Lift Heavy Weights and Lose Weight Fast

Here is a good tip to lose those extra pounds in your body – lifting weights. Get use to lifting heavy weights gradually, and it can help you lose weight significantly. Keep reading on to find out how.

Heavyweight lifting is the key to weight loss. Why?

To understand why we should try lifting weights, we need to see how our body loses weight. Metabolism in your body needs to increase to lose weight, and the way to increase your metabolism is by working your muscles. Exercising one pound of muscles can burn around 60 calories per day. Therefore, when the tissues in your body muscles grow, more calories can be burned throughout the day. To some people, weightlifting is a slimming routine that best suits them.

Weight lifting has a remarkable effect on your body muscles that helps you burn more calories and lose weight fast. It strengthens your bones connecting muscle tissues and increases metabolism which allows you to burn more calories, even when you are at rest. More importantly, building body muscles would make look slim with a perfect figure.

According to research done at the University of Alabama, people who lift heavy weights lose weight as at same rate as those who do cardiac exercises only. So what’s the big deal? Both exercises will help you lose weight. But the difference is that weightlifters lose extra fat and gain more muscle mass while the others do not gain much muscle mass as certain muscles are not being worked out. When those muscles are not worked out in a long time, they will go to waste, and you would lose them. Losing muscles is not good for your health; you need them to maintain your physical strength.

How to practice weight lifting?

As good as weight lifting could be, it should be done with proper training. Otherwise, it would lead to negative results or even permanent damage.

The idea is to have some repetitive exercises with weightlifting. It is best for the beginners to start with a small goal and gradually increase it when your body gets used to it. Below is a guide for beginners to follow when starting their training:

• Do some warm-ups like stretches or a light jog.
• Choose a weight you think you can lift 16 times. Start small with 1 or 2kg weights.
• Start with one set of each exercise and gradually increase to 2-3 sets within a set time.
• After a couple of weeks when you feel yourself getting stronger, gradually increase the weight.
• Repeat the process by adding a repetition progressively, until the maximums reps are reached. Make sure not to overstrain your muscles and injure yourself.

One important thing you should learn is that your muscles grow when you lift weights more than what your muscles can. Do not be alarmed if you seem to be gaining weight from exercise as muscle mass is heavier than fats. By being consistent and have started with a good basic program, you will see yourself slimming down.

The Role of Fruits in Your Weight Loss Process

Fruits are often knowns to be the providers of vitamins and minerals but due to their high sugar content, they may not be entirely good for weight loss. However, according to research done by Dr Barbara Rolls, there are indeed some fruits that can aid you in your quest for weight loss.

Scientists use an energy density scale to classify which fruits are most favourable to reduce your appetite and increase metabolism to burn fat faster. Fruits are known to be low energy dense as they have high volume of water and fibre but not calories. By eating these fruits, you will consume 20% less calories and you will get rid 35% more fat. Moreover, fruit also contains a lot of soluble enzymes where Stanford University’s Research School of Medicine suggests that these enzymes, promote the proper functioning of the liver to convert nutrients, boost metabolism and eliminate toxins and fat cells. Thus, those fruits which contain a high ratio of water, fibres, and enzymes are the best for your body as they would make you feel fuller, increase your energy production and detoxifies your insides.

Eating fruits in the summer is especially good for weight loss

Summer is the best time of year to eat fruits. UV rays increase the production of certain endocrine hormones involved in satiety, well being and boosting metabolism. This means that you would be able to burn more energy and help lose weight more in the summer than any other time of the year. Having a largely fruit-based diet coupled with plenty exercise is one of the best weight loss programs, especially in Singapore where the constant sunshine and eternal summers will help your body increase metabolism naturally.

Here is a list of some fruits to help you in your weight loss goal:

1. Strawberries
2. Raspberry
3. Watermelon
4. Grapefruit
5. Melon
6. Pears
7. Papaya
8. Tangerines
9. Oranges
10. Apricot
11. Pineapple
12. Plum
13. Blueberry
14. Apples

How many servings of fruits should you eat?

The ideal daily consumption is 2-3 servings of fresh fruits while cutting down on food that is high in empty calories like instant noodles and chips if you want to lose weight. You don’t have to eat the fruit just like that; you can be creative! If the taste of fruit is too sour, you can enhance the flavour of them with a tiny bit cane or brown sugar. You can make them into salads or juices too.  Fruit pastries (without cream) are also another way to eat your fruits, though it is not wholly recommended as you would be eating more calories than usual.

7 Yoga Poses That Can Help Reduce Your Belly Fats

When you look at the mirror, do you feel that your belly fat is spoiling your beautiful looks? Instead of your appearance, you should be more concerned about how belly fats can affect your health. Tummy fat not only spoils your external looks but it can have negative impacts on your health as well. It is not just a matter of being unable to fit into your wardrobe collections, but it is about the state of health you are in.

How Belly Fat Affects Your Health

Belly fat can cause various health conditions including high cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diabetes and heart diseases. Certain types of cancer including cancer in the breast, colon, pancreas and kidney are linked to obesity. Staying free of fat enhances not only your looks but your health as well. Apart from seeking help from a slimming centre in Singapore that best suits your body needs, below are 7 yoga poses that can help you lose your belly fat gradually.

Chair Pose

Chair pose is an excellent posture to address belly fat. It enhances your immune power as well.

Procedure:

• Stand with your back straight and let your feet be spaced apart maintaining hip-width distance.
• Inhale slowly as you lift your hands over your head.
• Let your palms touch each other over your head without bending your elbows.
• Lower your body as you lift your arms. You should go down as if you are about to be seated on a chair.
• Remain in the pose for 30 seconds.
• Get back to position

Precaution: If you have chronic knee problems and arthritis, it is better to avoid practicing this pose. If the problem is not severe, you may do it under supervision.

Hand-to-Feet Pose

Apart from toning your tummy fat, the pose works on your shoulders and thighs as well.

Procedure:

• Stand straight. Keep your feet closer to each other.
• Bend backwards as you raise your arms slowly with inhalation.
• Exhale as you bend forward with your hands reaching for the ground.
• Place the palms near your feet.
• Remain in the pose for 20 seconds.
• Return to position.
• Do it twice.

Precaution:

If you have problems in your spine, you need to practice caution when doing this pose.

Seated Forward Bend

Seated Forward Bend reduces your belly fat. It relaxes the entire body as it tones your muscles from neck to feet.

Procedure:

• Sit straight with your legs stretched forward.
• Raise your arms with slow inhalation.
• Exhale slowly as you bend forward to reach for your toes without bending your knees.
• Holding your toes, place your head on your thighs.
• Remain in the pose for 20 seconds.
• Do it twice.

Precaution: People with severe back problems and slipped disc condition should avoid Seated Forward Bend. 

Plank Pose

The pose tones your abdominal muscles. It makes your arms and spine strong.

Procedure:

• Get down to push up position.
• Let the hands be perpendicular to the floor and the neck be aligned with the spine.
• Remain in the pose for 30 seconds.
• Do it twice

Precaution: People with osteoporosis and carpal tunnel syndrome should not practice this pose.

Cobra Pose

Cobra pose reduces your belly fat and tones your back muscles.

Procedure: 

• Lie down on your stomach with hands by your sides.
• Place your palms by the sides of your chest.
• Pressing the palms down inhale slowly and lift your upper body up to your waist.
• Arch your back as much as possible straightening your elbows and without lifting your hips off the floor.
• Remain in the pose for 30 seconds.
• Do it twice.

Precaution: People with carpal tunnel syndrome should not practice this pose.

Bow Pose

Bow pose is an excellent pose to reduce tummy fat. It makes your spine flexible as well.

Procedure:

• Lie down on your stomach.
• Raise your chest and bend both the legs.
• Hold your ankles and pull your legs upward as you lift your thighs off the ground.
• With your chest and thighs raised, you will be balancing on your abdomen.
• Remain in the pose for 30 seconds.
• Do it twice.

Precaution: If you have chronic back problems, practice the pose under supervision.

Boat Pose

Boat pose helps to reduce tummy fat. Regular practice of this pose improves your digestion.

Procedure:

• Lie down on your back.
• With slow exhalation, lift your legs without bending at your knees.
• Outstretch your hands as you raise your upper body.
• Your pose will resemble a boat when your body is balanced by your buttock on the floor.
• Remain in the pose for 20 seconds.
• Do it twice.

Precaution: People suffering from asthma and heart problems should avoid practicing this pose.

Practice With Perseverance

Losing belly fat is not a distant dream if you practice these yoga poses regularly. One of the important benefits of practicing yoga postures is that it works on the internal organs. Hence, apart from toning your muscles, it also stimulates your glands and organs thus striking a perfect balance while helping you lose your tummy fat.