Popping a capsule won't necessarily make your fat go away, but incorporating these seven steps will optimize a good fat burner's effects!
In the pursuit of lean muscle, smart nutrition and intense training are your most important weapons. You simply can't shed body fat without hard work in the gym and kitchen. However, a well-formulated fat burner can increase the effects of that hard work, giving you extra ammo in the war against body fat.
 
The supplement market is flooded with fat burners that work by increasing metabolism and thermogenesis, boosting energy, suppressing appetite, or blocking carbohydrate and fat absorption. Just swallowing a pill, however, won't deliver the best possible results. Maximize the effectiveness of your fat burner and get the most burn for your buck by following these seven steps!

​Like everything in life, you get out what you put in, and getting lean is no exception. You can't simply pop a fat burner and make up for poor nutrition and a lack of training. There are no magic pills.
A high-quality fat burner will, however, make your journey easier. Many products are not only designed to increase fat-burning, but also curb your appetite and boost your energy. To get the most from these effects and really torch calories, it's critical that you first get on track with a well-designed fitness program.

​There are dozens of products on the market to choose from, so finding the right fat burner for you and your goals isn't always easy. However, there are some general guidelines that can help. Fat burners generally fall into two broad categories: stimulant-based and stimulant-free.
 
Stimulant-free formulations are ideal for those who are sensitive to ingredients with stimulant effects like caffeine, synephrine, tyramine, and yohimbine (or yohimbe). In the stimulant-free realm, look for products containing fat-burning green tea extract (standardized for epigallocatechin gallate or ECGC) and acetyl-L-carnitine, and appetite-suppressing ingredients like caralluma fimbriata extract, or phaseolus vulgaris (white kidney bean), and cynara scolymus (artichoke) extract.
 
Stimulant-based fat burners will contain a combination of one or more of the following: caffeine, synephrine, tyramine, and yohimbe. These ingredients aim to increase energy, suppress appetite, and increase fat release from fat cells (to be burned as energy). You'll also likely find ingredients common to stimulant-free formulations in this class of fat burners.

​Since sticking to a clean, calorie-reduced diet is essential for fat loss, take advantage of the appetite-suppressing properties of your fat burner by taking it 30 minutes prior to breakfast and lunch. If you don't work out in the evening or you prefer a stimulant-free product, then take a dose 30 minutes before dinner. This will not only ensure you feel satiated after meals, but will also help to increase your metabolism.

​Since fat burners elevate your metabolism, you'll find that you sweat more when taking them. Also, stimulants like caffeine tend to have a diuretic effect, so you may find yourself visiting the men's (or ladies') room more often. These conditions can lead to a state of dehydration and slowed metabolism.
Drinking at least 3-4 quarts (or liters) of cold water per day will not only keep you hydrated, but has also been shown to increase metabolism and support fat loss. It's recommended that you drink at least 1 cup (250 ml) of water with each dose of a fat burner to ensure optimal absorption and hydration support. If you're training in a hot environment and sweating for long periods, you may need to double your water intake.

​The body becomes desensitized to some ingredients over time, and this is exactly what happens with stimulant-based supplements. Furthermore, overuse of stimulants can lead to high levels of cortisol (that unwanted hormone that breaks down muscle and causes fat storage), especially under the stress of dieting. To avoid these counterproductive effects, you should cycle on stimulant-based supplements for 3-4 weeks and then take two weeks off. Use a stimulant-free product for the next two weeks between cycles.
 
The best way to know if you need to cycle your fat burners is by assessing how you feel when you're on them. If after several weeks you find that you no longer get the "kick" you used to from a regular dose, then it's time to take a break—not more product.

​One of the most essential but often overlooked steps on the road to a lean and muscular physique is adequate deep sleep. In fact, some people turn to fat burners to get the energy to work out because they're constantly in a state of sleep deprivation. Unfortunately this approach can lead to increases in blood cortisol and decreased testosterone, which will significantly hold you back in terms of muscle gains and fat loss. Sleep is necessary for repair, recovery, and hormonal balance. You've heard it before because it's so important: Get eight hours of deep sleep nightly.
If you find that your fat burners are hindering your sleep, don't take anything stimulant-based after your lunchtime dose. Notably, you should also limit any other sources of stimulants to before 6 p.m. If you work out at night, make sure your pre-workout supplements are caffeine and stimulantfree.

​If you're looking to really get your metabolic furnace going, take a fat burner containing caffeine and green tea extract first thing upon waking, and again 30 minutes before your cardio session. Most people attribute the thermogenic benefits of green tea to its caffeine content, but that's not entirely correct. Biochemically, green tea's dramatic effects are due to the interaction between its high content in catechin-polyphenols (ECGC) and caffeine, and their impact on sympathetically released norepinephrine (NE). The synergistic action of these compounds inhibits the breakdown of NE.
Norepinephrine is a key player in fat mobilization, lipolysis, and appetite suppression. Past research has shown that those who took green tea extract before cardiovascular training had far greater fat-burning effects than those who took a placebo. The addition of caffeine assists in the mobilization of body fat to be used as fuel, enhances focus and motivation, and has been shown to reduce exercise-associated muscle pain. You'll work out harder and longer, and enhance your ability to burn fat.

Source: www.bodybuilding.com

​​Take the doc's advice to look and feel your best for life.

​Broccoli is the best produce option because it cleanses the liver and helps to fight cancer. To reap the most rewards, the doctor suggests cleaning and slicing cruciferous veggies (like broccoli) five to 10 minutes before cooking, and then steaming or microwaving them (instead of boiling) to help retain the most cancer-fighting compounds.

​New research says that vitamin D may play a crucial role in weight loss by controlling appetite and helping fat cells become more metabolically active. The sunshine vitamin also helps your body better absorb bone-boosting calcium, improves immunity, reduces inflammation, and may even protect against some forms of cancer. Nearly 75 percent of Americans are vitamin-D deficient, so there's a good chance you're not getting your recommended daily dose of 400 IU (some people may need as much as 1000 IU, so check with your doctor to find out what's right for you).
The best sources of vitamin D are salmon, tuna, and mackerel (especially the flesh), adding that "fish liver oils, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks also contain small amounts. 

And don't forget the most convenient source of all: sunlight. Vitamin D is actually produced in your body when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike your skin; the UV rays trigger synthesis of vitamin D, which then gets converted in your liver into its active form.

​Drinking water is so imperative for staying healthy, energized, and even losing weight. There are so many reasons to stay hydrated—hunger is often disguised as thirst, it boosts your metabolism, and water is the best energy drink available.
To find out exactly how much water you should be drinking, divide your body weight (in pounds) by two and aim to drink that many ounces of water every day.

​Drinking all-natural green tea is an excellent way to boost your weight loss and your health. Not only does it have the power to stoke your metabolism, but it also contains the highest concentration of catechins, antioxidants found in plants that have been found to protect against heart disease and even some cancers. Sip on a few cups of green tea throughout the day to get all of its amazing benefits.

​While the amount of calories you consume is crucial for weight loss, the quality of your food is often more important (and often ignored). Losing weight isn't all about cutting calories. Your brain is looking for nutrients, not calories, and your brain will prod you to eat until you're satisfied, who cites a recent landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found specific foods, not just their calorie content, influence weight gain.
After adjusting for age, baseline body mass index, and lifestyle factors such as exercise and sleep duration, the authors found that the foods most associated with adding pounds over a four-year period were French fries, potato chips, sugary drinks, meats (unprocessed red meat and processed meats), sweets, and refined grains; the foods most associated with shedding pounds were yogurt, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
These results aren't exactly ground-breaking, but they confirm what weight-loss experts have been recommending for years. To stay slim and healthy, fill up on high-fiber, nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean meats (Dr. Oz always eats a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts prior to a large meal). This will help you avoid overloading on empty calories later, when you're starving.

You don't need to completely eliminate, just try not to indulge immediately after dinner. 
Avoid sweets directly after a meal since sugar disrupts the absorption of nutrients. The best time for a sweet treat is about two hours after you finish your meal. And when it comes to what you eat, try the good doctor's go-to dessert: dark chocolate. The flavonols found in cocoa improve circulation and increase blood flow to the brain, which helps you see more clearly. 

​The old saying 'you snooze, you lose' couldn't be more accurate when it comes to shedding pounds. According to Dr. Oz, depriving your body of sleep can speed up the aging process and deter your weight-loss efforts.  The brain craves carbohydrates when you're tired, so you could unknowingly sabotage even the best laid plans. Aim for a good seven hours (minimum) of shuteye every night to allow your body to restore and to protect vital organ functions.

​You've heard it before, but it's worth repeating: Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day! Skipping the first meal of the day can increase risk for obesity more than fourfold. If you don't eat right when you wake up, your body senses a famine is coming and slows your metabolism to compensate. Then, when your body is presented with food later, it's ravenous and wants to pack it in, leading to bingeing with a slow metabolism—a recipe for weight gain.
Your plan of action: Dr. Oz suggests automating your first meal of the day by eating the same breakfast (like an egg-white omelet or steel-cut oatmeal), or cycling through a small variety of breakfast foods each and every morning. 

Reference: Dr. Mehmet Oz, cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and host of The Dr. Oz Show.​

​Implement these 9 fat-burning tips that use exercise and diet and watch the body fat melt like the butter you're no longer using. How you look in the mirror, how you feel, and how your clothes fit are much better indicators of your progress.
The human body is a remarkably adaptable machine. Even if years and years of neglect have allowed pound after pound of fat to fill out your frame, you can rid yourself of that lard at a much faster rate than you brought it on board. In that sense, time is your side! Take these nine easy-to-implement tips to heart, and progress will come in a hurry! 

​That you can gain muscle and lose fat is one of the reasons I stress to people not to follow the scale. Body composition and how you look in the mirror matters more than what the scale says.
You could train hard and eat right and build five pounds of muscle and lose five pounds of fat, and what will the scale say? That you still weigh the same.
Frustrating, even though you've made good progress. Use the scale as a guide, but how you look in the mirror, how you feel, and how your clothes fit are much better indicators of your progress.

​If you're looking to lose fat, don't make huge calorie cuts. This will kick your body into starvation mode, reducing your metabolism and making it more difficult to burn off the fat.
To prevent this metabolic slowdown and allow your body to burn fat at an optimal rate, make smaller calorie reductions every week or two.

This is another way to outsmart your body and continue to lose body fat without lowering your metabolism.
By varying your caloric intake every few days instead of eating the exact same amount of calories every day, keep the starvation mechanism in check and continue to burn fat. 

Says Jim Stoppani, Ph.D:
​
"Although in today's society food tends to be accessible and abundant, our bodies are designed to store as much energy as possible to prepare for times of scarcity. One way the body does this is by adjusting its metabolic rate based on calorie intake.
If you stick with the same calories every single day while dieting, your body will adjust by lowering metabolic rate to prevent you from burning off too much body fat. It's all about hormones.
When leptin levels are high, your metabolic rate stays high; when leptin levels drop, so does your metabolic rate.
When calories are low and steady, leptin levels fall and so does metabolic rate. Eating higher calories on some days and lower calories on others helps to keep leptin levels up."

​Consuming enough of the good fats will help you lose fat, build muscle, and recover faster from your workouts. Healthy fats also have myriad health benefits, including being good for your heart.
So which fats are "good" fats? The polyunsaturated ones (especially omega-3s), such as those from fish and nuts, and the monounsaturated kind, such as those from peanut butter, olive oil, egg yolks, and fish oil.

​The attention focused on low-carb diets has divided many people into "pro" and "anti" low-carb camps. Whichever side you're on, the bottom line is that reducing your carb intake—especially sugar and starches—when trying to lose fat will help.
Those carbs you do consume should come from sources such as oatmeal and vegetables.
The timing of your carb intake also affects fat-burning. Consume most of your carbs in the morning and around your workouts.

​Increasing protein intake will increase your metabolism and help to maintain your muscle mass, all of which helps with fat-burning. In fact, your body burns more calories when you eat protein than when you digest either fats or carbs.
This may explain why the fat-burning effects of eating more protein were confirmed in a study published in the American Journal of Physiology. One group was fed a high-protein diet (just over 1 gram per pound of body weight per day) while the second group consumed an amount closer to the lower recommendation of the RDA (recommended dietary allowance). The group eating the higher-protein diet burned the most fat.
Yes, you read that right, Grasshopper: Many dieters actually gained muscle mass without working out, simply by eating a high-protein diet.

This will ensure that you supply your body with the nutrients necessary to build muscle and burn fat.
Bonus: Your resting metabolic rate increases. It will also prevent your body from kicking into "starvation" mode, which can happen when too much time elapses between meals.
If this happens, your body will start burning muscle for energy and increasing your body-fat stores, as well as slowing down your metabolism. This is the exact opposite of what you want to happen.

Who Should Go Low? 
​​Low-impact exercises are most appropriate for beginners, as well as people with arthritis or osteoporosis and older adults, individuals who are obese, pregnant women, and people with bone, joint, connective tissue injuries. That's because low-impact exercise tend to be less jarring on the body and joints, and less intense overall (more on that below). According to the American Council on Exercise, keeping at least one foot on the ground at all times also reduces your risk of musculoskeletal injury.

Who Should Aim High? 
High-impact exercises tend to be more intense overall and therefore burn more calories. They may even strengthen bones better than lower impact options, but any impact can help with that, even if it's light. These types of exercises should be reserved for people who already have a baseline of fitness and are at low risk for joint problems because they pose a higher risk for injury, especially to the ankle, knee and hip joints as well as the spine. How?

If you remember high school science class, Newton's third law (the law of impact and reaction forces) explains why. For every action (force applied by one body to a second), there is an equal and opposite reaction (the second applies an equal force on the first but in the opposite direction). Whew! What that means as that your body must absorb the impact forces during high-impact moves. The force on your body while running (high impact) can be more than twice that of walking (low impact). A 150-pound person who runs will land on one foot with about 300 foot pounds of pressure on the ankle, knee and hip joints. This can result in overuse and stress injuries, especially in larger people and at fast speeds.

21 Low-Impact Workouts That Are More Effective Than You Think. ​
Today we're  going to show you 21 low- (or no!) impact exercises to keep things varied, safe and full o’ fun.

1. Walking
Want to actually hit the water? Grab a kayak and jump on in! Kayaking works the arms and core (no crunches necessary) and can burn up to 400 calories an hour while seeing some stellar sights.

2. Elliptical
Sorry treadmill, elliptical takes the cake when it comes to putting less stress on those legs.

3. Stairmaster
Not all gyms have staircases, but they probably have a Stairmaster. (Which is obviously way more exciting than a treadmill.) No gym nearby? No problem. Hit the real stairs.

4. Strength training
Want to actually hit the water? Grab a kayak and jump on in! Kayaking works the arms and core (no crunches necessary) and can burn up to 400 calories an hour while seeing some stellar sights.

5. Cycling
Thank mom and dad for teaching us to take off the training wheels. Hopping on the bike is a fun way to fit in some exercise, with a lower chance of damaging the joints. And you don't even need to sign up for a spin class. 

6. Rowing machine
Spice up the cardio routine and bring the water sports to the gym? Yes, please. The rowing machine (impact not included) is an intense and fun way to work those arms, back, legs, and core. Score!

7. Kayaking
Want to actually hit the water? Grab a kayak and jump on in! Kayaking works the arms and core (no crunches necessary) and can burn up to 400 calories an hour while seeing some stellar sights.
​
8. Tai Chi
Try some meditation in motion to give those bones a break. This gentle, fluid movement may also help ward off headaches, helping to improve flexibility, too . (Whether that includes a hangover headache is unclear.)

9. Hiking
Another way to spice up a walk is to add some hiking terrain (opt for flatter areas, though, to keep impact to a minimum). Ready to strap on the boots and hit the woods? 
Want to actually hit the water? Grab a kayak and jump on in! Kayaking works the arms and core (no crunches necessary) and can burn up to 400 calories an hour while seeing some stellar sights.

​10. Rock climbing
To take off some stress, head to the nearest wall (err, rock wall, that is!). Climbing movements are typically slow and controlled, which works the muscles without the added strain.

11. Yoga
​It’s no tackle football, but the NFL pros are doing it. So ease up and add some spinal twists and half moons to that fitness routine. Or try aerial yoga to really lift the stress off the ground.

12. Pilates
High-impact sports won’t magically give us six-pack abs, that we know. The potential solution? Just roll out the mat for a quick Pilates session to strengthen the core and help increase flexibility.
​
13. Total Body Resistance Training 
Also known as "TRX", it is a strap suspension system (say that three times fast) that’s easy on the joints but a serious challenge for your whole body. 
​
14. Swimming
Skip the pool floats and start doing laps. Swimming is a great low-impact exercise with a boatload of benefits, from strengthening the shoulders to improving lung function.

15. Water aerobics
If laps in the pool gets repetitive, bring the aerobics class to the water. Some gyms even offer treadmills in the pool to really keep things interesting.

16. Snowshoeing
For a different kind of walk in the park, snowshoeing is the way to go. Working against the resistance of the snow will expend more energy than walking on dry land.

​17. Step aerobics
Step aerobics is a form of aerobic power distinguished from other types of aerobic exercise by its use of an elevated platform (the step). The height can be tailored to individual needs by inserting risers under the step.

​18. Ballroom dancing
Take a tip from Dancing With the Stars. Not only is dancing super sexy, it’s often easy on the body and a guaranteed great workout . So go grab a partner and give those dips, twirls, and whirls a spin!

19. Rollerblading
Let’s take a trip back to the 90s. Gliding on pavement won’t fail to burn calories while putting less stress on limbs. Now, if only stopping was that easy…

​20. Cross-country skiing
​This flat-terrain travel keeps things heated—even in the snow. So strap on the skis and start pumping those poles. You’ll keep the pressure light (as snow) on the body.

21. Golf
Now, now—golf isn’t just for the pros (or the retired). Take a trip to the fairway and get that swing on. Bonus points for skipping the golf cart and walking the course!​

​10. Rock climbing
To take off some stress, head to the nearest wall (err, rock wall, that is!). Climbing movements are typically slow and controlled, which works the muscles without the added strain.

11. Yoga
​It’s no tackle football, but the NFL pros are doing it. So ease up and add some spinal twists and half moons to that fitness routine. Or try aerial yoga to really lift the stress off the ground.

12. Pilates
High-impact sports won’t magically give us six-pack abs, that we know. The potential solution? Just roll out the mat for a quick Pilates session to strengthen the core and help increase flexibility.
​
13. Total Body Resistance Training 
Also known as "TRX", it is a strap suspension system (say that three times fast) that’s easy on the joints but a serious challenge for your whole body. 
​
14. Swimming
Skip the pool floats and start doing laps. Swimming is a great low-impact exercise with a boatload of benefits, from strengthening the shoulders to improving lung function.

15. Water Aerobics
If laps in the pool gets repetitive, bring the aerobics class to the water. Some gyms even offer treadmills in the pool to really keep things interesting.

16. Snowshoeing
For a different kind of walk in the park, snowshoeing is the way to go. Working against the resistance of the snow will expend more energy than walking on dry land.

​17. Step aerobics
Step aerobics is a form of aerobic power distinguished from other types of aerobic exercise by its use of an elevated platform (the step). The height can be tailored to individual needs by inserting risers under the step. Most strength training exercises are low-impact and still work up a sweat. (Keep in mind those monster box jumps wearing a weighted vest doesn't exactly qualify.) Try squats, lunges, or super mans ( Lie face down with arms and legs extended. Keeping the torso as still as possible, simultaneously raise the arms and legs to form a small curve in the body)!

​There's no secret to developing six pack. Check out these 6 nutrition and training tips to find out how you can succeed at your quest for six pack abs!
It seems like everywhere you look these days you find website after website promising to reveal the next secret or long-lost truth to getting six pack abs. While some of these sites are legitimate, most are just trying to scam you out of your hard-earned money.
When trying to develop the ever so elusive six pack, it is easy to get caught up in flashy advertisements and marketing promises. The flashy videos, professionally written sales copy, and celebrity testimonials practically make it impossible to figure out what works and what is a scam.
​With literally thousands of so-called gurus promising you the world, the task of translating the nonsense into language you can understand is a daunting one. Most people don't have the time to sift through all of that junk to pick out a winner.

Here is the thing that many people, including a lot of trainers, overlook: diet. The single most important tool that you need in order to develop your abs is diet.
Regardless of what you've heard, or what the latest hyped up fat loss pill promised you, abs are made in the kitchen and not in the gym. You could have the best training program of all time, but if your diet sucks, so will your abs.
In fact, diet is responsible for about 90% of your results. The secret to six pack abs is not locked in a supplement pill or found in an ab workout or gadget.
Instead of falling for the empty promises, spend your time focusing on the things that matter, like solid nutrition principles, and leave the rest of the stuff alone.

Protein will help you build lean muscle as well as burn body fat. Out of all the macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) lean protein has the highest thermogenic effect on the body.
That makes it the most valuable macronutrient of all, because your body burns a ton of calories breaking it down.
This is one of the main reasons why professional athletes and competitive bodybuilders eat a diet that is high in lean protein and also have some of the best physiques on the planet! This goes for women also, not just men.
As we are all humans with basically the same DNA and tissues, we all need protein in order to survive and also to burn body fat!

Most people have been falsely led to believe that carbohydrates are bad and that they will make you fat. This is definitely a myth that needs to be busted!
Of course eating too much of anything will make you gain weight, but natural grain or starchy carbs such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, and oatmeal are actually quite beneficial in your six-pack quest, especially when consumed post-workout. When you eat carbs post-workout, they have the smallest chance of turning into body fat.
Try to eat moderate amounts of carbs and 1-2 cups of vegetables with each meal. This will ensure that your body gets the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber it needs to function at its peak and remain healthy.

Make sure you include healthy fats primarily from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as raw nuts, nut butters, fish oils, and olive oils into your diet.
​Dietary fat from these sources will keep your insulin levels stable, which is very important if your goal is to lose belly fat and reveal six pack abs. I am not saying to go out there and eat an entire bag of Planters Cashews.
I am simply saying that you do not need to be afraid to include healthy fats in your diet. With all of the so called "low fat diet" gurus out there and the huge amount of negative press about fats, it is easy to mistakenly believe that eliminating fats from your diet is good. But it is actually a dietary disaster, especially if you want a head turning physique.
By combining lean protein with the correct types and amounts of green leafy vegetables, good carbs, and fats you will begin to super charge your metabolism and turn your body into a 24-7 fat burning machine.

In order to burn fat and reveal your washboard, six pack abs, it is important to eat a balanced diet that is made up of protein, healthy fats, and some carbohydrates.
Protein helps form the building blocks of muscle and is probably the most essential macronutrient of them all, mainly because your body burns a ton of calories digesting protein.
Calculating the right amount of carbohydrates to eat can be tricky, but a good strategy to use is to eat most of your carbs post-workout.
When you intake carbs post-workout your body quickly absorbs the carbs directly into the muscle tissue, promoting growth. Post-workout carbs also help your muscles recover faster, which will give you better results faster.
​Many people believe that eating fat will make you fat, but in reality, healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as fish oils, nuts, and olive oil will actually help you burn more fat than a low-fat diet will.
Dietary fat in your diet will kelp keep insulin levels stable, which will help prevent you from gaining additional body fat.
The last diet tip is to include plenty of fiber and raw vegetables with each meal. Vegetables are jam packed with tons of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals which are all essential for building a lean body and ripped six pack abs.

Compound, multi-joint, total body movements will promote more total fat loss and promote a much bigger muscle building response than crunches and sit-ups ever will.
Personally, I think that it is completely pointless to waste an hour of your time doing hundreds of useless crunches and sit-ups when that hour could be spent doing exercises that are more productive for fat loss.
Working as a fitness model, I generally work abs for about 20 minutes two or three times per week. There is just no reason to work abs any more than this! Here is a list of great compound exercises that you should have in your workout program:

I'm sure you've probably heard that the best way to burn fat is to do long duration cardio at a slow to medium pace. This fat loss method is decent, but there is a much better way. I suggest doing interval workouts combined with abdominal exercises.
During the active recovery period of your interval workout, perform an ab exercise. For example, if you are doing interval sprints on a stationary bike or treadmill, run for 30 seconds at your maximum speed.
Hop off of the machine and immediately perform a set of 20 exercise ball crunches. Get back on the machine and crank it back up again. Repeat 5-8 times.
You can throw in a variety of different ab exercises during this interval session such as reverse crunches, planks, etc.

In summary, the key to getting rock hard six pack abs is to be sure to focus on your diet, while incorporating multi-joint, compound exercises and smart cardio into your workout routine. That is the long lost secret that you must use if you want to succeed in your six pack quest.

REFERENCE: www.bodybuilding.com

The tiny island nations of Polynesia and Micronesia have the highest BMI averages in the world, according to the study. In American Samoa, the average BMI for women reaches 34.8 and the average BMI for men is 32.2.
In some European and Asian countries, the average BMI has not increased. These countries -- including Singapore, Japan, Czech Republic, Belgium, France and Switzerland -- had virtually no increase in women's BMI averages.
The lowest BMI averages were found in Timor-Leste, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The lowest BMI for women was in Timor-Leste were the average BMI is 20.8 and for men the lowest BMI was found in Ethiopia with an average BMI of 20.1.

The researchers said people being underweight is still a huge issue globally. A quarter of women in India and Bangladesh are underweight. A fifth of men in India, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Ethiopia are underweight.
Being underweight put a person at risk for multiple health problems including anemia, infertility and osteoporosis.

Britons devour an average 11 kg of chocolate each per year, with a fair chunk consumed over Easter. With chocolate claimed to boost our mood, this should make us blissfully happy this Sunday. But is this true? What really happens to our bodies when we binge on an egg or ten?

Just like the caffeine in coffee, the cocoa in chocolate is a chemical powerhouse, rich in active compounds that are quickly absorbed, affecting everything from our energy levels to mood. Nutritionally, cocoa in chocolate contains many biologically active substances that have positive effects on human health, including flavonoids, theobromine and magnesium.
Of course, much depends on the kind of chocolate you scoff – the healthy compounds are in the cocoa, so the darker the chocolate the better it is for you.

MOOD
Dark chocolate that contains at least 70 per cent cocoa is a much cheerier option than milk chocolate. Within one to two hours, the active compounds in the cocoa are absorbed into the blood stream and give us pleasure.  Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which has some aphrodisiac-like properties. However, the body gets rid of it very quickly, so the actual effect of this is very small and more likely to be psychosomatic. But chocolate does increase serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain to give that short post-eating high. In fact, the elation really is momentary. According to a 2007 study published in the journal Appetite – chocolate soothes a bad mood for just three minutes.

STRESS
There is some evidence that chocolate has a natural calming effect one to two hours after eating it. A Swiss study in 2009 found that subjects who ate 40g of dark chocolate a day over two weeks had reduced cortisol levels, our natural stress hormone.

THE FIRST BITE
Chocolate gives us immediate sensory pleasure from the taste on our tongues, and within 15 minutes sugar is converted to blood glucose that gives us an energy burst. But after an hour or so our blood glucose levels fall and “crash” – this is most severe with milk chocolate, the sugariest kind.  A spike in insulin causes a lower blood sugar level than you started with, causing headaches, fatigue and lethargy.

APPETITE
Chocolate has appetite-suppressing properties that can help you lose weight. Not only is it high in fat, which makes you feel full for longer, but researchers in Italy have also found the flavanol in dark chocolate improves insulin sensitivity, which improves our ability to absorb sugars rather than store them as fat. Another study in the Netherlands showed that even smelling dark chocolate resulted in a decrease in the hunger hormone, ghrelin.  This only applies to dark chocolate, as milk chocolate can often have the opposite effect. Tests in animals suggest that the flavanols in chocolate could potentially play a part in preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes.

GUT DISCOMFORT
Chocolate contains caffeine, a bowel stimulant that can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as it transits through the small and large intestine 4-5 hours after eating it. Caffeine also raises acid levels in our stomach, which facilitate digestion, but can also result in heartburn, acid reflux or inflammation of an existing stomach ulcer. If you struggle with acid reflux or other gut problems, you might find that chocolate tastes great going down but not so well once it hits the stomach.

BRAIN FUNCTION
An Easter egg won’t make you an immediate genius, but regular doses of dark chocolate can improve our brainpower and memory, according to a number of studies. Moreover, a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2012 found a “surprisingly powerful” correlation between chocolate intakes per capita and the number of Nobel laureates in various countries.

BLOOD PRESSURE
A 2012 Cochrane Group report into dark chocolate found that a couple of squares each day – about 100g – can lead to a small reduction in blood pressure. The report said flavanols in cocoa produce nitric oxide, which 'relaxes' blood vessels and makes it easier for blood to pass through them, lowering blood pressure.
Heart health and cholesterol
Several long-term studies have linked eating dark chocolate to a small decrease in “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can occur as little as two hours after eating chocolate. One study also suggests that bacteria in the stomach ferment chocolate into useful anti-inflammatory compounds that are also good for the heart health and reduce the death rate in heart attack survivors.

But any health benefits from chocolate are based on moderation and cocoa content. Most of the studies say the beneficial effects of chocolate are in the range of 80g a week. And although both milk and dark chocolate both contain cocoa, milk chocolate contains a much higher amount of dairy product and sugars. Go for dark.

Reference: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

​The term 'processed food' applies to any food that has been altered from its natural state in some way, either for safety reasons or convenience
 
In a huge cross-sectional study of what Americans eat every day, researchers at the University of São Paulo and Tufts University in Massachusetts found that more than half of the foods that Americans eat are “ultra-processed.”
 
The researchers define ultra-processed foods as those containing substances you wouldn’t ordinarily use while cooking—“flavors, colors, sweeteners, emulsifiers and other additives”—that either “imitate unprocessed or minimally processed foods” or “disguise undesirable qualities of the final product.” They’re packed with stuff designed to trick your senses into thinking that the gunk you’re about to eat actually tastes, smells, or looks like the real food you should be eating.
 
Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, are literally sham food. And they make up a whopping 57.9% of the American diet. By comparison, minimally processed or unprocessed foods—like meat, most fruits and vegetables, eggs, pasta, and milk—make up only 29.6% of Americans’ daily food consumption. The rest of the average American diet consists of just plain "processed" foods (as opposed to ultra-processed or minimally processed ones) like cheese.

One advantage of cooking food from scratch at home is that you know exactly what is going into it, including the amount of added salt or sugar. However, even homemade food sometimes uses processed ingredients. Read on to find out how you can eat processed foods as part of a healthy diet.

​Most shop-bought foods will have been processed in some way. Examples of common processed foods include:

• breakfast cereals
• cheese
• tinned vegetables
• bread
• savory snacks, such as crisps 
• meat products, such as bacon
• "convenience foods", such as microwave meals or ready meals
• drinks, such as milk or soft drinks

 
Food processing techniques include freezing, canning, baking, drying and pasteurizing products. 
 
Not all processed food is a bad choice. Some foods need processing to make them safe, such as milk, which needs to be pasteurized to remove harmful bacteria. Other foods need processing to make them suitable for use, such as pressing seeds to make oil.
 
Freezing fruit and veg preserves most vitamins, while tinned produce (choose those without added sugar and salt) can mean convenient storage, cooking and choice to eat all year round, with less waste and cost than fresh.

​Ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat are sometimes added to processed foods to make their flavor more appealing and to prolong their shelf life, or in some cases to contribute to the food's structure, such as salt in bread or sugar in cakes.
This can lead to people eating more than the recommended amounts for these additives, as they may not be aware of how much has been added to the food they are buying and eating. These foods can also be higher in calories due to the high amounts of added sugar or fat in them.
 
Furthermore, a diet high in red and processed meat (regularly eating more than 90g a day) has also been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer. Some studies have also shown that eating a large amount of processed meat may be linked to a higher risk of cancer or heart disease. 

​Processed meat refers to meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. This includes sausages, bacon, ham, salami and pâtés.
The Department of Health recommends that if you currently eat more than 90g (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day, that you cut down to 70g a day. This is equivalent to two or three rashers of bacon, or a little over two slices of roast lamb, beef or pork, with each about the size of half a slice of bread.
 
However, it's important to remember that the term "processed" applies to a very broad range of foods, many of which can be eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

​Reading nutrition labels can help you choose between processed products and keep a check on the amount of processed foods you're eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars.

​There are guidelines to tell you if a food is high or low in fat, saturated fat, salt or sugar. These are:

r example, if you are trying to cut down on saturated fat, try to limit the amount of foods you eat that have more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g.

Conclusion: It’s fine to eat processed foods in moderation. Look at the nutrition facts label and ingredients before you come to the conclusion if a processed food is good or bad. 

Reference: 
Processed Foods - What's OK, What to Avoid
Reviewed by Jill Kohn, MS, RDN, LDN
Published November 09, 2015
http://www.mensfitness.com/

​If the fructose in sugar and high fructose corn syrup has been considered alcohol without the buzz in terms of the potential to inflict liver damage, what about the source of natural fructose, fruit?

​Only industrial, not fruit fructose intake was associated with declining liver function. Same thing with high blood pressure. Fructose from added sugars was associated with hypertension; fructose from natural fruits is not.  If you compare the effects of a diet restricting fructose from both added sugars and fruit to one just restricting fructose from added sugars, the diet that kept the fruit did better. People lost more weight with the extra fruit present than if all fructose was restricted.

These deleterious effects of fructose were limited to industrial fructose, meaning table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, with no evidence for a negative effect of the fructose in whole fruit. This apparent inconsistency might be explained by the positive effects of other nutrients (e.g., fiber) and antioxidants in fresh fruit.

If you have people drink a glass of water with three tablespoons of table sugar in it, which is like a can of soda, this is the big spike in blood sugar you get within the first hour. Our body freaks out and releases so much insulin we actually overshoot, and by the second hour we’re relatively hypoglycemic, dropping our blood sugar below where they were when we started out fasting. In response, our body dumps fat into our blood stream as if we’re starving, because our blood sugars just dropped so suddenly.

What if you eat blended berries in addition to the sugar? They have sugars of their own in them, in fact an additional tablespoon of sugar worth, so the blood sugar spike should be worse, right? No, not only no additional blood sugar spike, here’s the critical part, no hypoglycemic dip afterwards. Blood sugar just went up and down without that overshoot and without the surge of fat into the blood.

This difference may be attributed to the semisolid consistency of the berry meals, which may have decreased the rate of stomach emptying compared with just guzzling sugar water. In addition, the soluble fiber in the berries has a gelling effect in our intestines that slows the release of sugars. To test to see if it was the fiber, they repeated the experiment with berry juice that had all the sugar but none of the fiber. As you can see, a clear difference was observed early on in the blood sugar insulin responses. At the 15 minute mark, the blood sugar spike was significantly reduced by the berry meals but not by the juices, but the rest of the beneficial responses were almost the same between the juice and the whole fruit, suggesting that fiber may just be part of it. It turns out there are fruit phytonutrients that inhibit the transportation of sugars through the intestinal wall into our blood stream. Phytonutrients in foods like apples and strawberries can block some of the uptake of sugars by the cells lining our intestines.

Adding berries can actually blunt the insulin spike from high glycemic foods. Here’s what white bread does to our insulin levels within 2 hours after eating it. Eat that same white bread with some berries, though and you’re able to blunt the spike. So even though you’ve effectively added more sugars, in the form of berries, there’s less of an insulin spike, which has a variety of potential short and long-term benefits. So if you’re going to make pancakes, make sure they’re blueberry pancakes.

Reference: http://nutritionfacts.org/

​​The truth is that corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup are two different products.

Both products are made from corn starch, but regular corn syrup is 100 percent glucose, while high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has had some of its glucose converted to fructose enzymatically.

Scientists are examining the potentially negative effects of consuming large amounts of fructose in the form of HFCS, but regular corn syrup is not part of that consideration, as it does not contain fructose.

That doesn't necessarily mean the corn syrup you buy in the store is HFCS-free, unfortunately.

Manufacturers sometimes add HFCS to regular corn syrup, but it will be listed as an ingredient if that is the case. So read labels carefully or stick with Karo, which does not add HFCS to their products.

Of course, like all refined sweeteners, corn syrup should be consumed in moderation. A few times a year around the holidays — in your grandmother's famous pecan pie recipe or the caramel candies everyone loves — sounds just about right.

Reference: http://nutritionfacts.org/

​Despite the long presentation to be an advertisement from the Nucific company to sell the product BIO X4,  it is also quite informative.

Dr. Amy Lee is a certified Bariatric Physician whose lifetime work specializes in internal medicine and physical nutrition. She is the founder and director at the Integrated Wellness Center in Los Angeles, CA and has degrees from the American Board of Internal Medicine, National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists (NBPNS) and American Board of Obesity Medicine.

If you watch the presentation, you will find her healthy weight management approach is rooted on avoiding 3 harmful foods that we should all stop consuming and using on a daily basis along with adding her 4 natural weight loss boosters and digestion helpers.

• Her first major harmful health food was sugar-laden yogurt.
• Her second major harmful health food was high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) wheat beard.
• Her third major harmful health food was sugar and HFCS cereal bars.

She also gave way to her number one carbohydrate to avoid in olestra/olean (banned in Canada, China and Europe) which was created by Proctor & Gamble to be a calorie and cholesterol fat free substitute.  She was quick to point out that carbs, gluten and sweets are okay to eat in moderation but to completely stay away from soda, pop and even diet sodas.

You might struggle with pain control if grilling is one of your favorite rituals. Meats and other foods exposed to prolonged, high-heat cooking—on the grill, in the broiler, pan-frying and deep-fat frying—generate high levels of AGEs. Increased pain is just one of the risks—some research has linked AGEs to heart disease, diabetes and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease.
You’ll do better with cooler cooking methods, such as simmering and sautéing and moderate-heat (around 350°F) roasting. Slow-cookers are another good choice. I don’t advise patients with chronic pain to give up grilling, broiling or pan-frying altogether. Just remind yourself to use these methods less often—say, once a week. Let your pain be your guide. If it’s getting worse, make bigger changes.

The omega-3 fatty acids in cold-water fish (such as salmon, sardines and trout) are among the most potent ­anti-inflammatory agents. Studies have shown that people who suffer from morning stiffness and joint tenderness do better when they consume more omega-3s. You can get by with fish-oil supplements, but they’re unnecessary if you eat fatty fish at least twice a week.

With recent news that the federal government is urging Americans to limit their sugar intake to only 10% of calories consumed there are a lot of people left scratching their heads. New labelling mandates could require food manufacturers to denote whether or not their products contain added sugar in an effort to raise awareness. With over 300 million cases of diabetes worldwide and no sign of slowing, it’s time to take a look at what we can do to steer the nutrition ship back on course.
There are myriad sweeteners available to consumers, but almost no cohesive summary about what they are and which ones make metabolic sense. This article aims to shed a little light on what’s out there and how sugar alternatives stack up against each other.
Sugar is a carbohydrate and carbohydrates are broken down into four distinct groups – complex sugars (starch), simple sugars (glucose), indigestible carbohydrates (fiber), and sugar alcohols (sweeteners). That final one, sugar alcohols, are not sugars or alcohols, but their own group of nutritional compounds that happen to taste sweet. Contrary to popular belief, many of these are found naturally in smaller quantities, but because they’re mass manufactured they get a bad reputation as being created by science, and therefore, seen as artificial. Pretty soon the FDA may require food manufacturers to state whether or not their foods have “added sugar.” So what does this mean for sweeteners? Take a look below: 

Added sweeteners fall into three groups:

• High Intensity Sweeteners – sucralose, aspartame, stevia, etc.
• Simple Sugars – sucrose (table sugar), glucose, fructose, etc.
• Polyol or “Sugar Alcohols” – erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol etc.

There are three things to examine when categorizing simple sugars: Sweetness compared to sucrose, Energy (calories) and Glycemic index. Since sucrose is a 1 on the sweetness scale, each corresponding number under sweetness illustrates its taste compared to sugar. The calories category, denoted as “kcal/g,” stacks up pretty evenly. The last category is the glycemic index. This is based on the ability of the sweetener to raise blood glucose levels. Glucose is the standard form of simple sugar so it has a glycemic index of 100 and each of the other sweeteners are in comparison to glucose. ​

Sucralose – Widely used and approved by over 100 countries, sugar-like taste
Allulose – found in nature, low glycemic index, remarkable sugar-like taste
Erythritol – high digestive tolerance, low calories, found in fruits
Stevia – Plant-derived, pleasant taste (in proper amounts)

Xylitol – Sugar-like taste, but has low digestive tolerance.
Sorbitol -- Low digestive tolerance and lacks sweetness, occurs naturally in many fruits and berries.
Isomalt – Minimal effects on blood sugar and diabetic friendly, but lacks sweetness and has low digestive tolerance.
Honey – Completely natural and rich with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but has high fructose content.
Sucrose – Since it’s table sugar it tastes great, but greatly contributes to obesity and diabetes.
Glucose – sweet taste, but directly effects glucose levels in the body.
Fruit Juices – Sweet taste and found naturally, but depending on type, can increase glycemic index.

Maltitol – Can cause severe intestinal upset, but still widely used in chocolates.
High Fructose Corn Syrup – Directly linked to raising obesity across the world, prevalent in almost all sweet drinks.
Maltose – Higher glycemic index than table sugar, bad for diabetics and aids in tooth decay.
Maltodextrin – Can damage gut bacteria and has a high glycemic index.
Agave – Very high levels of fructose contributes to diabetes and obesity.
Acesulfame K – Synthetic, has been linked to cancer in rodent studies.
Aspartame – Contains known cancer causing agent phenylalanine.
Saccharine – Must be labeled as cancer causing in lab animals, should be avoided at all costs.

​We often underestimate ourselves when it comes to our own body’s strength. We think of things like push-ups and leg lifts to be additions to exercise, not it’s core goal. But what if those push-ups were on an incline? And your balance was being tested at the same time? That’s when you have something called Suspension Training.

Suspension training incorporates the use of straps attached to a frame for an exercise in strength and flexibility. Think of doing a single leg squat, where you raise one leg to about knee height while bending the other and lowering your body. Pretty tricky, right? If you add the suspended straps into the equation, the exercise suddenly becomes about balancing your weight between and focusing your center of gravity. Do enough of these types of exercises, and you’ll definitely begin to feel it.

Suspension training is a full body workout that uses straps and your own strength. In addition to working your body from every angle, it replicates real-life movement. This makes your body stronger and more stable overall, meaning you’ll be less prone to injury. Suspension training tests your balance and stability, defining your core. For many of the exercises a tight core ensures you remain balanced on the straps, and simple exercises like pushups become a core stabilization exercise.

Even though you can easily do suspension training at home, it’s best to join in on a few classes to make sure you get the technique down. There are a lot of different exercises you can do with suspension training, but without knowing how to safely do them you run the risk of injuring yourself. If your balance and stability isn’t strong, definitely get help from a fitness trainer to get your sea legs, this could save you a lot of unnecessary recovery time in the future!
So give suspension training a shot. You’ll become stronger and slimmer, and help ensure your body stays fit and stable as you age. 

​Have you ever found yourself wondering: Is it better to work out in the morning or night? You certainly wouldn't be alone, as many studies have been conducted to try and figure out the optimal time for working out. When you’re practicing proper fitness, finding the right time to work out is crucial. Now it’s time to figure out what time is the best for you!

Many people find morning workouts to be their preferred choice for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons cited is that when you exercise in the morning, you get your workout out of the way. Science also backs up morning workouts in some regards, as morning exercise tends to increase your energy for the rest of the day.
In fact, a morning workout is a lot like breakfast in that it gets your metabolism going. Simply put, you burn more calories all day long just from the sheer fact of exercising in the morning. A study conducted at Appalachian State University also found that morning workouts are preferable if you want a better night’s rest. So, is it better to work out in the morning or night? One more reason to go with morning is that it’s been shown that people who work out in the morning are overall more likely to be consistent with their workouts. So pack your breakfast in your meal management bag, and dig in post-morning workout session.
Morning workouts certainly have their benefits. But plenty of people like to exercise at night as well, and surely science backs that up to some degree too. The real factor to consider is that consistency is key, no matter when you choose to work out. But studies have shown that different fitness goals are better achieved at certain parts of the day, and this is where working out later in the day comes into play.

Strength ​​and endurance are both higher in the afternoon, while the likelihood of injuries is decreased. Exercising when body temperature is lowest, which is typically later in the day, around 4 or 5 p.m., results in improved performance and increased power. At this time of day, muscles are more flexible since your body is more warmed up than it is in the morning. Your reaction time is likely to be quicker, while heart rate and blood pressure are low. Protein synthesis peaks at this time of day, as well. Based on this, intense workouts such as weight training or hard cardio should take place during the late afternoon or evening.
Not only that, but the calories provided by the small meals you have packed in your meal management bag are the perfect fuel for a nighttime workout. A study conducted at the Clinical Research Center of the University of Chicago found that those who hit the gym after work are more likely to achieve a higher degree of fitness than early bird exercisers. Blood samples showed that levels of certain endocrine hormones (cortisol and thyrotropin) significantly increased in those working out at night. Chalk this up as another reason to engage in more strenuous activity at night.
It turns out that the question “Is it better to work out in the morning or night?” doesn't exactly have an easy answer. You can make a case for either time of day, especially depending on your own status as a morning person, the type of workouts you prefer, and where your other responsibilities fall during the day. The important thing to remember is the fact that you are exercising, whether it be morning or night it is still better than not doing anything at all. If you find a way to make exercise a regular part of your routine and a consistent part of your life, that is so much more important than what time of day it is.

Don't get me wrong: I'm all for gaining every little advantage in training. But is there actually any benefit to be gained by training with an elevation mask, which attempts to improve cardiorespiratory fitness by simulating low oxygen at a high altitude?
According to Alex Viada, a successful hybrid-training coach and founder of Complete Human Performance, such high-altitude devices "simulate altitude in the same way sticking your head in a toilet simulates swimming." Ouch.
While some users proclaim they can breathe better after using an altitude mask, I bet if I jammed a pillow down someone's throat and asked him to run a mile, he'd be able to breath much better once I took it away, too.
Damning jokes aside, the sad truth is that altitude masks simply don't simulate high altitude. In addition, some people wear them while performing anaerobic workouts like resistance training, which utilizes a completely different energy system that doesn't even require oxygen. This usage makes their value even more dubious.

Why do elevation masks not simulate altitude? At high altitudes, the atmospheric pressure is reduced. The partial pressure of oxygen, or the total units of oxygen per given area, is also reduced. The air is simply thinner, which is why breathing at high altitudes is more difficult. Consequently, there's a reduced oxygenation of the blood, which leads to less oxygen being transported to and utilized by working muscles.
When the body is exposed to lower partial pressure at altitude (say you go from training at Venice Beach to Colorado Springs), it responds by increasing myoglobin/hemoglobin content and capillary density, and consequently increasing oxygen transport to muscles.1,2 These adaptations could most certainly give you a performance advantage.

​However, this process takes weeks—even months—of living and training at high altitude, not 40 minutes of rowing with a gas mask on your face at your local gym!
Moreover, until you're adapted to altitude, performance decreases. VO2 max, a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, actually decreases by about 10 percent every 100 meters above 1100 meters.3 Additionally, training intensity and volume are decreased, resulting in lower training quality and contributing to this reduction in overall performance.4,5
If you train at altitude long enough, you become adapted to the lower partial pressure. At this point, there may be some benefits to be gained for the endurance athlete, such as increased hemoglobin concentration, increased capillary density, increased mitochondrial volume and elevated buffering capacity.
The downside to training at altitude, however, is that any physiological adaptations usually fade within 3-4 weeks. Most importantly, results from studies examining training and performance adaptations from simulated hypoxic environments are mixed at best, with most showing no benefit of hypoxic training.6,7

This brings us back to the mask. The reduced partial pressure of air at altitude is much different than restricting air intake by using a mask. In fact, there's not a single person with a shred of physiology knowledge who will support elevation masks' ability to increase hemoglobin.
Elevation masks don't change the partial pressure of incoming air; all they do is simply reduce the total amount of airflow to the lungs. Imagine trying to run while breathing through a straw, or with the aforementioned pillow strapped to your face. This is essentially restricted-air training, also called "inspiratory muscle training." Inspiratory muscle training is an incredibly effective and well-utilized tool in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It can bring about improvements in inspiratory muscle strength and endurance and exercise performance.8,9 But in an athletic population? Not so much.
Endurance performance is not limited by the amount of air you get; it's limited by the amount of oxygen in that air, and how you use it. By training in a hypoxic environment, and not changing partial pressure as altitude would, all you're doing is improving the strength and endurance of your respiratory system.

Several studies support the notion that inspiratory muscle training improves respiratory function in athletes.10,11 The problem, however, is that inspiratory muscle training or hypoxic training does little—if anything—to improve actual exercise performance at any intensity.11-14
Undoubtedly, hypoxic training will feel harder than usual—your heart rate will be higher, you'll breathe harder, and you'll have a higher lactate response at submaximal exercise.15 All of this is to be expected. By restricting oxygen, you're making your body work much harder at any given workload. However, I'd offer that the intensity and workload you could achieve without the mask would be of much higher quality and allow for more adaptation than any training you would achieve with it.
Improving your diaphragm strength and being able to exhale and inhale more forcefully, which a mask compels you to do, will do nothing for your aerobic capacity or endurance. Look at elite endurance athletes: They're incredibly metabolically efficient, and their success relies on this. A stronger diaphragm and more forceful breathing reduce this efficiency, actually impeding performance.
Whatever your training status or goals, chances are you're looking to increase your fitness level. Train to improve your VO2 max, lactate threshold, and hydrogen-ion buffering capacity. Resistance train to improve strength, power, and speed, all of which will improve endurance performance. These actions all initiate beneficial adaptations, and none of them are enhanced by a training mask.

Instead of deep, quality breaths in sync with each portion of the lift (concentric or eccentric), you get short, shallow breaths, which don't do anything for stabilization or control of the weight. You can't perform the Valsalva maneuver correctly, because you can't draw in enough air to sufficiently increase intra-abdominal pressure and stabilize the trunk.
There is absolutely zero scientific evidence suggesting elevation masks will elicit beneficial adaptations with resistance training. Think about it: You will unquestionably reach a higher training intensity and attain greater volume by breathing freely than you would if you had to perform lighter weight and fewer sets due to the mask.

If you really want to reap the benefits of high altitude, such as increased red blood cell count, research suggests you'll have to live a pretty sedentary lifestyle at high altitudes, but you may have to train at lower altitudes to see maximum training adaptations.
Because the air is thinner at high altitudes, your body responds by creating more red blood cells to boost oxygen-carrying capabilities levels, even if you're just sitting or sleeping. This increase in oxygen in your blood can help power you through your aerobic workouts, but training at a high altitude will lead to poorer performance and slower times. That's not a problem when training at sea level, which has led to the popular phrase, "Live high, train low."

However, living at sea level and spending just a few hours in an altitude chamber isn't enough to increase your number of red blood cells. That's why you see some very serious endurance athletes actually sleeping in one of these units. If you're thinking about bringing home the next Olympic gold in the marathon, you'll need to spend about 20-22 hours a day, five days a week, at an elevation above sea level for at least four weeks to see any adaptation. No one said winning was easy!
One final thought: I have heard several supporting statements regarding the psychological aspect of wearing masks during training, especially among MMA fighters who want to simulate what may happen should an opponent try and restrict their breathing. That's a perfectly fair statement—if wearing a mask helps from a psychological perspective, have at it.
But from a physiological perspective, there isn't a shred of research or anecdotal evidence behind the utility of these masks, nor do they in any way simulate the physiology of training at altitude. Your money and training energy are better spent elsewhere.

By Ciaran Fairman, MS, CISSN
Last updated: Sep 11, 2015

REFERENCES

1. McKenzie, D. C. (2012). Respiratory physiology: adaptations to high-level exercise. British Journal of Sports Medicine, bjsports-2011.
2. Naeije, R. (2010). Physiological adaptation of the cardiovascular system to high altitude. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 52(6), 456-466.
3. Vogt, M., & Hoppeler, H. (2010). Is hypoxia training good for muscles and exercise performance? Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 52(6), 525-533.
4. McGinnis, G., Kliszczewiscz, B., Barberio, M., Ballmann, C., Peters, B., Slivka, D., ... & Quindry, J. (2014). Acute hypoxia and exercise-induced blood oxidative stress. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 24, 684-693.
5. Buchheit, M., Hammond, K., Bourdon, P. C., Simpson, B. M., Garvican-Lewis, L. A., Schmidt, W. F., ... & Aughey, R. J. (2015). Relative Match Intensities at High Altitude in Highly Trained Young Soccer Players (ISA3600). Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 14(1), 98.
6. McLean, B. D., Gore, C. J., & Kemp, J. (2014). Application of ‘live low train high’ for enhancing normoxic exercise performance in team sport athletes. Sports Medicine, 44(9), 1275-1287.
7. Truijens, M. J., Toussaint, H. M., Dow, J., & Levine, B. D. (2003). Effect of high-intensity hypoxic training on sea-level swimming performances. Journal of Applied Physiology, 94(2), 733-743.
8. Berry, M. J., Adair, N. E., Sevensky, K. S., Quinby, A., & Lever, H. M. (1996). Inspiratory muscle training and whole-body reconditioning in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 153(6), 1812-1816.
9. Langer, D., Charususin, N., Jácome, C., Hoffman, M., McConnell, A., Decramer, M., & Gosselink, R. (2015). Efficacy of a Novel Method for Inspiratory Muscle Training in People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Physical Therapy.
10. Klusiewicz, A., Borkowski, L., Zdanowicz, R., Boros, P., & Wesolowski, S. (2008). The inspiratory muscle training in elite rowers. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 48(3), 279.
11. Williams, J. S., Wongsathikun, J., Boon, S. M., & Acevedo, E. O. (2002). Inspiratory muscle training fails to improve endurance capacity in athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 34(7), 1194-1198.
12. Hanel, B., & Secher, N. H. (1991). Maximal oxygen uptake and work capacity after inspiratory muscle training: a controlled study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 9(1), 43-52.
13. Inbar, O., Weiner, P., Azgad, Y., Rotstein, A., & Weinstein, Y. (2000). Specific inspiratory muscle training in well-trained endurance athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32(7), 1233-1237.
14. Riganas, C. S., Vrabas, I. S., Christoulas, K., & Mandroukas, K. (2008). Specific inspiratory muscle training does not improve performance or VO2max levels in well trained rowers. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 48(3), 285.
15. Levine, B. D. (2002). Intermittent hypoxic training: fact and fancy. High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 3(2), 177-193.

If you think your gym is expensive, take a look the monthly price of gyms in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
I already converted the price from Reals to Dollars.
​
BodyTech       $133 - $400 
Competition $200
Sett+Nandi    $398
Reebok             $212
Fit2You            $187
Cia Athletica $215

You know who you are. As hard as you've tried, you've never liked going to the gym. Maybe you've even hired a personal trainer a few times, hoping the added expense and accountability would be enough motivation to turn you into a regular gym rat.

 BUT IT DIDN'T WORK!

Every time you've started an ambitious workout program with the goal of getting in shape, something–you’re not even sure what–cuts you short before you've reached your goal.

Deep down though, you know what the problem is: you don’t like working out. It’s hard, it’s uncomfortable, it’s sweaty and the weight room has a weird smell. You don’t like how you look in those stupid clothes, and who even has time for that sort of thing anyway?

But still you wonder about those people who are in the gym all the time. What’s their secret? How do they stay motivated day after day and year after year? Are they a different species? Or is there something they know that you don’t?

Few people on this earth were born with an innate love of the gym. But what generally separates people who like working out from those who don’t is pretty simple: fitness.

Working out is sucks when you aren't in shape. But the good news is that you don’t need to become a complete meathead to get to a place where exercise is no longer a pain. Just like learning to cook, once you reach a minimum proficiency level–in this case fitness level–exercise stops feeling bad and starts feeling good. It is just like with cooking, the only way to get there is to Just Do It (Dear Nike, please don’t sue me).

If you’re just starting a workout program your goal shouldn't be to get buff or lose weight. The first step is getting to a fitness level where you no longer hate to exercise. And for that all you need is consistency.

When you first start your program don’t force yourself to do anything too hard or unpleasant, just make sure that you stick with it and never quit. A friend mine hated running her entire life, so the first time she went jogging after years without any cardio training she told herself she would just run until she got tired. She literally made it about 4 blocks and went home. After a week or two she was up to 8 blocks. That was over 10 years ago and she’ has since completed three marathons. Running is no longer her goes-to sport, but she is now the fit person she’ has always wanted to be.

There’s no reason to torture you at the gym. Once you’re in better shape you will enjoy pushing yourself a little harder every now and then. But until you get there, just make yourself do something. It can be anything. Just do it regularly and don’t make excuses.

The key to being consistent is making your workout so easy/convenient/fun/awesome that not doing it just feels stupid. Here are a few tips to set you up for a lifetime of fitness.

FACT: PLYOMETRICS EXERCISES CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY 

 Here’s a review of the literature:  An athlete's hunger for success is fueled by a constant supply of new products and training principles. During the past decade plyometric training has increased in popularity and is now considered to be an essential training method for athletes competing in a wide variety of sports. Many respected coaches considers plyometrics to be the 'icing-on-the-cake' that can enhance an athlete's ability, allowing him or her to remain at the cutting edge of their sport,  when performed correctly, plyometrics can improve speed, strength, acceleration and explosive power. 

So should we all go out and start leaping from tall buildings in an attempt to improve our athletic performance? Well, the answer to that question once you've studied the scientific research is: look before you leap. Not everyone in the physical preparation industry is as enthusiastic as them.  Just as steroids have now been proven to be detrimental to an athlete's health, there is growing evidence to suggest that gains made from practicing plyometric drills may be outweighed by the risk of severe injuries attributed to this training method, if practiced incorrectly.

What type of injuries? 

Spinal shrinkage -Sports participants taking part in repeated high impact activities have been identified as a high-risk group for back pain and injury.  The lumbar portion of the spine has been highlighted as one as of the area most susceptible to injury. Studies indicate that the musculoskeletal system is subjected to impact forces between 3-5 times body weight as a result of landing from a plyometric activity (depth jumps). They clearly shows significantly higher levels of spinal shrinkage are experienced when additional loads are applied; even when the platform height is just 26cm. 

Patellar tendinitis, or 'jumpers knee', is an inflammatory condition involving the infrapatellar tendon. Strong eccentric contractions produce high levels of force, and repeated stretching of the extensor muscles results in damage to the tendon. The movement most frequently associated with patellar tendinitis is jumping, The knee, ankle and hip are inevitably exposed to high forces. Injuries associated with fatigue, such as tendinitis and synovitis, can result from excessive plyometric training. 

If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, your doctor may recommend a lower-intensity type of exercise.

If you have diabetes, you may need to make some changes to your diabetes treatment plan, based on how many calories you are burning. Plyometrics is not for you if you have any diabetes-related nerve damage, as this will make you more likely to get injured.

Do you have arthritis or other bone or joint problems? Plyometrics is not a good choice for you. Look for a workout that can help strengthen your muscles without stressing your joints.

Plyometrics is also not for you if you are pregnant. Your belly’s growing size will throw off your balance. You could fall or get injured. The weight of your growing baby stresses your knees and ankles, and jumping adds even more stress. Ligaments that help stabilize your joints grow a little more lax during pregnancy, making injuries more likely.

If you have any physical limitations, choose other strength-building exercises that will be safer for you.

CONCLUSION: IF YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE, AND JUST WANT TO LOOK AND FEEL GOOD, YOU SHOULD AVOID PLYOMETRICS EXERCISES.

If you constantly feel like you have been zapped of energy it’s possible that your body is lacking proper amounts of vitamin B-12.  This important vitamin is normally found in animal food sources (particularly red meat) and helps to prevent against muscle weakness, depression, and swelling of the hands and feet.

You may not be getting enough Vitamin B-12 if you are avoiding meat altogether. A good way to get a healthy dose of Vitamin B-12 is by eating plenty of yogurt, pecans, almonds, walnuts, and whole grain breakfast cereals that have been fortified.  Starting your day with Vitamin B-12 included in a fortified breakfast cereal is an affordable way to get the dose you need without having to worry about it for the rest of the day while keeping you energized and full until your midday meal.

With lots of people recognizing the health benefits of eating a vegan or vegetarian diet, Vitamin B-12 can sometimes be a nutrient that needs to be supplemented.  Nutritional yeast is usually fortified with Vitamin B-12 as well and can be used as a supplement by adding a few dashes to your smoothies, pasta dishes, or casseroles.  Nutritional yeast usually comes in powder or flake form and can be bought in bulk at most health food stores.  Always be sure to check your labels, as some nutritional yeast products provide more of the vitamin than others.

However, “If you seem to be adding Vitamin B-12 to your diet and are still feeling overly fatigued and sore after workouts, it could be related to a B-12 deficiency in your body and you should ask your doctor about your options.”

Vitamin B-12 deficiencies are not recognized in some cases and have been said by doctors to be under-diagnosed.  Injections of the vitamin is an option for people who have been diagnosed with the issue, but tend to be very expensive and only distributed by prescription.

Supplements of Vitamin B-12 come in various forms that are as effective as injections as well such as oral tablets, patches and lozenges that also provide an adequate dose if you feel you aren’t getting enough in your everyday diet.  Vitamin B-12 supplements offer an immediate boost of energy and can prevent some forms of blood disease and anemia.  It’s important you talk to your doctor before taking any kind of vitamins or supplements.

MOST BODYBUILDERS EMPLOY ALL SORTS OF INTENSITY BOOSTERS. HOW IS IT THAT YOU'VE MANAGED TO DO SO WELL BY DOING ONLY STRAIGHT SETS?
It's because always worked for me. I don't understand why I would want to change something that's working. I never incurred any significant injuries and I was continually making gains over the years, so I didn't see the need to change things up.

THE FIRST EXERCISE IN YOUR ROUTINE IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE MOST IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU CAN ATTACK THE WEIGHTS BEFORE FATIGUE SETS IN. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU DO FIRST?
The first exercise in my routine is almost certainly a compound [multi-joint] exercise. With this kind of movement, you can push the most weight because more muscle groups are involved in the lift.
For those reasons, I always started my chest workout with a dumbbell or barbell movement. You get better range of motion with free weights, but later in my career I focused more on machines because of the degree of safety they afford.
I'm a big user of the Hammer Strength decline machine, but those didn't even exist, at least in my gym, when I first started training in 1991.

DO YOU START WITH A PARTICULAR BENCH ON CHEST DAY?
I never really had any weak [chest] areas that I needed to significantly bring up, so I varied things up but not a whole lot. For one, it depended on the gym I was in; I traveled a lot and was always training in a new facility. Occasionally that allowed me to try out new equipment, but sometimes I was limited, as well. For one, not every gym has dumbbells that go up to 200 pounds.
Rather than making arbitrary changes in my workout, if I had a good workout, I'd continue doing it. Usually after a while you see diminishing returns, but I never made changes for the sake of making changes. If I liked a workout, I stuck with it.
I never believed in the theory that you had to change things up week to week to elicit changes. I believe that if you train to your fullest potential, if you exert the most you possibly can, you're going to grow as long as your diet and sleep patterns are in sync with your training.

YOU RELIED MORE ON MACHINES IN YOUR LATER COMPETITIVE YEARS?
I went to machines later on because I feared injury. As I got more and more successful, it seemed like other bodybuilders were increasingly suffering from bad injuries, and frankly it was about the only thing that didn't happen in my career.

As I rose to winning the Olympia and I was having great success, I wanted to stay on top, so I was doing the therapy sessions, I was doing the training, and I was doing everything as properly as possible.
As I got older, I became afraid of throwing around the crazy weights because I was so strong. I could use 200-pound dumbbells and I could do 500-pound bench presses for reps. It seemed like everyone else who used those kind of weights sooner or later ended up with an injury.
So I switched things around a little bit to try to exhaust my muscles a little more rather than just trying to keep going heavier.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE WARM-UPS BEFORE HITTING THOSE KINDS OF WEIGHTS?
Being in Vegas, you get warm just by getting to the gym, so I really don't need a warm-up per se. But I still do several lightweight sets, what I call "feel" sets. It helps get my mind into the movement, develop a feel for the motion, getting under the weight.
Then I start pyramiding up, doing at least 3-4 working sets. So, on my first exercise I'm doing 6-7 sets total.

DO YOU TAKE ANY OF THOSE SETS TO FAILURE?
In my 20 years of training, I've never trained to failure on any set. I ever always trained with a weight in which I could do 8-12 repetitions.
For sure I could use more weight, but my focus wasn't on building even more strength or training to failure—rather it was on volume.
You can't do both high volume and high intensity; you have to pick one or the other. I'm a 20-set guy, I'd do 20 sets no matter whether the body part was chest or biceps. It didn't matter. For back it was up to 30 sets. Your nervous system can take only so much abuse.
For me, for anyone, doing high volume and training to failure—even past failure—is just too much. I never felt it was even necessary to try a technique like forced reps.
I learned the concepts of lifting mainly through my trainer Chris Aceto, and it became fundamental that we'd never do a set for fewer than 8 reps.

SO YOU DON'T GO ANY LOWER THAN EIGHT REPS WHEN TRAINING?
With deadlifts I'd go as low as 6, but for everything else it was 8-12. Obviously I could do more weight, but I never felt I had to prove anything, so I never did.

SO CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR MAX BENCH PRESS IS?
I have no idea.

IS THERE ANYTHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR TRAINING STYLE THAT WOULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO SAY, "THAT'S HOW JAY CUTLER TRAINS?"
A lot of guys who watched my training videos thought they could keep up with me because I don't train past failure. They come here and train with me but they end up gassing out. They can't keep up the pace.
That's because my rest time is just 45-60 seconds max between sets. Most of the time I'd rest only as long as my workout partner, which was usually no more than about 45 seconds.
A lot of the guys back in the day, from Arnold to Gaspari, trained this way with very little rest between sets, and I really think that's what bodybuilding is about. It's about volume training, going in there and getting the muscle full, and damaging the tissue and then getting out of the gym so the process of repair can take place.

ARE GUYS OVERLY CONCERNED WITH HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY CAN LIFT?
If they're bodybuilders, they shouldn't be. Some guys can bench press tons of weight; other guys can't. Everyone's got particular lifts they're fairly strong on. I was one of those guys who could never curl a lot of weight but I had almost 23-inch arms.
Just about every guy in there could curl more weight than me. Again, weight wasn't the variable I was most concerned about.

MANY LIFTERS MEASURE PROGRESS IN TERMS OF WEIGHT LIFTED OR TOTAL REPS, BUT PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD IS ALSO ACHIEVED BY REDUCING REST INTERVALS. THAT'S WHAT YOU PREFERRED?
You're right. People want to judge progress only by how much they can lift. That's absolutely backward from what bodybuilding really is. I don't believe that strength has anything to do with what we do [as bodybuilders]. Again, rest intervals are one of the many variables in bodybuilding—it's not only about the weight!

SINCE YOU DIDN'T GO BY WEIGHT, HOW DID YOU JUDGE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A WORKOUT?
You know, I judged them by how sore I was afterward. At my peak and in my earlier years, I'd get incredibly sore. I mean I'd be sore for days and days and days.
The split I followed meant each body part was trained once every 5-7 days. But I'd take longer if I didn't feel recovered. And if I didn't feel recovered, I just wouldn't train. So that's how I came up with 5-7.
Really, there are a number of factors involved in setting up your training split. For me it included travel, eating patterns, sleep, and recovery.

WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON IT, BUT HOW IMPORTANT WERE SINGLE-JOINT EXERCISES ON CHEST DAY?
We haven't touched on it because I was never really a believer that there was much benefit in fly movements. With chest training, there are only so many things you can do, so it was lots of types of presses to get the contractions to build a full chest. It's less about lifting the weight than feeling the contraction.

“Enriched” Sounds Like It Would Be a Good Thing, Right? Well, When It Comes to Grains It’s Not.