Quality versus Quantity

I often here the question of, "Am I better off exercising for only 1 hour or should I workout for 3 hours to get the best results".

Go for Quality of the workout. Are you moping around the gym for a good 3 hours- Doing an hour on the elliptical while watching "TeenMom" and then walking on the treadmill for an hour at a speed of 3.5.  Get the best results in a shorter amount of time and have fun while doing it.

I believe in high intensity workouts with speed interval training. Instead of running a grueling boring six miles on tread mills, run 3 miles and kill it! Or instead of running 3 miles.. run 3 miles with sprints and walking.  According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. Research also confirms that interval training target abdominal body fat. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity exercise such as intervals are better than long. 

Here is my favorite workout that is only 1 hour long! Change your speed according to how fast you can run. Push yourself to limits you wouldn't usually run at. These are average running speeds for the average treadmill runner. It's only 20mins on the tread mill. You'll survive! I keep my ipod blasting with the most upbeat music to keep my adrenaline going.

I have learned these methods through going to my favorite workout class, " Barry's Bootcamp" . But to save me the dollar I have made my own:

Workout Length: 1 hour long
Get your heart pumping :) 

Treadmill speed interval training
Durations: 20 mins
Warm Up: Incline : 4.5  Speed: 5.5 - 2 mins

Pace Yourself: Incline: 6.5  Speed: 6.0 - 1 min
Sprint: Incline: 4.0  Speed: 8.5 1 min
Recover: Incline 4.0 Speed 5.0 1 min
Sprint: Incline: 0 Speed: 9.5 - 30 sec
Repeat: 5 times!

Move to floor 
Duration: 30 mins:
Plank Hold- 1 min
Ab Bicycle- 1 min
Burpees with weights- 15 reps (5 pound weights)
Squats with 5 pound weights- 20 reps
Jump Rope- 1 min
Recover: Relax for 1 min
Repeat 3 times

Back to Treadmill
Duration: 10 min
Extreme Sprints!

Warm up: Incline 4.0 , Speed: 6.0 - 1 mins

Power Sprint: Incline 0.0 Speed: 9.5 30 sec
Walk it out: Incline 10.5 Speed: 4.0 30 sec
Jog: Incline: 4.0 Speed: 5.5 1 min
Repeat 3 times

ALL DONE :) 

Why am I stressing incline in the treadmill workouts?  
Walking or running on a level surface doesn’t use as much energy as walking or running on an incline.  By increasing the incline level on the treadmill, you will increase the number of calories burned during your workouts. Incline training works the leg muscles differently and more efficiently than training on a level surface. It creates long lean muscles. And your bootay will be a lot firmer ;)

Have you ever tried a speed interval workout?

Ketchup on my Caviar Please!!-- Let's Talk YOGURT

 

Thanks for the emails and requests for certain posts. Please comment and remember to follow me!  A friendly co-worker asked me to come back to blogging. Despite my hectic schedule, I am back and I am here to stay....
 
So how do you get those few extra carb overload pounds to shed off your tummy? Besides working out and eating right you should be EATING more Greek Yogurt!

Let's talk greek yogurt. I am talking plain 0% Greek yogurt (no sugar or fruit added). Why Greek Yogurt?

 “The body actually burns more calories digesting protein than carbohydrates,” says Grothe. “And protein takes longer to digest, so it helps you feel satiated longer. Greek yogurt has about twice as much protein per serving than regular yogurt, and that helps make Greek yogurt a ‘fat-fighting food,’ according to health website WebMD.com.”


Don't fall for those sugary added packaged mini yogurts with 19g of sugar. Buy the plain yogurt and control yogurt sweeten additives on your own. The way these companies make yogurt tasty with artificial preservatives is like taking Caviar and putting Ketchup on it .  But, the flavor is so PLAIN and bitter? I have found great ways to add yogurt to my diet more :)  Here is my 4-day a week breakfast share :)

Low calorie and keeps you full

How do I start my morning?  Being that I have a desk job I take this breakfast down slow while drinking 1 liter of water

1  cups 0% percent greek fage yogurt- that is 100 Calories and 23 grams of Protein

1 tblsp unsweetened baking cocoa powder

1 packet of Stevia (takes out bitterness of cocoa powder)

Whip together--
TA-DA "Chocolate Yogurt"

Top with blue berries

If you want a crunch and can control serving amount sprinkle Kashi Cereal ontop for a granola like taste. :)

Opt out Mayo for Greek Yogurt. Tuna fish with whipped avocado and greek yogurt tastes amazing. Making Guacamole? Use one less avocado and whip in some Greek yogurt.

Yogurt is highly recommended for post workout. Exercise uses carbohydrates for energy, and muscle carb depletion results from any form of exercise. Ingesting carbs after a workout refills muscle stores and refuels the body, according to Dr. John M. Berardi.





A high protein diet keeps you fuller longer and more energized.  

Don’t Skip Momma’s Smoked Ham for the Milk’n’Cookies

 Ah, tis the season to larger waist lines. The holiday season is filled with indulging on the best holiday chocolates and cookies. 

 I am an ABSOLUTE sucker for sweets. I am the one who gives into having more than one piece of cake.  I completely believe in enjoying the holiday sweets. However here are some helpful tips on not over doing the sweets and gaining those extra pounds:

1^st  “Don’t skip meals to eat sweets”. It makes sense to think I’ll save the calories for dessert but it’s actually worse. When you skip meals your body runs on empty making your blood sugar low that you crave MORE sugar. When you eat, your metabolism, works to break the food down into smaller, usable parts. Eat up your plate of salad, potatoes, ham and broccoli.

2^nd- Wait for dessert.  I often get so excited that I say bring on the dessert. It takes 20 minutes for your mind to process with your stomach that your full. I say wait a good 30 mins. Burn some calories get up and help the host clean up the Holiday Dinner

3^rd – Drink Water – Drink a full glass of water before grabbing for the box of holiday chocolates. Drinking water before allows you to feel even fuller

4^th- Eat Breakfast filled blueberries. Blue berries are proven to fight craving spikes. I love a bowl of oatmeal with blue berries in the morning. Eating Breakfast allows to you eat less later in the day.

 

5^th – Workout and just stay active – Falling into an all-around lazy slump is very common for the Holidays. You go into food comas. No matter how tired you are from food intake after a good 10 minute walk you’ll feel a lot better. I am all into relaxing but there is a big difference between relaxing and a food coma of stuffing your face in front of the TV.  Schedule in morning hikes and night walks. I know I will be working out at the gym and running but you don’t have to think extremes.

6^th – Enjoy. Don’t count calories and think about it too much. Your beautiful no matter if you do go crazy on the box of chocolates. Tomorrow is always a new day. We all have slip ups and need to learn how to forgive ourselves.  Don’t fall into the helpless state. Life is going to be okay<3 p="p">

Remember eat little less, live a little more and love a lot more. The holidays are not all about food.

Happy Holidays<3>

Cliff Bar? You might as well eat a Snickers

Cliff Bar? You might as well eat a Snickers

A lot of misconceptions come along with health protein bars. A lot of  people think cliff bars are healthy. Considering the health benefits you might as well eat a snickers.  If your on the go and need a meal filler snack to hold you over grab the RIGHT protein bar that will nourish your body.  The right bar  encourages your body from over eating later.

Certain bars should meet different goals. Some are post workout to fuel after, some are a snack and some are a meal replacement.

Generally…

Tips for the best health bars

-Bars should be 200 calories or less

- Meal Replacement bar should a little over 300 calories

-Should be less than 8g of artificial  added sugar

-Should give you at least 11g of PROTEIN

- * A high protein diet fills you longer

-Look for a short ingredient list

-Look for a bar that provides FIBER

-

My Favorite Bar:
Think Thin

I usually eat this after a workout or in the morning with grapefruit juice. I love the Chunky Peanut Butter Flavor. It keeps me so full and satisfied.

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http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition-pictures/smart-protein-bar-picks.aspx#/slide-6

Busy Schedule, Eat Clean

Wow between finals, final projects, my night job, my internship, my gym workouts and fitting in a little social life I almost lost touch of my blogging.

So what happens when your busy? What happens to even myself ? I crave food. The wrong food. All I want is sweets. 

Getting enough sleep is more than just about feeling refreshed and ready for your day.

Why do you crave sweets/carbs?

Adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands secrete chemicals that provide us with energy. However, stress, lack of sleep or insomnia can disrupt the function of these glands and cause exhaustion and so your body looks to other sources for energy.

When your body is running low:

-Drink lots of water

-Take a half hour to yourself and relax even if it’s during your lunch break. Go outside sit in the parkand breathe the fresh air in.

-Stay away from packaged items such as protein bars** which have artificial sweeteners

-Take lots of Vitamins and Iron Supplements

-Eat fruit to fulfill your sugar cravings

-Don’t Drink Excessive Amount of Coffee

-Drink Green Tea

**Look out this weekend for the blog post of what on-the-go health bars (proteins bars) are the best to eat.  You might as well eat Snickers before grabbing just any protein bar.

Drink Less To Weigh Less ; Drink Less To Look Tiredless

Let's Face it the REAL working Models And Celebrities are at home- NOT partying

The big misconception in NYC, LA, and other popular cities is that clubs are filled with models and actresses all the time. In actuality the REAL working models and actresses are at home resting. Drinking is the worse for your body and metabolism system.

• When you consume alcohol, your body burns fat 73% slower than normal
• Drinking may help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. As a result, you get less rest, which can trigger you to eat more calories the next day. 
• Skin: It could give you a really bad skin texture. You could damage your youthful looks. People who drink a lot have a certain kind of harden texture to their skin. 
•  Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. Eat a healthy meal first. You'll feel fuller, which will stop you from overdrinking, overeating later, or feeling a hangover tomorrow
• Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss you lose important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. You'll be more prone to get sick.   

source: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=563

I am not saying to go sober for the rest of your life. But drink in moderation of a healthy lifestyle. If your a heavy drink Rev your metabolism by going on an alcohol cleanse for 14 days. Sounds so hard but it will be worth it.


Take 7 days off from drinking and by day 7- Your Skin will be glowing, you'll sleep better, you'll have more energy, you'll eat less and more importantly overall be happier.

Drink your way to a tinier tummy

So what is my secret behind having a super flat tummy? Grapefruit Juice. The bitter taste killed me at first but I acquired such a taste for it.  I personally like pink grapefruit because it is less bitter.  First thing in the morning I wake up and drink a cold glass of grapefruit juice. My mouth waters from how satisfying it is. People who eat 3-5 grapefruits a week have report to losing weight faster. Why grapefruit juice?

 Grapefruits contain a bitter flavor of  Flavonoid called Naringin 
  

The bitter taste that Naringin provides stimulates the liver to produce fat burning enzymes. This triggers express fat loss and improved glucose tolerance. You'll be able to fight those late night sugar cravings.

Overall:

1. Improves Insulin Sensitivity
2. Helps to Metabolize Fat
3. Hunger Regulation by being able to last longer between meals without food

* Warning grapefruit bitter citrus can has many drug interactions. Please watch what medications are taken while eating or drink grapefruit.


source: http://zentofitness.com/the-benefits-of-grapefruit/


EAT MORE TO LOOSE MORE