Your Quick On-The-Go Holiday Workout

Your Quick On-The-Go Holiday Workout

As you gear up for the coming holiday season, time is something that you’ll likely be running a bit short on.  With so many things going on around you, it can be trying to find the time and energy to hit the gym on a regular basis.  As such, how will you ever fend off the typical holiday weight gain that so many people experience at this time?

The key secret to keeping yourself in check this coming holiday season is to have a good on-the-go workout figured out. This workout will allow you to get in and out of the gym in record time so that you can go about your day without having to sacrifice your fitness level.

Let’s have a quick peak at what you should know about creating an on-the-go holiday workout.

Superset Exercises

The best tip to shorten the duration of any workout program is to use superset or trisets.  This is where you’re going to pair two exercises immediately back to back, one right after another.  This saves the rest period that would normally take place between them and will also increase your heart rate better throughout the workout as well.

Use Compound Movements

Next, also be sure that you’re using compound movements.  Compound movements are those that are going to work more than one muscle group at once, giving you a better metabolic response from the session and cutting back on how many exercises you have to complete with each workout that you do.

Perfect compound moves to include are the push-up, bench press, squat, lunge, step-up, deadlift, split squat, shoulder press, bent over row, pull down, pull-up, and plank. Make sure that you are using these over isolated exercises at all times.

Use A Full Body Approach

Finally, since time is of the essence not only during the actual time period you spend in the gym but also in terms of how frequently you are able to get into the gym each week, go with a full body approach rather than a split body approach instead.

A full body approach means that you really only need to get into the gym two to three times per week, leaving you plenty of days to take care of other things that you have to get done.

A full body approach is also going to really help you torch calories quickly as well, further making it easier to maintain your body weight this coming holiday season.

Let’s have a quick peak at a sample full body workout for you to consider.  This should really only take about 20-30 minutes in the gym and you will only need to rest for about 30 seconds or so between each set.

Triset 1:

Push-ups – 15 reps
Squats – 12 reps
Bent Over row – 10 reps

Triset 2:

Pull-Ups – 10-15 reps
Lunges – 12 reps
Shoulder Press – 10 reps

Superset 3:

Step-Ups – 15 reps
Lying leg raises – 15 reps

Superset 4:

Deadlifts – 15 reps
Lat Pull-downs – 15 reps

So make sure that you don’t stress out over your workouts this holiday season.  Instead, be smart and use these strategies instead.  To get additional help maintaining your weight during the holiday season or maybe even losing a few pounds, check out Phen 375.  

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Three Calorie Burning Moves To Add To Your Workout Program

Three Calorie Burning Moves To Add To Your Workout Program

As you get ready for the holiday season, one thing that you’ll want to make sure you’re doing is including the top calorie burning moves into your workout program.  By revving up your calorie burn per session that you complete, you’ll ensure that you get the best ‘bang for your minute’ in terms of the fat burning you do get during each workout, helping to fend off the typical holiday weight gain that comes on at this time of year.

There are certain exercises that you can do in the gym that will burn far more calories than others, so by placing more of your focus on these activities rather than the lower calorie burning ones, you can take your progress up a notch.

Let’s have a quick peak at three great calorie burning moves that you’ll want to consider.  You’ll notice that these are all joint exercises meaning that you perform one rep of one move and then move right into a rep of the second.  This approach is going to give you double the benefits in the same amount of time, making sure that your workout session is short yet still highly effective.

Deadlifts To Bent Over Rows

The very first exercise to consider adding to your workout program is the deadlift to bent over row.  This move is going to be excellent for working both the lower and the upper body at the same time.

To perform it, begin with a deadlift and move all the way down to the ground with the barbell.  Then raise all the way back up again to complete that rep, before lowering down until the back is at 90 degrees.  Pause for a very brief moment and then row the weight up towards the center of the body as you would in a traditional bent over row.

Pause at the very top, thinking of squeezing the shoulder blades together and then lower back down to complete the rep.

Squats To Shoulder Press

The squat to shoulder press is a compound exercise to also consider adding to your workout plan.  The squat is one of the best movements that you can do for strengthening the lower body and when you add a shoulder press to the movement, you’ll hit the upper body as well.

When doing this exercising pairing, you’ll want to be sure that you keep your back flat the entire way through, thinking of squeezing the bum as you press the weight overhead.

This will help to reduce the chances that you suffer from a lower back sway, later on developing lower back pain.

Lunge To Bicep Curl

Finally, the last exercise that will torch calories fast and help ensure that you don’t suffer from weight gain throughout the holiday season is the lunge to bicep curl.  This exercise is perfect for working the glutes, hamstrings, quads, as well as the biceps, so will be multi-muscle oriented as well.

When performing this one make sure that you move through the full range of the bicep curl at the top before moving back down into the lunge.

So there you have the top three fat torching exercises to add to your workout this coming holiday season.  Add these and you’ll keep the pounds at bay.  

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Skip The Gym – Do These Seasonal Activities To Torch Fat Fast

Skip The Gym – Do These Seasonal Activities To Torch Fat Fast

As you go about the coming season, one thing that you might find is that you just don’t have the desire to keep up your normal workouts in the gym.  You have shopping to do, baking to get through, and gifts to wrap. The thought of slaving away in the confines of your gym just doesn’t quite appeal to you right now.

But, that said, neither does sporting an extra 10-15 pounds as the New Year rolls around.

Fortunately, you can easily maintain your body weight and not have to visit the gym regularly simply by taking your workouts outdoors.

Let’s have a quick look at a few of the seasonal activities that will help you torch fat quickly.  These will burn calories fast so you can indulge a little and not see repercussions because of it.

Snowshoeing

If you’re someone who enjoys walking as a form of exercise, showshoeing will be right up your alley.  This form of exercise is extra intense since you’re going to have the snow acting as resistance against you.  You’ll not only get your heart rate up higher, but you’ll also put your balance and agility to the test, ensuring that you work your core the entire way through the movement.

Cross Country Skiing

Next, the second form of exercise to take into account is cross country skiing.  Skiing is another great calorie burning movement and you’ll work both the upper and lower body at the same time with this one.

This is going to provide a very similar movement to using the elliptical trainer, so if that’s often your cardio mode of choice, what you should be turning to.

Cross country skiing will burn just as many calories as intense running would, so is great for those who really want to burn fat fast.

Shoveling

Moving along, shoveling your walk way is the next calorie burning exercise to do.  For those who want strength benefits while getting a cardiovascular workout, this s the exercise to do.

Shoveling is excellent for working the back, shoulders, and chest, and will also target all the smaller muscles running up and down the spinal column as well.

When shoveling, make sure that you keep the knees partially bent as you go about the exercise, to prevent lower back pain from developing.

Shopping

Shopping is something that you’re going to have to be doing regardless of your preferences this holiday season, and the great news is that it can help to burn calories quickly as well.

Shopping can easily burn 300-400 calories per hour if you’re on the move almost the entire time, so pick up the pace and not only will you be finished sooner, but you’ll get a workout at the same time.

So there you have some of the top holiday season activities that you must make sure you’re doing in your workout program.  Get these in order and you will definitely help maintain your goal weight.

Have a look at Phen375 as well, which will help to further increase your calorie burn and make sure you blast fat as best as possible. 

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New Years Resolutions: Tips For Sticking With It

New Years Resolutions: Tips For Sticking With It

As the New Year rapidly approaches, many people are going to start thinking about what they can do to help ensure that they set proper New Year’s resolutions and then stick with them as time passes on.

Most people often start out strong, attacking their goal head on during the first week of January, but by the time Valentine’s day rolls around, they’ve completely fallen off the bandwagon.

So what does it take to stick with it and finally see the success you desire?

Let’s look at a few tips to make sticking with that New Year’s resolution easier.

Set Realistic Resolutions From The Start

The first quick tip to remember for sticking with your New Year’s resolution is to make sure that you’re setting realistic resolutions in the first place.

Many people often set goals that are just a bit too lofty for what they can realistically accomplish and in doing so, are setting themselves up to fail.

Make sure you evaluate your ability to commit time, energy, and financial resources to achieving your goal to put into perspective what you can and cannot obtain.

Keep Yourself Accountable

The second thing that you should think about to ensure that your resolutions are something that you will keep is to make sure you have some method of accountability in check.

Tell a friend or close family member what your goals are and have them check in with your progress regularly.

Or, perhaps you will post your workouts in an online journal with a small community of users who are all working towards the same goal.

Just have something in place that serves as a check upon your balance.

Get The Help You Need

Another important thing that you need to remember is that it’s a must that you get the help that you need.  If you aren’t highly advanced with exercise or know a fair amount of nutrition yourself, you need to consult with a personal trainer or dietician.

Having them on your team to guide you through the process will make things far easier and ensure that you have no problem seeing progress moving forwards.

A properly designed workout and diet program really is a must for success, so be sure that you don’t overlook this.

Utilize Mini Goals

Finally, last but not least, also set some smaller mini goals or stepping stones along the way.  Set a larger long term resolution that you want to reach in a few months’ time but then also set some mini goals along the way.

These goals are goals that will serve as benchmarks for you to work towards and help you see precisely how you’re stacking up in terms of reaching that long term goal.

Mini goals will also give you a high feeling of satisfaction upon reaching them, propelling you to continue onwards with your program.

So there you have a few great ideas to ensure that you meet your New Year’s resolutions.  Get these in place and you can make this the year that you finally see success.  

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Holiday Beverages: Your Guide

Holiday Beverages: Your Guide

If there’s one thing that you may be doing a little more as you go about the holiday season, drinking is definitely it.  Whether you’re at a holiday work Christmas party and indulging in a few alcohol drinks of choice or sitting by the fire place enjoying something warm after an evening spent outside, it’s wise to be smart about your beverage selection so that the calories don’t start to really add up.

Let’s go over a few of the most important beverages to take note of so that you know what you should and shouldn’t drink this coming season.

Eggnog

Potentially the worst holiday offender for your diet is Eggnog.  Eggnog really has it all.  High fat ingredients, high sugar ingredients, as well as alcohol.  As far as your diet goes, this is like mass destruction.

If you prepare eggnog yourself, you can find healthier recipes to consider, however if you’re using a commercial variety, you will be definitely taking in a good number of calories that must get accounted for.

Wine

The second beverage to consider consuming is wine.  Wine is one of the lighter alcohol drinks, so a fairly good option this holiday season.  Of course you should still watch how many glasses you have as it will add up and the alcohol could also start to impact your food judgement as well.

Cocktails

Cocktails can get pretty dicey as far as your calorie consumption this holiday goes.  This one really depends on what is in the cocktail as that will determine how much damage it’s going to do to your diet.

Cocktails that are prepared with high calorie mixers are going to be far more damaging to your diet than those that aren’t.  To be on the safe side, avoid all frozen cocktails as much as possible.

Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is a wonderful beverage to have this season to help heat you up.  If you choose to prepare this yourself and use skim milk with a bit of cocoa powder and stevia to sweeten it, it can definitely be a good addition to your diet plan.

If you are purchasing it while out and about though, be warned. It’s likely going to have a high amount of saturated fat as well as sugar, not to mention calories.

Order the smallest size and cut back on your calories in other areas of the day as well.

Apple Cider

Finally, the last beverage that you might want to consider is apple cider.  Apple cider is generally a pretty good option as well. It will contain a bit of sugar content in it, but so long as you cut back on your carbs slightly somewhere else in your diet, it shouldn’t cause too much of a problem.

Apple cider vinegar is another great way to heat yourself up on a cold winter’s day.

So there you have the top beverages that you might come across this holiday season and how they stack up in terms of helping you maintain your diet plan.  Be sure to check out Phen375 as well, which can help keep your hunger in check this coming season.  

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Healthy Swaps At Your Christmas Dinner

Healthy Swaps At Your Christmas Dinner

As you get all set for your holiday meal, one thing that you’ll want to be taking into account is what type of swaps you can be making to help improve the total calorie count, bringing it down while increasing the nutritional value of the foods that you’re eating.

While it is to be somewhat expected that you will likely consume a few more calories during this meal than most meals, if you are smart in your approach, it doesn’t have to get out of hand.

Let’s take a quick peak at some of the top healthy swaps that you should consider for your Christmas dinner.

Exchanged Mashed Potatoes For Mashed Sweet Potatoes

The first healthy swap to make at your Thanksgiving dinner is to exchange mashed potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes instead.  Sweet potatoes are rated lower overall on the GI index and are not going to cause the insulin spike that mashed potatoes would.

To further improve this dish, mash the sweet potatoes with a little chicken broth rather than butter. This will help ensure that you aren’t adding extra fat to the dish.

Exchange Prepared Cranberry Sauce For Home-Made Cranberry Sauce

Moving along, the next smart exchange to make is to trade cranberry sauce that you purchase in the supermarket for cranberry sauce you make on your own.  Cranberries themselves are very healthy to eat, but the problem is that the supermarket variety is far too high in simple sugars.

When preparing your own, add Splenda or Stevia for added sweetness and you’ll bring down the calorie count while reducing the impact this sauce has on your blood sugar levels.

Exchange Pumpkin Pie For Yogurt Parfaits

When it comes to desserts, rather than opting for pumpkin pie, which is loaded with fat and calories, go for some yogurt parfaits instead.  These will still give a very dessert-like feel and will be high in protein, high in fiber, and high in healthy fats.

Spoon some Greek yogurt into a tall glass, top with some fresh berries, add a sprinkling of slivered almonds or flaxseeds and then repeat this process over again.

Exchange Bread Stuffing For Quinoa Stuffing

Finally, the last healthier swap to make for your thanksgiving meal to help improve the overall nutrition of it is to exchange bread stuffing for quinoa stuff.

Bread stuffing prepared inside the turkey is very high in saturated fat and simple carbs, but if you prepare quinoa stuffing outside of the turkey, being sure to add plenty of fresh vegetables as you make it, you’re going to dramatically bring down the fat and calorie intake.

Make sure you keep your serving size under control and you will be able to add this into your diet without worry.

So there you have the primary things that you need to keep in mind for creating a healthy Thanksgiving dinner.  If you think carefully about a few simple exchanges you can make, this meal doesn’t have to leave you frustrated when you step on the scale the next morning.

Be sure to also check out Phen 375, which will help reduce the risk of weight gain during the holiday season.  

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Healthy Holiday Recipes

Healthy Holiday Recipes

As the season gets underway, you’re likely going to want to try out some of the holiday recipes that you come across, adding a little more interest to your diet while enjoying this special time.

But, if you’re not careful, those delicious recipes may pack on far more weight than you had hoped for, really setting you up for an intensive New Year’s resolution goal you’ll have to tackle come January.

In order to prevent this, seek out a few healthier holiday recipes to turn to that will help you keep your diet in check while satisfying your taste buds.

Let’s go over a few that you should consider.

Cinnamon Toast

Rather than starting your day off with a calorie laden cinnamon bun, consider preparing some cinnamon toast instead.  Cinnamon toast will still have the same delicious taste and will come in at far fewer calories as well as contain less fat and sugar.

Ingredients

2 slices whole grain bread or Ezekiel bread
1 tbsp. light butter
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Splenda

1 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese
1 tbsp. Splenda

Toast the bread in a toaster and then smear with light butter.  Immediately afterwards, sprinkle with the cinnamon and Splenda for added sweetness.  Next, melt the cream cheese for 10 seconds in a microwave and stir with a tablespoon of Splenda.  Drizzle this on top as mock icing and serve.

Healthy Eggnog

Eggnog is a very damaging beverage to your diet plan, but if you prepare it yourself, this doesn’t have to be the case.  Eggnog can actually offer a good dose of protein when using this recipe, so could support your lean body goals.

Ingredients

½ cup egg substitute
2 cups skim milk
½ cup fat-free creamer
2 tbsp. Splenda
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. rum or brandy (or you can use an extract if you prefer)

Pour all of the ingredients into a container and mix until thickened.  Place it covered in the fridge for about two hours until thickened and then serve.

Holiday Chocolate Pudding

Rather than going in for some chocolate fudge or chocolate cake, both of which will really pack in the calories, try this chocolate pudding recipe.  It’ll provide you with nothing but sound nutrition and help keep your calorie intake in check.

Ingredients

1 package of sugar-free, fat free chocolate pudding mix
2 cups skim milk
1 scoop whey chocolate protein powder
1 cup cherries or strawberries, sliced
3 tbsp. slivered almonds or walnut pieces

Beat the pudding powder mix with skim milk until a pudding consistency has been reached. Next, add in whey protein powder and continue to beat for another minute.  Spoon into dessert bowls and then place fruit on top.  Stir slightly and then sprinkle with nuts.

So don’t let yourself feel deprived this holiday season.  Instead, whip up one of these recipes and you’ll still be able to partake in the holiday festivities without adding pounds in the process.

For more holiday diet help, check out Phen 375, which can help you keep your lower calorie diet plan in check.  

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Damage Control: How To Undo The Damage Of A Large Holiday Meal

Damage Control: How To Undo The Damage Of A Large Holiday Meal

There’s no doubt about it, this coming holiday season, there is going to be one or more occasions when you do eat a little more than you should.  Even if you are watching your food choices and trying to aim to choose healthier, with so many options available, if you have a little bit of this and a little bit of that, it will add up.  You’ll usually end up taking in a good 200-600 calories more than you normally would, depending of course on the specific food choices you make.

So how can you undo the damage done by a holiday meal so that it doesn’t have such a negative impact on your body weight?

Let’s go over some of the main points to remember as far as damage control goes.

Perform Weight Lifting The Next Day

The first thing that you can do to practice damage control is to get into the gym and do a weight lifting session the next day.  Many people tend to gravitate towards cardio training after a high calorie meal, but this isn’t really the most ideal way to go.

Weight lifting is what will use up excess carbohydrates in your system far better than cardio training, so will help to remove the excess calories that you consumed.

Plus, weight training will help to elevate your metabolic rate for the hours after the session is completed, therefore will continue to help remove any excess fat that you may have burned off.

Cut Back On Your Carb Intake For Two Days

Second, also make sure that you cut back on your carb intake for a few days as well.  You cannot reduce your protein consumption on the days following an indulgence as protein is required to maintain your lean body mass.

Fat can be reduced slightly, but it’s best not to reduce this too much either as that will only cause higher levels of hunger to occur.  Fat is a nutrient that will help provide some hunger control while reducing your calories, so will make maintaining a reduced calorie intake in the coming days much easier. 

Don’t Starve For Days Straight

Finally, the last quick tip to help you recover from a holiday meal indulgence is to make sure that you aren’t starving yourself for days straight.

If you all of a sudden drop your calorie intake way down and keep it there, this may also signal to the body to start using up muscle mass as a fuel source.

This is precisely what you don’t want, so use a more gradual approach.  Bring your calorie intake much lower for two to three days and then adopt a more moderate calorie intake after that.

If you follow these quick tips, then you should have no problem reducing the damaging effects that the holiday meal you just took in had on you.  Consider using Phen375 as well, which will help to boost your metabolic rate so that you can burn more calories 24/7 the day after an indulgence.  

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Beat Holiday Stress With These Simple Tips

Beat Holiday Stress With These Simple Tips

If holiday stress has gotten you down, it’s time to think up a few easy holiday tips that you can use that will keep your stress level under control so that you can sit back and enjoy the holidays.

Being stressed out is only going to cause issues as not only does it make you feel tired, causing you to skip gym workouts, but it’s also going to increase the cortisol release in the body, which could cause the accumulation of body fat.

So what can be done to say so-long to stress this coming holiday season?

Let’s take a quick peak at a few tips that you should consider.

Shop Online

The first quick way to help beat holiday stress is to do as much shopping online as possible.  Since more and more retailers are building a web presence, this becomes incredibly easy for you to do and will help you get your gifts without ever having to leave the house.

Plus, many now offer free shipping as well (with certain limitations), so be sure to check that out. If you can buy many gifts at one store, you can really save money this way.

Do Your Baking At Once

Next, the second way to help cut stress is to do as many of the same tasks as you can at once.  For example, for all your Christmas baking, try and set aside one full afternoon and get it all done in one go.

Much of the time spent baking will be due to clean up, prep, and the actual time spent cooking, so by doing this, you’ll cut back on all of that if you were to do it individually.

And, if you’re really stressed and just don’t have time to bake at all, don’t feel bad about picking something up from the bakery.  Remember, your sanity should always come first and it really won’t make that big of a difference at the end of the day if the item you bring is baked or bought.

Learn To Say No

Another important tip for helping you de-stress this coming holiday season is to learn to say no.  If you have a tendency to overcommit yourself to many different activities, this is really going to wear you down over time.

Start recognizing the difference between something that you actually want to do and something that’s just an obligation.  Then say no to any events that you don’t want to attend that are only going to weigh you down.

Obviously there will be some where you can’t say no, but don’t commit to something you don’t want to just because you feel like you don’t have any other option.

Take 10

Finally, last but not least, try and schedule at least ten minutes per day to do nothing but relax.  Read a book or simply just sit there with your thoughts.  Even just ten minutes where there is no hectic pace you have to keep up can do wonders on your stress level and sanity.

Give yourself a break – you’ll be far more recharged moving forward if you do.

So there you have some quick and simple tips to implement this coming holiday season.  To help calm your weight loss woes, also be sure to check out Phen 375, which will make maintaining your weight much easier.  

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5 Foods To Avoid This Holiday Season

5 Foods To Avoid This Holiday Season

As the holiday season gets underway, there are a number of foods that you need to be extra careful about and try to avoid at all costs.  While most people will know the obvious dietary offenders – chocolate, cookies, cakes, and so on, some foods sneak right by us.

While we may know that they aren’t especially ‘healthy’, we don’t quite realize just how much damage they can do.

Let’s go over five of the top foods that you should make sure you’re avoiding this coming holiday season.

Eggnog

The first must-avoid food to be put on your list is regular Eggnog.  Not only is Eggnog not a wise decision due to the calorie count, but the high saturated fat content in it is going to really cause heart health problems as well.

Furthermore, the alcohol is going to supply nutrient devoid calories that will only contribute to your waistline. 

If you must have eggnog this season, find a healthier recipe and prepare it yourself.

Stuffing

Moving along, stuffing is the next dish that you should be adding to your ‘do not eat list’. Most people see stuffing and realize that it is very high in carbs and likely calories as a result.

But what they don’t realize is that if the stuffing has been prepared inside the turkey, all the fat from the turkey will have absorbed right into the bread.

This makes it not only high in carbs, but high in fat as well.  This combination is especially dangerous for those on a fat loss diet.

Spiced Nuts

Spiced nuts are the next food that you need to be careful about adding into your diet.  While nuts are generally quite healthy, the problem here is that they are way too high in calories.  Due to the added salt and seasonings on the nuts, it’s going to make portion control next to impossible as you’ll take one small handful and shortly be back for more.

All these calories will really add up quickly and further destroy your diet plan.

Cinnamon Buns

If you’re someone who likes to prepare cinnamon buns for a special breakfast during the holiday mornings, think twice about this treat as well.  Low in protein but very high in simple carbs and fats, all these will do is spike your insulin levels, causing a high amount of fat gain.

Cinnamon buns are not going to be ideal for anyone who has weight maintenance in mind, so really do consider taking a pass and opting for a bowl of oatmeal or a piece of whole grain toast with some form of protein.

Chocolate Truffles

Finally, chocolate truffles are the last item to avoid this holiday season.  While most people do realize, as we stated, that chocolate isn’t the wisest of options, these are especially bad as most pack in well over 100 calories per truffle and since they’re smaller, you think just one or two won’t hurt.

It will.  If you’re craving chocolate, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate with some low fat milk.

So there you have the main foods to avoid this holiday season.  Be sure to check out Phen 375 as well, which can help make controlling your diet that much easier. 

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