Are you already on a diet? If so, then you are more than likely counting those calories. People on diets are careful with what they eat. In order to increase the speed of weight loss, you will need to increase your metabolism. In the paragraphs below, we are going to give you six important foods that can help speed up your weight loss. Before we start, remember if your in Des Moines Lean Body Boot Camp can help you shed those pounds even faster when combined with these 6 foods that speed up weight loss!

1. Hot Sauce and Chile Peppers

Chile peppers like Habanero and Jalapeno pepper will help increase your metabolism. After you swallow them, your body temperature is going to increase. Tabasco sauce is good, but they cannot do what peppers can do for weight loss.

2. Fat free or Low fat milk

Milk is good for you and we all know this. However, what you may not know is that milk can help increase your metabolism. Regular milk includes a great deal of fat when compared to fat free milk. Fat free milk contains calcium and gives your body the fat fighting power it needs. You should drink at least one glass of low fat milk or fat free milk every day.

3. Mustard

Mustard, believe it or not, will help increase your metabolism for many hours after you consume it. It increase the body temperature. We recommend hot or spicy mustard as it is more beneficial when compared to yellow mustard.

4. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is one of the best spices to add to a meal. Studies have indicated that cinnamon can do wonderful things for our body. Not only can it help prevent infections caused by bacteria and lower the blood sugar level, but it can also help increase metabolism.

5. Red Meat

Some people are under the impression that red meat is no good for the body. If you eat red meat a couple of times each week, you can improve your metabolism. There are many delicious recipes for red meat.

6. Fruit and Vegetables

We all know that fruits and vegetables are important for our diet because of the minerals and vitamins they give us. Fruits and vegetables also enhance our metabolisms. The best vegetables to eat are cauliflower, broccoli and lettuce. The best fruits are berries, citrus and apples. Citrus fruits help block hunger, which is why they are known as the magic weight loss food.

In the morning, you should not skip breakfast. Your metabolism slows down during the night. Having breakfast is going to increase your metabolism again. Those individuals that skip out on breakfast each day may have a low metabolism. For the ultimate Des Moines weight loss, don’t forget to eat breakfast each morning.

A personal trainer Des Moines at Lean Body Boot Camp can help you with the weight loss goal you have in mind. Lean Body Boot Camp is a Des Moines Weight Loss Boot Camp that might change your life.

Give us a call at 515 987 8100 or send us a email at info@lean-body-boot-camp.com to schedule a free trial.

Before we go any further, you need to understand that the more abdominal fat you have, the greater your risk for developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer and degenerative joint disease.

So with no further ado lets go over the top 10 questions people asked me about WEIGHT LOSS in Des Moines and Fat Burning.

1. If I eat just healthy Carbs and Protein will I gain weight?

Hell to the No! Fat contains 9 calories per gram, carbs 4 per gram, protein 4 per gram, and alcohol 7 calories per gram.

Weight loss is about what you eat….but weight loss is more about portion control of good foods. Numerous studies have shown that ultimately putting to many calories in and reducing caloric expenditure will result in weight gain, often that weight gain will be in the form of fat gain not muscle gain.

2. Does L Carnitine supplementation really work?

If you have not heard all the claims about L carnatine, it is supposed to increases muscle mass, improve fat metabolism, and enhance fat loss. L Carnatine is found in red meat and people have been talking about it for about 2 decades now……

So to answer the question……Unfortunately there is no scientific evidence to support this.

3. Can I lose weight on a liquid only diet?

Yes and no. Are we talking about milk shakes or wheat grass and protein shakes? Some people think just cause a calorie comes in liquid form it won’t add body fat. Nothing could be further from the truth. What you need to look at is calories in vs calories out. I have been to Jamba juice and seen “Healthy Drinks” with 125 grams of sugar and 800 calories, and that’s the norm at alot of juice bars.

Alot of these “healthy drinks”  are loaded with sugar. Ever looked at a naked juice? It has more sugar than a COKE! I know, I know ,its healthy sugar? Really? Explain to me how a sugar is healthy?………… Don’t worry…..Ill wait……………..

Over indulgence in sugar is a huge reason for the obesity epidemic that is destroying lives across our country. Sugar basically metabolizes into visceral fat. Not a good thing. Average american eats 300 grams of sugar a day. 100 years ago it was 25-50 grams, that is a MASSIVE change.

4. Will Caffeine improve energy levels and mental alertness?

Yes. Caffeine has time and time again been proven to increase sympathetic nervous system activity, causing the release of fatty acids from storage depots in adipose and intramuscular tissues.

Caffeine has also been shown to help the metabolic processes and break down fat. Caffeine increases metabolism at rest and during exercise. The effects are not massive but they are real and measurable.

5. Should all Fat Be avoided?

Hell to the No! Saturated and trans fats should be avoided but, unlike people all fats are not created equal. Omega 3 fatty acids are linked to a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and omega 3′s aid in lowering triglycerides and reducing the risk of death from cardiac arrhythmias.

6. Does Fucoxanthin help weight loss?

If you have never heard of fucoxanthin it is a carotenoid found in edible brown seaweed. It has been marketed as a weight loss supplement that burns fat. Only one study has ever shown positive results. And that study was done by the company who holds the patent on fucoxanthin.  So this one is a easy NO.

7. Will CLA help me lose weight? Particularly fat?

Yes. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Research has shown that supplementing with at least 3 grams of CLA per day will result in fat loss. CLA helps increases energy expenditure, but more importantly fat oxidation and lipolysis ( the dis-assembly of fats). That’s pretty awesome if you are looking for some extra weight loss, if you are in Des Moines you can pick up some CLA at Complete Nutrition. Tell them you work out at Lean Body Boot Camp and you’ll get a extra special discount.

8. What are the best exercises for weight loss?

Full body exercise that incorporates the most muscles at one time are best. Like Burpees, Cleans, Squat and Press, Mountain Climbers, Squat to Upright Row and so on.

Exercise combination and routine is also important. You need to incorporate weight training to preserve muscle and high intensity cardio training to reduce overall weight. Both are equally important, as well as the sets and rest times, short,fast continuous workouts of high intensity interval training are best…..a good example of these would be the workouts at Lean Body Boot Camp….shameless plug right? lol

9. Does Taurine promote weight loss?

Maybe. The research on both sides say different things. So probably not the best investment of your hard earned $$$.

10. Do I need to Diet and Work out to lose weight permanently, or can I just do one?

You have got to combine both Healthy diet and exercise to lose weight and keep it off.  Let me share a statistic with you. 35 percent of Americans, have dieted an average of six times in their life with little or no success. Dieting has become a way of life for many people. Yet for all their efforts, statistics show 95 percent gain the weight back within a five-year period. Diet alone is not enough.

On the other side of the coin is the people who work out like Rocky Balboa but are still fat. Calories in vs. Calories out. You cant out train a bad diet. If you burn 1000 calories and put 5000 in each day it does not matter you will not lose weight.

You must combine Diet and Exercise for a effective weight loss program. I hope this little article helped you out and answered some of your questions.

Committed to your Health and Fitness

Joe Brammer

Once a week, it is a good thing to have a cheat day just

to keep you sane. It also makes you feel a little guilty too, and for me anyway….that guilt keeps me from cheating on my diet the rest of the week.

 So it’s ok every once in a while to enjoy the guilty pleasures of life.Life is to be enjoyed and lived, going through your life never having a chili dog or a slice of pizza can drive you insane. When you deny yourself all of life’s indulgences you will set yourself up for weight loss failure and have a diet meltdown!

But don’t get carried away because while these foods can be enjoyable, what’s not enjoyable is going through Life overweight unhealthy and depressed with how you look and feel Because of over indulgence.

Just remember the 80/20 rule. 80 percent of the time ,Eat good wholesome foods with high nutritional value and 20 percent of the time you can go ahead and cheat.

Have a slice of birthday cake and treat yourself to a burger every now and then.  But be smart: have a small piece of the cake and forego fries with that burger!

I am the Licensed Massage therapist on staff at Lean Body Boot Camp in Des Moines.

I came on board in February of  this year and have been having a blast getting to

know everyone during these past couple months!

I know how hard most of the Clients at Lean Body Boot Camp work since I am in the

same boat as you, Calvin Kicks my but every week too! So I know on the health and

weight loss journey one of the major side effects is sore and aching muscles.

So I would like to take this opportunity to discuss some of the benefits of massage.

There are multiple benefits the most obvious is relief of muscle tension. As you

work out your muscle resting length shortens and those muscles store lactic acid

and other toxins which in turn causes muscle tension.

It is my job to restore these muscles back to their normal resting length and release

harmful toxins. As well as bringing relief to those tense muscles.

Muscle restoration and relief of tense muscles are not the only benefit’s of

massage. Massage therapy also helps with……

• Increasing blood circulation
• Increase in joint movement
• Increase in Relaxation
• Decreased Stress levels ( The #1 Killer in America!)
• Stimulation of Immune Response
• Mood improvement 
• Response to Healing
• Decrease in Anxiety

.

Almost all women wish for a nicely toned and shapely butt. This is a problematic area though, for most women. Women tend to store extra fat in the butt area, especially during their childbearing years. Later, it can be really hard to get rid of these extra fat stores and firm up this area. This article is going to give you information about the 5 best butt exercises for women.

Squats

Doing squats is one of the most popular butt exercises for women. It is also considered to be the best exercise for the purpose of strengthening and toning the thighs and butt. To do this exercise, stand with your feet slightly turned out and a little farther apart than your shoulder with. Pull back your shoulders and make sure that your back is straight. Take a deep breath and hold it. While looking straight ahead, exhale slowly as you start bending your knees in order to slowly lower yourself as you slightly lean your torso forward. You’ll want to lower yourself until you are at about a 90° angle parallel to the floor. Inhale and then use your heels to push yourself back up to an upright position.

Lunges

Lunges, like squats, are good for toning both the leg muscles and the gluteus muscles (buttocks). In order to do lunges, you will start out by standing with your feet straight and about a shoulder width apart with your hands on your hips. Now you will step one foot forward until the knee is positioned at about a 90° angle. Be careful that the knee does not go past the foot. Use your heels to push off instead of your toes for better balance. When going back to the beginning position you will feel some tension in your back leg, but you will want to keep your concentration on your front leg.

Gluteus kickback

This is a very easy exercise that is very good for the gluteus muscles. To start, you will need to get on your hands and knees and contract your stomach muscles. You will raise one leg back and upward while keeping your head up and keeping your knee bent at about a 90° angle, until your foot is higher than your head. It is best to keep your butt and thighs contracted as you do this.

Hamstring curls

Like the gluteus kickback exercises, hamstring curls are also very simple and easy to do. Again, you will need to get down on all fours. Raise one of your legs back and up to about a 90° angle and then curl it in the direction of your butt. Then you go back to the 90° angle and repeat.

Step-ups

This, the last in the list of the 5 best butt exercises for women, is probably the easiest of all of the butt exercises, but it is also one of the most effective ones. For this exercise, you will need some kind of stool or platform that you can step up on. The higher this platform is, the better results you will get. A height that falls somewhere between your knee and waist level would be the best. All you have to do in order to perform this exercise is put one of your feet up onto the platform and use the strength of your legs and butt to push your body up to where you are standing on the platform.

So that is it make sure you have these Fab 5 in your workout and you are on your way to a nice Healthy Butt!

The other day somebody asked me, “Joe how many lives you changed out at Lean Body Boot Camp?”  I said…..1…. Mine. See me or anyone else can’t change your life.

I can give you a good motivational talk, put together a great workout, make you a perfect diet and get you all the information you need but you won’t get anywhere unless you’re committed to changing yourself. I personally can’t change anyone no matter how much I would like to. Only you can change you.

I think a lot of people suffer from what Brian Tracy calls excuse-its, the inflammation of the excuse making gland. Excuse-its, as Brian says is invariably fatal to success in anything in life, especially your fitness.

Why do we like to make excuses and blame other people?  It’s very easy to look to outside forces to blame when you don’t achieve your desired outcome. Why? Because that way you don’t have to face the cold reality that the one person who is 100% in total control of your life and outcomes is….. wait for it…….wait for it……….YOU!!

Ouch that’s a tough pill to swallow I know…. but truth is all the failure and all the success is yours and yours alone. I would love to take credit for the hundreds of clients that have lost 20-50 lbs. working with us at Lean Body Boot Camp but I can’t.

I am not out there lifting the weights for you, I can’t make you do burpees when you would rather make excuses. Calvin can’t force those last few reps out of you when you would rather just give up. Aaron cant making your legs run as hard as you can when it’s time to do sprints. I am not there to slap junk food out of your hands and make the health choices for you when you are all alone and no one is watching.

I can send you emails and try to pump you up tell I am blue in the face but unless you are seriously committed to change and doing the necessary sacrifices it won’t help.

So what can I do? Well…. Below I put together a list for everyone in Des Moines of the 6 biggest reasons that people do not reach their weight loss goals. If you are not getting the results you want, see if you are making any of these mistakes and fix them…..or don’t the choice is yours! Enjoy!

 1.     You cannot out train a bad diet – If your diet is poor it does not matter how many calories you burn in the workout. Putting cookies in your mouth is a lot easier than working off the weight they will make you gain. So set the game up to win and stick to a healthy diet, like the one in our success manual. If you did not get your success manual than please come see one of our success coaches and they will get you one.

 2.     Being a 70 percenter  – By this I mean people who come in and only want to give 70%. When you come to the gym to work out the hour is going to pass by just as fast if you give it 50% or 100% so why not give it all you have! For instance Fridays workout I burned 750 calories and was totally drenched in sweat at the end of it, because I pushed myself to my limit did you? If you are not burning at least 350 -800 calories in a Lean Body Boot Camp session…..than the truth is you are not pushing yourself hard enough. In a 30 second interval for squats one person who is slacking off might get 5 reps in and another person who is pushing themselves might get in 30 reps! That is 600% difference!  Truth is you can do a lot in 30 seconds or very little …. the choice is yours.

 3.     Improper Form – If the proper form is not used the muscle will not be activated and fatigued correctly. This is a huge one, if you don’t do the exercise the right way it is almost as bad as not doing it at all.

 4.     Excuses –Excuses are easy to find, especially when it comes to doing things that are challenging. If you have a serious injury that is one thing but if you skip out on certain exercises that are hard or cause a little discomfort simply because they are hard that’s just a excuse to avoid things you don’t enjoy. But we don’t always call them excuses, a lot of times we tell ourselves they are reasons. If you go looking for reasons not to do something you will find one. So make up your mind that you are not going to find an excuse, and do what Nike suggests and “Just Do It”!

5.    Not Having a Plan – Have you ever tried to get somewhere you have never been without a map or a GPS? Not easy is it, just like getting your body to the place you want it without a proper plan can be very hard. A proper plan to lose weight put together by a qualified pro with a proven track record is critical. Of course you still have to follow the plan and that is all up to you.

 6.   Not following the Plan – The last reason can certainly derail your weight loss progress faster than anything else! Not sticking to the program is the absolute worst thing you can do for weight loss. If I put together a workout for a client that has been proven to have consistent weight loss results and they refuse to do it, who is to blame?

 I know no one likes burpees personally I despise them…..but in a good way. See me and burpees have a love hate relationship. Why do I hate them? Because they are really hard… why do I love them? Because they work…really well.

The plan we have laid out for weight loss at Lean Body Boot Camp in Des Moines works….. period. The results have been proven time and time again.I consult with some of the top fitness experts in the world for our workouts. I am smart enough to know that I don’t know everything  so I get help from some of my friends here at LBBC and personal trainer friends of mine around the country to put together the absolute best programs around, that’s what I am passionate about. That’s what gets me excited. I’m not here to toot my own horn or impress you, I say this to impress upon you that if you do follow the plan the results will follow.

I hope this helped and you can avoid any of these pitfalls.

I would like to leave you with a quote that’s posted on my desk from the great Yoda “Do or do not, There is no Try”. That’s it for me today god bless.

Committed to your Health and Fitness

Joe Brammer

Twelve Ways to Make Veggies Taste Great

Many kids do not like to eat their vegetables. Some adults don’t like to eat them either. This article is going to give you 12 ways to make veggies taste great. Experiment with these tips to find the ones that your picky eater or you yourself will like.

1)      Some people like a savory flavor. If this is the case, try adding onions or garlic to your vegetables. You can even add both if you like. This works very well for veggies like carrots, green beans, greens, and peas.

2)      Try combining a mixture of different vegetables, wrapping them in aluminum foil in individual portions, and cooking them in the oven or on the grill. You will want to lightly rub your aluminum foil with butter first. One tasty combination that works very well for this is potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onions with a nice thick slice of tomato on top. Jalapeños are also good with this mixture if you have a taste for spicy food. Season this with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like.

3)      Add fruit to salads. This gives a touch of sweetness to the greens and other salad veggies. Some fruits that are good to use in salads are apples, mandarin oranges, raisins and cherries.

4)      Use them in soups. A lot of people like soup and most times the other flavors from the soup mixed with the flavors of the veggies turn out to be something that even someone who is picky about vegetables will like. Chicken and beef noodle soups would both be good ones to try.

5)      Try making casseroles. Many casseroles are a combination of pasta, veggies, and meat. This would give you an all-in-one meal. If you prefer not to eat meat, there are also many casseroles that have only veggies and pasta or just veggies mixed with other ingredients. Carrot casserole, corn casserole, and green bean casserole are some very common veggie casseroles. None of these have meat in them and the carrot casserole is the only one that has pasta. Some of these have cream soups in them, which are sometimes a bit high in fat, but usually there is a low-fat version of these soups available also. The casserole idea is a good one because with all of the other flavors going on, the picky ones might not even notice the taste of the veggies as much, if at all.

6)      Experiment with different sauces and dressings on your cooked veggies. Try different flavors of pesto and low-fat salad dressings. You can even try using hot sauce if you or your picky eater likes food with a little kick.

7)      Try using different seasonings to find the combination that everyone likes. A few to try are oregano, dill, garlic powder, basil, chili powder, curry powder, lemon pepper, rosemary, cumin, and onion powder.

8)      Add some low-fat diced ham or turkey bacon to your greens or green beans. This gives the veggies a wonderful flavor.

9)      Add a touch of honey and low-fat butter to carrots, whether canned, frozen, or fresh. Just stir it in when the carrots are finished cooking.

10)  Raw veggies make a great snack. If you don’t really enjoy them, try eating them with different healthy dips like low-fat cream cheese, honey mustard, peanut butter, and low-fat salad dressing.

11)  Another thing you can do after your veggies are finished cooking, is squeeze a little juice of any citrus fruit over them. This will give them a nice little zing. Orange, lemon, and lime are all good options.

12)  Probably the most important tip to make your veggies taste great is to not overcook them. Overcooking takes away a lot of the vegetables’ flavor as well as removing most of their nutrients. It is best to cook your vegetables until they are tender crisp. If this is not cooked quite enough for you, add only 2-4 more minutes for best results.

There you go 12 ways to make Veggies taste great!

Please leave a comment if you like this blog post thanks!

Being a bit flabby in the tummy area is a big problem for a lot of women. This extra flabbiness usually comes from having babies, especially if you have had more than two or have had a cesarean section. Getting rid of this extra fat can be a slow and sometimes difficult process. In this article, you will learn about how women can lose the extra tummy flab.

A good nutritious diet that is low in fat and starchy foods, and without too many carbs, is a good start. Also, stick mostly with lean meats and vegetarian protein sources such as beans, tofu, and nuts. Eating a lot of whole grains, fruits and veggies, especially greens, is also great. These are all good sources of fiber. Fiber rich foods help to make you feel full and also help your body to eliminate waste. All of these things can help with flattening your stomach.

There are a few certain foods that you can eat more of that will actually help you burn fat. Some of these foods are fish, apples, carrots, and oatmeal. Drinking a lot of water, especially ice cold, will aid in burning fat. Also, water is necessary to keep your body properly hydrated. If you increase your intake of water and these fat burning foods, and you also get into a good exercise routine, you will see results even faster in your effort to lose the tummy flab.

No matter what else you do, you will not be able to get rid of the tummy flab if you do not exercise. In order to get rid of the unwanted fat, you have to burn it off and tone it up, which requires a lot of physical activity. Aerobic mixed with anaerobic exercise is great.

Activities such as jumping rope, burpees, and sprints are good choices. There are also some types of yoga that are useful for this purpose. A bit of weight training is also good, as well as doing crunches and sit-ups. Cardio exercise in moderation is good also, as long as you do not overdo it. You should alternate the cardio with weight training exercises and stretching.

Cut back on sugar. Sugar has a lot of calories. They are just empty calories that do absolutely nothing good for your body. Avoid sodas and junk food as well. A lot of these have a large amount of sugar in them, and also other ingredients that are not good for you or your effort to lose the fat.

Stay away from greasy, fried foods. These foods will only sabotage your efforts. Experiment with baking or grilling the foods that you would normally fry. This is a much healthier alternative for you and will go a long way in helping you to get rid of the unwanted fat.

Lastly, get enough sleep, try to reduce your stress levels, and take a multivitamin on a daily basis. All of these things will greatly contribute to helping you achieve your fat loss goal. These are many good ways of how women can lose the extra tummy flab.

Exercise as a drug is a subject that has been much debated recently, but as it turns out, it could be one of the most versatile and powerful drugs in existence. If this is true, it is great news for the people who have conditions that can benefit from it, because exercise is free. It costs nothing and most people are capable of doing it. Also, this drug has no side effects.

Most everyone knows that a person’s level of physical activity can affect their health, mentally and physically, but to exactly what extent is what most people don’t know. It has been shown in research, time and time again, that a brisk exercise routine affects people with depression in pretty much the same way as antidepressant medication. It can improve a person’s mood and give them energy. It can also alleviate the symptoms of depression and help to keep them from coming back.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to help control high blood pressure, but you should start out slow and easy and work your way up to a more vigorous workout. Try to get in at least thirty minutes of aerobic activity at least five days per week. Walking or jogging, swimming, or bicycling would all be great choices.

Exercise also may be able to help with the process of recovering from drug and alcohol use. It can invigorate people who are going through recovery and give them something to think about other than withdrawal. It also gives them a new, healthier and better activity to replace the old one.

Exercise could also be of help with pain from migraines and other headaches. In one trial, it was shown to have the same effect as one of the most commonly used migraine medications. There is still a need for more research in this area though.

One report has stated that a mild to moderate exercise routine conducted for about 30 minutes per day five days per week can help with cancer treatment and recurrence, and also help to alleviate the symptoms that are caused from cancer and its treatment. Exercises like walking or swimming would be a great place to start. This kind of exercise can also help to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and lessen the chances of a cancer patient dying. Some of the cancer symptoms and side effects that exercise can help relieve are depression, fatigue, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

All of this information makes it seem like exercise is a wonder drug. Exercising and being physically active really can do a lot to make a person feel better. It makes people feel stronger, healthier, and can give them a better outlook on life.

It is definitely worth it for anyone to try their best to get in at least a few minutes of physical activity every day. Even things like going for a walk, playing with your kids, and mowing your lawn count as exercise. It really seems as though exercise as a drug is not such a far-fetched idea.