SmartBodyChange: Raw Vegan Pistachio Lemon Truffles

SmartBodyChange: Raw Vegan Pistachio Lemon Truffles: INGREDIENTS ½ cup Raw Pistachios ¼ cup Raw Walnuts 2 Tablespoons Lucuma Powder Or 2 Teaspoons Honey ⅛ tsp   Sea Salt Zes...

SmartBodyChange: Parmesan Chips with Salsa

SmartBodyChange: Parmesan Chips with Salsa: Ingredients: 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2. Place Parmesan cheese, by measured ...

Can Metabolism Boosters Help You Burn More Fat?

If it were possible to boost your metabolism in a pill, it would make keeping the calories off so much easier. Who wouldn’t want that?

But, while there are many pills out there that claim to be metabolism boosters, do any actually work?

You must understand that no pill is going to make a noticeable difference if you are not eating properly and exercising regularly.

That doesn’t stop companies from claiming their products cause fat loss without any change in lifestyle. But as most of you know deep down, these claims are always false. 

Still, if you are following a sound nutrition and exercise program already, you may benefit from certain supplements. The results will likely be subtle, but since losing fat can be hard as it is, it makes sense to use every tool available, provided it is safe.

Metabolism Boosters: Which Supplements Work?

The supplements that may actually affect metabolism are not so much “miracle pills” as substances you already recognize.

Green Tea Extract is supported by a good amount of solid research as a metabolic enhancer. 

Green tea extract

Caffeine can also raise metabolism. Additionally, caffeine ingestion prior to exercise is shown over and over again to increase performance. Before using caffeine for this purpose, it is a good idea to weigh the benefits against the possible adverse reactions, like jitteriness, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, and possible insomnia.

So, What Should I Do If I Want To Boost My Metabolism?

It is easy to be lured into buying a supplement to “burn fat fast” or “melt fat away.” I talk to people every day who try these products and are sorely disappointed, even though most of them should know better.

If you want to keep your metabolism high while losing fat, engage in high intensity resistance training and interval cardiovascular exercise. Keep you calories under what you burn, but not by so much that your body thinks it is starving. 1-2 pounds of fat loss per week is a good rate and lessens the chance of significant metabolic slowdown. If you have all those pieces in place, then adding some green tea extract (containing about 100 mg of ECGC) three times per day and caffeine may enhance your fat loss. 

You cannot lose weight or increase your metabolism in any significant way by just taking a pill.

Raw Granola Bars

Ingredients

2 ½ cups rolled or quick oats

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

½ cup chopped dates

2/3 cup peanut or almond butter

1/2 to 2/3 cups agave nectar or honey

1/8 teaspoon sea salt (adjust based on which nut butter you use)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

Method

Mix oats, pumpkin seeds, and dates in a large bowl.

Whisk together nut butter, sweetener, and sea salt. Pour into oat mixture, and mix well, till everything is sticky and combined. If it’s too dry, add a bit more agave.

Press mixture into a shallow baking dish that you’ve lined with foil or saran wrap.

Cover with more foil/saran, press well into the baking dish, and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Cut into bar shapes, wrap, and keep refrigerated till ready to use.

They will last two weeks in the fridge.

1 Can Of Coke a Day = 30lb+ of Sugar in a Year!

I want to continue to develop the concept of how making a very small change can have a HUGE impact on your health.  I know firsthand that the prospect of “improving health” or “losing fat” can seem daunting because there is so much to think about and consider.  Instead of worrying about the totality of the task, splitting the task up into actionable goals will make the process much more manageable.

For example, if you drink just 1 can of coke per day, eliminating that coke from your diet leads to a significant change over time.

  

Here are the stats:

1 Can of Coke/Day:

Calories = 140

Grams of Sugar = 39

Teaspoons of Sugar = 10 (4g of sugar in 1 teaspoon)

1 Can of Coke/Day For A Month (30 Cans):

Calories = 4,200 (1.2lb of fat – 1lb of fat is approx. 3500 calories)

Grams of Sugar = 1,1170

Teaspoons of Sugar = 292

…Which equals more than half of a 5lb bag of sugar:

1 Can of Coke/Day For A Year Stats (360 Cans)

Calories = 50,400 (14.4lb of fat)

Grams of Sugar = 14,400

Teaspoons of Sugar = 3,510

X 12

…Which equals 30lb+ of sugar (6 5lb bags)!

X 6

…Which equals (assuming you don’t burn it off) 14.4lb of Fat!

X 3

I hope this was a helpful visual for you to see how making just a small change in your diet can over time lead to a HUGE difference.  I chose a can of coke because I think sugary drinks are particularly egregious.  If you’re flooding your body with sugar, it may lead to cascading health and weight problems beyond the excess calories alone.

Why drinking warm water in the morning before breakfast is benefical for our body!

                   

Most of us start our mornings with a fresh, hot cup of coffee or tea.

Regularly drinking warm water with or without lemon juice, especially in the morning, can heal our bodies, providing digestive power and reducing metabolic waste that could have built up in our immune system.

The consumption of warm water increases the tightening of the intestines, which optimizes elimination.

While drinking warm water may not suit your taste buds, it may be beneficial to put the caffeine and tea aside for your health's sake.

Here are why:

1. Cleanses Digestion

A warm cup of water in the morning can help cleanse your body by flushing out toxins. Water and other liquids help break down the food in your stomach and keep the digestive system on track. Warm water will help break down these foods even faster, making them easier for you to digest.

 You can replace a glass of cold water with a warm one to aid digestion, especially after eating a meal.

2. Aids Constipation

At one point or another, many of us are plagued by this common stomach problem where we have little to no bowel movement. The strain felt during elimination, accompanied by bloating, is brought on by a lack of water in the body. Drinking very warm water in the morning on an empty stomach can help improve bowel movements and aid constipation while breaking down foods as they smoothly pass through the intestines. Stimulating the bowels will help return your body back to normal functioning.

3. Alleviates Pain

Warm water, considered to be nature’s most powerful home remedy, can help alleviate pain from menstruation to headaches. The heat from warm water is known to have a calming and soothing effect on the abdominal muscles, which can help provide instant relief for cramps and muscle spasms.

4. Sheds Excess Pounds

If you’re on a diet, chances are you’ve heard drinking a glass of warm water first thing in the morning can help with weight loss. Warm water increases body temperature, which therefore increases the metabolic rate. An increase in metabolic rate allows the body to burn more calories throughout the rate. It can also help the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys to function even better. Drinking a glass of warm water and a lemon will help break down the adipose tissue, or body fat, in your body, and also control food craving due to lemon’s pectin fiber.

5. Improves Blood Circulation

The fat deposits in the body are eliminated along with accumulating deposits in the nervous system when you drink a glass of warm water. This flushes out the toxins that are circulating throughout the body and then enhances blood circulation. Making sure the muscles are relaxed will eliminate poor circulation and blood flow.

6. Halts Premature Aging

Premature aging is a woman’s worst nightmare, but luckily, this can be prevented by drinking warm water. The presence of toxins in the body can lead to aging faster, but warm water can help cleanse the body from those toxins, while repairing skin cells to increase elasticity.

To reap the health benefits of warm water, drink it every morning plain or with a lemon for taste.

Grilled Salmon with Vegetables

Ingredients:

Salmon - 2 filets appr. 160 g each

Cherry tomatoes 

Cucumber

Lettuce

Lemon zest

Pepper

Salt

Olive oil - 3 tbs

Baked seeds - 50 gr

Method

Mix 30 ml olive oil with the pepper and grated lemon peel and brush the salmon fillets with the mixture.

Then grill on a barbecue for about 4 minutes each side (or for a longer or shorter time depending on thickness).

Season with sea salt.

Cut cherry tomatoes into halves.

Cut cucumber into small cubes.

Chopped lettuce leaves with hands.

Season to taste with salt, olive oil and lemon juice and add the herbs.

Serve with the salmon and the baked seeds.

Raw Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients: - serving 12 normal sqares

• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or agave nectar or noney)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 3/4 cup raw walnuts (or any other nuts), roughly chopped

Method

1. With electric beaters, beat together the coconut oil and almond butter.

2. Sift in the cocoa powder and beat again until combined.

3. Pour in the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.

4. Stir in the walnuts.

5. Line a loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Scoop the chocolate mixture into the pan and spread out until even. I took another handful of walnuts, broke them up, and sprinkled over the top of the fudge for extra crunch and good looks.

6. Freeze uncovered for about 1 hour, or until solid. Slice into small squares and prepare to be seduced.

Raw Mexican Hot Chocolate Balls

Energy Balls

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

6 Dates, pitted

1 teaspoon coconut oil

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Generous pinch each of cayenne, nutmeg, black pepper and paprika

2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

Method

1. Blend walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds until they begin to form a nut butter paste, then add in other ingredients and process until well combined.

2. Press into balls in the palm of your hand, then roll to finish. Top with additional cinnamon and cayenne if desired. They will keep for 4-5 days at room temperature.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Best Cardio to Burn Fat

When most people think of cardio, they think of long, boring jogs, or endless hours on the elliptical.

I’ve got good news for you: there’s a method of cardio that takes much less time and is far superior to jogging to help you burn fat. It’s called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and this article will give you the basics so you can take your body to a new fitness level.

What is High Intensity Interval Training?

High Intensity Interval Training involves alternating between very intense bouts of exercise and low intensity exercise. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds is high intensity interval training. HIIT can be used both anaerobically (in the gym with weights) and aerobically with cardio.

Why Is HIIT the Best Cardio to Burn Fat?

Exercise physiologists used to believe that “steady state” cardio was superior for fat loss because relatively more fat is used by the body as fuel at lower exercise intensities than at higher intensities. The “Fat Burning Zone” - pic 1,  shown on most cardio equipment as only 60%-65% of max heart rate is really a myth and is NOT optimal for burning fat. Yes, you burn more fat relative to glycogen when going for a walk, but what we care about is total fat burn. At higher intensities, you are burning far more fat. In addition, interval training allows you to exercise at very high intensities for a much longer period of time than steady state, so you burn more fat.

Pic 1

As an added bonus, you increase your metabolism and burn more calories for up to 24 hours after interval training, whereas going for a jog burns almost NO calories after.

Other HIIT Benefits

There are a number of great benefits to High Intensity Interval Training besides serious fat burn that include:

• Increased Aerobic Capacity – The amount of oxygen your body can use (oxygen uptake) is increased, so your overall aerobic capacity can increase faster than with low intensity endurance exercise.

• Increased Lactate Threshold – Your ability to handle increased lactic acid buildup in your muscles increases.

• Improved Insulin Sensitivity – Your muscles more readily suck in glucose, instead of the glucose going to your fat stores.

• Anabolic Effect – Some studies show that interval training combined with consuming slightly more calories than you burn creates an anabolic effect, which helps you put on muscle. The opposite occurs with steady state cardio, which for long durations is catabolic.

Sample HIIT Workout

If you are a beginner, I would recommend only trying HIIT if you can do a session of cardio for 20-30 minutes at 70-85% of your max heart rate. You can still try interval training, but at a lower exercise intensity and beginners should always wear a heart rate monitor.

NOTE: Interval training should begin with a 3-5 minute warm up and end with a 3-5 minute cool down to prevent dizziness, or nausea.

Here’s a sample HIIT workout that’s simple, but effective:

30 Seconds Sprint/Fast Jog
60 Seconds Walk/Slow Jog

The duration of “work” is 30 seconds, and my “rest” is 60 seconds. The work/rest ratio in this case is 30/60, or 1 to 2. I shoot for 5-10 cycles. The better shape you are in, the higher intensity you can handle and the higher the work/rest ratio. For example, well trained athletes can use a 2 to 1 work /rest ratio, so they are sprinting for 30 seconds and only resting for 15 seconds. That’s tough!

Any type of cardio can be used with interval training, but I would caution against running more than a few times per week, because the demands on your metabolic system and joints are significant. 

I rarely go for just a jog unless I just want to clear my head, or get a little sweat. Jogging is child’s play compared to HIIT, which is substantially more effective to help you burn fat in less time and take your body to a MUCH higher fitness level.