Friday, April 17, 2009

BOOTCAMP 619's Guide to Burning Fat

The first step in taking control of your body fat is understanding how it works! Here are some simple guidelines on how your body can overcome its fat intake and burn fat faster.

When you deprive your body of essential calories, it responds by slowing down your metabolism to conserve fuel. That means that it is important to never skip meals. Eat four small meals spaced evenly throughout the day.
  • Aerobic activities boost fat burning - for up to an hour after we stop them. By keeping aerobic exercises a frequent part of your daily routing, you can keep your fat burning engine running constantly!
  • 20% of the calories we burn in a day is by processing the nutrients we consume.
  • Muscle cells burn calories faster than fat cells. So, the more muscles you have, the more calories you'll burn.
  • Body composition would be a better indicator than body weight, since muscle tissue is heavier than fat tissue. By replacing fat with muscle, we change the composition and shape of our body.
The key is to eat the right types of fat - both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats - and not to eat more fat than your body really needs. It is commonly recommended that both men and women get no less than 15% of calories from fat which would be about 25 to 30 grams for a 1,500 to 1,800 calorie-a-day eating plan.
If you do have more fat than necessary, how can you burn it? Make a few uncomplicated changes to your lifestyle, and you're on your way:
  • Eat breakfast! Start by making the all-important decision to eat breakfast. Eating breakfast revs up your metabolism.
  • Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. It's less fattening, as long as you monitor the total calorie intake and your energy level remains steady throughout the day.
  • Get moving! Work in your garden, do chair push-ups, dance, walk your dog, anything to get the muscles working.


For more information on fitness and nutrition, go to www.BOOTCAMP619.com.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Outdoor Fitness for Spring

San Diego offers great opportunities for getting in shape and enjoying nature all year. Meet your fitness goals this fall on some of these great mountain biking trails.
Corral Canyon, Cuyamaca to Noble Canyon, Daley Ranch and Mission Trails Regional Park are all great rides and fun ways to maintain a great shape.

For more information on fitness activities, go to www.BOOTCAMP619.com.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Power Foods to Lower Your Cholesterol

Certain foods cannot only help reduce your cholesterol intake but also actively improve it. By adding these foods to your diet, combined with proper exercise, you will be on your way to feeling great and having a longer, healthier life.

The following are power foods that are an easy addition to your daily nutritional lifestyle. They taste great and are shown to improve your cholesterol.


Oat for Soluble Fiber

Oatmeal and oat bran are rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber which lowers the bad LDL cholesterol without lowering the good HDL cholesterol. Food products containing oat bran and rolled oats, such as oatmeal, and whole oat flour can bear this health claim.


Fish for Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids - which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In particular, omega 3 fatty acids are noted for their triglyceride-lowering power.


Nuts for Healthy Fats

Nuts rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have all been shown to lower the bad LDL cholesterol. Nuts can be high in calories, so if your goal is to burn fat, you should monintor their intake.


Soy

Soy products are great substitutes for animal products. However, some sources conflict on whether soy can actually reduce your cholesterol. Should you avoid soy then? A simple answer is No. Although soy may not lower cholesterol to the extent we previously thought it could, many consider soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fat and total fat.


For more information on fitness and nutrition, visit www.BOOTCAMP619.com today.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Fat Burning Basics

The first step in taking control of your body fat is understanding how it works! Here are some simple guidelines on how your body can overcome its fat intake and burn fat faster.

* When you deprive your body of essential calories, it responds by slowing down your metabolism to conserve fuel. That means that it is important to never skip meals. Eat light meals frequently throughout the day.


* Aerobic activities boost fat burning - for up to an hour after we stop them. By keeping aerobic exercises a frequent part of your daily routing, you can keep your fat burning engine running constantly!


* 10% of the calories we burn in a day is by processing the nutrients we consume.


* Muscle cells burn calories faster than fat cells. So, the more muscles you have, the more calories you'll burn.


* Body composition would be a better indicator than body weight, since muscle tissue is heavier than fat tissue. By replacing fat with muscle, we change the composition and shape of our body.


The key is to eat the right types of fat and not to eat more fat than your body really needs. It is commonly recommended that both men and women get no less than 15% of calories from fat which would be about 25 to 30 grams for a 1,500 to 1,800 calorie-a-day eating plan.


If you do have more fat than necessary, how can you burn it? Make a few uncomplicated changes to your lifestyle, and you're on your way:


* Eat breakfast! Start by making the all-important decision to eat breakfast. Eating breakfast revs up your metabolism.


* Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. It's less fattening, as long as you monitor the total calorie intake and your energy level remains steady throughout the day.


* Get moving! Work in your garden, do chair push-ups, dance, walk your dog, anything to get the muscles working.


* Add more muscle. This is the fastest way to tone the body, because the more muscle you have, the quicker you burn fat. The best way to shape up is to incorporate strength and toning exercise with aerobic exercises. Arm yourself with these tips and win your battle against fat.


For more information on fitness and nutrition, visit www.BOOTCAMP619.com.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Simple Rules to Fat Burning Meals

For your evening meal and other snack’s later in the day, focus on lean proteins. Select a green vegetable or fibrous vegetable such as asparagus, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or salad vegetables and combine that with one of the lean proteins such as chicken, fish, turkey or tofu. By eating lean, light meals, combined with aerobic exercise, you can keep your body in a fat-burning state.

When consuming the starchier carbs, keep them in your early-day meals. Natural, healthy carbs, such as brown rice, oatmeal or sweet potatoes, should be consumed only to the degree that your body can process them quickly and earlier in the day when you really need their energy. Carbs are fuel for energy, so whey start your engine right before bedtime? Eat these types of foods only early or, if your goal is to build muscle, right after your muscle-building workout.

For more information on fitness and nutrition, go to www.BOOTCAMP619.com today!