Fat Burners

Are “Fat Burners” a gimmick?

Let’s talk about this.

Just like they say "abs are made in the kitchen", so is true for weight/fat loss.  Without a proper diet, a fat burner isn't going to do much.  It isn't a magic pill. 

Fat burners do the following:

Boost Energy

Curb Appetite

Promote fat burning as an energy source

SOME CAN:

Boost metabolism

and core temperature

Bottom line, yes they can aid in weight and fat loss when used properly and with diet and exercise. 

Some tips:

Take 30 minutes before breakfast

Drink LOTS of water

and cycle the fat burner, a few weeks on, 2 weeks off. 

Amazon Prime Day!

Guys, I love saving money. I'm sure you've picked up on that (if not, scroll down the blog)

I have my Masters Degree in Finance. Seriously, I love money. I'm sure there is a list of things you need or have wanted to get but don't or forget. Amazon has everything! I mean everything. They have the same if not lower prices as most of the stores you'd go to, and they deliver right to your door!

Prime Day is upon us. EXTRA SAVINGS $$$$

Grab a free 30-days if you don't have prime yet. Legit, you can cancel it and won't be charged a dime. If you are a student, you actually get 50% off the normal yearly rate AND all the same features. 

Click the image below, it will take you right to Amazon. Check out some of the great deals. It's like Black Friday in July!

Supplements

The science behind BCAA's

Supplements are just that a supplement if you are not getting what you need out of your diet.  Ultimately we should be looking to our diets to hit our macros and micros.  When dieting (losing weight) comes into play this can be difficult, or maybe you just need a little extra help.  I'm trying to cut fat and (more importantly to me) get stronger. I take a multivitamin daily, protein shake or bar*, and BCAA's before or during my workout.  I added an * on the protein supplement because I do this only on days when I know I won't be hitting my protein goals and need a little more help. 

I want to talk about BCAA's, why I take them and what I take. BCAA's are Branched Chain Amino Acids. Basically, proteins are made up of 20 amino acids, both non-essential and essential (some can be consumed in diet). The BCAA supplement is three essential amino acids: Leucine, isoleucine, and valine.  Your muscles are 35% made up from essential amino acids.  

Why are these 'essential'?

Because the body doesn't make these amino acids out of other amino acids, these NEED to be consumed as part of your diet.  The highest concentration of these is found in animal protein like meat and poultry and dairy products.  For something who is trying to stay and a caloric deficit, this can be more difficult to consume enough meat or dairy to reach the recommended amount of essential amino acids. This is where the supplement comes into play. 

I've told you that you need these essential amino acids, but I haven't explained WHY. 

BCAAs are referred to as ‘branched chain’ amino acids because of their special molecular structure. From an exercise perspective, the BCAAs are especially relevant as our muscles can use them to provide energy during exercise but also because they are required to stimulate the process of muscle protein synthesis. In this regard, the BCAA leucine is the main BCAA that is used to produce energy during exercise and is also the key amino acid that stimulates muscle protein synthesis in the post-exercise recovery period.

I used BPI Sports: Best BCAA. I love the fruit punch flavor. Amazon has it real cheap and with Prime you get the 2-Day free shipping. I'm actually "subscribed" so I get an additional discount and it ships automatically. You can click the banner on my page to securely jump right over to Amazon for a FREE 30 day- Prime subscription. As always the products I talk about are linked as well. You can simply click on them and it will take you right to the product. 

The beginning: Fitness/Calorie Tracker

Hello, guys and gals. Today I want to talk about my first steps in this fitness and lifestyle change.  I wanted to get back to my "fighting" weight. I'll been active and played sports all the way through college, after college.... Things slowed down. Way down. I was eating the same or maybe a little more but with about 3/4 less active minutes in my day.  A friend of mine started scanning foods SKUs and stuff when we were in the store and I thought she was crazy. I literally said, "WTF are you doing??". She was tracking her food and getting the nutritional facts so she could compare items and make the healthier option for herself. That day I downloaded MyFitnessPal.  

I'm sure you've heard of it before, it is not exactly a secret.  It just plain works. It gives you an amazing amount of nutritional information about the foods you are going to be putting into your body. It helps when tracking your macros and helps make smart choices in regards to calories etc. This tool alone can change your body. Being shredded and losing weight starts in the kitchen. It starts with being conscious about what you are consuming.  The app itself is incredibly easy to use. I have a couple example screenshots from Amazon. 

Click right on the screenshot to head over and get the app for yourself. Like I said, it is free and works amazing. I have linked to a FitBit  (I used my iWatch) just to show you the types of trackers that work with MyFitnessPal as well.  The exercise and calories burned track right over to the app. 

Summertime!

It's that time again gentlemen, Summertime!  Put the chukka's in the closet, it's time for flip flops. FLIP-FLOPS??? 

Yes, flip-flops. I used to hate them on men, despised them even.  They have grown on me. It is fair to say all flip flops are not created equal, however.  Just like every other piece of clothing or accessory you need to style it.  

NO!

YES!

http://amzn.to/2oNq5UU

Flip-flops should not be worn out on a date. These are super casual, for the beach, a cookout etc. Click on the leather Aldo flip-flops to go check out a few others I love for this summer. Have fun, be safe and STAY STYLED!

Weekly Favorites

My Favorites (Must-Haves) for the week of April 3rd, 2017

1.)  The Spinner. A small spinner or clicker that you can have on your persons all day every day.  This little guy is great for the office or stress inducing situations.  May seem silly to some, but this little gadget relieves stress and helps you stay focused. I have one I can take with me and one that stays at my desk at work. My favorites are listed/linked below!

http://amzn.to/2oQdajP

http://amzn.to/2osZsHt

2.) Athletic Jogger.  Gone are the days of working out in oversized, bulky sweatpants.  These are great for the gym, lounging around or running casual errands.  Please, guys, don't "dress them up". This isn't a thing.  They are joggers, ATHLETIC GEAR, no loafers or dress shoes, etc. Nice athletic footwear and you are golden.  

http://amzn.to/2osR76x

3.)  Athletic Shoes.  Perfect to pair with those Athletic Joggers you are going to purchase 😎 You should never be running around doing errands or at the gym with ratty old sneakers.  Guys, the ladies will look you from head to toes, let's make it worth their while!

http://amzn.to/2osR76x

Style thats AMAZON and on TARGET..see what I did there?

Spring is here and this means warmer weather and slicker style. Out with the dark colors and bulky clothing.  Style on a budget can be difficult, lower prices usually mean lower quality.  Cheap is what we want to pay, not how we want to look. Spring brings fun colors and patterns. If you've never ventured into spring colors or the pattern world nows the time to do it.  Target makes it affordable and fun.  They always have great deals going on (right now SHORTS20 code gets you 20% off shorts).

Remember the cut of your short should be at or above the knee, anything longer not only looks ridiculous but will actually make you appear shorter. NO pleaded shorts or pants....ever! Flat front is my go-to shorts, cargo for the weekend adventures or camping. Have fun with it, one pattern or bright color at a time. As shown above, a fun color for the shorts paired with a solid neutral color shirt is perfect. Same goes for patterns, either a bright color or pattern, not both. 

The shoes shown above are so versatile! They can be dressed up or down, great color and unbelievably comfortable. Click on the images to jump over to Amazon and check out the brand and styles!