Guest Post: When you try to get into shape you will likely find a wealth of different information and advice. You’ll find unusually machines and contraptions, you’ll read about specific and odd sounding diets, and you’ll generally find a lot of conflicting advice.

This of course is not helpful when you’re trying to lose weight which is hard enough already even if you do know what you’re doing. So how do you cut through the nonsense and find the strategies that are really going to work for you?

The answer is that you need to understand the science behind weight loss and getting into shape. While there are lots of different fads and trends in the world of fitness, science is immune to these and is simply a method of objectively observing the way things work. We don’t know everything about the way the body works yet, but we know enough to rule out a variety of different fad diets and concepts. Here we will look at the underlying science when it comes to weight loss and energy use.

Fuel Sources in the Body

In all organic life there is one fuel source which is often referred to as the ‘energy currency ‘ of all living things. This energy ‘currency ‘ is what allows us to power all our movements and is called ‘ATP ‘ or ‘Adenosine Triphosphate ‘. This substance is made up of three ‘phosphate’ molecules that are bonded together powerfully. It is breaking those bonds by separating the phosphates (to create monophosphates) that releases the energy.

However this energy comes in other forms and is not readily available as ATP in the blood. Rather it exists as something called ‘glucose’ which is essentially nothing more than sugar. The body then finds this sugar in the blood and converts it into ATP with the help of insulin (the hormone that tells the body it needs to use up the sugar) and enzymes which are the catalysts used for the reaction.

This is one way the body gets short term energy for explosive movements like lifting weights and is offered referred to as the phosphate system. However if you continue to exert yourself for long enough this changes and you move onto the aerobic system of energy.

The reason for this is that you will have used up all the available glucose and ATP in your system, and this then means you need to look for it elsewhere – specifically the fat stores around our body (subcutaneous fat). This is what happened to the glucose that your body didn’t use up in the past and it requires oxygen in order to be freed up for more use. Thus your heart rate will increase and you will begin taking more breaths more deeply. This enables you to breath oxygen into your blood and then transport it to the fat in order to break it down into glucose and ATP and then transport it further to the muscles where it will be used to power your movements. Of course this is also how we burn our fat and lose weight.

In short then the basic principle behind weight loss is that you need to use more glucose than you take in, and the best way to achieve this is by taking in fewer calories, and by engaging in aerobic exercise.

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Our bodies need fuel. Unfortunately, many of us make the mistake of trying fuel our bodies with sugary, high fat foods. This is the equivalent of putting soda in your gas tank and expecting your car to run. The truth is our bodies need healthy foods, especially when we’re working out. This means foods high in fiber, lean protein and B-vitamins. Here are just five hot foods to fuel your cardio workouts.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the perfect way to start your day because it contains a high level of soluble fiber. This means your body will stay full longer and have more energy. It’s important to opt for quick cook oats rather than instant, but regular oats are even more preferable. You can also add ingredients that will help boost your workout performance, such as walnuts.

Smoothies/Energy Drinks

Homemade smoothies and energy drinks are a great pre-workout or post-workout snack. Smoothies made with fat-free yogurt and fruit not only boost energy levels, before and after workouts, but the vitamin C from the fruit can also help tired, achy muscles. You can also opt for homemade juices made from a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Whole Wheat Pasta and Lean Protein Dishes

Forget what the Atkins Diet followers tell you – whole grains and other healthy carbs are necessary for fueling your body. If you want the energy to keep doing workouts, consider having meals made with whole grain pasta, lean protein and sauteed vegetables. Opt for lean protein high in B-vitamins to increase your metabolism and energy.

Barley

Barley is a wonder food which contains 13 grams of fiber per cup. It’s also packed with protein and can be used in a variety of meals throughout your entire day. Barley can even be made into water for a before or after workout drink.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another food that can be used throughout your day to add a nutritional punch to your diet. Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients including beta-carotene, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes can be used in bran muffins, salads or even as a low-calorie snack in the form of baked chips.

Remember, if you put junk into your body, you will get junk out. This junk comes in the form of a lack of energy and poor workout performance. If you want the best results from your workout, you need to feed your body properly.

About the Author: Novella Matteo loves cooking and truly believes in the benefits of intermittent fasting. She takes her time in the kitchen and works to prepare the most energy efficient foods possible.

I’ve often heard nothing can be quite as motivating as divorce when it comes to the topic of weight loss or fitness.

I happened on this success story earlier where a man who had been married for almost 18 years, and for the 5 or 6 years of that marriage, he’d gained a considerable amount of weight.

At just over 6 feet tall and 280 pounds, he took a long look in  the mirror and didn’t like much of what he saw.

Three years later, he is looking back on his own weight loss journey and is sharing it here.

Christmas is a time for eating rather more than our share of several fatty foods. Whether it’s chocolates in your stocking or sausages wrapped in bacon to accompany your eighth of a gigantic turkey covered in gravy, it would be virtually criminal not to indulge. But you pay for it in the end, and as useful as that tire around your waste doubtlessly is in the winter months (if you happen to be a hibernating mammal), you’ll probably start feeling a little guilty about your dietary habits before you’ve finished polishing off a kilogram of Cadbury’s in-front of this year’s twelfth showing of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.

Prevention

Of course, the best preventative would be to not indulge in the first place, but that’s not very fun. Nevertheless, be wary of the following:

• Alcohol is something we could all probably have a little less of, but be aware that there are many calories in the typical pint. Also, if you’re drinking you’re less likely to pay attention to what you’ve been eating anyway!
• Don’t assume that skipping meals to make room for one big Christmas meal is useful: it often isn’t (especially as you’ll probably end up eating even more thanks to feeling exceptionally hungry!)
• With that in mind, try to keep to standard meal times and a meal schedule. Have Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
• Drink plenty of Water! Dehydration is never good for you, but thirst can be easily translated into hunger by the overwhelmed Christmas gut.
• Avoid forming bad habits for the rest of the year – treat yourself only with those things that are available at Christmas (mince pies, for instance).

Exercising

The degree to which each individual exercises varies wildly, so my attempt to offer a one-size fits all solution will fall slightly flat: some of you just want to watch the waistline, others want to maintain a more intensive routine in a difficult period of time. The guide caters more to the former, but there are plenty of things we can all learn about Christmas exercise:

• Due to the availability of time and the fact that you’ll simply be more up for it, exercise is best undertaken in the morning. Go out for a run or hit the gym in the morning to get out of people’s hair.
• If time isn’t available in the morning, always make a point of exercising at least once a day.
• The types of exercises that are easy to fit in vary at this time of year: walks, runs or a nice bike ride aren’t just easy to start doing, they’re also something you can do when errands need to be achieved to keep Christmas running smoothly.
• A short (3-5 minute) routine of squats, jacks, jump rope, lunges, crunches and press ups every day should counter a sensibly indulgent holiday diet.
• One of the best things about the Christmas period is that you can do some collaborative exercise with people you usually wouldn’t get to spend quality time with. If you’re a workout fiend and you have a cousin who likes to do the same, suggest a punishing workout whilst you catch up!
• Better still, get everyone involved in some light exercise after major meals. By going after each meal, you body is less likely to store the fat.
• Kids are great recruits at Christmas time for exercise. They’re full of excitement and unspent energy, so get them to use it up by taking a trip to the park.
• If it’s a White Christmas, go outside. There are precious few opportunities to enjoy such an event!

Steph Wood is a copywriter and blogger writing content for JTX Fitness Exercise Equipment, a UK based company who have treadmills for sale alongside other machines.

The people of prehistoric times were far ahead of the game when it came to maintaining a healthy diet and lean body mass. Dr. Oz explains what our prehistoric ancestors already knew, and explores the Prehistoric Diet.

Take a look at The Prehistoric Diet and give this diet a try – complete with Prehistoric Diet Recipes