Importance of Core Muscle Training:
To have a balanced fitness program, consider including core exercises into your fitness program. Weak or inflexible core muscles can impair the strength of how well your arms and legs function during the exercise, giving a significant blow to the power from many of the moves you perform. Properly building up your core cranks up the ability and power in your body. A strong core enhances balance and stability. A well-rounded fitness program is the best way to reach your fitness goals.
When Are the Best Times to Eat?
How, when and what you eat can impact your health and your weight. And that does not just mean portion control during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most people eat three times per day plus a snack. Consistency by eating your meals at the same time of the day, every day is good, but it is better to aim to eat something every three to four hours.
Timing your meals in such a way will improve your fat loss by preventing excess insulin, allowing leptin to work its magic on appetite control and metabolism, and by balancing the stress hormone cortisol.
When it comes to timing your meals, consider the following:
- Eat a protein within one hour of rising. Take advantage of the stimulating benefits on your metabolic rate when you wake up. Starting your day with a protein will produce better appetite control throughout the day.
- Don't eat within two hours of bedtime. Eating too close to bedtime can ruin the quality of your sleep beside mess with your fat-burning benefits of a good night's rest.
- Eat within 45 minutes of your workout. This "post-workout" meal or snack is the only one of the day that should not contain much fat and should be higher in carbohydrates and moderate to low in protein; a good Carb/Protein/Fat ratio to follow is 60/30/10.
- Try to train with weights on an empty stomach to burn more fat. You will need energy from your foods to perform optimally, but if training in the morning, an empty stomach is best. But this does not apply if your doing a cardio session for less than 30 minutes. Remember to have the post workout 'fuel' ready to consume immediately after your training session.
When it comes to timing your meals, consider the following:
- Eat a protein within one hour of rising. Take advantage of the stimulating benefits on your metabolic rate when you wake up. Starting your day with a protein will produce better appetite control throughout the day.
- Don't eat within two hours of bedtime. Eating too close to bedtime can ruin the quality of your sleep beside mess with your fat-burning benefits of a good night's rest.
- Eat within 45 minutes of your workout. This "post-workout" meal or snack is the only one of the day that should not contain much fat and should be higher in carbohydrates and moderate to low in protein; a good Carb/Protein/Fat ratio to follow is 60/30/10.
- Try to train with weights on an empty stomach to burn more fat. You will need energy from your foods to perform optimally, but if training in the morning, an empty stomach is best. But this does not apply if your doing a cardio session for less than 30 minutes. Remember to have the post workout 'fuel' ready to consume immediately after your training session.
Zeke Samples, IFA, CSN, CPR, IDEA
NPC Physique Competitior
Surreal Body Solutions, LLC
803.322.7649
& contributing health and exercise author
Personal Training | Nutrition | Supplements | Motivation
