weight is not desired, this scenario can be applied to hard-gainers. Work hard, rest harder, and stay anabolic. Post-exercise supplementation is essential for enhancing the anabolic environment and limiting the potential for exercise-induced catabolism. These extra calories are welcomed by the hard-gainer for use in growth and repair.

A post-exercise drink also prevents dehydration as any weight loss following training is due to water loss. A post-exercise drink or meal-replacement can contribute to the recommended intake of 10 cups of non-caffeinated fluids per day. Because there is no difference in energy replenishment between a liquid and solid food source (Burke, 1996), a liquid meal-replacement appears to be most beneficial post-exercise.

Other factors demonstrate the superiority of meal-replacements over whole food in the post-exercise condition. Often athletes are fatigued and do not have the energy to prepare food or do not have the appetite for whole-food. Finally, the access to food may be limited, especially when other priorities demand time and energy and limit the time the athlete has to return to work or home while still consuming adequate calories.

References

Burke, L.M. Nutrition for post-exercise recovery. Aus. J. Sci. & Med. 29: 3-10, 1996.

Burke, L.M., G.R. Collier, and M. Hargreaves. Muscle glycogen storage after prolonged

exercise: effect of the glycemic index on carbohydrate feedings. J. Appl. Physiol. 75: 1019-1023, 1993.

Costell, D.L., D.D. Pascoe, W.J. Fink, R.A. Robergs, S.I. Barr, and D. Pearson. Impaired

muscle glycogen re-synthesis after eccentric exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 69: 46-50, 1990.

Ivy, J.L., M.C. Lee, J.T. Brozinick, Jr., and M.J. Reed. Muscle glycogen storage after

different amounts of carbohydrate ingestion. J. Appl. Physiol. 65: 2018-2023, 1988.

MacDougall, J.D. et al. The time course for elevated muscle protein synthesis following

heavy resistance exercise. Can. J. Appl. Physiol. 20: 480-486, 1995.

Roy, B.D., M.A. Tarnopolsky, J.D. MacDougall, J. Fowles, and K.E. Yarasheski. Effect

of glucose supplement timing on protein metabolism after resistance training. J.

Appl. Physiol. 82:1882-1888, 1997.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com