REASON WHY YOUR WORKOUT IS NOT GIVING YOU RESULTS

-you are not working hard enough... you have no idea how many people i see every day at the gym who think they are working hard, but they are really not. they are just wasting their time with toning exercises with weights that are lighter than their purse or spending too much time talking and not giving all they've got.

-you are working too hard

training to failure or performing HIIT workouts like Insanity can lead you to a plateau... fitness or fat-loss. so don't perform each set to failure and don't perform more than 3 20 min HIIT workouts a week.

-you are doing just cardio

training in a circuit is still cardio, even if you do it with weights. rest periods are there for a reason!

-you stick to the same routine

the training routine needs to be changed every 6-8 weeks... it can be small things like changing rest periods, the order of the exercises, switching from dumbbells to barbell or machine, using rest-pauses, drop sets, working in another rep range etc. you don't need to completely change your whole workout.

-you change your routine too frequently

just like our body adapts to the very same routine, it also adapts to change. that's when change becomes routine.

#training #challenge #hiit #cardio #weightlifting

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HOW TO PERFORM THE SKULL CRUSHERS CORRECTLY

there are a very few people who know how to perform the skull crushers with perfect form and hit the triceps correctly.

when you lay down on the bench, don't hold the arms straight up, but incline them slightly in diagonal toward your head. arms are still straight, no bending in elbows. in this way you not only hit the triceps better, but you also remove the weight from the shoulder joints and the rotatory cuff. if you have elbows issues, lowering the weights just past your forehead will solve your problem. performing the exercise in this way is also much much safer since you prevent the weights from hitting your head (they are called skull crushers for a reason).

a few more recommendations:

-don't do them with the straight bar

-don't do them with the EZ bar

-go with the neutral grip, palms facing each other

-go with high reps (8-12)

-keep the elbows toward inside and parallel to the body

the skull crushers are the only exercise to stimulate all the three muscles of the triceps: the lateral head, the long head and the medial head. all the other tricep exercises behind head stimulate only the long head. that's due to the position of the hands.

if you want to stimulate the medium head, turn the thumbs inward.

if you want to stimulate the lateral head, turn the thumbs to the outside.

#training #triceps #gym #exercise #muscles

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WHY YOU NEED PROTEIN...

getting enough protein in when working out is essential to get results. but many people think that they must eat tons of meat and spend a fortune to get that protein in.

the amount of protein you need depends on your fitness level, work regimen, body composition and the intensity and duration of your exercise. the total calorie intake, which includes carbs, also plays an important role in your protein intake. but keep in mind that protein is not only a source of energy but it also gives your body the power to repair itself and build new muscle tissues.

and if the type of sports that you are involved in is an endurance type (cardio), you will often burn protein for fuel (ye, i know you thought it was fat... but it's not. that's why i keep posting about the negative effects of cardio on body composition). in this case the need for protein is more elevated.

you should also consider that you body burns more protein if you do not consume enough calories. if you don't get enough protein, your body will break down the muscle tissue in order to get the protein it needs.. yes, heart included, cos heart is a muscle.

now you wonder how much protein you should eat. as i wrote above, the quantity of protein depends on many factors, but a good rule of thumb for a healthy and balanced diet is 30% of protein of your total calorie intake.

for example: if you need 2,000 calories to achieve your goal, 30% of protein represents 600 calories (150g of protein). you think this is a lot, but it's rally not. if you eat 5-7 meals a day, that's about 20-30g of protein per meal. 1 small piece of chicken breast has already 25g of protein. add some brown rice and you hit the numbers.

#protein #mealprep #proteinintake #caloricintake #healthydiet #nutrition 

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SALMON TARTARE WITH VEGGIES

raw salmon

2 tbsp of honey mustard (make your own by mixing regular mustard with a pinch of pure stevia)

1 tbsp of seaweed caviar

1 cup of cooked veggies (carrots, green beans, peppers, cauliflowers, broccoli, red onion,.. )

your fave spices

cut the salmon into small pieces and add it to the sauteed veggies. add the caviar and the honey mustard. mix well.

#mealprep #healthymeal #protein #omega3

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DOES FASTED CARDIO MAKE YOU BURN MORE FAT?

during fasted cardio the primary source of fuel for the body is fat. but the research shows that people who use fat as fuel during their workouts, burn less fat during the day. on the other hand, people who exercise after a meal and use carbohydrates (glucose) as fuel, burn more fat post-exercise. this condition, when the metabolism stays elevated for several hours after a workout, is called the after-burn. so it's obvious that you are going to burn more fat during the next 24 hours than in 30-60min of steady stay fasted cardio. 

so not only fasted cardio is not convenient in terms of fat-burning, but it is also proven that steady stay cardio slows down the metabolism. and you'll say.. what about hiit on the empty stomach?! fasted hiit is an absolute no no.. first of all because your workout efficiency is compromised when the body doesn't have enough energies so you'll burn less calories for that reason. second, because your body will get those energies from muscle-breakdown since the glycogen stores in the muscles and liver are depleted from prolonged fasting.

the take-home lesson: if you must do cardio, go with short hiit session and always have a meal before. it can be a complete meal 90 minutes before or a carb-protein shake 20 minutes before. 

if you want to read more see these articles:

Zoladz JA, Konturek SJ, Duda K, Majerczak J, Sliwowski Z, Grandys M, Bielanski W. Effect of moderate incremental exercise, performed in fed and fasted state on cardio-respiratory variables and leptin and ghrelin concentrations in young healthy men . J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005 Mar;56(1):63-85. 

Stannard SR, Buckley AJ, Edge JA, Thompson MW. Adaptations to skeletal muscle with endurance exercise training in the acutely fed versus overnight-fasted state. J Sci Med Sport. 2010;13(4):465-9

Tanner JM, Kearns DT, Kim BJ, Sloan C, Jia Z, Yang T, Abel ED, Symons JD. Fasting-induced reductions in cardiovascular and metabolic variables occur sooner in obese versus lean mice . Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2010 Dec;235(12):1489-97.

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HOW TO READ FOOD LABELS

most people just check the calories and that's it. but the calories are actually the less important thing on the food label. first of all, because the calories are usually per serving so it seems like the food is low in calories. second, because the caloreis don't tell you about the ingredients and nutrients the food contains.

manufactures often claim zero calories or zero trans fats.. but these are just the scams they use to persuade the consumers. as long as the food has less than 0.5g of fat per serving, it can be marked as 0-fat. same for the calories. if the food contains less than 5 calories per serving, it can be labeled zero-calorie food. the problem is that usually that serving is not your serving so you get 2, 3 or more of those servings and the calories rise.

so here's what you need to do:

1. don't just look at the calories. look at the nutrients. usually a food that contains less than 5g of sugar and 5g of fat per 100g can be considered a healthy choice. but we all know that nuts are a healthy food even though they contain 60+g of fats per 100g... so the that's just a general guidance. 

2. the shorter the ingredient list, the better. the first ingredient on the ingredient list is the main ingredient for that food. a food with less than 5 ingredients can be considered healthy. but that again depends on the type of food. if you can't pronounce it, you can't eat it. simple.

3. compare claims to the actual values on the label. if the box claims 'rich in fiber', check the label and make sure that the food actually contains plenty of fiber and that is made of whole-grains. one trick manufacturers usually use is that they add fiber to already processed white flours. not good!

4. numbers near fat, sodium, cholesterol, trans fat, sugar, saturated fat must be low. keep in mind that an adult should limit his fat intake to 50-70g per day. sugar intake should be lower than 15g if you are not training.

5. check the serving size! usually 1 serving represents a very small amount of food... let's take bread for example. 1 serving is 130 calories. but that's just one slice. you need 2 to make a sandwich so that's already 260 calories which equals to 1 1/4 cup of cooked rice... that's a lot of rice! so are you gonna choose bread or rice?

6. don't bother about the RDA (recommended daily allowance). the RDA is not based on scientific research and the diet that the governments usually use as a base and comparison, can lead to more health issues than any other diet. but we all know well why.... it's again all about money. bad food/ bad diet leads -> addiction-> increased food consumption -> health problems -> increase in drugs consumption -> ka-ching!

#foodlabels #nutrition #groceryshopping  

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SALMON FOIL PACK WITH MUSHROOMS AND POTATO PASTICCIO

salmon fillets marinated in salt and pepper
7 oz / 200g red or sweet potatoes
0-fat or low-fat cream cheese
5 oz / 150g mushrooms
3.5 oz / 100g leeks, chopped
salt
pepper
garlic
extravirgin olive oil
chives

peel the potatoes and julienne them using a mandolin  add salt, pepper and cream cheese (3/4 cup for 2 servings). also add a pinch of nutmeg if you want to spice them up.
clean the mushrooms, slice them and saute with some salt, pepper and garlic.
steam the leeks.

arrange the potatoes on a piece of alu foil or use single-serving baking cups. top with mushrooms, leeks, salmon, a drizzle of olive oil and chives. form a foil pack and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C/ 350°F for 20 minutes. serve in foil or single-serving cup.

#mealprep #healthydinner #protein #salmon #omega3 #fattyacids

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TIRAMISU' for your late-night snack

makes 8 servings

for the base mix together:

40g/ 1/3 cup oat germ

2 Tbsp raw honey, organic

2 Tbsp peanut butter, natural, unsweetened

1/3 cup almond flour (almonds finely blended)

pinch of salt

press the mixture onto the bottom of a pyrex or plastic container. pour over some espresso (caffeine free!!! if you don't want to spend the night awake) mixed with some rum extract.

mix 2 egg yolks with pure stevia and continue mixing (preferably with an electric mixer) till they become creamy and more pale in color (about 2 minutes). set apart.

in a separate bowl beat 3 egg whites till they form stiff peaks.

use a spatula to fold the yolks into 750g (26.5 oz) of low-fat cream cheese. you can use quark cheese or any low fat cheese. add some vanilla extract, pure stevia, 1 Tbsp of dark rum or rum extract (don't skip, basic ingredient for tiramisu'. even better if you have 'nocello', the walnut liqueur). now add the egg whites. fold them in very slowly, don't stir (!). move the spatula from the bottom up and keep repeating that movement till all the whites are well incorporated. transfer the mixture into the pyrex container and sprinkle it with unsweetened cacao. let sit for a couple of hours. serve cold!

macros for 1 serving: 174 kcal/ 8.8 carb/ 7.7 fat/ 17.9 protein

if you want to increase the protein content you can either add whey or casein to the mixture or simply add more cheese. 

#latenightsnack #dessert #mealprep #healthysnack

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THE SCAM ABOUT THE FAT-LOSS PRODUCTS..

i received an email from a reader this morning asking me what was my opinion on a certain fat-loss product. many of her friends are taking it, losing weight and pushing her to try it. luckily she's a smart girl and already knows that the magic pill doesn't exist. but the people are still losing weight, right?! ok, but this doesn't mean that the product actually works. what these people are actually doing is simply starving themselves. and starving works for weight loss without any magic. when you deprive your body from food, the only way it has to survive is either hold on to fat (plateau, fat gain) or use fat as fuel. 

but why would one starve his body and deprive it from important nutrients that are essential for survival?! isn't that sick?! detoxing... yeah.. with chemicals?! really? first of all, why would one need to detox if he's already eating healthy?! second, is detoxing with processed chemical stuff really detoxing?! third, you don't need to detox. point. go with juicing only if you have colon issues, otherwise eat healthy and organic by avoiding processed foods. give your body the nutrients it needs. don't starve yourself. feed your body!

plus, you have to take into consideration what where these people eating before and how many calories were they consuming. and are they now looking fit and toned or skinny fat?!

there's NO study out there that proves that certain ingredients improve fat loss. fat burners usually contain thermogenic ingredients that speeds your metabolism a little by mainly giving you energy from caffeine and similar stuff. there's no magic in there. but what happens once you stop using these products? your metabolism simply slows down. now, that's when you are screwed... hello fat gain!

don’t trust the advertisements even if they show before and after pix. those are often photo-shopped. it’s easy to make the before picture look bad. all you have to do is get a woman who just gave birth or someone that is in great shape to stick out their gut and slouch their shoulders. even the little things like body hair, gloomy pictures, and people with frowns on their face can easily convince you that they were really at a low point in their fitness lives. the after pictures are often brighter and the people are clean shaven, flexing, and have a smile on. they are actually funny to look at. and if people on ads really lost weight, they most probably didn't do it by consuming that product. think how many celebrities and famous athletes sponsor certain products or have their own line that they don't even use!

also DO NOT trust the labels on any fat burning supplement or the ads. the labels are not regulated by the FDA so they can put almost anything they want on the label and claim that their product will do just about anything. 

THIS is the magic formula for fat loss:

1) strength training.

2) interval training instead of long, slow boring cardio.

3) a whole, single ingredient, natural foods diet, rich in high-fiber fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein.

4) consistency!

#fatloss #fatburners #thermogenic #nutrition #scams #supplementation

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HABITS OF FIT PEOPLE...

1. they plan ahead and prep meals in advance. 

2. eat 5-7 times a day. eating every 2-3 hours keeps your blood sugar stable and prevents cravings. eating frequent meals also keeps the metabolism going which is absolutely necessary if you want to lose fat or stay fit.

3. they get protein at every meal. 15-30 g of lean protein at every meal will keep the blood sugar stable and the hunger away. not to talk about preserving lean muscle tissue..

4. they stay away from sugar and processed food. 

5. they don't cut carbs. carbs are fundamental if you want to build muscle or preserve muscle tissue. without the carbs a lot of protein gets wasted because it can't reach the muscle. carbs, in fact, enter the cell which releases sodium which acts as a transport system for the amino acids. this is also why it is not wise to cut out sodium!

6. they love the veggies. veggies are rich in fiber which slows down the digestion. in this way the nutrients are absorbed very slowly and the blood sugar remains stable. 

7. they drink lots of water. water is essential for almost every metabolic process and dehydration leads to chronic fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, dry skin, hair, and eyes, constipation, and physical weakness. 

8. they know that fats don't make you fat. good fats are essential for vitamin absorption, hormone production, metabolism function etc. protion control here is a must so prepackaging your nuts is a very smart idea!

9. they lift weights 4-5 times a week. weight-lifting boosts the metabolism and associated to a proper nutrition it supports muscle growth. and we all know that muscle is the live tissue.. the more muscle you have, the more you can eat. simple.

10. they get enough sleep. sleeping 7-8 hours a days is essential for a healthy hormone balance. during sleep our body rebuilds and recovers. if you don't get enough sleep and give your body the chance to heal itself, you can't complain that you are not getting results. i know that for some of you getting enough sleep is a challenge.. but you must get those hours of sleep in if you want to stay healthy.

11. they prioritize. no time for exercising, prepping your meals etc? prioritize! do what is necessary not what can be postponed. schedule the housework and use a timer. try to do as much work as you can in that frame of time. don't waste time on internet or phone, concentrate on work and you'll be surprised how much time you have when you get rid of distractions.

#fit #healthy #mealprep #sleep #metabolism #protein #hydration #weightlifting

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