Growing up, Jon Over struggled with his weight, but always managed to lose those extra pounds by playing sports. After college, Over began working in construction and eventually started his own company. And like most entrepreneurs, the now 36-year-old prioritized his business over everythingincluding his health.

Working left little time to hit the gym or make healthy meals, and Over gained weight, which impacted his mood.

"The issue was that outside of work, my enjoyment or participation in things had dwindled," he tells Men's Health. " This was due to my rapid weight gain over a few years. Social occasions filled me with anxiety."

Over consumed alcohol to manage his anxiety and gain confidence in social situations.

"The issue would be that I didnt know when to stop," he says. "Drugs also became part of my life as well for a short period of time."

In December 2017, Over hit a low. At the time he weighed 294 pounds and was severely depressed.

"I knew that this had consumed me to the point I wanted to give up. The issue is I dont give up on things that easily."

Around that time, he'd started following Ultimate Performance (UP)a UK-based gym that specializes in body transformations, on social media. Although he was unable to afford UP, Over, who lives in Brighton, England, started going to cycling classes and worked with local personal trainers for roughly a year.

"My goal throughout 2018 was to try and get into a position [financially] where I could go to UP."

In 2019, Over finally signed with UP after an initial consultation. He was assigned a personal trainer who explained the basics of counting macros and tracking calories to create a calorie deficit. Over says this was the most useful part of the program because it made him think twice about what he was eating.

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Additionally, Over focused on lifting heavy with the help of his trainer.

"Its amazing what a combination of three hours of weight training and a brilliant trainer can help you a produce in a very short space of time," he says.

Now, Over weighs 167 pounds and wears a small or medium. Before, he wore an XXL and sometimes struggled to find jeans that fit.

Even more satisfying is the way that Over feels mentally.

"My mental health benefits are also dramatic," he says. "I have suffered with mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. There is no cure for thesejust maintaining and managing them. Exercise is my way of managing them. To think with a clearer head has paid dividends for me and has not only turned my life around but also my business around."

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Counting Macros Helped This Guy Achieve 127-Pound Weight Loss Transformation - Men's Health

THE Americans love their pancakes, the French adore their croissants and well there's nothing us Brits love waking up more to than a greasy fry-up.

And now it turns out breakfast really may be the most important meal of the day - and not just because it stops the loud rumbling mid morning meeting.

1

A new study has revealed eating a bigbrekkie every day can help you lose weight quicker - and may prevent obesity and high blood sugar.

Scientists from the University of Lbeck in Germany say this all down to something called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), which is a measure of how well our metabolism is working, and can differ depending on mealtime.

And at breakfast your metabolism works more efficiently than at dinner - meaning you burn more calories.

For example, a slice of bread consumed at breakfast would be healthier for you than an identical slice of bread consumed in the evening.

It underlines the value of eating enough at breakfast.

The study author Juliane Richter said: "Our results show that a meal eaten for breakfast, regardless of the amount of calories it contains, creates twice as high diet-induced thermogenesis as the same meal consumed for dinner.

"This finding is significant for all people as it underlines the value of eating enough at breakfast."

The researchers conducted a three-day laboratory study of 16 men who consumed a low-calorie breakfast and high-calorie dinner, and vice versa in a second round.

They found identical calorie consumption led to two and a half times times higher DIT in the morning than in the evening after high-calorie and low-calorie meals.

Quick breakfast tips

Source:Diabetes UK

The food-induced increase of blood sugar and insulin concentrations was diminished after breakfast compared with dinner.

The results, which are published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, also show eating a low-calorie breakfast increased appetite, specifically for sweets.

The experts are now urging that overweight people eat a larger breakfast to blitz their body fat.

Professor Richter added: "We recommend that patients with obesity as well as healthy people eat a large breakfast rather than a large dinner to reduce body weight and prevent metabolic diseases."

It comes after a recent study also revealed a big breakfast can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

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People withtype 2 diabeteswho followed a diet plan of a high energy breakfast, followed by an average sized lunch and small dinner not only lost weight but their body was able to manage their blood sugar levels better.

The researchers claimed the hour of the day - when you eat and how frequently you eat - is more important than what you eat and how many calories you eat.

Similarly, previous research has found eating a substantial breakfast tricks you into eating less calories for the rest of the day.

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Eat a big breakfast to lose weight fast youll burn TWICE as many calories - The Sun

Algebra, Tinder matches, the New York subway system. These are things that can be confusing. But muscles? Can they get confused? That's the gist of the trendy workout term "muscle confusion."

Confused by muscle confusion? It's important to look beyond the buzzword.

Credit: FatCamera/E+/GettyImages

But it's not a term you'll find in an exercise science textbook. "Muscle confusion is a fitness buzzword for a workout routine that is supposedly better than all other workout routines... but no one really knows what it means," says Kristian Flores, CSCS.

That's why we put together this muscle confusion cheat sheet. Scroll down to learn where this term came from, how it applies to workouts and if it's actually legit.

Popularized by boutique fitness culture and P90X trainer Tony Horton, there's not one widely accepted definition of muscle confusion. But generally, it refers to the premise that constantly switching up your workouts and as a result, "confusing" your muscles is the fast way to gains.

Think: going to yoga on Monday, run club on Tuesday, Barry's Bootcamp on Thursday and CrossFit on Saturday, then switching up that order every week.

"The hypothesis says that by constantly varying the stimulus of your training, your muscles never get acclimated, and you continuously make progress," Flores says. Because doing the exact same workout over and over and over again can lead to halted progress, it makes sense that this type of training has gained traction.

While muscle confusion sounds like a pretty legit way to dodge plateau, you'd be hard pressed to find a certified trainer or fitness coach who'd sign off on this being the best approach to meeting any fitness goal (unless your goal is to try every workout class in your city).

For starters, "your muscles can't get confused, they don't have a brain," says Carol Ferkovic Mack, CSCS, owner of CLE Sports PT & Performance in Cleveland, Ohio, who says the phrase itself is confusing. "Because your muscles can't actually get confused, there's no objective way to measure exactly how confused they are."

Second, "muscle confusion" is in complete contrast with the long-established Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands (SAID) principle. Basically, "the body makes training gains based on what it does over and over again," Mack says. That means consistently working toward one fitness goal (for example, building strength, improving mobility or increasing cardiovascular fitness) is the faster way to reach it, she says.

Let's say, for instance, you want to run a marathon, you shouldn't train for it by going to spin class every other day. The best way to prepare yourself is by running. Or if you wanted to get better at push-ups, you would have to do a certain amount of them each week and not, say, squats.

"There may be some carryover between activities," says Flores, but you'd benefit from being a little less random in your approach.

Despite what this fitness buzzword implies, muscles respond very predictably to exercise. "Your muscles get stronger when you continuously challenge them by varying things like the amount of weight lifted, the intensity of the workout or rest time between moves, or the duration," Mack says.

At first glance, this may sound like muscle confusion, but it's actually an approach to strength training called "progressive overload." Unlike muscle confusion, which usually entails mixing up your workouts at random, progressive overload entails intentionally altering specific factors within a workout weight, intensity, reps, sets, rest time in accordance with a specific exercise program.

The goal of progressive overload, according to Mack, is to challenge (not confuse) your muscles as efficiently as possible in order to avoid plateau.

"Even programs like CrossFit, which preach 'constantly varied movements' as its cornerstone, don't throw random workouts at its participants," Mack says. The movements may be different every workout, but they're thoughtfully chosen to and put into a program that will make an athlete fitter. "The progressive overload is the principal at play here, not muscle confusion."

You might be wondering why "muscle confusion" has maintained traction given that there's another, more effective training principles out there. The answer is that while progressive overload is boring, muscle confusion is comparatively less boring.

In fact, a January 2020 piece published in the New York Times reports on a small December 2019 study published in the journal PLoS One, using it to suggest that because "muscle confusion" is less boring, it may be more effective.

For the study, researchers split 19 men with strength-training backgrounds into two groups, half were put on a 8-week that entailed completing the same exercises in the same order every week. The other half completed the same exercisers as the other groups and lifted approximately the same amount of weight as the other group, but varied the order, completing the movements based on a randomized computer app.

At the end of the study, both groups showed similar strength gains, but the group with exercise variety reported more motivation to workout. Brad Schoenfeld, an associate professor of exercise science at Lehman College in New York and a co-author of the study, concluded, "The differences in motivation scores at the end were substantial [...] From a purely motivational standpoint, variety matters."

The New York Times article uses this to suggest that "muscle confusion" has its benefits especially for the unmotivated.

But here's where it get's tricky: the study is measuring the effects of varying the order of exercises from week to week. Which, according to the most pervasive definition of the made-up fitness term, is not "muscle confusion." But actually, progressive overload.

Generally, "muscle confusion" is about varying the type of workout (strength training, Pilates, yoga, running, etc.) day-to-day and week-to-week. Not about changing the order of different strength-based moves like leg press, squat and deadlift on leg day from week to week (which, again, is what the study participants are doing).

So, can "muscle confusion" lead to increased motivation? If you're somebody who gets easily bored at the gym, and are more likely to exercise if you get to do a completely different workout every time you do, then yes, "muscle confusion" (in this case, workout variety), may be motivating.

As Mack says, "If you a general fitness goal or get bored easily with your workouts, doing a completely different workout every day is perfectly fine to do. But, if you have specific goals for improving strength, fitness, mobility, or losing weight, muscle confusion just not going to be as effective."

What the NYT article is really arguing, and what science and sports and conditioning experts can get behind is that variation within your workouts is beneficial to both gains and motivation.

As Flores says, "Variation for instance variation in the movement order, reps, or weight is necessary to get you closer to the specific fitness goal you're working toward." That's not usually how "muscle confusion" is defined, he says. That's how progressive overload is defined. Whatever nomenclature you attach to it, (intentional) variation is essential to continuous gains.

Honing in on other non-fitness factors can play a role, too. "Sleep quality, nutrition habits, stress and your workout regime can all contribute to weight loss and strength plateaus," says Mack, who recommends anyone who's hit a plateau take a look at lifestyle factors that could be contributing to the stall. But, she says, "If your workout schedule has no consistency or structure, adding that in can help you break through it."

Both she and Flores recommend working with a trainer who will be able to write you a progressive overload program with intention variation based on your specific goal. "In my opinion, just as you shouldn't give yourself a root canal or build your own house, you shouldn't program your own exercise routine. Especially if you actually want to have success," says Flores.

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What Is Muscle Confusion and Can It Help You Lose Weight? - LIVESTRONG.COM

KEY POINTS

Obesity is a chronic health condition that affects more than one in three Americans. Some individuals struggling with weight issues might not get benefited from regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan alone and their doctors might prescribe medications as part of their weight-control program. The U.S. FDA had approved orlistat (Xenical, Alli), lorcaserin (Belviq), phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), and liraglutide (Saxenda) for long-term use.

But, following the results of a recent safety trial, the FDA has issued a warning that lorcaserin (Belviq) might increase ones risk of cancer. Pharmaceutical company Eisai has voluntarily withdrawn the weight loss pill from the market.

Such a decision has been taken after the FDA issued a warning against Belviq that it hadnt passed a recent safety trial and that the drug could increase an individuals risk of cancer.

The potential cancer risk outweighs the benefits

Lorcaserin is a previously FDA-approved weight loss supplement designed to treat obesity and overweight-related health issues. The drug suppresses an individuals sense of hunger. But, a recently updated statement from the FDA conveyed that, when they initially approved the drug in 2012, they required the drug manufacturer to conduct a clinical trial to evaluate the risk of heart diseases. Post this clinical safety trial, the FDA reported that the drug was not only unsafe but could possibly make people using it more likely to develop certain forms of cancer.

A range of cancer types including pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers were associated with lorcaserin use. Healthcare professionals are advised to stop prescribing Belviq and to immediately contact everyone who might be using the pill and inform them about the potential risk of cancer.

How to dispose these unsafe drugs?

The FDA advises individuals who already are in possession of Belviq tablets to safely dispose them.Heres what they recommend:

A new prescription weight loss pill has some health officials hopeful. Photo: Pixabay

The rest is here:
FDA Recalls Weight Loss Pill Belviq Due To Increased Cancer Risk - International Business Times

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has advised that the World Health Organization (WHO) Thailand Situation Report on COVID-19 dated 17th February, 2020, highlights the preparedness and response on what Thailand is doingfor its event and tourism industry.

Event Industry

Tourism Industry

Thailand has strong capacities for case detection, risk assessment, case investigation, laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, infection prevention and control, and risk communication.

Thailand also recently updated its dedicated national pandemic influenza preparedness plan (currently pending approval by the Prime Minister's Cabinet).

With WHO support, the National Institute of Health of Thailand is supporting specimen testing for other countries as requested; this support is currently being provided to Myanmar. Support for Indonesia is also being arranged. Support for the Maldives is also under discussion with AFRIMS, Thailand (Armed Force Research Institute of Medical Sciences).

A special advisory group consisting of former high-level health officials has been formed to support the Ministry of Public Health in its response to the outbreak.

The Ministry of Public Health is conducting modelling exercises with the National Research Council of Thailand to forecast possible scenarios and outcomes as the outbreak evolves in Thailand.

Visitors to Thailand who have recently been in Wuhan, China, and other affected areas are being provided information upon arrival by the Ministry of Public Health, including how to report any possible illness to the Department of Disease Control using the 1422 hotline from anywhere in Thailand.

The Ministry of Public Health has also introduced a self-reporting online tool, available in Thai, English and Chinese, at http://sescimande.net/Self-Screening.

With regards to the COVID-19 situation in Thailand, as of yesterday (18th February, 2020), the Ministry of Public Health has confirmed a total of 35 confirmed cases, including 17 people who were treated and discharged from hospital. This reflects Thailand's effective implementation on disease surveillance to prevent further spread or importation of the COVID-19 in the country.

Before embarkation from original destinations

Onboard the aircraft or cruise

Upon arrival at the point of entry

Local and international tourists can keep up to date with tourism information and the COVID-19 situation in Thailand at http://www.tatnews.org.

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Fasting for weight loss can be effective, but you need to do it safely.

You've probably heard of intermittent fasting, the popular diet that involves restricting the hours during which you can eat. It's heralded as a weight loss method, and research suggests that it can also boost your immune system, cure high blood pressure and more.

Intermittent fasting is well-known, but it's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fasting diets in general. There's practically infinite ways you can adopt a fasting regime that suits your own lifestyle and health needs. Let's take a look at all the different fasting diets, the health benefits they may bring and how to do them safely.

Fasting is essentially not eating food for a defined amount of time. Civilizations around the world have incorporated fasting into their religious and cultural lives for thousands of years, but it's recently grown popular as a way to possibly lose weight and experience other health benefits.

You can modify a fasting diet in any way it works for you, but here are some of the most common patterns:

Usually when people fast, the only things they consume during the fasting period is plain black coffee, tea and water -- you can even put a dash of salt in the water for electrolytes. However, a lot of people believe that consuming anything under 50 calories will keep you in a fasted state, so you could throw a dash of heavy cream or oil in your coffee to help tide you over.

There's a lot of preliminary research on fasting that points to some pretty promising benefits, but many more studies are needed to back up the claims.

One major benefit of fasting is that it helps promote autophagy -- a process in which your cells essentially "take out the trash" by removing dysfunctional components. Increased autophagy can possibly regenerate the immune system and increase your cell's protection against stress.

Some research suggests that fasting can also lower blood pressure, as well as making your body more sensitive to insulin. Being more insulin-sensitive means that you'll store energy from food more efficiently, and get less hungry between meals.

Now to the main reason people try fasting -- to lose weight. While one study showed that both fasting and caloric restriction (eating less throughout the day) had the same weight loss results, losing weight is a highly individual journey. If you've been struggling to find a way of eating that helps you be your best self, you may want to give fasting a try.

People with diabetes shouldn't fast, at least not without consulting a doctor first.

Fasting is not recommended for people with chronic health issues, especially anyone with diabetes or gout. Medical professionals also discourage fasting for people who are underweight or have experienced disordered eating in the past.

However, if you're in good condition and want an alternate way to lose weight or are interested in the benefits of autophagy, you may want to give fasting a try. Or, if you already feel sluggish after eating a meal upon waking up, you could try out an intermittent fasting schedule that better suits your needs.

Still, you should always talk to your doctor before starting a fasting diet -- they'll know how to help you approach it in the safest way possible.

Generally, if you feel bad enough during a fast to the point where it's impacting your daily life, you should highly consider stopping.

Besides that, there are some sure fire signs that you should break your fast. If you notice yourself feeling extra dizzy, confused, light-headed or are having trouble concentrating, get some nutrients and calories in your body. Binge eating after your fast ends is another sign that you're falling into some emotionally unhealthy behaviors.

If you've been fasting for more than just a few hours, start slow with the re-feeding -- try to sip on light soup or something easily digestible like crackers before you attack a full meal.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

See the original post here:
How to do intermittent fasting safely - CNET

My name is Mayra Arias (@low.carb.love), and Im a 35-year-old mom and self-employed businesswoman based in Laguna Beach, California. After battling my weight for years, I committed to a consistent workout routine and the keto lifestyle. Ive lost over 100 pounds and kept it off.

I never thought about my weight when I was growing up. I was surrounded by family and friends who accepted me for who I was. I was a happy kid and ate whatever I wanted, which included lots of highly processed foods and munchies.

It wasnt until my 17th birthday that I really noticed my weight in an impactful way. When I developed photos from my camera from that day, I was utterly shocked by my size. At that exact moment, I decided to change. I got a gym membership and started working out every day.

But looking back, I made some less-than-healthy choices to slim down as fast as possible during that time. I overdid it with my workouts and ate an overly restrictive diet. Yes, I lost weight, but my approaches were not safe or sustainable.

I maintained my weight until I got pregnant at the age of 24 in January 2010. During my pregnancy, I stayed active, walked every day, hit the gym three times a week, and watched what I ate. Still, I gained 100 pounds. At the peak of my pregnancy, I weighed 278 pounds. After I gave birth to my daughter on November 13, 2010, I lost 40 pounds naturally as a result of breastfeeding, taking care of my daughter, and recovering from my pregnancy. But I was still overweight and ready to see lasting change.

I began working out at home five days a week, as I needed to be home to take care of my daughter. My workouts consisted of cardio, squats, and lots of crunches. For cardio sessions, I did old-school (and fan-favorite!) Tae Bo workouts (think: a mix of martial arts, boxing, and dance), as well as hot yoga and weight training.

I knew I needed to start eating fewer calories than my body required to maintain my current weight. And, tbh, losing weight after my pregnancy required a ton of focus and determination, so I also got rid of temptations to help me stay on track. For example, I threw out all of my junk food, sweets, chips, soda, and bread.

My diet consisted of healthy protein sources like chicken, steak, salmon, tuna, and eggs, salads and veggies, cheese and plain yogurt, olive oil, some fruit, and protein shakes for on-the-go nutrition.

By June 2011, five months into my weight-loss journey, I had lost over 100 pounds. For the next five years, I worked out at the gym every day to maintain my weight and stay fit. This was, as you can imagine, a lot of work. But it was worth it.

It sounded like something I could incorporate into my lifestyle, so I tried it for a week. In just that one week, I lost six poundsand I was sold. Its been my way of eating ever since. For me, its less a so-called diet and more a lifestyle. I also started intermittent fasting in January 2018. Generally, my eating window is about six to eight hours (so I often skip breakfast).

I eat keto-friendly foods about 90 percent of the time. The other 10 percent of the time, I eat outside of keto rules so that I can enjoy special occasions and different cuisines around the world as I travel with my family.

Over the last two years, Ive committed to sharing my weight-loss journey and the tips I've learned with friends and followers. Its my personal mission to transform as many lives as I can by sharing my story, as well as simple recipes and alternatives to traditional high-carb, less-healthy foods on my Instagram. I enjoy experimenting with baking low-carb, sugar-free desserts like cupcakes, cookies, bread, cinnamon rolls, danishes, brownies, ice cream, and more. Im also big on keto-friendly drinks like shakes, smoothies, teas, and coffee drinks.

Some examples (trust me, you can do these, too!): I replaced my go-to pasta with zoodles, swapped rice for cauliflower rice, and ditched my go-to desserts for homemade keto versions. I also swapped soda for sparkling water and replaced high-sugar drinks with homemade, sugar-free versions that were keto-friendly.

Breakfast: A cup of coffee with a splash of heavy cream.

Lunch: Chicken or beef with veggies (plus butter and salt), salad, and healthy fats (like dressings, sauces, avocado, grilled cheese, or spicy mayo).

Dinner: Chicken, steak, or salmon and veggies.

I've now lost about 135 pounds. As someone who's had ups and downs with her weight, my biggest advice is to remember that weight loss is a journey, and its okay to go at your own pace. Having lost weight *too* fast the first time, Id advise anyone to make a healthy plan to lose weight over a realistic time period. Find a lifestyle you can stick with long-term. For me, that was keto, but its important to find something that works for you and your body.

Excerpt from:
'I Do Keto, Intermittent Fasting, And Tae Bo WorkoutsAnd I've Lost 135 Pounds' - Women's Health

This SAS workout is a bit different from the workout routines we normally post here. It's not as good for building muscle definition as the two-day push-pull workout or as rookie-friendly as the best bodyweight workout for beginners. In terms of gruelling strength building and endurance testing, it has more in common with, naturally enough, the US Navy SEAL workout.

The reason being, in order to pass the 3-stage SAS selection process, you will need a lot of endurance, as opposed to 'just' muscle mass. This doesn't mean you shouldn't follow the basic rules of how to get stronger but if you want to build endurance, you will need to move on from only doing bicep curls to practicing more compound exercises, like squats and deadlifts.

In fact, if you are especially time-poor, in order to build overall strength, you can follow our best full body workout routine to build strength. If you would like to get your body ready for the SAS selection test, however, you'll need to introduce a few more additional days of training throughout the week to build endurance as well as strength.

Most importantly, as much as the SAS workout is good for burning fat and building strength, if you ever struggled with obesity or have not been doing much (or any) physical training, you might want to consider losing weight fast first and/or get fit before you opt in for doing hard core military-style training.

The SAS selection test is gruelling both for the body and the mind and consists of three parts:

This stage lasts for three weeks (!) and takes place in the hilly area in South Wales. Candidates have to carry a backpack full of equipment called bergen over a series of long timed hikes, navigating between checkpoints.

The bergen gets heavier as the days pass and the endurance phase culminates with 'the long drag', a 40-mile trek carrying a 55lb (25kg) bergen, that must be completed in under 24 hours.

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Training takes place in Belize in Central-America, deep in the jungles. Those few who have passed the first stage will have to learn the basics of surviving and patrolling in the humid and warm conditions, surrounded by dense vegetation and bothered by small insects as well as noises coming from the forest.

For the escape and evasion (E&E) portion of the course, the candidates are given brief instructions on appropriate techniques then let loose in the countryside. They have to make their way to a series of waypoints without being captured by the 'hunter force' of SAS soldiers. This portion lasts for three days after which all candidates report for TQ, a.k.a. interrogation 'practice'.

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It's not difficult to tell apart a bodybuilder for a strongmen. The former might look more appealing to some, but the latter can move some serious weights at will. Of course, as you get stronger your muscles get more defined as well but if you want to be ready for a challenge like the SAS selection test, you will need strength and not well defined shoulder muscles and low body-fat percentage.

if neither of the above rings a bell, don't worry. Runners and cyclists are more familiar with these terms and they refer to how well your muscles and cardiovascular system can withstand elongated periods of moderate-to-high intensity exercising.

VO2 max is "the maximum or optimum rate at which the heart, lungs, and muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise, used as a way of measuring a person's individual aerobic capacity." The more oxygen your muscles can digest, the later you'll feel fatigued.

Lactate thresholdis "the maximal effort or intensity that an athlete can maintain for an extended period of time with little or no increase inlactatein the blood" (definition taken from lactate.com).

Both can be improved by doing cardio regularly and there are also specific HIIT workouts that can boost either or both in the same time.

Your body can only sustain its fitness levels if you do a certain amount of exercising. If it wasn't the case, pro athletes wouldn't have to put in extreme efforts to stay on the levels where they are.

This also means that you can't get fit by exercising more and then expect your body to maintain its fitness level without you doing any physical activity. Your body will revert back to its previous state when you abandon your workout routine, although it will be easier to get back into it later on once you were fit before.

Of course, being fit (as in healthy) has loads of health benefits so it worth spending a few hours a week looking after your fitness.

The SAS selection is almost as hard to endure mentally as it is to overcome physically. If you get distracted easily, have temper issues and/or lack focus, you will singled out pretty soon, regardless of your physical readiness.

Meditation has been proven to be an effective tool to regain control over one's mind and to harness the thoughts that go through your mind at any point, which can come in handy when you are submerged in cold water for hours on end, a practice which may or may not be part of the selection process.

Protein is great for muscle building as well as muscle repair

(Image credit: Getty images)

If you want to build muscles and lose fat, you will need to eat right and keep a balanced diet which includes ample amount of protein and good fats as well as clean carbs. Being more mindful about what your body requires to perform better is crucial part of endurance tests and the SAS selection process is no different.

Either you are trying to lose fat or want to build muscle, eating more protein is beneficial for you. If you fall in the former category, try swapping some bad fats and carbs most of the processed food falls into this category to protein snacks, let them be protein bars or just a small portion of high-carb nuts.

If you are trying to gain muscle mass and are naturally skinny, try adding some high protein mass gainers, like Bulk Powders' Informed Mass or The Protein Works' Total Mass Matrix.

Drinking more water also helps, so fill up your gym water bottle and drink that water!

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Make stretching an integral part of your workouts

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Apart from doing multiple exercise sessions a week, the SAS endurance workout also involves plenty of cardio elements as well as strengthening exercises, so stretching before and after the workouts is essential. Stretching can help you perform the exercises better and can also help reducing the risk of injury.

Use a foam roller and/or resistance bands, both of which can relieve muscle tension andknots in all areas of the body. On our best massage tools guide, you'll find plenty of options, like the aforementioned foam rollers, but also massage balls great for the calves and percussion massagers like the Theragun G3.

IMPORTANT: if you have any medical condition or experiencing pain of any sort especially back pain please consult a medical professional before you start working out. Some of the below exercises put a lot of stress on your lower back and if you are ever unsure how to perform them, get a PT or a trained athlete to show you the correct form.

The weekly-breakdown of the SAS workout:

For getting ready for the mental part of the selection process, we recommend the new SAS workout app from the boys at Who Dares Wins. This app has a unique approach to training by incorporating mental exercises as well as training tips and even diet options.

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Suunto 9 GPS Sports Watch...

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In-depth: 5-exercise full body workout

On the first day of the week, you want to give your body a run for its money. Our full-body workout consists of five exercises: deadlift, squat, bench press, shoulder press and bent-over row.

These exercises are probably the best compound exercises to build overall strength with the least amount different movement involved and focuses on large muscle groups and using free weights as opposed to machines.

If you don't want to sign up for a gym membership (just yet), you can perform these exercises at home, using resistance bands or dumbbells/barbell or even kettlebells.

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Resting your body after intense exercising is almost as important as the exercises themselves

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After bombing your body with weights the day before, you'll probably feel the effect of DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This occurs after your muscles especially the glutes and legs area are worked hard and please also note the 'delayed' nature of the phenomena: it can happen up to 2-3 days later than the workout.

Giving your muscles a break can help them repair more efficiently and recover better, meaning you can expect to see results quicker by resting your muscles after heavy workouts.

Even on rest days, you can do light cardio e.g. brisk walking and stretching would definitely help also.

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Running is an excellent cardio exercise to build endurance

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Depending on your cardio levels, on the third day you should go the distance.To be fit enough to be even considered to be selected as a member of the SAS (or SBS), you'll need to be able to comfortably run a 10K in under 50 minutes, ideally closer to 40 minutes.

Once you are comfortable with that speed, you can introduce more and more trail running sessions to your training plan. Trail running is somewhat different to road running obviously since you have to take the terrain into account as you run. You'll need different shoes as well for trail running: have a look at our best trail running shoes guide for inspiration.

Trail running is very popular worldwide and especially in the UK, where there are many groups you can join. Trail runners are a famously close-knit bunch who appreciate each other's company as much as the nature that surrounds them. By joining a trail running club, you get fit and be a bit more social, two birds with one stone.

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The HIIT part will get those heart-rate levels high

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In depth: Full body HIIT workout gets you fit with only running shoes required

On the fourth day, your DOMS should have completely subsided and you are ready for a more intense workout: a HIIT workout! There are many reasons why you should try HIIT, it torches fat, boosts metabolism, can improve heart health and also super time efficient.

Ideally, you would like to do the entirety of the full body HIIT workout detailed in the linked article, for the same reason why you should perform all five exercises on the first day: by doing more exercises, you get stronger and also build endurance, which you will need for the selection process.

All the better, since we are talking about HIIT, the whole session can be done in under half an hour, 45 minutes tops. Make sure you go as hard as you can doing the circuits and don't let your heart rate drop too much in between them.

To monitor your heart rate, you should get a running watch or at least a heart rate chest-strap so you can track your heart rate on the accompanying apps. the new Polar H9 costs the fraction of a smart watch and will provide you with more accurate readings than wrist based optical sensors.

Polar H9 heart rate sensor | Buy it for 52.50 directly from PolarPolar H9 heart rate monitor is the smaller and more accessible sibling of the Polar H10 heart rate sensor. Connects to your wearables and/or smartphone using Bluetooth or ANT+ and has a battery life of 400 hours. Tracks heart rate more precisely than wrist-based optical sensors so you'll get better more accurate calorie burn estimates.

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Same as above, give your body a rest on the fifth day and let your muscles regenerate.

One thing you can try is to do some light training in the form of EMS. Electric Muscle Stimulation is not your golden ticket to six-pack abs heaven, but it can compliment training well by targeting high load-bearing muscles, such as the abs, on days when you would like to give the rest of your body a bit of a break.

Many EMS devices can also be used in other areas of the body too, like the arms or even the shoulders, making them a versatile tool for athletes.

You could also try using a percussion massager, like the Theragun, to fully loosen the muscles and get them ready for more training. Percussion massagers are like electric toothbrushes for your muscles: although the manual toothbrush does the job just fine, you can clean way more effectively with an electric one.

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Both cycling and swimming build endurance and improve overall cardiovascular health

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For best results, do cycling one week and swimming on the other. Either way, we are not talking about leisurely pedalling/splashing around the water: after your rest day, you would like to go the distance again and cover long distances on the bike/in the water.

As for cycling, you don't need to do the full Ironman distance 112 miles but you would like to cover as many miles as possible within an hour. Depending on the terrain, you are looking at doing around 15-20 miles for a good session. Should the weather permit, ride for even longer, two, maybe even three hours at the time to train your heart for sustained medium-intensity efforts.

In the pool, an hour-long session is ideal and you are looking at doing around two kilometres within that timeframe. You'd better master that freestyle swimming technique!

To track heart rate under water, we recommend using a triathlon watch and/or a swim proof chest strap like the Garmin HRM-Swim.

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This SAS workout will make your body and mind stronger - T3

How to lose weight fast By knowing what and what not to eat, you will maximize your efforts trying to lose fat. Calorie balance is an essential aspect of this understanding.

Calorie balance is the ratio between calories taken in and calories expended in any one individual at any given time. This is the MOST IMPORTANT factor when it comes to changing your weight. What you actually need on a daily basis will be individual to you based on your age, lifestyle and fitness habits.

There are 3 states of calorie balance:

It is impossible to be in more than one of these states at any one time.

The second most important aspect is making sure that you are eating the correct amount of macronutrients that your body needs. Macronutrients consist of:

There is technically a 4th, alcohol, but Im not going into that one specifically. However if you drink alcohol, you should know that 1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories and they do count. They just wont build muscle.

The seven tips below will guide you on your way to proper nutrition and efficient weight loss.

The most crucial part to cut off in your diet when trying to lose weight is carbohydrates (starches). To give you a little bit of a background, insulin is responsible for storing your fat. Insulin-release is also stimulated when you eat too much sugar that comes from starch or carbohydrates.

The more sugar you eat, the more your body releases insulin, and the more it stores fat. But when insulin goes down, you dont give your body a lot of chance to store up on fat, making it burn more to fuel your body instead.

Another benefit of lowered your insulin level is that it allows your kidneys to do what they are supposed to do and that is to get rid of excess sodium and water in your body. Excess sodium causes you to bloat up and store the water as weight exces. As soon as you get rid of carbohydrates on the first few weeks of your diet, you will notice you are losing more weight than expected.

Nutrition for performance

Originally posted here:
How to Lose Weight Fast and Transform your Body - BOXROX