4 Natural Ways To Soothe An Angry Gut

by Jari Love

It’s pretty much impossible to dodge the occasional upset stomach, diarrhea, or constipation. Tummy trouble is just a part of life. Fortunately, a cranky belly tends to feel better quickly if you keep hydrated and stick to easy-to-digest foods.

But for people with “functional bowel disorders”—doctor-speak for conditions that cause chronic stomach pain and other digestive problems—a stomachache isn’t just an every-now-and-then thing; it’s a debilitating ailment. The most common bowel disorder is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which affects roughly one in 10 Americans, according to H. Christian Weber, MD, a gastroenterologist at Boston Medical Center. For the millions of people with IBS, letting stomach pain run its course isn’t an option.

Fortunately, there are several drug-free methods proven to calm an angry gut.

1. Ditch these foods.
Whole wheat, honey, beans, and even garlic can cause trouble—or not. The tricky thing about bowel disorders is that everyone’s gut is different, so what irritates one person’s gastrointestinal tract may be harmless for someone else’s. That said, something called “the low FODMAP diet” should work for just about anyone, Weber says. FODMAP is short for “fermentable oligo-di-monosaccharides and polyols” (say that three times fast), and it targets natural sugars that pull water into the intestines and make digestion difficult.

There’s a long list of foods forbidden for people on a low FODMAP diet, including watermelon, lentils, and chickpeas. But passing on hummus is a no-brainer compared to suffering through chronic stomachaches or diarrhea. Also, you may only have to give up your favorites for a few weeks, says Stephanie Moleski, MD, a gastroenterologist at Thomas Jefferson University. After a 2- to 6-week “elimination phase,” during which you ditch every FODMAP food possible, you can reintroduce items one at a time until you’ve identified your triggers.

2. Get off the couch.
Exercise is a potent remedy for everything from depression to Alzheimer’s disease. A workout can also quell the discomfort associated with digestive disorders, research suggests. “Endorphins are painkillers,” Weber says. And exercising releases them while upping the amount of oxygen circulating in your body, which makes you feel better—albeit temporarily. Weber says exercise doesn’t really address the underlying causes of your angry gut. Still, if you’re looking for natural relief, a little sweat is a great way to sidestep ibuprofen. Research isn’t clear about whether aerobic exercise is better than strength training, so Weber suggests you try both and stick with whatever type makes you feel best.

3. Assess your stress.
A big interview, public speaking, or other stressful activities can launch stomach cramps, feelings of nausea, and gas. Some experts attribute this to something called the brain-gut axis. Basically, your brain and your gut talk to each other. When one’s upset, the other may feel junky, too. (Some research suggests those with bowel disorders like IBS also tend to feel depressed or anxious.)

As a result of this brain-gut connection, stress can be a big trigger for people with chronic stomach problems, Moleski explains. “When you’re having a lot of stress, it’s going to wreak havoc in the intestines,” she says.

There are several quick ways to slash stress. Finding a method that works for you may make your gut happier in the long run. In one study, people with bowel disorders spent 15 to 20 minutes a day fighting stress with yoga, meditation, or prayer. After 9 weeks, they reported less pain, lower anxiety, and better quality of life.

4. Grab some peppermint.
Although he doesn’t usually recommend supplements, Weber says anyone looking for a natural way to ease stomach pain could try peppermint oil, which studies show can calm symptoms of IBS. But Weber cautions against picking up peppermint supplements at your nearest health store. They’re only lightly regulated by the FDA, and are often loaded with unnecessary additives that could do more harm than good. He advises talking with your doctor before trying a supplement.

via prevention.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Quick Tabata Workout

by Jari Love

Tabata workouts are short and intense bursts of exercise that are designed to burn maximum fat and calories. The idea behind Tabata is that you work as hard as you possibly can for 20 seconds, then take 10 seconds to rest, and then repeat that for a total of 8 times. This is the first HIIT workout ever created, by a guy in Japan.

You can use any exercise in a tabata workout, but the main thing is to chose an exercise that will work all your muscle groups and elevate your heart rate.

Start any workout with a little warm-up to get your blood flowing before doing any intense exercise. Then set a timer, either on your watch or phone and get to work. It is a total of 4 minutes, so there’s no room for excuses in not getting a workout done on this busy Monday.

Here’s your workout! Let me know how it goes. I have instructions below on how to do a burpee.

Browse Tabata Workouts

To do a burpee, start standing straight up with your core engaged like you’re being punched in the stomach. Then bend your knees and reach your hands down to the floor. Hop your feet back, keeping your core strong, not letting your back sag, into a plank. Do a pushup (if you can). Finally hop the feet back to your hands and stand up. If you’re advanced, you can add a tuck jump when you stand up.

Burpees work your quads, glutes, core, shoulders, and chest. Best workout ever!

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Sitting all Day? Try These Stretches

by Jari Love

When you sit, your body slumps, your metabolism slows, and you…spread. At least, that’s what all the experts say. But if you’re in a job where you must sit—or you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a standing desk—you’ll be happy to learn that there are ways to undo the damage—plus boost your calorie burn.

 First, chairs and couches lead to trouble for the simple reason that they support your body weight. With a chair holding you up, your ankles, knees, and hips stiffen, your muscles weaken, your shoulders round forward, and your back hunches. Even worse, your circulation slows, which depresses your metabolism.

 Yikes. Okay, now for some good news: In a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers tracked nearly 13,000 women for 12 years to find out how much health damage sitting could do over the long term. Yes, years spent on the couch or hunched over a desk was linked to a greater risk of weight gain, heart disease, and an earlier demise—but only for women who sat still. When the researchers separated the women into three groups—low fidgeting, moderate fidgeting, and high fidgeting, they discovered that the most active sitters completely dodged any increased health risks. These women sat as much as 7 hours a day, but by continually tapping their fingers, bouncing their legs, and, the researchers suspect, hopping up frequently, they were able to avoid the health impacts of lounging.

 So if you’re trapped in a chair, be sure to add some fidgeting and get up to wander around every 20 minutes or so. And try out the 6 stretches below. They’re designed to counter the muscle-weakening, joint-stiffening, and shoulder-hunching effects of spending too much time on your keister.

 What to do: Hold each of these static stretches for 30-seconds, and try to do the series in this order, twice a day. 

1. Supported Backbend

 Why: Bending backward helps improve posture, and supports the muscles that stabilize your spine. 

How: Stand facing away from a wall, your heels about one foot away from the baseboard. With your arms over your head, elbows bent backward so that your palms are facing the wall, slowly lean back and catch your body weight with your hands. Walk your hands down the wall until you begin to feel a stretch. (You may also need to step further away from the wall as your back bends. 

Be sure to start slowly; as your back gets stronger you’ll be able to go deeper into the backbend. Place the tip of your tongue in the roof of your mouth, drop your jaw, and breathe in and out through your nostrils as you hold the backbend. 

2. Lunge With Rotation 

Why: Build strength in your legs and shoulders while stretching your hips. The twists will also help maintain healthy spinal movement (healthy discs). 

How: From a standing position, take a big step forward with your right foot into a lunge, taking care that your right knee does not extend past your toes. Place your hands on either side of your right foot. Now lift your right arm toward the ceiling and turn your gaze upward at the same time. As you exhale, try to rotate a little deeper into the rotation. Switch sides and repeat. 

The lunge is not as deep as a “runners lunge,” and the bottom hand touches the knee, not all the way to the floor. 

3. Shoulder Opener 

Why: Sitting tends to pull our shoulders inward and collapse our chest. This opens the shoulders and chest.

How: Stand up straight and tall, holding a towel or belt in each hand behind your back. Raise your arms behind you as high as you can without feeling discomfort. Pull your shoulders back and together as you lift the towel.

4. Low Cobra With Feet Elevated 

Why: Stretching through hip flexors (they get really tight from being bent in a seated position for too long); strength for the glutes; openness in the chest and shoulders; strengthening for the lower back.

How: Lie face down with your ankles resting on a foam roller or set of yoga blocks. Press your forearms into the floor and pull your shoulders back as you raise your head up and back. 

5. Star Reach 

Why: This move lengthens the body by stretching the shoulders, chest, mid-back, hips, and ankles, and it’s the perfect antidote for chair-tightened joints and muscles. 

How: Stand with your legs slightly wider than hip-width. Reach your arms high in the sky with palms facing forward. Spread your fingers. Rise high on your tippy toes. You’ll experience an exhilarating stretch from the extension of the ankles, knees, hips, chest, and shoulders. 

6. Number 4-Sit 

Why: This little muscle in your rear end atrophies and tightens with prolonged sitting. With a simple stretch you can keep your piriformis active and flexible. 

How: While seated, cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Use your right hand to apply a tiny bit of pressure to the inside of your right knee, and then slightly lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your right piriformis (on the side of your glute). Hold the stretch there as you inhale. When you exhale, attempt to apply a tad more pressure and lean a half an inch further forward into the stretch. Continue with each breath. Switch sides and repeat. 

via prevention.com 

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

What’s Better for Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

by Jari Love

When you set your sights on weight loss, the formula seems easy: work out more, eat less. But a new study in the International Journal of Epidemiology shows that it might be more about what you eat, putting truth to the idiom “abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.”

In 2013, researchers from Loyola University began looking into the relative power of diet and exercise as they relate to moving the scale. They thought they’d discover that exercise would prove to be a crucial component for weight loss. Two years later, though, the science shows that the largest driver behind obesity is not how sedentary people are but instead how poor their diet is.

“Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it can blunt the surge in obesity,” the study authors explained. Why? The more you work out, the more your appetite increases.

Of course, this new Loyola study isn’t the first to come to this conclusion. Research has consistently shown for years now that exercise doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss. In a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics last year, for example, researchers found that people only lost noticeable weight if they combined exercise and calorie restriction.

This is the problem with most weight-loss advice, the Loyola researchers said, which often puts statements like “take the stairs instead of the elevator” or “walk 10,000 steps a day” on par with calorie restriction. Study authors Richard S. Cooper, M.D., and Amy Luke, Ph.D., said they’re not trying to drive people away from fitness, but rather expose problems with current health campaigns. Take this new one funded by Coca-Cola—it (falsely!) emphasizes exercise over a healthy diet.

But don’t you dare drop your gym membership! Being active has a ton of benefits that go far beyond what the scale says. Increasing your strength and endurance has been shown to help prevent cancer, improve mental health, help diabetes, and help you live longer. Plus, research shows that dieters who exercise are better able to maintain weight loss and are also able to lose fat while keeping valuable muscle. You just need to make sure you’re logging your gym time and your food intake.

via shape.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Vegetarian Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles Recipe

by Jari Love

Do you love meatballs but are looking for a healthy or vegetarian alternative? These bite-size, meat-free meatballs will do just the trick without leaving your taste buds deprived.

Sautéed vegetables are combined with cooked quinoa, Italian breadcrumbs and flax “eggs” that act as a binder for these meatless meatballs. They’re perfect for those who eat a plant-based, vegan diet or for sneaking in some vegetables for picky eaters.

The whole family will enjoy this Italian dish gone veggie friendly. We enjoy serving ours over fresh spiralized zucchini noodles, but you can certainly use pasta if desired. Look for a spiralizer online or in most home goods stores.

Quinoa-veggie meatballs over zucchini noodles recipe

This vegan dish uses quinoa and vegetables that are formed into “meat”balls and then baked and served over zucchini noodles for an easy healthy dinner.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds 
• 1/4 cup hot water 
• 1 small sweet onion, diced 
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms 
• 2 carrots, chopped 
• 2 celery stalks 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 1 teaspoon onion powder 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• 1 cup cooked quinoa 
• 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs 
• 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian herbs 
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 
• 1 (24 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce 
• 4 large zucchini 
• Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flaxseeds and hot water. Mix well, and let sit for 5 minutes. Using a spiralizer, prepare the zucchini noodles, transfer them to a large bowl, and set them aside until ready to use.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, garlic and olive oil. Season with onion powder, salt and pepper, and cook the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. To the bowl of a food processor, add the flax mixture, quinoa, breadcrumbs, herbs, nutritional yeast and roasted vegetables.
5. Pulse the mixture several times to blend and chop until the desired consistency is reached. (If the mixture is too sticky to handle, add a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs.)
6. Roll the mixture into balls, keeping them uniform in size. Bake the meatballs for 20 to 25 minutes or until firm.
7. Once baked, add the meatballs to a saucepot, and cover with the jar of tomato sauce. Simmer until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Divide the zucchini noodles among bowls, and top with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.

via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Heart Rate Training and Working Heart Rate Zones

by Jari Love

 Why is Heart Rate Training Effective?

Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. It is always functioning and maintaining itself. In most people, the heart operates at a fairly low level every day, but as with any muscle, regular exercise over time can increase its capacity to deal with more tasks with less strain.

Heart rate is an indicator of how hard you are working because it has a direct correlation with oxygen consumption (% VO2 max) when exercising. Monitoring your heart rate during exercise and training within specific heart rate zones will allow you to know more accurately what intensity you are working at, and allow you to exercise much more efficiently (less time!).

We know that as exercise intensity changes (through a combination of adjusting resistance and cadence) there is a linear increase in VO2R and heart rate. This is why monitoring heart rate is such an effective way to determine training intensity.  Heart rate monitors have made the ability for the average person to do this.

Determining Maximum Heart Rate
Heart rate training requires you to know your maximum heart rate (HRmax), which is the maximum number of times the heart can beat in one minute. The physiological testing that is required to obtain a true measure of HRmax is expensive and requires an individual to perform exercise at a maximal effort – not everybody wants to do this.

Fortunately, there’s an alternate way to determine HRmax through maximum heart rate prediction formulas, which are based on regression equations. It’s important to note that there are multiple formulas available to determine your HRmax and few researchers and exercise physiologists can agree on the best one.  Although using a standard formula will results in a degree of error due to genetic and gender differences, it is still a great way to get an approximation of where your heart rate should be for each of the heart rate training zones.

When it comes to group exercise, the most common and widely used Age Predicted HRmax Formula is:  HRmax = 220 – your age

Example:  An individual who is 43 years old would have an age predicted HRmax of 177bpm.  Answer: 220 – 43 = 177bpm

Checking Your Heart Rate as You Train

An excellent way to monitor exercise intensity is to take your pulse periodically by pressing lightly on your radial artery (the thumb side of your wrist, between the tendon and the bone). Use your index and middle fingers to exert pressure just light enough to feel the artery throb as your heart beats. Count the number of times your heart beats over 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to get your heart rate.

For a more accurate measurement, consider getting a heart rate monitor. These days, you will find that heart rate monitors are relatively inexpensive and are easy to use. In addition to its greater precision in measuring your heart rate, it can also act as a motivational tool during your workout sessions.

Heart rate monitors consist of a transmitter that fits around your chest area and a wireless receiver that is worn like a regular wristwatch. Using a heart rate monitor is an effective way to stay within specific heart rate zones during workouts. Instead of relying on guesswork, you will know exactly how you are performing and if you need to slow down or step things up.

 Heart Rate Training Zones

There are five heart rate zones that go from least to most intense. Each target heart zone is expressed as a certain percentage of your maximum heart rate.  Exercising within your target heart rate is a great way to make sure that you are not under-training or overtraining, and serves as one of the best guidelines for achieving personal fitness goals. Heart Rate Zone training will get you on the fast track to fitness success.

Determining Heart Rate Training Zones

In order to take advantage of exercising within heart zones, you will need to determine the heart rates that correspond to the different training intensities. Using the chart below as a guide, calculate your heart rate training zones using your HRmax.

% of Your Max HR	Formula	Your HR
50% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax_______ bpm x 0.50 =
60% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax _______ bmp x 0.60 =
70% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax_______ bmp x 0.70 =
80% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax_______ bpm x 0.80 =
90% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax_______ bpm x 0.90 =

Next, you will simply join the percentages together in order to determine your heart rate training zones.  Copy the chart below into a notebook that you can keep with you while you are training.

Zone 1 (50 – 60%)	Zone 2 (60 – 70%)	Zone 3 (70 – 80%)	Zone 4 (80 – 90%)	Zone 5 (90 – 100%)

 Example:  An individual who is 43 years old would have an age predicted HRmax of 177bpm (220 – 43 = 177bpm).  Their charts would look like this:

% of Your Max HR	Formula	HR
50% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax 177 bpm x 0.50 =	88.5 bpm
60% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax 177 bpm x 0.60 =	106.2 bpm
70% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax 177 bpm x 0.70 =	123.9 bpm
80% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax 177 bpm x 0.80 =	141.6 bpm
90% of your Max Heart Rate  =	HRmax 177 bpm x 0.90 =	159.3 bpm

 

Zone 1 (50 – 60%)	Zone 2 (60 – 70%)	Zone 3 (70 – 80%)	Zone 4 (80 – 90%)	Zone 5 (90 – 100%)
88.5 – 106.2 bpm	106.2 – 123.9 bpm	123.9 – 141.6 bpm	141.6 – 159.3 bpm	159.3 – 177 bpm

 Zone 1 – Healthy Heart Zone – Getting Fit!

• In this zone, you stay at 50% to 60% of your maximum heart rate; this is gentle exertion
• When working in Zone 1, your Rate of Perceived of Exertion (RPE) on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 2-3 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 1:  10% carbohydrates, 60-85% fat and 5% protein.
• This is not a hot calorie-burning pace: you only burn ± 5 calories per minute.
•  In this zone you’re at 55-65% maximum aerobic capacity (VO² Max, a body’s maximum capacity to carry and use oxygen during exercise).

Five things to know about Zone 1:

• Even at this comfortable pace, the health payoff is huge: a Zone 1 workout lowers blood pressure, builds muscle mass, reduces body fat, improves our immune system and cholesterol levels, and lowers your heart attack risk.
• Most of the calories burned in this zone, even though you won’t burn a huge number, are fat calories. That’s a good thing.
• This is a safe zone, so it’s ideal for inactive people trying to become more active.
• To get the benefits of working in Zone 1, you must spend at least 10 minutes in the zone every day.
• You will feel fatigue after a time in Zone 1 because your energy and fluids are being depleted. Drink water!

Zone 2 – Temperate Zone – Staying Fit!

• In this zone, you work at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 2, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 3-5 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 2:  10% carbohydrates, 50-80% fat and 5% protein.
• You burn ±10 calories in Zone 2 – twice as many as in Zone 1.
• In Zone 2 you’re at 66-75% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 2:

• This is the level at which most people exercise every day – a moderate and comfortable zone.
• You’re still burning mostly fat calories in Zone 2 – more than in Zone 1 – and building muscle mass at the same time.
• With more muscle mass, you burn more calories even when you’re inactive.
• The more you train in Zone 2, the more efficient your body gets at using fat for energy, because your fat-burning enzymes are more active overall.
• When you develop more stamina, you’ll be able to use Zone 2 as a recovery zone or a long, slow endurance zone.

Zone 3 – Aerobic Zone – Getting Fitter!

• In Zone 3, you’re working at 70-80% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 3, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 5-7 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 3:  60% carbohydrates, 35% fat and 5% protein.
• Your calorie burn in Zone 3 increases slightly to ±13 per minute.
• In Zone 3 you are at 76-80% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 3:

• This zone is the “sweet spot” of training; it’s where you get the most benefits in the least amount of time.
• You’re in good company here; this is the zone where high-performance athletes will spend most of their time.
• In Zone 3 the emphasis of calories being burned shifts from fat calories to carbohydrates.
• Two major benefits of working in Zone 3: here your body builds resistance to fatigue, and you improve your VO² Max.
• The body can only hold so many carbohydrates needed for energy, so it’s important to make sure you are getting adequate nutrition before long periods of Zone 3 training, or any work in Zones 4 or 5.

Zone 4 – Threshold Zone – Getting Even More Fit!

• In Zone 4, you’re working at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 4, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 7-9 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 4:  80% carbohydrates, 15% fat and 5% protein.
• The calorie burn increases only slightly again in Zone 4, to ±15 per minute.
• In Zone 4 you are at 81-90% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 4:

• Benefits of working in Zone 4 include increased aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways, a higher anaerobic threshold, a better oxygen transport system and higher lactic acid clearance.
• For most fit athletes, Zone 4 is an anaerobic threshold – the point at which oxygen is consumed more than it’s delivered. Also, your body produces lactic acid faster than it can be metabolized in this zone.
• Training at or just below the anaerobic threshold allows your body to buffer, recycle and clear waste from lactic acid production. For that reason, endurance athletes work to get their anaerobic threshold as high as possible.
• Your body transports oxygen better in Zone 4.
• This is the maximum sustainable heart rate; staying at this threshold for too long may cause your arms and legs to feel rubbery and your breathing to become shallow and erratic.  Make sure you know your limits!

Zone 5 – Red Line Zone – Getting Fittest!

• In Zone 5, you’re working at 90-100% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 5, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 9-10 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 5: 90% carbohydrates, 5% fat and 5% protein.
• Calories burn at a rate of ±20 per minute in Zone 5.
• In Zone 5 you are at 91-100% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 5:

• Benefits of working in Zone 5 include increased anaerobic energy sources, better speed and improved neuromuscular coordination.
•  Zone 5 workouts are very difficult but they sharpen muscle efficiency and coordination.
• If you’re running a race, you would use Zone 5 to break away from the pack early, or to finish a long run with a sprint.
•  You cannot work in Zone 5 for sustained periods without slowing for a breather; you will fatigue quickly.
• Too much time spent training in a Zone 5 may increase your risk of injury and becoming over-trained.  When it comes to Zone 5, think quality over quantity!

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Things You Should Do Before Every Workout

by Jari Love

You should never dive into a workout cold. Taking the extra time to prep your body before training will help you get the most out of the time invested. “If you don’t warm up, you run the risk of doing too much too fast,” says Joseph Mosher, strength conditioning coach at New York University Athletics. “You may not have the mobility to do the exercise, the joint strength to take the load you apply to it, or the timing of the nervous system to use the muscles in the correct order. These can all lead to poor mechanics, which typically leads to injury at some point.” So whether it’s chest day, leg day, or a long run, follow these steps to make the most of it.

Eat and Drink Right: Watch what you eat to avoid an energy crash. “Foods to avoid would be anything that is high in fat content, oils, processed foods, or anything that bothers your stomach,” he says. Avoid carbonated sodas, doughnuts, and hamburgers. The overarching rule: take something that you know won’t cause gastrointestinal distress, like bloating, heartburn, constipation, and indigestion.

Mosher recommends fresh fruit as a good option. He also notes that a cup of coffee isn’t a terrible idea before a workout since caffeine has also been shown to help with training sessions for a myriad of reasons: it helps to stall fatigue, stimulate the nervous system, and possibly speed recovery.

Get Hydrated: “Dehydration is not good for you,” says Mosher. “It decreases blood volume, decreases elasticity of connective tissue, and increases the risk of cramping. You should have some sort of water with you at all times.” Mosher recommends drinking your body weight in ounces of water a day as a good place to start when it comes to figuring out how much you should consume on a regular basis. “If you exercise a lot, then that number will go up, but it’s a great starting point.”

Always Warm Up: According to Mosher, warmup exercises are important for three reasons: They increase blood flow to the muscles (delivering the nutrients and oxygen needed for a workout), boost nerve conduction to the muscles (helping with your speed and coordination), and stimulate synovial fluid — the liquid that lubricates and protects your joints from wear and tear.

And the first step to a warmup is getting in the zone. “[Don’t] stop your warmup to check your phone for texts, status updates, or funny videos,” Mosher says. “Starting and stopping will not only set you up for failure because of the lack of concentration, but also extend a warmup beyond what is needed.” At the very least, never skip your warmup. “If you don’t have time to warmup, you don’t have time to train.”

Mobility Drills: The second part of your warmup should include mobility drills. “[These] allow you to keep moving and continue the process of preparing your body for the workout,” says Mosher. If you’re sitting for most of the day, opening up your hips and shoulders is extremely important. So while your body might have adapted to a sitting position during the workday — with rolled, forward shoulders and shortened hip flexors — waking up certain areas can get you back to a “more natural, neutral state” for your workout.

Here’s Mosher’s technique: on an upper-body day, try wall slides and/or over-the-head shoulder reaches. On a lower-body day, dive into 1/2 kneeling quad mobility and/or Spidermans.

Foam Roll: All warmups should involve a foam roller. Mosher describes the exercise as a “great way to start basic movement and increase body temperature.” It helps your body decrease tension in the muscles and loosen up any of the tight muscles/fascia that will be trained that day — as well as any tender points. “Upper-body days, I would focus on the lats, pecs, and posterior shoulders the most,” Mosher says. “Lower-body days, I would focus on the glutes, groin, hip flexors, and calves.”

And if rolling out your joints seems tedious or simple, Mosher says that’s a mistaken mindset when it comes to health. “Sometimes foam-rolling and mobility drills get boring, but skipping them too often can lead you down the path to injury because you did not prepare correctly,” he says.

Stability Drills: For the final phase of your warmup, jump into stability drills to create a great amount of stiffness in your midsection, which will help you to lift more, says Mosher. Because the body starts with stability in its center, if you don’t have a stable middle, your strength and energy will have to come from elsewhere — and that often decreases your mobility, weakening your workout and form (“The doom loop of injury,” Mosher says).

He lists some solid stability drills, including RKC (Russian Kettlebell) plank, which means total contraction of the body in a plank position 10 to 15 seconds at a time, Dead Bugs or Bird Dogs. “These drills are great because they help you learn to move around a solid midsection, while still breathing naturally,” Mosher says.

Go Through the Motions: Before going hard, you should try out the equipment you plan to use for the day. “You can always start with body-weight exercises first, like push-ups for bench day or body-weight squats for squat day.” And once you finish body-weight drills, you can progress to an empty bar, and then add weights incrementally as you need them. “There should always be two to three warmup sets before you start your working load for the day,” Mosher says. “This is the time to really focus on hammering good form, making sure you are moving as fluidly and perfectly as possible.” Once these sets are done, you’re ready to roll.

via popsugar.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Bust a Gut on the Treadmill

by Jari Love

You know that time spent on the treadmill gives you a great cardio workout, but did you know that it can actually be even more effective than pumping iron for getting rid of belly fat? That’s great news for people who hate weight training but don’t mind hopping on the treadmill a few times a week.

 Belly fat isn’t quite like arm flab or butt sag. It’s far more dangerous, because it’s actually packed around your body’s internal organs. It’s linked to various types of cancer, as well as cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes, and it’s believed to contribute to premature death.

 According to Time Magazine, a new study conducted by Duke University researchers monitored 196 overweight, sedentary adults ranging in age from 18-70. They divided them randomly into a group that did three sets of weight training (8-12 reps for 3 days a week), another that jogged 12 miles each week at a heart rate of 80%, and another that did both weight training and aerobics. At the end of 8 months the aerobic/weight training group lost noticeable amounts of belly fat. The group that did aerobic training alone had the same results! What about the benefit to the weight training group? There was no significant benefit.

 Clearly, the humble treadmill is one of the best ways you can exercise to lose that dangerous belly fat. And not only will it help you reduce your waistline, it’s great for your overall health as well. Regular aerobic exercise helps you lose weight, and the cardio benefits help lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

 For the most effective treadmill workout, switch it up from time to time. Interval training, which consists of short, intense periods of running or jogging on an incline followed by a slower pace, helps you ratchet up your calorie burn rate so you melt off the fat quickly. As long as your body feels challenged, you’re getting it right.

 To maximize the benefits of your treadmill workout, you should also follow a healthy diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. Remember to drink lots of water – it helps you stay properly hydrated and aids in flushing toxins from your body. Don’t try to lose weight too quickly. Usually two pounds per week is a safe goal, and you can reach it just by doing thirty minutes on the treadmill each day!

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

At Home Workouts

by Jari Love

At home workouts are taking over

Don’t have the income necessary for a gym membership? Not interested in being around a lot of toned and experienced fitness buffs? Maybe you just don’t like the idea of heading into a club or center to get exercise? No worries because there are many ways that you can start enjoying at home workouts that can give you the same tone, definition, or results that you thought available only at a gym.

 Equipment – You don’t need to sink a lot of money into equipment for fitness and exercise. While you could go online and use auction sites or local resources to find used gym gear, you can also find a lot of alternative solutions and affordable options. For example, a lot of people create their own “kettlebell” weights using a one gallon milk jug. They fill it to the level they want in order to get various weights. A lot of people also find that investing in a good set of fitness bands or resistance bands is far more flexible than a set of weights. For instance, one woman would use her fitness bands each time she went to the playground with her kids. She did assisted pull ups and lifts with them and spent only a small amount to get very durable gear.

 Space – Whether you are going to do a lot of strength training or cardio “at home” you probably don’t need to convert an entire room into a gym. You can just measure out a safe area that allows you to perform moves such as burpees, jumping rope, and lunges. When you have enough room to swing your arms and extend your body, you also have enough room to sprint in place, and do all of the floor work required. You can even purchase gym mats that will help to reduce noise or prevent slipping.

 Routines – This is where a lot of people “feel” the difference between a gym and an at home workout. However, with the Internet, streaming media, and an enormous number of articles and resources, you can begin to develop routines that are safe and effective. You won’t miss the gym experience at all and you can often find information for free or at very affordable prices – including DVD sets for special routines.

 You can easily do at home workouts of any kind. You don’t have to commit a lot of money to the process, and yet you too can start to have a toned and strong body in a very short time.

 Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Detox Teas

by Jari Love

4 Things You Should Know About Detox Teas

I can’t walk through a mall without seeing ads or being physically stopped by someone asking to try a detox tea. I know we are obsessed with losing weight and losing weight fast, but is a detox tea the way to go? I found this article that explains my thoughts quite nicely. Read this before buying a detox tea…

So-called “detox” teas have been popular for years, primarily among people who frequent health-food stores, or consult with alternative practitioners. These days, though, they’ve become big business, and a handful of celebrities are touting their weight-loss benefits on social media. In a way, detox teas have become the liquid version of waist trainers—the before and after results are often dramatic, and their celeb backing generates buzz, but you may be wondering: Do they really work, and are they safe? Before you plunk down your hard-earned money and start sipping, here are four things you should know.

You still have to diet and exercise for them to work. One detox tea brand, recently Instagrammed by Amber Rose, advises per their website that for “best results,” the tea should be consumed along with plenty of water, healthy, balanced meals, and three to five workouts a week. Another, which has been Instagrammed by several celebs, including Kourtney Kardashian, Christina Milian, and Hilary Duff, states online that the tea “…is recommended to be taken in conjunction with a healthy energy-controlled diet and regular exercise” and the website offers an accompanying meal plan for sale. Personally, I’d love to see a study comparing outcomes generated by a detox tea compared to a placebo, with both groups following the exact same eating plan, but I haven’t found any.

That makes it difficult to know whether the weight-loss results people are getting from these teas are actually due to drinking them, or simply the result of a cleaned-up diet and consistent workout routine, which we already know can lead to weight loss. In any case, simply sipping detox tea while continuing to skip the gym and order takeout is unlikely to help you shrink your shape.

You might lose water weight, not actual fat. Detox teas that combine caffeine with diuretics can trigger the loss of water weight. Just two cups of water weighs one pound on a scale, so shedding fluid can make you look and feel lighter—even if you haven’t lost an ounce of body fat. Detox teas can also trigger a laxative effect, which causes your body to eliminate waste from your GI tract, another result that can make your stomach flatter, and allow you to feel lighter, even if your lean-to-fat ratio remains exactly the same.

If this quick-fix effect gives you the confidence boost and motivation you need to start eating healthier and working out—the real keys to getting healthy and lean—terrific (assuming the teas are even safe to drink—see below). Just remember: If you go back to your former less-than-stellar eating or exercise habits, or stop drinking the tea, you can gain the weight right back just as quick as you dropped it.

They may interfere with sleep. Most detox teas contain caffeine, probably because this stimulant may suppress appetite, trigger your digestive system to let go of waste, and help you shed water weight. A caffeine-induced energy boost may also lead to working out a little longer or harder than usual.

However, too much caffeine can also be risky (see above) and interfere with getting enough sleep—and catching too few zzzs may ultimately undo the tea’s weight-loss effects. In fact, too little shuteye has been shown to trigger excessive eating and weight gain and even slow metabolism, which can make it easier to gain weight even if you don’t eat extra calories. A good rule of thumb, regardless of where your caffeine is coming from, is to nix it at least six hours before bed. And if you’re trying to shed pounds, commit to making adequate sleep a top priority.

The research on detox teas is scant. While there are some published studies on various ingredients often found in detox teas, I haven’t seen any research on the teas themselves, particularly in the precise formulas they’re prescribed (that research isn’t required for the teas to be sold, by the way).

That means that using detox teas leaves unanswered questions about if and how they work, how they should be used, how much may be too much, and possibly who shouldn’t use them. If you’re unsure, or are planning to start drinking them, talk to your doctor, nutritionist, or health care provider. Just be sure he or she doesn’t have a vested interest in the sale of the product you’re considering: If they happen to be selling or endorsing it, seek a second opinion. Via greatideas.people.com

 

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.