Thursday, January 31, 2013

Greatist Workout of the Day: Thursday January 31st

Greatist Workout of the Day: Thursday January 31st

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Building Lean Muscle Tricks

Building Lean Muscle Tricks
Gaining lean muscle mass is no easy task and for many of us we always struggle with muscle gain and unwanted fat. This article takes a look at my best tricks for building lean muscle.

building lean muscle tricks

Building Lean Muscle Tricks

No two workouts are the same. And if one of your goals is building lean muscle mass, it’s all about the details.

In my experience as a personal trainer and fitness coach, I’ve learned a lot of tricks of the trade, and I know what it takes to make significant gains in lean muscle. This article takes a look at my best tricks for building lean muscle.

Remember, building lean muscle isn’t just for weightlifters and bodybuilders. Increasing your muscle mass also has a huge impact on your metabolism. In fact, your resting metabolism, or the efficiency with which your body can burn calories and fat, is directly related to your body’s muscle mass. So lifting weights is also a great way to burn fat and tone up. And ladies – you don’t need to worry about bulking up. It’s not as easy as you think!

My Best Building Lean Muscle Tricks

  • Eat a Big Breakfast – You’ve heard it before, but the importance of a big breakfast for building lean muscle can’t be overstated. Not only is it a great way to jumpstart your metabolism, it also provides your muscles with the fuel they need for the day. All that time sleeping has left your body – and your muscles – starving for protein. So eat up!
  • Eat a Lot, and Eat Frequently – The eating can’t stop after breakfast. One of the tricks to building lean muscle mass is taking in extra calories. You still have to eat healthy and think about your food choices, but your muscles need constant fuel to grow. Eating 6 slightly smaller meals a day works well, and make sure you’re getting 20-30 grams of protein in each one of them.
  • Supplement with Time-Released Protein – One way to ensure adequate amounts of protein is to take a high quality whey protein supplement. But a great trick to build muscle more quickly is to use a time-released protein powder like Combat Powder. It takes longer to digest, which means your muscles will stay fueled for hours.
  • Top Up with Amino Acids – In addition to a good protein supplement, you should also be thinking about amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle tissue, and you can add some of the more effective ones to your diet. Scivation Xtend is one of the best amino acid supplements you can find for building lean muscle.
  • Confuse Your Muscles – Aside from a solid muscle building diet (which really is half the battle), you need to develop a good muscle building workout schedule. And one way to build lean muscle fast at the gym is by using muscle confusion. This is a set of workout techniques aimed at jumpstarting your muscles and encouraging lean muscle growth. For more information on my best muscle confusion strategies, read my article on Muscle Confusion Workout Routines here.
  • Lift Heavier – Another weight lifting trick is to always lift heavier. This may sound like a simple strategy, but many people don’t push themselves enough at the gym. And you won’t see significant gains in lean muscle mass without constantly challenging your muscles and lifting heavier. So get to it!

All of these tricks are totally effective strategies for building lean muscle. Trust me, over the years I’ve learned what it takes to see real results at the gym. Stick with it, take my advice, and you’ll reach your goals in no time!

Have any questions or feedback about these Building Lean Muscle Tricks? Please leave a comment below…


Monday, January 28, 2013

The Greatist Table: 10 Healthy Super Bowl Recipes

The Greatist Table: 10 Healthy Super Bowl Recipes

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Enter For a Chance to Be Styled by BCBGMAXAZRIA's Lubov Azria!

POPSUGAR is excited to announce the launch of a brand-new series dedicated to those who live for fashion! One of a Kind gives a lucky reader the chance to meet - and be styled by - BCBGMAXAZRIA's Creative Director Lubov Azria. Lubov's dressed everyone from Blake Lively to Miranda Kerr to click here and tell us about your style and why it's "one of a kind" - good luck!


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Sunday, January 20, 2013

The Paleo Diet for Vegetarians, The Perfect Cup of Tea, and More

The Paleo Diet for Vegetarians, The Perfect Cup of Tea, and More

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Take the Edge Off: A Restorative Yoga Sequence For Relaxation

At the end of a long day, few things are more lovely than a little yoga to alleviate any aches and pains. This heart-opening restorative sequence will make your body work, but you'll leave your mat feeling a cool sense of calm and ready to enjoy the evening.

For more on each of these poses, be sure to check out a more detailed version of the sequence. But once you've got the basics down, check out our larger and easily printable PDF to keep at the top of your mat!

Get the whole story here.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Don't Let the Cable Pulley Machine Intimidate You! 3 Easy Moves

Don't Let the Cable Pulley Machine Intimidate You! 3 Easy Moves

The cable pulley machine is one of our favorite pieces of gym equipment. It's extremely versatile; you can work every part of your body with this machine. Although the sheer size of the cable pulley machine can be quite daunting, we're here to teach you how to get an amazing core workout with it. Watch this video to learn how to do three different moves that target your midsection while also toning your arms and legs.


Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Possible Flu Outbreak At Victoria Hospital

Possible Flu Outbreak At Victoria Hospital

Health officials are trying to cope with what they believe is an outbreak of Influenza A at a small hospital near Victoria.

The director of infection prevention and control for the Vancouver Island Health Authority says 11 people at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital became sick with flu-like symptoms over the weekend.

Dr. Pamela Kibsey says the hospital is acting fast to try to contain the outbreak.

"We've restricted visitors. We've restricted patients to their rooms and common activities and so forth,” she said.

“If it is Influenza A, then we will be going further to treat the patients affected with Tamiflu and also offer Tamiflu to all of the health care providers that work there."

Kibsey says the hospital is already short-staffed due to illness and may find it difficult to cope if more staff members fall ill.

Of the two main types of influenza, A can be more serious than the generally milder B.

Also on HuffPost:


Source: www.huffingtonpost.ca

Cardio Vs Weight Training For Weight Loss – Is Duke Study Misleading?

Almost every day, there’s a new study that comes out with sensational headlines that “proves” a certain way of training is better for fat loss than another. For example, a Duke study came out a couple of weeks ago that researched whether cardio vs weight training was better for weight loss. The authors came to [...]

The post Cardio Vs Weight Training For Weight Loss – Is Duke Study Misleading? appeared first on BuiltLean.com.

cardio vs weight training 1 Cardio Vs Weight Training For Weight Loss – Is Duke Study Misleading?

Almost every day, there’s a new study that comes out with sensational headlines that “proves” a certain way of training is better for fat loss than another. For example, a Duke study came out a couple of weeks ago that researched whether cardio vs weight training was better for weight loss.

The authors came to the conclusion that, “…It appears that AT (aerobic training) is the optimal mode of exercise for reducing fat mass and body mass, while a program including RT (resistance training) is needed for increasing lean mass in middle-aged, overweight/obese individuals.”1

The media took this story and ran with it. Hundreds of headlines popped up like:

  • Cardio burns more fat than weight lifting (Star Tribune)
  • Aerobic Exercise Trumps Resistance Training for Weight and Fat Loss (Science Daily)
  • Aerobic Exercise Bests Resistance Training at Burning Belly Fat (Duke Health)
  • Cardio burns more fat than weight lifting (CNN)
  • Aerobic exercise better for weight loss than resistance training (Chicago Tribune)
  • …to name just a few.

    With a reputable university behind the study and the media fervently promoting it, you are led to believe that if you want to lose fat optimally, you should only do cardio training.

    This article explores several reasons why this conclusion may not be as sound as the authors claim it to be…to put it lightly.

    Cardio vs Weight Training: Duke Study Weaknesses

    cardio vs weight training 2 Cardio Vs Weight Training For Weight Loss – Is Duke Study Misleading?

    1) Is Cardio Really “Optimal” For Fat Loss? – If someone said they are going to the gym 3 days per week for 8 months in order to lose weight and fat, but only lost 3.6 pounds of fat, would you say that was a good workout routine? Well, the people in this research study did just that. When the researchers claimed that the “optimal mode of exercise for reducing fat mass” they claimed that the aerobic training group who lost only 3.6 pounds of fat in 8 months was the best way to do this. As anyone who has taken on a fat loss program knows, an average of less than half a pound of fat lost per month equals really poor results.

    2) Questionable Diet Protocol – In this particular study, these “weight loss” participants were told to adhere to a 2100 calorie diet, yet were overweight or obese to begin with. A diet of 2100 calories for someone who’s overweight or obese, would be a low calorie diet that, in and of itself, would cause weight loss. In this study, the researchers used a 3-day food diary and a 24-hour recall, two methods that have been shown to be poor predictors of actual calorie consumption, especially when dealing with an 8-month weight loss program.

    3) Cardio Group Did Not Burn The Most Fat – The researchers claimed that the aerobic training group was the group that lost the most fat, but in actuality it was the combination group who lost 5.4 pounds of fat (they also gained some muscle). This is still not a huge amount of fat loss over 8 months, but is better than the aerobic only training group.

    4) Weight Training Exercise Selection Not Very Effective – Researchers only stated that the resistance training group used 8 machines that worked the entire body. In college, I worked at a commercial gym, where they put a “circuit line” of 8 strength machines, 4 of which included single-joint movements. For example, this line included a preacher curl machine, which only works the biceps and a tricep extension machine that only worked your triceps. The other 2 isolation exercises were a leg extension and seated hamstring curl machine. These machines have their utility, but for the most part, should be used sparingly and really only for those with body building pursuits. If on the other hand, you’re trying to lose weight, you want to do as many multi-joint, free-weight movements as possible. The multi-joint exercises will induce more intensity and cause you to work more muscles, therefore increasing muscle burn.

    5) Weight Training Routine Not Very Effective – In addition to that, these circuits took anywhere from 10-12 minutes to complete the 8 machines. Three rounds of these 8 machines would take a total of 30-35 minutes. In this study, three rounds of 8 machine-based exercises took an hour, about 15-20 minutes longer than it took the aerobic group in the study. It was also 25-30 minutes longer than it took people to complete the circuit I was supervising nearly 10 years ago.

    This leads to 5 major weaknesses with this study. Overall, the aerobic group lost less than a half of pound of fat per month (not week). Food intake was not really controlled, which plays a very important factor when trying to lose fat. The intensity of the resistance training group was probably a lot less than it should be when doing a comparison of the cardio vs. weight training workouts. Lastly, the cardio training group didn’t see the best results; the training group that included both strength and cardio did.

    Cardio vs Weight Training: Duke Study Strength

    Overall, the study still had strengths that would be used in an applicable real-world setting. It focused on non-active middle-aged overweight adults with basic workouts. Overall, this study was very indicative of what the “average gym-goer” does all too often. For example, many people who are not active simply hop on a treadmill for about 30-40 minutes while doing some machines afterwards. This is something I’ve seen all too often and these are the menial results they can expect to get for their efforts (less than 4 pounds in 8 months).

    Cardio vs Weight Training: Why Not Both?

    Those in the aerobic group were able to maintain most of their muscle mass and lost fat, but what the study didn’t highlight are other benefits of resistance training or the combination of both, better known as concurrent training.

    Other studies, with a more intense exercise protocol, have shown that weight training before cardio training enhances fat burning during the session2, and that overall resting energy expenditure is increased following weight training.3 These studies indicate that fat-burning is indeed elevated when it comes to resistance training, especially when the workouts are intense enough.

    Also, recent research is indicating that concurrent training (both aerobic and resistance training), might be the best mode of exercise for fat loss.4 The largest issue with concurrent training is that it has the potential to lead to over-training, but this can be avoided by cycling more intense workouts with cycles of easier workouts.

    Cardio vs Weight Training Conclusion

    Overall, this was a study of what the average gym-goer would expect to see if they went in without any real direction or a smart program to help them in their fat loss efforts. Whether those workouts included doing only machines, hopping on a treadmill or a combination of both, the results you will expect to see would not be very significant.

    On the other hand, if you’re willing to work out with more intensity, use more multi-joint movements, follow and be consistent with a smarter eating plan, you can expect to see much better results. This is especially true if you use a combination of both smart resistance training with some form of interval training.

    The post Cardio Vs Weight Training For Weight Loss – Is Duke Study Misleading? appeared first on BuiltLean.com.

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    Thursday, January 3, 2013

    The Best Diet

    The Best Diet
    Weight Watchers, Dash, Paleo, low-carb, or low-fat? Find out which diet is best to help you reach your weight-loss goals
    Woman with apple and scale

    If you’re searching for the “best” diet program, you’ll find a ton of results on Google, but you likely won’t see any results in the mirror.

    The secret to losing weight and never seeing those pounds again is to create a lifestyle that helps you live lean and healthy. Research shows that successful dieters create their own strategy to cutting calories that they stick to, even when it’s the weekend, holiday, vacation, or when they don’t have any weight to lose. Bottom line: They never take “time off” from their healthy eating plan.

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    Wednesday, January 2, 2013

    Start Your Diet on the Right Path

    green lightA good diet program should start with a goal setting session and a visit to your doctor to make sure that you are healthy enough for vigorous exercise (which should also be included in a good diet program).  But there are a few other quick and easy things that you should do before you start your diet.

    ...

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