Originally published December 12 2012
Burn body fat and sculpt your core with these simple exercises and dietary adjustments
by John McKiernan
(NaturalNews) Most people don't have the time to prepare every meal from scratch, nor do they have the time every day for an hour long workout. Still, most personal trainers and fitness websites will ask you to dedicate a considerable amount of your time and other resources to build the lean, athletic physique most people strive for. Most people start out gung-ho but end up falling off from these extreme routines after only a couple of weeks, with little to no results.
A much smarter, more effective and manageable approach is to make a few simple lifestyle adjustments that can be sustained for the long term. The tips below include simple dietary adjustments and exercises that can be done anywhere. Following these very non-extreme tips will sculpt your core, burn excess body fat, improve blood circulation and energy and promote overall health.
Diet
1. Cut out a portion of your carbs and replace them with protein - Carbohydrates are the body's main source of fuel, so when you cut out a considerable potion of your carb intake, your body begins relying partially on your body's fat stores for fuel. By replacing these calories with protein, you're giving your body the nutrients it needs to create muscle tissue which burns even more fat. Cut out a portion (about one-third) of the breads, pastas and grains that you normally consume and replace them with protein-rich foods such as lean cuts of meat, eggs, nuts, cottage cheese, protein powders and protein bars. A good rule of thumb is to try to make vegetables your primary source of carbohydrates.
2. Consume as little sugar as possible - Avoid soft drinks, fruit juices or any other food or drink high in sugar regardless of where the sugar comes from. Replace all of these drinks with water. Fruit; however, is okay because the sugar in fruit is paired with fiber, which slows its digestion rate.
3. Eat smaller portions, more often - By consuming smaller meals, you give your body less chance to store excess calories as fat. Not only that, eating small meals boosts the body's metabolic rate which will continually aid in fat loss and increased energy. Try eating five to six times times per day instead of just three.
Don't deprive yourself completely. You need to give in to your cravings every once in a while; just be sure your portion size is small. These changes should be noticeable but not life changing. If you take on too much, too soon, you are bound to fail. Start out small and gradually become more aggressive with these dietary adjustments.
Exercises
1. Burpees - Burpees are probably the single most utilized exercise by personal trainers. This is because they burn fat like no other exercise, while simultaneously sculpting long, lean, athletic muscles throughout the entire body. (Here's a video if you're unsure of what a burpee is)
2. Body-weight squats and lunges - Building the leg muscles is crucial for a balanced physique. There's no fancy equipment needed for these exercises.
3. Push-ups - Sculpt the chest, arms, shoulders and core. Modified push-ups work too.
4. Crunches and leg raises - These are two proven core exercises that require no equipment.
5. Stretching - Be sure to stretch before (but after a short warm-up) and after workouts to help the body deliver more blood to the muscles, avoid injury and improve flexibility.
Doing these exercises for even 15 minutes with very short breaks between sets will give you an awesome total body workout. By following these simple dietary guidelines and completing these speedy exercise sessions regularly, you will start to see belly fat, love handles and other bodily fat stores disappear much sooner than you may think. Best of all, you can live a normal, busy life while maintaining a great physique and a healthier, more energized you.
Source for this article include:
http://jasonferruggia.com/cut-the-sugar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burpee_(exercise)
http://www.foodrenegade.com
About the author:
See more health news articles by John McKiernan at The Holistic Truth
See more health news articles by John McKiernan at The Holistic Truth
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