The glycemic index (GI) is a scale that measures how quickly carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose. The original purpose for the glycemic index was to help diabetics keep their blood sugar under control. The glycemic index has recently attracted a lot of attention in the bodybuilding, fitness and weight loss world and has even become the central theme in numerous best-selling diet books as a method to choose the foods that are best for losing weight.
According to advocates of the glycemic index system, foods that are high on the GI scale such as rice cakes, carrots, potatoes, or grape juice are "unfavorable" and should be avoided because high GI foods are absorbed quickly, raise blood sugar rapidly and are therefore more likely to convert to fat or cause health problems.
Instead, we are urged to consume carbohydrates that are low on the GI scale such as black eye peas, old fashioned oatmeal, peanuts, apples and beans because they do not raise blood sugar as rapidly.
While the GI does have some useful applications, such as the use of high GI foods or drinks for post workout nutrition and the strong emphasis on low GI foods for those with blood sugar regulation problems, there are flaws in strictly using the glycemic index as your only criteria to choose carbs on a weight loss program.
For example, the glycemic index is based on eating carbohydrates by themselves in a fasted state. If you are following effective principles of fat-burning and muscle building nutrition, you should be eating small, frequent meals to increase your energy, maintain lean body mass and optimize metabolism for fat loss. However, since the glycemic index of various foods was developed based on eating each food in the fasted state, the glycemic index loses some of its significance.
In addition, when you are on a diet program aimed at improving body composition (losing fat or gaining muscle), you will usually be combining carbs and protein together with each meal for the purposes of improving your fat to muscle ratio. When carbs are eaten in mixed meals that contain protein and some fat, the glycemic index loses even more of its significance because the protein and fat slows the absorption of the carbohydrates (as does fiber).
Mashed potatoes have a glycemic index near that of pure glucose, but combine the potatoes with a chicken breast and broccoli and the glycemic index of the entire meal is lower than the potatoes by itself.
Rice cakes have a very high glycemic index, but if you were to put a couple tablespoons of peanut butter on them, the fat would slow the absorption of the carbs, thereby lowering the glycemic index of the combination.
A far more important and relevant criteria for selecting carbs - as well as all your other foods, proteins and fats included - is whether they are natural or processed. To say that a healthy person with no metabolic disorders should completely avoid natural, unprocessed foods like carrots or potatoes simply because they are high on the glycemic index is ridiculous.
I know many bodybuilders (myself included) who eat high glycemic index foods such as white potatoes every day right up until the day of a competition and they reach single digit body fat. How do they do it if high GI foods “make you fat?” It’s simple – high GI foods DON’T necessarily make you fat – choosing natural foods and burning more calories than you consume are far more important factors. Although it’s not correct to say that all calories are created equal, a calorie deficit is the most important factor of all when fat loss is your goal.
The glycemic index is clearly not a "gimmick" and should not be completely disregarded, as it is a definitely a legitimate nutritional tool. Is it a good idea to eat low GI foods in general? Sure. Is eating high GI foods after your workouts a good idea? Absolutely. But diet programs which hang their hats on glycemic index alone as the “miracle solution” are just another example of how one single aspect of nutrition can be used as a "hook" in marketing and said to be the "end all be all" of fat loss, when it's really only one small piece of the puzzle.
Eating Low glycemic index foods alone does NOT guarantee you will lose fat. You have to take in the bigger picture, which includes calories/energy balance, meal timing and frequency, macronutrient composition, choice of processed versus refined foods as well as how all these nutritional factors interact with your exercise program.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The causes of excessive weight
If you eat more nutrients containing energy than you need for your daily activities, for the internal processes of your body, and for the burning process that maintains the body temperature, the excessive nutrients can be transformed to fat and stored in the fat depots in your body. The causes of this occururing, and thus of overweight, are one or more of these factors:
1. Consuming too much fat: Fat is the most energy-rich nutrient, and over-consume will cause the eccessive fat consumed to be deposited in the body.
2. Consuming too much sugar, starch or other carbohydrates: Carbohydrats are also important energy sources. Over-consume of carbohydrates will cause the eccess to be converted to fat and stored in the body.
3 Consuming too much alchohol: Also this substance contains energy, and eccessive consume results in fat stored in your body.
4 Consuming too much of preprocessed products with added, and often hidden fat or sugar, like sweet beverages, cakes, ice-cream, fast food and snacks.
5. Eating too much alltogeather: Perhaps your food is not fat- or sugar-laden, but you simply eat too much alltogeather. Also protein will be converted to fat if it is overconsumed.
6. Irregular eating, like eating much at one time, little at another time, wait long between some meals, cunsuming huge doses of sugar at some times, no sugar at other times: If you eat irregularly, you can get an uncontrollable appetite, a swinging blood sugar level, and an abnormal physiology that makes you deposit fat in your body.
7. A still sitting life with little exercise so that you burn little fat and sugar.
8. Boredom in your daily life: If you do not have much hobbies, or leasure activities, or isolate yourself from other people, you may suffer form boredom, and eccessive eating may be your way of getting entertainment.
9. The body has some capacity of burning some extra amount of sugar or fat. This capacity may be decreased because of lack of vitamins and minerals, and because of an unsound diet.
10. An abnormal appetite that urges you to eat far more than you need: This abnormal appetite may originate from psychological causes, an onsound diet or lack of exercise.
Analyzing your obesity problems
Before beginning your weight reduction program, go through every possible obesity causing factor listed above, to find out what factors contribute to your over-weight problem. Go down to details. For example: If you find you consume too much sugar, find out the exact food types contributing to your eccessive sugar consume. Write everything down.
Make a plan
With the performed analysis in hand, make a plan for your weigh reduction. Decide a goal for your weight. Decide one or more measures for each component contributing to your problem. Write down your plan.
How to reduce weight
In order to successfully lose weight, you must attack every component you have found to be a causing factor of your obesity problem. Here are the concrete mesures you can use, and put into your plan:
1. Eat less fat
If you eat much fat, you must reduce the daily intake of fat, to do so:
* Choose fat poor fish, fat poor meat/beef, chicken, turkey, mushrooms and other food sources with law fat content as the main components for dishes.
* Cut away visible fat from meat or other food sources.
* Do not add much margarine, butter or oil to your food.
* When you fry something, try to use as little fatty smear in the pan as possible.
2. Eat less sugar
If you eat much sugar, reduce your daily inntake of free sugar, or bounded sugar as in flour, potatoes and the like:
* Do not add much sugar to your food.
* You may also need to consume less bread, potatoes, peas and beens, if you eat very much of it, but do not stop eating these kinds of food, since they contain valuable nutrients. However, use bread made of full corn.
3. Avoid eccessive alcohol consume
Alcohol contains energy, and will be transformed to fat, if you consume too much of it.
4. Avoid preprocessed food with added and often hidden fat or sugar
Some food contains a great amount of hidden fat or sugar, espesially fast food, snacks or preprocessed food.
* Therefore you should avoid eating much of products like: cakes, sweet drinks, snacks, choclate, icecream or fast-food.
* You should also buy all the food you use in a natural form, and make your dishes yourself. Then you achieve an absolute controle over the amount of fat and suger in your dishes.
5. Eat less alltogeather, but do not starve yourself
Having reduced the amount of sugar and fat from your diet, you may fall to the temptation of eating more than before, beacuse the new composition of your food does not satisfy your hunger. You should be aware of, and avoid this trap.
* When trying to loose weight, you should reduce the total amount of the food you eat.
* However, you should not starve yourself. To starve will only make you tired and sick, and then make you interrupt your efforts to get slim.
6. Eat regularly
Regular eating habits will give you a stable blood sugar level, help you control your appetite and normalize your fat burning physiology.
* You should eat three or four meals each day.
* Each meal should contain the same moderate amount of sugar and fat.
* Each meal should contain some protein sources like fish, meat, eggs, mushrooms or proteine-rich seeds, and in every means be as nutritionally complete as possible.
7. Increase your daily physical activity
Physical activity increases fat burning and will help you control your appetite.
* Do some daily exercises of a kind that increases energy consumption: Jogging, cycling, swimming, ball play, skiing, and so on.
* Do also som exercises to increase your muscular volume, since muscles will burn fat, for example weight lifting.
8. Find some new hobby or interest
If you find yourself some new hobby or leasure activity, you will avoid boredom and the temptation to over-eat because you are bored. Try also to do interesting activities together with other people. The new activities will also give you less time to only sit eating.
9. Eat healthy food to increase your fat burning capacity
It is not possible to loose weight without sticking to the above mentioned basic fat reduction principles, but you will also benefit from applying some measures that will increase your ability to passivly burn fat:
* Eat as natural food as possible, avoid food that has been heavily cooked, heavily fried or chemically processed. Natural food has its content of protein, vitamines minerals and anti-oxydants intact, and these are necessary for the fat burning abilities.
* Eat some raw fruit and vegatables to each meal, since these contain vitamins, minerals and anti-oxydants you need.
* You may benefit from supplements of vitamins, minerals, herbs, anti-oxydants, as these will make your body more capable of burning fat.
* The little fat you use in your diet, should come from sources like olive, peanuts, canola, fish, nuts, sun-flower, etc. Then you will get a good balance between mono-unsaturated fat (olive, canola, peanuts), poly-unsaturated fat of the omaga-3-type (fish) and poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type (sunflower).
* Consume whole cereals or bread made from whole unrefined cereals.
* There are also natural products on the market you can use to increase your break down and burning of fat.
10. Bring your appetite under controle
Many of the measures allready listed, will also help you to controle your appetite. If this still is difficult, this problem may be attacked by specific means:
* You can use some medicines to reduce appetite for some time or to reduce the uptake of fat or carbohydrates in your inestines. There are both natural medicines based on herbs, vitamins and minerals and pharmachological products to achieve this.
* Daily meditation can help to relaxe your mind and gain controle.
* Psychological counseling may be necessary.
11. The ratio between fat and sugar in your diet
The total mount of fat and carbohydrates combined, is a key factor in causing obesity, not fat alone or carbohydrates alone. In some weight loosing regimes, one eats very little carbohydrates, and fairly much fat. In others one eats fairly much carbohydrates, and very little fat. The proponents of each type of regime claim that their approach helps the body to burn fat better.
Probably people are different, and react differently when trying to manipulate the diet in these ways. As a first approach, it is probably not wise to try such extreme approaches. However, if you have brought your eating habits under controle, and still not achieved a satisfactory result, you can try to manipulate the fat/carbohydrate ratio to see if this will help. But do not stop consuming fat alltogeather. You will allways need some essential fatty acids in your diet.
Carrying out your plan
Having made your plan for your weight reduction, the time has come to carry it out. After each week, go through the points in your plan, and evaluate how well you did. Also check your weight. Write down for every point in your plan how well you did.
1. Consuming too much fat: Fat is the most energy-rich nutrient, and over-consume will cause the eccessive fat consumed to be deposited in the body.
2. Consuming too much sugar, starch or other carbohydrates: Carbohydrats are also important energy sources. Over-consume of carbohydrates will cause the eccess to be converted to fat and stored in the body.
3 Consuming too much alchohol: Also this substance contains energy, and eccessive consume results in fat stored in your body.
4 Consuming too much of preprocessed products with added, and often hidden fat or sugar, like sweet beverages, cakes, ice-cream, fast food and snacks.
5. Eating too much alltogeather: Perhaps your food is not fat- or sugar-laden, but you simply eat too much alltogeather. Also protein will be converted to fat if it is overconsumed.
6. Irregular eating, like eating much at one time, little at another time, wait long between some meals, cunsuming huge doses of sugar at some times, no sugar at other times: If you eat irregularly, you can get an uncontrollable appetite, a swinging blood sugar level, and an abnormal physiology that makes you deposit fat in your body.
7. A still sitting life with little exercise so that you burn little fat and sugar.
8. Boredom in your daily life: If you do not have much hobbies, or leasure activities, or isolate yourself from other people, you may suffer form boredom, and eccessive eating may be your way of getting entertainment.
9. The body has some capacity of burning some extra amount of sugar or fat. This capacity may be decreased because of lack of vitamins and minerals, and because of an unsound diet.
10. An abnormal appetite that urges you to eat far more than you need: This abnormal appetite may originate from psychological causes, an onsound diet or lack of exercise.
Analyzing your obesity problems
Before beginning your weight reduction program, go through every possible obesity causing factor listed above, to find out what factors contribute to your over-weight problem. Go down to details. For example: If you find you consume too much sugar, find out the exact food types contributing to your eccessive sugar consume. Write everything down.
Make a plan
With the performed analysis in hand, make a plan for your weigh reduction. Decide a goal for your weight. Decide one or more measures for each component contributing to your problem. Write down your plan.
How to reduce weight
In order to successfully lose weight, you must attack every component you have found to be a causing factor of your obesity problem. Here are the concrete mesures you can use, and put into your plan:
1. Eat less fat
If you eat much fat, you must reduce the daily intake of fat, to do so:
* Choose fat poor fish, fat poor meat/beef, chicken, turkey, mushrooms and other food sources with law fat content as the main components for dishes.
* Cut away visible fat from meat or other food sources.
* Do not add much margarine, butter or oil to your food.
* When you fry something, try to use as little fatty smear in the pan as possible.
2. Eat less sugar
If you eat much sugar, reduce your daily inntake of free sugar, or bounded sugar as in flour, potatoes and the like:
* Do not add much sugar to your food.
* You may also need to consume less bread, potatoes, peas and beens, if you eat very much of it, but do not stop eating these kinds of food, since they contain valuable nutrients. However, use bread made of full corn.
3. Avoid eccessive alcohol consume
Alcohol contains energy, and will be transformed to fat, if you consume too much of it.
4. Avoid preprocessed food with added and often hidden fat or sugar
Some food contains a great amount of hidden fat or sugar, espesially fast food, snacks or preprocessed food.
* Therefore you should avoid eating much of products like: cakes, sweet drinks, snacks, choclate, icecream or fast-food.
* You should also buy all the food you use in a natural form, and make your dishes yourself. Then you achieve an absolute controle over the amount of fat and suger in your dishes.
5. Eat less alltogeather, but do not starve yourself
Having reduced the amount of sugar and fat from your diet, you may fall to the temptation of eating more than before, beacuse the new composition of your food does not satisfy your hunger. You should be aware of, and avoid this trap.
* When trying to loose weight, you should reduce the total amount of the food you eat.
* However, you should not starve yourself. To starve will only make you tired and sick, and then make you interrupt your efforts to get slim.
6. Eat regularly
Regular eating habits will give you a stable blood sugar level, help you control your appetite and normalize your fat burning physiology.
* You should eat three or four meals each day.
* Each meal should contain the same moderate amount of sugar and fat.
* Each meal should contain some protein sources like fish, meat, eggs, mushrooms or proteine-rich seeds, and in every means be as nutritionally complete as possible.
7. Increase your daily physical activity
Physical activity increases fat burning and will help you control your appetite.
* Do some daily exercises of a kind that increases energy consumption: Jogging, cycling, swimming, ball play, skiing, and so on.
* Do also som exercises to increase your muscular volume, since muscles will burn fat, for example weight lifting.
8. Find some new hobby or interest
If you find yourself some new hobby or leasure activity, you will avoid boredom and the temptation to over-eat because you are bored. Try also to do interesting activities together with other people. The new activities will also give you less time to only sit eating.
9. Eat healthy food to increase your fat burning capacity
It is not possible to loose weight without sticking to the above mentioned basic fat reduction principles, but you will also benefit from applying some measures that will increase your ability to passivly burn fat:
* Eat as natural food as possible, avoid food that has been heavily cooked, heavily fried or chemically processed. Natural food has its content of protein, vitamines minerals and anti-oxydants intact, and these are necessary for the fat burning abilities.
* Eat some raw fruit and vegatables to each meal, since these contain vitamins, minerals and anti-oxydants you need.
* You may benefit from supplements of vitamins, minerals, herbs, anti-oxydants, as these will make your body more capable of burning fat.
* The little fat you use in your diet, should come from sources like olive, peanuts, canola, fish, nuts, sun-flower, etc. Then you will get a good balance between mono-unsaturated fat (olive, canola, peanuts), poly-unsaturated fat of the omaga-3-type (fish) and poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type (sunflower).
* Consume whole cereals or bread made from whole unrefined cereals.
* There are also natural products on the market you can use to increase your break down and burning of fat.
10. Bring your appetite under controle
Many of the measures allready listed, will also help you to controle your appetite. If this still is difficult, this problem may be attacked by specific means:
* You can use some medicines to reduce appetite for some time or to reduce the uptake of fat or carbohydrates in your inestines. There are both natural medicines based on herbs, vitamins and minerals and pharmachological products to achieve this.
* Daily meditation can help to relaxe your mind and gain controle.
* Psychological counseling may be necessary.
11. The ratio between fat and sugar in your diet
The total mount of fat and carbohydrates combined, is a key factor in causing obesity, not fat alone or carbohydrates alone. In some weight loosing regimes, one eats very little carbohydrates, and fairly much fat. In others one eats fairly much carbohydrates, and very little fat. The proponents of each type of regime claim that their approach helps the body to burn fat better.
Probably people are different, and react differently when trying to manipulate the diet in these ways. As a first approach, it is probably not wise to try such extreme approaches. However, if you have brought your eating habits under controle, and still not achieved a satisfactory result, you can try to manipulate the fat/carbohydrate ratio to see if this will help. But do not stop consuming fat alltogeather. You will allways need some essential fatty acids in your diet.
Carrying out your plan
Having made your plan for your weight reduction, the time has come to carry it out. After each week, go through the points in your plan, and evaluate how well you did. Also check your weight. Write down for every point in your plan how well you did.
How to Lose Weight with an Exercise Bike Program
Your pants are a bit tight, you can't seem to stop eating junk, and you're tired all of the time. It's time to get healthy and lose weight. Combined with a more sensible diet, an exercise bike can help you achieve the results you want.
Ugh, the Diet.
So many people go wrong here. Forget fad diets, forget starvation. Slow and steady wins the race. Try changing one thing about your diet. Limit yourself to one soda a day. Stop skipping meals. If you always clean your plate, start leaving one or two bites. A total change in diet is work. If you go for a radical change, you are setting yourself up for failure. You'll be surprised how well small changes work.
The Right Bike Determines Your Success
This is a critically important part. There are literally hundreds of exercise bikes available. You have to be honest with yourself to discover the one that will work best for you. If you talk yourself into some fantasy world where your exercise plan is going to work this time even though there's nothing different, you're going to be disappointed. If you think ahead, you will buy the right bike for your needs. You will end up with a successful long-term exercise routine.
Think back to your last exercise routine attempt. Why did you stop? Did you suffer an injury? Did you get bored? Was it just too hard to do every day? Was it hard to find the time? Answer these questions truthfully. If you don't figure out where you went wrong, you won't be able to come up with a solution.
Avoiding and Working Through Injuries
If an injury caused you to stop working out, how did you sustain your injury? Becoming physically fit is supposed to help you prevent injuries, not cause them. There is an exercise bike for someone who has been injured working out. It's called a recumbent exercise bike. It's the kind found in a lot of health clubs. It has a large, bucket seat, and you sit back and low to the ground. It is perfect for people beginning a new exercise routine. It's also very good for back problems as it forces you to keep good posture. It puts no pressure on your joints, and you can keep working out even if you have minor injuries.
Overcoming Boredom
Did you get bored the last time you tried to workout on a regular basis? If you did, you are likely to get bored again. With exercise bikes, the solution is usually a bike with several different levels and riding programs. You can get bikes with different difficulty levels. This means that when it becomes too easy for you to pedal, you simply move up to the next level instead of having to ride longer (which just isn't likely to happen for the person who is easily bored). You can also get different programs. Programs give you variety and goals. They make you pedal harder, simulate conquering hills, and even sprinting for short periods.
Riding programs might not be enough for you. You might need a bike that you can hook up to your television that simulates riding through different courses. You can take a leisurely ride through a park or compete with other computer riders on a difficult obstacle course. These bikes might cost more up front, but if you don't invest in a bike that will let you sustain your workout, you're wasting money on anything less.
The coolest thing for game addicts who get bored is an interactive bike that plugs into a Sony Playstation or Playstation 2. It makes over 50 games interactive. Whatever is happening on your bike happens on the screen in bike, car, and similar games. There are all types of similar bikes available.
If you plan on listening to music or watching TV while you cycle, be sure to pay attention to features that will make the exercise bike quieter. It's also a good idea to get a quieter bike if you live with other people. For all you know, your workout time is going to be 5AM or midnight. A quieter bike won't disturb other people in your home.
Don't Try to Be Lance Armstrong Yet…
People beginning exercise programs are sometimes too ambitious. It's good to be excited, but you have to remain realistic. If your last exercise program failed because it was just too much work, don't make the same mistake again. Fight the urge to overdo your first workouts. It is critical to your long-term success that you start out slow. If you go from no exercise at all to 5 to 10 minute exercise bike workouts with little resistance, you are much more likely to avoid injury, soreness, and most of all, early feelings of defeat. If you aim too high - expecting to go from a sedentary lifestyle to 45 minute workouts immediately, for example - you are setting yourself up for failure. When you don't reach your unattainable goal, it is more likely you'll quit altogether to alleviate the feeling of failure that much sooner.
The perfect bikes for people who get a bit over-excited are exercise bikes with built in riding programs. You simply start out at the lowest level, and the bike determines your workout. You program in a small goal (10 minutes, 50 calories, or .25 mile) and when you reach that goal, your workout is over.
Finding the Time
You do have time to burn fat and calories on an exercise bike. No matter how intense your schedule is, there are people busier than you who find time to make an exercise routine work. They are not better than you. They don't have more than 24 hours in a day. They simply figured out how to make it work. You can, too.
It can be as simple as the time of day you chose to workout in the past. There is scientific evidence that people who are "morning people" or "night owls" are physically different. Different people have energy at different times. Think about when you work best. If you wake up without an alarm clock ready to go, you should exercise first thing in the morning. If you are a night owl, you should consider working out at night. You might find that you are one of the people who tire yourself out enough with a night workout to sleep like a baby.
You Can Do This!
Losing weight is not a punishment. You are smart enough to know how to eat a little better and become more active. If you are honest with yourself, you will choose the proper bike. You want to look forward to the workout itself. Don't get caught up in which bike burns more calories. Find an exercise bike you will enjoy riding. Figure out the time of day that's best for you to exercise. Make it like getting dressed or bathing - it's just something you do every day. You don't have to train for the Tour de France. You just have to get on and do something every day. Ten minutes a day will yield results. Bookmark this article for future motivation, find your exercise bike, and get busy!
Ugh, the Diet.
So many people go wrong here. Forget fad diets, forget starvation. Slow and steady wins the race. Try changing one thing about your diet. Limit yourself to one soda a day. Stop skipping meals. If you always clean your plate, start leaving one or two bites. A total change in diet is work. If you go for a radical change, you are setting yourself up for failure. You'll be surprised how well small changes work.
The Right Bike Determines Your Success
This is a critically important part. There are literally hundreds of exercise bikes available. You have to be honest with yourself to discover the one that will work best for you. If you talk yourself into some fantasy world where your exercise plan is going to work this time even though there's nothing different, you're going to be disappointed. If you think ahead, you will buy the right bike for your needs. You will end up with a successful long-term exercise routine.
Think back to your last exercise routine attempt. Why did you stop? Did you suffer an injury? Did you get bored? Was it just too hard to do every day? Was it hard to find the time? Answer these questions truthfully. If you don't figure out where you went wrong, you won't be able to come up with a solution.
Avoiding and Working Through Injuries
If an injury caused you to stop working out, how did you sustain your injury? Becoming physically fit is supposed to help you prevent injuries, not cause them. There is an exercise bike for someone who has been injured working out. It's called a recumbent exercise bike. It's the kind found in a lot of health clubs. It has a large, bucket seat, and you sit back and low to the ground. It is perfect for people beginning a new exercise routine. It's also very good for back problems as it forces you to keep good posture. It puts no pressure on your joints, and you can keep working out even if you have minor injuries.
Overcoming Boredom
Did you get bored the last time you tried to workout on a regular basis? If you did, you are likely to get bored again. With exercise bikes, the solution is usually a bike with several different levels and riding programs. You can get bikes with different difficulty levels. This means that when it becomes too easy for you to pedal, you simply move up to the next level instead of having to ride longer (which just isn't likely to happen for the person who is easily bored). You can also get different programs. Programs give you variety and goals. They make you pedal harder, simulate conquering hills, and even sprinting for short periods.
Riding programs might not be enough for you. You might need a bike that you can hook up to your television that simulates riding through different courses. You can take a leisurely ride through a park or compete with other computer riders on a difficult obstacle course. These bikes might cost more up front, but if you don't invest in a bike that will let you sustain your workout, you're wasting money on anything less.
The coolest thing for game addicts who get bored is an interactive bike that plugs into a Sony Playstation or Playstation 2. It makes over 50 games interactive. Whatever is happening on your bike happens on the screen in bike, car, and similar games. There are all types of similar bikes available.
If you plan on listening to music or watching TV while you cycle, be sure to pay attention to features that will make the exercise bike quieter. It's also a good idea to get a quieter bike if you live with other people. For all you know, your workout time is going to be 5AM or midnight. A quieter bike won't disturb other people in your home.
Don't Try to Be Lance Armstrong Yet…
People beginning exercise programs are sometimes too ambitious. It's good to be excited, but you have to remain realistic. If your last exercise program failed because it was just too much work, don't make the same mistake again. Fight the urge to overdo your first workouts. It is critical to your long-term success that you start out slow. If you go from no exercise at all to 5 to 10 minute exercise bike workouts with little resistance, you are much more likely to avoid injury, soreness, and most of all, early feelings of defeat. If you aim too high - expecting to go from a sedentary lifestyle to 45 minute workouts immediately, for example - you are setting yourself up for failure. When you don't reach your unattainable goal, it is more likely you'll quit altogether to alleviate the feeling of failure that much sooner.
The perfect bikes for people who get a bit over-excited are exercise bikes with built in riding programs. You simply start out at the lowest level, and the bike determines your workout. You program in a small goal (10 minutes, 50 calories, or .25 mile) and when you reach that goal, your workout is over.
Finding the Time
You do have time to burn fat and calories on an exercise bike. No matter how intense your schedule is, there are people busier than you who find time to make an exercise routine work. They are not better than you. They don't have more than 24 hours in a day. They simply figured out how to make it work. You can, too.
It can be as simple as the time of day you chose to workout in the past. There is scientific evidence that people who are "morning people" or "night owls" are physically different. Different people have energy at different times. Think about when you work best. If you wake up without an alarm clock ready to go, you should exercise first thing in the morning. If you are a night owl, you should consider working out at night. You might find that you are one of the people who tire yourself out enough with a night workout to sleep like a baby.
You Can Do This!
Losing weight is not a punishment. You are smart enough to know how to eat a little better and become more active. If you are honest with yourself, you will choose the proper bike. You want to look forward to the workout itself. Don't get caught up in which bike burns more calories. Find an exercise bike you will enjoy riding. Figure out the time of day that's best for you to exercise. Make it like getting dressed or bathing - it's just something you do every day. You don't have to train for the Tour de France. You just have to get on and do something every day. Ten minutes a day will yield results. Bookmark this article for future motivation, find your exercise bike, and get busy!
Diet Pills A Lot Of Risk For A Little Loss
There are a number of products on the market - both prescription and non-prescription - which claim to be effective weight loss aids. Many of these have been associated with serious medical risks, including heart attack, heart abnormalities, tachycardia, stroke, seizures and death. The side effects can be daunting, but how realistic are they?
Diet pills fall into several different classes. Most are appetite suppressants of one kind or another, generally stimulants with effects similar to those of amphetamine. They are approved for treatment of obesity, where it's considered that the health risks associated with gross overweight outweigh the risks associated with the medication.
For someone who has less than 30 pounds to lose, the risks are far less cut-and-dry. While the FDA and manufacturers closely monitor the effects of prescription weight loss medications, over the counter medications and their risks are far less documented. Herbal supplements are even less documented still, especially those whose makers don't officially make weight loss claims for them.
While makers of pharmaceuticals must meet stringent labeling requirements and tests for safety and effectiveness, those who make weight loss 'supplements' are not regulated in the same way. As long as they don't contain a 'new' ingredient, or one that has never been marketed for weight loss purposes, they are not subject to FDA review. Instead, the manufacturer is held responsible for the safety and effectiveness of their products. Often, that means unregulated dosages, unhealthy additives and ineffective ingredients.
In an effort to encourage improvement in the reporting standards and the pharmaceutical standards for weight loss medications, the United States Pharmacopoeia has introduced the Comprehensive Dietary Supplement Verification Program. Currently voluntary, it involves certification by the USP of certain labeling and practice standards, including that the product contains the ingredients stated on the label in the strength declared, that they are within limits for impurities like metals, pesticides and bacteria, that the medication will be absorbed by the body according to USP criteria, and that it has been created with all safe precautions.
Until the day that all over the counter medications and herbal preparations marketed as weight loss supplements and aids are labeled and tested by impartial researchers, there are some things that you can do to lessen the risks associated with using diet pills.
Research is your best friend. There's a lot of information out there about drugs and herbs like ephedra, ephinedrine, phentermine and sibutramine. Know what you're taking and what the risks are so that you can watch for side effects.
Always talk to your doctor before you start taking any drug or herbal supplement. Many of them interact poorly with other medications, or have an adverse effect on chronic conditions.
Follow dosage instructions. Overdoses of stimulant medications, which are a component of most weight loss preparations, can be serious and severe.
Don't take any weight loss pill or supplement for more than a few weeks without it being prescribed by a doctor.
Check with your pharmacist when purchasing over the counter weight loss preparations to be sure that the ingredients don't interact with other medications you may be taking. Include both prescription and nonprescription medications in your questions.
Ideally, don't take weight loss pills. The effectiveness of most have not been proven at all. It's an awful lot of risk for such a little loss.
Diet pills fall into several different classes. Most are appetite suppressants of one kind or another, generally stimulants with effects similar to those of amphetamine. They are approved for treatment of obesity, where it's considered that the health risks associated with gross overweight outweigh the risks associated with the medication.
For someone who has less than 30 pounds to lose, the risks are far less cut-and-dry. While the FDA and manufacturers closely monitor the effects of prescription weight loss medications, over the counter medications and their risks are far less documented. Herbal supplements are even less documented still, especially those whose makers don't officially make weight loss claims for them.
While makers of pharmaceuticals must meet stringent labeling requirements and tests for safety and effectiveness, those who make weight loss 'supplements' are not regulated in the same way. As long as they don't contain a 'new' ingredient, or one that has never been marketed for weight loss purposes, they are not subject to FDA review. Instead, the manufacturer is held responsible for the safety and effectiveness of their products. Often, that means unregulated dosages, unhealthy additives and ineffective ingredients.
In an effort to encourage improvement in the reporting standards and the pharmaceutical standards for weight loss medications, the United States Pharmacopoeia has introduced the Comprehensive Dietary Supplement Verification Program. Currently voluntary, it involves certification by the USP of certain labeling and practice standards, including that the product contains the ingredients stated on the label in the strength declared, that they are within limits for impurities like metals, pesticides and bacteria, that the medication will be absorbed by the body according to USP criteria, and that it has been created with all safe precautions.
Until the day that all over the counter medications and herbal preparations marketed as weight loss supplements and aids are labeled and tested by impartial researchers, there are some things that you can do to lessen the risks associated with using diet pills.
Research is your best friend. There's a lot of information out there about drugs and herbs like ephedra, ephinedrine, phentermine and sibutramine. Know what you're taking and what the risks are so that you can watch for side effects.
Always talk to your doctor before you start taking any drug or herbal supplement. Many of them interact poorly with other medications, or have an adverse effect on chronic conditions.
Follow dosage instructions. Overdoses of stimulant medications, which are a component of most weight loss preparations, can be serious and severe.
Don't take any weight loss pill or supplement for more than a few weeks without it being prescribed by a doctor.
Check with your pharmacist when purchasing over the counter weight loss preparations to be sure that the ingredients don't interact with other medications you may be taking. Include both prescription and nonprescription medications in your questions.
Ideally, don't take weight loss pills. The effectiveness of most have not been proven at all. It's an awful lot of risk for such a little loss.
Weight Loss and Sleep Deprivation Is There a Connection
How can sleep deprivation affect weight loss? Surely the reverse is true! If we’re tossing and turning all night, aren’t we burning a few more kilojoules?
Perhaps, but it’s more complicated than that. When we don’t have enough sleep, our energy is very low. This can trick the brain into thinking it requires more food to replenish our energy stores.
So we tend to eat more. Not only that we tend to crave high energy foods such as ice cream, cakes or sugar laden soft drinks.
To make matters worse, the effects of sleep deprivation can lessen the body’s ability to process glucose efficiently leading to an increased tendency to put on weight. This could also lead to an increased risk of diabetes.
Lack of sleep also produce higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower the metabolic rate which means we burn less kilojoules.
A simple way to increase the metabolic rate is to exercise every day. But we don’t feel like exercising when we’re tired do we? No, a seat in front of the telly is far more appealing, preferably with our favourite comfort food!
So if we’re trying to lose weight or simply maintain our weight, the amount of sleep we have is super important. Sometimes all we need to do is increase our awareness.
First here’s what not to do. Don’t nap for long periods during the day. This will upset your natural circadian rhythm and lead to wakefulness at night.
Late night snacks? The body simply can’t digest these and they will be laid down as fat! If you must eat late make it a lite yoghurt, herbal tea or milky drink. Forget the coffee and black tea as these contain stimulants.
Here’s a few tips:
Increase your exercise. This can be done without enrolling at the gym! Simply walk more. Get of the bus one stop earlier and walk the remaining distance. Take the stairs instead of the lift.
If the above is not for you, go shopping! Large shopping centres are wonderful walking tracks. Have a look in the stores as you sail past (stay away from food stores though!)
Taking more exercise increases the metabolic rate significantly and enables us to have better sleep at night. It is also proven to reduce stress which is the enemy of restful sleep.
Plan your day better. Start winding down in the evenings and use the mornings for energetic chores. This will enable you to relax better and you’ll fall asleep quicker.
If you have a sleep problem, get help. There are web-sites and books that will increase your knowledge on safe and natural ways to get a good night’s sleep.
So don’t help your body to put on weight through poor sleeping habits. Eat healthy foods, get rid of stress, exercise more and sleep your weight away!
Perhaps, but it’s more complicated than that. When we don’t have enough sleep, our energy is very low. This can trick the brain into thinking it requires more food to replenish our energy stores.
So we tend to eat more. Not only that we tend to crave high energy foods such as ice cream, cakes or sugar laden soft drinks.
To make matters worse, the effects of sleep deprivation can lessen the body’s ability to process glucose efficiently leading to an increased tendency to put on weight. This could also lead to an increased risk of diabetes.
Lack of sleep also produce higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower the metabolic rate which means we burn less kilojoules.
A simple way to increase the metabolic rate is to exercise every day. But we don’t feel like exercising when we’re tired do we? No, a seat in front of the telly is far more appealing, preferably with our favourite comfort food!
So if we’re trying to lose weight or simply maintain our weight, the amount of sleep we have is super important. Sometimes all we need to do is increase our awareness.
First here’s what not to do. Don’t nap for long periods during the day. This will upset your natural circadian rhythm and lead to wakefulness at night.
Late night snacks? The body simply can’t digest these and they will be laid down as fat! If you must eat late make it a lite yoghurt, herbal tea or milky drink. Forget the coffee and black tea as these contain stimulants.
Here’s a few tips:
Increase your exercise. This can be done without enrolling at the gym! Simply walk more. Get of the bus one stop earlier and walk the remaining distance. Take the stairs instead of the lift.
If the above is not for you, go shopping! Large shopping centres are wonderful walking tracks. Have a look in the stores as you sail past (stay away from food stores though!)
Taking more exercise increases the metabolic rate significantly and enables us to have better sleep at night. It is also proven to reduce stress which is the enemy of restful sleep.
Plan your day better. Start winding down in the evenings and use the mornings for energetic chores. This will enable you to relax better and you’ll fall asleep quicker.
If you have a sleep problem, get help. There are web-sites and books that will increase your knowledge on safe and natural ways to get a good night’s sleep.
So don’t help your body to put on weight through poor sleeping habits. Eat healthy foods, get rid of stress, exercise more and sleep your weight away!
Eating Chocolate Ice Cream Every Full Moon Promotes Weight Loss
Are these the kinds of stories that we as health professionals are trying to write to enlighten the public or gain fame and notoriety? I read this story several days ago about some doctor who claims if you limit your flavors and pick a flavor of the day you will lose weight and has the case studies to prove it. C’mon!! First we have the Atkins diet, then the cabbage diet, and now this. I mean if you really want to prey on the many people who are so desperate to lose weight then do a case study on the above title. I’m sure you will sell some copies for that book as well.
Now, if someone didn’t read the story very carefully they're going to say, “Hmmm, I’ll start with a bowl of cherries, that’s healthy. Then move on to cherry ice cream, then some cherry pie, and let’s wash it down with some cherry coke.” Laugh, but trust me those people are out there. They are the same people that think a French fry is a vegetable.
I shouldn’t be too hard on this guy because most of the time the health professionals that have these wacky new fads at least go for something that is usually considered a sin. The Atkins diet lets you eat bacon and hamburgers, just set that bun down okay. This diet still suggests that you eat fruits and vegetables, except eat one particular fruit for the whole day. Yummy, I think I’ll eat apples today. I’ll have Fuji apples for breakfast, red ones at lunch, and those green ones for dinner. Is that really going to attract a whole bunch of people to buy this book?
Here’s my point. It is almost getting to the point where eventually there will be a book called, “The Sit Down With Remote in Hand Weight Loss Diet.” This is what people want and as a personal trainer, I’m getting sick of reading these articles. What was that recent book called, “The French Diet???”
Look do you really want to lose weight?? Then, I’m going to tell you the bad news; you are going to have to work at it. Yes you are going to have to watch what you eat, and exercise. If you notice all these articles on these new diet trends, even this last one on the flavors, they all have a one or two line blurb saying, “oh by the way you might want to exercise as well.” I’m tired of seeing my clients try the latest new diet that has them lose weight only to gain it back and then some.
America wake up and smell the coffee. There is not going to be some magic pill that will make you lose weight. If there were, someone would be making money off it. Right now the only people who are making money are all the authors of these so-called diets that are lining their pockets with your hard earned cash, while you follow diets that don’t work. Or if they do, it only works for a small percentage.
Suck it up people. Take charge and control of your destiny. Accept the fact that you will have to exercise for the rest of your life. You will have to watch what you eat, even though you can splurge once in awhile. If you have to lose weight, yes it might take some time, but it will come off (it didn’t come on in a day did it?). If you accept these facts and implement them right now, I guarantee you will have a very fulfilling life that will be so much better than wondering how many peaches you have to eat today.
Now, if someone didn’t read the story very carefully they're going to say, “Hmmm, I’ll start with a bowl of cherries, that’s healthy. Then move on to cherry ice cream, then some cherry pie, and let’s wash it down with some cherry coke.” Laugh, but trust me those people are out there. They are the same people that think a French fry is a vegetable.
I shouldn’t be too hard on this guy because most of the time the health professionals that have these wacky new fads at least go for something that is usually considered a sin. The Atkins diet lets you eat bacon and hamburgers, just set that bun down okay. This diet still suggests that you eat fruits and vegetables, except eat one particular fruit for the whole day. Yummy, I think I’ll eat apples today. I’ll have Fuji apples for breakfast, red ones at lunch, and those green ones for dinner. Is that really going to attract a whole bunch of people to buy this book?
Here’s my point. It is almost getting to the point where eventually there will be a book called, “The Sit Down With Remote in Hand Weight Loss Diet.” This is what people want and as a personal trainer, I’m getting sick of reading these articles. What was that recent book called, “The French Diet???”
Look do you really want to lose weight?? Then, I’m going to tell you the bad news; you are going to have to work at it. Yes you are going to have to watch what you eat, and exercise. If you notice all these articles on these new diet trends, even this last one on the flavors, they all have a one or two line blurb saying, “oh by the way you might want to exercise as well.” I’m tired of seeing my clients try the latest new diet that has them lose weight only to gain it back and then some.
America wake up and smell the coffee. There is not going to be some magic pill that will make you lose weight. If there were, someone would be making money off it. Right now the only people who are making money are all the authors of these so-called diets that are lining their pockets with your hard earned cash, while you follow diets that don’t work. Or if they do, it only works for a small percentage.
Suck it up people. Take charge and control of your destiny. Accept the fact that you will have to exercise for the rest of your life. You will have to watch what you eat, even though you can splurge once in awhile. If you have to lose weight, yes it might take some time, but it will come off (it didn’t come on in a day did it?). If you accept these facts and implement them right now, I guarantee you will have a very fulfilling life that will be so much better than wondering how many peaches you have to eat today.
Fat Loss
Performing lighter weight with more repetitions (15-20 reps, 20-30 reps, or 20-50 reps) does not burn more fat or tone (simultaneous decrease of fat and increase muscle) better than a heaver weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps). Weight training utilizes carbohydrates after the initial ATP and CP stores have been exhausted after the first few seconds of intense muscular contraction. Typically a set's duration is 20 to 30 seconds. For the average fit person, it requires 20 to 30 minutes of continuous aerobic activity with large muscle groups (eg. Gluteus Maximus and Quadriceps) to burn even 50% fat; fat requires oxygen to burn. Performing a few extra repetitions on a weight training exercise is not significant enough to burn extra fat and may in effect burn less fat. If intensity is compromised, less fat may be burned when light weight is used with high repetitions. The burning sensation associated with high repetition training seems to be the primary deterrent for achieving higher intensities.
For individuals attempting to achieve fat loss for aesthetics, the intensity of weight training can be a double edge sword. When beginning an exercise program, muscle mass increases may out pace fat losses, resulting in a small initial weight gain. Significant fat loss requires a certain intensity, duration, and frequency that novice exercisers may not be able to achieve until they develop greater tolerance to exercise. If an exercise and nutrition program is not adequate for significant fat loss, a lighter weight with higher repetitions may be recommended to minimize any bulking effects, although less fat may be utilized hours later. If an aerobic exercise and nutrition program is sufficient enough to lose fat, a moderate repetition range with a progressively heavier weight will accelerate fat loss with a toning effect. If a muscle group ever out paces fat loss, the bulking effect is only temporary. For a toning effect, fat can be lost later when aerobic exercise can be significantly increased or the weight training exercise(s) for that particular muscle can be ceased altogether. The muscle will atrophy to a pre-exercise girth within months. Higher repetitions training may be later implemented and assessed.
Higher volume weight training (ie 3 sets versus 1 set of each exercise) with short rest periods of approximately 1 minute can stimulate a greater acute growth hormone realease (Kraemer 1991, 1993; Mulligan 1996). Growth hormone is lipolytic in adults. It is hypothesized that maximal effort is necessary for optimizing exercise induced secretion of growth hormone. Growth hormone release is related to the magnitude of exertion (Pyka 1992) and is attenuated with greater lactic acidosis (Gordon 1994).
Intense weight training utilizing multiple large muscles with longer rest between sets may also accentuate body lipid deficit by increasing post training epinephrine. Intramuscular triacylgycerol it thought to be an important energy substrate following repeated 30 second maximal exercise with 4 minute recovery intervals (McCartney 1996, Tremblay 1994). Rest periods lasting approximately 4 minutes between maximal exercises exercise of very short duration is required for almost complete creatine phosphate recovery required for repeated maximal bouts (McCartney 1986).
It still may be recommended to perform high repetitions (eg 20-30) for abdominal and oblique training. It has been theorized muscular endurance may be more benifitial for low back health than muscular strength. Furthermore, moderate repetitions with a greater resistance can increase muscular girth under the subcutaneous fat, particularly in men, who have greater potiential for muscular hypertrophy. Increasing the thickness around the waist with existing abdominal fat may further increase bulk, particularly in men who typically have greater intra-abdominal and subcutanuous fat in this area. The abdominal muscularture is composed of relatively small musclemass as compared to the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, chest, and upper back. Performing high reps with a lighter resistance should not compromise metabolism or muscle increases as would performing high reps with light resistance on larger muscle groups. See Spot Reduction Myth above.
It is plausible that the high repetition myth was originated and later propagated by bodybuilders that used calorie restrictive diets to shed fat before a contest. Because of their weakened state from dieting, they were unable to use their usual heavier weights. When inquired about their use of lighter weights, they explained they were "cutting up" for a contest. This is merely a theory, but it is easy to see how it may have been misunderstood that the lighter weight was used to reduce fat instead of actually being a result of their dietary regime.
Typically with weight training alone, fat loss is similar to muscle gain, give or take a few pounds. Certain dietary modification can have much greater impact on fat loss than weight training alone. The ideal program for fat loss would include the combination of proper diet, weight training, and cardio exercise.
For individuals attempting to achieve fat loss for aesthetics, the intensity of weight training can be a double edge sword. When beginning an exercise program, muscle mass increases may out pace fat losses, resulting in a small initial weight gain. Significant fat loss requires a certain intensity, duration, and frequency that novice exercisers may not be able to achieve until they develop greater tolerance to exercise. If an exercise and nutrition program is not adequate for significant fat loss, a lighter weight with higher repetitions may be recommended to minimize any bulking effects, although less fat may be utilized hours later. If an aerobic exercise and nutrition program is sufficient enough to lose fat, a moderate repetition range with a progressively heavier weight will accelerate fat loss with a toning effect. If a muscle group ever out paces fat loss, the bulking effect is only temporary. For a toning effect, fat can be lost later when aerobic exercise can be significantly increased or the weight training exercise(s) for that particular muscle can be ceased altogether. The muscle will atrophy to a pre-exercise girth within months. Higher repetitions training may be later implemented and assessed.
Higher volume weight training (ie 3 sets versus 1 set of each exercise) with short rest periods of approximately 1 minute can stimulate a greater acute growth hormone realease (Kraemer 1991, 1993; Mulligan 1996). Growth hormone is lipolytic in adults. It is hypothesized that maximal effort is necessary for optimizing exercise induced secretion of growth hormone. Growth hormone release is related to the magnitude of exertion (Pyka 1992) and is attenuated with greater lactic acidosis (Gordon 1994).
Intense weight training utilizing multiple large muscles with longer rest between sets may also accentuate body lipid deficit by increasing post training epinephrine. Intramuscular triacylgycerol it thought to be an important energy substrate following repeated 30 second maximal exercise with 4 minute recovery intervals (McCartney 1996, Tremblay 1994). Rest periods lasting approximately 4 minutes between maximal exercises exercise of very short duration is required for almost complete creatine phosphate recovery required for repeated maximal bouts (McCartney 1986).
It still may be recommended to perform high repetitions (eg 20-30) for abdominal and oblique training. It has been theorized muscular endurance may be more benifitial for low back health than muscular strength. Furthermore, moderate repetitions with a greater resistance can increase muscular girth under the subcutaneous fat, particularly in men, who have greater potiential for muscular hypertrophy. Increasing the thickness around the waist with existing abdominal fat may further increase bulk, particularly in men who typically have greater intra-abdominal and subcutanuous fat in this area. The abdominal muscularture is composed of relatively small musclemass as compared to the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, chest, and upper back. Performing high reps with a lighter resistance should not compromise metabolism or muscle increases as would performing high reps with light resistance on larger muscle groups. See Spot Reduction Myth above.
It is plausible that the high repetition myth was originated and later propagated by bodybuilders that used calorie restrictive diets to shed fat before a contest. Because of their weakened state from dieting, they were unable to use their usual heavier weights. When inquired about their use of lighter weights, they explained they were "cutting up" for a contest. This is merely a theory, but it is easy to see how it may have been misunderstood that the lighter weight was used to reduce fat instead of actually being a result of their dietary regime.
Typically with weight training alone, fat loss is similar to muscle gain, give or take a few pounds. Certain dietary modification can have much greater impact on fat loss than weight training alone. The ideal program for fat loss would include the combination of proper diet, weight training, and cardio exercise.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)