CROSSFIT CLEVELAND – What is Crossfit?

People come to us when they need to get back in shape but can’t do it on their own. Whether you don’t know how or just don’t have the discipline to stick with a workout program, we’ll get you on track to get in better shape. What is Crossfit? Get started here www.crossfitcleveland.com

CrossFit – Mother and daughter workout

Double-unders, burpees, box jump, rope climb

Cardio; your daily therapeutic dose for feeling better

 

Paramount to any gym workout should be cardio. Although this isn’t life changing news, it can be a life changing realization. Cardio not only helps you to lose weight, but it really does help you to *feel* better — about yourself and about the whole situation you may be facing. And during these uncertain times, we could all benefit from a therapeutic dose of feeling better.

Who hasn’t gone outside for a “walk,” or “air” when facing a difficulty at work? Why does this help? A walk will get our heart rate up and an increased heart rate will get oxygen flowing through our muscles. This is the much needed “air” we are seeking. And when this happens, we begin to feel better.

Now, imagine if we were able to *maintain* this feeling? Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise will make your heart stronger. A stronger heart, pumps more blood (I know you remember this from high school biology) and blood is the vehicle which carries oxygen from the heart, to all of the organs in our body. And, guess which organ is responsible for processing thoughts? The brain (an A plus in Biology?).

Essentially, it is your *heart* that is getting a workout. And, in order to maintain a strong heart, to facilitate this much needed “air” we need to engage in cardiovascular exercise with a certain amount of daily intensity. Repeat: “daily intensity.”

I often use plants (they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, by the way), as an analogy for understanding life’s progression. One way to make a plant stronger, with thicker roots and larger blossoms, is to trim it. Trimming forces it to *heal* and once it heals, it grows stronger, thicker. It’s like shaving. What happens when you shave? The hair comes back, with a vengeance — stronger, thicker and greater. We’ve all heard — and affirmed — the saying “that which does not kill me, makes me stronger.” Muscles that are torn during workouts, ultimately become bigger and stronger, and it is only when we put ourselves through a vigorous exercise, that our heart will get the intensity it requires to maintain our clarity and give us that much needed dose of “feeling better.”

Now, it is important that you know what level of intensity you are capable of. It is best to first consult your doctor to determine this. Armed with this knowledge, take 20 minutes out of your day to engage in an exercise that will get your heart rate up. It should be something you can honestly see yourself doing. Sports and other high endurance athletic activities are exceptional cardio workouts. Sports by their nature offer significant benefits as they build self-confidence and camaraderie, additional nutrition for “feeling better” and enhancing our overall outlook.

As always, I am aware of the proverbial lack of time syndrome. If daily cardio is too much (at first!), then three times a week is a fair compromise. Do it for you and for your heart.

How To Lose Belly Fat

 

• Spare Tire
• Love Handles
• Muffin Top
• Pot Belly

All somewhat comical terms for belly fat. Most people don’t like having that extra flab around their midsections, but we tend to just put up with it. There is much conflicting advice out there, and besides, we’ve failed in the past so there’s no guarantee we’ll succeed anyway.

Take heart, there is a truly effective strategy to lose belly fat, but you may have to loosen up some old preconceptions. Please note that in this article I am specifically talking about fat loss as opposed to overall weight loss (fat, muscle & water).

How To Lose Belly Fat – The Guide

The strategy involves both diet and exercise – nothing new there. However, it entails 2 unique ways of going about it.

The Diet – Become a Fat-Burner

Low-carbohydrate nutrition is the most-effective way of shedding pounds of fat from the body.

Why?

Basically, the body burns energy in the following order:

1. Carbohydrate (from food and stored glycogen)
2. Fat (from food and bodyfat)
3. Protein (from food and muscle tissue)

If you eat what most government guidelines recommend you eat, you are a carb-burner. It then becomes obvious that in order to become a fat-burner, you should remove the current primary energy source i.e. carbohydrate.

When you do this, your body takes a few days to flip a ‘metabolic switch’ and become a fat-burning machine. At that point, the fat you eat gets consumed first, and then you start burning away bodyfat as your primary source of energy. Obviously, you don’t therefore consume copious amounts of fat, and you don’t need to go zero carb to benefit. Anything under 100 grams of carbs a day is considered ‘low-carb’, but ideally under 60 grams would produce great results.

On low-fat diets (which by nature are high-carb diets), when your ‘food calories’ are gone, the body will burn a mixture of both fat and muscle tissue (protein). As muscle is ‘metabolically active’ — it burns calories all day long just by being there — losing it is a disaster for the dieter. Their metabolism will continually slow down over time.

This is one of the main reasons why low-fat diets very often produce temporary results: you lose weight for a while, but then it stops working (as your metabolism has crashed) and you pile it back on – and then some!

The Exercise

Loads and loads of cardio, right? Wrong.

Overdoing cardiovascular exercise will also put your body in a state where it breaks down lean muscle tissue (catabolism). So the question is, how do we complement our fat-burning nutritional strategy with fat-burning exercise.

It’s called ‘Interval Training’, or more specifically ‘High Intensity Interval Training’. The idea is to perform some sort of cardio in ‘fits and starts’ i.e. a period of lower intensity followed by a period of higher intensity.

Why?

Research shows that this type of work burns more fat than steady-state cardio, typically by about 50%. In fact, one study showed a 9 fold increase in fat loss for HIIT compared to low-medium intensity cardio.

Also, with respect to belly fat in particular, research has shown (though the reason is not clear at this time) that HIIT can produce more fat loss in this area than other parts of the body. An Australian study found that the HIIT group lost 3 times more fat and significantly more belly fat than the steady-state cardio group who actually exercised for twice as long!

The even better news is that HIIT need only be performed for 10-20 minutes at a time.

Hopefully you can see that these unique approaches to diet and nutrition will work synergistically to produce truly effective fat-loss:

1. Get your body to burn fat for energy.
2. Then add exercise that will utilize the most fat possible.

There’s obviously more to talk about on this topic, but a single post doesn’t permit me to get into it all. I hope you enjoyed it and if nothing else, you feel inspired to find any weight-loss program that you feel you can work with to bring permanent results.

How to Build Muscle and Lose Fat

 

I believe that to have long-term success, the plan must become your lifestyle. It must become a habit.

Therefore this article is not an 8-week program. It’s a list of simple ways to build muscle and lose fat. Tips that worked for me and my readers. And guess what: you will be able to build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks using these tips.

Build Muscle. The fastest way to build muscle is to get stronger. The stronger you are, the stronger you’ll look. Get into strength training. Do barbell exercises that hit several muscles at the same time: Squats, Deadlifts, Overhead Press, etc.

Start with an empty barbell. Learn the exercise technique. Increase the weight gradually. If you don’t know where to start, check out the Beginner Strength Training Program: it takes 3 times 30 minutes a week.

Nutrition. You need solid nutrition to get stronger and build muscle. Keep the nutrition healthy and you’ll lose fat. Some tips:

• Protein. 1g/lbs daily. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, etc.
• Fat. Balance omega 3, 6 & 9 intake: fish oil, saturated fat & olive oil.
• Veggies. All kinds, especially green fibrous veggies.
• Fruit. Also all kinds. Eat veggies and/or fruits with every meal.
• Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend.
• Whole grain food. Oats, rice, pasta, breads, …

Eat foods that come in their natural state. Avoid anything that comes out of a box. Avoid trans-fats. Limit junk food consumption to once a week. Quit drinking soda. These simple tips will make a big difference in a very short time.

Lose Fat. Strength training will build muscle while decreasing your body fat. Eating healthy will further decrease your body fat. If you need to lose a lot of fat or if you’re impatient, these tips are for you:

• Cardio. Do 30 minutes of cardio after your strength training. Three times a week at moderate intensity will do. The goal of cardio is to burn fat, not to exhaust yourself. You should breathe heavier than when at rest, but not gasping.
• Cut calories. Track your food intake using Fitday. Start eating 18x your current body-weight in lbs. One week later: cut 500kcal. Check the balance one week later again. Did you lose weight? If you did, keep eating the same amount of calories. If not: cut another 500kcal.

Whatever you do: don’t starve yourself. Fat is emergency storage for your body. If you don’t eat your body will hold the fat and burn muscles. That’s the opposite of what you’re after. Only cut calories if you don’t progress.

Women. Building muscle, losing fat and strength training for women is same as for men. The only difference is women have other hormonal profiles than men. Meaning women will always have less muscle mass and more body fat than men.

But the approach is the same. Follow these tips and you’ll get results. You won’t get bulky if you don’t overeat and stay away from steroids.

Vegan & Vegetarian. Leo is a vegan, and other readers of Zen Habits are also vegans or vegetarians. You’ll find plenty of examples of vegans and vegetarians who built muscle. It can be done. But you might have less results than meat-eaters.

Red meat contains saturated fat and cholesterol which raises your testosterone levels. Testosterone is needed for muscle. Ask your doctor for a blood-test. Eat red meat for 2 months. Do another blood-test. Compare testosterone levels.

Eat lots of dairy products: milk, eggs and cheese if you’re vegetarian. Don’t let the fact that you’re vegan or vegetarian serve as excuse. You can build muscle.

Motivation. The best way to keep yourself motivated is to set goals & track your progress. The classic scale is not your best tool. Here are better ways.

• Fat measurements. Measure your body fat weekly using a fat caliper.
• Pictures. Take pictures every 4 weeks.
• Blood test. Check health improvements.
• Strength stats. Keep a training journal. More strength is more muscles.
• Weigh scale. Only use it once a week. Each Friday for example.

I advise you to keep an online journal. Put it on Zen Habits Forums or on StrongLifts.com Forum. You’ll get feedback & you won’t feel alone anymore in what you’re trying to achieve.

Expectations. Don’t believe the hype in the magazines. You won’t get ripped in 8 weeks. However you can build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks.

As I wrote in the leading: 8 weeks is a start. It learns you that you can transform your body if you want to. One of my readers lost 40lbs fat & built 20lbs muscle in 10 months at age 55. You can do it. If you want to. Persist and you’ll get there.

Starting an Exercise Program for Better Health

 

We are all well aware of the importance of exercise. Studies
constantly come out showing that exercise can reverse many
serious health problems and increase our longevity. Americans
spend more on health and exercise equipment than any other
country. Yet few of us follow through on an exercise regime. The
main reason for this is time. It can be hard to find time in a
busy schedule to include an hour or more at the gym. By starting
with a manageable schedule and choosing something you enjoy, you
can begin an exercise program and stick with it.

Be sure to see your doctor before you begin your new exercise
program, especially if you have not been active in a long time.

Start Small

Begin your exercise regime slowly. Jumping in too fast can lead
to injury which will definitely decrease your desire to stick
with it. Do not expect too much too fast. Start out with small
goals that you can measure.

Choose a small amount of time each day such as 10 minutes and
schedule it into your daily routine. Do not let exercise to be
the thing that gets cut out of your schedule when you get busier.
Think of it as a regular part of your daily duties such as
brushing your hair or flossing your teeth.

Before you begin, remember to do some warm-up exercises. Warming
up prepares your muscles for the exercise and helps to prevent
injury. Do about 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks or a slow jog.
If at any time during your exercise you begin to feel pain, just
stop. If you keep going it could lead to injury. Drink plenty of
water before you start and have an extra glass if it’s a hot day.
Don’t exercise on an empty stomach especially if you do your
routine first thing in the morning.

Make It Enjoyable

The most important thing you can do when starting an exercise
regime is to choose something that you enjoy. If you have always
wanted to learn to dance, sign up for dance lessons. Take a
beginner aerobics course at a gym or join a tennis league. Aim
for about 30 minutes of physical activity per day.

One of the best exercises for the beginner is walking. You can
easily adjust the intensity and length of your workout, and
increase both as you become more fit. It can be done at any time
that best fits into your day. Studies have shown that walking can
combat health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol and
high blood pressure.

Exercising can be especially valuable for women in combating bone
loss which comes with age. As women get older they begin to lose
about 1% of their bone mass per year. Following menopause it
increases to 3% per year. Weight bearing exercise stimulates the
bone to make new bone cells.

To enjoy the health benefits of exercise you have to make it part
of your daily routine. Start by doing something you enjoy or even
began with walking. Schedule exercise into your daily routine and
do a little each day. Before you know it you will be healthier
than ever before!

Creatine Supplement

Creatine is an amino acid. It is normally produced in the body from arginine, glycine and methionine. Creatine plays a vital role in cellular energy production as creatine phosphate (phosphocreatine) in regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in skeletal muscle. Without ATP, muscle contraction is not possible. Oral administration of creatine increases muscle stores and may increase muscle strength and improve exercise performance. In the diet, creatine is found in meat and fish – although cooking destroys most of it.

Claims:

1. Increased energy

2. Enhances muscle size and strength

3. Increased power output

Theory:

Most of the creatine in the diet comes from meat (an 8-ounce steak might have a gram), but about half of the body’s supply is manufactured in the liver and kidneys. On average, your muscles require about 2 grams of creatine a day (somewhat more for muscular people, a bit less for skinny folks), but more or less depending on your activity level and degree of muscle mass.

Creatine is stored in muscle cells as phosphocreatine and is used to help generate cellular energy for muscle contractions. It also may increase the amount of water that each muscle cell holds – thus increasing the size of the muscle (and possibly its function as well). Creatine is used in the body to produce creatine phosphate or CP, which can be thought of as a storage form of quick energy. The function of CP is to regenerate the primary supply of cellular energy – which comes from adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP supplies energy for all cells in your body. Upon giving up some of its energy, ATP becomes ADP (diphosphate) and needs to be regenerated back to ATP to do it all over again. CP performs this crucial ATP regeneration step by donating a phosphate group to ADP.

Under conditions where rapid resynthesis of ATP is important – such as during repeated bouts of high intensity exercise – a higher muscle concentration of CP may serve as a reservoir of stored energy and, therefore, enhance performance. Although it has not been studied extensively, there may also be a role for creatine in maintaining muscle mass and preventing the muscle wasting that occurs as a result of old age and in chronic conditions such as AIDS and heart failure.

Safety:

Because of its effects on muscle strength and size, creatine is often confused with anabolic steroids. Steroids, which mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone, can result in a wide variety of adverse side effects such as acne, hair loss, testicular shrinkage and psychological problems. Although the long-term effects of prolonged creatine use has not been examined, no obvious adverse effects have been linked to use of creatine as a dietary supplement. Side effects reported anecdotally include gastrointestinal distress, nausea, dehydration and muscle cramping – but none of these effects have been documented in scientific studies. Although no serious side effects have been scientifically verified in subjects using relatively brief (less than 4 weeks) creatine regimens, there are anecdotal reports of muscle cramping associated with the creatine supplements. Some athletes have reported muscle cramps, muscle tears and dehydration. A cautionary note is also advised, for people with kidney disorders and for those at risk for dehydration (such as exercise in extreme heat or during cutting weight for wrestling or lightweight crew).

Pilates Exercise

 

The Pilates exercise is a system of physical fitness that was developed by Joseph Pilates. He called his exercise system the Art of Contrology. The goal of this system is to use the mind to control the muscles. The exercise focuses on enhancing the strength of the spine, and also helps in reducing back pain.

With the Pilates exercise, few movement are required, and he placed an emphasis on proper movements. Pilates designed more than 500 exercises. One common technique is called mat work, and includes a list of callisthenic movements. Both mental and physical aspects of fitness are emphasized, and breathing and having a proper concentration are also important.

 

Those who have used the Pilates exercise have demonstrated enhanced flexibility and strength. Different types of exercising equipment have been released which can also help people become healthier. Many variations of this exercise have been developed since it was first introduced. Pilates is a very efficient exercise, because you are often forced to use your own weight in order to gain strength. A special method called gravity Pilates has also been developed.

Pilates today has grown in popularity, and many celebrities have promoted the exercise. Healthcare professionals have begun using the exercise for physical therapy. Dancers and other athletes frequently use the Pilates program, and in addition to strength training, it is also good for the cardiovascular system.

While the Pilates system has been proven to be effective in many cases, it was not originally intended to be a complete method of fitness. When the system was originally formed, it did not place a large emphasis on cardiovascular exercises. Some bodybuilders have said that the exercise doesn't provide enough intensity to give them the strength they need. Patients who suffer from certain medical conditions such as osteoporosis should seek medical assistance from their doctors before performing the exercise.

Other critics have said that the Pilates exercise is incompatible with current knowledge of physical therapy. While it has been advertised that Pilates leads to lean muscles, others claim that no strong evidence has been presented which support these claims, and other exercises can receive the same result.

Despite all the criticisms made against Pilates, the fitness system has gained a worldwide reputation. It has been heavily marketed by many actors, actresses, and athletes, and has become a household name. Millions of people use this exercise and there have been many testimonials which support it. The effectiveness of Pilates is based on the perception of the individual.

 

 

Thermogenic Fat Burner

Thermogenic fat burners, sometimes also identified as metabolic optimizers perform by raising the heat of the body very slightly so as to induce a very quick metabolism. With a very rapid metabolism all the nutrients and also the foodstuff are burned more quickly. Consequently, turning all your food and nutrients into power rather then storing the overweight.For selecting a fat burner a person can investigate depending upon his/her careful requirements. It is great in recognize at first what your goal is and how will you get it. This will for sure let you choose the fat burner that will work great for you. Most of the usual Thermogenic supplies consist of caffeine, capsicum, and also orange too. The stack is the most common combination of the Thermogenic and it is a mixture of ephedrine, aspirin and also caffeine too.

Thermogenic fat burner is a nutritional supplement. This works to increase the metabolism of your body, which is for sure the internal engine for blazing the fat. As there is increase in the metabolism of the body the temperature of the body also increases with it and it really takes fuel for all this to occur. The gas is all the extra fat in the body. This leads to few things that are favorable to loss of weight. The very first thing is the amplified rate of metabolism, which helps in burning up all the excess fat deposits. The next point is the increase in the energy that leads to more and more corporal activities or even more and more intense sessions of exercise, which helps in burning more and fatter. In the present date there are available a very considerable number of various different kinds of Thermogenic fat burners in the market place. All these actually work in boosting up the metabolism of the body though many different combinations of the ingredients. A very large number of them use caffeine in relatively very high doses in order to accomplish this effect. But drinking so much of coffee can be few less then the desirable side effects and all these can include incapability to sleep, anxiety and jittery nerves also. There are also present in the market place a very large number of various different fat burners that do not even make use of the caffeine. Herbal ingredients are instead used in order to achieve the increase in the metabolism. 

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You can compare price and brands in our Fat Burner section 

Selecting The Right Gym Supplies