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5 Tips For Getting Lean In Summer 2017
Fitness | June 17, 2017
We’re well into the summer now, and if you’re like many people, you may have given up on your New Year’s resolution to get fit, or, you’ve fallen off the wagon.
Use these 5 tips to inspire and motivate you to get back on track!
1. Burn More Fat with HIIT. HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. HIIT workouts deliver maximum effort with minimal time. HIIT workouts create an oxygen debt since you are using so much more oxygen during these workouts, that you end up burning additional calories for hours, as your body refills the “debt” in oxygen. HIIT is the closest thing you can find to a “magic pill” out there to help with a sluggish metabolism, weight gain, improve endurance and shed body fat. Research in the Journal of Sports Medicine & Doping Studies, show that HIIT training may help your body regulate the production of testosterone, growth hormone and insulin, resulting in an increase in fat burn, appetite management, and weight loss.
2. Watch What Your Drink. As boring as it may seem, ditching the soda, alcohol and sugary drinks will go a long way to getting you lean. According to the Diabetes, Obesity And Metabolism study done in the Journal of Pharmacology And Therapeutics, these drinks can wreck your metabolism and interfere with your fat burning hormones. These beverages add up. When you consume them, you are taking in excessive calories that proved zero nutritional value. If you want to see fast fat loss results, stick with water and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Replace your sugary sodas and drinks with sparkling flavored water and herbal teas.
3. Earn Your Carbs. I’ve talked a great extent about the benefits of earning your carbs with a workout. I call these meals WEM. WEM stands for Workout Earned Meals, and these meals tend to be higher in carbs. I eat these meals when I have completed a high-intensity workout. After a HIIT workout, your body is like a fat burning furnace, ready to be fueled by carbs. In this state, instead of storing carbs as body fat, your body uses them to replenish your glycogen stores, and fuel your muscles. To enhance your results, get back on track, and become leaner this year, save the whole grains, potatoes, pasta, rice, quinoa, fruits and all other carbs for the days when you’ve done a high-intensity workout. It actually doesn’t matter if you have your high carb meal before or after your workout, as long as you do your HIIT that day, but I prefer to “earn” my high carb meals, because it’s easy to tell yourself: “I will do my training later” and then have it fall through.
4. Get Enough Sleep. Instead of staying up late, watching your favorite shows, save them for another night and prioritize your sleep. If you’re looking to jump-start your leanness this year, sleep is essential. Lack of sleep throws off your hunger hormones Leptin and Ghrelin. Without sufficient sleep, you suppress leptin, the appetite-suppressing hunger hormone which is usually produced in abundance at night, while you catch some zzzs. Without adequate sleep, you also increase ghrelin, your appetite stimulating hunger hormone which is also secreted at night, but normally in lesser amounts…unless you didn’t get enough sleep…then it’s secreted is large amounts! When your hunger hormones become imbalanced, you experience carbohydrate, sugar and caffeine cravings. Getting enough sleep is crucial to putting you in control of what you want to eat, instead of being ruled by your hormones. Lack of sleep also slows down your metabolism. Take a slower metabolism and combine it with imbalanced hunger hormones and you have a recipe for unhealthy weight gain, binges, and major sugar and energy crashes.
5. Use An All Natural Fat Burner. I love my pre-workout protein blend because it contains a unique blend of all-natural ingredients that are fat burners! These ingredients boost energy, promote fat loss, and helps aid in muscle recovery. My pre-workout protein blend with fat burners gives you a safe and natural advantage that helps boost your overall caloric burn. Fat burners alone, certainly won’t create results for you, but by combing this with the over four tips on this list, and it will help you to maximize your results!
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
I have trouble with the sleep part, and it’s frustrating because I do try hard. We don’t have any kids, so it’s not that (you Moms out there are such troopers!!) I get to bed at 10 each night (sometimes before), and technically get at least 8 hours of sleep…but it’s SO broken and I’m so tired throughout the morning. It’s so frustrating. Some nights it’s trouble falling asleep, but most nights it’s waking up almost every hour. I have an activity tracker that shows deep vs. light sleep, and it seems to verify what I’m seeing — that my deep sleep is way less than the light. It’s frustrating, too, because when I research all the “tips and tricks”, I already seem to be doing them all. I don’t have a smart-phone, so none of that before bed; I’m not a coffee drinker, just 1 cup of tea in the morning then water the rest of the day; I stop drinking fluids a few hours before bed so I don’t have to get up to the bathroom constantly; I’m not a late eater; new mattress; I’m not stressed, so it’s not that; etc. I’ve tried the doctor (the pills just made me even *more* tired during the day. That defeats the purpose), herbal supplements, Gaba (at the recommendation of my chiro) and I’ve even dropped more money than I would have liked on CBD oil, which my massage therapist has said has done wonders for her sleep/pain…but to my dismay, no luck. It may seem like a small gripe since it’s technically better sleep than many out there, but it’s extremely frustrating because I feel like I’m constantly tired through lunch, and I don’t know how to fix it. It wouldn’t be so bad if it were a situation of “I don’t get good sleep and it’s because of ‘xyz’…so when ‘xyz’ is fixed, my problem will be solved.” I AM an intensely light sleeper and any change in noise/the environment wakes me right up (I do sleep with white noise…it helps some). So maybe it’s just something I’ll have to live with. Sorry for the long vent. It’s a frustrating situation, and I wish more solutions could be obvious with clear fixes. *sigh* <:-/
Private Member |
holland, pa
Have you ever tried meditation for sleep? Sounds odd, I know, but it can help immensely! Just google and you’ll find a bunch.
Private Member |
I agree with Holly. Meditation for sleep helps a ton. You can also take natural supplements like melatonin or valerian root to help you sleep. You can also use essential oils. There is a valerian root essential oil. I also find Lavender helpful for staying asleep. I have used each of these methods and found them very helpful. Good luck!
Private Member |
tokyo
Doing high intensity WOs makes me a lot less hungry for the day. However, the days of light WOs (and therefore light meals) I get more cravings. I am struggling with that. Anyone else? And advice?
Private Member |
czech republic
I have the same for years and I found out, it is simply because when I do intense workouts, I do them rested. therefore body doesnt need to eat so much. But the day after intense workouts, when I choose light workouts, I am more tired and the body needs to refuel. When years passed I have found out more people have the same “problem”. When they have rest day or light workouts, they tend to eat more, cause their bodies are simply exhausted after intense days 🙂 Maybe it is same with you. If you feel like u need more fuel, go for it. Usually those cravings are signalling your body needs nutrients, something your body lacks. Just my advice or not advice maybe , but some kind of observation 🙂
Private Member |
tokyo
Thank you very much for your reply!
Yeah, that makes sense, thanks for the tip! I will definitely take it into account, probably just need to balance the cravings not to go too crazy, because it gets out of hand easily 😀
Private Member |
Private Member |
Hi, I’m new to your program. I stumbled upon it when I was looking for kettlebell exercises. You are a good role model for health so I am looking forward to starting your program. I signed up for bunnyhill program because although I exercise, it isn’t often. I always wonder about postwork out meal. I eat clean majority of the time and have been eating real meals after my work out. However in one of your youtube videos, you talk about the importance of taking a postwork out drink for rapid absorption and a recovery drink to improve muscle repair and allows the muscle mass to grow. Zuzka, what brand would you recommend? Thank you! All the best
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
You have probably watched an old YouTube video – I’m constantly updating and learning my knowledge of nutrition. I’ve moved away from the typical fitness/bodybuilding type of nutrition which hasn’t changed for decades and I’m now promoting holistic health and nutrition. You do not need any recovery drink after your workout. You don’t need a heavy protein meal either. You just need a meal that is free of processed food and is high in nutrients. An example of a healthy meal is this recipe I just posted: https://zuzkalight.com/nutrition/cous-cous-and-veggies-salad-wem/
Private Member |
austin, texas
I am learning now how true all of your words are, learning the balance of good diet and excercise. I excercise more and I eat more, but I need to eat the right things to fuel my body. I have noticed if I eat lots of fiber, more plant based , I don’t get as hungry. I need to fuel my body pre and post workout. . All the little secrets I learn are huge. Every time I dig into your library of knowledge! I get better!