Boxing for a Better Body

Boxing is my favorite sport and it offers great cardio to help you lose weight and develop a great body including 6 pack abs. Relieve stress and eliminate unwanted body fat with these boxing-inspired moves from Crunch NYC instructor Christy Nacinovich. (These exercises are based on her new Sucker Punch Class.)

For a maximum workout from head to toe, pick a move for the arms and shoulders, a move for the abs and back, and a move for the legs and butt, then perform two sets of each move three to four times per week. 

Arms & Shoulders: Back Fist

Start off with your knees bent slightly, feet in fighter’s stance (put your left foot forward), elbows bent; bring right foot near face. Twist at waist to the right, bringing left fist to the right and down, straightening left arm. 

Keeping arm straight, rotate upper body to left while swinging left arm back beyond left side of body. Do 10 reps, keeping arm straight and long- think of it as a steel bar locked in place. Switch   sides and repeat; do two sets.

Arms & Shoulders: Pike Push Up

Start this workout in the push up position with your hands in a wide diamond (fingers pointing toward each other). 

Bend your waist, lifting hips up and coming onto toes, (walk them in a bit if necessary) so body forms an upside-down “V”. Bend elbows to lower head towards hands.

Press your back up; perform 10 reps.

Abs & Back; Knee Strike

Stand with your knees slightly bent, feet in fighter’s position (left foot forward). Raise your arms up and left as if you are grabbing something.

Engage core muscles and pull hands down as you bend your right knee and lift up to meet them. Resume to previous position, tapping right toes to the floor. Perform ten reps then switch sides and repeat.

Abs & Back: Sit Up and Punch

Lie flat down with knees bent, feet on floor, fists up. Engage core and round up slowly; at top, jab right arm out, retract, jab left. Roll back down.

Perform 10 reps (each side) each of jabs, upper cuts (punching up), and hooks (punching around the sides).

Legs & Butt: Back Kick

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, fists up. Lift left foot, bend knee, and lift thigh parallel to floor; look over left shoulder. Hinge forward, kicking leg left straight back. Return to original position. 

Perform 10 reps; repeat on opposite side.

Legs & Butt: Crescent Kick

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, fists up. Twist at waist, lifting left leg to point toes to the right. Kick up and over toward the left in a half-moon shape. 

Lower left leg to tap left toes, then raise it again and kick it up and over to the right; that is 1 rep. Perform 10 reps, then switch sides and repeat. For a better challenge, do kicks over the back of a chair.

These are some great boxing exercises you can do 3-4 times per week for at least 30 minutes a day to stay in shape. You will also learn some new fighting techniques to defend yourself and that amazing body that people are jealous of. Along with these awesome exercises, make sure you eat a balanced diet every day for maximum results and long term weight loss benefits. I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and make weight loss a top priority this year!

Source: Jay Sullivan, http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20542504,00.html

Lose Belly Fat Forever!

Losing belly fat naturally is something that everyone desires but just don’t know how to because of all the hype and influential infomercials that promise you instant results. Although stomach fat is the most difficult body fat to lose, it is not impossible to lose it permanently and get six pack abs. The great news is that you don’t have to starve yourself, take countless supplements, and undergo dangerous surgery or do millions of sit-ups. Here are some natural but surefire ways to lose that belly fat once and for all. 

Weight Training

Weight lifting will help boost fat loss, build muscle and prevent muscle loss. Performing resistance training exercises that focus on large muscle groups will burn the most calories. 

Eat More Calories

Not eating enough calories will slow down your body’s metabolism and you will retain more fat than if you were to eat the right amount of calories. Eating too few calories will also cause you to lose muscle, not fat, for energy, making you skinny and fat. Always remember that calories are energy and not eating enough will reduce your energy stores, which means having a hard time getting through the day or getting a good workout in. 

Do Cardio and Stop Doing Crunches

Performing 15 to 45 minutes of physical activity or intense cardio workouts three times a week will help you decrease overall body fat and burn more calories. Doing tons of crunches or other types of ab exercises will build abdominal muscles, but it won’t help burn belly fat. Sadly, you can’t reduce the amount of fat in one particular area of your body. You have to lose fat overall through you whole body to reduce your waistline through cardio. 

Eat Healthy

Working out hard will strengthen your abs, but if you don’t eat right, you will always have a layer of belly fat on top of those muscles. Eliminate processed foods from your diet plan and start eating whole foods such as protein, veggies, fruits, healthy fats and carbs. Make sure you eat breakfast each morning and eat small meals every three hours to keep your metabolism going. It’s helpful to eat carbs right after your workouts and drink two cups of water with every meal. 

Eat More Protein

Your body burns off more energy processing proteins than it does processing carbs or fat. If you wish to burn fat you must take in protein. You should always get your protein from a quality source such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cottage cheese and whey protein; not a burger from McDonalds or a sausage pizza from Pizza Hut. 

Self-Motivation

Developing a clear-cut plan and tracking your weight loss progress is about the best way to stay motivated. I understand it can be difficult when you don’t see drastic results right away but success doesn’t happen overnight. You must stay dedicated and work hard each day to achieve great results. You can start off by jogging or walking with a partner and making small changes to your diet. Make sure you track your body measurements and check the scales to see if your plan is effective. Since boxing is my favorite sport and provides me with a great workout I get the best of both worlds. Find a cardio activity you love to do and have fun while doing it to stay motivated. It may take some time to get the results you desire but the outcome will be permanent if you continue to work at it and stay committed. Start today on your belly fat loss efforts and gain the six pack abs you always dreamed of!

Source: http://blogs.phillymag.com/bewellphilly/2012/11/09/gimmicks-10-steps-losing-belly-fat-good/

Lose Belly Fat With Vaccines

Belly fat is the most difficult fat to get rid of and causes serious health issues but researchers discovered a new injection that may help humans reduce stomach fat. 

We are all aware that obesity is a growing issue in the United States and many individuals are searching endlessly for quick solutions to lose weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that 42 percent of Americans will be obese by 2030. The bad part about this is that most people carry the fat in their abdomen area which studies have shown to be the most dangerous. Many Americans think they can do sit ups or crunches to lose stomach fat but you will only harden the muscles under the fat. You must do cardiovascular exercises such as running or jogging to lose weight all over then do ab workouts. 

Researchers at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center are finding out that injecting a small capsule of heat generating cells in the bellies of mice helped them turn their white or bad fat, which stores fat in the body, into brown fat. Brown fat is good because it speeds up the metabolism, which led the mice to eventually lose about 20% of belly fat after 80 days of treatment. Ouliana Ziouzenkova with Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, says “We call it thermagenic fat”.

The mice did gain some weight back overtime but it wasn’t dramatic. Researchers also found that the vaccine caused a decrease in visceral fat, the fat around the organs, which was very important. 

If the injections are created for humans, it will not be used as a weight loss device just yet. Instead it will be used for individuals that are not capable of exercising, for instance, elderly people or individuals who are handicapped. However, for the ones who are not physically impaired, diet and exercise is the only way to lose weight and reduce belly fat successfully. You can’t just exercise one day then stop all of a sudden. You have to stayed dedicated and work at it until it becomes a routine. If it’s hard to stay motivated you can find a partner to work out with you and join you in your diet plans and workouts. You can start small by making small changes to you calorie intake and walking if you don't have much energy or time to join a gym. Start your healthy habits today and become a healthier person for the future.

Source: Today’s THV

Lose Weight Year Round - Reduce Belly Fat

Lose Belly Fat

Lose Belly Fat With These Summer Drinks

Summertime is approaching and it’s time to lose belly fat and get a flat stomach to look fit for the beach. There is nothing more fulfilling than cooling off with a nice drink that will help you lose pounds of belly fat and quench your thirst at the same time. Try out these belly fat blasting drinks this summer combined with exercise to get those 6 pack abs today. 

Green Tea

Green tea contains catechins which are antioxidants that are proven to help reduce belly fat. Drinking green tea before a workout can help you burn fat faster during aerobic exercise such as jogging. 

Belly Fat Drink – Peppermint Tea

This tea is very refreshing and an excellent belly fat eliminator. Peppermint assists the stomach in processing fat, ensuring even high fat foods like steaks and burgers are digested quickly, which helps prevent bloat. 

Dark Chocolate Shake

Dark chocolate can help you lose weight because it suppresses your appetite and lessens food cravings overall. You can have one of these for breakfast to control your appetite for hours. 

Watermelon Smoothie

Smoothies that are sugar free plus a great way to stay hydrated and stay healthy at the same time. Watermelon is a great choice because it’s low in calories. According to the Journal of Nutrition, watermelon contains arginine, which can decrease body fat and increase lean muscle mass. 

Pineapple Frappe

This delicious pineapple drink tastes like paradise in a glass and includes two belly fat fighting ingredients. One tablespoon of flaxseed oil adds monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), proven belly fat blasters, and pineapple itself contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps break down protein, banish bloat, and ease digestion. 

Although these drinks will help you lose belly fat and encourage weight loss, you should always exercise daily and follow a healthy diet plan for best results. Supplements are only temporary and you still have to include diet and physical activity to keep the weight off. If you are new to weight loss you should consult with your physician first to make sure you are healthy to start a new diet and exercise routine. 

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