wwwdotpowerflexdotnet

A Hotter Body – No Sweat!

Let’s be realistic here.  You don’t drop 2 jean sizes in 1 day.  You won’t lose 50 pounds in 1 month.  You’re going to binge every now and then.  You will go a day or two without working out.  Your weight is going to fluctuate here and there.  You’re going to try new techniques and they’re not going to work.  You’re human.  You’re going to fail.  But nothing great is ever accomplished without a few obstacles.

CHILL.  You got this.  You’re AWESOME!

Now that we’ve established that, want to know 5 little tricks that you can use to help get that body you want for summer that isn’t about dieting or working out? Sure you do.

With that being said, we’re NOT saying you can have the body you want by eating crap and being stationary or downright lazy.  Like I said, nothing great is ever accomplished without a few obstacles.   But there are awesome little tricks that you can use to melt away the fat on the days after you’ve eaten and worked out like a champ.  After all, our body really starts to change form during the recovery after the workouts.   So on your post-hardcore workout days or down days, do this…

1. Massage It Out — Massages boost strength recovery by 60%. It reduces inflammation in the tissue and increases blood flow to the area, which is what actually speeds up recovery.  If you’re having a massage immediately post-workout, let your muscles cool down for a few hours first.  You don’t even need to see a therapist…DIY rubdowns provide the same benefits.  Set aside 10 minutes on off-days to use long, smooth strokes over muscles worked.  You can also use a foam roller and/or massage balls. For acute soreness, apply a cold compress or ice for about 20 minutes to further decrease inflammation.
2. Boost Your Water Intake —  Dehydration substantially slows your metabolic rate, so even if you’re doing everything right in the gym, you could be negating the calorie-burning advantages if you’re not drinking enough water.  An the old rule you’ve heard time & time again about 8 – 8-oz glasses a day is so last century.  You should consume 1/2 your body weight in ounces.  That is, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should have 75 ounces per day.  PLUS, you should have an additional 16-20 ounces for every hour you train.  Need some other reasons to get your daily ounces?  Check this out:  http://wellness-edge.net/blog/?p=133
3. Log More Zzzz’s — I know you’re crazy busy and pressed for time.  But if 7-9 hours of shut-eye still isn’t a priority, here’s some incentive…deep sleep kicks up the production of tissue-repairing growth hormone, but lack of is a weight gain double whammy!  Not enough sleep prompts your body to consume more calories and shuts down its ability to recognize a full stomach.  When you’re tired, your gut produces a chemical that triggers sugar cravings.  It causes your body to seek quick energy from food to try to keep you awake.  Meanwhile, fatigue suppresses leptin, a fat-cell hormone that tells your brain “OK, stop eating now”.  Need some additional tips on getting more Zzzz’s?  Check this out:  http://wellness-edge.net/blog/?p=85
4. Get Going…A Little — You may feel like rewarding yourself with some downtime, but doing a low-key activity the day after a big workout will prolong the muscle-sculpting perks of increased circulation.  Fresh blood flow brings fresh nutrients to your muscles and helps flush waste products like lactic acid.  Staying active has also been proven to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and suppress nervous-system activity that can result in poor sleep.  Take an easy yoga class or go on a walk at a conversational pace.  If you’re sitting behind a desk all day, stroll around the office for 10 minutes every couple of hours to promote fresh blood circulation.  Then you can prepare for a different kind of reward…a less painful gym session tomorrow.
5. Upgrade Your Post-Workout Snack — We know that having a bite after exercising helps promote muscle repair.  An even more compelling reason…less belly fat.  Exercise activates cortisol, a stress hormone that gives you extra surge to push until the end of a hard workout.  But lingering in that state for too long can backfire; cortisol not only inhibits the muscle-repair process, but also alters your metabolism so that your body stores more calories as fat (typically in the abdominal region) instead of burning them off.  Chowing down on protein within 20 minutes after workout will prevent these effects.  Some suggestions…hard boiled egg, protein smoothie, protein bar, 1 cup of almond or coconut milk.  Starbucks fan?  You’re in luck…a non-fat mocha latte will give you protein plus caffeine.  One study found that when ingested with carbs, caffeine increased muscles’ energy production by 66% more than carbs alone.

So there you have 5 awesome tips to help burn that fat, get lean and get sexy…all on your off days.

By the way, are you a Mom in the Columbus area looking to burn more fat all week long?   Then you have to come check out our Power Mommy classes.  Fitness, nutrition, assessments, wellness topics, fun, fun, fun.  We’re only taking registrations for summer session from now until June 1st, so make sure you reserve your spot today…spaces are limited.  For more information, check out our Power Mommy blog post, or contact us directly.

Until next time, stay healthy & active!

Greg

May 21, 2012 - Posted by powerflex | Overall Health & Fitness | camps & clinics, Fat Loss, group training, health, healthy-living, Lean Muscle Mass, metabolic rate, Nutrition, water intake, Wellness