How to Burn Fat on the Treadmill

You already know that cardio is one of the top ways to burn fat and drop weight. This has probably lead you to look for different ways to get your cardio on and to burn fat at the same time. One of those methods is to use a treadmill. The misconception is that you can just get on the treadmill, set the timer, and get started. The truth to that misconception is that you will not see the results you want if you do that. Here is how you turn your treadmill into a fat burning machine and get the results you want in shorter amounts of time.

Use the Incline Setting

The first thing you need to do is set the incline setting. You want to make sure that your incline is a challenge for you, but that it is not at such a high incline that it causes pain or injury. If you are just starting out with an incline, you may want to go with the first or second setting and then adjust them as needed. Ideally, your treadmill will have several incline settings to choose from. One of these settings is an interval that mimics running outdoors in various terrains. Choose the one that is most comfortable for you. The treadmill will automatically adjust through your run to give you levels of incline to help you burn more calories.

Know Your Target Heart Rate

Most treadmills come with a heart rate monitor built into them. Use the monitor. You may be inclined to avoid it or not bother, but if you want to burn the most fat and drop the weight you need to use the monitor. For this, you will need to know your target heart rate. You can figure this out you need to know your maximum heart rate. The target heart rate during your workout should be around 60% of the max heart rate during cool down and warm up and then 70% during the run itself. Most treadmills will have at least a basic heart rate monitor, but more advanced options will let you put in your weight, height, and it will figure things out for you. This is vital to make sure you are getting the workout intensity you need.

Don't Hold On

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they are on the treadmill is to hold onto the bars. Don't hold onto the bars during the run. If you run onto the bars, you will not be working your whole body. In fact, you will be holding back what you need to bring to the workout. By taking your hands off the bars you are now working your whole body. You are working on standing up straight, and running like you would outside. This intensifies the workout and helps you burn more fat.

By taking these three tips into account. You can ensure that you are burning the most calories and fat during your workout. Remember to start off at low levels of inclines and run times and work up as you need it so you can keep building the intensity and getting the results you want.

Burn More Fat with Weight Training

When you think of weight training, you may not think about burning fat. In fact, what you may think about is building muscle and toning up your arms or adding muscle weight. The trick to that is, most people who are new to weight training do not know that you have to burn fat to build the muscle which makes weight training ideal. If you are new to weight training, you may not know how to actually get started or how to make the weight training work for the fat burning you want to do.

Use the Right Weight

If you are knew to weight training then you want to make sure you are choosing the right weight from the start. Some gym professionals will tell you to start off with body weight first. This is ideal if you are not only new to weight training, but you are also considered obese. Think about this. If you are 100 pounds overweight, you are already carrying 100 pounds of weight lifting pressure. Use that and work it off. You can use a weightlifting bar for balance which adds a few more pounds, but mainly gives you something to work with. Finally, you get to add the weight. Start off with 10 pounds on each side of the bar and then work your way up to more as you get stronger.

Use the Right Form

There is nothing worse than working out and either injuring yourself or realizing that you are using the wrong form and you aren't burning as much body fat. The way to fix this is to find a professional and just make sure you are using the right form. A professional trainer will show you how to use the right form for the bar based weights, the circuit weight training machines, and free weights. Using the right form means you are getting the most out of the weight training, using the muscles under the fat, and burning the fat away properly and safely.

Circuit the Workout

Don't stick to just one form of weight or one exercise. For example, don't just do arm day and do a few of the same exercises. Circuit your body. This means that you are doing a certain amount of reps for each focus area exercise. So for arms, you would be working all aspects of your arms and chest. You would be doing five to ten reps on each section and then doing it again for three or more circuits. This helps your body relax in one area while you are working another, and the whole time you are burning the most fat possible.

These are the basic steps for burning fat when you are a  newcomer to weight training. Overtime you may find that free weights work best for you or that circuit training works best. The key is to start off safe and start off with the right form.

Add These Cardio Workouts

Burning fat sounds great and easy, until you get into it. Once you have been working out for a while, you may hit a moment where you just don't seem to be burning more fat or getting anywhere with the workouts. You may try to up the pace of your runs, change your weight amount on weight lifting, or any number of other things just to be at the same point. This means your body may be used to the workouts and you need to actually change the workouts. Here are some cardio workouts you can add to your routine to help you burn more fat and get back on track.

Spinning Class

One way that some people mix things up is by enrolling in a spinning class. Spinning classes take stationary bikes to the next level. The classes run from 30 minutes to 75 minutes. The idea behind these classes is to offer a high intensity constant moving workout. It works your quads, core, abs, arms, calves, and hamstrings. It can be a full body workout that burns a lot of calories which leads to fat burning as well. This is a high intensity method and is usually made for more intermediate and advanced workouts. Spinning can work off as much as 900 calories per session.

Indoor Rock Climbing

Okay, you may not think of rock climbing as a fat burning exercise, but you can bump up your fat burning by simply adding this to your routine. As you climb, you are working your entire body. You are lifting your bodyweight, moving your arms and legs, and you are working your core. This burns calories. The higher you climb, the more intense the fat burning becomes. If you are new to indoor rock climbing, you can start with a beginner wall and them move up. This type of exercise can keep you busy and engaged for several years before you run out of what you can do indoors and then can move it outdoors if you like.

You can add one or all three of these to routine. You will see an increase in fat burning and you can keep up the rotation of your normal workout routine alongside this new routine.

Try Yoga and Pilates to Burn Fat

One of the top exercises that is recommended for beginners and advanced users alike is yoga or Pilates. These exercises have several full body benefits and the added benefit of helping you burn fat. You may be wondering what types of yoga or Pilates actually help you burn the most fat and get a full body workout. The truth is, there are several that offer a full workout, full body benefit. Here are just a few to consider.

Hot Yoga

Hot Yoga is one of the leading yoga methods that offers a full body workout, cleansing of toxins, and fat burning exercise. This form of yoga, also known as Bikram Yoga, offers up to a 700 calorie burn depending on the intensity of the class and time of that class. During this yoga session you will notice a few things that set it apart from other yoga classes. The first is the temperature. Hot yoga classes are set at 104 degrees in the room. This helps you to sweat more which purges more toxins from your body during the workout. The humidity is also set high for the room. You will work through over 60 different motions through the workout. By the end, you will have worked your entire body as well as built your cardio and purged your system of toxins.

Pilates

There is a fine line in the yoga community with half the people stating that Pilates is not real yoga while the other half stating that it is yoga just in a different from. Pilates stands out because it uses different instruments during the workout. For example, you may use a Pilates machine that offers resistance or you may use a Pilates ball. The accessories are there to help stabilize you and help you get your workout to the next level. If you want something that incorporates traditional yoga but adds a twist on the process, then this may be ideal for you.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is a cardio based yoga that works your entire body while working on your cardio. This combination allows you to burn more fat and helps you to get leaner muscle mass as well. There are no special accessories in Kundalini. Kundalini requires your body, body weight resistance, and your mind. Ideally, if you are looking for a form of yoga that will burn fat and give you a full body workout while helping you with meditation and body awareness then this is it. Kundalini focuses on full body awareness through meditation and body movement.

These are only three of the yoga and Pilates options that will help you burn fat and drop the weight. You can increase the intensity of each one of these workouts by adding more time, taking intense training to work on your form, or by just adding more days of these yoga routines into your weekly rotation.

Mix it Up with Circuit Training

When you go the gym, you may see a small area of machines that are lined up in two rows sitting back to back. This is a circuit training station and is one way that you can mix up your workout and burn more fat. If you have never used a circuit training method, there are some things that you should know and consider before getting started. Here are those common considerations and what you need to know about each one of them.

The Proper Circuit

If you have never worked these machines, you may not know what the proper circuit is. The truth is you should start at one end or the other and work your way around the circuit of machines. Each machine works a different part of the body and each has a set of weights for you to set the right weight for your workout. In other words, there is no proper circuit or right machine to start off with. Just pick one of the end machines and get started. The idea is to work through each machine at least three times. You can increase the weight during each round or leave it where it is.

Weight Level

Once you get started, you will need to set the weight to the right level. You want a weight that is intense enough that it makes each rep worth the time and works your muscles. You also don't want it to be so high that you end up causing injury to yourself. Ideally, you will want to start with a lower weight, 10 to 20 pounds, and work up. You want to have some resistance with the weights. If the workout is too easy, you aren't going to get the benefit that you are looking for. If it is too hard, you will cause damage to your body. Start slow, work up the levels. Also, keep in mind that you can change the weight for legs and arms. For example, if you have more strength in your legs you may want a higher weight for your legs than your arms.

Don't Focus on Cardio

One of the mistakes that people make with circuit training is trying to focus on the cardio aspect. Ignore the cardio for now. Though you may not feel like you are getting your heart rate up or that you are getting what you need, your muscles are getting the workout they need. What you need to do is focus on the circuit, pay attention to your body, and take the warning signs your body is giving you if there is an issue that could lead to injury.  If you feel to strained, lower the weight intensity.

These are just three of the considerations to keep in mind with your circuit training workout when you are trying to mix it up with your normal workout routine.  Remember to meet with a professional to check your form as well. If your form is off, your workout will be as well.

You've probably heard about meditation, its different practices, and the various health and mental benefits of meditating. And for good reason. It's been in the news frequently, there are plenty of books, apps, audio recordings, and classes about meditation out there, and you may have become curious about this ancient technique that's making a comeback in modern times. Let's explore what you can do to learn more about meditation and most importantly, how to give it a try.

Learning More about Meditation

The internet is a great place to start looking for more information about meditation. It may be how you discovered what you’re reading right now. You'll find plenty of information about meditation, it's long history, the various forms of it, and of course some direction and instructions for getting started. This isn’t a bad place to start. You’ll get the basics and enough information to dip your toes in with a simple meditation practice.

You can also find a lot of great books about meditation. Head on over to Amazon, your local bookstore, or the library and pick up a book or two on meditation. There are also some great apps out there with guided meditations. Search for meditation in your phone’s app store.

How to Start Meditating

You can find some simple guided meditations online, as audio recordings and the like. Another great option is, of course, the apps I mentioned. They are a great source of guided meditation and the apps will help you increase your meditation time as you go along. They are a great starting point. From there you can explore other options like breathing meditations for example. 

One of the simplest forms of meditation is to become aware of your breath. Sit comfortably, calm your mind, and focus all your attention and conscious thought on breathing in and out. It’s harder than it sounds and takes a bit of practice, but once you get comfortable with this particular exercise, it’s a form of meditation you can do anytime, anywhere.

Above all, I encourage you to look into meditation and give it a try. It's a wonderful way to combat stress, improve your quality of life and do something positive for your mental and physical health. Try it and see if meditation is right for you. If you don’t particularly enjoy guided meditation, try chanting, transcendental meditation, or breathing meditations. There are so many different traditions and practices out there. If you keep an open mind, I’m sure you’ll find the one that’s right for you.

When you're working out, whether at the gym or in the comfort of your home, it's a good idea to know more about the different muscles that you're trying to tone up and work. Not only does this help you to focus your exercise more and get the most out of your workout, but it will also help you to notice if you are getting any pains which you shouldn't be experiencing!

The Gluteus Medius

The gluteus medius is the muscle towards the side of your butt and just below your hips. There are several exercises you can do which will specifically target this part. Jumping jacks are particularly good at toning this area, and squats can also help you to tone it. With this muscle, injuries can occur if you regularly exercise by running, since the muscle is often weak and has to work harder while running. If you want to avoid injuries while doing cardio, concentrate on exercises to strengthen your gluteus medius.

The Gluteus Maximus

One of the strongest muscles in the human body, the gluteus maximus is responsible for a lot of the movement around your hip, thigh and buttock region. Getting an injury with this particular muscle can make movement very difficult. Working to get it as stronger as possible means that you will have more freedom of movement, not to mention your butt will look great too! The gluteus maximus is the muscle which is located more towards the center of the buttocks, and in order to tone it up, you can do sets of 10-20 lunges and planks. When you exercise by doing lunges, start off by adding some small dumbbells in order to increase resistance and get more out of your workout.

The Gluteus Minimus

Located just below the gluteus maximus, the gluteus minimus is the main muscle which is responsible for making your butt look more perky. While not as strong as the gluteus maximus, toning this muscle will make you see some incredible overall results. Squats are a great way to tone this muscle, particularly if you use barbells and dumbbells during the movement. You can also do hamstring raises which will help to improve the whole area from your gluteus minimus and further down your thighs too.

Everyone knows that water is an important part of taking good care of yourself, due to the dangers of dehydration, and the many benefits it provides you. However, it is all too common to not drink enough water during the day, whether because you don’t enjoy it, you don’t think you have the time, or you simply forget.

When you get enough water during the day, it can help with:

• Improving your skin, hair, and nails

• Relieving headaches

• Reducing muscle cramps

• Helping to flush out your body

• Improving weight loss efforts

• Giving you more energy

This report is going to go over some of the different ways you can increase your water intake daily, as well as how to remind yourself it is time to drink more.

1. Drink Water Before Every Meal

The first tip for drinking more water on a regular basis is simple – just have a full glass of water before each meal and snack you consume, including before your morning cup of coffee. This is one of those simple reminders that allows you to drink more water, without really having to think too much about it. Train your mind to know that if you are going to put anything into your body, whether it is your breakfast or a late-night treat, you have to drink 8 ounces of water first.

This provides multiple benefits. First, it of course reminds you to drink another glass of water. It is also going to help your food digest a little better. Plus, it prevents you from overeating since the water helps to fill you up a little. It is not uncommon to think you are hungry, when in fact you are thirsty. If you are no longer hungry after the full glass of water, wait a bit before eating.

You should also try to drink a glass of water before or after every other beverage you consume. If you want a can of soda with lunch, force yourself to drink the same amount of water as well.

2. Make Your Own Infused or Flavored Water

A common problem people have with drinking water isn’t that they don’t remember to drink it, but they’re just not interested in it. This is when you have some other options. You don’t necessarily have to drink just plain filtered or tap water all day, every day. There are many ways to add flavor to your water and make it more interesting, without piling on the sugar and calories.

The Simple Method

If you are short on time and just want a super quick way to add flavor to your water, go with the lemon water. All you need to do is add a few lemon wedges into your water, squeezing in the juice first, then putting the wedges in it. Lemons have a lot of tart juice, so this will flavor your water quickly and easily. You can also try a mixture of lemon and lime, or use other juicy fruits like grapefruit.

Fruit or Vegetable Infused Water

When you are willing to spend more time on your water, you can use other fruits, vegetables, and even herbs to flavor this water. This is called infused water, since it is a longer infusing process. You aren’t just flavoring your water with these ingredients, but adding more nutrients from the produce and herbs.

To make infused water, you should have a glass pitcher and access to filtered water preferably. Prepare your fruits, veggies, and herbs depending on what they are. Berries should be sliced so you can access the juice inside, fruits with hard skin should be peeled first. Veggies should also be peeled and chopped. Muddle your herbs to release the oils and flavors.

Add the ingredients to the bottom of the pitcher, cover with ice, then add your water. Let it sit in the refrigerator for as long as you can before drinking it, which really allows those flavors and nutrients to come through.

3. Choose a Cup You Love to Use

Do you want to encourage yourself to drink more water? It’s all in the cup! If you use boring water bottles you don’t like, then you probably won’t drink as much water as you should. A good way to have fun with your water and remember to bring the bottle everywhere with you is to choose a water bottle that works best for you.

This might mean the overall look and color of it, or the ease of holding onto it while walking. There are so many small details in a water bottle that determine if it’s a good fit or not. For example, if you drive a lot, you want it to fit perfectly in your cup holder. On the other hand, if you bike for exercise, you may want it to have a tight lid, but one that is easy to pop off when drinking while riding.

Try out a few different cups until you feel like you have found the one that is perfect for you.

4. Limit Other Drinks You Consume

Another little trick for drinking more water is to reduce all of the other drinks you consume. This doesn’t mean drinking water 100 percent of the time and never having a cup of juice or soda again. But, it does help to reduce them, so that when you are thirsty, you go for water instead. This eventually increases your water intake simply because you are going for water when you feel a thirst, and not other beverages.

5. Always Track Your Water Intake

This isn’t something you need to do every day for the rest of your life, but for now, it might be hard to determine how much water to drink and if you have even reached your goal for the day. Start by figuring out a good way to track your water. This can be an app on your phone, a notepad, a planner you keep in your purse, or a program on your computer.

Start by tracking your water for a few days before trying to increase how much you drink. This lets you know how much you are currently drinking on an average day. If it is less than 8-10 glasses of water (8 ounces each) a day, you need to start increasing it. Once you are tracking daily, it helps you know how and when to drink a little more throughout the day.

6. Enjoy Fruits & Veggies with High Water Content

If you find that you simply can’t drink enough water, then eat your water instead! You should still try to drink as much as you can, but this is good for the days when you’re a little below your water intake goal. There are fruits and veggies that have a high water content, therefore helping to hydrate you. These include:

• Cucumbers

• Grapefruit

• Apples

• Pineapple

• Lettuce

• Celery

• Radishes

• Watermelon

7. Dilute Your Juice When You Have it

During those times when you really want a glass of juice instead of water, you can dilute it so increase your water content a bit. Just think about it – if you have a 12-ounce glass, and you dilute it with water just by 25 percent, that cup of yummy, fruity juice has also added 4 ounces of water. It is a super easy way to add to your water intake for the day. This is also going to reduce your calories, carbs, and sugar.

8. Try These Water Drinking Reminders

If you enjoy water, but you often forget to drink more of it, these little reminders can be helpful for you.

• Drink water before every meal, snack, and other beverage

• Drink a glass of water when you wake up

• Drink water before or after your workouts

• Drink a glass of water after every trip to the bathroom

• Drink a glass of water every time you enter your office or your home

As long as you keep these reminders in the back of your mind, and follow the other tips mentioned, you should be on your way to increasing your water intake and benefiting from it.

The most obvious reason to go to the gym is so that you will get in shape, get healthy, and ultimately, live a longer and better life. However, for some that just isn’t enough justification to get to the gym and pay for a membership. If you, or someone you know, falls into this category then this article will be helpful. You are going to see 5 reasons (besides getting healthier) why you should go to the gym.

You Can Meet New People

Making friends is hard when you get older. Outside of work, meeting large numbers of people is extremely hard. However, going to the gym lets you meet hundreds of people, all of whom have a common interest. Sure, you won’t be talking to everybody all the time, but you are sure to make at least a few friends.

Exercising is Good for Your Mental Health

We all know that doing exercise is good for your physical health. In fact, it would be somewhat difficult to overlook that fact. But, not only is it good for your physical health, but it is also very good for your mental health as well. Exercising regularly encourages blood flow, which in turn helps to keep the brain healthy.

It Can Boost Your Energy Levels

As odd as it may seem, going to the gym often and exercising can actually help to boost your overall energy levels. Sure, you will be tired immediately after the gym, but in the long run, you will find that you have more energy. This is because when your body detects that you are using a lot of energy, it will start producing more. 

It Will Make You Sleep Better

Another great thing about going to the gym is that you are going to sleep a lot better. Not getting regular exercise and just spending your free time on the couch can result in you getting less sleep than your body requires. If you are tired of restless nights, try going to the gym more often.

It Relieves Stress

One of the best things about going to the gym is that it gives you some time to just burn off stress. You don’t need to worry about anything, you can just focus on exercising for an hour or so. Even if you don’t particularly enjoy exercising, it gives you a reason to get away from it all for a little bit.

Everyone indulges now and then with foods that would not be considered healthy. Doing this is not considered a problem. However, when people make poor food choices as part of their regular diet, that is when the problems emerge.

The foods you eat are based on your habits. It takes time to develop these habits and requires you to stick with them to make them work. It’s also about making a conscious choice of the ingredients that go into your foods. Do you check nutrition labels at the supermarket?

But, just checking the labels is not enough. You need to understand the impact of the foods and how they affect a balanced diet. You can have too much of a good thing when eating. For instance, eating fruit is good. Eating too much fruit could increase your sugar levels. Even though fruit sugars are natural, they contain sugar just the same.

When you develop good eating habits, this balance needs to be considered. It’s okay to eat salt, and your body requires a small amount of it. But, you shouldn’t load up on foods that are high in sodium. The better approach is to prepare your meals with basic ingredients. You can control the ingredients when you do this. This means you can choose how much salt or sugar, or whatever ingredients to add.

It’s not rocket science, but it does take some knowledge to get it right. It may be worth it to consult a nutrition specialist. He or she is trained in knowing the balances and ingredients for a proper diet. Of course, you have to follow the plan he or she gives you.

As part of your routine, you should also factor in portion control. This is one of the essential attributes that can make or break a diet. If you manage proper portion control, you will be able to eat more of the foods you enjoy, even if a few of them are not considered great choices.

The biggest problem with eating right is the benefits are not seen until sometime into the future. We live in a society where instant gratification is the norm.  This doesn’t lend well to diets because losing weight, and even more importantly, feeling great, won’t start happening until months later. This is why the early part of forming good eating habits is so crucial to the process. Try to focus on the benefits you will see later.

Do you ever feel like you’re spinning in circles with too many goals? Are most of them conflicting? The good news is, you’re not the only one who feels that way. It's very common, and you can help solve the problem.

Here are some things you can do if you’re overwhelmed with goals.

1.    Look for overlaps. Sometimes there is a natural and logical relationship between goals. Suppose you want to get healthier and to have more leisure time. Making time out for active leisure like tennis or running will accomplish both goals at once.

Sometimes two goals seem to be in direct opposition to each other, like wanting to travel and having more time at home. In this case, write out both goals and next to each of them write out why you want to do each of them. You might find that what you want is to be away from work. In this case, your real goal might be to change careers. Or, you might discover that you can satisfy your desire for travel with a short vacation or a long drive with the family. Get to the essence of the goal, and they’ll work themselves out.

2.    Make the time. We tell ourselves there are "only so many hours in a day," and that we're "too busy" to take on anything else right now. Your time is precisely that – yours.  Instead of saying “I don’t have time to learn a language,” try saying, “I’m not making time to learn a new language.” We find the time for the things that matter.

3.    Be flexible. It’s a good thing to put a timeline together and have definite dates and time-sensitive goals. But remember that life happens, and often it even gets in the way. There is an ancient Greek saying that goes: “If you want to make the gods laugh, tell them your plans.” Having milestones and plotting points along the timeline is good, but don’t hold yourself to it so rigidly that you cannot adapt to the occasional curveball.

If it feels to you like you have too many goals or if the ones you do have are fighting each other, then find the essence of each one. That will help you determine what’s most important to you right now. Then work on one goal at a time. By concentrating on which one means the most to you right now, you’ll put those goals into perspective, until they don’t seem like so much anymore.

While it's easy to think about positive people as unrealistic and fake, being positive can have many benefits for your life. Thinking positive can improve your life more than you may realize, and it won't just be your mental health that benefits from it. Here are some of the ways that positive thinking can improve your life.

It can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety

Anybody suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety will know just how difficult it can make your life. Any relief that you can get from the symptoms that come with depression and anxiety are always very much appreciated, and positive thinking can help you with this. While it is difficult to imagine how you can think positive while you are suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety, working with your doctor, therapist and being kind to yourself can all help to improve your life and think more positively.

It can increase your chances in the work place

It is becoming increasingly more obvious that positive people do better in the work place. They often get promotions faster, are offered more opportunities, and build great relationships that last both in the office and long afterwards. Not only does a positive attitude put you at the top of the list when you go for job interviews, but you are also more likely to succeed and last within a company if you are positive.

It can help you to help others

You don't have to spend your life helping other people – after all, you should put yourself as a priority and practice self-care and positive thinking – but it's always nice to be able to help those that you love and care about. Being able to help others brings with it an incredible sense of self-worth and value, which adds to our feelings of positivity and hopefulness. When you help other people, either by making them feel happier or by showing them how they can practice positive thoughts, you'll be creating a win-win situation that will enrich the lives of both you and them.

As you can see, positive thinking can help you in a variety of ways, from your own personal development, to your health and even the health and wellbeing of those around you. Start by keeping a journal, practising affirmations and making a conscious effort to keep negativity and negative people out of your life.

Savory bottom layer ingredients:

• 1.25 lbs ground beef

• ½ medium onion, chopped

• 4 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 medium carrot, shredded

• 1 medium zucchini, shredded (not peeled)

• 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

• 1 - 1½ tsp Himalayan pink salt or Celtic grey sea salt

• 1 tsp chili powder

• ½ tsp cumin

Mashed cauliflower topping ingredients:

• 2 small (or 1 large) cauliflower heads

• 5-6 large roasted garlic cloves (roasted ahead of time)

• ½ - 1 tsp salt

Optional top layer ingredients:

• ½ cup shredded or crumbled organic, whole milk cheese (your choice!)

Preheat oven to 350°F

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté onion + garlic until tender. Add the carrot + zucchini, cook until they start to soften.

Add the ground beef, salt, and spices. Cook until the meat is browned, and very little moisture remains.

Chop the cauliflower heads into small chunks, and steam until they soften - when a fork can easily pierce.
Add the steamed cauliflower, roasted garlic and salt to a food processor. On low setting, puree until smooth. It may be necessary to use the tamper if you have one.

To assemble your pie, distribute the meat mixture evenly in the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish. Spread cauliflower mixture over the top, and bake for 25 minutes. If you're adding the optional cheese top layer, sprinkle the cheese on top after you bake it, and then broil it until the cheese turns slightly brown (~3 minutes more in the oven).

Using a sharp knife, cut ¼ inch from the top of of a whole garlic bulb to expose the individual cloves. Place bulb (unpeeled) on top of a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the bulb, just to moisten. Wrap the bulb with foil and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed. Once cooled, the whole cloves should push out easily when pressed from the bottom.

Extra roasted garlic can be used on its own as a spread on bread, crackers, sandwiches, or veggies.

A little self-criticism is a normal shared human mental pattern, and can even be healthy for the most part. But, we can also just as easily open the door to that overly vocal “negative Nelly” voice in our head.

However, if your negative voice is preventing you from doing what you want or need to do in your life, then it has to get booted back out the door. This kind of mental chatter has no right to set up shop in your mind.

Deeply held negative beliefs, especially when they’re firmly rooted in your unconscious, stress you out, damage relationships and can greatly limit your potential for health and happiness.

If you’re sick of having the same old conversation with negative nelly, then be sure to try some of the ideas I’ve outlined in this article on how you can shift away from this damaging mindset, and finally release yourself of these limiting beliefs.

What are limiting beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are the little, but persistent voices that convince you that you can’t be or do or have something due to a perceived inadequacy in some area of your life or personality.

Your negative nelly narrative usually goes something like this:

• I won’t ever be [this]…

• I can’t do [that]...

• I don’t have [this]...

• I don’t deserve to be/have [this]...

• And, one really common one that comes up for many people...

• I am not good enough.

Let’s change up the narrative you may have been having with yourself for a very long time!

Overcoming negative self-talk and releasing limiting beliefs

Your limiting decisions have shaped everything you do, and they have likely prevented you from seeing opportunities and maybe even discouraged you from trying some things at all.

The good news is that it’s totally possible to permanently change a long-held belief -- even the ones that are lifelong. You only perceive what you believe, so your beliefs shape the very world you live in.

But, when your limiting beliefs come into question, your whole world can experience a shift for the better.

Here are a few ideas to help you silence your inner critic for good!

When you find yourself feeling “stuck”, or repeatedly spinning your wheels on the same speed bumps that life might be throwing your way, it’s always a great idea to seek out the help and guidance of a life coach, counsellor or therapist. In addition to that, there are several things you can do on your own, in your own time and space.

The first step to releasing limiting beliefs is to shift your thinking into AWARENESS

Time to bring those disempowering thoughts out of hiding! Once you do that, know that you have choice.

However, just simply being aware or having knowledge of them is not enough, it’s just the first step. You must understand and truly believe that you have a choice about how to react to stressful situations.

Possible thinking, not just positive thinking

Your mind is a powerful thing, and when you fill it with thoughts of what’s possible (not just positive), your mindset will start to shift.

When you believe something IS possible, you will notice options and opportunities coming up for you that would simply not have be noticed if you did not believe it was possible.

With repetition, your positive feelings will intensify, the new neural connections will strengthen, and you’ll start to notice just how awesome this new “win” really feels!

Reminding yourself often of these little wins can further shift your mindset and help you embrace the bright side of your perceived “failures” or shortcomings. It also helps to simply accept that you are perfectly imperfect, just the way you are!

If you wouldn’t say it to your friend, don’t say it to yourself

Your limiting beliefs are assumptions you make about reality that often aren’t true. They aren’t helpful, and they certainly don’t serve you or the goals you want to achieve.

Ask yourself: Would I say these negative, hurtful and unsupportive words to a friend?

Adopting empowering beliefs such as:

“It is not my job to please everyone else.”

“Just be me. There will never be anyone else like me.”

To swap out your limiting belief with a more empowering one, you’ll need to play a little mind game: Convince yourself that the value you thought you were getting from the former limiting belief isn’t worthwhile, and that your new empowering belief can serve to fill this void.

Take some time and space that’s all yours

Ensure that you are creating space in your life for these new empowering beliefs. Take action and get into the habit of using your new beliefs as often as possible until they begin to feel comfortable, familiar and routine to you.

Just remember -- you have the ability to harness the power of the possible! Overcoming negative self-talk and releasing yourself of limiting beliefs takes commitment, introspection and a good dose of self-confidence to make the necessary changes stick.

There’s the old saying that we view ourselves through a much harsher lens than the rest of world does. So, let’s try to bring our own lens back into focus.

Serves 1

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• 1 or 2 eggs (how hungry are you?)

• ¼ cup veggies (grated zucchini and/or sliced mushrooms and/or diced peppers, for example)

• dash salt, pepper and/or turmeric

• Add coconut oil to a frying pan and melt on low-medium heat (cast-iron pans are preferred).

In the meantime grab a bowl and beat the egg(s) with your vegetables of choice and the spices.

Tilt pan to ensure the bottom is covered with the melted oil. Pour egg mixture into pan and lightly fry the eggs without stirring.

When the bottom is lightly done flip over in one side and cook until white is no longer runny.

Tip:  Substitute grated, sliced, or diced portion of your favorite vegetable. Try grated carrots, chopped broccoli or diced tomato.

Do you love your breakfast? Do you have a short list of go-to recipes? Do you need a bit of inspiration to start eating breakfast again?

Getting some protein at each meal can help with blood sugar management, metabolism and weight loss. This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer and uses up a bunch of calories to absorb and metabolize it. So I'm going to show you how to get the protein, as well as some veggies and healthy fats for your soon-to-be favorite new go-to breakfasts.

Breakfast Food #1: Eggs

Yes, eggs are the “quintessential” breakfast food.  And for good reason! No, I'm not talking about processed egg whites in a carton. I mean actual whole eggs.  Egg whites are mostly protein while the yolks are the real nutritional powerhouses. Those yolks contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

Eggs have been shown to help you feel full, keep you feeling fuller longer, and help to stabilize blood sugar and insulin. Not to mention how easy it is to boil a bunch of eggs and keep them in the fridge for a “grab and go” breakfast when you're running short on time. And...nope the cholesterol in eggs is not associated with an increased risk of arterial or heart diseases. 

One thing to consider is to try to prevent cooking the yolks at too high of a temperature because that can cause some of the cholesterol to become oxidized. It's the oxidized cholesterol that's heart unhealthy.

Breakfast Food #2: Nuts and/or Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Nuts and/or seeds would make a great contribution to breakfast.

You won't be fooled by “candied” nuts, sweetened nut/seed butters, or chia “cereals” with added sugars – you know I'm talking about the real, whole, unsweetened food here.

Nuts and seeds are also the ultimate fast food if you're running late in the mornings. Grab a small handful of almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds as you're running out the door; you can nosh on them while you're commuting.

Not to mention how easy it is to add a spoonful of nut/seed butter into your morning breakfast smoothie.

Hint: If you like a creamy latte in the mornings try making one with nut or seed butter.  ust add your regular hot tea and a tablespoon or two of a creamy nut or seed butter into your blender & blend until frothy. 

Breakfast Food #3: Veggies

Yes, you already know you really should get protein at every meal including breakfast; but this also applies to veggies. You know I would be remiss to not recommend veggies at every meal, right? 

Veggies are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and water. You can't go wrong adding them into every single meal of the day so if you don't already you should definitely try them for breakfast! 

And no, you don't need to have a salad or roasted veggies for breakfast if you don't want to but you totally can! You wouldn't be breaking any “official” breakfast rules or anything like that.

Adding some protein to leftover veggies is a great combination for any meal. Including breakfast.

Hearing health is really important, and something you will certainly want to try and look after as well as you can. Your hearing affects all of your health much more than you might have thought. Hearing is one of the most essential senses, yet it’s often overlooked until problems arise. Maintaining good hearing health isn’t just about avoiding discomfort - it plays a crucial role in communication, safety, and overall quality of life. Fortunately, there are several practical steps you can take to protect and even enhance your hearing. Let’s take a look at them right now.

Protect Your Ears from Excess Noise

Consistent exposure to loud sounds is one of the leading causes of hearing loss. Whether it’s music, machinery, or traffic, high decibel levels can damage delicate structures in the inner ear over time. Using earplugs or noise-canceling headphones in loud environments can significantly reduce the risk of damage. For those who enjoy live concerts or frequent noisy venues, taking regular breaks and keeping a safe distance from speakers can also help. It’s amazing how much this is going to help you to look after your hearing.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Your ears are connected to your overall health. Diets rich in vitamins A, C, and E, along with omega-3 fatty acids, can support ear health. Regular exercise improves blood flow, which is essential for maintaining the delicate hair cells in the inner ear. Limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking can also reduce the risk of hearing decline. You will also feel better in yourself generally, which is of course a wonderful thing to be able to say, and will encourage you to look after your hearing even more after that.

Schedule Regular Hearing Tests

Even if you haven’t noticed a decline in hearing, annual hearing assessments are a wise preventive measure. Early detection of issues allows for timely intervention, which can slow or prevent further deterioration. Audiologists can recommend exercises, protective measures, or devices tailored to your specific needs. For those who experience hearing loss, modern hearing aids offer more than just amplification. They can improve speech clarity, reduce background noise, and even connect to smartphones for streaming audio. Today’s devices are discreet, customizable, and capable of significantly improving quality of life. Using hearing aids as recommended can help prevent social withdrawal and maintain cognitive function.

Practice Listening Habits

This is another really powerful way to think about this. Engaging in active listening exercises, such as focusing on conversations in noisy settings or following audio-based games, can keep your auditory system sharp. Avoiding prolonged use of headphones at high volumes is also critical.

Taking care of your hearing doesn’t have to be complicated. By combining preventive measures, regular check-ups, and the appropriate use of hearing aids when necessary, you can maintain a high level of auditory health and enjoy clearer, richer sound experiences every day.

As everyone gets older, our senses become less and less sharp. Each one of your five senses play a huge role in how you interpret and enjoy the world around you, so it is important to do everything you can to protect them in any way that you can. Many of these things are very simple and don’t require a lot of effort on your part. If you are straining your eyes, trying to read in the dark, turn on a light. If you are listening to your music through headphones too loud, turn down the volume just a little bit. 

Sight

The first thing that you should do to protect your vision is to visit an optometrist on a regular basis and particularly if you notice any changes in the way you see or if you find yourself struggling to read things. You can help to avoid eye strain yourself by performing tasks in the proper lighting. Many of us are now experiencing vision problems as we spend so much time working on computer screens. To combat this, you should take regular breaks to focus on things further away. 

When the weather gets brighter, wearing sunglasses helps to stop your eyes from becoming strained. If you wear glasses on a regular basis, keep them clean so you are not impairing your vision any more. Making sure you get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins C and E can also be very beneficial. Keep track of your general health closely. For example, high blood pressure has been closely linked to detrimental eye conditions. If you are still a smoker, now is the time to stop this activity. You may not naturally associate smoking with eye damage, but it can significantly increase your chances of developing vision-related issues like cataracts.   

Hearing

Though hearing loss was always typically associated with people in old age, exposure to loud noises on a sustained basis can be problematic for everyone. In fact, the World Health Organisation estimates that one billion young people under the age of 35 could be putting themselves at risk of hearing damage because of their unsafe listening habits. Be careful of listening to music that is too loud with your earbuds in for too long. Seeking out tinnitus relief sooner rather than later is worth it if you suffer from the early signs.
Try getting some noise-cancelling ones so you don’t feel the need to crank up the volume when the background noise is particularly loud. The 60-60 rule suggests that you listen to your music at no higher than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes per day. Remember, hearing damage often tends to be permanent. Always wear the appropriate protection if you are working in a noisy environment. If you experience any sort of hearing loss or pain, you should consult with a medical professional at the earliest possible opportunity. 

These energy balls feel like an indulgent snack, but are made from whole food ingredients and contain a bit of protein, healthy fat, and fiber to keep you fuller longer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup natural almond butter (or other natural nut butter)

• ½ cup coconut flour

• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

• ½ cup chopped nuts of choice

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• Pinch of sea salt

How to prepare

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, stirring until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add 1 tbsp of water at a time to help the mixture come together.

2. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture and use your hands to roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture.

3. Store energy balls in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Your hearing is important to manage, and it’s something that you really should be focused on getting checked regularly. A routine hearing examination is just like any other medical/health appointment. Whether that’s going to the dentist or seeing your doctor for an MOT health check.

When your hearing is compromised, it can impact more of your body than you think, as well as deteriorate your quality of life if you don’t take control of it. Here are some of the ways you can help improve your hearing as you get older.

Protect your hearing

It’s very important to protect your hearing, whether that’s using earplugs or earmuffs in noisy environments to prevent further damage. Turning down the volume on your radio and your phone when you’re listening to music and watching television. 

Try to follow the 60/60 rule when it comes to headphones in particular, a maximum of 60% volume for 60 minutes.

Seek medical advice and tools

It’s worthwhile seeking out medical advice and tools that are available when it comes to improving your hearing.

Consulting an audiologist for devices like cochlear implants and hearing aids, which are both highly effective for restoring hearing.

Use television/telephone amplifiers and alerting devices when it comes to needing assistive technology. 

Earwax removal is helpful for ensuring your ears remain clean and healthy. Have a professional remove wax buildup, and never use cotton swabs, as this just pushes the wax further down the ear canal. 

Lifestyle changes

There are several lifestyle changes to make to help ensure your hearing is at its prime. Did you know that diet can be one of those contributors to your health? Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants, magnesium, and potassium are all helpful in supporting your ear health. 

Folic acid may also be helpful to take to help slow age-related decline. Exercise is good to do regularly in order to improve blood flow to the inner ear. Smoking is something to avoid and is often linked to a higher risk of hearing loss.

Hearing training and tests

A hearing test is helpful to do in order to check the health of the ears and to ensure that nothing is missing from your hearing that might have once been there, like background noises.

With hearing tests, they can highlight any causes for concern and the options available to address hearing loss, whether that’s hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Hearing training is good to do in order to help challenge your hearing. Focus on background noises and do some active listening where someone reads to you while focusing on sounds.

Communication techniques

To help ensure you maximize your interactions with others and don’t end up with hearing fatigue, face any of those who speak to you face-on. This helps to see everything from their face to the lips and gestures they make while talking.

Try to reduce noise in the environment you’re in, so turn down the television so that you can concentrate on the conversation that’s happening. If at any point you’re struggling to hear or find yourself asking for repetition, ask for clarity from the speaker so that you can get a better opportunity to understand what’s being said without being rude, of course.

It’s always good to be mindful of your hearing as you get older, so make sure to use these tips to help improve yours.

Hearing loss is a significant problem that affects the majority of people over the age of 50. Unfortunately, however, it is also one of those conditions which is very difficult to detect. Hearing tends to decline very slowly over time, with noticeable effects taking years or even decades to materialize.

What are the tell-tale signs your hearing is letting you down, and what can you do about them? Here's everything you need to know. 

You can't understand speech when it's noisy

The first time you might have a problem with your hearing is that you can't understand what people are saying in noisy environments. Sure, you can follow a conversation when it's just you and one other person at home. But as soon as you go out to a bar or a restaurant, it becomes more difficult. 

Frequently asking people to repeat themselves

Another sign that you might have an issue with your hearing is that you are constantly asking people to repeat themselves. For example, you are saying "excuse me" or "what" all the time during conversations. Doing this once or twice is completely normal because you can mishear people and sometimes they can mumble. If it's becoming a very common occurrence and you really can't hear what they're saying, even if they're trying to be clear with you, then it's time to take action.  

Turning up the volume on the TV

If you're turning up the volume on the TV, radio, or any other device, then it's another sign that you can't hear as well as you used to be able to, and you might need hearing aids. It's actually a very good measure of hearing loss because the sound that your devices emanate at each level of volume remains consistent. For example, let's say that you had your TV on volume 10 three years ago, but now you can only hear it if it's on volume 15. That's a sign that your hearing has changed. 

Trouble hearing high-pitched sounds

Trouble hearing high-pitched sounds is another factor that might indicate that you have a problem with your hearing. Usually it's the high end of the range that goes first, with mids and lows remaining relatively easy to hear. For example, you might not be able to hear when the phone rings or when somebody rings the doorbell. You might also find it difficult to understand women and children and rely on lip-reading cues. 

Ringing and buzzing in your ears

Finally, you might experience ringing or buzzing in your ears. If you have persistent ringing, buzzing or humming that won't go away, it could be an indication that the tiny little hair-like structures in the cochlea have broken down. Tinnitus can be any persistent sound that you can hear but doesn't exist in the real environment. 

The good news is that hearing loss is very treatable and something that you can discuss with your audiologist. You'll need to do an audiogram, which tests your ability to hear across a range of sounds, and then get appropriate treatment, like hearing aids. 

Picture this: You hit the snooze button one too many times, had a last-minute project thrown at you at work, and then sat in an hour of evening traffic. Finally home, you breathe a sigh of relief, head into the kitchen, and decide you deserve a snack after the day you’ve had. Maybe you reach for a few crackers, then a bit of chocolate. 

Before you know it, you’ve munched your way through the entire kitchen without eating a proper meal. You’re stuffed, ashamed, and wondering what the heck just happened - WTF?! Sound familiar?

It’s called emotional eating, and in a nutshell, it is eating for any other reason besides actual physical hunger, fuel or nourishment.

3 Trademarks of Emotional Eating

1. Binging - usually on high-sugar and carbohydrate-rich comfort foods (i.e. junk food). How many people do you know who reach for avocado and apples when they’re upset?

2. Mindlessly eating – you’re not aware of what or how much you’re eating or how those foods are making your body feel

3. Eating to numb, soothe, please, relax, or reward self, i.e. “I had a bad day and deserve it” kind of thinking. Eating during these times provides temporary relief, but often leaves you feeling worse than where you started!

The trouble with emotional eating is it overrides your body’s natural hunger cycle and can promote things like:

• weight gain

• an increase in your risk for inflammation and chronic disease

• create an unhealthy relationship between you and food

• lead to more danger types of disordered eating

What Triggers Emotional Eating?

Even though it’s called “emotional eating” because people often reach for food to cope with their feelings, there are a lot of other non-hunger reasons that can prompt you to eat.

Some common non-hunger reasons include: 

• Uncomfortable emotions, like anger, guilt, fear, and sadness

• Stress

• Boredom

• Need to feel pleasure and/or comfort

6 Tips to Help You Get a Handle on Emotional Eating...for good!

If any of those scenarios sound familiar, know that you’re not alone! Emotional eating affects a lot of people at one point or another. Want to know what you can do to stop emotional eating in its tracks? Here are 6 great tips!

1. Have a non-food outlet to process uncomfortable feelings: Try journaling, exercising, or talking to a trusted friend or counselor

2. Manage stress: Exercise, meditation, deep breathing, getting enough sleep, and not taking on more than you can realistically handle can help decrease stress levels.

3. Recognize boredom: Call a friend, take a walk, pick up a book, or tackle a DIY project or hobby you’ll enjoy when you know boredom is likely to strike.

4. Practice self-care: Care for yourself with a bubble bath, manicure, or curl up with a good book - whatever makes you feel good! It’s a necessity, not a luxury.

5. Practice mindful eating: Avoid distractions at meals. Your focus should be on the food in front of you.      Eat slowly, chew, and savor each bite. This helps give your body time to receive the signal from your brain when it’s full. Stop eating when you feel full.

 6. Eat a balanced diet: The majority of your diet should be nutrient-dense whole foods. Allow for occasional treats and indulgences so you don’t feel deprived. Include protein, fiber, and healthy fat at each meal to promote satiety.

I know that working on your mental health is important, but it’s not always easy. Some people get tempted to give up because the path to recovery and feeling better is difficult, but the thing is - you can’t do this. Your mental health matters, and I don’t want you to give up on yourself just because it seems like the easier option.

Instead, let’s talk through some of the ways that you can address your mental health, and move forward. So, let’s start taking a look at that.

What Makes You Happy?

First, to consider what makes you happy. What, in this life, makes you happy? What brings you joy? What puts a smile on your face when you wake up in the morning, and throughout the day? This is an important question because it determines what should and should not be in your life.

Life is too short to be full of things that you don’t like, that you can’t be bothered with, or that make you feel bad about yourself. Instead, you should be filling this with happiness, and the things that bring you joy, even though I know sometimes it can be tough. Remember, your happiness should be your first priority. 

What Triggers You?

The next thing that you should be considering is what triggers you. What kind of things happen in life that make you feel bad? What sets your mental health on edge, or can set you off into a negative spiral?

You might not like thinking about this, but it’s something that you’ve got to face so that you can understand what you need to avoid. Or, if it’s not something that you can avoid, you need to know what triggers you so that you can find a way to deal with this, or manage it as well as you can.

How to Ask for Help 

Finally, you might have already acknowledged that you need help, but you’re not quite sure how to get it. This is a common issue that people have, but it shouldn’t be a roadblock to you living a happy life. So, you can start by talking to your doctor, and they can then refer you to the correct place. 

Or, you can look it up online and get in touch with some professionals. You might decide to reach out to someone who specializes in psychiatry, or a particular kind of therapy. It’s hard to know what is going to work for you until you are in a situation in which you’re working through how you’re feeling, and it’s hard to get there. But, you need to ask for help, because once you do, things can get easier.

Hopefully, you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you need to do when it comes to your mental health. I know that it’s hard, but it’s really important that you keep pushing yourself, keep trying, and in the end see success.

You have probably asked yourself this mid-workout, sweat dripping, lungs working overtime: Am I burning more calories doing this alone… or would I push harder if other people were here? It is a fair question, because training is not only about effort. It is also about psychology, environment, and the kind of energy you bring into the room. The same workout can feel completely different depending on whether you are by yourself or surrounded by others. So let’s break it down honestly: solo workouts versus social workouts. Which one actually burns more?

What Really Determines Calorie Burn

Before choosing sides, it helps to understand what drives calorie expenditure in the first place. Calories burned depend on intensity, duration, muscle engagement, and consistency. A focused 30-minute strength session can outwork an hour of half-hearted cardio. The body responds to what you demand of it, not just where you do it.

Factors like sleep, nutrition, stress, and even hydration also shape how your body performs. So calorie burn is never just about the setting. It is about the quality of the work you put in. That means the best style is often the one that makes you show up fully.

The Power of Training Alone

Solo training has a certain clarity to it. No distractions. No comparisons. Just you and the work. When you train alone, you can tailor everything. Your pace, your rest periods, your playlist, your goals. That control can lead to highly efficient sessions, especially if you are disciplined and enjoy structure.

Many people also find solo workouts mentally grounding. You can concentrate on form, breathing, and progression without external noise. If you are someone who thrives on routine, solo training can burn plenty of calories simply because it stays consistent over time.

The downside is motivation. Some days, it is easier to cut corners when no one else is watching. A solo session requires you to be your own coach, and that is not always easy after a long day.

The Hidden Calorie Boost of Social Workouts

Training with others changes the atmosphere immediately. Effort becomes contagious. In a social setting, people often move a little faster, lift a little heavier, or stay in the workout a little longer, not because of pressure, but because group energy creates momentum. You feed off the room, even without realizing it.

That is why many people find group classes and gym sessions surprisingly intense. The music, the instructor, the shared struggle, it all adds fuel. Even if you arrive tired, you often leave having done more than you expected.

Social workouts also tend to include more variety, which can increase overall movement and reduce boredom. And boredom is one of the biggest reasons people stop exercising in the first place.

Which One Burns More Calories?

The honest answer is: the one you commit to most consistently. Solo workouts can be incredibly effective if you train with intention and push yourself. Social workouts can elevate effort through shared motivation and structured intensity.

Neither is automatically superior. The calorie difference often comes down to how hard you work, how often you return, and whether the style keeps you engaged for the long run.

A Better Question to Ask Yourself

Instead of asking which style burns more calories, ask this: Which style makes me feel alive enough to keep going? Because the workouts that truly change your body are not the ones that win on paper, they are the ones you actually do, week after week. And that is where the real burn begins.