When you decide to take action and lose weight, you would normally consider increasing the amount of time you exercise and changing your eating habits. But have you ever considered increasing the amount of sleep you get each night? If not, you should! Research has found that sleep deprivation adversely affects the components of your body integral to weight loss.
When your body is deprived of sleep, your glucose metabolism is affected. Your body will slow glucose metabolism by up to 40%. The adverse affects of sleep deprivation is evident after only one week of restricted sleep. Glucose and glucose reserves know as glycogen are the central energy source. If your body is unable to efficiently metabolize glucose, the energy reserves necessary for exercising will be unavailable. This will cause your body to suffer fatigue. Athletes and weight lifters will suffer muscle failure.
Coritsol levels are also affected by sleep deprivation. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can interfere with tissue repair and tissue growth. Lack of sleep will result in elevated levels of cortisol. High levels of cortisol have also been linked to memory problems and long term insulin resistance. Weight lifters will find that the increased cortisol levels caused by sleep deprivation can inhibit the body’s response to heavy training and cause overtraining.
The lesson here is that sleep deprivation can impede results for people at all fitness levels. Individuals who are trying to lose weight and those that are trying to increase muscle mass will observe limited results from their efforts without sufficient sleep. The body cannot efficiently function without a proper amount of time to recover from all the day’s work. Research has shown that chronic sleep deprivation can lead to long term effects. So if you want to achieve your goals, whatever they may be, you will make sure that you do not forget to add ‘get more sleep’ to your weight loss or fitness ‘to do’ list.
Compound exercises are essential to your weight training program if your goal is to build mass. Compound exercises work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This allows your body to lift a heavier weight load. Compound exercises also prompt your endocrine system to produce additional anabolic hormones which also aids muscle growth.
So which compound exercises are credited with producing the best results? The answer to that question varies. Each individual is different and the body will respond differently. But the most common compound exercises that will yield results are as follows:
Chest: Bench Press
Incline Press
Decline Press
Dips
Back: Deadlifts
Power Pulls
Upright Rows
Barbell/Dumbbell Bent Rows
Pull-ups & Pulldowns
Shoulders: Barbell Presses
Power Press
Upright Rows
Dumbbell Presses
BICEPS: Barbell Curls
Heavy Dumbbell Curls
Close Grip Chins
TRICEPS: Close-Grip Bench Press
Dips
LEGS: Power Squats
Leg Presses
Straight Legged Deadlifts
Pilates was first developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s. Originally, Pilates was created as a rehabilitation program for war prisoners. Ultimately it was determined that the Pilates program would help achieve an optimal level of fitness. Contrary to popular belief, Pilates is not a derivative of yoga. The two disciplines are based on completely separate principals. The Pilates method of fitness is considered a mind/body practice that focuses on strength. Yoga is centered on stretch. The goal of Pilates is to develop a body that works as a whole and does not center on a spot fitness approach.
The Pilates method of exercise focuses on core strength. The belief is that the body will function optimally by developing stability and strength in the core muscles. The rest of the body will be free to move without undue tension. The stability of the core muscles is achieved by strengthening the abdominal muscles and stabilizing the upper torso. The rest of the body is left free for movement. The exercises are focused on the movement, or the form. Learning to concentrate on form is essential to all forms of exercise. Individuals that perform Pilates exercise will develop a long, strong, and graceful body without resulting in bulky muscles.
The exercises associated with Pilates are conducive to all levels of fitness. Beginners will benefit from the program just as much as advanced individuals. Programs can be modified to accommodate everyone. The Pilates program is not an aerobic or resistance training activity. If you wish to include Pilates in your fitness program, you will need to integrate it with your regular cardio and strength training workouts. Pilates will enhance your body alignment, strengthen your abs, back, and stabilizer muscles, stretch and relax your body, and help relieve stress. Adding Pilates to your current program could improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Notable for the stimulant effect it provides, caffeine is prevalent in our culture. Caffeine is most commonly used as an energy source. Caffeine can increase alertness. But few people realize there are other benefits attained from caffeine. Caffeine can be attributed with weight loss assistance.
Caffeine possesses fat burner properties. Research provides evidence that caffeine increase the rate of fatty acid metabolism during aerobic activity. Caffeine also decreases the carbohydrate metabolic rate which reserves the glycogen supply in the body. This process results in an increase in the number of fat calories being burned during aerobic activity.
Caffeine is credited with lowering the perceived exertion of exercise which allows your body to perform at a higher intensity level. The decrease in reaction time afforded by caffeine can also assist with a more vigorous workout. These properties credited to caffeine allow you to increase the amount of fat burned during aerobic exercise. Caffeine will also enable you to exercise for a longer duration.
The amount of caffeine ingested to produce the fat burning results may vary. Research suggests 150mg to 250mg will produce results if taken prior to exercise. Caffeine does have side effects. High doses of caffeine can cause hypertension, insomnia, irritability, and gastrointestinal problems. Caffeine will not cause weight loss on its own, but with exercise it can aid weight loss.
If you are considering purchasing a fat burner to facilitate and accelerate your weight loss, there are factors that should be considered prior to such a purchase. Fat burners have been purported to help decrease the appetite, increase energy levels, and increase metabolic rates. For people seeking to lose weight, fat burners can seem like the answer they have been seeking. But fat burners can have negative aspects that should be seriously considered.
The majority of fat burners are not FDA approved. This means that many of the statements made by the makers of the fat burner products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Why should this concern you? Many of the products are expensive. And the consumer does not have any corroboration on the veracity of the statements being made by those selling the products. In other words, there is no way for you to know whether the product you are purchasing will actually do what it claims it will. In addition, limited research into the side effects of the products exists. So if the product does produce the results it claims, you don’t know at what cost to your body.
Some of the known side effects to fat burners include significant irritability, restlessness/sleeplessness, rapid heart beat, hair loss, bad skin, and fatigue. Not all fat burners will respond to your body chemistry in the same way. And it is true that some of the fat burner products will yield results. But the lack of information regarding the long term effects of fat burner products should concern you. If you decide to try a product, make sure you inform your doctor of any concerning or adverse effects you may feel. The doctor will be able to determine which side effects should worry you. And if you are seeking an alternative to a manufactured fat burner, caffeine and green tea have both been proven as effective and, in moderation, safe alternatives.
