Whether you’ve been hitting the gym regularly for years or you’re just starting to get into your workout routine, it can be tough to establish a regimen and find the perfect exercise plan that works for you. Weight loss doesn’t come easy, and even with the perfect diet and exercise regimen, it can be discouraging to wait for those unwanted pounds to disappear. With that mind, here are a few secrets to keep in mind when trying to lose weight for good.
Take a look at these six workout secrets that will motivate you to keep working hard and getting fit.
1. Remember to breathe
Breathing during exercise can help you work harder. | iStock.com
We’ve all been there. You’re working on your third set of bicycle crunches, and you start turning red in the face because you’re working so hard you’ve forgotten to breathe. This all-too common practice of holding your breath during intense exercise can actually prevent you from working out to your fullest potential.
To lose weight, you need to give each of your workouts your whole effort, and remembering to breathe will help fuel your muscles and keep you going longer and harder. Greatist explains when you breathe properly during exercise, you calm your mind, deliver oxygen to your muscles so they can perform properly, and help prevent the awful side stitch from occurring.
2. 30 minutes is enough time to get a workout in
30-minute HIIT workouts are great for your metabolism. | iStock.com
This may baffle some gym-goers who hop on the treadmill for 45 minutes before they even get to the weights, but it’s true — you can get a fantastic, metabolism-boosting, fat-burning workout done in 30 minutes or less, and it can be just as effective for weight loss as your hour-long treadmill sessions.
HIIT incorporates a few minutes of high-intensity exercise with shorter periods of low-intensity recovery, so you’ll torch calories faster than you ever thought possible. And, most HIIT workouts hover around 20 minutes, though we’ll warn you — they’re not for the faint of heart. You’ll be incorporating full-body exercises that are very demanding, but the results are worth it.
3. Recovery days are great for weight loss
Recovery days are essential to your workout routine. | iStock.com
Self reports according to Adam Rosante, founder of The People’s Bootcamp in New York, working out six or seven days a week does not give your body enough time to restore. When you’re at the gym, you’re not actually building muscle — you’re tearing your muscles down. It’s in the recovery that your muscles rebuild and become stronger, so without this crucial recovery period, you won’t be building much muscle at all. And, with more muscle comes more fat burn even when you’re not working out, so you could be sabotaging your weight loss goals by not resting.
Rosante recommends splitting your workout routine up so that you exercise for two days, take a rest day, and then exercise for three days, which will be followed by another rest day. Any more than this, and you run the risk of overtraining.
4. Set achievable goals
Set goals for yourself that you know you can achieve. | Thinkstock
When you’re setting a fitness goal, Jennipher Walters, certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, tells SparkPeople there are a few questions you should ask yourself. First, how big your goal is and if it’s attainable in under three months. If your goal is going to take you longer than three months, break that goal up into smaller goals that you can achieve faster.
Your first goal should be attainable in two to three weeks. Then, ask yourself what you need to do to achieve this first goal — how many workouts will you need to complete, and what kind of exercise will you do? Finally, ask yourself if you can truly see yourself sticking to this plan, as it will only work if you think you can do it.
5. Have someone else hold you accountable
Working out with a friend is a great way to get your exercise in. | iStock.com
According to Men’s Fitness, not only will you feel more motivated to go to the gym with a buddy by your side, but it’ll make your workouts more fun, too. If you don’t love the treadmill, then why not try out some tennis or play a round of basketball outdoors to get your heart rate up? If lifting is more your style, your gym buddy can correct your form so you can get the most out of each rep without injuring yourself. You might also unknowingly push yourself a little harder and do a few more reps than you normally would when you’re with someone who’s giving their routine their all. Working out with a friend can lead to greater gains and serious weight loss, more so than if you were to go at it alone.
6. Don’t be afraid of the weights
Weight training will give you the look you want. | iStock.com/VladimirFLoyd
Cardio may burn more calories during your actual gym session, but it’s the weights that will help you burn through stubborn fat. Trainer Kayla Itsines explains resistance training burns more calories after your workout is finished. And, it helps you retain muscle while losing fat, so you’ll achieve a toned look in addition to dropping the pounds.
To get the most out of your workout, aim to incorporate both weights and cardio for the ultimate weight-loss combo.
'BIP': Are Demi Burnett & Kristian Haggerty Still Together? Fans Speculate on Instagram
October 7, 2019
Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty stole the hearts of Bachelor Nation during their stint on Bachelor in Paradise. Despite a budding connection with Derek Peth, Burnett was seriously struggling on the beach and at times appeared distant and distracted. When she confessed to Chris Harrison that the reason for her conflicted behavior was because of her feelings for Haggerty, she changed Bachelor Nation forever.
Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty
Though the bachelor franchise started over 17 years ago, this was the first time that a same-sex couple was shown on the show. Despite the fact that Haggerty wasn’t an alum of the franchise, Harrison invited her to stay on the beach with Burnett after witnessing their love for one another. Though the couple’s love story was not without its fair share of challenges to overcome, they left the beach engaged after Burnett proposed.
Not to be outdone, Haggerty returned the favor and proposed to Burnett during the Bachelor in Paradise reunion special. The pair seemed happier and closer than ever and committed to spending the rest of thier lives together. But, it’s been over two weeks since the pair posted pictures together on Instagram, and now fans of the couple are questioning if they are still together.
Fans speculate on Instagram
Recently, Haggerty took to her Instagram page to post a picture of herself with a close friend. “Couldn’t do this crazy life without ya,” Haggerty captioned the photo. A seemingly innocent post honoring friendship immediately caused fans to speculate about her relationship with Burnett. “That’s not Demi? Are you dating someone new,” one fan questioned. “Demi Burnett, sorry to be ignorant but are you two not together any longer,” one fan asked, tagging Burnett in the post.
But the questions hardly stopped there. “Are Kristian and Demi even together anymore,” one Instagram user penned. “Where has Demi been,” another demanded. “Where is @demi_not_lovato I haven’t seen you post about her since the engagement,” one person noted. “You’re [sic] never with Demi.” another person declared. The incessant questioning about the status of the couple’s relationship continued, with many people citing that they might have broken up because of the lack of pictures in the past two weeks.
Bachelor nation defends the couple
The questions became so persistent that, eventually, a family member of Haggerty’s stepped in to clarify that the person in the picture was just a friend. More reasonable fans also stepped in to share their opinions about those questioning if Burnett and Haggerty were still engaged. “Y’all are gonna make Kristian stay off social media with these dumba*s comments,” one fan wrote.
“Imagine posting pictures with your female friends & every time a bunch of people comment “OMG! DID YOU AND SO AND SO BREAK UP?!?” Phew, can’t imagine how frustrating that must be. Sorry, you and your family see these comments. But just an FYI, you can make it so only people you know can comment on your pics,” another fan said candidly to Haggerty.
Burnett and Haggerty are still engaged
As it happens, Burnett and Haggerty are still very much together. The pair can be seen sporting their engagement rings on their respective Instagram pages. They simply haven’t posted a picture together in a while. Instead, they are taking their relationship at a pace that works for them instead of following the typical script that most bachelor alums do.
This situation clearly illustrates the sheer amount of pressure placed on couples in the bachelor nation to perform their love for one another publicly. Luckily, it appears that Haggerty and Burnett don’t feel compelled to succumb to said pressure and are doing what’s best for them and thier relationship. We wish them nothing but the best going forward.
After accumulating six Super Bowl rings during the course of his career, Tom Brady has become known as one of the quarterbacks in NFL history. Because Tom has been in the NFL for almost two decades, he knows how to keep his body in top physical condition. Strict discipline and conditioning, along with a diverse diet is how this seasoned veteran is able to keep his body ready for the next game.
Tom Brady has a strict diet that he must follow all year long. However, he is still human, and just like the rest of us, he gets a few junk food cravings from time to time. So, how does Tom handle his cravings while still maintaining his diet? He has come up with a few solutions, and we must admit, he has some good advice that can fit into everybody’s lifestyle.
How old is Tom Brady?
Tom Brady was born on August 3, 1977, which makes him 42 years old. He was born San Mateo, California, where he lived with his parents and three sisters until he graduated high school in 1995.
Sports had always been a major part of Tom Brady’s life. When he was very young, he started out playing flag football at his elementary school. Once he got into junior high, Tom was the first string quarterback at San Mateo’s Junipero Serra High school, where he was a student.
Not only did Tom play football in high school, but he was also a star baseball player. In fact, when he graduated high school, he was offered a spot on a professional baseball team named the Montreal Expos. He was tempted to take the job, however, the University of Michigan also had their eyes on Tom and had offered him a full-paid football scholarship. Tom ultimately decided to go to college and pursue his dreams of becoming a professional football player. That just goes to show how important football has always been to Tom Brady. Not many high school graduates would have passed up a guaranteed spot on a professional baseball team for a chance to maybe play football in the future.
What is Tom Brady’s diet?
Tom Brady may be 42 years old, but he looks to be in better shape than most 25-year-old. So, how does he keep his body in such great shape? One way is by eating well. Tom Brady has eating down to a science. He has developed the TB12 diet, which he claims can not only help you get to and maintain your ideal body weight, but it can also enhance performance, reduce the risk of sustaining serious injuries, and minimize the likelihood of inflammation.
The diet consists of cutting out processed foods, dairy, gluten, sugar, artificial sweeteners, nightshade vegetables, caffeine, various types of cooking oils, iodized salt, and alcohol. That sounds like a lot of food that he is refusing to eat, but he insists that he still gets a steady diet by eating organic fruits and vegetables as well s grass-fed lean beef or fresh-caught seafood.
Because he has three kids, you may think that it would be hard to prepare meals for a family of five while having such strict meal guidelines. But not to worry, he lets his professional chef take care of his meal planning. According to reports, Tom and his wife, Gisele, have a professional chef that comes into their home twice a day to make nutritious and well-balanced meals for his family.
Tom Brady cheats on his diet in the best way possible
In order to keep his body at its peak performance, Tom tries to ensure that he eats right every day. However, he says that eating right does not mean that you can’t give in to a craving every now and then.
Recently, Tom gave an interview about his diet. He had told Men’s Health, ” I have a friend who freaks out if [the food] is not the most organic this or that, and I’m like, “That stress is going to harm you way more than eating that chip is,” Brady said. He then went on to explain that if he wants to eat bacon, then he will eat one piece of bacon. He also will occasionally eat a slice of pizza or some other delicious snack that is considered not to be good for your body.
He only “cheats” on his diet every now and then, but he says to not ever give in to your cravings is not that good for you either. “You should never restrict what you really want. We’re humans, here for one life,” Tom had said.
So, even though Tom may have an incredibly strict diet, he also sees the importance of making yourself happy not depriving yourself of some of the world’s most tasty food.
Welcome to the future, where you can have ice cream that’s delicious and healthy! Or, at least, you can have ice cream that’s not as bad as it used to be. So clear out your freezer and stockpile these surprisingly healthy ice cream treats that taste as good as they look.
Ciao Bella Sicilian Pistachio Gelato
Gelato is essentially Italian ice cream. Churned at a slower rate, it tends to have more milk and less cream than ice cream. At 240 calories per serving, this denser treat will help you feel full thanks to the real pistachios. Each serving has less sugar than other types of gelato on the market.
Nadamoo! Gotta Do Chocolate Ice Cream
There’s a lot to love here. First, it’s non-dairy and organic. Next, there are only 120 calories per serving. Unlike other low-calorie ice creams that add extra ingredients for flavor, this Nadamoo! dessert has only eight grams of sugar per serving. It also has a whopping six grams of fiber — more than an apple — and one gram of protein.
Skinny Cow Salt-Kissed Caramel Greek Yogurt Bars
You know Greek yogurt is good for you, but did you know it’s just as good for you frozen? These 100-calorie Greek yogurt bars are deliciously creamy and perfect for caramel lovers. Bonus: Each bar contains active and live cultures plus five grams of protein.
Coconut Bliss Sweet Cherry Amaretto
Ice cream made from coconut milk is a great way to consume healthy fats. With a higher fat content than regular ice cream, coconut milk ice cream gives you the good type of fat that raises HDL cholesterol. This particular flavor is refreshing and creamy, with 260 calories per serving, one gram of fiber, and two grams of protein.
GoodPop Coldbrew Coffee Pops
What happens when you combine cold brew coffee with popsicles? You get GoodPop’s cold brew coffee pops! These delicious treats are pretty much coffee on a stick. Perfect for a pick-me-up in the summer, they have the same amount of caffeine as one cup of coffee. Each pop is only 80 calories, with eight grams of sugar per serving.
Klondike Ice Cream Bar Original Minis
It’s far better to indulge in small portions of your favorite treats than it is to overindulge in diet products with hidden ingredients. If you love Klondike bars, you’ll appreciate these mini versions. They’re just enough to satisfy your cravings, with 120 calories in each serving.
Chilly Cow Brown Butter Salted Caramel Ice Cream Bars
Chilly Cow uses ultra-filtered milk, which essentially gets rid of the sugar and water in milk and leaves behind a denser product packed in protein. If you love ice cream bars, you can enjoy one of these at just 100 calories. You can also buy this flavor in pint form.
Yasso Coffee Chocolate Chip Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars
If you want a cold, caffeine-filled treat that tastes more like ice cream than coffee, try these coffee chocolate chip Greek yogurt bars from Yasso. This frozen treat still gives you a caffeine buzz without all that coffee. Plus, Greek yogurt provides more protein than ice cream. Each bar has 100 calories and five grams of protein.
Cado Dairy-Free Simply Lemon Avocado Frozen Dessert
If you seek a dairy-free ice cream with a unique taste, we’ve got the solution. Cado’s lemon avocado frozen dessert is creamy (thanks to the avocado puree) and refreshing (due to the crisp lemon flavor). It’s a combo you’d never think of, but once you try it you’ll see why it’s on our list. It comes in a pint, and each serving has just 170 calories.
Talenti Gelato Chocolate Fudge Swirl
Dense, creamy gelato can help you feel more satisfied than regular ice cream. Talenti’s chocolate fudge swirl flavor has more natural ingredients and fewer calories than other flavors. Each serving has 160 calories, eight grams of fiber, and five grams of protein.
Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Bars
This childhood throwback is surprisingly healthier than several ice creams that market themselves as “diet” or “healthy” options. Each Good Humor strawberry shortcake bar has just 160 calories and 11 grams of sugar. Treat yourself and enjoy a delicious treat with a sense of nostalgia.
Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co. Mango Pops
These soft-serve mango pops have just three ingredients: fruit, water, and cane sugar. That means you don’t have to worry about bad ingredients. Be careful because they’re fairly high in sugar. One serving has only 60 calories but 15 grams of sugar.
Halo Top Pops Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
We aren’t sure exactly how they do it, but Halo Top manages to make delicious ice cream pops with only 50 calories. You can indulge in a variety of flavors, like cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, peanut butter swirl, and strawberry cheesecake.
Enlightened S’mores
If you love the taste of s’mores but don’t want to sit by a campfire all night, you’re in luck. Enlightened s’mores ice cream tastes just like the real thing. At just 100 calories per serving, this treat starts with creamy marshmallow and adds real chunks of graham crackers and chocolate.
Edy’s Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Slow-churned ice creams are ideal for those who want a larger bowl of dessert with fewer calories. That’s because it’s made at a lower temperature than traditional ice creams, lowering the size of fat particles. Edy’s slow churned mint chocolate chip flavor is just 110 calories per serving.
It’s summertime, and this means we’re headed to the beach — or at least dreaming of it. Many of us overlook the health benefits of a little bit of sunshine. If you’re already planning a trip to the beach, this list will help you make up your mind. Plus, we’ll learn how the beach affects your body negatively, too.
The good: stress relief
We all know the sights and sounds of the beach work together to relieve stress. But what’s going on in your body physiologically is amazing. When you go to the beach, you get a release of serotonin, which is a hormone that makes you feel happy.
Fight off infection
Maybe you’ve heard the myth that salt water can help heal a cut or infection. But this actually a fact. Even the medical community advises treating minor skin infections with salt water soaks or compresses. Both antibacterial and antifungal, salt water helps with thyroid gland health, too. What better way to treat a minor infection than playing in the ocean?
Daily dose of vitamin D
Hopefully, if you take a trip to the beach, you’ll experience sunny days in the sand — and quickly get your daily dose of vitamin D. This vitamin is an essential one. And amazingly, our body creates it from exposure to direct sunlight (UVB rays). You don’t have to get a tan or a burn to get vitamin D. It only takes about half the time it takes to burn to get the needed amount.
Skin health
Now before you take this as a license to bake your skin, slather on SPF or use an umbrella. Thankfully, there are other ways the beach is good for your skin. First of all, sand is a fantastic exfoliant for your feet! Being in the sun opens your pores, too. When you follow that with a plunge in the salt water, it can clear out acne-causing bacteria.
Better sleep
You don’t have to play with the intensity of a child to get the positive sleep effects of the beach. Just a walk on the beach is hard work because of the stability it takes to walk on sand. And when your body is tired, you sleep better. Plus, less stress helps with a better night’s sleep, too.
Breathe more easily
It’s no wonder many people retire to beach communities. But one reason why, knowingly or unknowingly, is the beach’s air quality. People with asthma, COPD, and other breathing issues thrive here. The Lung Institute reports that people with chronic lung conditions had clearer lungs after breathing the salt air at the beach for nearly a year.
Regulate your body with iodine
We know iodine is essential to our bodies because it’s added to our salt. Our bodies need iodine to create thyroid hormones, which control our metabolism and many other vital body functions. And your skin absorbs the iodine present in the ocean when you take a swim in the water.
The bad: Sunburn
Most people can relate to the experience of a bad sunburn. If you are in and out of the water a lot — even if you reapply sunscreen — it will wash off. Check out this list of the best waterproof sunscreens. Alternate spending time in the sun and shade, so your skin isn’t baking all day. And find a fun hat to provide lots of shade to your face, neck, and shoulders.
Sun damage to your skin
Wrinkles and age spots are inevitable. But spending time in the sun ages your skin more rapidly. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, every time you go out in the sun without protection, your skin is exposed to UV rays. You can protect your skin by keeping it covered, staying in the shade, and using sunscreen. Your dermatologist can also help with treatments to reverse the effects of sun damage.
Dehydration
It seems crazy to get dehydrated as all that water surrounds you. But it’s easy when you are in the sun all day. Drink 16 ounces of water an hour when you’re at the beach, and you should be good to go! Also, if you feel like you’re overdoing it, get in the shade and drink something with electrolytes right away.
Jellyfish stings and other first-aid concerns
Any fun outing has associated health risks. But there are plenty of ways to avoid the risks and be prepared if anything unfortunate does happen. Always bring a first aid kit to deal with scrapes and cuts. Make sure you know how to treat a jellyfish sting. Be smart and don’t swim outside of your ability. Be aware of any undertows. If you’re at the beach with children, consider a beach spot with a lifeguard.
No comments:
Post a Comment