Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Steppers:

Stepper machines can be classified as motorized and manual.
Motorized steppers are more similar to those you would find in a fitness club.
They tend to be easier on your joints because the machine is supporting your stepping movement.


Whichever model you choose, a sturdy, well constructed machine with feedback on your pace, time and distance should be a solid investment.


Stair steppers not only work on your legs, thighs and butt, but offer you all kinds of features to go along with your exercises.


Stair steppers offer you a good lower body and cardiovascular workout. This combination is always supportive of calorie burning and weight loss goals.


Using a stair stepper is considered weight bearing so it is also helpful
for preventing bone mass loss.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/steppers.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Elliptical Trainers:

Most elliptical exercise machines built for home use provide resistance through a band around the flywheel. Some high end and commercial elliptical cross trainers use magnetic resistance. Like a bicycle, this elliptical motion is smooth and continuous.


With a stair stepper or other similar equipment, there is a pattern of motion and reverse motion, an up & down or back & forth. At the point where the forward motion ends and the reverse motion begins, there is an impact from the force of the machine, which is still in motion. Your bones and muscles have to stop the motion and reverse it each time.


The advantages and benefits of an elliptical trainer as compared to other fitness equipment are:

• Weight bearing form of exercise that helps maintain bone density

• Continuous elliptical motion creates a low impact workout

• The motion is similar to walking and is thus easy to learn and sustain

• Handles encourage users to work upper body muscles providing a total body workout

• Offers one of the best forms of cardiovascular training – onboard computers help plan and monitor cardio workouts.

• Equipment is relatively simple, so there are fewer parts to replace or mechanical things that can go wrong.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/ellipticaltrainers.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Breast Firming Exercises:

Butterfly Press:

Using two three to five-pound weights, sit on the edge of a chair with your back straight and arms at your sides. Slowly raise your arms to the side to shoulder level.

Hold this position for a count of four, and then slowly return to starting position.
Work your way up to three sets of five to seven reps every other day.


Pectoral Push-Ups:

Lie face down on the floor and raise up, as if doing conventional push-ups, but keep your forearms and elbows on the floor. Hold for thirty seconds. Repeat five times.


Side Swerves:

This exercise requires you to sit upright on a chair and place your arms at your hips.
Then, keeping your spine as straight as possible, you are supposed to turn as much to the left as possible.

Holding yourself at the far left for a couple of moments, you must reverse your position to the far right. This helps to tone up the underarms and the sides of the breasts.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/breastfirmingexercises.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Abs Exercise Isometrics:

Abs Exercise Isometrics focuses on the strength and tone of three aspects of the abs:


• The Rectus Abdominus (the muscles forming the "six-pack")

• The Transverse Abdominus (the muscles that pull in your stomach and keep your stomach flat)

• The Obliques (V shaped muscles that taper your waist line, also known as the "love handles")


The Isometric Stomach Flattener:

• Sit up tall and straight in your chair.

• Breathe in deep and suck in your stomach as hard as you can.

• Now tense your stomach hard, as though bracing for a punch – still keeping it sucked in.

• You feel that tightness, a slight quiver in the muscles? Good, that’s the start.

• Breathe out tightly making an "ssssssss" sound. You’ll feel your abs getting tighter.

• As you breathe out, crunch your abs really hard, rotating your pelvis upwards and your rid cage inwards.

• Breathe all the way out.

• Relax.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/absisometrics.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Best Ab Exercises:


Abs Crunch On A Ball:

Sit in upright position on the ball with your feet flat on floor.Walk feet forward allowing the ball to roll under your body until it is positioned on your lower to mid-back region.

Raise your hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor. Place your hands across your chest.


*Note* Your head should be in a neutral position with a space between your chin and chest. Target Muscles: Rectus Abdominal Muscles - known to many as your "six pack".


Vertical Leg Crunch:


Lay on the floor, an exercise mat with your legs bent 90 degrees at the hip. Slowly lift your hips off the floor and towards the ceiling. Hold 5 seconds.


Lower hips to floor to starting position. Remember to use your abdominal muscles and not your hip muscles. Target Muscles: Lower Abdominals & Rectus Abdominals


For animated instructions, visit: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/absanatomy.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Homemade Remedies for Cellulite:

There are homemade remedies to treat cellulite and they will only cost a fraction of what you would pay for the cosmetic brands. What it will cost you in a manner of speaking is a ‘cup of coffee’ a day. But this time it is meant literally.


Cellulite can be treated with coffee grind. All you need is a cheap hand lotion and caffeinated coffee. You have to grind the coffee into dust and mix the coffee grind with the hand lotion. As a result you will have a cream.


Rub it into you cellulite areas and leave it for a minute. Rinse it off in the shower. Do this every day and you will see those areas get smoother and firmer.


It is very important that you do not use decaffeinated coffee because it is the caffeine that reduces the cellulite.


Of course you can buy creams that contain coffee extract, but fact is that the remedy described above is as effective if not better, but most important much less expensive.


So, for a cup of coffee a day you can literally get rid of your cellulite.

More at : http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/cellulite.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Timing Your Workout:


Aware of natural daily rhythms in body functions, called circadian rhythms, many people wonder whether there is an ideal time for exercise.


Exercise itself is ideal at any time - and getting exercise is more important than getting it at a certain time of day. But research does show that your body's intrinsic cadences can affect quality of your athletic performance.

For example, when you wake up, your body temperature is low. By late afternoon, it may be as much as one or two degrees higher - its peak for the day. Likewise, muscles may be cold and inflexible first thing in the morning. Although we are not aware of it, many body processes, such as blood pressure and hormone production, go through daily cycles, too.

Not everyone's circadian rhythms are identical, but most people experience similarities. In addition, cues in the environment keep these "pulses" on track. Natural light and darkness, meal times, and household routines all influence highs and lows. Variations and disruptions can occur when you travel, when you are under stress, or when you vary your sleeping habits.

If achieving high performance is critical, late afternoon is likely to be your pick. Flexibility, strength, endurance, and ability to handle pain are highest at this time. This is the time you are most likely to break your own record, achieve your best time on a run or a swim, or cycle further than you've ever cycled before.


Another advantage of an afternoon workout: Studies show exercise can improve your sleep patterns - particularly when the exercise occurs in late afternoon. A half-hour workout tends to help you go to sleep faster, and sleep more soundly. However, exercise right before bed can make you too alert, keep you awake, and start a damaging cycle of exhaustion. If you like the late-day approach to exercise, try to plan at least two hours between end-of-workout and bedtime.

Morning exercise can have an energizing effect, setting the stage for a successful day. Like coffee, morning exercise can pick up your heartbeat, heighten your alertness, and help you feel ready to tackle your day. If you like outdoor exercise, another pro for mornings is that air pollution levels are typically at their daily low. If you do opt for AM, take extra time to warm up muscles and stretch to prevent injury.

According to researchers, people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with their routines. One consideration is schedule-juggling: If you do it first, it can't be put off. Late-day workouts, on the other hand, can be postponed or missed when demands of the day become too hectic, or when the day's events drain your energy.

People who exercise in the early hours tend to be very productive at whatever they do throughout the morning. However, the afternoon sleepiness that hits most of us for an hour or so every day can be intense, and afternoon may become a low-energy period. This time of day is ideal for a relaxing break, a nap - or another brief exercise, such as a 10-minute walk.

Being aware of your body's circadian changes may give you reason to experiment for yourself, and decide when exercise is most comfortable for you. More importantly, take a hard look at your own schedule, and decide when it will fit most realistically and reliably.

In other words, the best time to exercise is the time that you can stick with.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/12weektreadm.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Vitamin supplements:

A well planned and nutritionally adequate diet should meet a person's entire vitamin and mineral needs. Taking vitamin or mineral supplements can only be of benefit if a person's diet is inadequate, or where a deficiency has been diagnosed, such as in the case of iron or calcium.

There is no evidence to suggest that mega-doses of vitamins can improve sporting performance. The indiscriminate use of vitamins and mineral supplements is potentially dangerous and they should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional.

Dietary imbalances should be rectified by analysing and altering the diet, rather than by using a supplement or pill.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/vitminchart.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Correct Workout Order:


When working out it is best to train larger muscles first and smaller muscles last. Training large muscle groups (thighs, chest, and back) will take a majority of your energy; therefore you need to train your large muscle groups when you are at your strongest.


Smaller muscles (biceps, triceps, and forearms) should be trained after larger muscles because they don't require as much energy to train. If you train smaller muscles first then you will not have enough strength left to train your larger muscles.


For example: If you train your biceps first, then you will not have enough strength in your arms to train your back muscles.


Order of exercises really helps in your development of a great physique.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/strenghttraining.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - How Much Exercise Is Enough?


For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week.


However, if you are unable to do this level of activity, you can gain substantial health benefits by accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, at least five times a week.


If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.


Moderate-Intensity Activities:
Moderate-intensity activities include some of the things you may already be doing during a day or week, such as housework. These activities can be done in short spurts -- 10 minutes here, 8 minutes there. Alone, each action does not have a great effect on your health, but regularly accumulating 30 minutes of activity over the course of the day can result in substantial health benefits.

Aerobic Activity:
Aerobic activity is an important addition to moderate-intensity exercise.They help make your heart stronger and more efficient. They also use more calories than other activities.


Some examples of aerobic activities include:

*Brisk walking

*Jogging

*Bicycling

*Swimming

*Aerobic dancing

*Ice or roller skating


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/freq.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Tips for every age:


Stop beating yourself up for not being able to find 60 minutes all in one go. Instead, adopt a workout wedge approach to your exercise, 'wedging' it in convenient blocks of time. Studies show benefits are still achieved even in bouts of 10 minutes.


Stop lulling yourself into a false sense of security thinking you are already physically active. Chances are your activity levels may be more related to how busy your brain is (with all the different commitments you may have with your family, social and work life) which does not necessarily translate into a physically active body.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/seniors.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips -Anti-ageing exercises:


Age: 40's-50's:

Your exercise priorities:
Stop 'middle-age spread' and get into good exercise habits.


Specific exercises:
Master good abdominal techniques and get results from your abdominal exercises. Mastering the rib-hip connection will have a huge impact on helping you to keep your midriff toned. Combine these abdominal exercises with daily cardio exercise such as brisk walking and you are on to a winner.


The rib-hip connection:
For an instant, smaller, trimmer waistline. To master the 'rib-hip connection' lie on the floor with your knees bent, place your hands around your rib cage with finger tips in towards your breast bone.


As you take a deep breath in, feel your rib cage expand. This is how most people start their tummy exercises. Stop! By doing this you will get a bigger waist!


To combat this, as you breath out, imagine you are wearing a corset which needs to be tightened up. As you drop down you will have engaged your internal oblique muscles, which will help you regain a 'pinched-in' waist. Try to feel relaxed and comfortable in this position. Engage the rib-hip connection before doing any abdominal exercise.



Exercise: Belt pulls:
First, put on a snug-fitting belt. Come onto all fours with your hands under your wrists and your knees under your hips. Start with your abdominals relaxed and you may find your tummy is touching your belt.

Now, keeping the back straight, firmly draw in the abdominal muscles so you create space between your tummy and your belt. You should be able to slip your fingers in between your belt and your tummy. Hold this position for 30 seconds breathing smoothly throughout. Relax for 10 seconds and repeat five times.

Keeping the same distance between the arm and knee is crucial in this exercise to help you imagine you have a large beach ball between them.

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Anti-ageing exercises:

Age: 30's to 40's:

Your exercise priorities:
Women need to kick-start resistance training to gain stress-busting strength and endurance and keep their metabolism revved up. At this age both men and women need to commit to getting physically active on a daily basis.


Specific exercises:
Compound strength exercises that engage a number of muscle groups, increasing calorie expenditure and bone density, such as the 'four-point lunge'.


What it does:
Shapes, strengthens and lengthens the whole of the thigh. Great exercise to start with as it stretches as it tones and addresses virtually all the muscles in the thigh. Furthermore, the large number of muscles used in this exercise burns extra calories.


What you do:
Stand on the floor, a low bench or bottom stair. Extend one leg back with a large stride so the leg has only a slight bend at the knee, lower the back leg knee towards the floor, straighten the leg and bring the extended leg back to the start position. This takes four counts. Change sides and repeat.

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips -Anti-ageing exercises:

Age: 20-30's:

Your exercise priorities: You main aim during this stage is to prevent the loss of your cardiovascular fitness. Specifically, women in childbearing years benefit from postural exercises as well as core abdominal stabilisation and pelvic floor exercises.


Specific exercises: Perfect abs and belly stability.


What it does: It puts a stop to troublesome lower tummy bulges and supports your back, preventing back pain.


What you do: To really flatten that lower 'jelly belly' you need to target the deep transverse abdominal muscle, the one you are contracting when you lie on the floor to do up your jeans. To help you do this, go on all fours and pull your belly button in to the spine up towards the ceiling as much as possible.

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Weight- lifting Exercise Tips:


Every weight lifting exercise should go only after warm ups. Every warm up should consist at least of stretching exercises.

Just when you start weight lifting exercise use small amounts of weight, and only after that progress to heavier weights.

Stretching exercises are also important during the cool-down sessions.

The most efficient and popular weight lifting exercises are the following: deadlifts, seated shoulder presses, one arm dumbbell rows, and barbell curls.

Working up in these weightlifting exercises will surely give you very respectable level of strength and muscle mass only if you get your nutrition right and train on the proper equipment.

Remember that the main benefit of weight training is considered to be the physical performance.

First of all weight lifting exercises increase your muscles' size, strength and endurance.

Another benefit of a weight-training program is its effect on our appearance and body composition (constitution), which can directly influence self-esteem and level of confidence.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/weighttraining.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness & Nutrition:

It is common knowledge that poor diet is a decisive factor in many conditions and diseases, including obesity, certain types of cancer and heart disease. The link between good health and good nutrition has been well established, and interest in nutrition and its impact on sporting performance is now a science in itself. Whether you are a competing athlete, a weekend sports player or a dedicated daily exerciser, the cornerstone to improved performance is a well balanced diet.

Daily requirements :

The basic training diet should:

*Provide adequate energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise.

*Include a wide variety of foods like wholegrain breads and cereals, vegetables (particularly leafy green varieties), fruit, lean meat and low fat dairy products.

*Promote a quick and full recovery during exercise.

*Provide adequate fluids to ensure maximum hydration.

*Consider both the short and long term health of the individual.

Health & Fitness Tips

Health & Fitness Tips - Starting Your Muscle Building Program:

*You don't need a lot of equipment, even dumbbells on their own are great to start with.


*When performing your exercises keep your knees slightly bent, your back straight and your tummy firm, even when you are performing seated exercises you need to make sure you have good posture.


*Don't swing your weights about. If you are finding that you are swinging your body around to lift your weights then you should lower the weights until you are ready to advance.


*Perform your exercises correctly. Don't waste precious training time by not using good form while training.


*Always keep a water bottle nearby to keep you from dehydrating.


*Make sure you perform a warm up before training and cool down after wards. While your muscles are still warm, after your cool down, you may like to perform your stretches.


*Organise your eating plan ahead of time so that you can have your meals on hand. This will help prevent you from consuming junk as well as keeping up with regular meal times.


*Protein. You will need sufficient protein intake in your diet to help supplement your muscle development. Protein shakes are fantastic for this.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/musclebuild.html

Health & Fitness Tips

Health & Fitness Tips - Weight Loss Supplements:

Weight loss supplements may work in three ways: one is by helping the body to break down body fat. This involves releasing it from fat cells, where it enters the bloodstream as free fatty acids that are then transported to muscle cells, where they may be burned.

The second action of weight loss supplements is to suppress appetite, which is a complex process. Many hormones and neurotransmitters are involved. We don't have all the answers in this area, but research continues. The human body's instinct is to survive, and once appetite suppressants are stopped, people become hungry.

The third way weight loss supplements may work is by inhibiting the body from absorbing fat during digestion. Fat blockers don't work if a person isn't eating fat in his or her diet. They also won't prevent weight gain if a person is overeating protein or carbohydrates.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/fatburners.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Leg Exercises:

Leg Exercise 1:

Place feet on the ball , keep abdominals tight and ensure back is straight .Bend at the elbows and lower yourself to a few inches from the floor.Press up and repeat.

Leg Exercise 2:

Place knees on the ball (legs straight) , keep abdominals tight and ensure back is straight.Bend at the elbows and lower yourself to a few inches from the floor. Press up and repeat.

Leg Exercise 3:
Place hands on the ball , keep abdominals tight and ensure back is straight .Bend at the elbows and lower yourself to a few inches from the ball. Press up and repeat.

Health and Fitness Tips

Holiday Health and Fitness Tips:


1. Break your exercise up in to shorter bouts--a 10 minute walk before work, 10 minutes at lunch, and another 10 after the office all add up. Seems a bit more reasonable than setting aside a 30 minute chunk of time, right? And waking up 10 minutes earlier each day is only an issue if you tell yourself it is.

2. Start your day with a smoothie. But with the daily time crunch, a healthy smoothie works wonders and is a fantastic way to load up on fruits (and, evenveggies).
Here's a simple recipe to try:

1 cup plain,non fat yogurt,

1 cup frozen blueberries,

1/2 cupspinach,

1 scoop vanilla whey protein,

and about 12 oz of water (or enough for desired consistency).
By the way, you won't taste the spinach!


3 . Make some homemade trail mix. Plan ahead, pack some raw nuts and dried fruit for a healthy snack that will boost your energy levels and give you loads of nutrients.

More at http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Choices for Starchy Carbs after a Fitness or Cardio Training Workout:

Eat Carbohydrates with Targeted Timing – It’s very important to realize that carbohydrate timing is a crucial part of every diet plan, since your body best receives and metabolizes starchy carbs after a cardio or resistance training workout.

* Whole grains

* Sweet Potatoes or Yams

* Whole Grain- 100% Whole Wheat Flour based products that are used in breads

* Whole Oats – like Oat Bran or Oatmeal

* Beans and Legumes – Like Black Beans, Lentils or Kidney Beans

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Vegetable Choices:

Eat Vegetables with every meal – Good quality high fiber nutrient dense dark colored vegetables should be at the core of every high quality diet plan.

Focus on Dark Green & Colorful nutrient dense vegetables that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

* Broccoli, Broccoli

* Spinach

* Asparagus

* Green Beans

* Brussel Sprouts

* Tomatoes – in all forms – Plum, Grape, Cherry and Vine Grown

* Sweet Potatoes or Yams – After Fitness or Cardio Training Meals Only

* Peppers – Think Color Red, Yellow, Orange, and Green

* Onions and Garlic – an excellent flavor enhancer and main ingredient to many recipes.

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness and Stretching:

Fitness and stretching sounds synonymous, for proper stretching exercises makes us to stay fit and healthy.

It could be said that fitness and stretching comes in a package, and all are aware about the fact that stretching is necessary for the complete fitness of the body.

Proper stretching has many advantages. With stretching one can invoke the inner strength pf the muscles and can increase their flexibility to the maximum.

By continuously doing stretching for a while, you can involve in any intense physical activity without the worries of any trouble. It also helps for soothing the nervous system.

The secret for a healthy and natural posture is proper balance of flexibility and the strength between opposing muscle groups. One can achieve this proper balance and strength only with proper fitness and stretching exercises.

By doing fitness and stretching exercises one can tone their muscles and can also ensure efficient weight training.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/stretch.html

Fitness Tips

Fitness Tips - Exercise:

Exercise is part of any fitness regimen, so work out if you want to remain fit and healthy. Working out does not have to include two-hour long workouts - you're not training for the Olympics, after all - you are just trying to improve your health.


Try walking for twenty to thirty minutes every night after dinner, and if you can't go for that long, go for as long as you can.


The key to fitness is the old adage, 'something is better than nothing.' Walk for as long as you can and build up to twenty or thirty minutes. Doing this for two weeks will not only improve your cardiovascular health, but your legs and lower body will appear and feel stronger and more defined.

If walking isn't possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away from your destination - just do anything you can to get your heart going. Remember, something is better than nothing.

Use fitness to your advantage, the key is to eat less but more often, get a little more exercise, and make better lifestyle choices. Try the above steps for two weeks and you will definitely see results.

In fitness, the results give us the main motivation, and even if you don't see it, your friends and family definitely will. They will love the way you look and will definitely want to know your secret.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness equipment-Home Gym:

Fitness equipment like a home gym enables you to do strength training. Using strength training equipment allows you to exercise with weights that provide resistance. Resistance training works to increase muscle mass, enabling you to tone and sculpt your body.

In traditional-style home gyms, resistance comes from a weight stack. Weights can be disc or blocks and are attached to the machine with a system of cables and pulleys. A typical weight stack should support weights as low as 10 lbs. and as high as 200 lbs.

Recently, home gyms have come on to the market that utilize bows or heavy-duty elastic bands to provide resistance. These machines are often less expensive than weight-stack models,
but require more adjustment when changing exercises.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/fitnessequipment.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Arms Workout:

Concentration Curl:

Starting Position: Sit on the edge of a bench and hold a dumbbell with one hand, let the arm hang straight down with the elbow resting on the inside of the knee. Lean your torso over your legs and place the other hand on the opposite knee.

Bending at the elbow, curl the dumbbell up to shoulder level and pause, squeeze your bicep and slowly lower to the starting position. Repeat until your set is finished, then switch arms and complete with the other arm.


Overhead Extension:

Starting Position:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie on a flat bench with the feet flat on the floor. Extend the arms up so that the dumbbells are directly above the shoulders and the palms are facing each other. Keep the abdominals tight and the lower back in a neutral position.

Bending the elbows, lower the dumbbells to the sides of your head. Keeping the elbows in place, extend your arms up to the starting position, pause and repeat.


Triceps Dips:

Starting Position:
Standing with your back to a bench, position your heels 2-3 feet in front of you. Either on the floor or on another bench (harder). Grip the edge of the bench with an overhand wide grip (palms facing the bench) and push yourself up so that the arms are fully extended and perpendicular to the floor.

Bending the arms descend towards the floor until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up to the starting position.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Arms Workout - Triceps Kickback:

Starting Position: With a dumbbell in one hand stand next to a flat bench and position one knee on the bench, keep the other knee bent with the foot flat on the floor.

Bend forward from the hips, and place the free hand on the bench. Keep the lower back in neutral and bend so that your upper body is parallel to the floor and the head facing down.

Bend the arm holding the dumbbell and raise the elbow past the torso.

Keeping the elbow in place, push the dumbbell back and up by extending the arm backwards. Pause, and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat until the set if finished, then perform with the other arm.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Arms Workout:

Biceps Curl - barbell:

Starting Position: Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the knees relaxed, grasp a barbell with an underhand shoulder-width apart grip. Stand upright and let the bar hang in front of your thighs.

Bending at the elbows curl the bar to shoulder level and pause. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position. Maintain the elbows stationary and to the sides of your body during the entire exercise.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Upper Leg / Thigh Exercises:

It is essential that when you do any exercise that you perform the movements correctly, if you don't you will receive less then optimum benefit from the exercise. It is very difficult to unlearn bad exercise habits, so it is best to learn the right exercise technique from the very start.

For each leg workout pick 3-4 of these exercises and do 4-5 sets (including warm up sets) for each exercise. You can vary the exercises you do for each leg workout.

Squats:
This is the single best leg exercise that you can do. Squats work the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and hips. It also works the upper and lower back, and abdominals as secondary muscles.

Use a rack such as a squat or power rack to hold the barbell. Place your shoulder width apart under the bar. Grasp the bar wider then shoulder width, duck your head under the bar and position it on your trapezius muscles behind your neck. Lift the bar from the rack and take a couple of steps back. Position your feet wider then shoulder width apart with your toes pointed forwards or just slightly out to the sides. Look forward.

Bend your legs and squat down with the bar across your upper back. Your knees should be directly over your toes as you do the movement. Squat down until your upper thighs are parallel with the floor or slightly lower. Arch your back and straighten out your legs until you are standing upright. Repeat.

Leg Press:
This movement works the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. The leg press allows you to work your legs hard without putting extra stress on your back.

Sit in the leg press machine with your back on the angled seat and your feet on the footplate about shoulder width apart with your toes pointed forward or just slightly out to the sides. Straighten your legs and release the bars at the sides of the machine. There is usually a handle on each side for you to hold on to and stabilize yourself.

Bend your legs and slowly lower the weight until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Straighten your legs and lift the weight back up to the starting position. Repeat.

Lunges:
This movement is great for working the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. This exercise also works many smaller stabilizer muscles because it requires a lot of balance.

Step out about a couple feet with one leg, keep your toes pointed forward and your front foot flat on the floor. Bend your front leg until your knee is at a 90-degree angle, your back should also bend until it is at a 90-degree angle. Push up and return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then do the same with the other leg out front.
You can also do lunges with your back leg on a bench, this will give you a better range of motion.
To add weight to this exercise you can place a barbell across your upper back (like in the squat) or you can hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/legtoning.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Interval Training:

There are two basic types of Interval Training.

For the majority of exercisers (novices and intermediate) Fitness Interval Training methods are recommended.

Athletes can choose a more advanced technique known as Performance Interval Training.

The Fitness training method utilizes periodic increases in intensity. Typically the higher-intensity levels range from 2-5 minutes in duration and are followed by lower-intensity periods that also range from 2-5 minutes. And, a critical element in Fitness Interval Training is determining the appropriate level for the higher-intensity periods. This level should not exceed the anaerobic threshold (which is usually reached below 85% heart rate reserve).

On the flip side, the Performance training technique involves periods of near maximal or even maximal intensity (e.g. >85% heart rate reserve – even reaching 100%). The higher-intensity levels can range from 2-15 minutes in duration and are followed by lower-intensity periods that also can range from 2-15 minutes in duration.


Since the majority of exercisers fall into either the beginner or intermediate category, we’ll focus on getting started with those techniques.


To begin, choose the type of exercise: walking, jogging, swimming, biking, etc. Next determine your lower-intensity level. This is usually somewhere between 50-65% target heart rate. This will be your baseline, lower-level intensity. Then simply increase the intensity-level up to where you feel like you are working hard to very hard, but avoid reaching a level over 85% target heart rate.


You may choose to systematically raise and lower your intensity (e.g. 2 minutes lower intensity followed by 1 minute higher intensity and repeat) or you can alternate more randomly by raising and lowering the level at your discretion. To increase your intensity, you may choose to change the speed, incline, or some other variable.

Interval Training can be especially helpful in situations where you are trying a new form of exercise. For example, this can be very beneficial when first learning to jog. If you attempt to jog continuously without building up to it, you will probably fatigue quickly and even give up. However, if you begin with intervals of walking interspersed with jogging periods, the workout will be much more enjoyable and effective. Also, you will be more likely to stick with the program and achieve the end result – continuous jogging.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - High intensity interval training:

High intensity interval training, known as HIIT for short, is the technique of alternating short (usually 30-60 second) periods of very high intensity cardio with short periods of low to moderate intensity.

HIIT Workouts generally last only 15-25 minutes, total.

HIIT has received a lot of press lately as being superior to steady state exercise. In some ways, it IS superior: HIIT burns a lot of calories during the workout, but where it really shines is after the workout.

Your metabolic rate stays elevated longer after the workout is over than steady state, low intensity cardio.

Here's an example of an ascending 21 minute HIIT workout on a stationary bike:

Level 3: 5 minutes (warmup)

Level 5: 1 minute (work interval)

Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)

Level 6: 1 minute (work interval)

Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)

Level 7: 1 minute (work interval)

Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)

Level 8: 1 minute (work interval)

Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)

Level 9: 1 minute (work interval)

Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)

Level 10: 1 minute (work interval - maxed out)

Level 3: 5 minutes (cool down)

This is just an example of course; you'll need to adjust the workout based on your fitness level.

You can adjust the duration of the intervals, the number of intervals performed and the difficulty level. You can perform similar workouts on almost any piece of cardio equipment.

HIIT is often touted as a superior fat burning method, but it really depends what you're comparing it to. When compared to low intensity, long duration cardio (as it frequently is), HIIT wins hands down.

Low intensity cardio like casual walking is not the best way to los.e fat, except for beginners who are not physically prepared for high intensity yet.

More at : http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/cardiotraining.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Strength Training For Beginners:

A full body routine performed three days per week is probably the best way for a beginner to start strengthtraining.

However, this routine gets old fast. Within months or even weeks, you will outgrow it and you'll need to add exercises.

The problem is, the more exercises you add, the longer your workouts will become. If your workouts are too long, you reach a point of diminishing returns and over-training.

Stress hormones rise and anabolic hormones will fall.Workouts must remain brief and intense for you to keep making progress.

The solution is a split routine.

A split routine means that instead of doing all your exercises in one session, you "SPLIT" your body in half and train one half on DAY ONE and the second half on DAY TWO.

Adding more exercises allows you to:

1) Work each muscle more thoroughly and more deeply into the fibers

2) Work the entire muscle group; for example, front deltoid, side deltoid AND rear deltoid

3) Concentrate on each muscle more instead of spreading your attention out

4) Apply more energy and effort to each body part instead of holding back and conserving energy for the last few muscles.


Here's a sample 2 day split:

Day one: Chest, shoulders, triceps, Abdominals

Day two: Thighs, Back, Biceps, calves


And here's how it would fit into the week if you're training three days per week:

Mon: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Abs (cardio optional)

Tues: Off (just cardio)

Wed: Thighs, Back, Biceps, calves (cardio optional)

Thu: Off (just cardio)

Fri: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Abs (cardio optional)

Sat: Off (just cardio)

Sun: Off: Total rest day

Repeat cycle beginning with day two workout.


If you're ambitious, you have the time, and your recoveryability warrants it, you can do this split four days perweek, working Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/strenghttraining.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Triglyceride Lowering Diets:

In your journey to a better health, there are quite a few food types to favour, which would help in your triglycerides lowering diet.

Vegetables In Triglyceride Lowering Diet:

Most vegetables are not limited. One dark-green (string beans, escarole) or one deep yellow (squash) vegetable is recommended daily.

Cauliflower, broccoli, and celery, as well as potato skins are recommended for their fiber content. (Fiber is associated with cholesterol reduction).

It is preferable to steam vegetables, but they may be boiled, strained, or braised with unsaturated vegetable oil.

Fats & Oils In Triglyceride Lowering Diet:

Use vegetable oils that are high in unsaturated fats (such as sunflower, soybeen, corn and cottonseed).

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/triglyceridediet.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Increase Metabolism Naturally:

What is Metabolism? Metabolism literally means "transformation."
It is the term used to describe the process by which your body changes caloric intake into energy for all of your bodily processes.

Your body’s metabolism is running all of the time – while you are exercising, while you are eating, and even while you are sleeping – in order to help your body:

*create new cells and tissue

*maintain its temperature

*repair injuries

*perform all bodily activities

Factors Affecting Metabolism: There are a number of different factors affecting metabolism. The most important factor is the amount of lean muscle mass that your body contains.

Lean muscle mass burns energy all of the time, even when you are not actively working out. It also burns more calories than any other part of your body. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be.


For more info on how metabolism works and how to increase it, visit http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/metabolism.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - How Tough Should Your Aerobic Exercise Workout Be?

Aerobic exercises are superb for losing weight and remaining healthy since they strengthen your breathing and heart in addition to aiding you to burn fat. However, many people do not know or understand how to do an aerobic exercise workout in order to best maximize the results.

Intensity constitutes a very crucial aspect of any aerobic exercise workout, and so if you would like to get the most out of your aerobic exercise, ensure that you are observing these three rules.

First, find which intensity is the closest to your peak. If you work out too intensely, you may harm yourself or will not see results. However, if you don't work out with sufficient intensity, you will not lose any weight or grow stronger. Therefore, you have to exercise with a program that has precisely the right intensity for you.


When trying new exercises, try to ensure that they include adequate weights or speed to make the workout hard, but not unachievable. Remember as well that you will need to re-work the intensity of your workout as your tolerance and endurance increases, therefore, you need to take a look at your routine every week or two and make necessary alterations.


The second rule to intensity is, your workout should be safe. Over training is a massive problem since it places you and those around you at risk. When you under train, you see no results, which may persuade you to push your intensity. That's good, but if you over exert you'll be vomiting before the workout is complete and potentially injuring yourself.


Whenever you are training the right way, your muscles should be tender, but your joints should not be. Never do an intense exercise in which you cannot control your form or breathing. As an alternative, take breaks and use lower weights or speed to get back on track. Utilizing this technique will help you get more out of your workout anyway.


In any event, if you are injured during a workout, call for assistance immediately from those around you. It is a good idea to workout with a partner or to at least inform someone that you're working out just in case anything should happen to you.


Before you begin any vigorous exercise program, it is advisable to always warm up slowly and to cool down afterwards. A cold muscle will tear easier than a warm one.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/12weektreadm.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Holiday Tips:

Create a plan ahead of time. Before the holidays sneak up on you, create a plan for incorporating fitness and good nutrition into your daily routine. Evaluate your holiday and then determine how much time you will realistically have available to devote to working out and/or eating healthy meals.

Schedule your workouts. Mark them on the calendar and set-aside time to complete them. Consider them as important as any other appointment or event you have marked on your calendar.


When at a party, start by eating some of the healthy offerings. For example, vegetable sticks (without dip), fruit pieces, plain chicken pieces, etc. Then move on to some of the less healthy (but yummy) offerings. You will be less likely to overindulge on these foods if you have already filled-up on some of the healthier items. Yet, you will not feel deprived or unsatisfied.


Avoid wasting calories on alcoholic beverages. The average alcoholic drink contains 150-200 calories per glass. Indulge in just 2-3 drinks and you’ve drunk the equivalent calories of an entire meal. If you partake in these beverages, choose wisely. For example, instead of having a full glass of wine, try mixing half a glass of wine with sparkling water or with a diet cola. This will help cut your calories in half.


When shopping, don't search for the closest parking space. Park far away and take advantage of the walk you get.


Don’t put your fitness goals on hold until the New Year. If you can’t exercise as often during this time period as you normally do, adjust appropriately. Don’t use the excuse that since you don’t have time for your full workout you just won’t workout at all. Instead accept your limited availability and simply reduce the frequency and/or duration of your exercise. It’s much better to cut your fitness time in half than to completely eliminate it.

On the day of a party, be sure to eat regularly all day long. If the party is in the evening, eat breakfast, lunch and a snack before hand (just as you would on any other day). Once you are at the party, go ahead and indulge in some of the fun, delicious foods. Since you have eaten meals earlier in the day, you probably will find that you aren’t tempted to go overboard and eat everything in sight. However, if you starve all day long attempting to save up all your calories for the party, you will be so famished by the time it begins that it will be difficult not to overeat.

On days that you really lack motivation or simply do not have time for your complete exercise routine, commit to do just 10 minutes of exercise. You’ll probably end up doing more than that once you get started. Even if you only end up completing 10 minutes, that is still a lot better than zero minutes.

When presented with a large variety of food options, it’s tempting to want to eat everything. Rather than eating one large slice of chocolate cake or a huge plate of meatballs, select a sampling of bite size pieces of several of the desert or appetizer offerings. This way you get the enjoyment of trying many different foods without overeating

Exercise at home. You’ll be more inclined to follow-through on your exercise commitment if you don’t have to drive somewhere to do your workout. Plus, you won’t waste any time on driving, parking, the locker room or waiting to use equipment. Working out at home requires very little equipment (even can be equipment-free) and is quite inexpensive.

When running errands or shopping, be sure to pack some healthy snacks to have on-hand. Then after you work-up a big appetite, you won’t be tempted to grab something at the mall food court or the fast food restaurant on the way home.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/fatburn.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Weight Loss & Diet Tips:


Exercise is not enough. You must also include healthy eating habits.

Make a list of all the benefits regular exercise provides you. Everything from feeling healthier, sleeping better, preventing depression, feeling stronger, etc. Post this list somewhere that you will easily see it everyday so that it can serve as a reminder why you should workout.

Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast consume fewer total calories during the day then those that don't.

Don't waste your calories on drinks. Drink low-calorie or no calorie drinks instead (preferably water).

Try to take at least 20 minutes to complete a meal. This is how long it takes for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full.

Use a lot of spices and seasonings when cooking low-fat/low-calorie meals. They can make your meal taste so much better and therefore make you feel more satisfied.

Decrease your caffeine intake. Too much caffeine can decrease the burning of stored fat.

Consume at least 1 l of water per day, plus an additional 200ml for every hour of moderate-intensity exercise.
Each day fill a bottle with your daily water supply so you'll always know how much you've drank and ensure you drink the required daily amount.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/healthybodyweight.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Strength Training Tips:


Include some type of strength training in your weekly exercise regimen no matter what your fitness goals are. Resistance training provides many health benefits.

Don't take the all or nothing approach. It's better to do a little training than none at all. So, even if you can only fit one strength training routine in a week, you'll still benefit from it.

If you're a woman, don't be afraid of strength training. You won't bulk up (unless you are really trying to). And, resistance training is easy to start. With professional guidance and direction, you can quickly learn how to train properly.

Be sure you are training with the proper resistance size. Ideally, you should choose a size that fatigues you after 10-12 reps.

Focus on correct form. If you are unable to use proper, safe form when performing an exercise then you probably are using weights that are too heavy. Choose a size that allows you to train with correct form.

Concentrate on the muscle(s) you are working during a specific exercise and don't allow your other muscle groups to assist with the exercise.

How long you rest between sets is important. For building muscles and getting bulkier the rest time should be longer. For more muscle endurance and leaner, sculpted muscles the rest time should be shorter.

The frequency of your strength training depends on whether your goals are to get bigger and stronger (less often) or whether you want to get leaner and more defined muscles (more often).

Try the periodization technique which progress you every week over a 4-week timeframe. Try a plan of starting with lighter weights and more reps, and each week increasing the weight size appropriately and decreasing the number of reps.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/strenghttraining.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Enzymes and Weight Loss:

Because enzyme action is so specific, much research has been devoted to ways of manipulating our enzyme response, in order to overcome health threatening conditions.

This new smart drug approach, seeks to address the underlying cause of bodilly dysfunction, rather than the symptoms. One area where this approach is already proving to be very successful is in the treatment of obesity.


One of the reasons that people become very overweight or obese is because they are prone to storing excess reserves of fat. This may mean that the enzymes responsible for allowing the body to absorb fat, the lipid-enzymes, are over-produced.


Just by adding more raw foods, and/or taking enzyme supplements, we have the tools, not only to stall the progression of disease, but to actually reverse them in many cases.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/enzweightloss.html

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - Calorie Intake:

Decreasing calories decreases metabolism. Increasing exercise increases metabolism.
However, some people at times have a variety of restrictions on the type, amount or intensity of exercise they can perform. If this is the case with you, there's no need to give up in frustration, it simply means that nutrition will be all the more important - especially awareness of caloric intake.


The most important thing - and this is what most people forget -is to reduce your caloric intake during periods where your activity level drops below it's normal level - whether this inactivity is forced (due to injury, etc) or voluntary (vacation, layoff forrecuperation, etc)


It's all too easy to keep eating exactly the same, because your daily dietary habits become so habitual. However, when your activity drops suddenly and your food intake does not, you have an instantaneous calorie surplus.


The good news is that metabolism can be raised or lowered with both nutrition and exercise, not just exercise.


Granted, weight training will increase lean body mass which will in turn increase basal metabolic rate. Intense cardio will increase metabolism temporarily after the training sessson as well. However, nutrition also plays a huge role in your metabolic speed and efficiency.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com (Check out the Calorie Count ebook for more information)

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips - The benefits of frequent eating:

*Faster metabolic rate

*Higher energy levels

*Less storage of body fat due to smaller portions

*Reduced hunger and cravingse.

*Steadier blood sugar and insulin levels.

*More calories usable for muscle growth.

*Better absorption and utilization of nutrients

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness Tips - Exercise For Weight Loss :

Proper, health exercise is an important part of any weight loss program. Do remember to consult your physician before starting an exercise program.

Ideally, an exercise program will not only help you lose weight, but will help you build muscle and stamina. You also want to design a exercise program that is balanced and exercises each part of your body.

Of course, if you are a member at your local gym, all you have to do is go to your gym, where you can easily do a complete body workout with just a few machines.


If you don't have access to a gym, or you're like me and prefer to work out other ways, you'll want other exercise options.

Biking is an excellent exercise for losing weight, especially if you are not in good shape to start with. If you choose a relatively flat route and start out with short distances, you can start out very easily and work up to more strenuous rides. Be sure, though, that you are properly outfitted with an appropriate bike and equipment.

Swimming is another excellent exercise for losing weight. It is not hard on the body, but provides an excellent workout.


Running is a great way to lose weight and get in shape, but it is harder on your body than swimming or biking. If you need to lose weight, you should probably start out with one of the other exercises until you get into better shape. Keep in mind that running and biking both work the legs, but they do work different primary muscles.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Antioxidants Are Great for Fitness:

Not only do the free-radical fighting antioxidants help you appear and feel younger by slowing down the aging process, but they also help to prevent cancer, heart disease, and tons of other degenerative diseases. Good news is that’s not all. Antioxidants also help you recover better from strenuous exercise… and that means more muscle and less fat on your body in the long run.


The function that antioxidants play in post-exercise is the inhibition of free radicals produced during the workout. Any time you work out, free radicals are produced in the body that damage muscle tissue.


Having an adequate supply of antioxidants about an hour or so before your workout can greatly reduce the muscle damage caused by free radicals -- improving your muscular recovery from exercise.


Some of the most potent sources of whole food antioxidants are blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, cherries, acai fruit, green tea, white tea, black tea, and red tea, nuts, seeds, red and black beans, purple potatoes, grapes, cinnamon, and cocoa. Don't fall for the hype with expensive antioxidant supplement pills… remember whole foods are always better for you (and cheaper) than a pill.


The almond butter, blackberries, blueberries, raw honey, and the green tea are all loaded with different varieties of muscle protecting, youth-promoting antioxidants.


Remember, your body is continually bombarded every day by free radicals (creating oxidative stress) from exercise, air pollution, smoke, sun exposure, junk food, exposure to chemicals, etc.


To reap the full benefits of antioxidants, ensure that every meal and snack you eat has at least one or two sources of antioxidant rich foods. This will give you a continuous supply of antioxidants throughout every day to prevent the damage and aging that result from the free radicals you are constantly exposed to.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/vitminchart.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Choosing The Best Weight Loss Program:

Losing weight is easy. The most difficult part about losing weight is to ensure that the lost weight does not return. The only way you can ensure that you succeed in maintaining your weight loss is by changing your eating habits and lifestyle.

That is why weight loss programs are so important. The best weight loss program is one that you can continue for a long time to come and one that keeps you motivated enough right through so that you continue maintaining your weight loss goals irrespective of the situation you are in.

When choosing the best weight loss program pay special attention to the basic features of the program so that your best weight loss program becomes a safe and healthy weight loss program.


The best weight loss program should have a diet plan which is well balanced and includes all the variety of foods from each food group. Remember, your best weight loss program should not exclude any food group from the diet plan. The diet plan should have a minimum of 1200
calories for women and 1600 calories for men.


The best weight loss program should have an exercise program embedded in it. Do not fool yourself into thinking that you will be able to lose weight and keep it off without a daily exercise routine. A good weight loss program should set realistic targets when it comes to weight loss. When we say realistic target, we mean losing around 1-2 kgs in a week.


Do not forget to check the cost aspect of your best weight loss program. The expense should fit into your budget otherwise you will have problems maintaining your weight loss program. Another important aspect is checking for support. The best weight loss program should offer long term support because there will be times when you will need support and motivation.


If your weight loss program fulfills all the above criteria then you are on your way to choosing the best weight loss program.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/fatburn.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Low Carb Vs. High Carb Diet:

Everywhere you look there are low carb bars, low carb drinks, low carb meal replacements, low carb frozen dinners and so on.

Even though there's still a huge amount of interest in these diets, the low carb vs. high carb issue is also still the subject of much controversy.

The problem is, most people fail to take into account their individual goals and unique body type, so they follow the one-size-fits-all prescription of the latest "low-carb guru" and take the carb restriction too far.

Zero carb or close to zero carb diets are completely unnecessary.

Another big problem caused by very low carb diets is loss of lean body mass. The lower you drop your carbs, the more likely you are to lose muscle along with the fat. Body fat becomes a the dominant fuel source in the absence of carbohydrates, but so does muscle protein.


A third problem with very low carb diets is the rebound effect. The lower you drop your carbs, the faster you will rebound and gain the fat back when you put the carbs back in.

The other extreme; the high carb, very low fat diet, isn't the best approach either.

Why does dropping your carbs help you burn more fat?

There are several reasons, but to avoid getting into a complicated discussion of nutritional biochemistry, let's just say that eating less carbs forces your body to burn fat for fuel instead of sugar.

Reducing carbs and increasing protein accelerates fat loss by controlling your insulin and blood sugar more effectively.


The high protein in these diets also speeds up your metabolism because of the "thermic effect" of protein food. It also helps eliminate water retention, giving you the "hard" and "dry" look which enhances your muscular definition.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbcounting.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Eating disorders:

There is no single cause for eating disorders. Although concerns about weight and body shape play a role in all eating disorders, the actual cause of these disorders appear to result from many factors, including cultural and family pressures and emotional and personality disorders. Genetics and biologic factors may also play a role.


Anorexia is eight times more common in people who have relatives with the disorder, and some experts estimate that genetic factors are the root cause of many cases of eating disorders.


There are six core traits that are linked to genes associated with bulimia and anorexia. These traits are:

*Minimum body mass index (BMI)

*Extreme concern over mistakes

*Age when a girl first starts to menstruate

*Food-related obsessions

*“Obsessionality” (a form of perfectionism)

*Anxiety


You can find a Eating Disorder Risk Questionnaire at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/risktest.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Eat the right fats:

Make healthy choices when it comes to fats.
When choosing cooking oils, choose ones high in mono-unsaturated fats and low in saturated fats.

Oils with high levels of mono-unsaturated fats include olive oil, almond oil and canola oil. Essential fatty acids (EFA's) like Omega-3 fatty acids are also very important to include your nutritional plan.

Salmon and albacore tuna are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids appear to help prevent and treat various disorders in different ways.

Research suggests that individuals with non-insulin-dependent (or type 2) diabetes, omega-3s can improve insulin sensitivity.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to play a part in keeping cholesterol levels low, stabilizing an irregular heart beat (arrhythmia), and reducing blood pressure.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Weught Loss - Focus on the caloric deficit:

One thing that virtually the entire scientific community agrees on is that the law of energy balance is always with us. In order to burn body fat, you must expend more calories than you consume.

This is known as having a "caloric deficit."

There is a huge difference between saying"you don't have to count calories" and "calories don't count."

Some diet programs are "ad libitum" in nature. This means they do not advise calorie counting; they simply tell you what to eatand what not to eat. You eat as you please, as long as you follow the food restrictions provided.

Programs that tend to make you "automatically" eat less without counting anything are not a bad thing at all , as the spontaneous reduction in caloric intake often occurs due to an appetite-suppressive effect of certain diets, and or due to the selection of low calorie-density foods which are highly satiating.

That said, no combination of foods, elimination of foods, or arrangement of macronutrients will override the law of calorie balance.

To lose fat, you have to eat less than you burn, period.

Furthermore, you must be diligent about maintaining your deficit, because:

(1) Energy balance is dynamic, and what is a deficit for you today, may no longer be a significant deficit six months from now

(2) If your maintenance calories are 2000, and your intake is 1500 one day (a deficit) and 2500 the next (a surplus), you have NOT achieved a caloric defict over the two day period - you are inenergy balance.

Conveniently, most people seem to have some kindof "selective amnesia" and they only remember the days they were in a deficit.

A consistent deficit over time is the key!The sooner you drill this truth into your head and accept that the cornerstone of fat loss is a caloric deficit, the sooner you'll be able to think clearly about your nutritional choices and the better you'll be able to judge everything you ever read, see and hear about nutrition, for the rest of your life.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/ (Check out the Calorie Count ebook at the bottom of the web page)

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Are you supposed to do ab exercises daily?

They should not be trained each day.

There are situations where you could train muscle groups on consecutive days, like when you work different sections of the abs.

A good diet combined with an effective exercise program designed for the individual is the key for fat loss.

Add in a good core exercise program and you have the recipe for success.

Generally, fat is stored all over your body and the distribution of fat stores is mainly genetic.

Men tend to store body fat in their mid section first. Women have a hard time losing the hip and leg weight because of child-bearing genetic code.

Second, and most important, abdominals come from low body fat and low body fat comes from good nutrition, not specific exercises.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abdominalexercises.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness Tips - Exercise is the key to long term weight maintenance:

Even if you take the weight off with severe caloric restriction(starvation diets) and no exercise, the real question is: What happens next?

Most people in our quick fix society just don't seem to care about what happens in the long term. They want the weight off...fast... now!


Well, the difference between "losers" and "maintainers" is exercise.

One quality of almost all successful people is the ability to delay gratification.
A quality of almost all failures is the tendency to seek instant gratification (with no long term time perspective or long term goal setting skills).


Which type of exercise you choose is far less important thansimply choosing some type of cardiovascular or aerobic activity which will cumulatively burn a lot of calories, and combining that with strength training.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/strenghttraining.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Why Crash Diets Always Fail:

The number one reason why diets fail is most people have unrealistic expectations of how long a true body-changing diet should take.

Mistake Number One: You have no idea how many calories you are currently eating or how many calories you should be taking in to reach your weight loss goals.

Next, you might decide to throw in some daily cardio exercise like biking or running, because that's what everyone else does.

Mistake Number Two: While exercise will help you burn fat, it's important to remember that the kind of exercise you do, such as cardio or resistance training, and the amount of time you do it, will affect how your body responds.

The right combination of cardio and resistance training combined with the right diet will jumpstart the weight loss process.

After cutting back on your food intake and running every morning, you lose a couple of kg's the first week. A couple of days go by without any weight loss, so you cut your food down even more.

Now it seems like you're always tired and hungry. Your mood is terrible, and even though you've lost 5 kg's, whenyou look in the mirror, you don't look any different.

Here's an interesting fact: a kg of fat takes up five times as much space as a kg of muscle. Since crash diets shed muscle instead of fat, you can't change your overall shape that way.

In a healthy weight loss program, you should expect to lose about two kg's of body fat every week (a woman would lose about one and a half kg's). Losing 5 kg's of fat will make an enormous difference in your appearance, especially compared to losing the same amount of water and muscle weight.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/fatburn.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - How to Repair a Damaged Metabolism:

If you've caused metabolic damage as a result of following starvation diets or losing weight too rapidly in the past, it can be extremely difficult to achieve any further fat loss at all. The good news is, metabolic damage can be repaired. All it takes is the right combination of metabolism stimulating exercise and metabolism stimulating nutrition (not just a diet), all done consistently over time.

The big irony is that most of the diet programs that claim to help you get rid of excess weight, only end up making it harder for you in the long run because they use harsh metabolism-decreasing diets and not enough exercise (almost never any weight training).


It may take a little longer if you have really messed things up with severe starvation dieting in the past, especially if you've lost a lot of lean body mass, but it is never hopeless. Anyone can increase their metabolism.


The most important thing for upping your metabolism is CONSISTENCY in applying nutrition and training principles every single day.

That includes:


*Meal frequency: eat 5-6 small meals per day.

*Meal timing: eat approximately every 3 hours, with a substantial breakfast and a substantial post workout meal.

*Sufficient Caloric Intake: maintain a small calorie deficit and avoid starvation-level diets (suggested safe levels for fat loss: 2100-2500 calories per day for men, 1400-1800 calories per day for women; adjust as needed).

*Food choices: Select natural, unprocessed foods with high thermic effect (lean proteins like chicken, turkey, egg whites and fish are highly thermic, as are all green vegetables, salad vegetables and other fibrous carbs).

* Cardio training: Push up the intensity a bit if you really want to get a metabolic boost. Walking and low intensity cardio is fine, but higher intensity is more metabolism-stimulating.

*Weight training: The basic exercises that include the largest muscle groups or even call into play the entire body as a unit (squats, front squats, split squats, deadlifts, stiff legged deadlifts, overhead presses, all kinds of rows and core-activation exercises) will have a much greater metabolism stimulating effect than isolation exercises (concentration curls, calf raises, etc)

Consistency is the key.

Nothing will undermine the "re-building" of your metabolism like inconsistency. If you stop and start, or skip meals and workouts often, you will not even get off the ground.

Trying to starve the fat with crash diets is what causes the metabolic damage in the first place.

Once you get your metabolic engine running, you've got to keep feeding it fuel or the fire will die down.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/metabolism.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - An Attitude Change Is The Biggest Change You Will Ever Make :

You may have heard it said before that an attitude change is easy. All you have to do is change everything about yourself. As crazy as it seems, it’s the truth. A change in your attitude will eventually involve everything about you. It’s easy and yet, the fact that you have to keep at it day after day after day is what makes it really hard.

An attitude change requires a long term perseverance that few people have. That’s what makes it the biggest change you will ever make.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Are Ab Machines Necessary?

Typically, any machine that involves gripping handles out to the side, and in front for support aren't good because once you begin to get tired, your body will naturally have a tendency to use the arms to force the abdominal motion, taking the abs out of the picture almost completely and asking your back to do more work,which sets you up for an injury.

The trouble with almost ALL of these ab machines is that you are only moving your body in one direction or plane of motion. As you increase strength in that area, you will create a pattern overload syndrome and set your self up for muscle imbalances that may cause injury.

If you are absolutely dead set on buying some type of TV-advertisedabdominal product, get the Ab Swing.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Beginner Versus Advanced Strenght Training:

Trying advanced exercises when you're a rank beginner is not going to get your waistline into shape one minute faster.

You must develop a "base" first and then add "layers." Stated differently, build up slowly and gradually. When you master exercises at one level of difficulty, then - and only then - should you move up to the next level.

Ab training is not quite as simple as the infomercials would lead you to believe. Getting great abs is not as simple as copying someone else's routine either.

You have to approach this systematically with a proven plan based on science, not on myths and hype.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/beginners.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - The Mediterranean Diet:


People living in Mediterranean countries have a notably low incidence of heart disease and other age-related ailments. It is their diet and activity level that makes the difference in health.


The Mediterranean diet, with it's focus on fresh vegetables, fresh pasta and bread, olive oil
and spices, is delicious. It's the kind of meals that leave you not only full, but completely satisfied. The meals usually include some of the following:


* high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other
cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds

* olive oil is an important monounsaturated fat source

* dairy products, fish and poultry are consumed in low to
moderate amounts, and little red meat is in the diet

* eggs are consumed zero to four times a week

* wine is consumed in low to moderate amounts

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/mediterranean.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - How to overcome compulsive overeating:

Binge eating (also called compulsive overeating) is different from normal appetite increases or overeating now and then. With binge eating, you feel out of control and powerless to stop eating while you're doing it. It may lead to low energy, low self-esteem and depression.

The practice of eating in moderation will teach yourself to avoid out of control bingeing episodes and you will gain control over food.

If you think you may have a compulsive eating disorder, it's very important to seek the help from a psychologist or therapist who can help you understand the connections between emotions, thoughts, and eating behaviors. These professionals can also help you learn healthy ways to respond to stress and deal with compulsions.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/stress.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Body Mass Index (BMI):

Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most accurate ways to determine when extra pounds translate into health risks. BMI is a measure which takes into account a person’s weight and height to gauge total body fat in adults.

Someone with a BMI of 26 to 27 is about 20 percent overweight, which is generally believed to carry moderate health risks. A BMI of 30 and higher is considered obese. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of developing additional health problems.


According to health experts, people who are overweight but have no other health risk factors (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure) should eat healthier and exercise to keep from gaining weight. For people who are overweight and also have health risks, they recommend trying to actively lose weight. Make sure to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise or weight-loss program.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/bmi.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Atkins Diet:

Atkins Diet program is a low-carb, high protein eating plan in which refined carbohydrates are not permitted. There are three basic phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss and Maintenance. The level of permitted carbs increases as you progress through these diet-stages, but carbohydrate remains something of a problem-food, and readers are warned that fruit-eating will always be “somewhat risky.”

Atkins Diet Induction Phase:

The aim of this initial 14-day phase of the diet is to induce a state of ketosis, in which the body begins to burn fat for fuel (instead of carbs) and weight loss is rapid - typically between 2-8 pounds in the first week. There is almost no carbohydrate at all in the induction phase - just three cups of green salad per day, or two cups of salad and one cup of non-starchy green vegetables: a total of 20g of net carbs. This means no milk or yogurt, no whole-wheat breads or cereals.

Atkins Diet Ongoing Weight Loss Phase:

In the second phase of the Atkins Diet, known as "Ongoing Weight Loss", you add an additional 5g of net carbs a day in weekly increments. For example, in Week 3 you eat 25g net carbs per day, and in Week 4 30g net carbs per day. These carbs should be nuts, seeds, vegetables and berries.

You keep adding 5g carbohydrate a week until your weight loss ceases, at which point you will have found your correct carb intake - typically between 40-60g per day. When you are within about 5-10 pounds of your target weight you may slightly increase the level of carbs again and by the time you reach it, you should know the number of daily net carbs you can afford to eat to maintain that weight.


Atkins Diet Maintenance Program:


This permits a steady but still restricted carb-intake. There are no calorie restrictions, so deciding on exactly what amounts of various foods to include in the menus is something of an arbitrary decision.


Carbs to eat regularly, include: apples, berries, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, aubergines, green vegetables, onions, peppers, tomatoes, barley, oatmeal, wheatbran, butter beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, lentils, most nuts and seeds, milk, tofu and unsweetened soy products.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/atkins.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Self-Growth: When Everything Falls Apart:

In order to complete the process, we need to stay with it. Yes, there will likely be pain and discomfort involved. There will be fear. There will be anger and grief. But there will also be an awakening deeper than any we have experienced before, and our eyes will be opened in powerful ways.

Here's how to stay with the process through its completion:

1) Look closer. When everything falls apart, pay special attention to the exact circumstances that have begun deteriorating. This gives you a BIG clue about the biggest lies (limiting beliefs you have formed) about yourself, and your life. Look for the connection between the blockages you are dissolving, and the circumstances that are coming apart at the seams. For example, if you have begun exploring your true talents and abilities, and then you suddenly lose your job, a little introspection may help you to realize that your job didn't allow you to USE those talents and abilities, so it needed to be removed to make way for a more fulfilling career. Sometimes the connections can be a little more vague and you may have to dig a little deeper. It may take some time to fully understand how everything is related, but if you keep at it, you will come to understand it and you can then use that knowledge to rebuild something better.

2) Grieve. Yes, you MUST allow yourself to grieve. Allow yourself to go through that. Cry as much as you need to, and stay with the sadness for as long as necessary to move completely through it.

3) As much as you might want to try and "fix" everything immediately, don't do it yet.
Hell yes, it's going to hurt. But at the same time, it will be so incredibly freeing and empowering. Maybe for the first time in your life, you will feel in control of your circumstances. You will be choosing to release self-limiting beliefs, and free yourself from self-destructive patterns. This "destruction" process can take many forms, but it usually involves releasing circumstances that no longer correspond with your newly emerging beliefs.

4) Form new beliefs. Once you dissolve your old beliefs, you will need to form new beliefs to take their place. Usually this means replacing limiting beliefs with empowering ones. This is a process all its own, and it will take time to fully reinforce the new beliefs in your mind and heart.

5) Begin rebuilding. It can be a bit confusing, however. What do we build? And how?
The answer is: let your heart lead you! Think about what you really want your life to be, and then begin taking the steps to create it. The important thing is to be sure that your old beliefs have been replaced by new, empowering ones. Otherwise you will simply re-create circumstances that don't serve you, and you'll eventually have to go through the destruction process all over again! Listen closely to the urgings of your heart, and use them to guide you along the path to a better life.

This isn't an easy process by any means. But it is so fulfilling and exhilarating if we embrace it and allow it to happen without fighting against the pain and fear.

Through our trials and challenges come new levels of growth, wisdom, and inner strength beyond our wildest dreams. We just need to stay with the process and watch for the rainbows after the storm.

Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness - Cardio For Beginners:

If you are new to cardio exercise, or have been inactive for awhile, consult with your health care provider to make sure that cardio exercise is safe for you.

Stretch after your activities, when your muscles are warm.

Drink water before, during and after exercise. Make sure you drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. Dress appropriately for the heat and cold.

Endurance activities should not make you breathe so hard that you can't talk. And they and should not cause dizziness or chest pain.

If you experience dizziness, chest pain or have difficulty talking during exercise, you are working beyond your level. Slow down until you feel better, and consult your doctor.

Choose an activity that you enjoy. The best exercise for you is the one you'll actually do, not the one you think you should do.

Walking is a great place to start since it doesn't require special equipment and you can do it anywhere, but you can try any activity that involves some type of continuous movement like cycling, swimming, running, aerobics, rowing, stairclimbing, etc.


Start with 2 or 3 days of your chosen activity a week with a rest day between workouts.


Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio to gradually increase heart rate.


Begin where you ARE, not where you want to be. You may only be able to exercise for a few minutes at a time, but that will change quickly if you're consistent.


End each workout with a cool down of light cardio and stretch the muscles you've worked to relax and keep your muscles flexible.


Each week, increase your workout time by a few minutes until you can work continuously for 30 minutes a session.

After 4-6 weeks, change your routine by adding another day of exercise, increasing your pace/intensity, adding a new activity and/or increasing the amount of time you exercise.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/beginners.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Zone Diet:

The Zone Diet aims to help people lose weight by controlling their insulin levels and giving them optimum nutrition that promotes fat release and peak performance. Unlike Atkins, it is not a low-carbohydrate diet - more of a balanced, good carbohydrate diet.

The diet aims to balance the intake of protein, good (low-glycemic) carbohydrates and a moderate amount of monounsaturated fats.

Zone diet meals follow a strict ratio of 40% good carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein (also referred to as the 40:30:30 ratio). This keeps your insulin levels low and helps your body stay in the Zone of peak performance with maximum fat burning.

Zone followers eat 5 times a day, 3 meals and 2 snacks. Every meal and snack should have the 40:30:30 ratio of low-fat protein, favorable carbohydrates (like vegetables and fruit), and a dash of "good" fat. Don't go more than 5 hours without eating and that you should eat within an hour of waking.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/zonediet.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness Tips - Escape emotional eating:
Emotional eating is a serious issue when it comes to following a weight loss plan.

You need to honestly ask yourself if you use food to deal with feelings of anger, frustration, fear, stress, loneliness, conflict, depression or disappointment.

Many people find comfort with their favorite foods and consume large amounts in response to feeling instead of hunger.
Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by feelings. This means that most of us are guilty of using food to cope with emotions.

The best way to deal with emotional eating issues is to keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat and how you feel during each meal. By documenting your food, thoughts and emotions, you will gather extremely helpful information to assist you in resolving these issues.

You may also need to consult with a doctor for a physical exam to assess whether there is a hormonal or physiological basis for your compulsive and emotional eating patterns.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/stress.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - The Best Abdominal Exercises - Dumbell Side-To-Sides:

Developing the core muscles of your abdomen is essential for optimum lifting and sports performance. This exercise uses resistance and a side-to-side movement to directly work the muscles that are responsible for transferring power through your body.

Start by sitting sideways on a flat bench. Place a dumbell standing vertically on end on the bench to one side of you. When you first do this exercise, start with a fairly light weight in order to accustom your body to the movement.

It is important that you keep your upper body vertical and your lower back tight and arched for proper support. Your abs should also remain tight throughout the exercise.

Rotate your torso around to the side where the dumbell is resting and pick up the dumbell with both hands on the handle. Inhale sharply and hold your breath as rotate around. This will stabilize the core and lower back area.


After you've picked it up, rotate your body all the way to the other side of the bench, and set the dumbell down on the bench (it should be standing on end while you continue to hold onto it).
Be sure to keep your midsection very tight all the way around.

Hold your breath from the moment you pick up the dumbell to the moment you set it down. This ensures that you stabilize your abdomen properly.

Repeat the lift and rotate movement back to the other side.

It is important to note that you should always set the dumbell down on the bench in between reps and relax your abdominal area momentarily. One of the most beneficial aspects of this exercise is the moment when you pick up the weight from the bench. If you utilize a continuous movement, you will decrease the benefits of the exercise.


More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abdominalexercises.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Increase your cardio intensity:

You can burn major calories by increasing the level of your cardio intensity. An amazing method of cardio training is called HIIT (high intensity interval training).

The overview of this training method is to limit the time to a maximum of 20 minutes per session and vary your training intensity during the workout. Start out with an exercise like the elliptical trainer and begin at about a 65% intensity level for the first 5 minutes.

Once you're warmed up, increase the intensity to 90% for the next 30 seconds and then drop back down to 65% intensity for the next 60 seconds. Repeat the cycle for the next 10 minutes.

Once you hit the 15 minute mark, drop your intensity back down to a steady 65% intensity and cool down for the last 5 minutes. You can apply the HIIT cardio training to any exercise like running, jumping rope, cycling and even aerobics.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/cardiotraining.html

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness - Losing fat cannot be accomplished without hard work:

Permanent fat loss is never really "easy." There is always effort and discipline involved, as there is with any worthwhile achievement. Endlessly searching for an easier way, a magic bullet, miracle cure, or a holy grail of fat loss, is a misguided quest and a path to failure, frustration, and depression.

Burning fat is very simple, but for most people it is not easy. There's a big difference between simple and easy:

"Simple" means there is nothing complicated about the process - it's like algebra; just plug in the numbers where the X's and Y's are, and the formula always produces the correct result.
"Easy" implies that something can be done with little or no effort. Anyone who tells you they've discovered an "easy" way to lose fat is lying.

Getting a lean and muscular body requires two things:

1) You must be willing to work hard
2) You must be patient

The problem with many people is that they shy away from anything that appears to be hard work. They're always looking for short cuts. Shortcuts always fail.
Everything worth having in life has a price attached
to it - everything.

If you want a lean and muscular body, you must be willing to pay the price for a lean and muscular body. STOP looking for easy ways. Just pay the price and it's yours -
and it's yours for life, because you didn't depend on the crutch of a short-term gimmick.

Make no mistake; people with great bodies, especially fitness models, have worked very hard for a very long time to get where they are. It's an absolutely unbreakable law of the universe that you can't get something for nothing. Your results will come in direct proportion to the amount of effort you put in. You can only reap what you sow.

More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/fatburn.html