Join me in January's Ripped Goddess's Fitness Challenge.

I know I am three days late to post but it isnt too late to join in. I know you can do it! Share your results and comments below,
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Boost Metabolism with a Cheat Day

Schedule a cheat day. It does a body good. Obviously it is about lifestyle changes and many are not comfortable calling their change a diet. Regardless of what you call your change, being too restrictive and having an all or nothing attitude can be detrimental to many in achieving their health and fitness goals. Did you know that scheduling an off or cheat day can boost your metabolism?  A cheat day can save your diet by restoring leptin levels, offering a psychological benefit and boosting metabolism. Read this interesting article by Tracey Rose for more information.

Going through it with ya!
Nefertiti

Boost Metabolism with a Cheat Day

by Tracey Rose

 

 

Cheat Days Boost Metabolism - Ugur Vidinligil

Cheating on your diet is usually considered a bad thing. Scheduling a cheat day, however, can have a positive effect on your diet. The trick to to stay in control of when and how you cheat.

 

A Diet Cheat Day Boosts Metabolism and Prevents Plateaus

 

One reason why a diet cheat day is helpful is that it  boosts your metabolism. You body will continually adjust to the amount of calories you consume. So if you cut back 250 calories per day, you will lose weight at first, but then as your body adjusts, it takes more to keep your metabolism fueled. Continuing to cut calories can only work for so long before you reach the lowest amount of calories you should consume for your height and weight and then your weight loss hits a plateau. A diet cheat day works to boost your metabolism and keep your body guessing. Just raising your calorie consumption one day per week can kick your metabolism up and prevent a plateau.

Avoid Feelings of Guilt and Deprivation by Scheduling a Diet Cheat Day

 

Another reason dieters often fall off the wagon and return to old habits is that they feel deprived when following a restrictive diet. Never being able to eat their favorite comfort foods again is unrealistic.

 People become obsessed with thoughts of the foods they wish they could eat that are now off limits. A scheduled cheat day removes the feelings of guilt and deprivation though. It allows dieters to follow a healthy meal plan most of the time and take one day a week to relax and eat the high fat, high calorie foods they miss. While most dieters can't stand the thought of never eating junk food again, they can follow a strict diet knowing they can have a treat in a few more days. The psychological benefit of a diet cheat day is huge and it allows people to stick with their diet much longer than if they never cheated on their diet.

Restore Leptin Levels with a Diet Cheat Day

Keeping your hormones in check is essential for weight loss success. Leptin is the hormone that signals the brain when you are full. Low leptin levels make it difficult to lose weight because you are always hungry and never feel satisfied.  Building a cheat day into your diet works to restore leptin levels and improve your weight loss results.

Potential Dangers of a Diet Cheat Day

 

Dieters tend to get caught up in all-or-nothing thinking. Making poor food choices can tempt people into returning to their old eating habits that led to weight gain in the past. Dieters can also be tempted to skip their workout on their cheat days. Poor habits, such as overdoing it on the calories and skipping exercise, can lead dieters down a slippery slope. Its important to schedule your cheat days and stick to them. Remember to stick with the healthy habits you adopt for a lifestyle that promotes weight loss.

 

References:

McQuillan, Susan. "It's OK to Cheat on Your Diet," Psychology Today. March 22, 2009.

Zelman, Kathleen. "How to Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight," WebMD. October 15, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

Dear Ladies, I want to thank everyone who came out and danced with me in celebration of my birthday, and 1 year of Zumba. It really meant a lot to me. I look forward to sharing another year of good health and fitness with you in 2013. I am diligently working on our new location and my goal is to open doors very soon. You will have Zumba offered 7 days a week at an earlier time, as well as more morning class options. Piyo, Yoga,Turbo Kick, Hot Hula,and Zumba Sentao are also classes that will be offered. Ladies, 2013 will be your time God Willing. I will keep you updated as things progress. Please keep me in your prayers. I want to wish you all a blessed 2013. Peace and Blessings. Nefertiti

Class Updates and Announcements 1. Class January 5th will be at 9am due to Savage Fit's Master Class at 10-12am. If you would like an additional 2 hour workout afterwards, please join me and several other instructors for just 5 dollars. 2. TURBO KICK CLASS will start THURSDAY JAN. 10TH 2013 at 8-8:45PM instead of TUESDAYS. If this time doesn't work for you now. You will soon have more options. 3. For you morning ladies, Tuesday Morning Classes are back starting January 8th,2013. Please email me at nefertitizumba@yahoo.com to let me know if you will be joining me for either Turbo Kick or for Tuesday morning Zumba. Happy New Year!!!!!!! I could not do this without you and I appreciate every one of you who have stuck with me through it all, including my brain freezes during class. See you next year!! All the best, Nefertiti

Reminder and Updates

There will be no Zumba class tonight at 8pm due to construction at Savage Fit Studio. Class will resume next Weds at 8pm. Please Join me this Saturday for my 2 hour Zumba Birthday Blast to burn off all those holiday calories. Rsvp at HERE

Saturday, December 29, 2012

11:00am until 1:30pm

Note Address Change

That's Dancing Ballroom

8610 Washington Blvd, Suite 203, Jessup, MD 20794

Come join me in celebrating a new year of fitness, my birthday and also one year of Ladies Only Zumba. 2 hours of Zumba , door prizes and raffles Lets go back in time and dance to all the routines and music we have danced to all year long.  Mark your Calenders. 10 dollars for non punch card holders 5 dollars for punch card holders (must show card)

Why Women Don’t (But Should) Lift Weights

Despite study after study supporting the benefits of strength training, many women still opt for cardio over weights. Maybe they’re worried about “bulking up.”Women have seen a few too many beefy men grunting it out in the weight room and fear that if they pick up a dumbbell, they’ll suddenly start to resemble a linebacker, too.
This can happen, although it’s extremely rare, as we reveal in 6 Ways to Beat Your Bad Genes. But for most women, “this just isn’t possible,” says personal trainer and Prevention fitness expert Chris Freytag.“Ladies have too much estrogen in their hormonal makeup.”
So what is the secret to looking toned (think: Michelle Obama’s arms, which we have the secret to) but not tough? Strength training.
Here, nine reasons why women should strength train at least two or three times a week

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1. Your metabolism will soar.

As women age, they naturally lose muscle mass. This causes your metabolism to slow, which means you could start building a spare tire by the time you reach your 30s. “When you do weight-bearing exercises, you start revving up your metabolism—and it keeps burning for many hours after your workout,” says Wayne Westcott, PhD, director of fitness research at Quincy College and Preventionadvisory board member.

2. You’ll you burn fat.

Muscle tissue is more "active" than fat tissue, with each pound burning about 30 calories a day just to sustain itself. So even if you’re sitting on the couch or are stuck at your desk for eight hours a day, the extra muscle mass you develop will burn more calories, helping you finally get rid of that spare tire—and keep it off for good. (If you want to love your lower body more than you do, check out this fat-blasting do-anywhere workout from Freytag.)

3. Your body will get tighter.

While cardio is important and will help melt fat, weights sculpt your body, creating curves and definition right where you want it. They also help fight the effects of gravity, making you much less likely to have arm jiggle in your upper arms. (Scientists discovered the three best moved for perfect upper arms—check them out.)

4. You’ll fit into your skinny jeans.

“One pound of fat takes up much more space than one pound of muscle,” says CrossFit athlete and certified level-1 trainer Cheryl Brost, a 41-year-old mother of two. “So even though muscle weighs more, what do you want all over your body? Something that’s bulky, like body fat, or something that’s lean, and takes up less space, like muscle?”

5. You’ll reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Curbing age-related muscles loss isn’t just good for your looks; it can protect your heart and help ward off type 2 diabetes, too. "Muscle helps remove glucose and triglycerides from the bloodstream, which reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as hardening of the arteries," says Timothy Church, MD, PhD, a preventive medicine expert at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. For specific exercises that can reduce your diabetes risk, check out our Diabetes Exercise Solution.

6. Your blood pressure could drop.

"Strength training lowers blood pressure for ten to twelve hours after each session, which gives your heart a break," says William Haskell, PhD, professor emeritus of medicine at Stanford University. "How strength training does this is not completely understood, but it probably has subtle effects on everything from hormones to nervous system regulation."
How Birth Control Affects Blood Pressure

7. You can do it anytime, anywhere.

You don’t need a lot of space or a lot of special equipment to get a great strength workout, says Westcott. Simply using your own bodyweight through the use of pushups, planks, chair dips, squats, and pull-ups is enough to tone and strengthen your entire body. Bonus: You can do it indoors, which means you don’t have to weather the cold, freezing temps of winter or the scorching heat of summer.

8. You’ll blast loads of calories.

Plyometric strength moves (think squat jumps and burpees) and kettlebell workouts skyrocket your heart rate, which boosts the calorie burn of regular strength training routines. These types of workouts give you cardio, strength, and sculpting all in one, which is a great timesaver, says Freytag.

9. It’s good for your bones.

Strength training is one of the 12 best ways to break-proof your bones. “Lifting weights can help counteract age-related bone loss,” says Ethel Siris, MD, director of the Toni Stabile Center for Osteoporosis at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. “Strengthening your muscles also improves balance and keeps you as strong as possible which lowers your chances of a fall-related fracture.

By Jenna Bergen
Dec 05, 2012

Form Nefertiti

For a jumpstart, Here is a great full body workout you can do at home . All you need is a pair of dumbells and an exercise ball. Try to do this at least 2-3 times per week. I recommend you warm up for at least 10 minutes before you start. Put on your favorite song or zumba song and dance or jump rope. Let's do this ladies!!

10 Fitness Tips For Women

Newsletter

Hello Ladies! I pray that everyone is staying safe this holiday season. Try to stay active as much as posible this season. I have many surprises in store just for you ladies in 2013. Hot Hula, Turbo Kick and Piyo are coming early 2013 in addition to Zumba classes. Something for everyone. More details to come. Annoucement: Due to low attendance, Tuesday morning and Thursday evening classes will unfortunately be cut for the month of December only. They hopefully will resume along with Turbo Kick classes in January. Click on the links below to learn more about the what's in store for the Columba Ladies Fitness Zone! What is Turbo Kick? What is Piyo? More about Hot Hula Sincerely, Nefertiti Zumba Birthday Party! Come Party with me. Come join me in celebrating a new year of fitness, my birthday and also one year of Ladies Only Zumba. 2 hours of Zumba , door prizes and raffles , Lets go back in time and dance to all the routines and music we have danced to all year long and learn about what is coming in 2013 with The Columba Lady Fitness Zone. I hope to see everyone there! Mark your Calenders. $10.00 for non punch card holders. $5.00 for punch card holders. Go to RSVP WITH FACEBOOK OR RSVP at EVITE 8600 Foundry rd Savage MD Month, Year 11:00AM-2:00PM Upcoming Events Zumba Birthday Party Your feedback You are important to me! Please email me at Nefertitizumba@yahoo.com with your feedback. I want to hear from you! What classes would be interested in the new year? What days and times fit your schedule the best. I look forward to hearing from you. Quick Links... Our Website Schedule and Pricing Join Our Mailing List!

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