6 Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism NOW!

A super-charged metabolism is the holy grail of weight loss. It pretty much guarantees that your efforts to hit your target weight will pay off. Yet, it has a way of constantly slipping out of your reach. 

Aging inevitably causes a slow-down of our metabolism. It usually begins once a person hits thirty and continues as the years roll on.  Other reasons include hormonal changes, such as menopause, and metabolic illnesses, such as hypothyroidism.

But hope is not lost! You can combat those factors and kick your metabolism into high-gear by incorporating a handful of lifestyle changes. Read on and prepare for a metabolism primed to melt pounds away.

Pump Iron to Pump up Your Metabolism.

Strength training to build muscle tone is the most effective method of ramping up a sluggish metabolism. The more muscle you’ve got on your frame, the higher your metabolism goes.

If you lack the time to tone and work every muscle in your body, concentrate on the largest muscles: your butt, thighs, chest, and back. Try compound exercises that incorporate at least two of those and engage your core. Remember: you don’t need bigger muscles, just stronger ones.

HIIT It with Your Best Shot.

You should immediately add High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, to your workouts. The idea is to alternate short bouts of all out, go-for-broke exercise at your maximum intensity with recovery periods where you’re either resting or working at a lighter intensity. HIIT cardio sessions – be they running, biking, elliptical training, or even jumping rope – seriously boost your resting metabolic rate above its norm for a full 24-48 hours after your workout.

Never Go Hungry.

Starvation is the ultimate catalyst for slowing your metabolism until it’s like wet cement running uphill. To keep that from happening, abandon the idea of three huge meals a day, and spread out your caloric intake with several smaller meals and healthy snacks. The goal is to eat every 3-4 hours so that your metabolism never gets the chance to idle.

Make Protein Your Pal.

Avoiding starvation mode is also a matter of selecting the right foods. Protein takes more time to be metabolized in your body than carbohydrates or fats. That slow breakdown keeps your blood sugar and energy at a more constant level. It assures your system that food is plentiful, so there’s no need to slow down or cache stores of energy as fat.

Count Those Sheep.

Sleep is vital to your general health and to your metabolic function. The quantity and quality of your REM cycles have a deep impact on your body’s production of the hormones that regulate metabolism and appetite. If you don’t sleep enough, your metabolism slows and the hormones that signal when you’ve had enough to eat go completely haywire. The result is that you’ll pack on pounds and won’t have the metabolism to shed them.

Water, Water, Water.

Like every other system in your body, your metabolism requires the proper energy to run at full capacity and efficiency. When you’re sufficiently hydrated, your blood is better able to carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells, making them capable of their highest metabolic function.

Just as your body weight determines your daily calories; it should be used to figure out exactly how much water you need. Take what you weigh in pounds, divide that number in half and you will have the ounces of water you should be drinking daily. For example, a man weighing 160 lbs should drink 80 ounces of water every day to reach his full metabolic potential.

Keep your slowing metabolism at bay, and try these 6 strategies  to rev it up into a higher gear!

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.

You know, there's still a LOT of folks out there who don't know that this stuff is pure poison.

I'm talking about:  Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.

This ingredient is the code name for "trans-fats" and it runs rampant in fried foods and packaged goods...it also has been closely linked to these conditions:

Heart Disease...

High Cholesterol...

Alzheimer Disease...

High Blood Pressure...

Stroke... 

And how about this one? DEATH.

And that's even by consuming just a small amount daily.

What foods most commonly contain trans fats? Here are some of the most common:

French Fries - 14.5 grams of trans fat in the average medium sized order of french fries! Eat that every day and you won't be living long. Go with baked sweet potato fries instead.

Margarine and Vegetable Shortening - Anywhere from 30 - 40% trans fat...no thank you! Go with organic butter instead.

Fast Food - An original chicken dinner at KFC will reward you with 7 grams of trans fat, but it's not just the fried foods...it's even in the desserts! You'll find trans fat in almost all heavily processed foods, and there's very few foods more processed than fast food!

If you want a quick meal on the go that isn't full of trans fats, go with this "quick service" joint as of late, Chipotle. A full meal including hormone free meats, fiber rich legumes, and a bunch of tasty, low-calorie topping choices...all for less than $7. Can't go wrong with that!

Donuts and other baked goods - BAD. Trans fat often in the batter and dough and then many times fried on top of it! This includes cookies, pastries, muffins, brownies, and just about every other baked good you can think of. Instead, go with true "baked" baked goods (not fried) and try some of the gluten-free varieties to avoid the wheat on top of it. Try a gluten free brownie mix made with rice flour and a pretty healthy ingredient profile...not bad for a sweet treat every so often!

Cereal (even most "healthy" varieties) - For example, Post Selects "Great Grains" contains 2 grams of trans fat per cup. NOT so healthy. Go with old fashioned oatmeal instead, or a true sprouted grain cereal that doesn't contain processed wheat.

Salad Dressings - Notorious for containing loads of partially hydrogenated oils and trans fat, steer clear of most store-bought salad dressings. Instead go with a homemade recipe that calls for extra virgin olive oil at the base.

And there are a bunch of others, but those are some of the biggest culprits. Again, read your labels and make sure you avoid partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils like the plague.

Choosing a Protein Bar

6 Things To Look For In Any Protein Bar

When you're in a rush, one option that you may decide to turn to is a protein bar. Or in some cases, you may just find that there is one particular protein bar that you find absolutely delicious (many, in fact, could easily be mistaken for a full-fat chocolate bar) and want to include it in your diet on a regular basis.

Whatever your reason for choosing a protein bar is, it's important that you're making the decision of which one to choose wisely.

Not all protein bars are made the same way and while some will help you reach your muscle building and fat loss goals, an equal number will detour you down the other pathway.

By understanding the six key factors you should be looking for in a protein bar, you will help make the best decision possible.

Here's what you need to know.

1. Total Calorie Count
The first factor to think about is the total calorie count. If you're on a fat loss diet, downing a 400 calorie protein bar isn't exactly going to make fat loss easy.

If you only have a total of 1200 calories that day to take in, that's a third wasted on this snack!

You'd be far better off filling those 400 calories with 6 ounces of fish, half a cup of rice, and 2 cups of steamed vegetables.

On the flip side, if your goal is to build lean muscle mass and you're struggling each day to get enough calories in, a 400 calorie protein bar may seem like a heaven-sent.

It's important that you always look at the calorie level of the protein bar you're choosing because they can be highly variable.

Mistaking one for the other could very rapidly cancel out any fat loss progress for the day or provide very little benefit for muscle building.

Good alternative bars for those who are seeking fat loss include BioNutritional Power Crunch or Choklat Crunch bars, Apex Protein Cookies, or EAS Myoplex Lite Bars. These have fewer calories but still contain a good dose of protein.

2. Total Number Of Carbohydrates
Second, also be sure you take a peek at the carbohydrate content of the bar. This can be extremely variable as well, especially with all the lower carb products coming out on the market.

For someone who is looking to lose fat, you probably don't want to go much over about 30 grams of carbs per bar, and this could even be too high depending on your overall diet protocol.

If you're using the bar immediately after a workout, then you can afford more carbohydrates since the main objective at this time is to have a high carbohydrate intake.

When this is the case though and the protein bar is your post-workout meal, then you'll also want to try and choose a bar that's as low in fat as possible, since fat should be avoided during this time period.

3. Presence Of Sugar Alcohols
When you're choosing a protein bar that is quite low in total carb count, then the next thing you need to be sure you look for is the presence of sugar alcohols. While many people will have no problem tolerating these, for others major issues can arise.

Some of the things that can occur include bloating, diarrhea, cramps, and bad gas. You will have to try them out for yourself to see if you react this way, but if you don't, these can be a very helpful fat loss aid.

4. Ingredient Panel Listings
After checking out the calorie and carb counts, then look down and glance through the ingredient listings. The big thing to watch for here is the form of carbohydrates contained in the protein bar. Ideally you want to avoid high amounts of high-fructose corn syrup.

Many bars will have some HFCS in them, but if it's lower on the list this will be a better choice than a bar that has it listed as the second or third ingredient (if it's the first ingredient, you best put that one back).

5. Dietary Fat Content
Next, also be sure you check out the fat content to be sure on that too. Unless you are using the protein bar post-workout as mentioned above, it's a good idea to find a bar that does contain some fat since this will slow down the release of the carbs into the blood stream and make it more balanced overall.

Just watch the level of saturated or trans fat, aiming to keep those as low as possible. If you can find a good bar with a healthy amount of dietary fat this will make for a far better addition to your diet plan and will definitely be a smarter choice than one of the commercial granola bars that are on the market that can contain trans fats.

6. Carbs To Protein Ratio
Finally, the last thing you'll want to check out is the carbs to protein ratio of the protein bar. This is important because you want be sure the protein content is high enough when compared to the carbohydrates.

If it has a very poor protein to carb ratio (meaning there are far more carbs than protein), you aren't really doing much better than those cereal bars you find in the supermarket.

The protein content is what makes a protein bar a protein bar, so it's something you shouldn't go without.

The best scenario for fat loss will be a 2:1 ratio of protein to carbs, but in some cases a 1:1 ratio would be fine too. Then if you're looking to build muscle or use the bar after a workout, you'll want to get closer to a 1:2 ratio.

10 Common-Sense Weight Loss Tips

If you are looking to lose weight, then these 10 common weight loss tips are sure to help you out:

1. Eat More Fiber
Fiber - which is plentiful in sprouted-grain breads, the skin of fruits, and oats – may be the easiest and most effective way to boost weight loss.

Fiber, research shows, may slow the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, which could lead to a much slower release of sugar in your blood.

And this could positively affect your insulin levels.

Insulin, in elevated amounts, may promote weight gain and fat storage, therefore potentially negating your weight loss efforts.

Plus, fiber-rich diets have also been shown to control appetite better by making you feel fuller (for longer too!), which could easily prevent overeating when you eat your next meal.

It is recommended to get at least 25 grams per day of fiber in order to promote greater weight loss!

2. Start Small
You should start by making small changes to your overall lifestyle.

If you don’t exercise now, try adding in a  five- or ten-minute walk to your day.

Or change out ONE unhealthy food you enjoy, and replace it with something healthy.

These small changes to your lifestyle may result in slow – but very gradual – weight loss!

3. Stay Away From Processed Foods
Food like processed meats, cookies, crackers, and snack treats – may end up doing nothing but boosting your weight gain.

Most processed foods are full of refined white flours, sugars, fats, and trans-fats, which could only BOOST your weight gain and may pose dangers to your health.

Stick with as much whole food as possible.  Foods such as fruits, lean meats, and vegetables are perfect for keeping your weight loss on track.

4. Weigh-in Every Day

Many people say that you should only weigh yourself once a week, in order to prevent frustration and motivation.

But weighing in regularly (i.e., every day) may keep you on track, since you will be able to track and see a steady decline (or ups and downs).

Then you will have more knowledge on things you need to change, like eating patterns, in order to lose as much weight as possible.

The downside to this, however, is that you may feel discouraged at first when there are small fluctuations in your weight.

However, once you make the appropriate changes (snacking, portion size, and meal timing) you should see the scale start turning back - or in the right direction.

5. Include Green Tea

What can you say about green tea?

Everything!

Green tea has been shown in research to boost metabolism, therefore helping you to burn more fat throughout the day.

This ancient – and one of the most widely consumed beverages – has also been linked to better blood sugar control.

The reason: green tea is full of antioxidants and polyphenols – like ECGC – which has been widely researched for their respective stimulators for weight loss.

You should replace sodas, sweetened beverages, or even diet soda for green tea.

This may boost your metabolism and lead to better – no, GREATER – weight loss results.

6. Water, Water, Water

Did you know that THIRST is often confused with hunger?

It’s true!

Drinking enough water is a very BASIC tip, but it’s also the most commonly overlooked weight loss secret!

Since your body is mostly made of water, then you would think that you would want to always stay properly hydrated!

Drinking water before a meal may lead to less food intake – due to fullness – which will help you eat less.

And, water is a great substitute for high-calorie, sugar-laden sodas and energy drinks.

7. Eat SLOWER
Want an easy trick for the dinner table: eat SLOW!

It has been shown that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register when there is food in your stomach and when you are full.

By eating slower, you take your time, and allow those signals to reach your brain.

This could lead to satisfaction as opposed to overeating at breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

And - trust me - this will be GREAT for your hips, butt, thighs, and ABS!

8. Substitute Foods
Like I mentioned in number two, try substituting unhealthy foods with healthier ones!

This may reduce your caloric intake, plus give you nutrients such as fiber (skin of apples), vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to boost fat loss.

Plus, healthier foods may be lower in calories and fat, which may be perfect for boosting calorie burn and promoting weight loss.

9. EXERCISE
You already know that exercise may make you healthy and fit.

But in order to use exercise as a way to burn fat, you need to vary your intensity.

Of course, regular cardio and strength training may burn fat and help you get a lean, trim figure, but high-intensity exercise has been shown to boost weight loss and fat burning MORE effectively than other forms of exercise.

Body weight training (hmmm, we do that in boot camp quite often!)– may be another way to boost fat burning while varying your intensity.

So, if you are looking to boost fat burning and get in the BEST shape of life, consider trying interval training mixed with bodyweight training to maximize your body’s fat burning potential.

10. Get More Sleep
Many studies have shown that lack of sleep may be detrimental to your fat loss success.

Lack of sleep may cause you to crave and seek out high-calorie foods – that, most of the time, go straight to your hips, thighs, and butt.

Plus, sleep deprivation may alter your mood, increase fogginess, poor concentration, and low motivation to exercise or eat at right.

Shoot for at least six to eight hours of sleep to maximize your fat and weight loss results.

Lose More Weight – Today!

If you are on a quest to lose weight, then these 10 common sense weight loss tips are for YOU!

5-5-2 Tiff-Fit To a Better You Challenge

It’s true (and unfortunate) that what we want and what we’re committed to achieving are often very different things.

What a lot of us have in fact, is a wish list for our life and body, instead of a concrete plan.

And most of us are far more comfortable with the idea of success than we are with actually doing what’s required to get there.

That’s because it CAN at times be uncomfortable. Even confronting. And many people are afraid of that thought.

But flicking through your favorite fitness or Hollywood magazines and wanting, hoping and wishing won’t get you the body of your dreams.

Commitment, however, WILL - because commitment creates action and action produces change.

What many of us don’t realize, is that once you make the initial effort and TAKE action, it gets EASIER every single day. Until, lo and behold, you actually ENJOY eating clean, healthy foods. You enjoy challenging your body with fun and exciting workouts. You even enjoy looking in the mirror and seeing the phenomenal changes taking place.

Then you suddenly wonder why the heck it took so long to get started on living the life you'd always DREAMED of – of having a body you are PROUD of.

It’s true, many people love the idea of a lean, fit, sexy body – yet these same people don’t have a committed bone in their sad, flabby bodies.

I’m sure you’ve heard the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result? Well, think ahead to 5 years from now – or 10 years. What do
you think will happen if nothing changes?

Just a teeny bit scary isn't it?

A transformation will never take place until you step out of the ‘idea’ and begin to embrace the ‘doing’ what’s required to succeed.

But oftentimes we NEED HELP to get out of the rut we find ourselves in.


Welcome to the "5-5-2 Tiff-Fit To a Better You Challenge"! 

It's perfect timing! School is back in full swing, the holidays will be here before you know it, so why not focus your energy on YOU!

Eat clean and workout to lose belly fat, gain more energy, and change your body, and you can win!

So...

• Take your before photo. Hold a paper showing the date or use a newspaper.

• FORGIVE yourself for any mistakes that happened this weekend.

• MOVE on.

• Start changing your body to finish 2013 strong.

• Get your butt to Tiff-Fit Training boot camp, small group, or both.

• Transform your body over the next 12 weeks.

There are less than 120 days left in 2013, but you can still ACHIEVE amazing results.

Because if you aren't going to change now, then when will it be?

There's no better time than today.

 
You CAN do it.


You have taken the first step towards better health. Registration is going on now through September 8. The challenge officially begins Monday, September 9, but you can get started tomorrow!

This is a CONTEST with prize money involved!

$15 entry fee. 
I want 100% participation!!

The overall goal of the 5-5-2 challenge is as follows:

• Exercise at least 30 minutes daily a minimum of 5 days each week for the duration of the challenge 
• Lose 5% of your total body weight during the challenge, AND
• Lose 2% total body fat during the challenge

You will need to take your before pictures and get your initial measurements and weight done by Tiff before September 9.


All participants will receive emails throughout the 12 week challenge with tips and motivation, meal ideas, and extra workout suggestions. You are not required to read these emails but they may contain valuable information. There will be a Facebook forum page created for our group for all contest members. To keep you motivated they’ll be support on the forum! We can check-in and let the other members know how our workouts and nutrition are going, ask questions or read about other participant’s experiences as they go through the 12-weeks. We can share meal pics & ideas, recipes, exercise tips and motivating messages.

Please feel free to send any questions you have my way. I’m always here to help you be the healthiest version of you!

Upcoming sessions

January 2014: 4 weeks
January 6 - Feb. 1

February 2014: 4 weeks
February 3 - Mar. 1

Boot Camp
Mon/Wed/Fri: 5:00 am and 6:00 am at Greatwood Training Center parking lot
Mon/Wed: 8:15 am Sugar Land Memorial Park on University
NO late class on Fridays.

Small group training on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:00 am, 6:00 am, and 8:00 am at Greatwood Training Center.

Payment:
Due at first class of session. Payments received past first week will accrue $20 late fee. All boot camp payments made directly to Tiffany Nuno.

Boot Camp:
3x/week: $180 (cash price $160)
2x/week: $120 (cash $110)
1x/week: $60 (cash $55)

**Training:
All group training will be sold through the MindBody gym management system--no exceptions. You will pay and sign up online. There will be a maximum of 6 per group. Cancellation of a session must be done 24 hours in advance or you will be charged. You may go to any group or time, but Tiff's times are listed above.

Monthly package pricing:

Regular Price: Discounted (first 100) before 1/1/14:

1x/week:    $115/month    $97.75/month

2x/week:    $175/month      $148.75/month

OR
20 group sessions: $300 (no expiration, but requires GTC membership)

Individual Gym Membership
Monthly:      $29
Bi-Annual:   $156.60                  (10% discount)
Annual:        $295.80                  (15% discount)

Family Membership

Monthly:      $59
Bi-Annual:   $318.60                  (10% discount)
Annual:        $601.80                  (15% discount)

August Mini-Session

Wrap up Summer 2013 with a two week mini-session.

August 19 - August 30

Tiff-Fit Training:

• Boot camp classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday @ 5:00 am and 6:00 am at Greatwood Training Center parking lot

• No class on MONDAY, 8/26!

• Small group training Tuesday & Thursday @ 5:00 am, 6:00 am, and 8:00 am inside Greatwood Training Center

• $15 per class