Tone and Tighten-Week Two

Step One: Diet

This week we want to focus on where your calories are coming from! It is not enough to cut down on calories if they are coming from bad sources. Too often, the problem is distribution; Too many calories from one source (usually carbohydrates or fat) and not enough from another (generally protein). It is very important to have adequate distribution for proper fat-loss. A general recommendation for someone who is healthy and exercising regularly is:

• 45%-Carbohydrates
• 35%-Protein
• 20%-Fat

In order to determine how many calories you need, generally speaking, multiply your weight by 10 (150 pounds times 10=1500 calories) then for each decade past 20-years-old take of 2%. That is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): the number of calories it takes to support your current body function to live. Now we need to adjust for activity and ‘life.’ You will want to determine which of the following groups you fit into and multiply your BMR by the affiliated percentage.

• Sedentary (sitting most of the day, with very little physical activity)—20% or 0.20
• Light activity (walking around campus, basic cleaning, cooking, walking the dog)—30% or 0.30
• Moderate activity (heavy housework, gardening, spend most of day on your feet)—40% or 0.40
• Very active (prolonged physical sports, regular training, outdoor work, manual labor)—50% or 0.50

Once you multiply the two numbers add them together and multiply that number by 1.10. This will add the appropriate number of calories needed for digestion. Now you have your base caloric number.

In order to lose weight (fat), you will need to eat UNDER your base number. Not drastically though. A pound is equal to 3,500 calories. So you will need to be burning more calories than your base need. A good place to start is to eat 200-300 calories less than your base and burn, through exercise, 200-300 calories each day. You don’t want to go too much into a deficit or your body will start to break down and burn muscle instead of fat.

Starting now, begin cutting out all manufactured foods. Swap out breads for potatoes or rice. If there are ingredients that you can’t pronounce or understand on the label, it is time to go!

You don’t need to be a chef or spend hours in the kitchen to eat healthy and lose weight.

Step Two: Exercise

This week we want to start getting into a schedule. Pick 4-5 days each week to commit an hour to the gym (rather building/home/outdoors). During this hour, make sure you are not socializing. A good way to keep conversation down is to keep moving (and wear earphones)! Leave your phone out of reach/ear shot. Focus on making each minute count. You have 60 of them to change your life each day out of 1440 minutes. Your time is precious, don’t waste it!

Step Three: Supplements

Last week we talked about supplementing your diet to get the needed vitamins and minerals. This week let’s focus on a protein supplement to help you get the 35% you need.

BSN Lean Dessert: Contains a Sustained Release Multi-Functional Micellar Protein Matrix which provides a precision release of quick and slow digesting proteins designed to encourage rapid muscle nitrogen retention followed by a controlled anabolic release of amino acids for up to 7 hours! This specially formulated matrix contains the 6 most complete and effective protein sources available for enhancing lean muscle tissue!

VPX Zero Carb Protein: The most consistent and effective way to lose weight and unwanted body fat is by consuming high quality protein with limited carbohydrate/fat diet. VPX offers a great tasting product that includes an exclusive engineered protein derived from Cross-Flow Quadrafiltration (CFQ) called ZERO PROTEIN – the highest biological value, fat and carbohydrate-free, pure whey protein isolate.

American Whey: The ion-exchanged whey protein in this product is the most bio-available for your body. This means your body can utilize the supplementation of American Whey better than other types of protein. American Whey is also low in calories, tastes great, and mixes easily in juice, milk, or water. American Whey is also lactose free with no added sodium.

We all have full days as it is and many do not have the luxury to hit the gym for twice-a-days. And, let’s face it, if we did have the time, that’s not how we would want to spend it. Let SupplementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition take some of the guess work out and help you make this summer different!

Why I Tan

Not only does it give me 10-20 minutes without being able to be reached by ANYONE, but it offers some benefits that I love. There are tons of advocates against tanning (whom I am sure live flawless lives), and they have their points, but I have mine.

I do not spend a lot of time in the natural sun. But, when I do, I wear sunscreen. I use tanning beds sparingly and maximize my benefit from them with the use of top quality tanning products.

I like having the control over the time of exposure. Using tanning products lets me achieve the look I want, sun-kissed, without spending lots of time and money in tanning beds.

Right now, I love No Worries by Australian Gold. The reason is because it offers me the bronzing formula I desire for the deepest color with StayFresh technology that keeps my skin smelling fresh. All to say, now it doesn’t matter where I go when I am done, my tan looks great and I don’t have to worry about smelling like a tanning bed!

Making Gains-Week One

Summer is just around the corner. We have just enough time to tighten up and get noticed…for all the right reasons. Too often, we wait until vacation is too close to make a change. Starting now, with a little effort, we can make a difference and enjoy summer more.

SupplementsToGo.com and WorldClassNutrition.com has decided to offer two goal-specific program guides in addition to the best supplements on the market! The first will be a fat-loss, “Tone and Tighten” and the second will revolve around gaining lean mass, “Making Gains.” Each will offer ten weeks of guidance in the kitchen and the gym and will offer specific product suggestions to help you maximize your results.

“Making Gains”

Week One

Step One: Diet
We aren’t talking about starving yourself or keeping all your favorites in hiding. This week, start by cutting your alcohol and fast food intake in half. Drastically changing your life style is not reasonable and is quite a shock on the body. Cutting your intake in half is a big step and makes you feel like you aren’t being deprived.

A good balance between protein, carbohydrates and fats is a must! Along with low fat proteins (i.e. chicken breasts, lean beef, egg whites, powders), whole grains (i.e. oatmeal, potatoes, rice), healthy fats (i.e. nuts, olive oil, MTC oil, Omega’s) you will want to incorporate more veggies, the good ones (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, dark green leafs, green beans and asparagus).

Begin to remove processed foods and replace with healthy versions. There are many grocery stores that offer “pre-made” meals using fresh veggies, lean meats and whole grains. The excuses are gone!!

Over the next two months, we will decrease alcohol and fast food intake until it is down to “rarely” (no more than 1 meal/week). SupplementsToGo.com and WorldClassNutrition.com will teach you how to change your nutrition to make gains and offer recipe ideas.

Step Two: Exercise
Making Gains is all about putting in time in the gym. Hitting the weights and taxing the muscles.

This week, if you aren’t already, get into the gym! Rather you are just beginning or have been in the gym for years, there are things you can do to step up your routine and make gains.

Start by writing down where you are at now…track your progress so you can ensure you are making gains. If you aren’t, you can change up things to create success. A little note pad will do. Put the date on each entry along with the major lifts. You don’t have to write them all down. Be as specific as you desire, knowing the more you write, the better you will be able to compare later.

You will want to split up your workouts. Skip the full body workouts and get into the habit of having a chest/bicep, leg, back/tricep, and shoulder day (if you are on a 4-day split) or if you are on a 5-day split, give arms their own day!

Step Three: Supplements
It is hard to get in all the necessary nutrients from food, and sometimes we need something ‘easy’ to help get in the right nutrition, at the right time. We will offer weekly recommendations to help you along your way in your transformation.

This week make sure you are getting in all your nutrient needs. Here are some of the basics:
Multi-Vitamin: Animal Pak Vitamin Pack
Why you need it--the body has a hard time getting all the nutrients it need from food. Taking this a multi will help your body work and recover more efficiently from your time in the gym.
CLA: Primaforce Max CLA
Why you need it—CLA is a vital natural acid that has been proven over and over to help reduce body fat when taken daily.
Fish Oil: EFA Gold
Why you need it—Fish Oil or essential fatty acids are important in the bodies ability to consistently use nutrients for specific processes and help utilize more of your food intake (meaning less fat is stored). They are also great for hair, skin, nails and eyes.

We all have full days as it is and many do not have the luxury to hit the gym for twice-a-days. And, let’s face it, if we did have the time, that’s not how we would want to spend it. Let SupplementsToGo.com and WorldClassNutrition.com take some of the guess work out and help you make this summer different!

Summer Body Guide

Summer is just around the corner. We have just enough time to tighten up and get noticed…for all the right reasons. Too often, we wait until vacation is too close to make a change. Starting now, with a little effort, we can make a difference and enjoy summer more.

SupplementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition has decided to offer two goal-specific program guides in addition to the best supplements on the market! The first will be a fat-loss, “Tone and Tighten” and the second will revolve around gaining lean mass, “Making Gains.” Each will offer ten weeks of guidance in the kitchen and the gym and will offer specific product suggestions to help you maximize your results.

“Tone and Tighten”
Week One

Step One: Diet

We aren’t talking about starving yourself or keeping all your favorites in hiding. This week, start by cutting your alcohol and fast food intake in half. Drastically changing your life style is not reasonable and is quite a shock on the body. Cutting your intake in half is a big step and makes you feel like you aren’t being deprived.

Incorporate more veggies, the good ones (broccoli, cauliflower, dark green leafs, green beans and asparagus are great ones).

Begin to remove processed foods and replace with healthy versions. There are many grocery stores that offer “pre-made” meals using fresh veggies, lean meats and whole grains. The excuses are gone!!

Over the next two months, we will decrease alcohol and fast food intake until it is down to “rarely” (no more than 1 meal/week). SuppementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition will teach you how to change your nutrition to make gains and offer recipe ideas.

Step Two: Exercise

Pick your favorite and get moving! If you like running, run. Just change it up (sprints, long distance, hills, and stairs). If the weights are more your style, hit them. Shorten your time between exercises to up the cardio effect and add some plyometrics (fast movement and jumping movements, jump squats, push-off push-ups, ect.). This week, make sure to put in 3-5 days/week for 30-60 min.

If you haven’t been getting in touch with your inner workout lately, we’ll have to ease in a bit…don’t jump the start gate the first week. You don’t want to ‘burn out’ or get hurt. This week try (if you have a gym membership) taking 2-3 group classes to get you back in the swing of things.

Some gyms offer an introductory training session to ‘introduce’ you to the gym’s equipment. You don’t have to give in to the sales pitch (unless you want more sessions), just tell them up front you are just looking to get some instruction on how to use the equipment.

If the gym isn’t your cup-of-tea, get outside (if weather permits) and start jogging or walking. Either way, change up the pace, go hard for 30-60 seconds and ease up for 1-2 min and repeat for about 30 minutes. Incorporate some body movements like lunges, squats, pushups and crunches. You can pick up some bands and dumbbells to increase the difficulty. Save some money by hitting the gym consignment shops, it may not be shiny but it will do the job.

Step Three: Supplements

Today, it is hard to get in all the necessary nutrients from food, and sometimes we need something ‘easy’ to help get in the right nutrition at the right time. We will offer weekly recommendations to help you along your way in your transformation.

This week, make sure you are getting in all your nutrient needs. Here are some of the basics:

Multi-Vitamin: Optimum Nutrition Opti-Women
Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men

Why you need it--the body has a hard time getting all the nutrients it need from food. Taking a multi will help your body work and recover more efficiently.

CLA: Primaforce Max CLA

Why you need it—CLA is a vital natural acid that has been proven over and over to help reduce body fat when taken daily.

Fish Oil: EFA Gold

Why you need it—Fish Oil or essential fatty acids are important in the bodies ability to consistently use nutrients for specific processes and help utilize more of your food intake (meaning less fat is stored). They are also great for hair, skin, nails and eyes.

We all have full days as it is and many do not have the luxury to hit the gym for twice-a-days. And, let’s face it, if we did have the time, that’s not how we would want to spend it. Let SupplementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition take some of the guess work out and help you make this summer different!

The Muscle Eating Pac-Man

Alcohol has long been recognized as “non-diet friendly.” Terms like “beer-belly” have been coined to reflect the outward effects of drinking. But what you may not know is the damage it does inside. I’m not talking liver or health, although those are important; I want to expose the muscle damaging properties.

Alcohol is a toxin, a muscle sabotaging toxin, and your body can not use it for any function. Every other calorie, rather from fat, carbohydrates or proteins, can be used for something in the body. When the body has enough from each of the three primary sources of calories, then the calories are stored as fat in the body. Alcohol’s calorie content (7 calories per gram) is “empty” in that no calorie can be used to maintain body tissue or function and because of that, every calorie from alcohol must be “burned off,” where as only the excess calories of the other three have to be “burned off.” Alcohol has also been proven to slow down the body’s metabolism (ability to “burn” existing fat).

Alcohol is particularly bad when you are in-training mode because it slows down protein synthesis, by about 20%. Protein synthesis is when the body combines amino acids to form complete protein chains…EVERY protein chain has to have EVERY amino acid before the body can use it in building and maintaining muscles. When you are already killing it in the gym trying to gain precious muscle you don’t need anything else slowing down the building process. And, when you finally get the muscle mass you desire, you certainly don’t need anything undoing your masterpiece.

If there is not enough protein synthesis to maintain the muscle you have or are training to build then the body will break down the muscle it can not support, or not repair the muscle you just destroyed in the gym. That’s right, just like little Pac-Mans running around eating up the good stuff and undoing all that work.

As if that isn’t enough, Alcohol lowers testosterone and increases estrogen. This should be a no brainer and eye-opener, but let’s elaborate anyway. Testosterone is the single MOST important hormone needed to build muscle. This is why men have an easier time then women developing muscle. The amount of muscle a person can gain is directly related to their level of free-flowing testosterone.

Drinking alcohol=Lowering free-flowing testosterone
Lowering free-flowing testosterone=Lower ability to gain muscle
Lower ability to gain muscle=Wasted gym time

Depletion of water and important vitamins and minerals associated with alcohol consumption doesn’t help either. Muscle tissue is approximately 70% water, taking away such a vital part throws everything off balance. Like wise, vitamins and minerals are important to keep cells healthy and the body functioning properly (including building muscle).

Bottom line, every drink you have puts your goals a little further away from being reached.

LeslieRae Newton, IFBB Pro and fitness expert, has joined SupplementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition to offer even more knowledge and expertise. LeslieRae has been a top fitness trainer for ten years creating specialized training programs and offering detailed guidance through supplemental and nutritional decisions. She has worked with top athletes in the fitness industry as well as individuals seeking better all-around health.

Teamed with SupplementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition, she will assist in providing advice and answers to aid in individual fitness goals ranging from weight loss to weight gain.

SupplementsToGo.com and World Class Nutrition offer top nutritional supplements at discount prices to meet all of your nutritional needs.