Cut Back on Those Cocktails to Lose Weight

Did you know that when women have a night out, they usually prefer to drink their calories instead of eat them? Well, it is true. Most of us do not think or realize that just because something comes in liquid form, it still affects our caloric intake and therefore, our weight loss goals. Many cocktails are loaded down with sugars and syrups that will also add many more unseen calories to your daily intake. It is easy to overindulge in our cocktails when we are having fun and not thinking about the effect they could pose on our weight loss results.

Overindulging

It is easy to overindulge when you are drinking. Alcohol causes our brain to release a chemical known as dopamine. This chemical helps us to lower our inhibitions, as many of us may have noticed while we are drinking. With lower inhibitions comes higher susceptibility to overindulging in those high in fat and deep fried bar foods. You know the late night feeling when drinking does not seem to satisfy your hunger, so you mindlessly start shoveling in nachos, wings, chili cheese fries or whatever is within reaching distance. The worst part is that most bars do not offer healthy options, and they do not follow proper portion sizes. So, not only do you eat more than you normally would or should, you are eating foods high in fat and calories, which can be catastrophic to your weight loss goals.

Affects your metabolism

Alcoholic drinks can cause problems with the way you burn fat and calories. Your liver is actually in charge of the way you burn fat, and we all know the ill effects alcohol can have on your liver. Your liver metabolizes the fat in your body in order for you to use it as energy, but when you drink your liver instead begins to shift from burning your fat stores to burning only the excess calories you are consuming from your cocktails. Since you are not burning your body fat for energy, you will inadvertently be hindering your weight loss efforts, and it could also lead to a buildup of fatty acids in your body. This will result in a double whammy to your weight loss routine and may lead you down the path of quitting your weight loss routine altogether.

Cutting back on your cocktails, no matter how tasty or low calorie you think they may be, is essential to achieving your weight loss goals. You may be one of the ones that trick yourself into thinking these calories won’t add up because they are liquid. Well, believe me this is not true. So, the next time you go out try to be aware of all the calories you may be consuming from this cocktail and try to opt for smarter and healthier choices just as you would for your meals.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/cut-back-on-those-cocktails-to-lose-weight/

4 Fitness Newbie Mistakes to Avoid

It can happen to any of us. We have been away from the gym or out of the fitness loop for a while, and then we decide we might need to get back on track and re-enter the fitness world. It can be intimidating to return to a scene that has changed so much from the last time we visited. What should we do? First of all you should feel proud that you had the courage to get back into shape and give yourself a pat on the back for trying to improve your lifestyle and health. However, there are some things you need to be aware of to help you get safely back into the swing of things.

1. Do not overdo it. You may think that you have to make up for lost time by pushing yourself too hard too fast, but this could be catastrophic to your new fitness routine. As a fitness newbie or someone practicing a new routine, it can be difficult to tell when you are pushing yourself too far, too soon. You need to remember to start out slow and steady, just enough to test your limits the first few weeks. You should not try to set any personal records or compete with others at your gym, just yet. You do not want to become too sore to continue your workout routine or cause yourself to get injured. This could result in many of us quitting our routine or taking another prolonged break.
2. Not exercising enough. You need to have a consistent and regular fitness routine to get the best results for your body. You should workout at least three days a week for about thirty minutes a day to help get your mind and body refocused on your exercise routine. If you are looking to lose weight and get back in shape, you have to workout regularly. If you exercise once every two weeks or so, you are not really doing your body that much good, and your results will be minimal. So, you need to put yourself out there and stick to your fitness plan to achieve the results you want.
3. Not eating properly for your workouts. You need to eat properly before and after your workouts. Your body needs energy to be able to push yourself through your workout, and food is the main way we get this energy. The best pre-workout snacks are proteins and carbs, and you should try to avoid anything with too much fiber. After your workout, your body needs even more energy to recover. Again, protein and carbs are a good way to go. Many athletes choose to go with a protein shake or a smoothie of some sort. It is up to you, but you need to remember to avoid eating anything too sugary or anything loaded in fat or calories because you will only end up undoing all of your hard work. Also, remember it is just a snack not a buffet. You do not want to overdo it.
4. Revisiting your old habits. You need to consider what caused you to be on a break from your fitness routine in the first place and make sure not to revisit these old habits once again. If your break was caused by boredom or lack of interest, you may need to look into ways you can spice up your routine. You may need to find something that can get you excited and looking forward to your fitness routine. If you couldn’t find the time, look at your schedule and plan a time to workout that you make yourself stick to no matter what. Whatever excuses you were using, you need to find ways to overcome them. Anything that you can do, do it. You need to find ways that will ensure you stick to your routine and help us avoid taking another unexpected break.

There are many excuses and reasons we can conveniently find to help us rationalize taking a break from our fitness routines; however, it is up to us to look for ways to overcome these excuses and reasons. We need to do what is best for our health and do whatever we can to stay active. We need to stop using these convenient excuses and reasons for quitting our exercise routines and stay on track to becoming a fitter and healthier you.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/4-fitness-newbie-mistakes-to-avoid/

Which Hottest Fitness Concept is the Best Fit for You

Fitness trends are known to change at the drop of the hat. What is all the craze today may be old news tomorrow. We may find ourselves wondering what we should try next and if it will truly work for us. There are so many options out there that it can be confusing to choose the right one. Some may not be our style, may be too difficult or extreme for us and others may just be an injury or accident waiting to happen. We have to be careful when deciding on what fitness routine we want to start next, so we have decided to make it a little bit easier for you by taking a look at some of the hottest fitness concepts out there today.

CrossFit

This is an extremely intense form of fitness and should be approached with caution. CrossFit is a combination of Olympic weightlifting, boot camp style exercises and some gymnastics. You are meant to do as much physical activity as you can in a short amount of time. Please remember that when you do a high amount of intense exercise that it can be dangerous. It is recommended that if you do not have much fitness experience and are not use to the high intensity involved in cross fit that you may want to opt for something else. There have been many injuries associated with CrossFit, such as fainting, strained or sprained muscles, tendonitis and ligament injuries. If you do try CrossFit remember to ease into it and try to calm down the intensity in the beginning.

Hot yoga

Hot yoga is the newest twist to yoga routines. Some people like to add some heat to their yoga. They do yoga indoors and turn up the temperature. Some even go as high as 101 degrees. They believe the higher heat will help them stretch further and achieve the best pose or posture; however, working out in this much heat can be risky. You have too be careful of dehydration and heat stroke. You may also stretch too far and cause an injury to yourself. It would be best to start with a normal yoga class that is taught by an experienced teacher. You will know the positions better and be more aware of your limits before you try working out in extreme heat.

Spiderbands and aerial suspension

Spiderbands is a new fitness concept that emerged in New York and New Jersey. It is a type of aerial suspension. You actually leverage your entire body weight through a cardio and toning class using different apparatuses, such as bands, straps, ropes and even hammocks that are hanging from the ceiling. It sounds like fun, right? You just have to be careful. Even the most experienced aerialist can have an accident. Remember all the accidents in Cirque du Soleil. It is important to stay focused and find an experienced and highly qualified trainer. You want to have fun but remember to stay safe at all times.

There are a never ending number of fitness trends popping up daily. If you are curious and want to try out something new then do it. However, you should always start out a new fitness routine slowly and with caution. Your body may not be able to perform every move of your new routine perfectly, but that is to be expected. You have to give your body time to learn and adjust to these moves. Do not rush it. You do not want to injure yourself. You can easily energize a dull and boring fitness routine by finding something new to spice it up, but do your research ahead of time to know what to expect and ensure your teacher is qualified to lead this type of class.

Kickboxing Versus Cardio Kickboxing, Which Should You Choose?

Most people may ask, what is the difference between kickboxing and cardio kickboxing? The main difference is cardio kickboxing is basically an aerobics class that incorporates some kicks and punches. It does not use any heavy bags or sparring with another participant. Cardio kickboxing has gained popularity in the last few years, and women, especially, seem to be flocking to these types of fitness classes. They find it fun and enjoy getting their heart rate up while listening to some upbeat music. However, are they getting all the benefits that they could have if they were truly kickboxing?

A more complete workout

While cardio kickboxing can get your heart pumping improving your cardiovascular health, there are many components it is missing. It is important to improve your cardiovascular health, and kickboxing also does this. In addition, kickboxing has a countless number of different drills that can work your body much harder than air punches or kicks ever could. Hitting pads, working heavy bags, and drills that focus on coordination are just a few tools in a kickboxing fitness routine that can help you achieve benefits that you cannot obtain from cardio kickboxing. You should begin to see improvements in your endurance, strength, speed, agility, coordination and balance to name a few. Cardio kickboxing may be able to claim a few of these benefits but definitely not all of them and certainly not to the degree that a true kickboxing class can.

More focus on technique

Many cardio kickboxing instructors are trained to be personal trainers, and they may not be an educated martial arts instructor. This is not to say that all of them are without martial arts experience, but there are many who aren't qualified to be teaching martial arts. This means you are basically getting an aerobics class with added kicks and punches that may not be up to par. There are many cardio kickboxing classes out there stating that they oversee how each of their students perform techniques to ensure a workout that is free of injuries; however, many of the instructors happen to be performing techniques in improper ways that may cause you to put stress on weak areas of the body, such as the elbows, shoulders, or knees. This can inevitably lead to an injury. Yet, these are the people who are overseeing our technique?

Self defense

There seems to be so confusion among many cardio kickboxing participants that think that what they do might have some kind of practical application in a real life self defense situation. They may feel that since they are learning kicks and punches from a cardio kickboxing instructor that they will have an upper hand in any type of dangerous situation. However, just as I said before, there are many of these instructors out there that are not qualified to be teaching martial arts. In a true kickboxing class you will learn how to focus, timing, coordination, and have the added benefit of a truly certified martial arts trainer. You will ultimately have a more rounded education in self defense, which will all add up to being better prepared.

I am not trying to bash cardio kickboxing. It is a great workout for some, especially if they are only trying to focus on cardiovascular health. However, most people go to the gym looking to get results, and if you want to get the best results you need to focus on more than cardio. Kickboxing gives you cardio and so much more. This helps you see better results much faster. The choice is yours, and maybe it would be best for you to give both classes a try and see which one appeals more to you.

5 Easy Tricks to Losing Weight

Losing weight can be so hard. It requires a lot of time and energy that most of us can’t seem to find. We have to plan and make healthy meals, fight our cravings, change our habits and squeeze in some time to workout. It can feel as if you are juggling your whole life and never achieving what we set out to do. However, what if we could find some easy ways to help us get off on the right foot in our weight loss journey? Some little things that we could easily alter might just add up to give us that little boost we have been waiting for. Here is a list of just a few simple alterations that may rejuvenate your weight loss journey.

1. Shop smart. You will not be able to grab those comfort foods if you do not buy them. Also, if you know that you prefer to grab things on the go that are easy to make or already made try to only buy healthy options such as fruits and veggies, yogurt, oatmeal or pita crackers and hummus. Anything that will not push your diet over the edge is perfect. So, next time you go to the grocery store head for the produce department and not the cookie aisle.
2. Stay in bed. Late night is the most common time for us to cheat on our diets, so when those midnight cravings hit, refuse to get out of bed.  You will not get up and grab those cookies. You will stay in your bed and go back to sleep. This will also help you get the proper amount of sleep. By just getting seven to eight hours of sleep, you can speed up your weight loss, so stay in bed and start shedding those pounds.
3. Drink plenty of water. If you are working out consistently, you need to stay hydrated, so water is a necessity. It is also a perfect substitute for all those calorie laden drinks like sodas, milkshakes and specialty coffees. Water has no fat and no calories and is known to boost your metabolism, so start filling up on water instead of everything else. Also, when you visit the grocery store, you could skip the soda aisle just to make sure you are not tempted.
4. Eat More. Skipping meals is a big no no. It can slow your metabolism and have adverse effects on your weight loss, so don’t do it. Eat breakfast and then eat small meals 5 to 6 times a day all day, every day. Don’t fall victim to thinking that fit people skip meals. It’s simply not true!
5. Relax. Our world can be hectic and stressful, which can lead to weight gain and overeating. Both of which we are trying to avoid. So, we need to find time to ourselves or time to do something we enjoy to destress. We need to set aside some time for us, and no matter how hectic it gets, we have to stick to it. Relieving this built up stress may just be the thing that gets us shedding those pounds.

These easy tricks should get you on the right track to achieving your weight loss goals, but remember to truly achieve the results that you want, you need to combine these tricks with a consistent fitness routine and a healthy, well-rounded diet.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/5-easy-tricks-to-losing-weight/

Metabolic Resistance Training Routine For Weight Loss

If you find yourself struggling to fit in a fitness routine but still want to fit in an effective fitness routine that focuses on fat loss, then metabolic resistance training or MRT is probably your best bet. MRT is an intense form of working out that is known to increase muscle mass, quickly burn fat and improve your overall fitness level. The main goal of this type of routine is to maximize your caloric expenditure and at the same time increase your metabolic rate. There are multiple ways to organize your MRT routine; however, circuit training is a fairly easy approach. If you are trying to plan your MRT routine, here are some tips for effectively performing this type of exercise.

1. Keep up your intensity. You will not be able to create a metabolic debt by not giving it your all. You have to look at the total effort you are putting in and not just the effort you are putting into one set of your multiple set workout. We all know that some sections of your workout will be more intense, but you do not want the less intense sessions and rest breaks taking over your fitness routine. You need to keep your heart rate up and still maintain an effective resistance training routine. So, do not slack off on your speed or your weight training, if you want to get those quick results.
2. Short workout intervals. You want to maintain a high intensity and your form at the same time, so having quick bursts of exercise would make sense. In order to get the most from your MRT routine, you have to plan your fitness routine as multiple quick bouts of physical activity. You can not do an hour of this exercise and expect to keep your form perfect. Also, the aim here is to have bursts of anaerobic exercise, which is better done in short terms.
3. The proper equipment. Many people overlook this important component in their MRT routines. You could try and get away with using minimal equipment in your MRT routines, but it would probably become boring fairly quick. Using your own body weight in your resistance training routines can limit the types of exercises you can do. You should try using kettlebells, medicine balls and other free weights to spice up your routine and expand the types of exercises you can perform.
4. Adequate Space. Space can also limit your exercise selections. It can be hard to swing a kettlebell over your head when your ceilings are only 6 ft high or doing lunges when you only have 2 ft of available free space. You have to make sure you set aside enough room to properly execute each movement without hitting the ceiling, walls or other people. You also want to have enough space to store any of your equipment so that you are not tripping or falling over it during your workout.

There is a lot of planning involved in creating an effective and safe MRT routine. It is most likely more thought than you would have assumed before beginning your MRT routine; however, if you keep in mind the five elements above, you will be off to a great start.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/metabolic-resistance-training-routine-for-weight-loss/

Three Secrets to Improving Your Willpower

Did you know that the people who believe that they have the most willpower end up being the ones that usually cave when tempted? It has been proven time and again in multiple studies. The ones that are the most optimistic in the beginning are the ones that seem to fail. You may think that you can just put down those cigarettes and walk away; however, you may find yourself picking them back up a few months later. Maybe you think you can stick to a strict diet without ever cheating, but in the end you overindulge and actually gain weight instead of losing it. Well, you may be asking yourself, how can I fix this? You should take a look at these willpower building tips we have gathered for you.

Form better habits

Did you know that we are given a certain amount of willpower? This is why we must use it sparingly. If we have to keep telling ourselves no or holding out on something, we may be setting ourselves up for failure. We can run down all of our energy until there is nothing left to help us say no to whatever is tempting us. However, if you form a habit of doing something, you may notice that it does not take as much energy to repel you from your temptations. Our reactions will be on automatic pilot causing us to be able to save up our willpower until it is truly needed. The less we have to rely on our willpower, the better our chances of succeeding and achieving our goals will be.

Time can be a deciding factor

Since our willpower is limited, it makes sense that it is stronger in the morning and kind of putters out throughout the day. Therefore, you need to make sure you get the most out of your willpower by avoiding things that tempt you as your day progresses. It’s important to start our day with some solid nutrition, as this helps decrease our cravings later in the day, when our willpower often gives out. Also, try to plan your meals ahead of time and avoid the junk food aisles at the grocery store. This way we will not have anything available to tempt us.

Do not judge yourself too harshly

There will be some good and bad days. You just have to go with it. We are going to give in to our temptations every now and then. It is inevitable, so do not be too hard on yourself. It has been proven through many scientific studies that if you excessively criticize yourself you will be less motivated to achieve your goals and end up taking a blow to your already dwindling willpower. So, remember to keep your head up and keep pushing forward. People that are able to dust themselves off and get back on track after a setback are the ones that usually succeed in the end. So, it does not matter that you gave in to your temptation once, what matters most is that you were able to overcome it and keep going. Don’t let one slip up lead to another, and you will be golden!

Willpower can seem like a lot of hard work; however, just like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it will get. In order to improve any area of your life, willpower is a necessity. So, take a deep breath and use a few of the secrets listed above to see how much you can achieve.

- See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/three-secrets-to-improving-your-willpower/