Staying Fit Burr Style!

 

Jersey Is Naked had the pleasure of sitting down with health professional Arif Burr. He is giving us the skinny on how to stay healthy. He has some very interesting facts about how our body works along with letting us into his guilty pleasures. This man loves the cheese!  I want to thank him personally for sharing his wisdom on helping us to stay fit.

 

What is the most important factor in fitness besides the obvious health?

Besides the obvious health benefits, fitness keeps your body young.  As we age, our hormone levels change and we start to lose muscle mass.  That’s the case for men and women.  This usually starts in our earlier 30s. By working out, you’re constantly challenging your muscles to strengthen and grow.  You don’t have to work out to standards of a bodybuilder, but a little bit of strength training is beyond beneficial for your longevity.  Fitness, combined with the proper nutrition can drastically slow down the body’s aging process.

 

How long have you been a health professional and what inspires you to help others stay fit?

I’ve only been a health professional for a little over 3 years, but my interest and experience in health and fitness goes back to when I was a kid.  I’ve always been an athlete and grew up playing all kinds of sports.  Any athlete you ask will tell you, staying fit and getting the proper nutrition is vital for performing your best in your sport.  I’ve been in love with it since then and research it daily.  I plan on becoming a registered dietician and nutritionist in the very near future. 

My inspiration to help others stems from the fact that people are misinformed on health in general.  I do a lot of reading, and there is a lot of bad information out there.  The reason majority of America is overweight is because of misinformation on health and nutrition we’ve received over the years.  If I can do my part to help inform people I will be very happy.  Heart disease is the #1 killer in America right now, and the sad part is most of that could’ve been prevented.  So, I just want to do my part to help.

 

What are some easy workouts tips you can give people to practice to stay in shape?

There are many tips I can give for working out, but this interview would last forever :).  The biggest tip I want to give right now is, walk as much as you can.  Humans stand upright because we were meant to walk, and travel.  In today’s world and depending on your profession, people are sitting majority of the day.  That’s not only bad for your metabolism, but it’s bad for your body. Unless the weather is poor, I suggest parking farther away from your job entrance, the mall, stores, etc.  You’ll force yourself to walk a little farther and you’ll burn more calories.  Sometimes, I’ll park far away on purpose just to walk. 

 

If you have a choice, take the stairs over the elevator.  If the weather is nice, take a walk after lunch.  If you have a dog walk a little farther each day.  If you do that consistently, you’ll be a calorie burning machine.  Exercise accumulates.  Exercise you did yesterday benefits you today, and maybe tomorrow too.  You’ll be surprised how a nice walk will make you feel.

 

 

Do you believe that genetics are also clear indications of specific body type and if so do some have to work harder than others to stay fit?

No. While everyone is unique in their overall health and ability to burn calories, I don’t believe genetics tell the whole story.  I don’t think you can just look at someone’s parents and make an assumption about how their children’s health will be when they get older. We each have the ability to choose what we’re eating and doing, so health comes down to the individual.  Science has shown that with proper nutrition, diet and exercise, you can improve your genetics and the genetics of generations to follow.  It’s called Epigenetics and I believe strongly in it.

Although women do have a harder time losing weight than men do, it all goes back to exercise and nutrition.  For example, unless people have a unique medical condition, they were not born overweight.  People don’t just grow up overweight, it’s not natural.  More than likely, they made very poor choices in their nutrition plan.  Or, their parents made the poor choices for them when they were kids.  Either way, the key is controlling the quality of food we’re putting in our mouths.  If we focus on just that, our bodies will fix themselves.  Exercise is just bonus.

 

What are your daily regimens you use while eating through the day?

First, I do my workout first thing in the morning.  That sets the tone for my metabolism and energy level for the rest of the day.  After I workout, I have a very nutritional breakfast that ranges from a high-quality meal replacement shake to quality cooked meals.  After breakfast, I try to eat small balanced meals every 3-4 hours to keep my blood glucose levels as steady as possible.  I also make sure I don’t eat at least 3 hours before bedtime.  It’s a simple routine for me.

 

What is the best advice you can give to someone who is starting a new diet?

That’s a great question.  First, I would recommend to try not to refer to it a diet.  Most people, when they think of the word “diet” they think deprivation, which is not what it should be about.  That’s why a lot of people are scared to diet, because the word just sounds bad.  I encourage my clients to refer to it as their nutrition plan.  A Nutrition plan can last a lifestyle because you’re eating great food, planning your meals, and not depriving yourself of the things you want.  You can enjoy whatever you want in moderation.  The truth is, if you feed your body what it really wants and needs you won’t crave as much junk food.  Your body craves junk when you feed it junk.

Also, it’s almost become mandatory to supplement your nutrition plan with the proper supplementation.  With the quality of food we have access nowadays it’s getting harder and harder to get everything your body needs from our current food sources.  I take an all-natural, whole-food, multivitamin daily to ensure I’m getting what I need.  I highly recommend to my clients, and to the readers.

 

There is a new health craze stating you should eat 90 mins before bed to help burn calories is this something you practice?

I did hear about that. There are new studies showing that eating carbohydrates before to bed can help you burn calories faster. It sounds interesting, but I do not personally practice that. I think I will wait to have more data supporting those claims before I try it, or recommend my clients do.

Now I know you are a health nut, but do you have any guilty pleasures?

Yes, I love cheesecake. I love cheese in general. So if it has cheese it keep it away from me. 

Can’t Get Enough Arif? Take his 90 Day Challenge and get paid for it!

Arif has a 90- Day Challenge where he will pay you up to 10.00 dollars per pound lost! Interest in looking fab and possibly earning some extra cash click the link for more info 

http://facebook.com/bodybyarif