I want to share with you another great piece of equipment that I really enjoy using…. a balance disc. Most gyms will have these and you can also pick them up at a sporting goods store inexpensively.
Today I’m going to show you how I use a stability disc within my daily workouts to simply “kick it up a notch.” The disc provides a different level in that it brings in the “balance” factor which helps to engage your core more during the exercises. Now, this can’t necessarily be used for any exercise, but I will demonstrate a few of my favorites that I like to use it for, which are also listed just below. Basically, most times that I would either sit on a bench or stand stationary, I will try to use the disc.
Shoulder press
Front shoulder raises
Lat raises
Bicep curls
Lunges
Now, before trying any of these exercises using a disc, if you’ve never used one before I would suggest first practicing by simply getting onto the disc and standing on it for a short time. You should keep your knees slightly bent and your hips maneuverable to help you with balancing. Also, when first beginning to use a disc, use a lower weight than you might otherwise use, you can build up from there as you become more acclimated to using the disc.
I hope this will bring you some additional variety on how to change up some of the usual exercises you’re already doing. Have fun with it and let us know how it goes!
During the weekends most people consume considerably more food/calories than on the weekdays. This could be for a variety of reasons, but mainly it’s because it’s a break from our normal routine, which in turn becomes a break from our normal diet.
Here are 5 nutritious, belly-filling foods…
These are not only filling and very satisfying; they’re a great source of protein, fiber and “good” fats…
1. Oatmeal - this breakfast sticks to your ribs, but not your gut. And contains 4-6 grams of fiber! Go with old style oatmeal or steel cut oats; do NOT use the instant flavored oatmeal’s (high in sugar).
2. Almonds – a handful of these nutritious nuts contains 6 grams of protein and 9 grams of monounsaturated fat. I like to carry these in a small plastic bag as a snack to keep hunger under control and my metabolism revved up throughout the day. Choose raw almonds over roasted or salted.
3. Salmon – you will get 22 grams of protein and a healthy shot of omega 3 fats, which helps to keep metabolism at its peak, and encourages muscle growth. If at all possible, go with wild salmon over the farm raised kind; you will get more of the fat-fighting essential fatty acids that are so good for you.
4. Black beans – lots of nutrients and to top it off, there’s 15 grams of protein AND fiber in 1 cup. They’re a great addition to almost any meal; if you’re eating Mexican food, substitute refried beans for black beans (less calories, more nutrients).
5. Quinoa - Yes, this is a grain, but not what you think. It’s a great source of natural carbs, as well as a fairly good protein source. Really tasty with grilled vegetables!
There you have it, friends… not only 5 ways to keep hunger under control, but healthy, nutrient-dense foods to keep your metabolism revved, energy at its peak, and fuel for your muscles.
Keeping your hunger under control, energy levels up, and your metabolism running efficiently, starts with having a solid plan in place so that you don’t give yourself the opportunity to react after you’re ready to devour anything and everything in sight.
Have a great weekend!
Chad
P.S. If you’re interested in activating fat-burning hormones with food…
Get outside, Fast Tracker’s! We are definitely taking the time to enjoy the great outdoors this week. Yeah!! With the weather changing and rapidly moving into summer, there is really no reason we shouldn’t take a good percentage of our workouts to the outdoors. Here in the Northwest it rains quite a bit and when there is a nice sunny day there is always enthusiasm to take our workouts outside and to go with a change of pace. Environment CAN change energy to and from your normal routine.
Whether you are running, hiking on trails, golfing, walking or doing a Fast Track workout, the key is making your routine interesting and keeping you motivated and ready to exercise. VARIETY IS YOUR ALLY!
This is just a quick little video to cheer you on and keep you thinking outside the box of your normal routine. Have a great week and keep those wheels turning towards GREAT health and exercise!
Here is a really fun and effective idea for you, for those “non-lifting” days. This is a quick and super great workout that you can do either at home or at the gym.
First task is to choose 3 different ab/core exercises, one of which should target the obliques. If you need ideas you can visit the Fast Track site, on the main “exercise” page there is a complete library of different abdominal exercise complete with video tutorials on how to perform them.
To get started, do 5-10 minutes of cardio, whether this is jumping jacks, jumping rope, mountain climbers, treadmill, walking, running, rowing, elliptical, or any other physical activity like this that gets (and keeps) your heart rate up.
Immediately when you are finished with your cardio, you will do 1 set of each of the three ab exercises you chose, shooting for 15-20 reps for each exercise.
Then it’s immediately back to cardio for 3 minutes. Then you will go back and do your 2nd set of the ab exercises. Then back to cardio for another 3 minutes, and then back to do a 3rd set of abs.
You will then finish this workout off by doing another 5-10 minutes of cool-down cardio.
This entire workout should take you around 30 minutes (give or take five minutes). The idea is to not rest between the cardio and the ab exercises, but to keep moving. I promise you this will be a butt-kicking workout, lots of fun, and it will bring a different pace to your usual routine.
Try it – you’ll love it! Let us know what you think in the Comments section below!
Today’s tip is on one of my favorite exercises: SQUATS! I love this exercise and enjoy integrating them into my cardio sessions. They are perfect for when you are walking, running, hiking or just hanging out at home. You can always add some squats in your day. I’ll do a few sets of 15 to 30 reps on my runs to our local park. After running up a hill I will add them in as well. Adding a few repetitions here and there are great for pumping blood to the muscle and also getting your heart rate up even further.
It’s important to make sure you know how to do a good squat for it to be both safe and effective. First, you want to have your feet shoulder width apart and your weight back on your heals a bit. Your head should be looking straight forward or upward while sticking your chest out when preparing to sit/squat. I like to imagine that there is a straight board that is attached to my back and then I’ll squat straight down about chair height with my thighs parallel to the ground. When I come up from the squat (slowly), I lean back on my heals and ALMOST lock out my knees preparing for the next one. Remember to stick your chest out and try and create that little curve in the lower part of your back.
This is a very simple and effective exercise that will strengthen your hips, glutes, quads and hamstrings. A great exercise for all functional activities! You can hold something in your arms for more weight or you can just fold your arms in front and use your bodyweight. If you have any questions, please leave your comments below and I’ll be happy to answer them! Thanks,
A while back I did a video blog on planks and showed you some variations to try. Today I want to show you how to do planks using an exercise, or stability ball, and some variations with that. Hopefully this will bring you further ideas on working your core, and all of these are super easy to do at home. All you need is a stability ball!
The first exercise I’m going to show you is the basic plank using a stability ball. Remember to keep your core tight, your hips and body straight (a straight line from shoulders to toes), and remember to breath. To advance this move and make it more challenging, try lifting one foot off the ground about 6 inches for about 10 seconds, then alternate to the other foot, alternating back and forth every 10 seconds.
The next one begins by placing our hands out in front of us on the floor, with our quads resting on the ball; this is another variation of a basic plank. However, with this one to increase the intensity, you can walk your hands out so that your shins are on the ball, or for another challenge walk out so your feet are on the ball. And for one last big challenge, you can try rolling the ball using your legs to create a tuck sort of position.
Now it’s time for those obliques, my favorite. This one can be a bit tricky with balancing (which of course makes it a great core workout). Place your hands on the ball, make sure you have a slight bend in the elbows. Now, one leg at a time, you are going to bring your knee up and across your chest , then extend back out, but don’t rest it on the floor. Repeat this move 10 times with the one leg, then switch and do 10 with the other leg.
Give these a try and let us know what you think below in the Comments field. Have a great day!
The question of “fat burning foods” is one that comes up all the time from people looking to lose weight and get in shape. You’ll even see many different books or websites promote this idea of certain foods burning fat. While this is an appealing option, the truth is that no food technically “burns fat.”
However, what you can find are “foods for fat loss” because they are low in calories, high in nutrients, and support the body by not spiking insulin or helping to create a thermogenic effect. Basically, you’re not getting a magic key to eating and getting thin, but you can eat healthy foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins and cut out unhealthy foods to make your weight loss efforts that much more successful.
However, if you’re still stuck looking for the magical combination of foods that will just melt away excess fat, then you have the wrong idea. To lose fat you still need to create a “caloric deficit” (expend more calories than you consume). But if you combine these foods with a good exercise routine and keep the food at appropriate portions, you will be on track to losing fat and getting healthy and fit.
Lean proteins
There’s a reason so many nutrition plans are on board with having lean proteins as a major part of their program. Lean proteins tend to be very healthy, feeding your body much needed fuel for muscle development (very important for improving your metabolism). A good serving of protein is a very satisfying part of your meal, and often rates high with the “thermogenic effect.” Remember those words: thermogenic effect.
When many people refer to “fat burning foods,” what they often mean are high thermogenic effect foods. The body does use energy from your fat cells to digest food. While it’s only a small percentage of the food you eat, there’s a big difference between a food that only takes 10% of its calories to digest versus 30%. Organic foods are almost always higher in thermogenic effect than processed foods and the ones with the highest are, you guessed it: lean proteins, which can take up to 30% of their calories to fully digest.
Having lean protein with every meal can help ratchet up that thermogenic effect. When you’re thinking of lean proteins, some of our favorites include:
• Chicken breast (skinless)
• Turkey breast
• Grass fed beef
• Fish (especially cold water fish like salmon, mackerel, and blue fish)
• Eggs
• Greek yogurt (unsweetened)
• Nuts (unsalted – careful not to have too many as they are calorically dense)
What to look for in other food groups
While many fruits and veggies are good for you and can help the process of losing fat, as with all other food groups some are better than others. When you’re looking at veggies try to think green, leafy, or in bulk. Foods like green beans, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage and salad veggies are all great examples since they give more bulk and good nutrients with less calories.
When you’re looking at fruit there’s one big word to think of: anti-oxidants. These fight the free radicals in your system that can not only cause cancer, but also prevent your body from losing weight. Think colorful berries: blackberries, blueberries, cranberries and strawberries are all great examples. Good citrus fruits full of Vitamin C are also fine choices, as well.
What about calcium, nuts, everything else?
There are several other foods that also bring a variety of benefits that help your body to drop fat in conjunction with exercise. Calcium seems to be a really big thing now, and while cheese, milk, and yogurt can be good in moderation – they can also be pretty high in calories which makes them an occasional snack at best in our opinion. There are many spices that have been shown to help ramp up the thermogenic effect, and while this shouldn’t be considered a complete master list, you should also consider these foods with the earlier mentioned fruits, veggies, and lean proteins:
Other thermogenic foods:
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Hot peppers
• Green tea
• White tea
• Coconut oil
• Flaxseeds or flaxseed oil
• Onions
• Grapefruit
Reduce your DGAT fat enzymes:
Did you know you have “fat enzymes?” All of us do. They’re called DGAT and having too many of them may be an over-looked reason that many people struggle with their weight. These DGAT fat enzymes are linked to triglycerides – blood fats that ultimately turn into fat cells. In fact, scientists now believe that having less DGAT makes you more resistant to getting fat. I’m currently on the search for foods and nutrients that help fight DGAT and will bring my findings to your attention soon…
One final note on water
One constant should always be water. Not only has ice water on an empty stomach been shown to force your body to burn calories and work, but water is the ultimate cleanser. It flushes your system, removes harmful toxins, and keeps your body running like a smooth machine. Never neglect your daily water needs; try to drink at lest eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
I hope this was helpful. Keep up the good work everyone!
Is soy a miracle health food or is there a dark side? I get this question a lot, so I wanted to take a moment today to list the benefits (of organic fermented soy), as well as the dangers (of processed soy) that you might not be away of…
Unless you’ve been living in a cave the past decade, there’s no doubt you’ve been absolutely hammered by one ad after another talking about the miracle food, soy. Many in the pro-soy camp point out the high natural plant proteins as well as tests that have shown that soy protein can reduce the risk of heart disease for many people. Soy also adds the natural benefit of providing protein for vegans – who don’t have many options after eliminating meat and animal based products from their diet.
However, there is a dark side to soy that is gaining a lot of attention. Soy is often seen as an important part of the diet for vegetarians and vegans, but can it be harmful? Many studies coming out seem to indicate that there are a lot of potential drawbacks to eating too much soy and for some people it can even be unhealthy. So what’s the truth behind this “health food” that’s often even advertised as a “miracle food?” While there are positive benefits, it’s also important to understand the potential drawbacks from eating soy as well.
Is soy FDA approved?
Depending who you talk to, the background story to soy and its approval by the FDA as being safe has a lot of controversy attached to it. Approved in 1999, the focus was a study that showed diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that included 25 grams of soy-based protein per day could reduce heart disease risk.
Further studies released from the industry also argue that in certain cases soy can alleviate menopause symptoms, reduce cancer risks, and lower bad cholesterol levels. However it’s interesting to note that for every study promoting the potential health benefits of soy, you can find another warning against the potential dangers. In fact, studies have been around as far back as a century ago talking about negative side effects of soy.
Isn’t soy a “sacred Asian food?”
This is a claim that comes from a wide bevy of commercials released by the soy industry and it is based on an actual historical fact about the Chou Dynasty in China. While soybeans were indeed considered one of the five sacred grains, they weren’t used as food. They were used in rotation to fix nitrogen in the soil and keeping it healthy for other edible crops. There was a reason that a few decades ago soybeans weren’t eaten by themselves – even in Asia.
Soybeans eventually did make their way into the Asian diet, but in very small amounts as part of fermented foods. Think miso, tempeh, or soy sauce. Unfermented soybeans were not eaten and have been found to have large quantities of natural toxins known as “anti-nutrients.” One of the major ones in soy block of protein absorption – making the high protein content of soy almost a moot point!
What are soy’s side-effects?
As with almost any food, there’s not a full agreement on the complete list of potential side-effects or benefits that soy brings to the table. However, in the following section, I’ll talk about side-effects that have been discussed or confirmed resulting from multiple scientific tests.
So what are some of the negatives of soy? There’s actually quite a list. The quick bullet list includes:
• Upset stomach / gastric distress
• Reduced protein digestion
• Stop in menstruation
• Moodiness
• Endocrine disruption
• Digestive issues
• Thyroid function (this can be severe in some people)
• Hormones (especially lowering testosterone and increasing estrogen)
• Loss of sex drive (particularly in men)
• Blood clotting
• Potentially pancreas or cancer issues
All of these claims against soy have come up and paint a much different picture than the “super food” that many commercials and advertisements claim it to be. While there are many stories out there of people going into bad health from eating too much daily soy, there are also many people who eat soy regularly with seemingly no side-effects. This only further adds to the confusion over this protein plant which is revered by same health food advocates and reviled by others.
Some of these side-effects are more widely accepted than others. The thyroid issue has come up multiple times as well as soy’s very noted hormonal effects with lowering testosterone and increasing estrogen – which is a major issue among men. Other side-effects, such as the connection to pancreatic cancer, is less widely accepted but there are early laboratory tests showing those effects in laboratory animals. The anti-nutrients remain an extremely bothersome aspect of soy.
There is a wide range of scientists and nutritionists who say the highest risks are for infants on soy formula. Because of early development, the estrogen in soy can really be damaging and the Israeli Health Ministry even recommends that infants not be given soy formula at all.
But soy has benefits, doesn’t it?
Many studies have pointed out that many Asian cultures have a much lower rate of breast and prostate cancer and that a diet with soy helps that. The big difference is that often times these diets have 9 grams of soy a day – while a single soy snack or shake has over 20 grams of soy in the US. Then the issue of fermentation comes up again – as almost all the soy in Asian diets are organic and fermented. The same cannot be said of the US where most soy is processed.
As you’ll learn in the above video, here’s the dirty little secret of the “natural” soy foods industry: A neurotoxic chemical solvent, called Hexane, is commonly used to process soyfoods. This video explains how you can avoid hexane-extracted foods in the grocery store – it’s simply a matter of choosing the right brands and food products.
Final thoughts on soy (and if it makes you fat)
Soy does have beneficial uses such as boosting estrogen levels in women going through menopause, lowering excessive testosterone in men with those issues, as well as lowering thyroid output during the rare problem of excess thyroid production. So if you are a man struggling with lower testosterone levels or if you are having issues with low thyroid you will want to think twice about your soy consumption.
In those situations soy can make losing fat a lot more difficult. Clearly there are many drawbacks and while organic fermented soy is best, the far majority found in the US will be genetically modified and have high contamination from pesticides and toxic chemicals, such as Hexane. If you’re not a vegetarian or vegan, you may be better off playing it safe with another protein source.
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