Increase Fiber for Fat Loss

So you’ve been working out at the gym for months now; you’ve increased your protein intake and you’ve been doing cardio like a madman or woman, but you’re still not getting the fat loss results that you desire. This is happening to countless people around the world as they strive for that dream body and those six pack abs. As a trainer I can’t tell you how many people tell me that they want to lose inches around their midsection, get rid of their man boobs or lose those cottage cheese thighs, but never take the time to look a bit closer at their diet. As they say, you can’t always have the cake, eat it too and expect to look like an abs model.

You see, exercise alone will never get you the results you desire. It is only through exercise and a well balanced diet that you will be able to shed those extra kilos of body fat. So at Fitcorp Asia when I make recommendations regarding diet, one of the first things that I instruct a client is that they need to increase their consumption of whole foods; mainly vegetables.

Most of us frown at the site of vegetables and many of us were conditioned from an early age to dislike vegetables as our parents typically had no idea how to present them or prepare them and simply put them on the plate as an afterthought. We were commanded to eat them and told that if we didn’t eat them we couldn’t have desert. So what do we do as adults? We say, my parents aren’t here to tell me what to do so I’ll skip the vegetables and go straight for the desert.

But here lies the problem in our quest for Fat Loss. The dietary fiber which comes from vegetables is a key component for not only your body’s overall health but it’s also a strong support in fat loss. Of course we’ve been told that fiber will help fight against heart disease, cholesterol, diabetes and colon cancer, but there is much more to fiber than meets the eye. Here are a few ways that fiber can help you to your fat loss goals.

Fiber controls appetite. Insoluble fibers do not dissolve in water and absorb large amounts of water while traveling through your digestive tract. It tends to add bulk and will give you a full feeling of satiety. This will assist you in consuming less calories overall.

Research shows that fiber lowers estrogen levels, which in men is tremendously important in preventing prostate cancer. But estrogen also causes the body to store more fat. This is why women tend to carry more body fat than men. Men also have estrogen within the body and it can be lowered by increasing the amount of fiber in the daily diet.

Fiber has been shown to improve protein absorption by slowing the rate of protein moving through the body and allowing your body a longer period of time to digest and absorb it.

Insulin is a major factor if fat loss or fat storage. By slowing the process of sugar absorption, the release of insulin into the bloodstream is also slowed. Insulin contributes to the storage of excess body fat so the lower the insulin spike is the better off your body fat will be.

If you’re not consuming fiber then it’s time to get on it. The average person consumes well below a suitable level of fiber per day. There are no specific guidelines but research has shown that 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day is a good level. Unfortunately, most people are consuming less than 15 grams per day of fiber.

Now don’t run out and jump to 30 grams immediately. Take your time and work your way up. Increasing fiber immediately can have adverse reactions like gas, irritable bowels, bloating, etc. Increase slowly and give your body time to adjust.

Also be sure to divide your fiber intake throughout your meals. If you are on a 5 to 6 meal a day plan which includes snacks, try to get 5 to 6 grams of fiber with each.

Make sure to get both types of fiber, insoluble and soluble. To decrease body fat insoluble fiber is recommended. Whole grain cereals and apples are a good choice. Psyillium Husk can also be an excellent source of insoluble fiber.

Like I have said in many of my previous articles, fat loss doesn’t happen overnight. For fat loss you will need a bit of patience. Don’t set your expectations too high. Give it a few months before you start to see the long term external benefits of fiber, but realize that from day one you have started the cleanup process from the inside.

By Rich Thurman, B.Sc., MA, CSCS, CPT.

Rich is the Fitness Development Manager and a Fitness Coach at Fitcorp Asia. Thailand's leading personal training, sports performance and corporate wellness organization. With a Bachelors degree in Physiological Science from UCLA a Masters in Sports Management from The University of San Francisco, Rich has over 10 years of experience in Fitness, Sports Performance, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation. Rich and other coaches from Fitcorp Asia can be contacted via email at info@fitcorpasia.com.

Black: The New Color of Nutrition

When we consume food, we rarely take into account the colors of the food product and how the variety in color translates into a variety of health benefits. We have been encouraged for years to consume a colorful variety of food in order to insure consumption of a wide range of vitamins and minerals. So what about black colored foods?

Black colored foods have been around for centuries and research is now showing a tremendous benefit from foods such as Black Beans, Black Rice, Black Vinegar, etc.
Here are a few examples of black foods and their benefits…

Black Vinegar is produced in Japan from rice. Studies show that the acetic acid in black vinegar may help improve blood circulation, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Black beans are rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins, which may have healthy benefits to eyesight, the nervous system and protection of blood vessels. Most legumes are rich in fiber and will help the body regulate blood sugar. When rice and beans are combined they create a nearly complete protein with virtually no fat and no cholesterol.

Black sesame seeds are high in calcium, protein, iron, and magnesium. They not only are a good source of essential fatty acids and aid in blocking cholesterol production.

Unlike white rice, black rice, which is used to make black vinegar, is rich in anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. Black rice also contains more vitamin B, niacin, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc than white rice.

These are just a few of a list of many. Not mentioned were Blackberries, Black Soybeans and many more. So next time you are in your local grocer, consider going black and with the obvious health benefits, you’re sure to never go back to a life without these great foods.

By Rich Thurman, B.Sc., MA, CSCS, CPT.

Rich is the Fitness Development Manager and a Fitness Coach at Fitcorp Asia, Thailand's leading personal training, sports performance and corporate wellness organization. With a Bachelors degree in Physiological Science from UCLA and a Masters in Sports Management from The University of San Francisco, Rich has over 10 years of experience in Fitness, Sports Performance, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation. Rich and other coaches from Fitcorp Asia can be contacted via email at info@fitcorpasia.com.

5 Simple Ways to Burn More Fat NOW!

1. Nutrition
Your nutrition is going to be the number one step for burning more body fat and getting the fat loss you desire! We as Personal Trainers can’t stress this enough; eating regular meals is important in keeping the body’s metabolism revved. Starving is not the answer because it puts the body in a protective state where it will naturally begin to store fat. By eating small frequent meals every 2 to 3 hours you can prevent the body from doing this and give your body a metabolic boost. Remember the word Breakfast means to Break Fast so start with a nice healthy breakfast full of protein and fiber. At Fitcorp Asia we give every client a food map that gives guidelines and direction for your successful path.

2. Get More Active
Get your bodies moving! When you sit you burn more calories than lying; when you stand you burn more calories than sitting; walking burns more than sitting and running more than walking. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk instead of taking a motorbike. These are simple alternatives that will result in higher calorie expenditure per day and an overall loss of excess fat.

It’s a good habit to start your exercise regime in the morning before the excuses begin to pile on over the course of the day.



3. Resistance Training
At Fitcorp Asia we stress resistance training is essential to burning more body fat. Your muscles are the furnace for fat molecules. When your body releases fat into the blood stream it is shuttled to the muscle and used for energy. The more muscle or lean mass the body has, the more fuel is necessary for activity.

For building muscle it is important to stimulate and challenge the muscle fibers. Typically your weight training should be done before any cardio training and before your glycogen stores have been depleted. In this way the body works in an anaerobic realm and is able to bear the heavier loads necessary for muscle gain.

4. Cardio Training


It usually takes the body about 15 minutes of activity before it begins to burn fat. For this reason, it is a good idea to start your cardio training with either a dynamic exercise routine/warm up or do 15 minutes of interval style weight training before your cardio. Unfortunately for all of us adipose or fat is the last energy source that your body reaches for. High intensity training is usually most affective, mixing both anaerobic (load bearing) and aerobic intervals. The load bearing portions will discourage the body from using muscle as a fuel source as it is necessary for the work and the aerobic phase will continue the process of energy consumption. Over time watch the fat melt away.

5. Variation
Finally, you must provide your body with variation. Your body quickly adapts to the stimulus provided to it and will find ways to slow down or stop the use of fat as the predominant source of energy. Remember that fat is a means of storage for a rainy day so your body does not want to relinquish its reserves if at all possible. Constantly varying your weight training routine intensities by increasing loads, varying repetitions and mixing up your cardio workouts to include variations of intervals (fast, slow and the duration of the intervals) will result in significant amounts of fat loss.

By Rich Thurman, B.Sc., MA, CSCS, CPT.

Rich is the Fitness Development Manager and a Fitness Coach at Fitcorp Asia, Thailand's leading personal training, sports performance and corporate wellness organization. With a Bachelors degree in Physiological Science from UCLA and a Masters in Sports Management from The University of San Francisco, Rich has over 10 years of experience in Fitness, Sports Performance, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation. Rich and other coaches from Fitcorp Asia can be contacted via email at info@fitcorpasia.com.

Jacob's Energy Tips

What’s new!?

Once you stop trying new things, you tend to lack stimulation and that will drive you low on motivation and energy – you might even start feeling old..!
Even though you might not want to; try spicing up your everyday routine with some fresh input. You will be surprised by the energy boost it can give you. Just start on a small scale. Walking instead of driving or squatting to pick that pencil up instead of bending are just a couple things you can do differently. Not only will you burn a few more calories but your back will appreciate the squat over the back bend. What do you have to lose!? Give it go!


Get physical!

Think its hard getting into shape? Getting healthy and raising your energy level takes more than simply exercising 2-3 times a week. You need to make it your lifestyle. Implement it wherever you can in your life and change will come a lot faster.
Look at these simple alternatives you have around you -

USE INSTEAD OF
- stairs - elevators
- front walk - taxis
- parks - sofa
- portions - buffets
- water - soda



Keep your metabolic rate moving
Keep your organs working optimally by make sure you get sufficient nutritional foods.
If your are feeling weak and low on energy it is because you are not eating enough or because you are not eating within all the recommended food groups:
- fruits
- vegetable
- rice (brown rice preferably)
- leguminous fruits
- oils
- fish
- herbs
- fluids
The more effectively your organs can function, the better digestion and detoxification they can perform.


Make “My time”

Put down a time (in your calendar) where it is all about you. Make sure that you are using it for a purpose that primarily serves you and adds to your well-being. Exercise, go to the spa, meditate; go for a brisk walk. It’s really up to you. What matters is that you devote all of your attention to it and benefit from it.


Sugar makes you sour!

Ever noticed how some people get lazy and grumpy a little while after they had their coke in the afternoon or if they skipped their dessert? People with sugar addictions can get large irregular energy boosts and when that energy drops they can become moody. Avoid becoming like that and start taking the sugar out of your diet. Use nature’s sweeteners such as honey & fruits to help you ease out of it your addiction.

New Boot Camps at Bangna!!

Fitcorp Asia Fitness boot Camps continue to be the most sought after outdoor fitness experience. With new locations in Nichada and Benjasari, Bangna will be added to list in early 2009!

Testament to the success of the programs in delivering effective, fun and result driven fitness and fat loss programs.

Bangkok Boot Camp is rocking the City! Allowing all our clients to train like athletes, regardless of their initial level of fitness, age or gender.

The Boot Cmap programs are based on the latest cutting edge research, interval training, strength, speed, agility and core conditioning exercises designed to get the the body to respond fast, super charge the metabiolism and get in great shape in the least amount of time possible.

So if you want to sign up for any of our Boot Camp programs, take advantage of the 10% Discount for 3, 6 and 12 month programs, but only until December 31st, 2008. No exceptions! Make sure you contact us today!!