Boost Metabolism for Weight Loss

Q: How can I increase the speed of my metabolism so I can lose weight faster?

A: Exercising will do it; more specifically strength training. Building a pound of lean muscle raises your metabolism enough to burn about 50 extra calories a day. This may seem insignificant at first, but if you gain 5 pounds of muscle you will burn 91,250 extra calories over the course of a year which equals roughly 26 pounds. This is without any added cardio or diet plan.

Also try to eat three small meals plus three small snacks in between. Skipping meals or going too long between eating puts you in starvation mode which slows your metabolism. Eat something every three hours but keep total calories in check.

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Check Your Exercising Intensity

If you want to lose weight, you've gotta do the right things for weight loss. It seems like every time I'm in the gym I see people kind of half way working out. They'll be walking on the treadmill aimlessly or lifting the little pink dumbbells that are way too easy for them. Now I've got to give these people credit for even coming to the gym because they could be sitting at home with a remote in one hand and a Krispy Kreme in the other. I think they could do better though.

When you're in the gym why not get the best return on your time investment possible? Forget about all that fat burning zone stuff; there are several studies showing that low intensity aerobic work does almost nothing for fat loss. The harder you work the better results you can expect. Do you ever wonder if you're exercising hard enough to get the results you want?

Check out this video:



The next time you workout use the Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale below to gauge your intensity while exercising.

Level 1: Very, very, light (this is so light; you probably are sitting on the couch with a remote in hand)
Level 2: Very light, Can maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: Light, but breathing a bit harder
Level 4: Starting to sweat a little, can carry on a conversation effortlessly (this may be your warm up)
Level 5: Just above comfortable, sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: Can still talk, but slightly breathless
Level 7: Can still talk, but I don't really want to, sweating more
Level 8: harder, can only keep this pace for a short time period (great for interval training)
Level 9: Very hard, want to stop
Level 10: very, very hard. An all out effort that requires every bit of energy you have. (you can only do this a few seconds then you have to stop and catch your breath)

Here’s a quick interval program that if done right will have you sweating and feeling like you actually did something and give you a better ROI on time spent in the gym.

You can do this workout on any cardio machine. Each day use a different machine or do sprints in the pool or at the park. Choosing your favorite activities will increase adherence.

5 minute warm up – gradually build up from level 3 to 5
1 minute level 9
2 minutes level 6-7
Repeat 3 times (four sets total)
5 minute cool down – gradually from level 5 to 3
Total time 22 minutes

I'd love to hear your comments below.

9 Tips for Successful Weight Loss

This is a guest blog from Mike Owens who's a trainer specializing in rotational athletes such as tennis and golf in Las Vegas.

He's listed 9 quick and easy tips to help you succeed in your quest for fat loss.

3 Healthy Snacks
- Turkey burger wrap (lettuce, tomato, onion, turkey patty)
- 1 serving of almonds with medium banana
- Chicken/bacon salad: olives, lettuce, squash, cucumbers, broccoli, tomato, bell pepper, shredded (boneless/skinless) chicken breast, bacon pieces, salad dressing (red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, pepper)

3 Exercise Tips of Fat Loss
- Get the heart rate up
- Do a little everyday...every little bit counts
- Vary your activities (hiking, biking, swimming, strength training) and keep it fun!

3 Nutrition Tips
- Plan meals in advance and cook them the night before
- Eat every few hours (breakfast being the most important meal)
- Record meals in a logbook every now and then to track your progress

Mike is a N.S.C.A. - Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and YogaFit - Level One Yoga Instructor who holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from UNLV and will have a M.S. in Exercise Physiology (Spring of 2010) from UNLV.

*contact Mike Owens at mhowens85@hotmail.com for more tips*

Quick Upper Body Circuit

Hey, I got a quick tip for you. If you ever find yourself short on time and want to skip your workout try an abbreviated version instead. A shortened fast paced workout is better than nothing at all because it will help you maintain your current fitness level and even help you burn a few calories.

Check out the video below showing you exactly how to get it done in only ten minutes.




You can do this when you only have ten minutes or add it to your regular workout.e

I'd love to hear your comments below.

Tony Wood

Steven's Weight Loss Story

Small changes over time can add up to big success. When you're trying to lose weight remember slow and steady is the safe way to go and allows you to maintain it. A few behavior modifications can add up big time if you stick with it.

I brought you an inspiring story from a regular guy who lost over 50lbs. with diet and exercise (No fad diets or photoshop here). Just all natural results!

Read Steven's Story.

1. What was your starting weight? Ending weight?
Starting was 220lbs now I'm 167 lbs (at 5'10")

2. How long did it take you to lose the weight?

I lost 20 lbs in the first 6-8 months, then after I started doing lifting and toning exercises primarily (my cardio weight loss tapered off) I lost another 20 lbs in around the same time frame, maybe 7 months. So 13-15 months approximately.

3. How long have you kept it off?

About a year or so

4. When did you realize it was time to do something about your weight / health ( what was your a-ha moment)?

When my doctor looked at my triglycerides and cholesterol and said "(If you don't start changing your lifestyle and exercising, you WILL have heart disease when you hit your 40s (i'm 27)

5. What lifestyle changes did you make in your diet and exercise regime?
First thing I did was cut sugar soda's out of my diet COMPLETELY. I also started eating veggies for lunch, and yes, smaller portions as well. I also at first completely cut out candy and ice cream, but now I have a little from time to time to reward myself (if I deserve it! ;-P). Lately i've been walking alot, so I've been able to keep alot of it off. I also need to get back to lifting so I can bulk up more and get rid of the rest of the lil fattiness I have left.

6. How was your energy level before? After?

OH MY GOD... My energy level at the very least DOUBLED. I have so much energy now, and have frequently been able to go to clubs and dance all night, go for really long walks/hikes, etc. Also, (maybe TMI lol) but my sex life improved 4-fold! You'd be so surprised how much better it gets, especially with the confidence in your body in addition to the endurance you create with exercise and the extra vitamins and such you get from eating right. I also take 3-4 vitamins in the morning as well, and they help too.

7. What were the keys to your successful weight loss? Maintenance?

SELF-DEDICATION! Don't rely on ANYONE else to bring you there. The desire to change has to come from within, and keep coming from within, or you WILL falter.
Give up sugar sodas and most sugar drinks. You'd be surprised just how much that effects your weight. After switching to crystal light other alternatives (I actually gave up soda altogether, even diet, for a time so I wasn't tempted to get a sugared one) I actually lost about 5 lbs in just around 2 weeks.

Also eat lots and lots of Veggies. Use them to replace foods you normally eat. Also, eat chicken instead of beef and pork as a mainstay of your diet. Not having all the fat works wonders.

Congratulations Steven keep up the good work.

If you'd like your story told leave a comment below.

Comments Section Added to Posts

Hey I just want to let you know I just added a comments section to the blog posts. I'd like to get your opinion on my posts, so leave a comment and let me know what you think.




Thanks,
Tony

Lower Body "No Excuse" Circuit

Hey, I hope you're doing great. Check out my new no excuse workout that you can do anytime and anywhere! This quick lower body circuit will help strengthen your legs and get your heart rate up in only 15 minutes.

To get the most from this circuit work as hard as you can from start to finish. To challenge yourself go as fast as you can while focusing on correct form.

Here's the video.

Backyard Strength Circuit

Tony Wood here. I've got another quick video for you that you can do anytime and anywhere! If you're short on time you can do this quick strength workout to help build your muscles and get your heart rate up fast.

The best part about it is that you don't need any equipment and can finish it in under 12 minutes. Remember to work as hard as you can from start to finish.

Check out the video.




Video Recap

Squats
Squat Jumps
Reverse Lunge Left Leg
Reverse Lunge Right Leg
Close Grip Pushup
Dynamic Plank
Single Leg RDL Left Leg
Single Leg RDL Right Leg

Do each exercise for 30 seconds each; repeat 3 times with little or no rest between exercises.

To make the workout more challenging do each exercise for 45 or 60 seconds each. You'll still be done it less than 20 minutes!

Backyard Cardio Workout

I hope you're doing great! I made a quick video for you that you can do anytime and anywhere! If you're short on time you can do this quick cardio workout to get your heart rate up fast; or add it to the end of your main workout for a cardio boost.

The best part about it is that you don't need any equipment and can finish it in under 10 minutes. Since it's a quick workout work as hard as you can from start to finish.

I hope you like the video.



Video Recap

Jumping Jacks
Hi Knee Jog in place
Burpees
Mountain Climbers

Do each exercise for 30 seconds each; repeat 3 times with little or no rest between exercises.

To make the workout more challenging do each exercise for 45 or 60 seconds each. You'll still be done it 9 to 12 minutes!

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Put Your Phone Down While You Workout

As a trainer I see a lot of people getting poor returns on their time invested in the gym.

Just today I saw a woman texting on the inner thigh machine. Then less than 20 minutes later I saw another woman texting while riding a recumbant bike.

The two things they both had in common was they both were going so slow it was almost pointless. From the looks of them I would guess their intensity usually stays pretty low.

The take home message is this: don't go to the gym and half ass it and expect fabolous results. Put down your phone (better yet, leave it in your locker) for 30 to 45 minutes and bust a sweat to get a result you can be proud of.

Take Your Workout Outside

Whether you go to a boot camp or not, there are plenty of fun ways to get fit beyond the walls of the health club. Exercise can be done anytime and anywhere as long as you get creative.



Here's what I did on Tuesday.

6 minute dynamic warm up consisting of:
High knees, butt kickers, Carioca, Frankenstein walk, back pedaling, inchworm and spiderman crawls

14 Minutes of running football wide receiver routes and back pedaling. Approximately 5 seconds per sprint at full speed with 30 seconds rest between.

Finished with alternating sets of pull ups on the soccer goal and feet elevated pushups. Did four sets to failure on each with one minute rest between exercises.

Worked on cardio conditioning, agility, and upper body strength in under 35 minutes.

You don't have to do this workout but it's good to step out of the gym and get creative once in a while.