The Method Gym

Weight Loss

Carbs vs. Sugar Intake


 

It’s no secret… An excess of sugary carbs aren’t the best when you’re trying to slim down and define your muscles. While some carbs are OK and completely necessary as an energy source, too much can completely stall your goals and progress. The key here is the type of carbs your ingesting into your body.


When mindfully eating, “good carbs” are those that get absorbed slowly and avoid spikes in blood sugar levels. Examples of good carbs include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. On the other hand, bad carbs include baked goods, white bread, and simple sugars and syrups.


Something important to keep in mind is that just like calories, not all carbs are created equal. Complex carbs– such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and sweet potatoes– can fuel your body and workouts and keep you full and focused on your goals. Other carbs, like sugary baked goods and candies, have little nutritional value and will spike your blood sugar instead of providing you with a lasting energy source.


When choosing what carbohydrates you are going to put in your body, look for complex carbs vs. simple sugars and carbohydrates. Any carb that also has protein and fiber is a likely a good source, such as steel cut oats, beans, legumes, and fruits and vegetables.


So how many carbs should a man or woman have per day from sugar? According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are 150 calories per day, or 37.5 grams for males, 100 calories per day or 25 grams for women.


Those recommended numbers are less than you probably thought… And there’s more where that came from! For more tips and nutritional guidance, come chat with our personal trainers in durham at our durham gym so we can help you meet your goals!



News, The Method Blog, Uncategorized
Comments Off on Carbs vs. Sugar Intake

In Need of a Detox? Read These Tips from our Durham Personal Trainers

Halloween can be a time of temptation for many of us with all of the extra treats and sweets laying around! If you went a little crazy this year, it may be time to give your body a break with a detox! A detox is all about limiting the amount of “junk” that enters your body and only eating and drinking things that will help your body do it’s job! Here are our 5 simple detoxing tips (that don’t involve juice fasting!) 

  1. Wake up with warm water with fresh lemon juice. This will hydrate you and replenish your body first thing in the morning and is known to aid digestion and purge toxins.
  2. Stretch! This will not only help with your workouts and recovery but can also stimulate digestion and elimination.
  3. Eat your Broccoli and leafy greens! This will help reduce inflammation and are high in antioxidants which aid the body in fighting off toxins.
  4. Exfoliate. Exfoliating your body can not only make your skin softer but it can also unclog your pores and stimulates circulation.
  5. Drink lots of water and tea. This is the best way to stay hydrated and to ensure your liver and body is functioning properly!

When your feeling heavy what’s your favorite way to detox? We’d love to hear your tips! If you’re in need of some extra fitness guidance to reach your goals, come chat with one of our fantastic personal trainers in Durham!


The Method Blog
Comments Off on In Need of a Detox? Read These Tips from our Durham Personal Trainers

Women, Weight Training, and the Fear of Getting “Big”

CW-6172-1440x600

Many women tend to make a big mistake when they step foot into a gym. They assume that weightlifting and resistance training will result in them becoming “big” and bulky. As a result, they tend to only focus on cardio and spend most of their gym time on the treadmill trying to burn off the pizza from the night before.

Getting “big” like a man or a competitive body builder is a common concern among women, and has led many women to steer clear of the weight room and from resistance training in general. For those women avoiding the weight room, we’ve got news for you! If your goal is to be slim and toned with a flat stomach and nicely defined muscles, resistance training is going to be absolutely essential in achieving that end goal. So quiet your fears and remember:

Women can and should do weight lifting exercises if they want to shed body fat and achieve a sculpted and toned physique.

So if you’re one of those women just stuck on cardio, know that your current cardio routine is going to accomplish very little in terms of your end goal. Sure, you may burn a few hundred calories during the cardio workout but you won’t reshape how your body looks. A complete body transformation begins in the weight room.

And no, you won’t get bulky. In fact, lifting weights will actually achieve the opposite… And here’s why:

1. Female Testosterone Levels

You need not to worry about getting big because it’s the testosterone that is the magic ingredient of getting big and bulky. A woman simply does not have enough testosterone to make them bulk up like a man does. It’s science- Men have higher testosterone levels than women, and women have higher estrogen levels than men. This fact alone should calm a lot of your fears as testosterone is the primary muscle-building hormone in the body.

2. Female Dietary Habits

If you’re worried about bulking up like a female body builder, it’s important to keep in mind that dietary habits play a key role here. If your end goal is to bulk up and get “big” you’d obviously be consuming a massive amount of calories to purposefully gain weight, as these women do. Proper weight resistance training paired with a mindful diet of calories in versus calories out will result in the loss of fat and the fine sculpting of muscle. In order for your weight resistance training to really bulk you up, you’d have to force feed extra protein, eat excessive calories daily, add supplementation, AND lift heavy weights on a regular basis.

3. Weight Lifting Increases Your Metabolic Rates

Another reason why you don’t need to worry about getting big is that weight lifting actually increases your metabolic rate, aka you will burn more calories when you lift weight. This is because weight lifting creates tiny muscular tears throughout the body, meaning your body will expend a greater number of calories post-workout to repair those tiny tears. This repair process increases your overall calorie requirements. More calories burned, means less body fat for you.

4. Weight Lifting Results in Greater Muscle Definition

Weight lifting will result in an overall, sculpted muscle definition. Challenging yourself with the weight and lowering the reps is what will create the muscle definition you’re looking for when combined with a proper diet for fat loss.


In a nut shell,  do not fear weight training or heavy weights any longer! Weight training is the secret sauce to any woman’s weight loss and is what will help you achieve fitness goal of achieving a toned and sculpted physique.

Here’s the truth: When you lift heavy weights your muscles get STRONGER, not bigger. From our personal trainers in Durham… Push your body! You are stronger than you think!

 

 


The Method Blog
Comments Off on Women, Weight Training, and the Fear of Getting “Big”

The Method Gym in Durham: How to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle

CW-6129

Last week on The Method Personal Training blog, we discussed how our Method uses resistance training and insulin sensitivity to achieve weight loss. Today, we are continuing with part two of this series and will discuss how resistance training paired with proper energy utilization can achieve great weight loss results without losing muscle. Keep reading to learn more about you can get visible results at our private Durham gym!

Read More


News, The Method Blog
Comments Off on The Method Gym in Durham: How to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle

15 Weight Loss Tips from The Method Gym in Durham

CW-6206

Are you in a weight loss funk? Sometimes despite our best efforts, our bodies hit a weight loss plateau. At The Method, we understand there’s nothing more frustrating than that, so today we’re sharing some of our top weight loss tips that will kick your fitness plan back into gear and give you a little more inspiration!

Read More


The Method Blog
Comments Off on 15 Weight Loss Tips from The Method Gym in Durham

The Method Gym in Durham: How Resistance Training Can Help You Lose Weight

CW-6108  CW-6167

At the Method, we employ the latest weight resistance training exercises to help our clients get in phenomenal shape. A common goal for many of our clients at our Durham gym is to lose weight safely and effectively.

We help our clients achieve this through our Method that utilizes proper training technique and resistance training for weight loss.

Want to learn about how The Method Gym promotes weight loss? Keep reading.

Read More


News, The Method Blog
Comments Off on The Method Gym in Durham: How Resistance Training Can Help You Lose Weight