Sunday, October 13, 2013

Here is why you should not overdo cardio! And a tasty recipe


Ramp up cardio, burn calories and fat. Sounds simple enough, but the latest science on exercising for weight loss says otherwise. Classic cardio — walking on the treadmill, running, stepping, spinning, etc. — doesn’t help you lose as much weight as you might think, says Jim Karas, a celebrity trainer based in Chicago and author of The Cardio-Free Diet. “People tend to do these things for hours per week, but after 20 minutes you actually start burning muscle, not fat,” he says. Instead of straight cardio, Karas recommends interval training — alternating one minute of working out at a high intensity followed by a minute at a slower rate — for 20 minutes, which burns more fat than staying at the same level throughout. And don’t forget strength training. Muscle uses more calories to maintain itself than any other body tissue. For every pound of muscle you put on, you automatically burn an extra 22 to 36 calories a day, says Karas. 
Are you cardio obsessed? Start trying some HIIT cardio workouts instead - 20 minutes tops then add in some yoga on those days. Other days pay attention to getting stronger with weights and/or your bodyweight to make some real changes in your body. 
How fast do changes come? Really? 3 mos you'll see some great changes, 6 mos even more, and in a year you could have a totally new body! Of course watching what you eat is 80% of the game here. 
I just tried out a new recipe, and it sounds gross, but it is totally yummy. Great for breakfast or snack.
One can chickpeas, rinsed and dried.
1/8 cup almond milk
2 TB peanutbutter
1 TB Truvia or Stevia
1 TB 100% maple syrup
1 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
dash of cinnamon
dash of vanilla extract
BLEND it all up in a food processor and store in fridge or freezer. 
I add it to oatmeal, to smoothies, eat it plain if it is frozen, or eat it with strawberries and bananas. Love it!

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