Five Fitness Secrets for FASTER Results

Use your EMOTIONAL TRIGGER to get fit

Studies show that people who successfully transform their bodies are set in action by some sort of emotional trigger that helps to clarify their reasons for deciding to make change. Researchers discovered that any event which triggered strong emotions such as alarm, embarrassment, shame and/or fear actually inspired people to change their body and lifestyle. Find your emotional trigger and use it to stick to your fitness and nutrition program.

MODIFY your workout

Don’t do the same workout over and over. You’ve got to switch things up to keep it interesting and to keep your body guessing. This will promote better fat-loss and muscle-toning results in less time. A simple way to vary your routine would be to make just one change every time you work out. For example, do a different exercise, add on a little more weight, run a different route, etc.

Hire a PERSONAL TRAINER

A personal trainer can help you get the most out of your training and make sure you stay motivated and on track for success. Make sure you hire someone that is fully qualified and has a good reputation. Top trainers design customized workouts that are fun and effective. Check out the elite training offered at CircuitFIT in midtown Toronto (www.circuit-fit.com).

CONSISTENCY is the key

You can be sure there will be days when you’ll have to skip your workout or have the occasional meal or snack that’s not part of your meal plan. If you get off track, don’t let it ruin your progress and slow you down. Enjoy the day off or slice of decadent chocolate cake, recommit to your goal, and get back on track.

SKIP the sugars

Sugary snacks and drinks contribute to weight gain and can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you're constantly craving sugary foods and snacks, you’re probably missing out on some key nutrients. If you’re not getting enough protein, healthy fats, calcium or calories in general, your body will crave sugars for energy. Love the taste of sweets but don’t want the sugar? Visit www.thelowcarbgrocery.com for sugar-free/low-carb snacks that pack serious taste!

Get LEAN in 15

Life’s crazy these days. Sometimes you barely have enough time to breathe, let alone hit the gym. Instead of missing your workout on those hectic days, try this intense circuit session and get lean in just 15 minutes.

ROUTINE: Do 3 circuits, resting only 1 minute between each

Walking Lunge - 10 to 15 reps

Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands supporting the dumbbells by your sides. Step forward with the first leg and lower your body by bending both knees. Do not allow your knee to pass your toes. Push up and back. Repeat with the other leg.

2 Chin up - 6 to 10 reps

Grasp the chin-up bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder width apart. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar and pause at the top of the movement. Slowly lower yourself, pause and repeat.

Chest Fly-Press - 8 to 10 reps

Grasp two dumbbells and lie back on an incline bench (set at about a 30 degree angle). With your palms facing each other, lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch across your chest. Bend your elbows and press the weights back up to the starting position and repeat.

Dumbbell crunch - 15 to 20 reps

Lay back on an exercise ball with your knees bent. Hold a dumbbell overhead and lift your upper torso off the ball. Tighten up your abs as you crunch up. Pause at the top, lower slowly and repeat.

Get on the Circuit today for fast fat-loss & toning results: Visit Circuit Fit for more info.

Burning Calories Around the Clock

One of the best ways to shed a few pounds is to make sure your body is burning calories around the clock. Here are 6 surefire ways to beat the bulge

1 Eat Protein

Protein requires more energy to digest than carbs and fats, meaning you are burning more calories while your body is breaking it down. Try to include a portion (size of your fist) of protein at every meal and as a snack (think cottage cheese instead of chips), and you’ll fire up your metabolism for weight loss results!

2 Milk does a body good

Studies have shown that calcium boosts metabolism. A combination of Calcium in foods and calcium from supplements is your best bet (do not rely solely on a supplement form). The RDA for calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day, or four 1-cup servings of milk.

3 Say yes to fiber

High-fiber foods help regulate blood sugar levels and take longer to digest, which means you burn more calories in the process. Healthy, high-fiber foods to eat throughout the day include beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole-grain breads.

4 Green means weight loss

Unlike black tea (the tea-bag kind) and other teas, green tea contains a substance called ECGC that has been proven to significantly boost metabolic rate. Green tea also contains less caffeine than coffee, so you are less likely to get jittery.

5 Alcohol Alert

Pure alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, packing in nearly twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein (both contain about 4 calories per gram) and only just under the caloric value for fat (9 calories per gram). This means that if you want to lose weight and reduce excess body fat, alcohol is not your best bet.

With that said there are a number of studies showing that moderate alcohol consumption has a number of health benefits and helps lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. The key is to consume it in moderation.

6 Exercise is a must

To burn maximum calories; you need to have a complete exercise routine that includes cardio, weight-training and core training. Aim for 30-minute exercise sessions that are fun and challenging.

You can go for a run, do a full body circuit workout at your health club or simply go for a swim with your kids. There are many options, the key is to be consistent and make it part of your lifestyle. Visit www.circuit-fit.com for a fitness professional that can help you get on the fast track to weight loss.

Should Women Weight Train? "Am I going to get big and bulky?"

Today a woman walked into CircuitFIT and inquired about the 30-minute fitness program we offer. As I began to explain that the workout combines cardiovascular exercise with weight-training she quickly stopped me with a question that I get at least once a month, "Am I going to get big and bulky if I do weights?" So, I decided to use this example and dispel the myth of women and weight training in my first post.

Most women are content with some sort of cardiovascular exercise like a brisk walk or jog on the treadmill. But this is just one type of exercise. For optimum health and fitness results, you want to incorporate weight training as well. But isn’t weight training just for guys? Actually it’s just as important (if not more) for women as it is for men. You see, women don’t have the testosterone to have big muscles to begin with. Women are already at a disadvantage and have more body fat and less muscle and bone than men do.

As muscle is lost, fat accumulates, and that process leads to a decrease in metabolism (your body’s ability to burn calories) and an increase in weight gain. Weight training can reverse this process, putting back muscle and burning fat. In other words you can lose inches and sizes! And remember, its how you look and how your clothes fit that counts. Even though muscle weighs more than fat, it takes up less space (you look slimmer), gives your body a firm appearance and helps you burn more calories. So don’t get caught up with the scale and the numbers game, rely on how you look and feel as a measure of your progress!

In one study, 72 overweight individuals participated in an eight week exercise program. The participants were placed in two groups. The first group performed 30 minutes of endurance exercise on a stationary cycle. The second group performed only 15 minutes of exercise on the stationary cycle plus an additional 15 minutes on weight resistant exercises. At the conclusion of the study, the "endurance only" group lost a total of 3.5 lbs.; 3 lbs. of which was fat and a half pound was muscle loss. On the other hand, the "endurance and weight resistive" group lost 8 lbs. with an actual fat loss of 10 lbs. and an increase of 2 lbs. of lean body weight.

In other words, you can lose more fat and gain lean muscle by adding weight training to your exercise program. Endurance exercise alone cannot give you the same effects - as the study showed, it can actually lead to muscle loss!

It doesn’t end there though. There are many more benefits that weight training can offer women. I’m sure you’ve heard your doctor recommend weight training to strengthen your bones (at least I hope you have). Lifting weights is particularly important for postmenopausal women, who, are more likely than men to fall and break bones.

Weight training can also be good for your heart. Studies show increasing evidence that weight training can favorably modify several risk factors for heart disease including lipids and cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body fat levels and glucose metabolism!

The point of this post is: Start weight-training and make it part of your exercise routine.

Post-Natal Fitness Basics

You’ve just given birth and you’re eager to get back into shape and increase your energy levels. Here are a few basics for you to review before you get started.

When Can I Start Exercising?

Generally, it is recommended that women wait about six weeks to start exercising after they have given birth. Take the time to listen to your body, and start when you feel ready. Also, be sure to check with your doctor before you start any exercise program.

Start Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelivic floor. These muscles are weakened by the birth process and should be exercised immediately after birth. To start your pelvic floor exercises imagine that you need to stop yourself from going to the toilet, pull the muscles up and in. Hold the position for five counts, then release back to the starting position. Begin with ten kegels, 3 times a day and gradually increase from there.

Breastfeeding Moms

If you are breastfeeding, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, make sure your breasts are well supported when you exercise. Also, try to breastfeed your baby before you exercise. This will help you feel more comfortable during your workouts.

Get Motivated and Stick to a Routine

To make the most of your post-natal fitness program, try to set up a routine that you can stick to. Establishing a schedule will help maintain regular workouts that fit into your everyday lifestyle. Also, try to workout at least three times a week for about 30 minutes. Try some of the following:

• Take your baby out for a stroll around the neighborhood
• Take up swimming, biking or jogging
• Start a strength-training program (check your local health club)
• Hire a personal trainer to motivate you and help you achieve your goals

The bottom line is to get active and make it part of your lifestyle. The best fitness program to beat the bulge and improve your overall health is one that combines aerobic activity and weight-training like the 30-minute workout we offer at CircuitFIT. If you live in midtown Toronto, stop by and check us out at 542 Mount Pleasant Road on the 2nd floor!

About Alex Savva - The Low Carb Grocery's Official Fitness Expert

Alex Savva is a certified Kinesiologist with a degree in Physical and Health Education and is also the fitness expert for urbanmoms.ca. Alex is the founder of CircuitFIT studio and appears regularly on City TV and CP24's Perfect Fit as a fitness expert. You contact Alex at info@circuit-fit.com.

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