Get the best you can from your diet and exercise regime and see the weight fall off and stay off with these nutritional tips and training methods
by Taryn Davies |
Do you lead a healthy lifestyle?
Recent research shows that whilst exercise of any kind is good for boosting the immune system, maintaining a healthy heart and even producing positive psychological effects, it could also be counter-productive and cause you to put on more weight than you actually burn off.
Part of the problem is what scientists refer to as ‘compensation’ and it works on the principle that whilst low-moderate exercise can burn calories, it can also stimulate hunger meaning in the long term you eat more and therefore store more fat. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the scientists at Myvitamins.com to bring you a ‘Back To Basics Weekend Diet and Exercise Guide’ that addresses the common fitness mistakes people make and reveal the training methods, nutritional tips and specialist vitamins and minerals you should be incorporating in your diet to help ensure you get the results you want.
# Saturday:
8:00am:
Bad breakfast: Croissant with butter and jam
Good breakfast: Cinnamon porridge oats with blueberries
Why?
Studies show that what we eat for breakfast can affect everything from our mood, cravings and energy levels for the rest of the day. It has a lot to do with our blood sugar levels because when we eat a carbohydrate high in sugars such as a croissant with jam and butter it can cause our blood sugar levels to rise and fall dramatically. This then brings about certain hormonal changes in the body that can cause us to crave other sugary snacks and also leave us feeling tired and lethargic. A breakfast of cinnamon porridge oats and berries on the other hand is perfect for regulating blood sugar levels, stopping cravings and keeping the body slowly energised throughout the day since the low glycaemic index carbohydrates supply a slow sustained release of energy, the cinnamon has been shown to control blood sugar levels and the nutrient dense blueberries contain a natural compound called flavonoids which help to jump-start and nourish the metabolism.
10:30am:
Bad snack: Tea and chocolate biscuits
Good snack: Green tea and an apple
Why?
Whilst there are certainly benefits of drinking tea such as the antioxidant properties, there isn’t when it comes to the added sugar, milk and chocolate biscuits. That’s why it may be better to substitute your normal morning tea with green tea and an apple since green tea contains a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which as well as being associated with a number of health benefits such as helping to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system and reduction in the risk of cancer, it’s also thought to be responsible for the fat loss properties of green tea by increasing your body’s ability to use stored body fat as energy. Also just one apple contains 95 calories, has zero fat and cholesterol, contains crucial vitamins such as vitamins C, K and B6 and is high in fibre to help keep you fuller for longer. Alternatively 30 capsules of Total Green Tea Extract are available from Myvitamins.com for £2.49. http://www.myvitamins.com/vitamins/total-green-tea-extract/10618924.html
1:00pm:
Bad Lunch: Pepperoni pizza
Good lunch: Cayenne-rubbed chicken with avocado and salsa
Why?
Pizza dough is a high glycaemic carbohydrate which means it causes blood sugar levels to rise, insulin to be released and therefore causes your body to store fat and this is only made worse by the fact you usually eat your lunch whilst sat at the table doing nothing physically active. But research shows you can still burn calories even whilst you sit there as long as you ditch the pizza for something healthier, like a cayenne-rubbed chicken with avocado and salsa. This is because studies show cayenne pepper can increase the body’s metabolism by 25%. Plus avocados contain the enzyme lipase, which is the enzyme responsible for breaking down fat that is stored in the body.
2:00pm:
Bad training routine: 30 minutes of slow jogging on a treadmill
Good training routine: 15 minute of High Intensity Interval Training
Why?
According to research published in the Journal of Obesity in 2011, regular steady state exercise such as ‘walking and jogging at a moderate intensity disappointingly has led to negligible weight loss.’ This is because scientists believe slow endurance training like running at a low speed can mobilise fat on the body but not actually burn it. That same journal however stated how a method of training called High Intensity Interval Training not only required less time to perform, but also was far better at burning body fat and increasing the metabolism so you continued to burn calories even after you’ve finished at the gym. High Intensity Interval Training simply involves working at 85% of your maximum work rate for 30 seconds (e.g. sprinting or very quickly cycling) followed by 100 seconds working at 60% of your maximum heart rate (e.g. jogging or cycling slowly) on and off for 15 minutes. To further increase the results you see in the gym, try consuming just 200mg of caffeine before training since research shows this can speed up the metabolism, increase fat burning hormones and lastly researchers at Yale University found that it can stimulate the production of the neuro transmitter beta-endorphin, which studies show can reduce pain and perceived fatigue, which ultimately means you train harder for longer. 30 capsules of Total Caffeine is available from Myvitamins.com for £2.49. http://www.myvitamins.com/vitamins/total-caffeine/10618906.html
3:00pm:
Bad snack: Cheese burger
Good snack: Grilled wild salmon with chickpeas, kidney beans and white beans
Why?
Salmon is a great source of the essential fatty acid Omega 3 which studies have shown can increase the body’s ability to burn fat by ‘up-regulating’ the efficiency of the mitochondria to burn fat. The mitochondria are best described as the powerhouses of our cells and put simply when they work better, we burn more fat. Fortunately for those who don’t like fish you can get Omega 3 in your diet in supplement form and 60 soft gels of Omega 3 is available from Myvitamins.com for £3.49. http://www.myvitamins.com/vitamins/omega-3/10622384.html
6:30pm:
Bad Lunch: Spaghetti Bolognaise
Good Lunch: Spanish omelette with chopped green vegetables and peppers
Why?
Your metabolism slows down when you sleep so any excess carbohydrates or calories you eat at night will be stored as fat whilst you sleep. That’s why it’s important your last meal of the day is a low-carbohydrate, low-calorie and high protein meal since this will ensure all your hard work at the gym isn’t undone overnight.
One way of increasing the amount of fat you can burn is by going for a 30-45 minute first thing in the morning without eating any breakfast. What this effectively does is forces your body to use stored fat as energy since your body has gone 8 hours without eating (whilst you sleep) so your muscle glycogen levels and insulin levels are low and glucagon levels are high, put simply this means hormonally your body is in the perfect state to start burning fat. So to do this wake up in the morning, get hydrated with a glass of water but don’t eat anything. Then go for a 30-45 minute run and then you can eat your breakfast.
9:00am:
Bad breakfast: Toast and marmalade or chocolate spread
Good breakfast: Fruit smoothie made with Acai Berries (30 capsules of Acai Berries are available from Myvitamins.com for £2.99.) http://www.myvitamins.com/vitamins/total-acai-berry/10618904.html
Why?
The basic principle of losing weight is to use more calories than you eat, but often people will make the mistake of not eating enough nutrient dense foods to keep their metabolism and other normal bodily functions running efficiently. That’s why it’s important to ensure you eat enough fruit since it contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes that keep the body nourished despite the calorie deficit. One of the most nutrient dense foods to receive huge media attention in recent years due to celebrities such as Oprah and Brad Pitt using them is Acai berries. Rich in antioxidants, omega fats, phytochemicals and vitamin A, B1 and C they are considered by nutritionists to be a great addition to any diet.
11:00am:
Bad snack: Toast and marmalade or chocolate spread
Good snack: Whole wheat crackers with almond butter
Why?
Research conducted at Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain found that the healthy fat content in nuts produced very good satiating effect in those looking to lose weight. Therefore having whole wheat crackers with almond butter as a mid-morning snack will help stop cravings, reduce hunger and more importantly prevent any lapses in your diet.
1:00pm:
Bad Lunch: Cheese and tomato sandwiches
Good Lunch: Grilled fish and quinoa salad with onions, olive oil, avocado, chickpeas and lentils
Why?
Protein out of any other macronutrient has been shown to keep you fuller for longer and actually requires more calories to digest than carbohydrates and fats, that’s why it’s important to have a lunch high in a quality, lean source of protein like fish with some lentils and salad to add some fibre to the diet and further keep you full.
3:00pm:
Bad snack: A chocolate bar
Good snack: An orange
Why?
Now obviously chocolate isn’t great for you but perhaps less obvious is the fact oranges are a great source of Vitamin C which has been shown to promote the production of Carnitine in the body which can break down and oxidize fatty acids in the body.
5:30pm: 45 minutes strength training
Why?
Whilst it’s traditionally thought that strength training was just for men wanting to build muscle, research published in the International Journal Of Obesity found that twice-weekly strength training was great for burning fat, boosting the metabolism and was feasibly possible for women with a busy schedule to lose weight. Even more impressive is that fact scientists found strength training could increase your metabolism even when you’re on a low calorie diet, something light cardio training doesn’t do.
6:15pm:
Bad snack: Fish and chips
Good Dinner: Lean beef steak with steamed carrots, broccoli and cauliflower
Why?
Scientists have found that a specially fatty acid known as Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) found in beef can actually increase your body’s ability to burn fat. Scientists from the I-Shou University, the study took 63 obese subjects and randomly assigned them to receive daily supplements of CLA (3.4 grams) or a placebo (salad oil) in a milk product for 12 weeks. Results showed that after 12 weeks of supplementation participants in the CLA group displayed average decreases in bodyweight of 0.7kg, BMI of 0.31 kg/m2, body fat mass of 0.58kg and fat percentage of 0.6%. Unfortunately CLA is only present in beef in small doses and not the effective 3.4gram dose mentioned in the study above, fortunately 60 soft gels of pure CLA are available from Myvitamins.com for £7.99 http://www.myvitamins.com/vitamins/total-cla/10618912.html
Biggest Fitness Mistakes and Myths:
Small exercise tone better
One of the biggest mistakes people make in the gym is doing small, isolated exercises like bicep curls or tricep extensions thinking that this will tone certain parts of the body. Studies show the best way to tone the body is to do large compound exercises like squats, lunges, press ups and deadlifts since these require more muscle fibres to perform and as a general rule of thumb the more muscle fibres you recruit the more calories you burn.
You can lose fat from certain parts of the body
Another common gym myth is that you can lose fat from certain parts of the body like your stomach or hips. This isn’t true and unfortunately you can’t exactly pick where you lose fat from. The good news is that if you persevere and are determined, you will eventually lose fat from your ‘problem areas.’
Low intensity cardio is best for losing fat
Research conducted at the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the University of California in America found that low intensity cardiovascular exercise increased fat mobilisation, but not fat burning and that high intensity training such as strength training or sprinting was found to burn far more fat.
Low calorie diets are best for losing weight
Whilst it is true you need to create a ‘calorie deficit’ and use more calories than you eat, if you restrict your calories too much your body responds by going into survival mode, slowing the metabolism down and conserving fat. Therefore it’s important to gradually reduce you calorie intake over a period of time. Studies show reducing i
Lots of repetitions burn more fat
Quite often when in the gym people will perform an exercise for 20 repetitions thinking the extra reps will help to burn fat, but research shows lower reps with a heavier weight (between 8-12) could be far better at burning fat since this puts more of a demand on the body and sends a signal to your endocrine system to increase the metabolism for up to 48 hours afterwards.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
by Taryn Davies for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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