Physical Fitness Tips

We all react differently to diets so what may work for me may not work for others it is a trial and error process.  I may be sensitive to carbs while my neighbor may not.  As a matter of fact my neighbor has a very fast metabolism so he can pretty much eat what he wants and stay lean at about 8-9% body fat.  The downside is that he has had high cholesterol since his mid twenties because he eats a lot of junk/fast food.  I live a low carb lifestyle I started out with a slow metabolism through the years I have gained more muscle mass which has helped since the more muscle mass one has the more calories you burn at rest.  Doing cardio regularly also helps to speed up my metabolism.  I also eat 3-5 times a day so my body doesnt feel like it needs to store more fat because it knows it will get fed several times through out the day.  To get my body to this state has taken years there is no magic drug no 30 minute video or an all in one exercise machine that can achieve this so save your money.

I keep my body fat at 7-8% it is very hard for me to stay like this year round the low carb consumption takes its toll.  If I go higher on my carb, fat and protein intake I can bench press 220lbs but when I stay at 7-8% with low carbs its a big change on my strength I will only be able to bench 180lbs.  That also depends on peoples bodies for me to stay very lean can be tough to handle while someone else can easily handle staying at 6% body fat with little change not feeling tired at all.

I also tend to feel more cold since I am not insulated by a thick layer of fat so I need to dress up more than most people when I'm in the cold.  I also consume less calories than the average American so this translates into less body heat.  There are days were I consume more carbs and fat it's not a good idea to cut out carbs drastically or for very long periods of time just consume the good kinds found in fruits (but don't over do it) and vegetables. Pick whole grains, fiber over white starches and refined carbs.



Here is a snack I treat myself to during the winter it is a healthy way to consume chocolate my version of hot chocolate:

Ingredients: Creamer, Natural Unsweetened Cocoa, Sugar Free Cool Whip and Equal Sweetener (I usually use Stevia but I only had Equal in the house when I wrote the post)

Nutrition Facts

Equal Sweetener - Zero calories,sodium carbs and fat

Use 2-3 packets or as you like

Cool Whip Sugar Free serving size 2 tablespoons about how much you should use:

Total fat 1gram, Carbs 3 grams, Sodium 0

Creamer Serving Size 1 Tablespoon about how much I use:

Total Carbs 1 gram, Fat 0.5 grams,  Sodium 0

Hershey's Cocoa Natural Unsweetened Serving Size 1 Tablespoon

I use about 1-2 depending on the cup size I will use

Total Fat 0.5 gram, Carbs 3 grams, Sodium 0, Protein less than 1gram, Fiber 2 grams

I like to have healthy drinks in between meals a lot of times people believe they are hungry but what they really are is thirsty this is a better alternative to a nice tall glass of warm water.

Hot chocolate sold in supermarkets is usually full of sodium I found that my version is healthier and keeps me warm in the winter while not affecting my six pack abs 

Final product! a shout-out to my coworker Vivian for the christmas mug