Our bodies need protein for pretty much everything. It’s the building block of all the cells in our bodies—skin, muscles, bones, cartilage, hair, you name it. Eating enough of it every day is essential for our bodies to repair damaged cells and to create new ones. When you get too little protein, over time, it can impact every aspect of your health.
This year was full of high energy songs to motivate you in the gym. Our Music Director is here to bring you the top workout tracks of 2016 and where to find them on Fit Radio!
1) Rihanna Ft. Drake-Work
2) Skrillex Ft. Rick Ross-Purple Lamborghini
3) Sia Ft. Kendrick Lamar- The Greatest
4) Fat Joe & Remy Ma- All The Way Up (Feat. French Montana & Infrared)
5) Tujamo Ft. Inaya Day-Keep Pushin
6) Fitz And The Tantrums-HandClap
7) Galantis-No Money
8) Jax Jones Ft. Mike Dunn, MNEK- House Work
9) Chance The Rapper- No Problem
10) Dua Lipa- Blow Your Mind (Mwah)
The holiday season is upon us! A time of cheer, family & friends, and gorging ourselves until we feel sick. Temperatures are dropping making you less likely to head outside for a walk or run, and relatives are visiting which can raise stress levels and increase your cravings. To top it all off, calorie-laden foods like cookies, pies, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole – insert delicious fatty food here – are on the menu! And yet, we are expected to turn around on New Year’s Day, shove that winter weight into some spandex, and change everything? Fat chance – no pun intended. We all have goals this time of year, set yourself up for success this winter with these 3 simple tips: More
You’re not imagining it. Winter is coming. Now, there’s no daylight when your alarm clock goes off, you will log more miles than you’d like to count on the “dreadmill”, and — duh — it’s getting really cold out there. We’ve rounded up our favorite calorie-busting workouts that can be done indoors to get through these long weeks of winter. And who knows — you might even find a workout you’ll want to do all year long.
Run smarter, avoid injury, burn more calories, and claim a bigger body payoff with this “aha!” advice from top fitness pros. More
Don’t feel like working out after work? It’s one thing to cancel plans with yourself—it’s another to cancel on a friend or partner who’s counting on you. “No one wants to be Debbie Downer by bailing and letting down your friend,” says Steve Stonehouse, personal training manager at Crunch in New YorkCity. You’re much more likely to meet your friend for a planned workout session at 6 p.m. compared to tentative plans you made with yourself for, say, sometime after lunch.
“After three or four weeks, once you’re in the habit, you won’t even think about canceling on your friend,” adds Stonehouse. (But if your main man keeps bailing on you, then you might be better off picking a new gym partner.)
News flash: The treadmill and the bench press aren’t the most exciting ways to pass the time. With a partner, though, you can get your heart racing with some one-on-one basketball, racquetball, or even just a partner workout like the ones in our three-day program for training partners.
“You can also take turns leading new exercises and switching up the routine,” suggests Stonehouse. Maybe you know a brutal leg lunge that you used to do on your own? Teach it to your buddy one day, and the next, let him teach you something new. “Your body adapts and becomes efficient at moves that you’ve done again and again,” says Stonehouse. “The more you change up your workout, the better your body is going to respond.”
“Whenever you’re working out with someone else, the intensity is always going to be greater than when you’re alone,” points out Stonehouse. (You don’t want to be the wimp who can’t keep up with a seven-minutes mile.) One key tip when picking your partner: Your athletic abilities should be in the same ballpark. A more seasoned gym-goer won’t get as much out of working out with a newbie, while a beginner can find it frustrating if he’s only doing a third of what his partner can do.
“If you’re on the same level, you can push each other,” Stonehouse says. Odds are, you’ll both want to quit around the same time but you’ll go a little longer if your friend is still at it.
Sharing a cheeseburger is cheaper than buying one yourself (and fewer calories). The same math applies when it comes to a personal trainer. At Crunch, for example, a one-on-one session costs about $85, but a partner training session runs around $50 per person. “One-on-one training is still the bulk of my day, but I’m seeing more and more partner training for financial reasons alone,” says Stonehouse.
Never again will you have to approach a random meathead and ask him to spot you. Never again will you have to count your own reps.
It’ll also save you from forced reps: “Let’s say you’re on the bench press and you want to stop at 10 because you’re not sure you can make it to 11,” Stonehouse says. “If you have a spotter, you don’t have to worry as much. You’re more likely to power through the 11th, 12th, and 13th reps—and each of those little lifts will add up and make a difference.” Use your spotter to keep an eye on your form as you work, too.
Before you judge us, we’re not being totally shallow here—having thin friends is for your own good. Researchers at Harvard University found that you can “catch” obesity (along with smoking habits and happiness) because it spreads like an infectious disease. The experts found that a person’s risk of becoming obese rises by two percent for every five obese social contacts they have.
Fortunately, the reverse is true, too. Overweight people tend to lose more weight if they spend time with their fit friends—and the more time they spend together, the more weight they lose, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Obesity. “If you’re surrounded by people who are active and eat well, there’s a good chance you’re going to do the same,” Stonehouse says.
The weather is getting cooler, but your produce choices are heating up.
These amazing superfoods are either hitting their peak in the garden or can easily be found in your local farmers market or grocery store.
They’re the perfect excuse to get cooking on cool nights!
Sweet or tart, apples are satisfying eaten raw or baked into a delicious dish. Just be sure to eat the skin—it contains hearty-healthy flavonoids. Health benefits include:
• Full of antioxidants
• 4 grams of dietary fiber per serving
Harvest season: August-November
Made the correct way, these veggies taste divine. They have a mild, somewhat bitter taste, so combine them with tangy or savory sauces, like balsamic vinegar. Health benefits include:
• 1/2 cup contains more than your DRI of vitamin K
• Very good source of folate
• Good source of iron
Harvest season: September–March
Though these veggies may resemble carrots, they have a lighter color and sweeter, almost nutty flavor. Use them to flavor rice and potatoes or puree them into soups and sauces. Health benefits include:
• Rich in potassium
• Good source of fiber
Harvest season: October–April
The sweet and juicy taste makes this fruit a crowd-pleaser. Cooking can really bring out their fabulous flavor, so try them baked or poached. Health benefits include:
• Good source of vitamin C and copper
• 4 grams of fiber per serving
Harvest season: August–February
A cross between a turnip and a cabbage, rutabagas are a popular Swedish dish. To utilize their earthy flavor, add them to casseroles, puree them with turnips and carrots to make a sweet soup, or roast them with ginger, honey, or lemon. Health benefits include:
• Good source of fiber
• Good source of vitamin C
Harvest season: October–April
The sweet, slightly nutty flavor of cauliflower is perfect for winter side dishes. It’s wonderful steamed, but it can also be blended to create a mashed potato-like texture or pureed into soup. Health benefits include:
• Compounds that may help to prevent cancer
• Phytonutrients may lower cholesterol” “Excellent source of vitamin C
Harvest season: September–June
Unlike summer squash, winter squash has a fine texture and a slightly sweet flavor. Because of its thick skin, it can be stored for months. It tastes best with other fall flavorings, like cinnamon and ginger. Health benefits include:
• Contains omega-3 fatty acids
• Excellent source of vitamin A
Harvest season: October–February
A type of winter squash, pumpkin can be used for much more than jack-o’-lanterns. Its sweet taste and moist texture make it ideal for pies, cakes, and even pudding! Health benefits include:
• Rich in potassium
• More than 20% of your DRI of fiber
• Good source of B vitamins
Harvest season: October–February
These veggies are for much more than Thanksgiving casseroles. More nutritionally dense than their white-potato counterparts, try roasting them—they’ll taste delicious, and you may maintain more vitamins than boiling. Health benefits include:
• Excellent source of vitamin A
• Good source of iron
• Anti-inflammatory benefits
Harvest season: September–December
Tender and mild, these root vegetables are a great alternative to radishes and cabbage. To flavor these veggies, use fennel, bread crumbs, or even brown sugar. Turnip leaves, which taste like mustard leaves, are easy to cook and dense in nutrients. Health benefits include:
• The roots are a good source of vitamin C
• Turnip leaves are an excellent source of vitamins A, K, and folate
Harvest season: September–April
15 Former Couch Potatoes Share Their Best Tips For Getting In Shape – Carolyn Kylstra – BuzzFeed
So you want to eat healthier and get in shape? That’s great! Learn from some people who’ve definitely been there.
That’s why BuzzFeed Life reached out to people who’ve been there to ask them to share their advice. For one guy, that meant learning a way to trick himself into using the spin bike more often. For another woman, that meant transforming her eating and fitness habits, losing over 150 pounds, and getting her diabetes and blood pressure under control.
Whether you’re looking to make a big change in your life or a few small ones, you can probably use some of the tips these former couch potatoes shared. And if you’ve made a healthy living change in your own life, share it with everyone in the comments!
“I never exercised. Very rarely. I knew I needed to because I needed the outlet for stress, and I wasn’t sleeping well. But I also didn’t want to exercise after work, because I’d always want to go out with friends, or come home and relax and just watch TV. So I knew I needed to try morning exercises if I was going to fit it into my day.
Here’s how I do it: When I get home from work I lay out my exercise clothes. I fill a bottle of water and put it in the fridge. I pack the outfit I’m going to wear to work the next day. I pack everything — makeup, shoes, outfit — have it all ready to go, and then set my alarm for the next morning. I do everything I need to do before I start to unwind. This forces me to just get up and do it, and not have to take the time to find everything or make excuses for why I can’t.”
—Cat Fuentes, 28
“It hasn’t happened overnight, but in the past seven years or so I’ve lost over 70 pounds. I’m about to run in the New York City Marathon on Sunday — it’ll be my second marathon. Back 70 pounds ago, I never could’ve dreamed that.
Tricks for myself, in terms of weight loss: Portion control is huge when you’re trying to lose weight. I’ve never been someone who wants to cut something out completely, so I had to figure out a way to allow myself little indulgences. I still go to restaurants, but now I’m all about tapas-style dining, which allows me to try a little of everything. It’s something I’ve gotten myself into that allows me to eat better without sacrificing my lifestyle.
Another tip: I snack throughout the day to keep up my energy, so I keep healthy things by my desk. My trick is making sure the snacks are in reasonable portion sizes, so I’m not just mindlessly munching on them all day.”
—Emily Abbate, 26
Emily Abbate is an editor at Fitbie, where she writes about health and fitness. She’s also been actively training for the 2014 New York City Marathon, and has beendocumenting her progress in a video series on Fitbie.
“I had a breast reduction a couple months after I graduated high school, and then moved to Chicago to start college. Once I was out on my own, I had to learn to cook, which is typically healthier than dining out. And because of my class schedule, I had a lot of time on my hands to workout. Now that I no longer had HUGE BOOBS, working out was easier/more fun.
My number one tip for living healthier is to get enough sleep every night. You cannot eat healthy or stay motivated if you’re really tired. Sleep is legitimately the basis of all my healthy decisions. I just set a bedtime and stuck to it. Also, setting the alarm on your phone is really good for creating a new bedtime routine. Like if you need to be in bed sleeping at 11 p.m., set an alarm for 10:15 to remind you to like… stop checking Facebook and go wash your face. And sort of related: Unplug before bed. I put my phone in airplane mode to sleep better.”
—Rachel Miller, 29
“In 2007 I lost about 80 pounds, and then in 2012 gained most of it back. I wanted to get back in shape, so I decided to try running every day. And I was maybe running half a mile, maybe a mile at the most — I wasn’t good at it. I gave up about three times, saying, “It’s not working out, I’m not good at it,” and just went back to doing nothing.
I had a friend who lost 100 pounds running. And she helped to hold me accountable to get in shape. She would send me texts and Facebook messages saying, “You don’t have to be good at working out, you just have to do it.” That became my motto. Every time I didn’t want to get up: “You don’t have to be good at working out, you just have to do it.” So I started running every day.
I run probably three times a week now, I go to a simulated surfboard class three to four times a week, and I swim three to four times a week. And I’m so happy I do — I feel great.”
—Laura Prescott, 30
“I was never active or in shape… at all. I had years of failed attempts at fitness that mostly included running on the treadmill and failing at the gym. After a doctor ordered me to quit drinking, I needed an outlet to keep me sober. I looked into hip-hop dancing but felt out of place and hated it.
I used to pass a Krav Maga school every day on the way to work. One day, I stopped in for a trial class and signed up for membership that day. Feeling empowered and excited, I went four times a week. I was hooked. Not long after I started, they invited me to join the instructor program. After weeks of grueling training, I completed it — an accomplishment my 220 pounds, 20-year-old self would never have imagined.”
—Ben Ronne, 34
“I suffer from body dysmorphia, and consequently I really abused my body like crazy. Whether it was overeating, eating the wrong things, or eating to stuff my emotions down. I was also drinking a lot. Those habits didn’t go away when I became a trainer, and I felt like a humongous hypocrite. As time went on, I realized that I had a responsibility to my clients to walk the walk and talk the talk. I needed to make changes.
My big tip is consistency is key to getting in shape. The rule I set for myself (and that I set for my clients) is Thirty by Three: 30 minutes a day of some sort of exercise, whether that’s walking for 30 minutes, or five exercises that last about five minutes each with some breaks in between. OR you do three miles of something — three miles on a treadmill, elliptical, hiking. Sometimes an hour feels like just way too much, but 30 minutes always feels attainable.
For the past eight years, since I began focusing on my health, I’ve remained consistent — my body has stayed the same weight, I’m healthy, I’m a normal weight, I’m fit, and I’ve maintained it, and that’s what matters to me.”
—Kit Rich, 31
Kit Rich, an NASM certified personal trainer, is a Los Angeles-based celebrity pilates trainer. She’s been featured in Vogue, SHAPE, SELF, Women’s Health, Real Simple, US Weekly, and Pilates Style. She’s also made appearances on Access Hollywood, Access Hollywood LIVE!, E! News, E!Online, EXTRA, and The Today Show. She blogs regularly for Beautylish.com.
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A Beginner’s Guide to Getting in Shape – by Steve – NerdFitness.com
You woke up today and looked in the mirror.
And you said to yourself, “Gosh darnit (or #$^@ $#@$@%), I’m going to get in shape!”
Just one problem – you don’t quite know HOW.
It’s okay; we’ve all been there. This might be the first, tenth, or the fiftieth time you’ve tried to lose weight and get healthy. Sure, things didn’t work last time, or the time before that, or even the time before that…”but things are going to be different THIS time,” right?
So you hop on the internet, search “how to lose weight,” and see 7.8 billion websites that promise you fast results with minimal effort. You get overwhelmed, intimidated, and then go back to playing Modern Warfare 3 or Hello Kitty 2: Island Adventure.
Somehow, you stumbled across Nerd Fitness…which means there is hope for you yet 🙂
By the end of this article, you’re going to know exactly how to get in shape.
First and foremost, if you suck at life…it’s time to stop.
I know it. You know it. Even your mom knows it (she called me).
So let’s get started. Think back to the last time(s) you tried to get in shape and lose weight. How successful were you? What made you fall off the wagon? Congratulations, you already know what “get in shape” method doesn’t work for you.
They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Unless you’re insane, don’t try to get in shape the same way you did last time…it’ AIN’T gonna work! If you counted calories, ran on a treadmill, did kickboxing, tried starving yourself, or whatever, and you’re not happy with the results, it’s time to try something new.
May I recommend the Nerd Fitness method of success: the Triforce of Winning! Well, I just came up with that title, but now that’s what I’ll call it henceforth. If you want to succeed at changing your life, you need three things:
If you can successfully combine these three crucial pieces, then you’lldefeat Ganon and save Hyrule have a fightin’ chance at getting in the best damn shape of your life.
1) If you made some New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, make sure they don’t suck. Be incredibly specific with your goals so that you can actively plan what steps are needed to achieve those goals. Alternatively, if you somebody that NEVER succeeds at your goals, instead try making a new habit every 30 days…put the focus on the habit and not the goal.
Whichever method you decide, it’s important to be deliberate in your actions:
2) Identify your kryptonite. If you tried to get in shape in the past and failed, it’s important to know WHY. Did you get sick and give up after a few days? Did you go on vacation and say “why bother?” Maybe you just got bored? If you sucked at getting in shape last time, educate yourself on the hurdles and kryptonite that made you suck, and work on either avoiding those pitfalls or develop methods to deal with them.
3) Clean up your diet. Believe it or not, 80% of your success when it comes to getting healthy will depend on your diet – unless you are running marathons on a daily basis, you cannot outrun your fork, and you can’t out-train a bad diet. I honestly cannot stress the importance of this enough. Whether you want to count calories, cut out certain foods, or attempt a new diet all together, this is the most important step you can take:
Now, most people suck at eating better because they try to make TOO many changes at once, their stomach freaks out and they run back to their comfort foods. My advice? Pick one food change every few weeks, and stick with it. Whether it’s eating less calories per day, drinking one less soda, eating more vegetables or cooking your own meal once a week…small changes can lead to big successes in the long run.
4) Find an activity that makes you happy, and do it all of the time. Do you like to run? Awesome, do that (just do it right). Do you like to lift weights? Awesome, make sure your workouts don’t suck. Maybe you like yoga, or dodgeball, or Ultimate Frisbee, or rock climbing, or whatever! If you tell me that “I don’t like to exercise,” then you just haven’t found the activity that makes you happy yet.
We’re genetically designed to be active. If you don’t like to move, then it’s time to try new things until you find something that you DO like. Sign up for a new class, join your company’s running club for a day, try out something in your basement or living room, just keep trying new stuff until you find something that you like. And then do it as often as you can.
Remember, your diet is 80% of your success or failure. Exercising regularly will help you build muscle, strengthen your heart, lose weight, increase your endurance, stamina, and/or flexibility. On top of that, regular exercise keeps your mind thinking healthy, which in turn will keep your stomach thinking healthy, which will cause your mouth to want to continue eating healthy foods. It’s the circle of life, sucka.
Now, if you want specific direction on weight lifting, weight loss, or running, I’ve offer a few premium resources on Nerd Fitness. Yes, they cost money, but they work. These guides have helped hundreds upon hundreds of NF readers transform their lives. Each guide comes with specific workout plans depending on your fitness level, video demonstration of exercises, and more…they all come with 1-year, 100% money-back guarantees as well.
If you want to buy more than one guide, email me atSteve@NerdFitness.com for combo pricing.
If you’re more of a do-it-yourself kind of person, you can build your own workout, or get started with a free resource like my Angry Birds workout. The important thing is to GET STARTED, and then try to get better each time.
5) Put it all together: These are the steps you can take today:
WHY do you want to get in shape? What is your reason for wanting to do so? Do you want to get in shape to…
Have a freaking reason, friend! Write it down, hang it up in your bedroom, have a calendar alert pop up every day, whatever. But keep that reason for wanting a better life at the front of your mind at all times.
Many people get inspired by reading success stories of folks like them.
Lucky for you, Fit Radio has plenty of them on our blog.
Last but not least, you need support.
Yes, I understand its kind of fun to be an army of one: the lone ranger trying to succeed against insurmountable odds….but it’s not necessary.
Once you decide to get in shape, want to know the best way to guarantee success? Make it public. Tell all of your friends, start a blog, and/or inform your co-workers and ask them to keep you accountable! Unless you like being called a quitter, you’ll probably think twice about skipping out on your workouts.
Maybe your word isn’t your bond, and you need a different kind of motivation and support to succeed. Try money. My buddy Saint said he would pay his friends $500 if he didn’t get in absolutely incredible shape for his wedding six months down the road. Saint didn’t have $500 to lose, so he decided instead to just get in great shape…and it worked.
Build your own Jedi Council – find people who are stronger than you and work out with them, or faster than you and run with them, or more educated than you and ask them questions. These are people that you can turn to when you need advice or help. If you don’t know anybody in real life, keep reading…
Find a workout buddy! There are going to be days when you want to sleep in and skip your workout. There will be afternoons following a crappy day of work where all you want to do is play Halo. Find somebody who’s at a similar level of fitness as you, and work out with them! He/she will push you on days when you’re dragging, and vice versa. You can inspire and support each other, feed off of each other’s success, and offer up tough love when the complaining gets too much (and yes, there will be complaining).
Read more about how Fit Radio, the number 1 fitness music app, is designed to help keep you motivated and reach your fitness goals here.