Sebastian Stan Is Staying in Shape While Self-Isolating

Self-isolation has definitely posed a challenge to many of us when it comes to staying in shape. With gyms closed and no firm idea on when they’ll be open again, many have had to resort to working out at home and making due with what we have. This has definitely been the case for Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes (The Winter Soldier) in Marvel's upcoming Disney+ series The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, just one of many projects put on pause due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. But as he told Men’s Health, his situation isn’t so bad.

"I have stairs where I am, which is good," he said. "So I run up and down my staircase like 20 times a day. And then it's a lot of pushups and planks, you know? I have two kettlebells, so that's kinda good … [for] press ups and swings. I mean, I’m just trying to keep active."

Much like most of us, Sebastian Stan is also spending more time in the kitchen. With nutrition being an essential part of staying in health, Stan has been making all sorts of culinary discoveries. "I'm cooking stuff for the first time ever," he said. "Like I have a bunch of chicken breasts I'm going to basically grill in a pan later with olive oil and then some mustard and it's going to be what it is."

Embracing simplicity is what we’ll all have to do for the time being as the pandemic plays out, and if Sebastian Stan’s situation is any indication, you’re not in it alone!

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How to Cut the Belly Flab Without Hitting the Gym

Ever wish for a flatter stomach but don’t have the time or energy to hit the gym on the regular? Here are a few tips that may help.

Cut the sugar. It seems like there’s a new study released each day about the negative impacts sugar can have on your health, and unsurprisingly, it can have the same effect on your waistline. Cutting out excess sugar could go a long way towards cutting down on belly flab, and it’ll have you generally feeling better too.

Eat more fiber. Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet and helps keep you regular, but it also helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, reducing your desire to snack throughout the day. A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, could be a big step towards a flatter belly.

Drink plenty of water. While staying hydrated is important to overall health, it’s also a key element of appetite control. Often times we think we’re hungry, when really we’re just thirsty. Drinking water instead of sugary sodas or fruit juices will also go a long way towards curbing sugar intake.

Drop and do some planks. Finally, while making changes to your diet will go a long way towards reducing belly fat, a bit of exercise will help reach your goals even faster. Planks are an effective exercise that target the core, and you can do them anywhere without the need for special equipment.

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Is Snacking Making Us Fat?

It’s tough to pinpoint exactly when obesity became an epidemic, even tougher when it comes to childhood obesity, but general consensus within the scientific community points to sometimes in the early 1970s. So what was the turning point? Was there one particular event to trigger the epidemic? Some point to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a government released guideline to what foods we should be eating, released around the time obesity started becoming the norm rather than the exception. Others, like diet guru Jason Fung, claim it has more to do with snacking.

In an article published on Medium, Fung outlines survey results from 1977, which outlined eating habits. Back then, the most people ate were three meals a day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Comparatively speaking, by 2004 most people were eating six times a day, with some people eating as often as ten times per day.

The problem isn’t an increased quantity of food, per se, but an increase in how many of our waking hours we spend eating. Whereas once breakfast would be at 8:00am, dinner at 6:00pm, and no after-dinner snacks, people now eat well into the late hours of the night or even into the early morning. This, in no small part, is due to snacking. With numerous studies showing that people who stop eating early in the day have better luck with weight loss and weight maintenance thanks to lower insulin levels, it may be time to rethink our snacking habits.

Looking for some fitness related reads? Visit our online library at www.fittango.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Is Moderation Truly Key?

When approaching diets and lifestyle habits, it’s tempting take an easy way out by saying “everything in moderation.” After all, nobody likes going on strict diets, cutting out their favorite salty or sugary treats, or adhering to a rigorous exercise regimen. But is the moderation approach actually of any benefit?

The fact of the matter is that while tasty treats like cakes and candies may seem harmless in small quantities, most of us already get our daily recommended dose of sugar and then some from fruits, juices, and processed foods. In fact, reading the nutrition labels on many of the processed and pre-packaged foods we eat may yield some surprising revelations, and not just when it comes to sugar.

On the exercise side of the equation, moderation seems to limit the amount of physical activity we think is sufficient, leading many to think that a brisk walk or light sessions at the gym is enough to bring about health benefits. While any exercise is certainly better than none, however, the occasional walk won’t lead to significant results if the desired effects are weight loss or improved heart health.

So if not moderation, what’s the answer? Well, here’s where common sense comes into play. Science has pointed out again and again that sugar is damaging, leading to long term health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes among others. While it may be impossible to cut out sugar altogether, efforts should definitely be made to limit sugar intake to the daily recommended amounts or less. When it comes to exercise, a minimum of three times a week for an hour each day is recommended, but the real benefits become apparent when those numbers are increased.

Looking for some fitness-related reads? Visit our online library at www.fittango.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, and available on all your favorite devices.

Is Moderation Truly Key?

When approaching diets and lifestyle habits, it’s tempting take an easy way out by saying “everything in moderation.” After all, nobody likes going on strict diets, cutting out their favorite salty or sugary treats, or adhering to a rigorous exercise regimen. But is the moderation approach actually of any benefit?

The fact of the matter is that while tasty treats like cakes and candies may seem harmless in small quantities, most of us already get our daily recommended dose of sugar and then some from fruits, juices, and processed foods. In fact, reading the nutrition labels on many of the processed and pre-packaged foods we eat may yield some surprising revelations, and not just when it comes to sugar.

On the exercise side of the equation, moderation seems to limit the amount of physical activity we think is sufficient, leading many to think that a brisk walk or light sessions at the gym is enough to bring about health benefits. While any exercise is certainly better than none, however, the occasional walk won’t lead to significant results if the desired effects are weight loss or improved heart health.

So if not moderation, what’s the answer? Well, here’s where common sense comes into play. Science has pointed out again and again that sugar is damaging, leading to long term health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes among others. While it may be impossible to cut out sugar altogether, efforts should definitely be made to limit sugar intake to the daily recommended amounts or less. When it comes to exercise, a minimum of three times a week for an hour each day is recommended, but the real benefits become apparent when those numbers are increased.

Looking for some fitness-related reads? Visit our online library at www.fittango.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, and available on all your favorite devices.

Is Snacking Making Us Fat?

It’s tough to pinpoint exactly when obesity became an epidemic, even tougher when it comes to childhood obesity, but general consensus within the scientific community points to sometimes in the early 1970s. So what was the turning point? Was there one particular event to trigger the epidemic? Some point to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a government released guideline to what foods we should be eating, released around the time obesity started becoming the norm rather than the exception. Others, like diet guru Jason Fung, claim it has more to do with snacking.

In an article published on Medium, Fung outlines survey results from 1977, which outlined eating habits. Back then, the most people ate were three meals a day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Comparatively speaking, by 2004 most people were eating six times a day, with some people eating as often as ten times per day.

The problem isn’t an increased quantity of food, per se, but an increase in how many of our waking hours we spend eating. Whereas once breakfast would be at 8:00am, dinner at 6:00pm, and no after-dinner snacks, people now eat well into the late hours of the night or even into the early morning. This, in no small part, is due to snacking. With numerous studies showing that people who stop eating early in the day have better luck with weight loss and weight maintenance thanks to lower insulin levels, it may be time to rethink our snacking habits.

Looking for some fitness related reads? Visit our online library at www.fittango.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Adapting for Obstacles When Exercising

While the most obvious benefits of exercise are usually measurable, from increased fitness and energy and better mood to decreased daily pain and a reduction in long-term health risks, the true spectrum of benefits is immeasurable. That said, those benefits sometimes aren’t enough to spark motivation. A lack of motivation is just one of the many obstacles we face when exercising, and adapting to those obstacles is the key to long-term success.

Since we’ve already addressed it, let’s start with motivation: some days it’s just not there. The practice of positive association may just help overcome that obstacle, however. Have a favorite artist or genre of music? Make sure you’re listening to it while working out. Have a favorite treat? A small reward after a workout won’t hurt. Eventually you’ll come to think of exercise as excitedly as you do of your rewards.

Time is another obstacle to consistent exercise, and here’s where scheduling comes into play. It’s important to not just schedule workout times, but to schedule backup times as well just in case something gets in the way. Worst case scenario you’ll need that backup time and your day will be a little busier, best case scenario that backup time becomes free time to do anything you’d like! Either way, you get your exercise in.

Just remember: While obstacles may sometimes present themselves, they’re seldom insurmountable!

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