The Science of how fat is really formed and how it can be burned.

Be honest. At some point, most people looking to burn fat quickly have bought a supplement, tried a diet, or jumped on some hot exercise trend based on some variation of these claims.

And despite the increased cardiovascular health - or whatever - claims, the truth is you bought that supplement or joined a program for one big reason: to burn fat. But what exactly does that term mean?

The Science Of How You Burn Fat:

"Technically we're 'burning' fat every minute of every day" says Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, author of numerous books including The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. "What we're really talking about here is increasing the amount of fat used as fuel that leads to weight or fat loss."

Countless products and programs claim to increase fat burning. So how do you cut through the hyperbolic claims and empty promises to determine the most effective, efficient method? You talk to experts and examine the science. Here's what they suggest.

Why Insulin Is The First "Key" To Burning Fat

Experts agree that controlling insulin levels is the key to burn fat. "The real secret of increasing fat loss is to create a hormonal environment where insulin isn't elevated," says Bowden. "Insulin goes up in response to elevations in blood sugar."

This master hormone doesn't respond to dietary fat. Protein, on the other hand, does raise insulin, but also triggers glucagon, insulin's sister hormone that releases fat.

How Carbs Effect The Fat Burning Process

But carbohydrate and insulin are soul mates, and when you eat that slice of pizza or carrot cake, insulin rises to the occasion. And insulin does one thing really well: it stores fat.

If you want to burn rather than store fat, then, you need to control insulin release. And limiting carbohydrates provides a key to doing that.

Adopting elements of a low-carbohydrate diet optimizes body composition. When insulin levels are high, your fat cells essentially get 'locked' and weight loss becomes fiendishly difficult. When insulin levels drop, it becomes much easier to lose weight.

PEERtrainer has observed from its users, that when you eliminate grains and stick to protein (especially plant-based protein), tons of green vegetables and healthy fats, this lays the groundwork for overcoming weight loss resistance regardless of whatever health situation you are dealing with.

Author Gary Taubes states that "If you doubt insulin regulates fat accumulation in fat cells, you can literally look it up in any good biochemistry or endocrinology...textbook...Insulin puts fat in fat cells. That's what it does. And our insulin levels, for the most part, are determined by the carb-content of our diet -- the quantity and quality of the carbohydrates consumed."

The Role Of Vegetables In The Fat Burning Process

Once you get your insulin levels under control, and optimize the natural fat burning, vegetables play a key role in two ways. First is that consumption of high levels of green vegetables is linked to reduced hunger levels. Vegetables fill you up and are rich in micronutrients which research shows are linked to lower levels of disease. PEERtrainer members have reported for years that increased vegetables have helped with sugar cravings- which helps you control your insulin levels.

Secondly, many plant foods, especially mushrooms function as "angiogenesis inhibitors." Angiogenesis is a process that results in the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. In cancer, for example, angiogenesis occurs when a tumor grows large enough to need its own blood supply.

What is interesting is that the growth of fat tissue is also dependent on this exact same process! When you increase the amount of vegetables, especially broccoli, mushrooms, onions, greens and berries, you are eating a diet that will result in less fat needing to be burned.

Researchers are now looking into "Pharmacological manipulation of adipose (body fat) tissue (to) offer a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders." Translated into English, that means that drug companies are trying to turn the properties of these foods into drugs.

Important Note: PEERtrainer has seen that certain experts tend to focus on one part of the fat burning equation or another. For example, if you speak with someone like Dr. Joel Fuhrman, they will focus almost exclusively on the role of vegtables in fat burning.

Gary Taubes on the other hand asked us in a discussion as we were preparing this article, "is it the addition of copious green vegetables to the diet or the removal of the refined grains and sugars and maybe starchy vegetables that is responsible for the benefits that people expericence?"

As we look at the research and science, we find ample evidence that both approaches have strong benefits. As we always say, "keep an open mind and see what works for you."

What Other Foods Play A Role In Fat Burning

JJ Virgin, CNS, CHFI, PhD, recommends eating protein at every meal for fat loss. A breakfast smoothie made from plant-based protein, for instance, kick-starts your day's fat burning by balancing blood sugar and insulin levels.

A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also showed a high-protein breakfast reduced ghrelin, a hormone that tells your brain to eat, better than a high-carb breakfast did. Lower ghrelin, coupled with balanced blood sugar levels, mean you're far less likely to make that mid-morning bagel cart or snack machine trip.

Virgin also provides a simple, healthy formula for rapid weight loss that focuses on balancing insulin levels. "Substitute one or two meals a day with this smoothie recipe," she says, which includes rice/pea protein powder (plant-based not whey-based), fiber, berries, spinach/kale and unsweetened coconut milk. Then make dinner lean protein, tons of green vegetables, and good fat like avocado or coconut.

Calorie Restriction and Fat Burning

There is absolutely no question that restricting calories plays a key role in the fat burning process. Many people, especially in the fitness community, are of the view that one must achieve and then maintain a calorie deficit. There is solid research that shows that calorie restriction leads to reduction in total body fat.

The problem with this view is that if this is the only approach you take, you'll find it very difficult to maintain that calorie deficit. The key to getting rid of body fat is to be open to as many scientifically proven paths as possible, which is the point of this article.

The Three Ways That Fiber Helps The Fat Burning Process

Fiber is something that also plays a key role in the fat burning process. Fiber does this in at least three ways: it suppresses ghrelin, delays stomach emptying, and buffers incoming sugar to balance insulin levels.

A study in Nutrition Reviews showed a mere 14 grams of fiber a day helped people lose an additional four pounds over as many months, even when they made no other dietary modifications. This can be a challenge, but when you add fiber to the diet successfully, it helps you in so many different ways.

Why Essential Fatty Acids Are "Essential" For Fat Burning

Nutritionist Esther Blum recommends a fat-burning cocktail that combines a one-to-five ratio of l-carnitine to omega-3 fatty acids. "Omega-3s turn on the genes that burn fat and turn off the genes that store fat," she says. "And by boosting your carnitine levels, fat burning will increase and you will raise your metabolism, have more energy, and increase serotonin levels to offset cravings."

None of these supplements alone will melt away the pounds. But combined with a lower-carbohydrate diet and the right exercise, supplements like fiber and green tea can provide a boost to your fat loss. And even if they don't, you'll still get numerous other health benefits.

How Much Exercise Is Really Needed To Burn Fat?

Exercise provides cardiovascular, immune, and numerous other benefits. But be honest: you spend hours on elliptical machines and spin classes primarily to burn fat.

Virgin says people waste hours on useless aerobic exercise when a combination of burst training and resistance exercise can help you most effectively burn fat. She believes this combination is the most effective, efficient exercise you can do.

Related PEERtrainer Article: How To Train Your Body To Use Fat For Energy

Virgin combines weights and burst training in her 4 x 4 Workouts, which you can complete in just 15 minutes.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), or burst training, involves short (20 to 60 second) bursts at a high intensity where oxygen demand is much higher than your body can supply. The ensuing metabolic "stress" means your body burns more fat in less time.

Remember Rocky and the stairs? That's burst training: intense exercise coupled with active recovery. For instance, you might run, then walk at a fast pace, then run again.

Studies validate burst training to be incredibly effective for fat burning. One in the journal Metabolism, for instance, showed that HIIT proves more effective than low- to moderate-intensity exercise and promotes fat burning. Another study in the Journal of Applied Physiology concluded that two weeks of HIIT increased fat burning in moderately active women.

How Sleep and Stress Influence Fat Burning

You eat a protein-rich, lower-carbohydrate diet, consume tons of fiber and green tea, and complete Virgin's 15-minute workout four times a week. But clocking in five hours of sleep, coupled with stress piled on from the job from hell, can seriously derail those fat-burning efforts.

"Add in the calories from sleep and stress," says Jade Teta, ND, author of The Metabolic Effect Diet. "You can't eat them and they don't have calories, but if you don't manage these two critical factors you will overeat the wrong things more often and still not feel satisfied."

Excessive stress, for instance, raises cortisol, which stores fat. You can't eliminate stress, but you can learn how to better manage it. For one, you might change your approach and see a situation as challenging rather than stressful. Numerous other techniques, including yoga class, meditation, or hypnosis CD, can lower cortisol levels and reduce stress.

Related PEERtrainer Article: The Foundational Element Of Exercise Motivation

Most experts recommend getting seven to nine hours of high-quality sleep every night for optimal fat burning. Numerous fat-burning hormones become out of whack with too little sleep. Ghrelin increases, for instance, triggering you to eat more. Insulin levels also rise, which means you store more fat. And leptin, which tells your brain to stop eating, decreases with too little sleep, so you eat more food throughout the day.


FAQ: How To Burn Fat Naturally?
In order to burn fat naturally, you really rely on the steps outlined in this article. The first point of this article is that your body actually does burn fat naturally. So as long as you keep insulin levels down, and make sure to eat plenty of foods that help to prevent fat deposits from "taking on a life of their own" you are going to naturally burn fat, without any need of any special pill.
FAQ: Which Foods Help You Burn Fat?
This is a list of foods that have been shown to have anti-angiogenic properties. As you recall from the discussion above, the growth of fat tissue is dependent on the growth of new blood vessels to feed that new tissue. When you consume foods that have been shown to slow or stop this process, this helps you burn fat. This list is from Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Super Immunity.
Allium vegetables (The Entire Onion Family)
All Types Of Berries
Black Rice
Cinnamon
Citrus Fruits
Cruciferous Vegetables
Flax Seeds
Ginger
Grapes
Green Tea
Mushrooms
Omega-3 Fats
Peppers
Pomegranate
Quince
Resveratrol
Spinach
Tomatoes
Turmeric

What is interesting about this list of foods is that they also are shown to help fight tumor growth. Many people have responded to this list and asked for some tips on how to eat more of these foods. The (free) PEERtrainer Cheat System is an easy to use system to help you make these changes. Most PEERtrainer Recipes also feature most of these foods. 




Note from blogger: Brian.
All rights reserved to author: Jason Boehm.

7 Ways to burn fat faster for women.

1. TIME YOUR PREMEAL SNACK
Eating a low-carbohydrate protein bar 90 minutes before you work out will enable you to exercise longer and harder (and burn more calories) than you normally would, says Steve Zim, author of Hot Point Fitness. However, that 90-minute mark is crucial. Eat any closer to your workout, and blood will rush to your stomach, actually diminishing your performance.

2. BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE
Inhaling and exhaling through your nose, rather than your mouth, helps stabilize your heart rate and (like the preworkout snack) increase your endurance. The result? You work out longer and burn more calories. But don't get discouraged if it feels unnatural at first — it takes about six to eight workouts to perfect.

3. DO CARDIO LAST
Strength-train before doing any cardiovascular work, says Ken Fitzgerald, owner of Lift Gym in New York. Why? It takes the body about 15 minutes to warm up and start burning fat. So, a 30-minute bike ride is really only burning fat for the last 15 minutes of your workout. But, if you lift weights first, your body is warmed up by the time you hit the bike, and you'll burn fat throughout the entire ride.

4. VALUE VARIETY
Do the exact same workout every time you hit the gym, and your body will start to adapt to it — and eventually stop burning as many calories, says Zim. So if you jog one day, try biking or swimming the next. Or, if you weight-train from the shoulders down one day, next time, begin with your legs and work up. The important thing, Zim says, is to keep your body guessing.

5. DON'T SLOUCH
Slumping over the handlebars on a stationary bike inhibits the amount of oxygen your body can take in — and slows your fat-burning process, says Fitzgerald. The bars and handles are there to help you balance, not to support you. If you can't move without holding on, slow down.

6. TRAIN IN INTERVALS
The best way to burn fat is to work out as hard as you can for as long as you can, says Malick Diop, a trainer at Equinox Gyms in New York. But, if you're just starting to exercise, interval training's your ticket. Two minutes on the treadmill at, say, 7 mph, followed by two minutes at 5 mph, then back to 7 mph (and so on) for 20 to 45 minutes will whittle away pounds and build your endurance. Eventually, you'll be able to extend the high-intensity periods (and decrease the low ones) until your whole workout is done at top speed.

7. ADD LIGHT WEIGHTS
It's a fact: The more muscle tone you have, the more calories you burn — even when you're sitting still. So, if you can't seem to find time to weight-train and do your cardio, Zim suggests doing bicep curls and overhead presses holding two- to three-pound weights while you're fast-walking or stair-climbing. This will build muscle tone, helping you shed more fat during your cardio workout than you would without the weights.

Note from blogger: Brian.

All right reserved to author: Genevieve Monsma

Busting the myths of fat burning.

Busting the Great Myths of Fat Burning

By Tony Ryan and Martica Heaner

Your body burns either fat or carbs depending on the intensity of your activity. But when it comes to losing weight, calories are calories. You burn fat even when you're in couch-potato mode. Yet, a lot of misunderstanding prevails.
Get ready to break down some of the myths people have about burning fat:
Myth: The body completely shuts off one fuel source when it turns on the other.
The Truth: What has often been misunderstood by both exercisers and exercise instructors alike is that the body relies on both fat and carbs for energy all the time, albeit in different ratios. In fact, as you sit here reading, you may be burning about 50-60 percent fat and 50-40 percent carbohydrates. (Figure out how your metabolism is working in How to Measure Your Metabolic Rate.) You're not using much of either, however, because the amount of calories you need probably amounts to about one or two calories a minute. If you were to get up and start jogging in place, your body would need to supply you with some quick energy to do so, so the metabolism ratio might shift to drawing upon more carbohydrates, say 70 percent, and less fat, say 30 percent. If you were to continue jogging, then, in order to preserve the carbs (which can run out since you have limited stores in the body), your body would gradually shift its metabolism ratio again to say, 60 percent fat and 40 percent carbohydrates. From an energy efficiency point of view, it pays to be fit. The endurance athlete would be able to make the shift sooner, and his fat-burning percentage might be 65-75 percent. However, in practical terms this is purely technotalk, and these ratios don't make a big difference when it comes to losing weight and decreasing your body fat. For the most part, athletes are often leaner not because they might rely on slightly more fat for fuel, but because they practice their sport two to three, or more, hours a day — this burns a lot of calories. If you had the time, energy, and fitness level to work out three hours a day, being overweight would probably not be an issue. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than your body consumes and uses everyday. Exercise is one main way to burn a lot of calories. But when it comes to weight loss, what matters is how many calories you burn, not so much whether they are fat or carbohydrate calories. Myth: Exercise done at a low intensity, such as walking, is better at fat burning than other high-intensity activities, like running or cardio activities where you push yourself very hard.
The Truth: In a strict scientific sense, these claims are true because working at a lower intensity requires less quick energy and a higher percentage of fat is burned. But you'll also burn fewer calories than you would if, for the same amount of time, you work out at a harder intensity (running versus walking). If you're trying to lose weight, even though a higher percentage of fat is being used, a lower total amount of fat is lost.
Whether increased fat burning will result in actual weight loss is dependent upon several variables, including the total calories burned (which include both fat and carbohydrate calories) and the total fat calories burned. If you do work at a low intensity, you need to increase the time spent exercising to burn more calories. What matters most is the total number of calories burned. If you burned 250 calories every day from a short, fast jog, you'd see a bigger difference in weight and fat loss than if you walked everyday for the same amount of time. The number of fat calories you burn isn't that important, because even if you burn a lot of carb calories, these need to be replaced both by the carbs you eat in your diet and also within your body. Your fat stores will be broken down and transformed into carbohydrates when you need fuel. Even if you're burning lots of carb calories and less fat calories through exercise, your fat still inevitably gets used.

It boils — not burns — down to this: During the same amount of time you don't use more calories at lower exercise intensities. If you're trying to lose weight and you have only 30 minutes to work out, you would burn fewer calories walking at a moderate pace compared to walking at a fast pace. Working out at higher intensities may cause you to burn a lower percentage of fat, but since you burn more total calories, you still use more fat calories. (See Following a Cardio Plan for Weight Loss to get tips on what exercises can help you shed pounds.) Low- to moderate-intensity exercise can burn a significant number of calories over a period of time. If you aren't fit enough to push yourself to work at a high intensity, or you have a physical weakness that prevents you from doing so, you can still burn a lot of calories by doing low-intensity workouts for a longer period of time.

Myth: Running, cycling, or other cardio activities are more fat burning once you've been doing them for more than 15 or 20 minutes.
The Truth: Technically, once you've been exercising for 15 or 20 minutes, your body has made the shift to using a higher percentage of fat for fuel. But again, if you're trying to lose weight, it's about the total number of calories burned, not necessarily the fuel source.
For example, say that at rest you burn up to 60 percent fat. When you enter the initial phases of intense exercise, the ratio changes. You may now burn only 30 percent fat because your body is using quick-energy carbohydrates. Once the exercise is sustained, the body switches back to using a higher percentage of fat to fuel the movement (up to 75 percent fat). In this aerobic phase of exercise, a higher percentage of fat is being used for energy. But if you aren't working out for a very long period, you may still burn more total calories and, therefore, more fat calories working out harder. Put another way, if burning as many calories as you can is the best way to lose weight, even a dummy can figure out which activity of the following is going to give the best results (answer: jogging and sprinting), even though their fat-burning quota is on the low end of the ratio.

Activity	Calories Burned	Fat Percentage	Calories from Fat
Watching TV for 20 minutes	40 calories	60 percent	24 calories
Walking for 20 minutes	100 calories	65 percent	65 calories
Jogging & sprinting for 20 minutes Note from Blogger: Brian. All rights reserved to authors: Tony Ryan and Martica Heaner	250 calories	40 percent	100 calories

21 ways to get rid of that fat.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could eat whatever you wanted, blow off working out and still fit in your skinny jeans? While that's unlikely, it is possible to speed up your metabolism, that little engine in your body that burns calories. As you age, your metabolism slows down, chiefly because you lose around a half pound of muscle each year. "If you don't use the muscle, it atrophies," explains Pamela Peeke, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and author of Fight Fat After Forty. That translates into burning about 400 fewer calories each day, which could mean gaining a pound a week. But there's plenty you can do to rev your fat-burning furnace back up again, says Peeke. Here's the skinny:

Stock up on green tea
Green tea isn't known only for its cancer-fighting benefits: It may help boost your metabolism, too. People who took green-tea extract three times a day saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent, according to a study published in the December 1999 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Translation: You could burn an extra 60 calories a day, which equals about six pounds a year!) It may be because green tea contains catechins, which increase levels of the metabolism-speeding brain chemical norepinephrine, says Joy Bauer, a New York City nutritionist and author of Cooking with Joy.

Pump iron
Weight training is the ultimate way to burn calories fast. "A pound of muscle burns up to nine times the calories of a pound of fat," explains Richard Cotton, M.A., chief exercise physiologist for myexerciseplan.com. Weight training increases your resting metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn while sitting on your butt. What's more, it gives your metabolism an added boost after you exercise: It remains in overdrive for up to two hours after the last bench press, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Strapped for time? Try these quick moves: squats, bench step-ups, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups and crunches. In a pinch, just do single sets of 10 for each exercise -- you'll get optimal results for the time invested.

Eat iron
Yeah, we just told you to pump iron, but you also need to eat it. "If you don't have enough of this mineral, your body can't get enough oxygen to your cells, which slows down your metabolism," explains Samantha Heller, R.D., a nutritionist at the New York University Medical Center. Most multivitamins contain around 18 mg (the RDA for adults); you can also get your fill by eating three to four daily servings of foods rich in iron, such as lean red meat, chicken, fortified cereal and soy nuts. If you are feeling symptoms such as fatigue and weakness, ask your doctor to test you for anemia (it's a simple blood test) at your next physical.

Order water -- and ask for a refill
A new German study found that when you drink 17 ounces of water (about two glasses) within a certain time frame, your metabolic rate shoots up by about 30 percent. Using these results, they estimate that by increasing your current water intake by 1.5 liters a day, a person would burn an extra 17,400 calories a year, resulting in about a five-pound weight loss.

Get your thyroid checked
Suspect you have a sluggish metabolism? You might have hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, which afflicts about 25 percent of American women -- many of whom don't know they have the condition, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. "The thyroid gland controls your body's metabolism, so one of the first signs that it may be off is an inability to lose weight," explains Peeke. Your doctor can determine if you're suffering from hypothyroidism by running a blood test. If you do have an underactive thyroid, you'll be treated with a synthetic thyroid supplement, which you will need to take for the rest of your life (it will return your metabolism to normal, so it should be easier to lose weight).

Avoid alcohol
Want to keep your favorite meals from going straight to your hips (thighs, belly)? Wash them down with water, not wine. Alcohol slows your metabolism by depressing the central nervous system. A British study found that when alcohol was added to a high-fat, high-calorie meal, less dietary fat was burned off and more was stored as body fat.

Rev up your workouts
Interval training -- in which you add bursts of high-intensity moves into your workout -- is a surefire metabolism booster, says Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., director of the Kinesiology Program at the University of Virginia and author of The Spark. Researchers at Laval University in Quebec found that high-intensity interval training burns more fat than regular, consistent aerobic exercise. If you usually jog at a 10-minute-mile pace, for example, add a 30-second sprint every five minutes. Or add a one-minute incline to your treadmill workout every five minutes. "Even if you just have 10 minutes for a quick workout, you can walk at a normal pace and then add in a 30-second bout of speed-walking every three minutes," recommends Gaesser.

Do more dairy
Women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat cheese, three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters, according to a study published in the journal Obesity Research. "Calcium serves as a switch that tells your body to burn excess fat faster," explains study author Michael Zemel, M.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Sorry, but you won't reap the same benefits from calcium-fortified O.J. Research shows that you get the best results from dairy products themselves, not fortified foods. Aim for 1,200 mg, which includes about three servings of dairy a day.

Take up a new sport
Are you like Old Faithful when it comes to your morning walk or evening jog? Know this: The more you do an activity, the more your body adapts to it, so you burn fewer calories. If you want to light a fire under your metabolism, consider cross-training. For example, if you normally walk, try biking instead. "Since you're not used to working all those different muscles, it's a more intense workout, which can translate into a greater metabolic after-burn because your body is working harder to recover and get oxygen to all your tissues," says Carol Espel, M.S., an exercise physiologist for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.

Go fish
Break out the lemon wedges: Regular fish eaters tend to have lower levels of the hormone leptin -- good because high levels of leptin have been linked to low metabolism and obesity, says Louis Aronne, M.D., an obesity specialist at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. Try to consume three to four servings of a fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, each week.

Say ommm
Stress may contribute to abdominal fat, according to several studies, including a recent one at the University of California, San Francisco. "When you're stressed, hormones like cortisol stimulate your appetite, slow your metabolism down and encourage fat storage inside your abdomen," explains Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Clinic at the University of Utah. So what's a frazzled girl to do? "Find an activity that reduces stress for you, whether it's listening to soothing music or taking yoga, and do it daily," advises Talbott.

Have a PB & J
Think peanut butter is only for pint-sized palates? Think again. PB is rich in magnesium, a mineral that motors up your metabolism by giving your cells energy. Aim for 320 mg a day of magnesium: Good food sources include a peanut butter sandwich made with whole-wheat bread (100 mg) or spinach (1/2 cup has 80 mg).

Exercise off that PMS
You could lose more weight exercising during the later phase of your menstrual cycle than at any other time in your cycle, according to a recent study from the University of Adelaide in Australia. Hormones estrogen and progesterone fire up your fat-burning furnace: They promote your body's use of fat as an energy supply, so more is burned off when you exercise. "Women burned about 30 percent more fat for the two weeks following ovulation to about two days before menstruation," explains study author Leanne Redman.

Don't blow off breakfast
Studies show that eating breakfast plays a part in successful weight loss -- almost 80 percent of people who successfully keep weight off chow down on this meal, according to a study published in Obesity Research. "Your metabolism slows as you sleep, and the process of digesting food revs it up again," explains Heller. Aim for a 300- to 400-calorie breakfast, such as a high-fiber cereal (another metabolism booster) with skim milk and fruit.

Pump up protein
Not in an extreme, Atkins sort of way, but having a little protein at every meal fires up your metabolism. "Your digestive system uses more energy to break it down, so you burn more calories," explains Lisa Dorfman, R.D. However, keep protein levels to between 20 and 35 percent of your diet; eating too much of it can cause kidney strain and may cause your body to store too much fat.

Snack away during the day
Grazing is a surprisingly good idea because it helps you avoid metabolic slowdown. "Your body will be tricked into thinking it's constantly eating, so it will never slow your metabolism down," explains Bauer. Aim for five small meals (200 to 500 calories) a day rather than three large ones. Also try not to go more than four hours without eating -- if you eat breakfast at 7am, for example, have a snack at 10am, lunch at noon, another snack at 3pm and dinner at 7pm.

Skip the starch
Carb crazy? Consider this: Refined carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes and rice, create a surge in insulin that in turn drives down your resting metabolic rate, explains Aronne. "It's important to keep carbohydrates in your diet, but really focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which have less of an effect on insulin levels," he explains. And when buying whole-grain breads and cereals, make sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat, whole oat or cracked wheat.

Break up your workouts
Try dividing your workouts into two shorter 20-minute sessions. You'll rev up your metabolism for an hour or two after each workout, which means you'll burn more calories than if you did one longer session. Don't have time? Even small bursts of activity will get your metabolism chugging again, according to a study in Nature. "Just a five-minute walk around the house every hour translates into an extra 200 to 300 calories burned every day," says Peeke.

Pace while you're on the phone
People who are constantly in motion -- crossing and uncrossing their legs, stretching and pacing -- burn more calories. When researchers at the Mayo Clinic asked subjects to eat an additional 1,000 calories a day for eight weeks, they found that only the nonfidgeters stored the calories as fat.

Eat more bananas
They're full of potassium, which revs up your metabolism by regulating your body's water balance, says vitamin expert Susan Lark, M.D., author of The Lark Letter. If you're dehydrated, you'll burn fewer calories. Make sure you're getting at least 2,000 mg: a banana has 450 mg, a cup of milk has 370 mg and an orange has 250 mg.

Get enough z's
Yeah, Russell Crowe may be on Letterman, but it's way more important for your waistline if you don't stay up. A study at the University of Chicago Medical Center found that people who got only four hours of sleep had much more difficulty processing carbs. The culprit? Increased levels of insulin and the stress hormone cortisol. "When you're exhausted, your body lacks the energy to do its normal day-to-day functions, which includes burning calories efficiently," says Talbott. So the best way to make sure your metabolism runs smoothly is to get six to eight hours of shut-eye each night.

Note from blogger: Brian.

All rights reserved to author: RLHL Success Stories

Six ways to burn belly fat fast

6 Ways to Burn Your Belly Fat Fast

One of the most common questions I get is how to lose belly fat. Belly fat is actually the most dangerous type of fat – besides aesthetics, large waist lines are indicators of –disease-disease-disease.
It takes more than just crunches! We start to gain weight in our midsection when our cortisol levels spike. Stress is one of the primary culprits for high levels of cortisol secretion. When this happens cortisol breaks downs lean muscle (the type of tissue that burns calories most efficiently) and also holds on to fat storage in the abdominal region. That stress can even get WORSE with bad dieting; studies show that the stress caused by dieting can increase cortisol levels, making no change in belly fat even with calorie restriction. So how do you shape up? Incorporate these 6 things below and you will be on your way to a flatter belly in no time flat!
1. Sleep
If you want to work late at night, think again. When your biorhythms are off, you end up eating more. When you’re tired you produce more ghrelin, which triggers cravings for sugar and other fat-building foods. Losing sleep can also alter your hormone production, affecting your cortisol levels that cause insulin sensitivity, prime reasons for belly fat! Getting about 7 hours of sleep a night is one of the best things you can do for your body shaping goals.
2. Short bursts of exercises
1000 crunches a night may get you strong abdominal muscles, but with a full layer of fat on top, you will not get the results you really want. Instead of all those crunches, do exercises that engage multiple muscle groups and work your cardiovascular system. Try planking, where you hold yourself in a push-up position, resting your forearms on the ground. Try 3 or 4 sets of holding for 30 seconds each. Getting up and moving throughout the day by going for walks will also help.
3. Sugar is your Enemy
Fighting belly fat is 80% healthy diet. Reduce calories by filling yourself up with protein, vegetables, whole grains, and replacing bad habit snacks with good ones. For example, if you have a sugar craving, replace your calorie laden latte with a Muscle Milk lite, one of my favorites, because it has zero sugar and a ton of protein that will satiate while also torching my sugar craving! Another great trick is a sprinkle of cinnamon in your morning coffee or oatmeal- the spice has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar. It also slows the rate at which food exits the stomach, which helps you feel fuller longer.
4. Vitamin C
When you’re under extreme stress, you secret more cortisol hormone. Vitamin C helps balance the cortisol spikes that happen to you under this stress. Besides being a good way to counteract a cold, Vitamin C is also essential for making carnitine, a compound used by the body to turn fat into fuel, making this vitamin your fat burning friend.
If you’re going through an emotional crisis, stress from work, or a bad eating splurge, increase your vitamin C – it’ll help counteract the negative side effects. Try bell peppers, kale or kiwi fruits. These have even more Vitamin C than the famous Orange!
 5. Eat fat
Yup, you heard me! It takes fat to burn fat. Like I said above, it’s sugar that gets you fat, not fat. Good fats include foods rich in Omega 3′s, like salmon, avocados & walnuts. These foods are full of nutrients that help keep you satiated throughout the day.

6. Slowing down your breath
This is a very simple method that you can use even when you’re in the midst of doing something else. Whenever you notice you’re feeling tense and uptight check and see how you’re breathing. Most people under stress either alternate holding their breath with short breaths, or take rapid shallow breaths. After you become aware of your own breathing, consciously relax your belly and slow down the breathing. This works best if you focus on slowing down the exhalation rather than your inhalation. With each exhalation you can say to yourself “slow down”. That is all there is to it- Simple but surprisingly effective!!!

Note from blogger: Brian.
All rights reserved to author: Jennifer Cohen

The killer fat burning food.

Oatmeal

Your morning snack attack is caused by a dip in blood sugar levels. Fiber-rich oatmeal stays in your stomach for hours, staving off a doughnut run.

Watch out: Steer clear of the sugary flavored varieties. Choose the plain stuff, and sweeten it with berries. 

 Note from blogger: Brian
All rights reserved to author: quick and simple

How to burn fat and gain muscle

1. Stay off the scale

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, right, 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.

Body composition and how you look in the mirror matters more than what the scale says.

2. Reduce your calories gradually

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.

3. Vary your caloric intake

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.

Varying your caloric intake is another way to outsmart your body and continue to lose body fat without lowering your metabolism.

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."

4. Train with weights

Resistance training helps with fat loss in a number of ways. Weight training itself burns calories. Studies also show that, unlike aerobic exercise, weight training increases the calories you burn at rest for up to 39 hours after your workout.
Plus, the more muscle your body has, the more calories you burn each day.
Even if your goal is solely to lose body fat, you need to train with weights. This will help prevent any of the weight you lose from being muscle.
Were that to happen, your metabolism would slow, stalling your fat loss efforts and turning you into a skinny fat person.
Yes, even someone with anorexia can have a high body fat percentage.

Even if your goal is solely to lose body fat, you need to train with weights.

5. Do high-intensity intervals (HIIT)

This means alternating a brief period of high-intensity exercise with brief rest periods.
The result: better results in less time.
One of my favorite interval methods is jumping rope. You may need to practice a bit on this one. After a brief warm up, I'll jump rope as fast as I can for 10 to 20 seconds, followed by a half a minute at a slower cadence.
Always warm up before intervals, by the way. If you're not in the best of shape, start with cardio of low or moderate intensity. You might also want to check with your doctor.

One of my favorite interval methods is jumping rope.

6. Eat More Fat

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?" 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.

Which fats are 'good?'; The polyunsaturated ones (especially omega-3s), such as those from fish and nuts.

7. Cut carbs

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. "I recommend tapering down carbohydrates by 3 p.m.," says Team Bodybuilding.com member Ashley Johns, also known by the BodySpace handle Hottie-I-Am. "Consume most of your carbs in the morning and around your workouts."

8. Increase your protein

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 American Journal of Physiology. One group was fed a high-protein diet (just over 1 gram per pound of bodyweight 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.
"Numerous current studies show that dieters who follow high-protein/low-carb strategies-even plans with higher fat intake-lose more fat and maintain or gain more muscle mass than dieters who rely on higher-carb diets," says Stoppani.
Yes, you read that right, Grasshopper: Many dieters actually gained muscle mass without working out, simply by eating a high-protein diet.

Protein Powders: Sorted By Top Sellers. Protein powders are formulated to be the perfect meal in a quick and easy shake. It is easy to take them with you to work or school or anywhere that you need. [ Protein Powders Sorted By Top Sellers ]

9. Eat 6 smaller meals per day, not 2-3 feasts

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.
Don't be one of those people that complain about their situation but never does anything to improve it. Don't become "happy" with the status quo of being miserable. Now take action on your knowledge!

Blogger's note: Brian
Copyrighted material: All rights reserved to Gregg Gillies.