6 Ways To Build Lean Muscles

You want a body shaped with lean muscle and backed by a nutritious diet. You want to stay fit and healthy in the midst of all the fatty foods and unhealthy diets. Building lean muscle isn’t impossible with the right exercise and dieting program in place. Here are some great ways women can build lean muscle.

1. Eat Nutritious Foods

Stock up on foods that help keep your muscles lean and firm. Beef is a good source of protein, zinc, and B vitamins while brown rice, eggs, spinach increase muscle strength, endurance, good digestion, and longer-lasting energy. Just remember to select only fresh and wholesome foods when creating your diet.

2. Reduce Carbs In Your Diet

Women have the upper hand when it comes to burning fat to carbs, so stick to a low-carb or no-carb diet in order to burn the fat and gain toned muscles.

3. Strengthen Muscles With Exercise

Exercise regularly in order to stretch and strengthen your muscles, but make sure to focus on exercises that promote lean muscle throughout your body. Squats, deadlifts, and lunges are just some of the many exercises that target your legs, back, abs, and obliques.

4. Remember To Drink Your Water

Always have plenty of water to drink as you work through the program. An intake of at least 8 glasses of water not only keeps you hydrated, but it curbs mistaken hunger pains and prevents overeating. And with every intake, your body is able to flush out toxins inside your body, making you feel lighter and healthier.

5. Control Your Calorie Intake

Calorie control is essential in building lean muscle. By taking in too many calories, you gain excessive weight. This makes it difficult to tell if it is lean muscle or just a layer of body fat. But a lack of calories lessens your chances of gaining and building lean muscles. Set a target calorie count that is just right and that produces results.

6. Rest

Make sure to give your body enough rest. More than to cool down from the workouts, rest allows the body to repair the muscles. What’s more, because the muscle is metabolically active, it burns calories even while the body is resting. Consider a day off for every week.

It takes a lot of effort and self-discipline to build lean, mean muscle, but the results are worthwhile. To be sure, consult a health professional before implementing any diet or exercise program.

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all women boot camp or fitness boxing classes please visit NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

Friend us on Face Book

How to get rocking summer abs

You cringe at the sight of that flab clinging to your belly, but are unsure about how to get rid of it in time for next week’s beach outing. You want to be able to develop lean, firm, and attractive abs that would look awesome even in the full body swimsuit. While the midsection is one of the hardest to tone, it is possible to build summer rocking’ abs with the right exercise routine. With a positive outlook and discipline to stick to your workout, you will have great abs before the summer ends.

Work Your Core Muscles

Focus on your core muscles hidden beneath the surface. These are muscles that, when strengthened, pull your midsection in like a corset, making the area flat and toned. Perform exercises that expand and tone these muscles to produce the results you need.

Burn Calories With Cardio

Cardiovascular workouts at 20-30 minute intervals are great at burning calories. What’s more, you can make each session fun and interesting, such as biking, swimming, or walking around the park. You can perform your cardio workouts in the morning or during the weekends, so long as you keep to the routine. At NYC Adventure we use a variation of exercises to get results, but cardio is definetly the way to see fast results.

Work That Butt!

Exercises that push you to get up, move, and work your butt are very effective in building abs. Sitting for long periods causes the hip muscles to become stiff. Your posture also pushes the abdomen out, making your bulge even more obvious.

Eat The Right Foods

The kinds of food you take have a great impact when building lean abs. Remove unhealthy food that add more layers of fat and increase your protein intake. This is essential if you want to build lean muscles and eventually develop attractive abs. Lessen insulin-pumping food (this slows your metabolism) as well, and focus on eating more carbohydrates to make it easier to burn.

Avoid Bloat Triggers

Even if you are actively reducing belly fat, carbonated beverages, beans, and broccoli can make your stomach bloat. You should also avoid taking in too much sodium as this retains excess water. Excess bloating means that one day your jeans may zip all the way up, and the next day they don’t! When you avoid bloat triggers, you ensure that your tummy stays flat and your hard work shows.

As you get through each week, your abs will begin to form, flatten, and become firm and strengthened. Stick to your abs workout program and you’ll soon see the results!

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all woman’s boot camp please visit NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

Subscribe to our Blog

Friend us on Face Book

The Top 6 Healthy Foods to Have Everyday

Many people believe that eating healthy foods is tied to weight loss or special conditions like pregnancy and illness. However, there are many foods that can and should be consumed daily for optimal health and wellness. They are nutrient-dense, pretty affordable, and can be easily incorporated into many recipes. The six of these healthy foods are listed below.

1. Apples

How many times have you heard the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? This fruit has been known to lower high blood pressure and reduce inflammation in the body. Apples also contain antioxidants and immune system-boosting vitamin C. The fiber found in apples is an excellent source for regularity of the digestive tract and the pectin in apples breaks down gall stones allowing them to be passed with minimal discomfort. One of the top varieties is the Red Delicious and is best when eaten fresh. To avoid ingesting the heavy pesticides, buy organic whenever possible.

2. Bananas

In addition to being an excellent source of potassium, bananas have a wide variety of health benefits that include: balancing blood pressure, improving heart health, soothing ulcers, improving waste elimination, protecting eyesight, building stronger bones and improving kidney health. Bananas tend filling and satisfying. As an ice cream substitute, peel, slice, and freeze 2 medium bananas. Remove from the freezer and either blend or run through a food processor until smooth.

3. Lemons

Widely known for its vitamin C content, lemons neutralize free radicals which can cause tissue inflammation and cancer. They are wonderful examples of healthy foods that can be consumed daily. Upon rising each morning, squeeze the juice of one lemon into 8-16 ounces of water and drink. In addition to boosting the immune system, the citric acid rids the intestinal tract of harmful parasites.

4. Carrots

Carrots are healthy foods that contain high amounts of vitamins A, C, and K and other minerals such as potassium, folate, and manganese. Health benefits from eating carrots include improved eyesight, reduced acne breakouts, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer prevention. (Hester, 2007). Carrot ginger soup is one great way to enjoy all of these benefits. Peel and slice 4 large carrots, add 1 tablespoon of fresh minced ginger, ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Combine all ingredients in a pot and cover with 6 cups of water. Boil until just tender. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

5. Spinach

Spinach contains vitamins A, C, and K as well as calcium, folate, potassium, phosphate, selenium, and iron. Spinach is high in antioxidants, has powerful cancer-fighting agents, has anti-inflammatory properties and is excellent for bone health. Eat it fresh in salads, lightly sauteed, or even juice it along with carrots, apples, lemon, and ginger to cleanse your system and boost your energy levels.

6. Quinoa

Quinoa is a protein-packed grain that contains fewer carbohydrates and more healthy fats than any other grains and meats. It is gluten-free and has high concentrations of iron, calcium, potassium, and fiber. Quinoa is high in antioxidants and heart-healthy. Use quinoa as a side dish or as a base for meatless dishes like bean burgers.

These six foods can be used in a variety of recipes and can also be enjoyed as side dishes or snacks. By consuming a variety of these nutrient-dense, healthy foods, the body will be able to heal itself and move quickly along the path to vibrant health.

Subscribe to our Blog

Friend us on Face Book

Staying Fit During Pregnancy

It is an extremely exciting time for a woman when they find out that they are expecting. But when some women find out that they are pregnant, they tend to look at this as an excuse not to have to exercise for the next nine months. Though it is true that you are going to and should gain weight during pregnancy, you can manage this with proper fitness. If you engage in a proper fitness regimen you are not only to gain less weight, but you are going to feel better. So if you needed a reason to focus on fitness during pregnancy, listen up for a few!

Run for the Gym and Not the Couch

Though you may want to run for the couch during that sometimes treacherous first trimester you may find that exercise can help you to cope more effectively. When you engage in exercise you will often find that it helps you to manage your pregnancy symptoms. So if you feel like you are going to lose your lunch most days, try some low impact aerobics or even pregnancy yoga and see how much better you feel. It may very well help you to cope with the symptoms and feel better almost instantly.

The baby may be doing a number on your system as it develops, but you can help to manage the hormones. It doesn’t have to be anything extensive, it can just be a nice long walk outside. Just the simplest exercise can really help you to minimize and even manage your symptoms during pregnancy. It will also help you to make it through the entire pregnancy with flying colors!

Your Body Will Thank You Now and Later

You are not only going to gain less weight if you exercise during pregnancy but you are likely going to feel better throughout. If you partake in exercise you won’t be as likely to experience shortness of breath. You will feel more energized and you will likely make better food choices as a result too. You will also be less likely to gain more weight than you should as you aren’t just chowing down, but you’re also exercising in the process.

When it comes to post baby, exercise during pregnancy can help there too. Your body is going to bounce back far faster if you have kept up with your exercise throughout pregnancy. It will give you less weight to lose and you will have built up muscle along the way that helps your body to get back to its natural shape sooner. You will have less of a journey to partake in afterwards towards weight loss and feeling like yourself if you try to fit fitness into your pregnancy.

It may seem like the last thing that you want to do, but fitness can really be your friend throughout pregnancy. If you exercised regularly before pregnancy then you can likely continue on with what you were doing. If you are new to exercise then try some gentle but effective exercises such as swimming, pregnancy yoga, walking, and low impact aerobics. You will find pregnancy so much more enjoyable and be able to fit back into those pre-pregnancy jeans a lot faster! Fitness is well worth incorporating into pregnancy and you will be so happy that you did!

At NYC Adventure Boot Camp we welcome the expecting mama’s to be. Stacy Papakostas will make sure that you get a full complete workout but that is still safe and not to vigorous for you or your baby.

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all woman’s boot camp or fitness boxing classes please visit NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

Friend us on Face Book

Want to Start the New Year with a Bang?

Far too many women wait until the New Year to jump start their new workout regimen. If you have been lacking on the exercise or if you haven’t been quite as diligent as you used to then the truth is that there is no time like the present. The thing is this—if you get moving and start working towards fitness you are going to look way better in that holiday attire. Not only that but you are going to start the New Year with a huge advantage and a killer body.

No More Excuses

It doesn’t matter how much progress you have to make, it’s all about getting started. When we procrastinate (as we all have) and say that we’ll do it another day or we’ll start the diet on Monday, we are letting ourselves down. If we learn to take action now then there is no stopping us. We can get back that amazing feeling that exercise offers us and start to plow through the Holiday season with a vengeance.

Admittedly the Holiday season can be tough in terms of weight loss and staying fit. Let’s face it we all have some weakness whether it’s a bit of “special” eggnog, far too many Christmas cookies, too many huge Holiday dinners, or just some good home cooking. We may eat until we feel like we’re going to be sick but if we learn to embrace fitness now it will make our transition through the Holiday season a much easier one.

Don’t Let the Temptations Overtake You This Time

Think about this scenario—you’re sitting at the Thanksgiving table staring that scrumptious meal in the face. It is staring you down as you start to calculate all the calories you’re about to consume in your head. What if you got a good workout in that morning? What if you had already started working on portion control? If you began your fitness and proper eating regimen here and now then you would be able to make it through that meal flawlessly—and you wouldn’t have those familiar pangs of guilt the next day either!

Fitness regimen means just that—working out no less than five days a week and incorporating strength training and cardio as part of every workout. This can be done no matter how busy your lifestyle or what you have going on. If you start to get into those good habits now then you can allow yourself a little splurge without feeling guilty. You can then get back onto that treadmill or hit that gym without wanting to put it off until the New Year!

You Will Like What You See

You will look stunning in that gorgeous black dress that you have specifically for the Holiday parties. Why? Because you have a good start and an amazing advantage going into the Holidays rather than waiting for the pounds to pack on after the fact. You will notice some major differences in your body and in the way that your clothes fit. In just a few short weeks you can gain some confidence, shed some pounds, and feel far more confident in your own skin.

So why wait until after the New Year? There is no time like the present to get moving and to get into a great fitness regimen. This will make the Holiday season jollier and ensure that you start the New Year with a banging body!

Friend us on Face Book

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31