Meal Ideas & Recipes – Non-Athlete Fitness https://fitnessfornonathletes.com Fitness For The Unathletically Inclined Mon, 23 May 2022 20:53:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-nonathletefitnesslogo-1-32x32.png Meal Ideas & Recipes – Non-Athlete Fitness https://fitnessfornonathletes.com 32 32 156168556 Vitamix 7500 Blender Review https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/vitamix-7500-blender-review/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/vitamix-7500-blender-review/#respond Thu, 08 Dec 2022 06:00:19 +0000 http://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=10254 Vitamix 7500 Blender Review Read More »

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Are you looking for a powerful blender that can mix, puree, pulse and more? If so, then the Vitamix 7500 Blender might be perfect for you.

This versatile appliance is a powerhouse in the kitchen, which means that if you’re into meal prep or need to regularly cook for a larger group, this could be the solution that you’re looking for.

Dissatisfied with my wimpy, bare-bones blender that couldn’t do much more than make a milkshake, I set out to find a multitasking machine that would support my healthier lifestyle.

Let’s find out how well the Vitamix 7500 Blender performed.

 

SmoothieBox.com

 

Vitamix 7500 Blender: Worth The Investment?

Things to Consider Before Buying a Blender

If you’re like me, then it’s probably been years since you last shopped for a blender.

As you might expect, things have changed a lot.

That’s good news if you’re looking for a model with all the bells and whistles, but it can be troublesome if you aren’t certain what all the bells and whistles are.

This is what I’ve learned by researching tips for buying a blender.

Speed Settings

It’s essential that a blender have variable speed control. Some models are simple with three settings, but others have as many as 10.

This is important because speed control is what allows you to achieve the perfect texture every time.

Whether you need to make a smooth puree or a chunky salsa, a blender with many speed settings makes this possible.

The Jug or Jar

The container in which you mix food and beverages can vary widely between models. They may be made of glass or plastic.

While some jars are sized to prepare one serving at a time, others can handle multiple servings at once.

This is a critical consideration depending upon whether you plan to prepare recipes just for yourself or for the whole family.

Multiple Functions

Some blenders are designed to only handle simple, straightforward blending.

Others can cook, fill in for a food processor, make juice and do many other things.

Before you make a buying decision, think carefully about how you plan to use your blender so that it can meet your needs.

Durability

If you plan to use your blender every day, or perhaps even several times a day, then durability matters.

If at all possible, it’s wise to choose a model that has stainless steel components.

 

The Vitamix 7500 Blender

This is one of Vitamix’s older models, but it’s reliable and powerful.

In the box, are the motor base and a low-profile, 64-ounce container. There’s also a low-profile tamper, a cookbook and a quick-start guide.

The dimensions are 17.5 inches by 9.4inches by 7.7 inches, and the cord is six-feet long.

Although powerful, the Vitamix 7500 Blender is designed for home use.

It can make a variety of recipes ranging from hot soups to frozen desserts.

The Vitamix 7500 is part of Vitamix’s Legacy Series. According to the website, these models offer “intuitive controls” and “simple design.”

Vitamix’s newer Explorian and Ascent Series feature more recent innovations, but fewer stainless steel parts, which may make the Vitamix 7500 a good compromise.

 

Vitamix 7500 Blender Review 2-min

Pros:

  • Powerful
  • Versatile
  • Stainless steel components

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • The container isn’t dishwasher safe
  • No digital timer
  • Only a seven-year warranty

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Features and Benefits

The Motor

This is one of the features that really sets the Vitamix 7500 Blender apart from the competition.

That’s because this model features a 2.2 horsepower motor. The more powerful the motor is, the better vortex the blender is able to create.

Accordingly, this powerful motor can blend thick mixtures with ease.

That’s critical if you’re going to be blending thick, chunky recipes on a regular basis.

Even if you don’t, it’s nice to know that your blender is strong enough to handle almost anything that you might throw at it, which might include some tough, leafy greens.

The Blades

If you’ve got a powerful motor that can really cut through tough, thick foods, then it’s important to also have strong, sharp blades that can keep up.

That is certainly the case with this model. It features hardened stainless steel blades.

That’s aircraft-grade steel that stays sharp and ready even after years of use.

That is just one of the reasons why this blender is able to help you create such a wide variety of dishes.

With stainless steel blades, you know that they can cut through just about anything.

Plus, they stay sharper longer, so you don’t have to worry about them wearing out as quickly as blades made from other materials.

Variable Speed Control

Like many of the best blenders, the Vitamix 7500 Blender features 10 speed settings.

This means that you are totally in control when it comes to choosing just how smooth or chunky you want your final recipe to be.

Another major plus with this appliance is the presence of a pulse button.

Use the pulse button when you need to process certain ingredients before you begin the actual blending. As an example, you might use the pulse function to chop up larger chunks of vegetables or fruit before blending them with other ingredients.

The pulse function is precise. It runs at medium speed, and as soon as you stop touching the button, the function stops.

This means that you can achieve a finer texture with some ingredients before you create a mixture.

The Container

This is a low-profile container that is designed to fit under standard kitchen cabinets. Accordingly, you likely can store this blender on the counter so that you can easily access it every day.

Despite being relatively short, the container can hold as much as 64 ounces. This means that you could make recipes just for you or something for a crowd.

Equipped with a pouring spout, this container is made to easily dispense its contents without creating a huge mess.

However, I don’t like everything about the jar. Most notably, it’s made of plastic.

When you spend upwards of $500 on a blender, it isn’t asking too much to expect a glass container.

Glass is more durable and just gives the entire unit a top-of-the-line look and feel.

Having a plastic jar on this model feels a bit cheap.

Plastic blender containers tend to get scratched. Accordingly, anything that is etched or painted on them, like measuring markings, get obscured fairly quickly.

Additionally, this jar is not dishwasher safe, which I think is another major setback for this model.

Self-Cleaning

While it is not possible to put the plastic container in the dishwasher, this blender does have a self-cleaning function.

All you have to do is place a drop of dish soap and some warm water in the blender.

Turn the machine on to its highest speed setting to allow it to self-clean in about 60 seconds.

It is nice that no disassembly is required to run the self-cleaning function.

Still, that self-cleaning cycle isn’t always sufficient to clean absolutely everything from the container and the blades.

In short, I still wish that I could put the jar in the dishwasher for thorough disinfecting.

Versatility

This is one of the areas in which the Vitamix 7500 excels.

It includes a special tamper so that you can process even the thickest, most stubborn ingredients. This means that you don’t constantly need to stop the machine to scrape the sides.

Accordingly, you can make almost anything in this blender. Some examples include:

  • Baby food
  • Pancake batter
  • Muffin batter
  • Cookie dough
  • Nut butter
  • Salad dressing
  • Spreads and dips
  • Juices
  • Smoothies
  • Ice cream
  • Soup

If your own imagination fails you, just turn to the included cookbook. It’s loaded with ideas and recipes that will keep you experimenting for months.

This level of versatility is mainly thanks to the number of speed settings that are available on the Vitamix 7500 Blender.

A lesser model would give you less control.

 

 

What Others Are Saying

Many customers seem to be completely satisfied with their blender.

One notes that it’s a “powerful blender” with “all the best features” while another praises the model for having a container with a cylindrical bottom, which makes it easier to clean.

Still another customer says that this blender “can take your kitchen to the next level,” calling this model a “premium pick.”

 

Alternatives

Blendtec Designer 725 Blender

 

If you choose Blendtec Designer 725 Blender, you’re actually getting a package deal. It includes a Go Jar that is designed to be more portable so that you can take it to the gym, in the car or wherever you’re heading that day.

That’s a really nice and convenient extra feature.

This model also has half-a-dozen pre-programmed cycles, which takes some of the guesswork out of creating common recipes.

These settings include self-cleaning, hot soups, juice, ice cream, dips and smoothies.

Also included is smart technology that senses potential problems like loading errors and air pockets. This is an advanced feature that the Vitamix 7500 simply doesn’t have.

With 100 speed settings, this is a really sophisticated appliance. The touch-screen controls are sleek and modern while the graphic OLED display is capable of communicating with users in four languages.

This model is more expensive than the Vitamix 7500. However, with its impressive power, extra accessories and clearly sophisticated functionality, this unit is probably worth it for the person who plans to use their blender a lot.

Quiet operation means that you won’t disturb the rest of the family with early morning use.

Plus, the 90-ounce container is huge. If you’re used to preparing meals for a crowd, this is a great choice.

Durable, stylish, powerful and sleek, it would be difficult to outperform this model from Blendtec.

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Ninja BL610

While not quite as powerful as the Blendtec, the Ninja BL610 is still a high-speed machine that features a 72-ounce container.

Actually, this is an eight in one blender that can grind coffee, make smoothies, chop foods, create baby food and make ice cream. You also could mince and shop meat, make soybean milk or extract juice.

That’s a lot of functionality in a single appliance.

Plus, it has a 2.25 horsepower motor.

The six stainless steel blades are razor sharp to cut through even the toughest foods. This means you can juice absolutely anything, even those tough leafy greens.

A wide variety of speed settings are possible, and all removable components are dishwasher safe.

This blender also has a self-cleaning cycle for messes that aren’t quite so tough.

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Cleanblend Ultra Blender

 

The Cleanblend Ultra Blender is a much more economical model for consumers who are looking for excellent value.

It comes with a smaller, 40-ounce pitcher. Nonetheless, the 1,000 watt motor is sufficiently powerful, and the inclusion of a convenient tamper wand is a thoughtful accessory.

There are eight stainless steel blades ensuring that your ingredients get chopped as precisely as you like.

On a model this inexpensive, it’s nice to see features like 10 speed settings and a pulse function.

With this single appliance, you can liquefy, puree, process, heat, grind, chop, crush and blend. This makes it pretty much as versatile as all of the other more expensive models on this list.

Even the five-year warranty isn’t too bad for an appliance at this price point.

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Final Thoughts

This model isn’t Vitamix’s latest, but it’s reliable.

The powerful 2.2 horsepower motor of the Vitamix 7500 Blender is impressive, and it can make hot soups, dough, frozen desserts, flours and more.

This model also has stainless steel components around the casing and dials. This makes it more durable and quieter than some newer Vitamix Explorian models.

While this blender has a lot going for it, it’s priced at more than $500, the container isn’t dishwasher-safe, the blender lacks a digital timer and it only has a seven-year warranty.

Still, for the right buyer, this is a quiet, powerful and versatile choice.

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9 Reasons to Own a Metabolism Tracker https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/reasons-to-own-a-metabolism-tracker/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/reasons-to-own-a-metabolism-tracker/#respond Tue, 22 Nov 2022 06:00:11 +0000 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=12579 9 Reasons to Own a Metabolism Tracker Read More »

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Metabolism is key to various life processes in your body. Therefore, it helps to understand how yours works to help maximize its functions for a healthier overall you, which a metabolism tracker can help you do.

However, metabolism trackers were once reserved only for clinical use, so they are fairly new to the mainstream, which means few people are confused about why they should own one.

According to health experts, learning about your metabolic health helps you see how the foods you eat affect your body’s ability to burn them for energy or to simply store them as fat, which can cause you to gain weight. Hence, if you are trying to lose weight, it is the main reason to own a metabolism tracker.

In fact, after looking into several metabolic trackers, we found that there are plenty of reasons to own one, which we will look at next.

 

Why Own a Metabolism Tracker?

It Helps You Know if You Have a Slow Metabolism

A slow metabolism, which means your body burns fewer calories than it should even during physical activity, can be irritating when you’re trying to lose weight and can’t understand why you’re not able to.

It can also cause various symptoms, such as thin hair, brittle nails, a lack of energy, slower movements, and more, which can interfere with your daily life and self-esteem.

However, using a metabolism tracker helps take the guesswork out of knowing your metabolic rate by providing you with an overall flex score after consistent daily use.

If your score is high, which on most devices is typically any number close to 21, then you know you most likely have a slow metabolism and can then take the personalized instruction offered by the tracker to change it.

 

Best Metabolism Trackers

 

Everlywell Metabolism Test #1 Recommendation – Lumen Metabolism Tracker V2 KETOSCAN
Lumen Metabolism Tracker 1
The Everlywell Metabolism Test is an easy to use at-home test that allows you to get results from the comfort of home utilizing lab resource. The Lumen Metabolism Tracker is by far the best metabolism tracker on the market today and is for those who are serious about tracking and managing their metabolism. The V2 KETOSCAN is another nice addition to your arsenal if you’re on the Keto diet that can help you determine your optimal ketosis state.
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It Helps You Get More Efficient Workouts

When you use a metabolism tracker in the morning before your workouts, it will test your C02 levels to determine whether your body is using stored fat for fuel, in which case, you may not need to eat before your session because it will enable you to burn more calories.

Otherwise, you may need to fuel your body with food before your workouts to burn carbs for energy.

In general, if your breath returns low C02 levels, it means your body is burning stored fat for energy. On the other hand, high C02 levels mean carbs are your body’s energy source.

In either case, the device’s app will advise you on the proper way to fuel your body to get the most out of your workout.

 

It Helps You Lose Weight/Stubborn Body Fat

When you consume extra calories, it gets stored in your body as fat, which often leads to stubborn, unwanted fat around the belly, hips, thighs, and other areas, depending on your genes and other factors.

Therefore, you need to get rid of this stored body fat to lose weight.

Your body gets its energy from carbohydrates, protein, and body fat. However, when it uses body fat for energy, it helps you burn more fat from your body, which results in weight loss in stubborn areas and more.

Meanwhile, you must also burn more calories than you consume to shed pounds, and when stored body fat is used for energy, it also increases calorie burn.

However, to utilize body fat for energy requires doing the right type of physical activity and eating the right foods, which a metabolism tracker helps you do.

And it does so based on the specific way your body uses calories for fuel for more effective results.

 

It Helps You Achieve Metabolic Flexibility

When you have metabolic flexibility, it means your body has the ability to switch between using fat and carbs for energy more efficiently.

This helps maintain energy balance during intense physical activities and when you have a calorie deficit or an excess of calories.

It also helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, which helps prevent insulin spikes that can cause mood swings and that hangry feeling between meals.

You will also notice that you have greater appetite control, so you don’t binge eat and can make it through your workouts and overnight fasts without being hungry.

And then, during times your body uses fat for energy to fuel your workouts, it helps increase endurance by reserving your glycogen stores until they are needed for more intense moves.

One of the main goals of metabolism trackers such as Lumen is to help you achieve metabolic flexibility for greater overall fitness.

Hence, it supplies you with workout advice and personalized meal plans based on what your body is using for fuel at the time to help you achieve a more efficient metabolism.

Your sleep also plays a role in healthy metabolism; therefore, the device also provides you with advice on how to get a quality overnight’s rest, so you awake refreshed and revved to burn calories for the day.

With strict adherence to the program, you can begin to see results of metabolic flexibility in about 8 weeks.

However, it will take your body about 2 years to fully adapt. But you find that after this time, you can occasionally enjoy a high carb meal without insulin spikes, and your body will easily resume metabolic flexibility with your next balanced meal.

 

It Helps You Take Control of Your Health

Since metabolic flexibility helps keep insulin levels in check, it also helps prevent insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

Otherwise, frequent insulin spikes, which can occur when you eat too many carbs, can cause your cells to become insensitive to insulin, in which case, they will cease opening up to receive carbs as fuel, also known as insulin resistance.

According to studies, when you are metabolically inflexible, it also disrupts mitochondria production, which not only makes it difficult to burn stored body fat between meals but also opens you up to developing various pathological conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, cancer, and more.

Hence, when you use a metabolism tracker to obtain metabolic flexibility, it also helps preserve your health.

 

Sports Clinics, Trainers, and Nutritionists Use Them for Athletes in Training

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), knowing your metabolic rate is important to help athletes enhance their training performance and gain the right lean muscle mass to fat ratio for their activity.

Therefore, their trainers and dieticians use some form of metabolic testing to accurately measure their client’s metabolic rate and 24-hour energy expenditure prior to their sport to create a personal training plan and eating schedule for maximum endurance, weight loss, improved health status, and more to meet the metabolic demands of their sport.

They also use them to monitor the athlete’s body composition during the off-season to help maintain their sport’s physique.

The experts at NSCA state that it’s also good for health-conscious people to know their metabolic rate to get the most out of their exercise performance. So if your goal is to train and get results like a professional athlete, then a metabolism tracker can help you as well.

 

Those on a Keto Diet Can Also Use It To Know When They are Burning Fat

A metabolism tracker, such as Lumen, is designed to help users sustain a more permanent state of weight loss by helping them achieve metabolic flexibility, which enables the body to switch between using carbs and fat for energy more easily and to use solely one or the other based on what’s available.

This differs from the keto diet, where the goal is to get your body into a state of ketosis, which enables you to burn fat for quick weight loss.

However, a metabolism tracker can still be used by those following a keto diet to determine if they are burning fat for fuel, which is important when you are in the state of ketosis.

It can also be used to track your metabolism over time while also gaining other important insights from the app.

 

Vegans, Vegetarians, and Gluten-Free Eaters Can Use It Too

As a vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free eater, weight loss and/or achieving metabolic flexibility may also be in your goals. Therefore, you can also benefit from a metabolism tracker’s nutritional program.

In fact, many metabolic trackers also offer customized meal plans for vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free eaters.

They also provide you with plant-based and gluten-free alternatives that can be used in place of meat-based meal suggestions.

For instance, if the app returns a meal plan suggestion that contains grilled shrimp, and you don’t want grilled shrimp, in most cases, you can simply click on the meal and look for a plant-based or gluten-free alternative for the ingredient.

This way, you know a good vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free substitution for the shrimp that still provides the same ideal of protein, carbs, fat, etc.

Most apps are also constantly adjusted to include new foods and meal plans, so be sure to keep your app updated for the latest meal plans.

 

It’s Easy to Use And Cheaper Than Going to A Clinic

For years, professional athletes have been undergoing metabolic rate testing to help improve their metabolism. And until now, this type of testing was only offered in clinical settings using costly lab machines that require a skilled technician to operate.

However, metabolism trackers for home use enable anyone looking to track their metabolism for improved fitness and health to do so from anywhere. And they don’t require any special skills or lab analysis for use.

In fact, users simply breathe through the mouthpiece and into the integrated sensor and flow meter, which then measures your C02 levels to determine if your body is using fat or carbs as its fuel source.

Then, based on your reading, it will provide you with personalized recommendations on nutrition, sleep, and fitness activities to do for the day to help boost your metabolism.

They also cost just a fraction of the cost of visiting a clinic, which can be priced as high as $200 or more per test.

And because they are designed for at-home use, it allows you to test as often as you need each day for more accurate and up-to-date readings to go on, rather than having to periodically schedule appointments and then planning your program from one clinical visit to the next.

 

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons to own a metabolism tracker, and they can also be used by a wide range of individuals for improved weight loss and overall health.

And they also range in design and price, so you can choose one based on your specific taste and budget.

Many are also small enough to fit in your travel bag or purse, so you can continue to track your metabolism and eat, exercise, and sleep efficiently even while away from home.

You can also feel good using it, knowing you are taking steps towards a more fit lifestyle like your favorite athlete for comparable results.

So, if, of all the reasons we listed to own a metabolism tracker, you have found yours and are excited to get started tracking your metabolism and receiving daily personalized feedback on ways to improve it, then, hopefully, you will begin researching metabolism trackers as soon as possible to find the best one for you.

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Who Should Buy a Metabolism Tracker and Why? https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/who-should-buy-a-metabolism-tracker-and-why/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/who-should-buy-a-metabolism-tracker-and-why/#respond Tue, 15 Nov 2022 06:00:07 +0000 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=12546 Who Should Buy a Metabolism Tracker and Why? Read More »

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Your metabolism determines the rate at which your body burns calories to fuel its various functions, including cell growth, breathing, digestion, and physical activity.

These calories can come from the food and drinks you consume, or your body can also use stored body fat as fuel.

However, over time or due to genes or various other factors, some people can experience a slow metabolism, which causes them to burn fewer calories and instead store them as body fat, thus resulting in weight gain.

And until now, there was no way to know if you had a slow metabolism.

But metabolism trackers, such as Lumen, which used to be used by clinics solely for professional athletes in training, now make it possible for you to know and from the comfort of your own home.

So, who should buy a metabolism tracker and why?

In short, a metabolism tracker is for anyone who wants to track their metabolism to learn the way their body uses carbs and stored fat for energy, so they can make the changes needed to improve their calorie-burning and thus transform their body.

 

Is a Metabolism Tracker For Me?

 

 

How Do Metabolism Trackers Work?

There are various metabolism trackers on the market today, and they each work differently and provide their own results.

However, the popular Lumen metabolism tracker works by measuring the level of carbon dioxide (C02) in your breath to determine whether your body is using fat or carbohydrates to fuel your body at the time.

Users simply blow into the sleek, handheld device for about 3 seconds, and the CO2 sensor and flow meter will indicate the results.

In general, when your CO2 level is low, it means your body is using stored fat for energy. On the other hand, a high C02 level means your body is using carbohydrates for energy.

The app will then provide you with professional recommendations on a personalized meal plan for the day, so you know what to eat and when to help maximize your metabolism and calorie burning.

It will also show you if you have enough energy before your workout or if you need to fuel up to help optimize your efforts.

The app also enables you to track your metabolism daily to see how it is affected by your sleep. This way, you can improve your efforts on all levels that affect your metabolism, including nutrition, fitness, and sleep.

It also integrates with most other popular fitness apps for a more well-rounded view of your health and fitness statistics.

Ultimately, the overall goal of a metabolism tracker is to, over time, help you achieve metabolism flexibility, which is the ability to adjust to changes in metabolic demand based on various conditions for effective weight management.

 

Top Metabolism Tracking Devices

 

Bello Belly Fat Management Device #1 Recommendation – Lumen V2 KETOSCAN Mini
Lumen Metabolism Tracker 3
The Bello Belly Fat Management Device is made for those who are really focused on trying to rid themselves of that pesky visceral belly fat. The Lumen Metabolism Tracker is by far our favorite metabolism tracker that is versatile and well made at an affordable price for those who take their metabolism tracking seriously. The V2 KETOSCAN Mini is used by many on the Keto Diet that helps you track your fat burning rate and ketone levels.
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Why is Metabolic Flexibility Important?

Metabolic flexibility is needed to maintain energy balance during times your caloric intake is low or vice versa.

Otherwise, metabolic inflexibility can interrupt the connection between metabolic pathways and mitochondria, which is associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes, high blood glucose, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and, of course, unhealthy weight gain, which also carries its share of health risks.

However, reports show that multiple factors, such as nutrient intake, the number of times you eat a day, and fitness training, can improve metabolic flexibility for overall improved health.

 

 

How Do I Know If I Have a Slow Metabolism/Low Metabolic Flexibility?

A slow metabolism/ low metabolic flexibility can be due to genetic factors or a lack of physical activity. Our metabolism also tends to slow down as we age.

However, no matter your reason for a slow metabolism, one sign that you have one is fast or significant weight gain, which can be caused byc onsuming more calories than you exert or the inability of your body to tap into your stored fat.

Another sign that you have a slow metabolism or low metabolic flexibility is that you may feel sluggish or tired easily due to a poor diet, insulin spikes, or a lack of exercise.

High levels of cortisol, which is often caused by chronic stress, can also slow your metabolism. It can also increase your appetite and cause insulin resistance, which can lead to weight gain.

Thinning hair, brittle nails, and dry skin can also be a sign of a slow metabolism due to a hormone imbalance, which affects your metabolism and ability to burn fat for weight loss.

A loss of muscle mass can also mean you have a slow metabolism, which can be a result of not enough exercise or not getting enough protein and calories.

In the meantime, another way to know if you have low metabolic flexibility is to review your flex score, which is provided by your metabolism tracker after about a month of daily tracking your morning measurements and measurements post high carb meals.

These scores often range from 0 to 21. A score closer to 21 typically means you have low metabolic flexibility.

 

How Can I Boost My Metabolism Using a Metabolism Tracker?

There are several steps a metabolic tracker recommends that you take to help boost your metabolism, including eating a low-carb diet, which one study shows significantly increases metabolism.

This is mainly because a diet high in protein boosts metabolism, controls hunger and sugar cravings, which help prevent insulin spikes, and increases muscle mass, which helps burn calories nonstop.

It also increases your body’s ability to burn fat, which, in turn, also helps you lose weight and maintain energy levels.

Hence, depending on your measurements, body type, and general health, a metabolism tracker may recommend meals that provide more protein and fat and fewer carbs to boost the number of calories your body burns each day.

However, some days, it may recommend that you eat more carbs to replenish your glycogen levels, which your muscles use for energy.

Some apps also let you choose menus based on your personal preferences, such as if you are vegan, vegetarian, have allergies, or just don’t like certain foods. This helps ensure you get meals you can reasonably enjoy, so you are more likely to stick to the meal plan and see results.

The metabolism tracker may also stress that you engage in regular low to moderate-intensity cardio and strength training because frequent exercise is also proven to help boost and maintain a healthy metabolism.

When your circadian rhythms, which control your hormones, body temperature, appetite, and more, are out of whack, it can also impact your metabolism.

So the metabolism tracker may also track your sleep patterns and then offer ways to achieve quality sleep, such as getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to help regulate your circadian rhythms and maintain metabolic flexibility.

Intermittent fasting is also proven to help boost your metabolism, so the device’s app will typically also suggest that users avoid eating within 3 to 4 hours before bedtime and then for at least 12 hours overnight and into the next morning to promote strong mitochondria and insulin activity, which helps your body burn more fat and carbs during the day.

 

How Do You Know if You Have Metabolic Flexibility?

One of the overall effects of metabolic flexibility is the end of blood sugar highs and lows, which means your insulin levels are in check.

The benefit of balanced insulin levels is it helps prevent the angry, hungry feeling between meals. Instead, you may notice that you can now go hours before eating without feeling irritable.

Low insulin levels also prepare your body to burn fat rather than simply storing it, which also provides a few benefits.

For instance, when exercising, you may find that you can stay active for up to an hour or more without feeling hungry or losing energy.

This is because stored body fat supplies more calories than carbohydrates; therefore, it fuels your body longer.

It also helps preserve your body’s glycogen level, so it is available when your muscles need it, which helps boost endurance and maintain speed.

You may also notice that you can go longer before eating your first meal after long hours of overnight fasting because your body is able to use stored fat for fuel.

If you blow into your metabolism tracker and find that your C02 levels are fairly consistent each day, it may also mean that you have achieved metabolic flexibility.

 

How Soon Can You Achieve Metabolic Flexibility?

For many people, the initial stage of developing metabolic flexibility starts with adjusting to a low-carb diet to get your body used to burning fat for energy, which can take anywhere from 7 to 21 days to initiate.

Hence, you may notice a decrease in insulin spikes and a smaller appetite than usual during this time, which are some of the main benefits of metabolic flexibility, with more pronounced effects after day 7 and following.

However, it can take up to 2 years for your metabolism to fully adapt, depending on your unique body and how strictly you adhere to the professional advice provided by the metabolism tracker.

After this time, you will notice that even when you occasionally carb overload, your blood sugar levels won’t be as sensitive to it, and your body will also easily resume metabolic flexibility once you revert to a balanced diet.

 

Is a Metabolism Tracking Device Worth It?

Several reports show that metabolic flexibility helps stave off metabolic diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, and more.

So if protecting your health as part of your lifestyle is a major concern, then, yes, a metabolism tracking device is worth it because it provides you with the personal instruction you need to make the necessary changes to improve your health and fitness.

Metabolism tracking devices are also used by professional sports players in training to improve their athletic ability, so if you are an athlete or your goal is to train or compete like one, then a metabolism tracker can also be worth it to you.

A metabolism tracker is also especially useful if you have hit a plateau in your weight loss journey and have ceased seeing results because it can provide you with recommendations on how to adjust your nutrition for more effective workouts and calorie burning, so you can continue to improve.

 

 

Final Thoughts

So who should buy a metabolism tracker and why? Well, anyone who wants to take the guesswork out of knowing if they have a slow metabolism and who wants professional advice on what to do about it to help with weight loss and more.

They are also for those looking to get a more effective workout by knowing if and what they should eat before their session to properly fuel their bodies, so they don’t tire and can go the extra mile during their even most intense moves.

Since the overall goal of a metabolism tracker is to help improve the way your body uses carbs and fat for fuel, which helps balance insulin levels, they are also for those looking to decrease sugar cravings and hangry feeling between meals, which lead to overeating and weight gain.

Properly fueling your body also helps increase your energy levels, so they can also be used by those looking to boost their power and endurance naturally.

Lastly, metabolic inflexibility can lead to various health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and more, so a metabolism tracker can also benefit those looking to improve their metabolic flexibility for better overall health.

A metabolism tracker app can also be integrated with other fitness and health apps for a more well-rounded approach to wellness.

Hence, if you fit into one of these categories, then a metabolism tracker is for you.

They also range in design, features, brand, and price to suit your individual budget and needs, so simply choose one based on your preferences.

Most metabolism trackers are also small and portable enough to fit into your travel bag or purse, so you can easily take them with you wherever you go to maintain your health and fitness regimen.

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Fat Adaptation: Can You Burn Fat Instead of Carbs? https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/fat-adaptation-can-you-burn-fat-instead-of-carbs/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/fat-adaptation-can-you-burn-fat-instead-of-carbs/#respond Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:00:29 +0000 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=11310 Fat Adaptation: Can You Burn Fat Instead of Carbs? Read More »

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Unlike traditional diets that burn a combination of fat and carbohydrates during exercise, fat adaptation helps your body reach a state where it burns fat more efficiently for energy via ketosis, which breaks down fatty acids to form ketones for fuel.

However, it can also occur even when you’re not in a ketogenic state.

And because it enables your body to burn more fat for energy, you may also wonder, during fat adaptation, can you burn fat instead of carbs?

The main benefit of fat adapting is that it helps your body switch to a long-term metabolic state of ketosis, which enables your body to utilize fat for energy as opposed to carbohydrates. So yes. During fat adaptation, you can burn fat instead of carbs.

 

 

Why Fat Adaptation?

Research shows that fat adaptation provides many benefits, especially as it relates to sports performance, including:

 

Reduced body fat/cravings

One study conducted on five seasonal endurance athletes showed that after participating in a ketogenic diet, the participants had a reduction in body fat, which can likely be attributed to the increased feelings of fullness and a reduction in overall food intake that participants reported, resulting in a calorie deficit created by the diet.

The study further explains that the initial reduction in weight can be associated with a loss of body water through glycogen depletion.

Hence, you should expect to lose a lot of water weight when first participating in the diet.

 

Improved overall well-being

The same study showed that each participant also reported an improvement in overall well-being, improved recovery, and a reduction in inflammation and other conditions.

 

Increased endurance

Some studies show that fat adaption also increases the body’s ability to oxidize fat during exercise, which helps improve endurance training.

Furthermore, since the body uses fat as fuel instead of carbs, it means the muscles can reserve more glycogen during endurance exercise, thus also helping to expand your endurance capacity.

 

It provides steady energy

During fat adaptation, your body relies more on fatty acids for energy, which research shows provide a more constant flow of energy than glycogen alone.

Fatty acids also cause little to no spikes in blood sugar, as opposed to sugar, so it won’t cause your body’s blood sugar to rise and fall and thus your level of energy.

 

Improved mental performance

When carbs are minimized or eliminated, it causes the brain to uses fat-derived ketones for fuel, which studies show creates more ATP and decreases insulin sensitivity and reactive oxidative stress, thus increasing cognitive function, especially in those with cognitive deficits.

 

Fat Adaptation Can You Burn Fat Instead of Carbs 3

 

Fat Adaptation vs Keto

When your body enters ketosis, such as when on a keto diet or when fasting overnight, it causes your insulin and blood sugar levels to drop, thus causing your liver to make ketones mainly from polyunsaturated, monosaturated, and saturated fatty acids.

From there, ketone bodies are then produced, which are first broken down into acetyl coenzyme A, which is a crucial molecule that aids in various chemical reactions in the cells.

This crucial molecule is then broken down into cellular energy (ATP), which produces ketones.

But after some time, once your body has completely shifted to burning fat as its main fuel source, in other words, it has become fat-adapted, you can also convert fatty acids directly to acetyl coenzyme A to fuel your energy needs.

This is provided you have reached the point where your body can alternate between fat and glucose energy sources based on whichever is needed or available.

During this time, eating carbs will take you out of ketosis; however, once your body has processed the carbs, it will resort back into ketosis.

This differs from keto diets, where the aim is to reach ketosis within the first few weeks, but it does not mean that you are fat-adapted, or able to burn fat as its main source of fuel for the long term.

To put it another way, once you become fat-adapted, carb-loading for a day won’t cause your body to double its production of ketones and blood glucose; however, it will while making the transition to a keto diet.

When you’re transitioning to fat adaptation, you still need to discipline yourself to adhere to a keto diet for at least the first two to three weeks to benefit the most from ketosis.

 

Can You Eat More Carbs When You are Fat-Adapted?

Because to be fat-adapted means that your body is efficient at burning body fat or dietary fat for energy, it can also burn carbs (glucose) when it’s available or necessary.

Therefore, you can still enjoy more carbs from time to time and quickly begin burning fat as a major fuel source again once your blood sugar and insulin levels return to normal.

 

How Long Does it Take Your Body to Start Burning Fat Instead of Carbs?

How long it takes your body to become fat-adapted depends on various factors, including how strictly you stick to the keto diet, your genes, your dietary choices, and more.

However, on average, most people enter a fat-adapted state about 4 to 12 weeks after entering ketosis. Endurance athletes, on the other hand, may enter the state a bit sooner.

 

How Do I Start the Process to Become Fat-Adapted?

 

Consume a low carb diet

Restricting your carb intake keeps your glucose and insulin levels low, which enables your liver to start burning fat and making ketones.

As a general rule, you should aim for no more than 50 to 100 grams of carbs per day, but try to avoid refined sugar because it can hinder the fat-burning process.

In the meantime, the more active you are, the more carbs you can consume and stay fat- adapted and vice versa.

 

Up your fat intake

As you consume fewer carbs, you’ll want to up your fat intake to help train your cells to utilize fat for energy.

Dietary fat also doesn’t affect your insulin levels like carbs, which enables you to continue to burn fat for fuel rather than simply storing it in the body.

However, the key is to stick to healthy fats, such as nuts, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, and fatty fish.

And don’t forget to incorporate adequate protein to also help shed, maintain, or build body mass.

It is also recommended that as you increase your fat intake, you should also decrease your caloric intake by about 20%.

Likewise, the more efficient your body becomes at burning fat, the less you fat will eventually need to fuel your metabolism.

 

Go on a temporary fast

When you stop feeding your body, such as during a temporary fast, it still requires energy to fuel it; hence, it will turn your glycogen reserves.

However, once they get used up, which happens pretty quickly, it leaves nothing but body fat to burn.

When fasting, begin with just 12 hours each day, and then once you are accustomed to it, you can try a longer fast.

 

Incorporate strength training and endurance exercise

High insulin levels boost blood sugar levels, which makes your body burn carbohydrates instead of body fat to replenish its glycogen reserves.

Hence, the more insulin sensitive you are, the more it increases fat-burning, and the quicker you return to a fat-adaptive state after consuming carbs.

Exercise, especially strength training and endurance exercise, such as cycling, increases insulin sensitivity.

So you should also try to incorporate regular moderate exercise into your regimen for maximum results.

 

Fat Adaptation Can You Burn Fat Instead of Carbs 2

 

How Do I Know if I am Becoming Fat-Adapted?

When your body is fat adapted, one of the first things you may notice is that you crave fewer carbohydrates because your body begins looking for fat to burn as fuel instead of carbs.

You should also notice that your energy has gone from being volatile to more steady and stable throughout the day.

Being in a fat-adapted state also helps suppress your hunger, so you should notice that you can go longer without eating between meals with no problem.

Improved attention, memory, and other cognitive functions are also a sign that your body has become fat-adapted.

In other words, you should notice that your mind is more, clear and you are able to switch between tasks more easily.

And of course, when you start losing real body fat, which typically occurs about 4-weeks after switching to a low-carb diet, you’ll know that your body is fat-adapted because it shows that your metabolism is now burning body fat for its main energy source as opposed to carbs.

Overall, becoming fat-adapted gradually occurs in two stages.

During the first 4 to 14 days of making the transition to eating fewer carbs, your body will burn any stored glucose from carbs for energy, depending on your metabolism.

As your carb intake goes down, it is not uncommon to experience withdrawal symptoms; therefore, it is highly recommended that you drink lots of water and increase your fat intake during this time to help curb the symptoms and make the smooth transition to the second stage.

The second stage, in which your body is now adjusting to a fat-adapted state, lasts for about 6 to 8 weeks.

At this point, your metabolism has rid your body of stored carbs and is now burning stored body fat and dietary fats as fuel.

Your body can remain in this stage, which can last for several weeks, until your body transitions to a fat-burning state.

 

How Long Does Your Body Remain Fat-Adapted?

Only after your body has entered ketosis can you become fat-adapted; therefore, you will need to maintain a strict carb-limited diet for up to 12 weeks to fully make the transition.

However, once your body has entered ketosis, it is possible to make the switch to the fat-adapted state and sustain it for the long term.

Just keep in mind, the key is to remain disciplined in the beginning to get your body into ketosis, after which time you can then maintain its benefits.

 

Is Fat Adaptation Safe?

Becoming fat-adapted is considered fairly safe, provided you go about it properly.

For instance, when starting a low-carb diet, it is not recommended that you drastically reduce your carbs in the beginning, such as going from 100 grams of carbs to 20 grams of carbs in just a day, because it can negatively impact your metabolism and cause you to experience various symptoms, including nausea and headaches.

Instead, you should gradually limit your carb intake, starting with no less than 50 grams of carbs per day, and incorporate more protein and healthy fats in your diet to ensure you are still getting the calories you need during the transition so you won’t get sick.

It is also a good idea to stick to carbs that are rich in dietary fiber because they are slowly absorbed by the body, so they won’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which also helps make the transition easier.

Furthermore, it is important to note that low-carb diets, especially those high in saturated fats, long term have been shown to increase the risk of atrial fibrillation,

which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and other serious conditions.

Therefore, it is recommended that those with heart conditions consult their doctor before starting a low-carb diet to ensure it is safe for them.

Likewise, those with type 2 diabetes or gallbladder disease should also avoid participating in a low-carb diet unless they have received the okay from their physician.

 

Best Metabolism Trackers

Want to know where you are with your metabolism for fat adaptation when on the Keto diet? Here are a few metabolism trackers we recommend:

 

V2 KETOSCAN Mini  Lumen Metabolism Tracker KETO-MOJO GK+ Blood Glucose & Ketone Testing Kit
Lumen Metabolism Tracker 3
We recommend the V2 KETOSCAN Mini because of it’s portability and ease of use. The Lumen Metabolism Tracker is our #1 pick because it’s the world’s first hand-held, portable device to accurately measure metabolism The KETO-MOJO GK+ Blood Glucose & Ketone Testing Kit made our list because it’s  a dual test for glucose and ketones.
Non Athlete Fitness Asset - Check Current Price Non Athlete Fitness Asset - Check Current Price Non Athlete Fitness Asset - Check Current Price

 

 

Final Thoughts

So when you are fat-adapted, you can burn fat instead of carbs, as well as reap many other advantages, including decreased cravings, increased energy and endurance, fat loss, and more.

Hence, if you are an overall healthy individual, it may be worth it to become fat-adapted as part of your health and wellness journey for improved benefits.

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How to Get Buff: Building Muscle When You Have None https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/how-to-get-buff/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/how-to-get-buff/#respond Mon, 10 Jan 2022 06:00:40 +0000 http://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=6147 How to Get Buff: Building Muscle When You Have None Read More »

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Building muscle can be tough, especially when you’re out of shape or lacking muscle tone to begin with.

The biggest mistake people make when figuring out how to get buff is that they expect to see massive results overnight.

I’ve had my ups and downs when it comes to staying in shape, and I can tell you from personal experience that building muscle and shedding weight and building muscle can be hard work.

It’ll take discipline, keeping to a routine schedule, and keeping yourself accountable.

There is a lot that goes into building muscle, so let’s start from the most important thing you’ll need to do if you’re looking to get buff.

 

Want to Get Buff? Here’s How

Proper Diet

 

 

There is one key thing you’ll need in order to build muscle, and that’s protein.

Protein is the fundamental building block of muscle tissue, and without adequate levels of protein, you’ll have trouble building muscle.

You’ll want to work out a diet that consists of high protein meals, avoiding saturated fats and limiting your carbs until dinner or your post-workout meal.

You’ll want to load up on meats like chicken, salmon, lean beef, and eggs.

These foods are high in protein content (especially chicken), and are easy for your body to break down into amino acids to use in protein synthesis.

Having these amino acids available is very important, since your body stimulates protein synthesis within 2-4 hours after a workout, and this synthesis activity can remain elevated for up to 24 hours after working out.

That basically means that your body is trying to build muscle for up to 24 hours after each workout session.

If you don’t give it the fuel it needs, it won’t be able to build muscle, and all the lifting in the world won’t get you the results you want.

There are other foods to keep in mind besides just straight proteins as well.

Grains are great, as well as oatmeal, fruits and veggies.

These foods help promote overall health and keep your immune system going, as well as provide natural sugars to keep you energized and fuel your workout.

Lastly, healthy fat is important.

I know, when it comes to fitness and dieting, fat may as well be the literal devil to some people, but in terms of how to get buff, healthy fats are an essential part of giving your body what it needs to build muscle.

Fats are essential for hormone production (like testosterone, which is a key component to triggering muscle growth among other functions) as well as for general body maintenance.

Monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good fats, usually found in salmon, nuts, oils, leafy vegetables, and avocado.

 

How Muscle Growth Works

 

 

While it’s not essential for actually building muscle, knowing how muscle growth works can help you set proper expectations for your results, and understand what kind of workout you need to focus on depending on what kind of muscle growth you’re looking to get.

Your muscles are made up of various bundles of fascicles, which are made up of muscle fibers, which are made up of sarcomeres (or contractile units).

These contractile units work together to contract or stretch your muscles, pulling closer together when activated to pull your muscle tight (like how your bicep contracts when doing a curl) or extend to allow the antagonist muscle to properly contract without resistance (like how the tricep stretches during that same bicep contraction).

While these bundles of muscle fibers exert force to lift loads (in this case weights), they will undergo micro-tears in the fibers.

This is normal, and the tears in the fibers are so small you likely won’t even notice them until after an extensive workout (that burn you feel after a workout is partially attributed to these tears as well as muscle fatigue).

Your muscles will then use proteins as well as glucose to create more contractile units in the muscle to help your body adjust and acclimate to the increased muscle use, resulting in larger muscles.

Heavier weights and loads cause larger microtears, leading to larger muscles.

Smaller weights with high repetitions lead to more numerous smaller tears, and also work different types of muscle tissue (fast twitch vs slow twitch muscles), leading to more toning.

 

hgh Buy 2 Get 1 Free

 

Where to Start

The first thing to do when figuring out how to get buff is to work out an exercise schedule.

It doesn’t have to be much, and you don’t have to kill yourself at the gym or working out every day.

Pick three or four days out of the week that you can work out, making sure to give yourself a day or two rest in between at some point.

If you can make it work, doing every other day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday) is a great plan.

You only need about 20-30 minutes per day to start off.

If you don’t have much muscle mass to begin with, you want to keep the exercises a bit light, use smaller weights, and work your way up to the heavy stuff.

Jumping straight to 200lb bench presses is just asking for injuries.

If you have access to a gym, great! If not, you’re not totally out of luck.

Pick up some free weights, either kettlebells or dumbells, in a few different weights.

For beginners, I’d recommend grabbing 5lb, 10lb, and 20lb weights.

These should be enough to get you started, and you can always grab heavier weights as you get better with your exercising.

Once you have your days and equipment, you’ll have to plan out how you want to rotate your workout schedule.

With the exception of your core, you normally alternate muscle groups so you’re letting one group rest while working on the next.

Pick one day for biceps, triceps, and chest exercises, one for legs and abs, another for back and shoulders, and the last day can be for your core or for cardio.

This makes sure you’re working all of your muscle groups and building muscle evenly.

 

Specific Exercises

Now for the technical stuff.

The specific exercises you do in your routine are the meat and potatoes of ‘how to get buff’, so to speak.

Working out the right muscle groups and performing the right exercises determines which muscles start to grow, and can help you hone in on where you personally want to focus your attention.

When performing exercises, it is important to keep proper form and use smooth and controlled movements.

If you feel like you’re jerking your body around or having trouble keeping your motions consistent, consider using lighter weights and working your way up.

There’s no shame in starting small. It’ll actually lead to faster growth and reduce your risk of injuring yourself.

Chest Biceps and Triceps

These exercises will help tone your pectoral muscles, bulk up your biceps, and give you a toned upper body.

These should all be done together on the same day, as many of these exercises work interdependent muscle groups.

Biceps Curls

 

 

Biceps curls are pretty standard exercises, and most people have probably at least seen them done or have a general idea of how to do them.

As with all exercises though, keeping proper form is important.

Hold one weight in each hand, letting your arms rest at your sides.

Keeping your elbow in, bend your elbow and lift the weight up until the weight is at shoulder level.

Turn your wrist so your palm is facing your shoulder as you lift the weight. From there, ease the weight back down to your starting position.

Hammer Curls

 

 

Hammer curls are almost identical to biceps curls.

You start with the weights at your sides and bend at the elbow, lifting the weight up to shoulder level.

The key difference here is that you DON’T turn your hand.

Keep your hand with your palm pointing to your body.

This changes the focus from your biceps muscle to the brachialis muscle, which is the muscle that helps make your arms look thicker.

Zottoman Curls

 

 

There are three major muscles that primarily contribute to the motion of elbow flexion, which are the biceps, brachialis, and radiobrachialis.

Which muscles activate when primarily comes down to the position of your hand or wrist.

Unlike most curls, the Zottoman curl activates all three muscles.

Start in your standard curl position, arms at your sides, but keep your palms up.

Once you hit the top of your curl, rotate your hand so your palm is facing down before returning your arm to the resting position.

This works the biceps on the way up, and the brachialis and radiobrachialis on the way down.

Bench Press

 

 

Bench presses are great exercises for overall upper body workouts.

While it primarily focuses on your triceps, it also activates the pectoral muscles. Start by laying on your back, shoulders, and elbows at a 90-degree angle.

Pushing the weights up, extend your elbows and extend your arms straight out.

From there, return your arms back to neutral.

Triceps Curls

 

 

Triceps curls are great at isolating the triceps, though the name probably gave away that much. hold one weight with both hands and lay on your back on a bench or table.

Lift your arms over your head letting your forearm hang off the table, keeping your elbow bent.

Extend your elbows, lifting the weight until your elbows are straight. Then ease the weight back down to its starting position.

Push-Ups

 

 

Push-Ups are also great for working your upper body.

They work your triceps, as well as your pectoral muscles, and you can work other muscles as well by changing up your hand positions.

When doing a push-up, keep your back and legs straight.

Legs and Abs

 

Squats

 

 

Squats are great for your legs, and you can do them without weights if it is easier.

If you are using weights, it’s best to hold the weight in a goblet position (palms up with the bottom of your wrists touching, your fingers forming a goblet shape).

Hold the weight at chest level if you’re using one, and keep your knees slightly bent.

Bend your knees, keep your back straight and let your hips drop straight down.

Put a small milk crate or a low chair behind you for reference if you need to.

Then straighten your legs back out and return to a neutral position.

Leg Curls

 

 

Lay on your stomach and place a weight between your feet.

This works better with dumbbells.

Lift your legs, keeping your thighs on the ground and bending at the knees.

Bring the weight as close to your butt as you can before extending your legs again.

This works both the hamstrings and the quads, since you’re working the hamstrings as you bend the knees and your quads as you extend.

Heel Raises

 

Heel raises are great for working your gastrocs (the calf muscles).

If using weights, simply hold a weight at the sides. Stand on one leg, stabilizing yourself with your other hand.

From there, raise your heel so you’re on your toes, then lower yourself back down. For an even better workout, you can start on a step where your heel is hanging off the edge of the step.

Leg Raises

 

 

Leg raises are great for working the lower abs as well as the thigh muscles. Lay on your back, keeping your legs straight.

Lift your legs straight up, and then once you reach as far as you can go, tilt your pelvis a bit to work the abs.

Then reset, lowering your legs back down, but don’t let them hit the floor. Keep your legs about an inch or two off the ground before lifting your legs again.

Crunches

 

 

Staring on your back with knees bent, place your hands across your chest.

Without using momentum or jerking your body, try to sit up. Get as far up as you can and then ease yourself back down.

Back and Shoulders

 

Lateral Raises

 

 

Keeping your arms at your sides, lift your arms up, keeping your elbows straight.

Bring them up to a T position, then lower your arms back down.

Bent Alternating Row

 

 

Keeping your body bent forward slightly and knees bent, let your arms hang down in front of you.

Bending your elbow, pull your shoulder back, bending the elbow until your elbow is just past your back. Then reset to the normal position.

 

Final Thoughts

Figuring out how to get buff can be challenging and a lot of hard work, but the results are certainly worth the effort.

Start off small and work your way up, and keep yourself on accountable to whatever schedule you’ve set up.

If you miss a day, pick it up the next day to make up for it.

Consistency is key, so make sure you’re keeping to your routine and keeping to your diet for the best results.

While you might notice some improvement right away, it’ll take more and more work as you build more muscle to bulk up more, so just keep at it and you’ll eventually get the results you’re looking for.

 

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Are all carbs bad? Why the low-carb craze? https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/are-all-carbs-bad-why-the-low-carb-craze/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/are-all-carbs-bad-why-the-low-carb-craze/#respond Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:56:09 +0000 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=11659 Are all carbs bad? Why the low-carb craze? Read More »

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If you’re into nutrition/calorie counting to lose weight, chances are you’ve heard about low-carb dieting, which is touted to help you lose weight and build muscle even quicker than traditional dieting.

Hence, it probably left you wondering, are all carbs bad?

Research conducted by Harvard School of Public Health shows that carbohydrates are not bad for you, depending on the type.

In fact, let’s look at the role they play in the body to understand why.

 

 

The Role Carbs Play in the Body

Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of nutrients found in the foods we eat and drink are converted into glucose, which is then used as energy to fuel our physical and psychological activities, such as breathing.

Therefore, they play a major role in the body.

Any glucose from carbs that are not immediately used for fuel is then stored for later use, making carbs also a good source of stored energy.

The stored glucose also helps prevent your blood sugar levels from dipping between meals.

Having sufficient glucose stores from carbs also helps keep your body from breaking your muscles down to produce energy, which often occurs when there is not enough glucose to fuel all its duties.

Hence, carbohydrates also help preserve muscle.

That being said, now you have a general idea of why carbs are important.

Carbohydrates are found in foods in 3 forms: starch, sugar, and fiber.

Starch is found in various foods, including plant-based options, like rice, corn, and potatoes, as well as bread and pasta.

Fruit, honey, unsweetened fruit juices, maple syrup, and more all contain natural sugar.

However, sugar can also be added to foods and beverages, such as soda, chocolate, breakfast cereals, yogurt, and more.

Fiber is the roughage found in the cell wall of whole foods, such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, and grains.

However, all carbs are not created equal.

In fact, there are good carbs, and there are also what’s called bad carbs, which both inherited their name from how they work in your body.

 

What are Good Carbs?

Good carbs are healthy sources of carbohydrates, such as vegetables, legumes, beans, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

They are considered good because they provide your body with various nutrients it needs to function properly and maintain overall health, including fiber, B vitamins, iron, and calcium.

They also contain fiber, which improves heart health and helps lower cholesterol levels. It also helps lower the risk of cancer.

Fiber also slows the absorption of sugar, which is especially beneficial for diabetics, thus helping prevent insulin spikes that can lead to cravings and cause you to overeat.

It is also indigestible bulk, so it fills you up quicker and keeps you full longer, so you consume fewer calories for weight loss or to maintain your weight.

Lastly, insoluble fiber, in particular, which is found in whole wheat, nuts, beans, and potatoes, quickens the flow of food through the stomach and intestines, which helps improve digestion and regularity.

 

What are Bad Carbs?

Bad carbs, also known as simple carbs, are starches and sugars that have been refined or processed, such as white bread, refined flour, white pasta, and more, which have been stripped of their vitamins, minerals, fiber, and more during the manufacturing process, thus they offer no nutritional value to the body. Hence, their name.

Simple carb foods also typically contain added sugar, such as ketchup, barbeque sauce, salad dressings, cookies, and cakes, which can cause your blood sugar levels to rise and then drop, leading to a decrease in energy.

Since they do not contain fiber to fill you up and keep you full, they can also cause you to eat more and gain weight.

Meanwhile, studies show that simple carbs, when eaten in excess, are stored in the body as fat, which can also lead to weight gain.

 

Are all carbs bad Why the low-carb craze 2

 

Why the Low-Carb Craze?

One main reason people flock to low-carb dieting is the bad rap associated with simple carbs.

In other words, many people don’t understand the difference between good carbs and bad carbs and how they affect the body, especially when eaten in excess.

Furthermore, protein and fat are two other nutrients found in foods and drinks that the body also uses for energy, which various studies suggest may burn more fat and calories than diets containing a combination of fat, protein, and carbs.

High protein diets have also been shown to increase energy expenditure and satiety, which also further helps promote weight loss.

Increasing your protein intake also helps you build lean muscle and maintain muscle mass, especially when strength training, which is why low-carb diets are also popular among weight lifters.

A study published by the American Diabetes Association shows that high-protein diets may also be especially beneficial for those with diabetes to help maintain blood glucose levels.

However, a low-carb diet is not recommended for the long term because it is linked to heart problems, kidney damage, lipid abnormalities, and more.

Studies show that it is okay to cut carbs during the initial stages of weight loss to help initiate significant fat and calorie burning as well as to develop ketones for long-term benefits.

Just don’t restrict your carb intake for more than a few months, after which time you can incorporate a more balanced low-calorie diet for safe results.

 

What is a Healthy Amount of Carbs to Eat as Part of a Low-Calorie Diet?

Ultimately how many carbs you should eat as part of a low-calorie diet will depend on your activity level, weight, and blood sugar control, which a registered dietician can help you determine.

However, in general, experts recommend as part of a 1,200 calorie diet, you aim for about 30 to 40 grams of carbs per meal, preferably from good carb sources that provide you with the proper nutrients, keep you full longer, and aid in digestion.

But avoid dropping below this amount because carbs are the body’s main source of energy. In other words, the body will first turn to glucose from carbs to fuel its functions; however, if these stores are low, it will metabolize muscle for energy, which can cause various issues, including a loss of muscle mass and more.

 

Exercise and Carbs

Overall, no matter your diet, it is still important to incorporate regular exercise for maximum results.

In fact, cardio helps make it possible for your body to burn more calories and fat for fuel for the greatest weight loss.

It also provides various other benefits, including improved mood, cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and more, which are also needed for overall satisfaction and well-being.

Meanwhile, strength training challenges your body through resistance, which helps build muscle and strengthens the bones for a more toned body and protection against osteoporosis, and more, as we age.

Reports show that muscle also helps burn more calories, even when at rest, so don’t neglect strength training as part of your fat loss goals.

As a general rule, incorporate cardio at least 5 days per week and strength training at least 2 days a week for best results.

However, you can also circuit train, which combines a mixture of both cardio and strength training all in one session, just 2 to 3 days a week, for faster results.

 

Are all carbs bad Why the low-carb craze 3

 

The Takeaway

So there are many reasons for the low-carb craze, one perhaps being the myth that carbs are bad.

But, as we just learned, only simple carbs, which come from processed and refined sugars and starches, are bad because they offer no nutrients and, when eaten in excess, can cause you to gain weight.

On the other hand, good carbs, which are found in natural, unprocessed, whole foods, still provide you with comparable results as low-carb dieting in the long run but without the long term effects

However, low-carb diets can successfully burn more stored fat than other diets, which makes them a great way to jumpstart your weight loss journey on the road to better health.

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Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender Review https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/vitamix-e310-explorian-blender-review/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/vitamix-e310-explorian-blender-review/#respond Fri, 03 Sep 2021 08:00:06 +0000 http://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=9563 Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender Review Read More »

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I’ve always tried to incorporate healthier foods into my diet, but admittedly they don’t always taste the best.

I thought I was doomed to forever consume drab, unappealing meals just to keep my body going until one of my friends told me about how she makes health food smoothies that taste great.

She offered to whip me up a few and that’s when I realized blenders are like magic when it comes to making the borderline inedible into something delicious.

I knew I had to get myself a blender, which is why I went searching for one right away.

There are a lot of brands out there and I could have just picked any random one, but I was really determined to find a blender that was really good at its job.

I researched for a while before I came across the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender and realized it was just what I was looking for.

What to Look for in a Blender

Blenders are one of the most versatile tools you can get your hands on and are almost indispensable for many different kinds of cooking.

It may seem tempting to think that all blenders are more or less the same, but there are actually quite a few considerations to keep in mind when on the hunt for a well-functioning, solid device.

Motor, Speed, and Power

In terms of capability, blenders definitely aren’t created equal.

Depending on what you plan on using it for, you’ll need to take into consideration how powerful a blender is and how fast it can grind things together.

A lot of healthier foods such as nuts or vegetables are often tough and fibrous, so getting your hands on a blender with a high-powered motor is a must (at least 600 watts).

The number of speed settings available is important too.

Depending on what you’re blending, some things are going to need to be mixed fast and other slow, both for producing a good consistency and also for the health of the motor.

Having an ice-crushing setting is particularly important.

Materials

Blenders are made from a variety of materials that have a lot of advantages and disadvantages.

Typically, the cheapest blenders are made of plastic, which has limited durability, but is pretty lightweight and is resistant to chipping.

Others are made of glass, which is super heavy and has a tendency to chip, but doesn’t leave any residual smell or discoloration when used.

The most long-lasting devices are usually made of steel, which is really good at retaining a desired temperature, but comes at the rather substantial downside of the contents not really being visible when blending.

Price

It should go without saying that the price you pay for a blender is an important factor in a purchasing decision.

Buying cheap usually means you get what you pay for and good quality comes at a price.

As such, it’s a good idea to be willing to spend a little extra to get a quality product, but be forewarned: there reaches a point when paying more doesn’t really get you more.

Size

Depending on whether you want to have an easy to move blender or if you want to make multiple servings at once, finding the right-sized blender for your needs is an absolute must.

Like a lot of things in life, if you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking for, then it’s best to go with an option that incorporates a variety of characteristics.

Special Additions

Different blender brands have all sorts of assorted features, including different sized blending containers, coffee-grinding settings, several types of blender blades, noise-dampening options, and cleaning cycles.

 

At the time of writing, there was a great deal available. Click here to see if it’s still running…

 

The Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender

The Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is a terrific middle-of-the-road option on the higher end of the spectrum that contains a durable frame, a decent list of features, and multiple settings and is pretty competitive on price.

The device comes with a whopping 2 horsepower, 1400 watt motor, a cooling fan, and weighs a little over ten pounds.

The blender comes with a standard 5-year warranty that can be extended an extra three years and comes with several highlighted benefits, including: speed-based texture settings, pulse options, a cookbook, a 48 oz. container, and an easy-clean setting.

If you’re looking for a product that’s good at mixing large quantities of food all at once and are looking to have it last a long time, then the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender would be an excellent choice; although many of its benefits come at the expense of portability and ease of control.

 

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender 5

 

Pros

  • Good warranty
  • Sturdy design
  • Highly adaptable
  • High-powered motor
  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • On the expensive side
  • Loud
  • Doesn’t mix as well as it should
  • Size can sometimes be an issue

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Product Highlights

The Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender has a ton of different features that make it a good device for most people, with the overall design being geared towards the creation of large amounts of tasty smoothies, purees, and desserts.

Here are some notable features of the blender.

 

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender 2

 

Built for Toughness

There are a lot of blenders out there that might be good for a couple months or a year at most until they start to degrade to the point of being unusable, but the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is definitely built to last.

It’s made of thick, highly durable material that’s guaranteed to withstand prolonged use.

Many of the parts are properly spaced to ensure that normal wear and tear is minimized and both the blades and the hammermill are composed of laser-formed stainless steel that can cut a variety of materials while still maintaining the same level of sharpness.

Much of the blender’s longevity is indicated by its very long warranty period and damage to the electrical parts is significantly reduced due to its built-in thermal protection system, which includes a high speed fan.

Very High Powered

There are a lot of different food items that can be incorporated into a blended mixture, including hard things such as frozen fruit.

If a blender doesn’t have a strong enough motor to keep up with foods that cause a lot of physical resistance, it’s going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to get the results you’re looking for.

Fortunately, the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender has an extremely powerful motor that’s able to grind up things in record time and with high degree of ease.

Possessing over 2 horsepower worth of force, the blender can break down the vast majority of edible material and is exceptionally good at producing liquids with a fine, smooth consistency.

 

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender 4

 

Provides a Lot of Texture Options

While the blender’s motor is incredibly powerful and allows for a heavy breakdown of food, it’s not always ideal to have whatever you’re making as liquidy as possible.

Having multiple settings available to get your food to the consistency you want is an absolute must, which is why the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender comes with a long list of speed levels, 10 in total, that correspond with the ideal texture of what you’re looking to make.

In the event that you don’t need something super broken down, the blender comes with a quick activated pulse setting which lets you grind things a little bit at a time.

Comes with a Handy Recipe Guide

While most people are aware of how blenders can be used to make certain foods or drinks, a lot of them might not know enough specifics to really get started.

One definite upside to the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is that it comes with a recipe book that can give you all sorts of tips on how to make delicious and healthy food with your blender.

In addition to a cookbook, the Vitamix website outlines a long list of foods you can make with its products, including batters, dressings, nut butters, doughs, and soups.

Can Make a Lot at Once

The total volume of ingredients that the blender can contain is 1.4 liters; almost as much as a large bottle of soda.

If you’re into creating large batches of food for later use or have a large family, then the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is perfectly suited for you.

 

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender 1

 

Related: Click here to learn more about the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender from the Official Website.

 

What People Are Saying About This Blender

There are a multitude of features that come with the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender that make it a tremendously good option for people which have both general and highly specific needs.

However, appearances can be deceptive and before I ever make a purchase I always make sure to look at whether other people are liking a product.

Here are a couple of things people were saying about the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender:

Review #1 – Donna

“Absolute beast of a blender! Smoothies have ZERO chunks and I love how easy it is to use and clean. Perfect size for 2 people.”

Review #2 – Pattalee

“I have been juicing ever since I bought this Vitamix. I absolutely love it. I enjoy trying new juice recipes and I actually feel so much more healthier now.”

Review #3 – Lucy

“I bought my Vitamix E310 just over a month ago & I’m so happy with it. I’ve done smoothies, Hummus, salad dressings, applesauce and more. And cleanup is a breeze! The 48oz container is the perfect size for my husband and me.”

Vitamix E310 Alternatives

While the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is more than able to meet most people’s blending needs, the reality is that it’s not the perfect perfect fit for everyone.

Here are some alternative blenders that might be a better match for you.

Homgeek Countertop Smoothie Blender

 

The homgeek Countertop Smoothie Blender is a very budget-friendly option that does a more than adequate job at blending food to an ideal consistency.

Possessing a powerful motor and several different speed levels, the Homgeek is a great choice for those who want a decent blending experience without all the frills.

Homgeek Countertop Smoothie Blender vs. Vitamix E310

  • Is less expensive
  • Has serrated blades
  • Has fewer blending options
  • Has a comparable motor

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NutriBullet Rx N17-1001

 

The NutriBullet Rx N17-1001 is a blender that’s designed specifically for easy-to-use convenience in mind.

It possesses several blender containers that double as drinking cups that directly attach to the blending motor and lets you skip the step of agonizing over what setting you should run your blender as it only has one option.

NutriBullet Rx N17-1001 vs. Vitamix E310

  • Is much smaller
  • Comes with a heating cycle
  • Is cheaper
  • Has much fewer blending options
  • Has a weaker motor

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Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System

 

The Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System is an appropriate option for those who take their blending seriously.

It comes with a lot of different accessories, including 2-in-1 blending and drinking cups, a food processor attachment, dough blades, and a 72 oz traditional pitcher that specializes in breaking down ice.

Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System vs. Vitamix E310

  • Has more attachments
  • Is not as easy to clean
  • Has a more powerful motor
  • Has fewer speed controls
  • Comes with a larger pitcher

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The Bottom Line

There’s an incredibly long-list of foods you can make with a blender, many of which are an extremely easy way to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

Getting the right blender is key to making your whole experience as fluid as possible, with strong motors and durability playing a major role in getting the best product possible.

While there are several decent options available, the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is one of the more exceptional machines that can be purchased.

If you feel like it would suit your needs, you can check out the product here.

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How to Curb Your Food Addiction https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/how-to-curb-your-food-addiction/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/how-to-curb-your-food-addiction/#respond Fri, 02 Jul 2021 07:00:03 +0000 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=10635 How to Curb Your Food Addiction Read More »

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Do you wake up in the morning thinking about a certain type of food? Do you find yourself compelled to eat certain foods even when you know they aren’t good for you?

If you have answered yes to either of these questions, then you might have a food addiction.

 

What is a Food Addiction?

 

 

This is a newer term that is still controversial in the medical field because there isn’t any way to prove its existence with medical tests.

However, many scientists and doctors, alike, have come to recognize this as food addiction.

Much like drug addiction and alcoholism, food addiction is a serious disease that needs to be managed properly to avoid any negative side effects or to help reverse ones that have already occurred.

However, you do not need to worry because there is hope in being able to identify your food addiction and get help.

 

Common Food Addiction Symptoms

There are ways for you to curb your food addiction to help you eat healthier, but first, you need to know the symptoms you have that indicate you have a food addiction.

After all, you can’t curb something that you do not understand or that you do not believe actually exists.

7 of the most common symptoms of food addiction are:

  1. You craving certain foods, even when you just finished a nutritious meal.
  2. You feel the urge to hide from others the unhealthy food you are eating.
  3. You feel the need to justify and make excuses for why your food craving is a good thing.
  4. You find yourself eating certain unhealthy foods until you are excessively stuffed.
  5. You can’t control the consumption of your craved food, even knowing that it will do you physical harm to eat it.
  6. You have repeatedly tried to stop eating certain foods or not following the rules you set for eating those foods are unsuccessful.
  7. Once you start eating certain types of foods, you find that you eat more than you have intended.

Having just one of these symptoms now and again doesn’t mean you have a food addiction, but if you find that you experience multiple symptoms regularly, you very well could be suffering from food addiction, and it may be time to curb your addiction before it gets any further out of control.

Food addiction is a relatively new term that is still considered controversial in many circles, but many studies suggest that it exists.

However, unlike other diseases and addictions, there aren’t any medical tests that can verify it as a diagnosis.

Sugary soda, high-fat fried foods, and candy are some of the junk foods that have been problematic for those with food addiction, and like most addictions, it can affect your brain and physical fitness.

 

How to Curb Your Food Addiction 01

 

The Harmful Effects of Food Addiction

For years, people have said that eating too many sweets and bad foods was a lack of willpower, but this is not the cause.

Food addiction to these types of foods is believed to be caused by dopamine, which can affect the brain’s biochemistry.

Although it might not be viewed as bad as drug addiction, food addiction is still a serious problem.

Not only can it cause you physical harm, but it can be a leading factor in different chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Not to mention, it can be mentally harmful as well because it can impact your self-image and damage your self-esteem by becoming unhappy with your body.

This can sometimes be more harmful to you than even the physical aspects of food addiction because it will reflect on how you feel about yourself.

This being said, avoiding junk food entirely might seem like an impossible task because it is such a major part of modern culture.

However, it can be necessary for your health, and you should take precautions to ensure you are taking care of yourself not only for yourself but for your loved ones, as well.

After making the decision to not eat your trigger foods, it can become easier if you avoid places where you might be tempted by them.

By just avoiding places where you come in contact with your trigger foods, your cravings could disappear entirely or at least decrease significantly.

 

Replacing Trigger Foods

If it isn’t possible for you to avoid them entirely, you should think of foods you enjoy from those places that are healthier to help keep you from falling off the wagon and ordering your trigger foods.

Pros and Cons

Once this decision has been made, you should write a detailed pros and cons list to help you think through the various decisions that need to be made to ensure your decision stands.

Everyone will have different pros and cons for doing what they are doing, but here are a few examples that you might use or help to inspire your own.

Pros. I want to live longer and feel better. I want to lose extra weight and have more energy throughout the day.

I want to be happy with how I look and not feel embarrassed when out in public with my friends and family.

Cons. I might have to explain my choices to people who do not understand. I may have to avoid some family activities, like getting ice cream or watching what I eat on holidays.

When writing your pros and cons list, it is important for you to write everything down, regardless of how vein or strange it might sound.

This is the only way you can make an accurate and informed decision.

You cannot truly begin curbing your food addiction until you acknowledge that you have a problem and something that needs to be corrected in your life, just like with any other type of addiction.

Once finished, if the list is a resounding yes, then you should feel assured that you are making the right decision.

It is also important to remember that although many social dilemmas might appear on the con side of your list, there are many ways around them that can easily resolve them.

Since food addiction cannot be medically confirmed, pros and cons lists can help get rid of any uncertainty that might arise when you are thinking of curbing your food addiction by staying away from your trigger foods.

After confirming that you have a food addiction that needs to be overcome, there are a few things you will need to do to start curbing your appetite.

Next, you will want to think about your trigger foods.

These are the foods that you should avoid completely because they will cause binges and/or cravings, and then you should write down these trigger foods so you can physically see them.

You should consider foods that you enjoy eating already but are healthy and will help to steer clear of your trigger foods.

This will provide you with options when you are tempted to go for your trigger foods, while still enjoying the taste of the food you are eating.

Avoiding Fast Food

Finally, if you are a fan of fast food places, then you should make a list of the ones that have healthy foods on their menus. This will help to remove the trigger temptation for ordering foods when you do not feel like cooking.

When you are thinking about putting a stop to your food addiction, you shouldn’t start with weight loss as one of your first priorities.

Even if it is something that you want to accomplish, you do not want to take on too much at one time.

If you add hunger and restrictions to the mix when trying to overcome food addiction, you might give up because it being too hard.

So, you should plan for the future to help ensure that you do not fall back into bad habits.

If weight loss is one of your priorities, you should set a day at least a month to three months away to start focusing on this aspect.

By then, you will be more mindful of staying away from your trigger foods.

To be able to successfully curb your food addiction, you should be willing to make a plan and stick to it.

All of the previous steps will help to ensure you are able to manage and steer clear of your trigger foods by replacing them with healthier choices that you can eat instead.

When looking to curb your food addiction, there is one thing that you should always remember. It is ok to fail, as long as you do not give up and try again.

 

Getting Help With Your Food Addiction

Curbing food addiction is a difficult thing to take on, but in the end, it will be worth it to help you in your life.

Just like with any type of addiction, most people will quit before they succeed in kicking their addiction in the long run.

This is nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, it is alright to ask for help to get over your food addiction.

If you have failed a couple of times, you might even seek out a psychiatrist or a psychologist who has experience in helping their patients with food addiction.

One-on-one support can be the thing that makes the difference for you, but there are also several free support groups that you might seek out.

Food Adicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) and Overeaters Anonymous (OA) are just a couple of examples of 12-step programs that might be able to help provide you support in becoming successful with curbing your food addiction.

Basically, there are a number of ways that you can curb your food addiction. Some of these will involve the help and support of other people, and some will be directly on you.

However, it is important to know that it is possible and you can curb your food addiction, regardless of how strong it is if you really wish to.

This is important because if you are not in the mindset that you WILL curb your food addiction, then you will fail with or without help.

It is a mindset that you must be willing to commit to in the long wrong and not be discouraged if you fumble a little along the way.

 

How to Curb Your Food Addiction 02

 

Final Thoughts

The first and most important thing that you will need to remember is before you can curb a food addiction, you have to admit that you have a food addiction, to begin with.

It is only then that you can start with the other steps to help curb that addiction.

Finally, you need to remember that curbing your food addiction will take time and is not something that will happen overnight.

You should know your limitations and remember that you can take it one step at a time to make sure that in the long run, you succeed in curbing your food addiction and making your way to a healthier life, both physically and mentally.

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13 Easy Ways to Break a Sugar Addiction https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/13-easy-ways-to-break-a-sugar-addiction/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/13-easy-ways-to-break-a-sugar-addiction/#respond Fri, 18 Jun 2021 07:00:16 +0000 https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=10640 13 Easy Ways to Break a Sugar Addiction Read More »

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Have you ever noticed how much sugar is in our daily diets? Does it ever feel like no matter what you do, you can’t seem to break away from it?

Are you beginning to find that everything you eat or drink tastes sweet? One health trend that many are embracing is kicking sugar out of their lives.

 

Risks of Too Much Sugar

 

 

Our bodies don’t need sugar to function. In fact, there are many ways that sugar is bad for us. Studies show that sugar increases inflammation.

When we are constantly consuming sugar, we are creating a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. It can put us at risk of many different health problems that include:

  • Allergies
  • Weight gain
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • Cancer

 

Benefits of a Low Sugar Diet

There are many reasons you might want to break a sugar addiction. Making this change can improve your health – and your life in many ways.

Clearer Skin

Sugar can damage collagen and elastin, which protect skin from wrinkles. It’s also linked to acne, so cutting it will keep your skin looking clear and youthful.

Reduces Cancer Risk

Many people don’t realize that cancer cells eat sugar. When you’re not eating sugar, you’re reducing the chances that cancer can develop.

Improved Heart Health

Did you know that sugar is now thought to be one of the leading contributors to heart disease? The more sugar you eat, the more likely you are to struggle with heart attacks and strokes.

More Energy

Avoiding sugar can help you to maintain energy levels throughout the day because you don’t experience the common “sugar slump” that occurs shortly after you’ve eaten it.

Better Sleep

Too much sugar before going to bed can keep you from winding down and sleeping well.

Fewer Weight Problems

Cutting sugar from the diet can help your body to stabilize your weight for good.

Better Teeth

Almost everyone knows that sugar breaks down the enamel of teeth and can cause tooth decay, but it bears repeating. Strong healthy teeth are not friends of sweet treats and drinks.

 

13 Easy Ways to Break a Sugar Addiction 02

 

What Makes Sugar Addicting?

Sugar makes us feel good.

It goes straight to the “reward center,” of the brain and stimulates the hormones that boost mood and feelings of happiness.

This is why so many people crave sugar daily. Our brains think we need sugar each day to survive.

When you consider that sugar is added to almost every food we eat, it’s no wonder that our bodies think they need it.

This can make breaking a sugar addiction feel really difficult and almost impossible for most of us. It doesn’t have to be torture, though.

You don’t have to feel like you’re fighting a losing battle in breaking your addiction to sugar. There are some easy steps you can take to help you cut it from your diet for good.

You might find that as you continue your journey, foods that contain added sugar begin to taste too sweet and unappealing over time.

 

How to Break the Sugar Addiction

Decide if you want to quit sugar cold turkey or if you’d rather cut down on your sugar intake gradually. This will help you to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the process.

If you’re eliminating sugar, you should decide if you want it to be a permanent change, or if there is another reason you want to quit for a while.

Some people feel that they have better long-term results by gradually reducing their sugar intake to a comfortably low level, while others feel that completely cutting all added sugars from the diet at one time is best.

Here are some great ways to break a sugar addiction:

Get Rid of All Processed Foods That Contain Sugar

Almost all prepackaged foods contain sugar. Start with the foods you have in your home now. read all the ingredients of all the foods that are packaged, and note how much added sugar is in each food or drink.

The fewer packaged foods you have in your home, the easier it will be to begin breaking your love of sugar.

Stock up on Whole Foods

Make the produce section your best friend and stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. Choose the ones that have a low glycemic index because they don’t increase your sugar levels.

Berries are one example of a healthy, low-glycemic choice. They have enough sweetness to ease sugar cravings without making it difficult to stick to your goal of kicking sugar.

Decide Why You Want to Overcome Your Sugar Addiction

When you aren’t sure of the reasons that you want to do something, you’re less likely to accomplish it.

Write a list of all the ways that you will feel better if you quit sugar. Have a quick guide of all the ways you want to improve your overall health by giving up sugary snacks and drinks.

Refer to your list and guide any time you’re feeling like you will falter.

Don’t Reward Yourself With Sugar

Often, we think that because we’ve done so well cutting sugar from our lives that we can have “just a little,” and it won’t make us crave more. This is a myth.

When you use sweet treats like donuts, cookies, and cakes as a reward for doing so well without sugar, you could find that you lose valuable ground in breaking your addiction to sugar.

Identify Benefits as You Notice Them

Perhaps you’ve lost weight, or maybe your skin is glowing. No matter what the benefits of your new sugar-free diet, take note of them so you continue progressing toward your goal of quitting sugar for good.

When we see the results of things we try, we are more likely to continue them. Plus, taking note of the benefits also speaks to the reward part of the brain.

Be Careful With Alcohol

If you truly want to cut your sugar addiction, it’s important to be aware of the types of alcohol that you consume, and then only have it in small amounts.

Alcohol breaks down in the body as sugar, so even one drink could leave you craving all manner of the sweet stuff.

Drink Lots of Water

Water is essential for the function of every cell in the body, and when you’re trying to cleanse your system, it helps to carry the remainder of it out.

Be sure to get plenty of water in your diet to help ease sugar cravings and keep you hydrated and satisfied.

Get Enough Protein in Your Diet

Many people find that when they quit sugar they feel like they are missing out and constantly seek something to compensate for sugar.

Plenty of protein helps the brain and body to feel satisfied and that helps you to stick to your goals.

Small Snacks Can Also Help Keep You on Track

When you get too hungry, it makes breaking a sugar addiction harder because you don’t plan what you eat.

Enjoying several small snacks each day can help you prepare when it comes to healthy meal choices.

Low sugar cheese, nuts, berries, and veggies are all excellent options that won’t spike your sugar and make you crave more.

Find Alternatives to the Sugar-Laden Foods You Usually Turn to

While the body can suffer from too many added sugars, it can benefit from healthy fruits and proteins.

Finding other treats that make you feel good can keep you from caving to your urge for something sweet to eat.

Make Exercise a Priority

Regular exercise helps to boost your “feel good” hormones. These are the same hormones that are stimulated when we eat sugar.

If you’re working to break an addiction to sugar, getting regular exercise can help ease cravings, and help you feel great.

Get Plenty of Sleep

When we are tired, our bodies trick us into thinking that sugary snacks and beverages will make us feel better and more awake.

However, the boost that sugar offers is always short-lived and the crash usually leaves us feeling worse than if we had chosen to have no sugar.

Reward Yourself in Ways That Really Work

Chose options that make you feel good, but that won’t sabotage your efforts. Self-care treats, such as a massage or pedicure can help you feel amazing, and keep you focused on your goals.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it keeps you moving toward living your life without sugar.

 

13 Easy Ways to Break a Sugar Addiction 00

 

Sugars to Eliminate

What kinds of foods contain sugar, and what kinds of sugars should you eliminate?

Not knowing can make it difficult to break the sugar addiction and choose the healthiest, sugar-free foods available.

Sweetened Drinks

Sodas, juices, sweet tea, and sweetened coffee drinks are all loaded with added sugars. Some studies suggest that these are the biggest offenders when it comes to the amount of sugar in many diets.

Cutting these sweet drinks alone could be enough to have a significant impact on your overall health.

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbs are just about everything that everyone loves about sugar. White bread, pasta, sweet cakes, cookies, donuts, waffles, pancakes, crackers, and more can all be included in the list of foods that should be avoided when working to kick a sugar addiction.

Milk Products

Many of these choices are dense in nutrients, but it’s important to choose the non-sweetened kind to avoid extra sugars. Yogurts, milk, and even kefir can contain added sugars.

Packaged Foods

Most packaged foods contain added sugar for preservative purposes. Even foods that taste salty often contain lots of sugar.

Fruits that have a high glycemic index

These fruits have many benefits, but if you want to eliminate all sugar from your diet, these should be avoided.

Watermelon, pineapple, and bananas can have a high GI, but studies suggest that reasonable portions of these fruits have plenty of benefits that negate the sugar intake.

 

Final Thoughts

One good way to identify added sugars in foods is to look at the label, where it details added sugars. When you’re working to break a sugar addiction, be sure to choose only foods that have zero added sugars.

Most fruits and vegetables contain safe amounts of sugars, but you will likely want to avoid the ones that potentially carry a higher GI at least while you’re going through your sugar detox process.

If you are ready to overcome sugar addiction, you should know that it doesn’t have to feel impossible. Lots of people have done it and enjoy a sugar-free diet all the time, and you can, too.

Stay focused on your goals, take note of the benefits as you experience them, and find other foods that help you feel satisfied and happy, and you can be on your way to living without sugar in your life.

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Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender Review https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/vitamix-a2500-ascent-series-blender-review/ https://fitnessfornonathletes.com/vitamix-a2500-ascent-series-blender-review/#respond Mon, 08 Mar 2021 23:04:47 +0000 http://fitnessfornonathletes.com/?p=9164 Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender Review Read More »

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I’m on a constant journey to improve my eating habits.

That’s why I’m excited to present this review of the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender. I’ve used traditional blenders, and they’ve been great for mixing ingredients.

However, my eating habits would have improved if I had invested in a Vitamix.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Vitamix A2500

Americans eating habits leave a lot to be desired.

There are a lot of overweight Americans. Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children and youths are overweight or obese.

Most Americans consume too much sugar, saturated fats, and sodium.

Many Americans are also exceeding the recommended amounts for grains and protein, and as much as three-fourths are not eating enough vegetables, fruits, dairy, and oils.

The good news is that some Americans are interested in eating better and healthier. I’m one of them.

The Vitamix A2500, part of their Ascent line, can help because it allows you to make a wide variety of foods, such as soups, baby food, dough, and sauces.

However, using such a machine means that you are committing to preparing food from scratch.

Food prepared from scratch is more nutritious, but if you’re going to be consistent, this approach requires a commitment.

If you do not believe that you can commit to preparing food in this way, a Vitamix A2500 investment would be a waste of money.

Therefore, you should find alternative ways of eating healthy, such as buying whole foods over foods that are processed.

Cost

The machine is hundreds of dollars.

Therefore, it represents a financial investment. If you’re not going to use the Vitamix blender consistently, you’ll be wasting your money.

Space

To use the blender consistently, it’s better to sit it on your kitchen counter or somewhere in the kitchen where you can see it.

This way, you can go right to it rather than storing it in a kitchen cupboard.

Therefore, although the machine is not large and bulky, you should ensure you have permanent counter space to place it.

Cleanability

You must regularly clean machines of this kind for them to work correctly.

It’s easy to clean the Vitamix A2500, but you’ll need to clean it after every use, and you’ll want to give it a deep cleaning about once a month.

 

At the time of writing, there was a great deal available. Click here to see if it’s still running…

 

The Vitamix A2500 Blender

Vitamix, an American company, produces the Vitamix A2500 blender, part of Vitamix’s “Ascent” series.

The manufacturer describes the product as more than just a smoothie maker because of the wide variety of foods it can make.

It is a step above the A2300 and steps below the A3300 and the A3500.

The Vitamix A2500 includes the motor base, 64-ounce “Low-Profile” container, S2 “Low-Profile” tamper, and a cookbook.

Vitamix’s blender is for those who want an easy and fun way to prepare delicious, nutritious foods.

3 Reasons to Buy

The price of the machine represents a financial investment. Therefore, don’t purchase it if you don’t intend to use it consistently.

  1. The Vitamix Ascent series has powerful blades and an easy self-cleaning system. The Vitamix A2500 has three program settings, a digital timer, and wireless connectivity that automatically adjusts containers to the machine.
  2. You can download an app, through iOS and Android, to help prepare foods.
  3. You can buy a variety of containers to assist your Vitamix A2500.

 

Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender 1

 

Pros and Cons of the Vitamix A2500

Pros

  • The Vitamix A2500 makes more than just smoothies.
  • The machine base comes in black, red, grey, or white, enough colors to fit any kitchen.
  • The machine comes with three program settings.
  • The Vitamix A2500 has built-in wireless connectivity that automatically adjusts program settings and blender times.

Cons

  • The Vitamix A2500 is expensive.
  • Alternative containers are a separate cost, adding to the expense.
  • This machine is not dishwasher safe.

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Features & Benefits

There are a wide variety of features and benefits of the Vitamix A2500. I explain them below:

 

Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender 6

 

Settings

As I explained earlier, Vitamix’s blender makes a wide variety of foods, facilitated by its three program settings – smoothies, frozen desserts, and hot soups.

Built-In Wireless Connectivity

The settings I’ve explained above automatically adjust, by way of built-in wireless connectivity, to the container size you want.

Vitamix calls this feature their “Self-Detect Technology.” Due to this technology, the machine automatically shuts off if not safely assembled.

Variable Speed Control and Pulse

With a blender, it’s important to control the speeds and have a pulse feature. This Vitamix has these features, which help to get the texture you want.

Built-In Digital Timer

The machine includes a built-in digital timer. The timer is an additional help to get the texture you want.

Pairings

Another thing you can do with the Vitamix A2500 is pair it with an app and with, as I mentioned above, containers:

Vitamix Perfect Blend App

You can download the Vitamix Perfect Blend app to assist with preparing foods. It has 17 programs and over 500 recipes.

You can download it on iOS or Android.

 

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Additional Containers

There are a wide variety of container sizes that you can add to your Vitamix machine.

The different container sizes and functions help produce the kinds of recipes you can make with a Vitamix machine:

48-ounce Container and 48-ounce Grain Container

Vitamix produces a 48-ounce, BPA free container, and a 48-ounce, BPA free, dry grains container you can purchase. Both of these containers include blades.

The basic 48-ounce makes small to medium amounts of foods, such as smoothies and soups, and is designed to eliminate waste.

The dry grains 48-ounce is designed for grinding flour, mixing batter, and kneading yeast.

The containers are self-cleaning but also dishwasher safe.

When you place a container onto the blender, it recognizes the container and automatically adjusts the blend settings to the container’s size.

Both containers come with tampers to help you press mixtures that are thick or frozen toward the blades to create smoother blends quickly.

You can monitor your blends’ progress, with either container, with the clear, leak-proof lid.

A removable vented lid plug, which can perform as a two-ounce measuring cup and that helps you add ingredients while you blend, etc., is included.

The grains container also comes with a Simply Whole Grains cookbook.

 

Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender 4

 

12-cup Food Processor Attachment

I cook a lot, and it’s gotten to the point where I won’t cut, slice, shred or do anything like that without a food processor.

You can purchase a Vitamix Food Processor Attachment that is BPA and dishwasher-safe.

The attachment does not include a motor base. So you can only use it with Vitamix’s Ascent and Venturist series.

The attachment includes a multi-use blade that chops, minces, kneads, mixes, shreds, and slices.

It contains the wireless technology that automatically shuts off the device if not correctly assembled.

48-ounce Stainless Steel Container

You can go with a stainless-steel alternative for those who want an alternative to the basic 48-ounce container I’ve mentioned.

The container comes with a clear, BPA-free lid. The container and the lid are dishwasher safe, and the container has an ergonomic handle.

A tamper is included.

Blending Bowls

The blending bowls are designed to help you create dips, smoothie bowls, baby food, salad dressings, and more in convenient ready-to-mix sizes.

You get a blade base and two 8-ounce, BPA-free blending bowls with stackable lids. Everything is dishwasher safe, including the blade base.

The Vitamix technology will recognize the bowls and automatically adjust the settings to their smaller size.

 

Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender 5

 

Related: Click here to learn more about the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender from the Official Website.

 

What Others Think of the Vitamix A2500

One of the things that helps when buying a blender is to see what other people are saying about it.

Here are a few things people have said about the Vitamix A2500 Blender:

Review #1

“I bought my Vitamix about a week ago. I’ve been using the daylights out of it. I make a smoothie almost every day and have been trying the recipes out. I’m enjoying making healthier food with the powerful help of this awesome machine. It really whips up smoothies so smooth. I can’t even feel the spinach bits. I’m so happy with this purchase. I wish I’d bought one years ago.”

Review #2

“The best blender ever!!! I used it every day. It makes hot soups and pulverizes everything. I made warm creamy NO cheese- sauce right in the blender. Just add ingredients, turn the dial, press the button, and walk away.it will stop when done.”

Review #3

“I bought my Vitamix machine on 11/30 received on 12/1 and used it yesterday 12/3 for the first time, and it’s absolutely amazing. The power this machine has is worth every single penny. I used it to make sea moss gel, and I couldn’t believe it. With my Ninja, I needed to blend for so long and would still find chunks with my Vitamix a minute and a half and done.”

Vitamix A2500 Blender Alternatives

If you want to see how the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender stands up to alternatives, here are a few to check out:

 

Ninja Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender

 

 

The American company SharkNinja, also known as Ninja, makes home appliances and devices. Their Ninja Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender includes 1000 watts of power, and its blades can crush, blend, puree, etc.

The 72-ounce blender jar is designed for large batches of smoothies, sauces, dips, etc. This is an affordable blender that is more powerful than a basic blender.

 

Ninja

Vitamix

Powerful blade YES YES
More than basic speeds NO YES
BPA-free container YES YES
Tamper NO YES
Extra parts NO YES
Expensive NO YES
Recipe book Yes YES

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homgeek Countertop Smoothie Blender 1450W

 

 

Homgeek produces kitchen products for North America and Europe. With a BPA free container, the homgeek Countertop Smoothie Blender 1450W has variable eight-speed and four preset programs.

You can make frozen desserts, nut butters, soups, etc.

Homgeek

Vitamix

Powerful blade YES YES
More than basic speeds YES YES
BPA-free container YES YES
Tamper YES YES
Extra parts NO YES
Expensive NO YES
Recipe book Yes YES

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AmazonBasics 1200-Watt Multi-Speed Countertop Blender

 

 

AmazonBasics is Amazon’s private label for office supplies, home goods, and tech accessories.

The AmazonBasics 1200-Watt Multi-Speed Countertop Blender, with a BPA-free pitcher, blends, crushes, and pulses and can be used to make dips, sauces, cocktails, and more.

 

AmazonBasics

Vitamix

Powerful blade YES YES
More than basic speeds NO YES
BPA-free container YES YES
Tamper NO YES
Extra parts NO YES
Expensive NO YES
Recipe book NO YES

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Final Thoughts

The Vitamix A2500 Blender is a way to make recipes from scratch.

So, for example, instead of buying canned soup that contains lots of salt and other ingredients that you may not want to consume, you can make your own soups, with ingredients that you choose, knowing exactly what’s in it.

With their add ons, you have a complete system for healthy meals.

Is the machine with all of its add ons expensive?

Yes, for many, it would be.

But I consider the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Blender with its add-ons an investment in your health.

Your health is one of the most important factors of life, and an investment in your health is worth it.

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