9 Best Kept Secrets for Fat Loss

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

By Frank Giambagno, President, MedRehab Group

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.

So you are in search of the very best kept secret to fat loss? Get ready – you may not like it.It has nothing to do with detox teas, magic pills or deep cleanse shakes. Rather, the first and biggest secret to fat loss is your state of mind. Once you are in that state of mind, you can’t fail.

Best kept Secret No. 1 – When you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, it becomes easy.

Think of it like saving money. We all know it requires discipline to conserve your cash, so it becomes second nature to put aside a few dollars each month. You understand the difficulty, but many do it automatically.

The same can hold true with fat loss. Accept the fact that you must

• Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance• Do at least three high-intensity work-outs, including muscle training, per week • Keep yourself active the other four days of the week • Stay off the couch by developing new rituals that help you avoid night time binge eating

Once you take the time to set goals and plan solutions for every obstacle that might get in your way… fat loss will become second nature to you. So much so that it will be hard to put weight on.

Adopt this secret mindset and you will succeed. You’ll lose as much body fat as you want.

Now once you have the success mindset, let’s look at some other secrets about fat loss. Some may be well-known common sense, but others may surprise you:

Secret No. 2 – A low carbohydrate, metabolism-boosting diet does the trick.

When it comes to losing body fat, the best exercise program is not enough. You need a sound approach to your nutrition! In the past decade, low carbohydrate diets have taken over as the

most popular way to lose weight. And with good reason – they work.

There are many different diet plans but most advise that you get most of your carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, while eating lean sources of protein and eating healthy fats.

Cutting down on carbohydrates will certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake, and help you get the flat stomach you’re looking for. But you should also be mindful to eat foods that boost your metabolism. Metabolism-boosting foods are what will really kick your fat-burning efforts into gear. There are a number of foods that boost your metabolism and actually get you burning more calories and belly fat just by eating them! Here are a few suggestions:

Metabolism-boosting foods to include:• Protein – Increasing your protein not only supports lean muscle mass, but it also takes a

lot more to digest and will burn belly fat in the process.• Green Tea – You may have heard it before, but green tea has been shown to significantly

improve weight loss and fat burning efforts. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.

• Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Some may believe that soup is not a meal, but it really does fill you for very few calories. And remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.

• Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Many studies indicate that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduces insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism.

• Apples and Pears – Apart from the many vitamin and nutritional benefits, fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

• Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fibre. And, at just 20calories per cup, it is a weight loss superfood that not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

• LowFat Yogurt – Low fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. As far as superfoods go, yogurt is a real winner. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.

• Lean Turkey – You can rev up your fat-burning engine with this body builder favorite. Countless studies have shown that lean protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.

• Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carbohydrate list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings. Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

And – the number one top metabolism buster:

• Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to increase metabolism. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. And make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

Here’s how these metabolism raising foods help you lose fat:

• Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without extra calories

• High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage

• Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods

Recommended diet programs

If you don’t have the discipline or time to buy and prepare these healthy foods yourself, you can also look to a medically-credible diet plan to help you lose the fat. Our clinic offers an excellent one with Ideal Protein where you purchase all your healthy and gourmet tasting food along with supplements and counseling from a diet coach. It’s affordable and is effective in helping you lose fat fast. Read more

Secret No. 3 – You have to get your heart rate up to burn fat

The truth is not all people find aerobic activity (getting your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes) an effective fat loss tool. True, it is good for your heart but your genetics play a big part in how much fat it will burn.

During aerobic activity you only burn fat while your heart rate is up which may sound good but the flipside is once it comes back down it stops. So doing cardio exercise for one hour a day might sound impressive, but you didn’t burn fat for 23 hours of that day. On top of that as soon as you stop your body tries to put it back on. So what can you do? The answer is mixing up training methods – and it has always been the preferred method for long term effective fat burning with those who know. That means you actually should incorporate a variety of different workout styles and weight training exercises rather than just spend that same 20 minutes on the treadmill each workout session.

Secret No.4 – Weight and core training in your exercise program provides the variety you need – and many other health and fat loss benefits

As mentioned above, cardiovascular exercise really is an important step to losing fat. But it’s critical that you mix up your program too, and add weight and core training to your exercise regime to be effective in fat loss. Weight (or resistance) training will increase your total lean muscle mass, which is directly related to your metabolism. Here are some ideas:

Tone Your Abs

By engaging in a complete, high-intensity abdominal and core workout once or twice a week, you’ll get your midsection looking leaner and tighter. This will give the illusion of fat loss and get you in better shape!

a) Abdominal Exercises on an Exercise BallThe stability ball or exercise ball is still one of the hottest tools for abdominal training and ab crunches on the ball are one of the best ab exercises. Many of the best ab and stomach exercises utilize an exercise ball. The main benefits of the exercise ball are that it increases the range of motion of any stomach exercise and makes your core muscles work harder because of the balance and stability challenge. Many people also find it more comfortable than ab machines or regular floor crunches.

b) Isometric Stomach ExercisesThe plank is a core exercise that has crossed over from yoga to fitness and it is a great way to strengthen the deep core muscles, stabilize the lower back, and prevent back pain. One reason for lower back pain is a lack of stability and control around the spine. When your spine moves too much, extra pressure is placed on the joints in your lower back. The

plank is an isometric stomach exercise that helps to teach you how to keep your back stable. The prefix iso- means same and metric means length so iso-metric simply means same length or no movement. The plank is also one of the best ab exercises.

c) Ab Exercises with Medicine BallsMany trends in fitness go through cycles. In the 70's medicine balls were everywhere and were made popular by movies like Rocky. In the 80's they lost popularity, but now they're back stronger than ever. A medicine ball is simply a weighted ball that can add resistance for your ab muscles. By using your arms as a conduit, you can learn to transfer power from your core to your upper body. In addition, you can throw medicine balls and do fast explosive movements, and this helps to develop power in your core muscles and works really well to improve athletic performance.

d) Lower Back Exercises and Lower Back Strengthening ExercisesYour core is only as strong as your weakest link, and unfortunately for most people, their lower back is their weakest link. In this day of sedentary lifestyles and computer overload, many people develop postural problems and low back pain. And although having strong abdominal muscles does help to support posture, back exercises are just as important as the best ab exercises.

Secret No.5 – You can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat

Fat cells and muscle cells are two completely different tissues and they NEVER decide to swap roles. Protein is stored in muscle cells, fat is stored in fat cells. If someone goes from being toned and fit to being fat, they just lost their muscle and gained more fat. It’s that simple.

Secret No. 6 – You don’t actually ever lose fat cells

We use the word lose because it’s an easy term and a basic explanation, but the fact is the amount of fat cells you have does not really change after puberty, in some cases people can still produce more into adulthood, but this usually takes extreme overeating. What changes is how full the fat cells are. You have to think of them as small balloons, they are either deflated and empty sitting flat against the skin, in which case they are actually transparent, or they are full of milky looking fat that is just stored energy waiting to be used up. The pressure in and around these bunched up cells can then cause other issues like poor circulation. This in turn gives them less chance of ever being used for energy.

However, your muscle cells are the opposite. They are always fluxing in numbers and never remain static. They can break down, repair, or build entirely new ones in only 3 days.

Secret No.7 – When trying to tone up and reduce body fat percent, the scales mean nothing

Gaining muscle cells to harden them up makes them heavy for their size and burning up body fat makes you lighter. So, in reality “toning up” is a roller coaster ride in actual weight terms on the scales to a point where weighing in can become useless and misleading...in some cases causing people to give up on their program.

In fact, most people put ON weight in the first few weeks of a resistance training program making then freak out and stop, but here is the silver lining, they may have dropped a clothing size.

So how do you measure the results? It’s simple: LOOK AT YOURSELF NUDE IN THE MIRROR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

True it may not be the best way to start the day but it’s the “truth” and will allow you to keep track of your body shape as it changes. Why the morning? You are not bloated with the day’s food yet and things like wheat intolerance will have settled down.

Secret No.8 – You can’t target fat loss in specific areas through diet or exercise

Doing sit ups does not necessarily burn fat off of your stomach. Why? Because the energy used by the muscles in your abdominal region to do sit-ups comes from your blood, which circulates around the entire body pulling whatever it needs out of fat cells throughout your body. This is done at locations based on things like increased/decreased circulation to a particular area and your genetic instructions. This is why sometimes you can work-out hard and lose fat from an area you don’t want, such as (for women) the breasts.

However, this fat reduction is not random and can be estimated based on what order the fat went in. If the first place it went on is your gut, then sorry, the last place it’s going to come off is your gut. If it went on your thighs first, then it’s coming off your thighs last.

So, how can you target certain problem areas?

Massage is one way to increase circulation to an area and make it easier to let the fat cells be accessed for energy.

One groundbreaking technology that does let you target areas is body contouring. These state-of-the-art fat contouring machines work on you painlessly through a combination of ultrasound, electric fields and vacuum massage. The treatments are relaxing and entirely painless, targeting problem love handles, belly, thighs – or wherever you wish with results right away! Our clinic in Vaughan, Ontario has the best in current technology in body contouring, namely Bella Contour which delivers body slimming results comfortably – and instantly. Learn more.

Secret No. 9 – For obese or for chronic condition sufferers, physiotherapy is the answer.

There are many people who just can’t achieve the rigorous fitness regime or even 30 minutes of moderate walking most days in order to control their weight. These people need an individual program designed to meet their particular needs, their body, and their environment. If you are one of them, a therapeutic exercise regimen that is evidence-based and prescribed by a physiotherapist may be the answer. Promoting physical activity is an important strategy to address the problem of obesity.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal problems can prevent overweight patients from successfully using exercise to reduce their body weight. The overweight patient is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems in their weight bearing joints, creating a vicious circle – knee or back pain prevents the patient from walking enough to lose weight, so they don’t exercise, put on more weight and suffer more pain.

OsteoarthritisCurrent research shows that exercise has significant benefits for people with osteoarthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, improve strength, and increase aerobic capacity and functional activity. Similarly, there is strong evidence that in people with chronic low back pain, exercise can reduce pain, improve activity levels and reduce sick leave. This evidence can be used to reassure patients that exercise will not only help with their weight control but can also reduce their musculoskeletal dysfunction.

DiabetesConcomitant conditions such as type 2 diabetes place obese patients at increased risk of adverse effects from exercise. However, evidence suggests that well designed and controlled programs minimise this risk. Aerobic training for at least 30 minutes, 3–6 times per week can lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels by clinically significant amounts.

Physiotherapy prescribed strength training:

The strength program your physiotherapist should prescribe includes: calf rises, step ups and lunges for the knee; trunk muscle activation (transverses abdominis and multifidus) for the back. Standing heel to toe, eyes open and closed is an appropriate balance exercise (Figure 1). A hydrotherapy session is a good option as water enables the patient to stimulate the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems without increasing weight bearing pain.

Physiotherapy follow up:Exercise programs tend to be more effective with follow up. This is particularly relevant for the overweight population where the goal is to achieve slow and steady weight loss and an increase

in physical activity over time. Follow up is critical for maintaining motivational levels, progressing the activity, and modifying the exercise program if circumstances change.

In short, physiotherapists can play a significant role in: reducing or removing the barriers to physical activity and fat loss; designing, implementing and monitoring exercise programs; and promoting safe participation in physical activity to facilitate weight & fat reduction.

BONUS: 20 Top Fat Loss Tips

Print these out and keep on your fridge or by your desk as an ongoing source of inspiration:1. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight

loss.2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don't kill time, burn calories by maintaining a

challenging intensity. 4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off.

The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.

6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages.

7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 9. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a

plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.10. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount

that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.

11. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food'. Always read the nutrition labels.12. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and

carbohydrates. 13. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.14. Expect more of yourself.15. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly

derail your weight loss efforts.

www.medrehabgroup.com

16. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.

17. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.

18. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.

19. Set specific, measurable goals.20. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of

carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.