Best Fitness Blog

...By Karli Taylor

If you're a weight-training enthusiast, no doubt you know the benefits to be gained from building strong muscles. But, is cardio training part of your workout, too? If it's not, you should consider adding it to your routine. When done correctly, cardio will not take away from the size you build when weight training and it helps to keep your heart and lungs functioning properly to give you the perfect formula to keep you fit and healthy. If you are not convinced that cardio is for you, keep reading for a few reasons that might change your mind.

Cardio burns fat. Adding a twenty to thirty minute cardio session on to the end of your current weight training routine every day will help increase your fat burning capability. Though cardio alone will not build bigger muscles, it will help shed the fat to show off the muscle you are burning on the weight floor.

Cardio is good for your heart . The increase in heart rate during your cardio workout will improve the condition of your heart and lungs by training your heart to pump more blood in fewer beats and your lungs to move more oxygen with less effort. Over time, this will reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Cardio is good for your mood. Aerobic training causes your brain to release endorphins which are responsible for what you may know as a “runner’s high”. Any higher intensity cardio training will bring you to this “high” and can help reduce stress and improve your overall mood.

Cardio is good for your immune system. Regular cardio training is shown to reduce the frequent and duration of both the common cold and viral illnesses.

... By Karli Taylor

Have you been working out, watching what you put in your mouth, and still can’t seem to lose those last 5 or 10 pounds? Join the club.  The last few pounds toward a weight loss goal can sometimes takes as long as the first 30 in a dramatic weight loss, or if you are like me and always hovering within 5 pound of your goal weight, it can feel like you’re running on a non-stop hamster wheel .  Though there are a number of possibilities for the stall or delay in your progress, let’s start by eliminating some of the ones that are easy to fix!

By simply increasing your intake of certain key nutrients, you can improve the speed of your weight loss.  If you are not already taking a multi-vitamin, start now.  If you are, try adding Vitamin D, C and Calcium to your nutritional support regime today.  It is tough to get the required amounts of these nutrients from food alone, and sometimes your levels of these 3 in particular are still low even when taking a multi.  Keep reading o find out how these nutrients will help you look and feel your best on the beach this summer.

Our greatest source of vitamin D is sunshine- and as we are nearing the end of winter, most of us have been deprived of this nutrient for a few months now. Recent research studied levels of mood-boosting vitamin D in overweight men and women before, during and after beginning a low calories meal plan.  Members of group who had higher levels of D before they started their diet lost at least 25% more weight and body fat than the people with lower levels of D in their blood.  How much should you take? 400 IU each day should be sufficient unless your levels are extremely low.  Ask your doctor to test for Vitamin D deficiency at your next physical to see if you should be taking in even more.

As warmer weather approaches, we naturally start to eat more fresh fruits and veggies since the produce prices tend to drop as the temperature rises.  Instead of waiting for the big thaw to reap the benefits , start taking Vitamin C now.  Yes, vitamin C helps ward off  the common cold and fight free radicals, but it also helps our bodies use fat for fuel!  Research has shown that exercisers who were given 500mg of calcium daily burned a significantly higher percentage of calorie from fat than exercisers in the control group.

Last but certainly not least is calcium.  We all know how important this mineral is for bone health- but weight loss too?  A recent British study concluded that calcium helps make us feel full making us less likely to overeat.  Overweight women in this study who took 1200 mg of calcium each day for 4 months lost an average of 12 pounds more than those who did not.

Are any of these studies 100% conclusive that these nutrients will help you lose weight? No. Nothing is fool-proof, but realistically, what are the downfalls of adding these things to your diet? Strong bones? Fewer colds? Better moods?  Sounds like a no-brainer to me….