Do You Really Need Cardio?

Below is an interesting article from Mike Geary, discussing whether traditional cardio is actually helping or hindering our fat loss efforts. If you are bored with spending hours upon hours each week running on that treadmill or spinning your little feet off, he offers a solution that can not only help you burn fat and keep you interested, but help you build muscle at the same time.

Are cardio workouts or weight training more effective for losing fat...

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

In this article, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio workouts, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.

You may know I've been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I'm back posing the question to you... Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you'll see in a minute that I'm not really "anti-cardio", just "anti traditional cardio".

The Healthiest Turkey Burger

Memorial Day weekend has arrived and you are looking for some healthy burger options so you can still get your grill on while not starting summer off with an expanded waistline. Check out my healthy turkey burger recipe below that is not only tasty, but is low in calories and fat, but high in protein and good carbs.

Think you can't get a turkey burger as juicy as it's beef counterpart? Think again. The trick here is in the oats. By soaking the oats in some milk for 5 - 10 minutes and that putting them in the burger party, they create a juicy and moist burger that will totally satisfy.

Turkey Burgers Can Make You Fat

You have just sat down at a restaurant with some friends for a quick bite to eat, and you are determined not to let you diet slide by caving into that big bowl of french fries or over sized portion of creamy pasta, so you peruse the menu looking for some healthy options that wont see you overdose on nasty fat or bad carbs. You check out the salads, but they seem boring and don't want to warrant any catty comments from your friends. The kid's menu? Hmmm, the portions are smaller but there is something about getting a toy with your meal that isn't going to impress that hottie across the table from you. All the fish items are beer battered and deep fried so those are not an option. Hmmm... Ahh, you spot the turkey burger. Perfect. You get your burger fix but without any of the fat or calories because turkey burgers are healthier than beef burgers. Right? Wrong.

Turns out turkey burgers aren't always the healthier option, and some can pack more calories than two Big Macs or four pieces of carrot cake, and more artery clogging fat than two cups of Haagen Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip ice cream or five snickers bars!

Get In Shape, Win a Trip to Maui

So, you have been reading the Healthy Boy blog over the last month or so and have seen some great results just from making a few small changes to your diet and workout routine. But things get in the way. Work has been crazy busy, you haven't been able to find the time to get to the gym every week, and those specials they have had at the grocery store on red velvet cupcakes have been just too tempting to pass up. You need some motivation to get you back on track but you can't afford a personal trainer and don't know where to start. Well, swallow that last cream puff and throw out all that soda you have stock piled, because if this doesn't get you motivated then I don't know what will.

I get emails daily from devoted Healthy Boy readers telling me about their success stories but asking me what else they can be doing to get motivated. Well When it comes to getting in the best shape of your life, sometimes all it takes is a big juicy "carrot" to really get your motivational juices flowing again, and Tom from Burn The Fat is now wiggling that carrot right in front of our faces.

This week Tom has launched what they are calling "the world's first body composition transformation contest." Meaning it is not just a weight loss competition, like the Biggest Loser for example, but a contest to see how much fat you can lose and how much muscle you can gain.

They're giving away a CRAZY reward to the winners...

Want to Lose Weight And Win A Trip To Hawaii?

Picture this: You laying out on the beach, or by the pool in Maui sipping a cocktail, soaking up the sun as you enjoy an amazing vacation at The Four Seasons Hotel at Wallea Beach. Not only that but you are looking incredible in your newly slimmed down, buffed bod that you have worked so hard to finally achieve.

No, this isn't a dream. It could be your reality. I'm so excited because I have incredible body transformation competition that is getting launched tomorrow, Monday 24th May, through one of my partners which could see you not only drop a ton of fat and get fit, but reward you for doing so by giving you the chance to win a holiday to Hawaii!!

Click on to The Healthy Boy on Monday 24th May to find out how you can enter and win.

Healthy Boy x

Common Food Mistakes That Keep Your Abs Hidden By Fat

Did you know that there are certain foods that you can eat that will help you burn fat and reveal your six pack you have hidden under that layer of fat? Think that low carbohydrate diet you are torturing yourself with is the best option to burn fat and build muscle? My regular readers know how I go on and on about eating whole unprocessed foods and their benefits, versus refined packaged foods with ingredients like trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. Well it turns out one of the fitness industry's top experts now only tell us that this is good for us, but it is also the best option for revealing what we all desire... six pack abs!

Earlier in the week I posted Part One of a two part interview between Men's Health writer Craig Ballantyne and Certified Personal Trainer and fitness author Mike Geary, where they discussed various abs training mistakes people are making that inhibit them from revealing their abs. Here is the second part of that interview where nutrition is the focus, primarily which foods are the best for showing off your abs, and which ones which will see your abs stay covered by a layer of fat.

Health Food Imposters - Sushi

I love sushi. It's one type of food that when I haven't had it for a while I begin to crave and find myself sitting on my couch watching Japanese game shows sniffing the soy sauce from my refrigerator to make believe I am at Katsuya. Unfortunately sushi is pretty expensive, so it's not very often I get to eat it. Sigh. But as it turns out, it's probably good that I don't eat it all that often because although it can be considered to be a healthy well rounded meal, it isn't always, and if you don't know what to order, just one of those little rolls could sabotage your fat loss efforts and see you packing on the pounds faster than ever. That's right, sushi is another Healthy Boy Health Food Imposter... at least some of the rolls anyway. Check it out.

When you think of sushi, you think of healthy slices of raw fish, with a small amount of rice, rolled up in some nutritious seaweed paper. That's not so bad is it? A lean protein with some healthy carbs and some nutrient packed seaweed. Well it isn't...if that's where it ended. However sushi has become so diverse and flamboyant over recent years that those are not the only ingredients. Sushi now comes packed with fatty mayonnaise, artery clogging fried fats, and sugar laced white rice that make it tastier, and unhealthier, than ever.

So how do you know what pieces of sushi are the healthy ones and which ones are likely to widen your waistline? Well when looking at a sushi menu, there are a few things you should look out for:

The Only Fat Loss, Muscle Building Book You Need To Buy

I get emails everyday from readers asking me what are the best supplements for fat loss and muscle building, what workout programs are the most effective, and what diet book should they be reading to help them achieve their goals. My answer is always the same - buy Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. It is the one book I read over 5 years ago that taught me everything about nutrition, fat loss and muscle building, long before I even thought about writing a blog. I have recommended it to my friends, family, and people I know who are personal trainers just starting out in the industry.

Now, you guys know I don't plug products on here. Companies and people contact me daily, but I have only featured two Hot Products so far, both of which I personally use and don't receive anything for promoting, and two fitness books that I have read and use. Burn The Fat is one of those books.

Tom Venuto, who's name you may recognize from his weekly articles I post on this blog, is the author and someone who I consider to be my own personal fitness "guru". He is a lifetime natural bodybuilder and fat loss expert who has achieved an astonishing 3.7% body fat level without drugs or supplements. His book is a number one best seller and has seen hundreds of thousands of people in multiple countries achieve the body they want without "dieting".

Today I consider myself a healthy individual. I have a metabolic rate of someone half my age, 10% body fat and eat only whole, clean foods. Hell, I even write my own Health Blog. But that wasn't always the case. I use to eat fast food, didn't know how to correctly workout at the gym, and was generally unhealthy. The turning point was when I saw myself in a photograph. I was this pudgy guy with no muscle tone and didn't like what I saw so I decided to do something about it.

What Your Tongue Says About Your Health

Ever wake up some mornings and see that you have a thick white layer of goop coating your tongue? Maybe you have some cracks or spots on your tongue that wont seem to go away? Well before you go shrugging it off as a result of the big night you had the night before, you may want to take a closer look, because we are just starting to figure out what Chinese medicine has known for centuries, that your tongue is the window to your overall health.  From the color, to the coating, and even the shape and texture, they can not only can it tell you how healthy you are, but it can also tell you what vitamins and nutrients you may be not eating enough of.

One of my favorite shows of all time is You Are What You Eat. I have been watching it for years and it is one of the reasons for my obsession about nutrition and healthy eating, and one of the factors that pushed me into starting my own health blog. It's an English show on the BBC (on BBC America here) where nutritionist Jillian McKeith confronts individuals and families about being overweight and puts them on a nutrition and exercise plan that sees them transform their bodies dramatically.

But that's not why I watch it. Jillian is known for using shock tactics to scare them into loosing weight, showing them the equivalent of what they are currently eating in nasty examples. She has been known to compare excessive cheese consumption to tubs of lard, caloric intake of alcohol to the equivalent amount of fairy floss, and comparing the amount of coffee an overweight person drinks to the equivalent fat content of bacon. But the best thing about her and the show, is that she considers someone's tongue and their poo...yes you read it right, their poo...great markers of their health. She makes them stick out their tongues for analysis and head to the bathroom to (uh hum) produce a sample for her inspection. It not only makes for great TV but it's actually quite informative. Today I am going to spare you the trip to the bathroom (although I'm going to definitely do a post on in the future) and talk about your tongue and what it means to your health.

Surprise Abs Training Mistakes To Avoid

Ouch. Big weekend huh? Indulge just a little too much in those irresistible burgers at that party you went on Sunday afternoon? Is there an empty ice cream container on top of your garbage about to get thrown out along with your dignity? Bet you're feeling a little pudgy and a little guilty now. It happens...to all of us. The good news is that Monday is here, it's the beginning of a new week and a new you, and although you may have had one too many cookies or brownies there are some things that you can do this week to get you back into shape.

What's the one area all that food we ate on the weekend seems to deposit itself the following week, and the area we spend countless hours at the gym trying to tone? Our midsection. Our abs. Well it turns out there are techniques and tricks to reveal that rock hard sick pack that are faster and more effective than others. Below is an interview by Men's Health Magazine writer Craig Ballantyne with Mike Geary, who's articles I have posted on this site in the past, where they both discuss abs training and some of the biggest myths and mistakes they see performed in the gym.

Low Carb Rice Recipe

Are you a carb addict? Love your cereal, breads, pastas and rice but worry about packing on the pounds? You are not alone. Well, I have some good news for you. I have a low carb rice recipe that you can use in just about anything. You can throw it in your stir fry or curry, eat it as a side dish, and eat it as late at night as you want and you wont put on an ounce of fat.

What is this magical rice recipe you ask? Cauliflower rice! That's right, a rice recipe that not only tastes and has the same texture of rice, but it has no starchy carbohydrates meaning you can eat as much of it as you like and not get fat. Not only that, but you will be providing your body with a whole lot of nutrients and a serving of vegetables without even knowing it.

I only discovered this recipe a couple of weeks ago, but it turns out it has been around for a while. It is so easy to make and totally satisfies those carb cravings. Check it out.

How Many Calories Do You Need To Eat Each Day?

I was at a Health Fair up at Whole Foods a few weeks back where I got my Basal Metabolic Rate checked. I gave a fitness expert my weight, height, age and a few other stats, and then stood on some electronic magnetic thingy magig that sent waves through my body to determine all my other factors. I was pretty shocked. Not only did I have 10% body fat, but I also had the metabolic rate of a 14 year old. Meaning that even though I am 29, on the inside my body only thinks it is 14 and has the metabolism of someone half my age. I was pretty flawed and needless to say proud of myself, and it seems so was the personal trainer who tested me as he grabbed all his colleagues to come and take a look at my results. I also got some other cool stats on my bone density, how many pounds of muscle I have, how much of my fat is visceral fat, how well nutrients are absorbed in my body etc.

The other thing I learnt that my BMR is roughly around 1800 calories per day. That means that if I just lie in bed all day and don't do any exercise, that this is what my body requires to maintain itself. The personal trainer also mentioned that if I increased my muscle mass by just 5 more pounds, I would see even greater results in my BMR and fat loss etc. I told him how hard I train and how religiously I eat, and he mentioned that I might need to increase my protein intake. I laughed at him, because I eat protein every 3 hours and eat more of it than anything else.

Now when it comes to nutrition, I know my stuff. I research it as well as read articles and websites about it every day. I know what I eat, how much I eat, every day and every week. Or so I thought. Yesterday in thinking of his advice, I decided to calculate how many calories and grams of protein I was actually eating so I could see if this personal trainer was right, and whether indeed I may need to increase some things to see more muscle gain. I was shocked at what I discovered.

Two Cardio Mistakes You Are Still Making

Do you spend countless hours on the treadmill each week and still not seeing the fat loss results you are after? Are you worried that maybe you are not doing the right amount or right type of cardio?

Last week I posted an article from one of my favorite fitness experts Tom Venuto, Foods That Burn Fat, and it was one of the most read posts of the week. This week's article is going to be no different. Here Tom talks about the difference between intensity and duration, which one is more important, and why all that cardio you have been doing may just be a total waste of time.

TWO CARDIO MISTAKES YOU ARE STILL MAKING

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

www.BurnTheFat.com

The controversies over cardio for fat loss are endless: steady state versus intervals, fed versus fasted, long and easy versus short and intense, and so on. Obviously there is a lot of interest in cardio training and how to do it right. Sadly, most people are still doing 2 things terribly wrong and it’s killing their results…… As best as I can figure, there are two major reasons why people are still mucking up their cardio programs for fat loss...

How To Build Muscle

So you have decided that you want to get in shape. You've started eating healthy, embarked on a new cardio program, and have gotten yourself a crazy expensive gym membership and a new pair of workout shorts that make your legs look fantastic. You drape your sweat towel over your shoulder and walk into the weight room with the determination of a hard and effective workout. Now what? Where do you start? Do you go to the free weights section, wait for that sweaty, red faced beefcake to stop grunting and get off the bench press, or do you head for the machine that looks the easiest to master and one you not going to look like a total idiot trying to figure out how to use?

There are so many choices you can make when you walk into the weights area of the gym. Some choices are more beneficial to your muscle building efforts than others. Here I look at some of the research and recommendations by some of the fitness industry's top experts on how to effectively build muscle, and tips and training methods that I use in the gym that have worked for me.

Why You May Want To Rethink Eating Soy

Have you recently made the switch from dairy to soy based products like soy milk, cheese and even soy ice cream? Have you substituted meat and eggs for tofu or soy meat alternatives like veggie burgers? If you are like many people, you probably believe that soy is better for you, but what if I told you it wasn't and can actually be detrimental not only for your health if you consume it, but can also work against your fat loss and muscle building efforts? Yes that's right healthy readers, put down your yuppie soy lattes and step away from your hippie tofu burgers, because what I am about to tell you is widely known by the fitness and medical communities, but rarely known by consumers.

As mentioned in my second ever post on this site in The Healthy Boy Lifestyle Plan where I outlined my future posts for losing fat, gaining muscle, and for overall health, I mentioned that I would be discussing in the future why you should never consumer soy, particularly men. Out of all the points I mentioned, this one created the most questions and emails from readers. Why? Because we have been led to believe, only in recent years because of very effective marketing campaigns by soy manufactures, that soy protein is a better for us than meat and dairy, and as a consequence we are consuming more of it than ever.

The 10 Healthiest Foods You Should Always Eat

It seems my Healthy Boy readers loved the posts where I listed foods that you need to buy organic, and the ones that you don't, so I now welcome you to Healthy Boy's Top 10 lists. They are going to be regular posts in top ten format where I detail the best of the best, or the worst of the worst, of everything from nutrition to training, and general health topics that are all relative to you. Enjoy.

Have you seen those awesome new snickers commercials? The one where Betty White is playing football but it turns out it's just a guy who is playing like an old woman because he is hungry? Or the other commercial where Aretha Franklin is in the back of the car complaining, but it turns out it's just another guy who is "acting like a Diva" because he is hungry? Well I'm totally Aretha. When I am hungry I'm not myself, and If I don't get some food in my stomach I will turn on you like last week's sandwich you left in your gym bag. Although I would never reach for a snickers, I do love to eat. But what are the best foods we should be eating? We all have a good understanding of which foods are good and which are bad, but lets take a look at the 10 foods that are so healthy for you, you should be eating every week without fail.

10. Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain a cancer fighting antioxidant carotenoid called Lycopene, which protects our cells, DNA and other structures from oxidation and free radicals. Studies in humans show it protects against colorectal, prostate, breast, lung and pancreatic cancers. But that's not where the benefits of eating tomatoes end. They have been shown to reduce heart disease risk, improve cholesterol levels, reduce blood clotting and act as a natural anti-inflammatory. Throw some in your sandwiches, in your protein scrambles, or cook some up and make your own healthy marinara sauce to pair with some lean chicken breast for dinner.

Lose Belly Fat Fast With These 2 Secrets

So a lot of you loved the article I posted the other day from Fitness expert Michael Geary, the International Fitness expert who is regular writer for Muscle and Fitness Magazine, and author of the top selling fat loss book The Truth About Abs, a book a number of you have already bought and benefiting from.

Below if another article Mike has written that I believe you will all benefit from. It explains in two very simple straightforward points what you need yo do to lose that belly fat and fat in general.  

Enjoy x

Do you struggle to lose belly fat? I bet you're thinking that you've tried every technique in the world to try to lose your stubborn belly fat, but it just never seems to budge... right? I'm sure you see TONS of commercials and ads making all kinds of miracle claims that you can lose your belly fat overnight with their magic pill or wildly-hyped snake-oil supplement. How about all of the bogus infomercial gadgets out there claiming you can reduce your belly fat in a matter of days just by strapping some worthless "ab-belt" around your waist, or sizzle away the stomach fat by using their patented "ab-roller-rocker" do-hicky.

Come on now! I hope you've been insulted by all of these fraudulent marketers and the gimmicks and scams that they are pushing down your throat by trying to get you to believe that a belly-fat reduction miracle is possible overnight.

Health Food Imposters - Granola

Breakfast. The word just brings a smile to my face. It is my biggest meal of the day, my favorite meal of the day, and if anyone dares get in the way of me and my eggs within my first five minutes of getting out of bed, I will knock them over the head with my Paula Dean skillet so hard they will think that butter is an essential nutrient. But are you one of those people who throw down some granola first thing thinking its a balanced meal? Or sprinkle some on your yogurt and believe you are starting your day the healthy way? Well you had better put down those oversized coffee mugs and open your ears because granola is another Healthy Boy Health Food Imposter, because eating it could not only cause you to gain a few pounds, but it could be detrimental for your health also.

What if I told you that that bowl of granola you are consuming at breakfast has more calories than eggs and bacon? Would you believe me it I told you that granola bar you just munched on after your hike had more fat than a McDonalds hash brown? That's right, one bowl of granola can contain anywhere up to 500 calories. We have been led to believe that granola is a "health food" and back in the old days when they had horse drawn carts, tumble weed blowing across dusty streets, and the ipad was something you gave your six year old to correct a lazy eye, it was. Granola used to simply consist of rolled oats, dried fruit with some nuts and grains thrown in to create a well balanced meal that could be eaten warm or cold and provided you vitamins, mineral and natural energy. But these days, you are better off grabbing a bowl of lucky charms than a bowl of granola. Check out this article from Newsweek;

Does Alcohol Make You Fat?

Thank God it's Friday. You have been eating healthy all week, the person at the front desk at the gym now knows you by name, and you are pretty proud of yourself as you notice you have dropped a couple of pounds and are well and truly on your way to achieving your target weight. But work was rough, you put in some crazy hours and your boss displays the intelligence of a Real World contestant, so you are in need of a stiff drink and some socializing. But did you know that your favorite Friday night cocktail or beer could totally derail all that hard work and effort you put into your diet during the week?

Yes, we all love a drink. Some of us more than others...I'm having flash backs from a few weeks ago that involved a stripper, a five dollar bill, and my friends blindfolding me and pushing me up on top of the bar...you don't want to know how that ended. But needless to say that night involved a lot of alcohol and me waking up in the morning with a splitting headache, a bruised nose, and about as dehydrated as Amy Winehouse's weave. But whilst drinking may make you feel rotten the following day, that's the least of your worries. Turns out that when you consume alcohol, even a small amount of it, your body stops burning fat and actually goes into a fat storage mode because it contains what's known as 'empty calories".

Foods That Burn Fat: The Top 10 Lists

You know, there are some days where I just don't feel like writing all that much. Whether I have writers block and feeling a little under the weather, or my DVR is completely backed up and I need to catch up on my re-runs of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, or simply because I need my daily dose of Oprah announcing her guest's name... "John Traaaaaaaaaavolta!" Another reason is that even though I enjoy and pride myself on researching topics and articles on things I think my readers will be interested in, I'm not a certified personal trainer or nutritionist, and therefore am restricted with my knowledge and the advice that I should give my readers on certain topics.

So I have enlisted the help of one of my 'gurus' Tom Venuto. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer. Not only that but he has penned a book that is a best seller, and has written some awesome articles that I have read over the years, so I'm going to post the ones I think are relevant to this blog on a weekly basis. 

Below is an article Tom wrote, detailing his diet. And we should listen. The guy has single digit body fat, biceps that would put any bodybuilder to shame, and has done it all naturally - with no steroids or large amount of supplement use. You also don't need to be a fitness junkie, even people who are just starting on their weight loss journey will benefit greatly from his advice.

Enjoy x

Weight Training Burns More Fat Than Cardio

So you have decided that you want to lose some weight. You have replaced those twinkies with celery and carrot sticks, take a different route so you don't bypass your neighborhood Burger King on the way home from work, and have your ipod set to the repeat of "eye of the tiger" to try and give you the motivation you need when you realize you have only been running for five minutes but yet it feels like thirty. We have all been there, eating well and doing excruciatingly large amounts of cardio to shed those extra pounds, but did you know that all that hard work and effort may be pointless and could be as effective Lindsay Lohan's curfew if you're not lifting weights?

Yes as it turns out, whether you are male or female, pumping some iron or doing some weight bearing exercise should be an essential part of any fat loss program, and if you are not, you wont be squeezing into those skinny jeans as fast as you would like to. Why is this? Well it turns out muscle burns fat. We all know that the key to fat loss is a fast metabolism, and exercise and eating whole foods increases our metabolism, but did you know that the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism? Lets take a look at the science and see how we can catapult your fat loss into hyperdrive and turn your body from a pudgy burger eating couch potato into a lean mean calorie burning machine.

Creamy Low Calorie Butternut Soup Recipe to Die For

Do you enjoy your warm creamy soups but don't want to consume all those calories? Well I have a healthy, low calorie butternut squash soup recipe for you that is so thick and creamy it will leave you licking the bowl and going back for seconds, whilst leaving you trim and terrific and not increasing your waist so such much it gets it own reality show on A&E.

The Clean 15 - Foods That You Don't Need To Buy Organic

Well it seems Healthy Boy readers loved my article the other day about The Dirty Dozen - 12 foods that are so contaminated with pesticides that The Environmental Working Group advises that we must buy organic. Below I have outlines the EWG's list of what they say is produce that is least likely to have any pesticide residue found on it when consumed. So if you are tightening your purse strings with what you are spending your hard earned cash on in this economy, here are some foods that you can buy regular rather than organic, saving your money for more important things like that Justin Bieber album you have secretly been eyeing on itunes.

15. Sweet Potatoes
Turns out when you pick up these orange spuds at the supermarket they are not very likely to be contaminated with pesticides, so feel free to save some dollars and buy regular. They are antioxidant powerhouses and are an excellent source of Vitamin A and beta carotene which have shown to have anti inflammatory and anti cancer properties. A word of advice though, just because they are "sweet potato fries" doesn't mean they are good for you. They are just as bad as regular fries. Try boiling them in some water and then baking them to get that crunchy fry texture but without the added calories.

Congratulations to...

Jude Flynn from Derry in New Hampshire!!

Jude was one of many of you who signed up for emails from The Healthy Boy which put you in the draw to win this awesome multivitamin and wellness supplement pack from Kroeger Herbs and Hanna's Herb Shop.

Congratulations Jude, and I hope you enjoy your supplement pack.

Stay tuned for more Healthy Boy competitions and promotions in the next couple of weeks where we have some more cool products and prizes to giveaway.

Healthy Boy x