Health and Fitness Tips - Metabolism Myths:
MYTH: THE BEST TIME TO WORK OUT IS IN THE MORNING
FACT: The best time to exercise is one that works best for you. When you’re motivated and alert, you’ll work harder and longer at your activity. Many people choose the morning to “get it out of the way”, while others truly feel energized and refreshed with a jump start to their day. Know yourself, and choose what works best for you. What counts is the intensity and duration of your workout.
MYTH: HAVE A SPORTS DRINK BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT TO BOOST ENERGY AND METABOLISM
FACT: Most of us don’t need the sugars (energy) and electrolytes to boost energy for a workout of an hour or less. One of the most well-documented effects on stimulating metabolic rate (and used by many athletes), is to consume water and a caffeinated product prior to a workout. Have a cup of coffee or tea–about 200 mg–prior to your exercise, to get a metabolic boost. Avoid high-potency caffeinated “turbo” drinks, or pills. Check with your doctor if you have a caffeine sensitivity, as 200 mg might be too high to meet your needs.
MYTH: EXERCISE IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN ALTER METABOLISM
FACT: While it is true that exercise stimulates metabolic rate–while you are actively exercising (and an hour or two afterwards)–a HUGE factor altering metabolic rate is AGE. After each decade, starting around age 30, our metabolic rate (how many calories our bodies need to run normally) DROPS about 5%. This means that every 10 years, just to maintain our current weight–we’ve got to each about 100-150 fewer calories a day. This is important to consider when thinking about long term weight loss and maintenance.
MYTH: THE BEST BREAKFAST TO “JUMP START” OUR DAY IS A CARBOHYDRATE MEAL
FACT: Fiber rich carbohydrates (fruits/vegetables or whole grains) are a great part of any meal, and an easy early morning choice. A meal containing some protein and fat as well can be a better choice. The protein, to boost protein contentment and muscle energy before a workout; the fat, to help keep you satiated for a longer time (slows the rate of food exiting the stomach, which is why you feel fuller). A mix of 40-50% carbohydrates; 25-30% protein, and 25-30% fat is a reasonable goal.
MYTH: NOT EATING AFTER 7 PM HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT FASTER
FACT: Fewer calories help you lose weight faster! It’s fine to eat a after 7, but not a giant meal - maybe 200-300 calories no closer than 2 hours before bedtime. For those of you who like a small snack within 30 minutes of hitting the sack, limit the calories to about 100. It's uncomfortable to sleep with a full stomach - and sleep can be interrupted, and digestion of food in the horizontal position is not the best...think gravity!
MYTH: BOOST YOUR ENERGY WITH A SUGAR-TREAT IN THE LATE AFTERNOON
FACT: Many of us, even with a healthy lunch feel the need for a "pick me up" in the late afternoon. When that fatigue hits, many people reach for a sugary treat, for the "quick energy". While most of us can benefit from a modest snack between lunch and dinner - think of a mixed snack with all 3 macronutrients - carbohydrate, fat, and protein. A low-fat cheese stick with a 100 calorie pack of crackers is great, or a yogurt, or even a protein bar under 200 calories. Think 150-200 calories here, to support your overall calorie plan....that's enough calories to keep you satisfied until dinner. Plus, with a late afternoon snack, you'll be less likely to overeat at dinner, as you will avoided getting overhungry from a mini-fast since lunch.
MYTH: EATING 6 SMALL MEALS A DAY IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS THAN 3 MEALS A DAY
FACT: Know yourself. Many people do just fine with 3 meals a day, and meet their calorie needs without mid-meal snacking. Your blood sugar can regulate just fine this way (check with your doctor if you suspect hypoglycemia, or have other needs to eat more often). This can actually harm a weight reduction plan, if you're a "grazer", since eating more often goes along with eating more frequently. Again, for weight loss, it's the number of calories in and out that counts. Whether 3 or 6 meals a day - keep your calories balanced, with a balanced mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Unhealthy foods are more dangerous if you are obese:
Apart from contributing to weight gain, meals that are high in fat and carbohydrates have negative short-term effects on the body's chemistry. But new research shows that these harmful effects are far greater if you are overweight.
Here is a typical fast food menu: large hamburger, large fries, large coke and apple pie. (Total damage: 1800 calories (kcal).
Not surprisingly, the fast food meal causes an increase in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in both groups. But three hours later, when levels had returned to normal the normal weight people, levels continued to climb in the obese group.
This kind of food isn't exactly healthy for anyone. But obese people already suffer from increased oxidative damage and inflammatory stress - which increases their risk of heart disease and diabetes. Plus the damage from eating a single fast food meal is greater and lasts longer if you are obese than if you are normal weight. (And you're not going to remain "normal weight" for long if you regularly consume 1800-calorie meals.)
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Apart from contributing to weight gain, meals that are high in fat and carbohydrates have negative short-term effects on the body's chemistry. But new research shows that these harmful effects are far greater if you are overweight.
Here is a typical fast food menu: large hamburger, large fries, large coke and apple pie. (Total damage: 1800 calories (kcal).
Not surprisingly, the fast food meal causes an increase in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in both groups. But three hours later, when levels had returned to normal the normal weight people, levels continued to climb in the obese group.
This kind of food isn't exactly healthy for anyone. But obese people already suffer from increased oxidative damage and inflammatory stress - which increases their risk of heart disease and diabetes. Plus the damage from eating a single fast food meal is greater and lasts longer if you are obese than if you are normal weight. (And you're not going to remain "normal weight" for long if you regularly consume 1800-calorie meals.)
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fast Or Slow Rep Speed?
Lifting tempo is the technical term for how fast (or slow) you lift and lower the weights during a rep.
Rather, different lifting tempos help you achieve different results.
What’s important is making a conscious decision to lift at a certain speed.
Selecting a lifting tempo should be part of creating a training program.
To put it simply, high muscle tension during a lift is what makes for big muscles.
The faster your lifting tempo, the lower your tension.
However, a fast rep enables you to lift heavier weights.
If you’re looking to increase sheer power and strength, you go with a faster lifting tempo.
A slower lifting tempo, as explained above, is what increases muscle tension.
To increase muscle size, focus on a slower lifting tempo.
In general, you want to let the weight down more slowly than you raise it.
An exercise starts with you lifting the bar. This is called the “positive” phase of the rep.
It’s also called the “concentric contraction.”
On the other hand, lowering the weight (not surprisingly) is the “negative” phase and the “eccentric contraction.”
The positive phase is where your muscles are doing the work; the negative phase is where your muscles face resistance.
You want to come down slowly because the negative phase is the phase that promotes blood flow. Increased resistance equal increased blood flow.
Fast lifting tempo: These are the explosive-type reps. Use enough weight to really push yourself, but not so much that you can’t use proper form.
Slow lifting tempo: Ten seconds total. Four seconds up, four seconds down, and a two second pause at the top.
Lifting tempo is the technical term for how fast (or slow) you lift and lower the weights during a rep.
Rather, different lifting tempos help you achieve different results.
What’s important is making a conscious decision to lift at a certain speed.
Selecting a lifting tempo should be part of creating a training program.
To put it simply, high muscle tension during a lift is what makes for big muscles.
The faster your lifting tempo, the lower your tension.
However, a fast rep enables you to lift heavier weights.
If you’re looking to increase sheer power and strength, you go with a faster lifting tempo.
A slower lifting tempo, as explained above, is what increases muscle tension.
To increase muscle size, focus on a slower lifting tempo.
In general, you want to let the weight down more slowly than you raise it.
An exercise starts with you lifting the bar. This is called the “positive” phase of the rep.
It’s also called the “concentric contraction.”
On the other hand, lowering the weight (not surprisingly) is the “negative” phase and the “eccentric contraction.”
The positive phase is where your muscles are doing the work; the negative phase is where your muscles face resistance.
You want to come down slowly because the negative phase is the phase that promotes blood flow. Increased resistance equal increased blood flow.
Fast lifting tempo: These are the explosive-type reps. Use enough weight to really push yourself, but not so much that you can’t use proper form.
Slow lifting tempo: Ten seconds total. Four seconds up, four seconds down, and a two second pause at the top.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Xenical:
Xenical is used to help obese people (who fit certain weight and height requirements) lose weight and maintain weight loss.
Xenical works in the intestines, where it blocks some of the fat you eat from being absorbed. This undigested fat is then eliminated in your bowel movements. Use Xenical together with a calorie-reduced diet. The weight management effects of Xenical continue only as long as you are taking it.
Who should not take Xenical? You cannot take Xenical if you:
*have problems absorbing food
*have gallbladder problems
*are pregnant, or breast-feeding a child
People with certain kidney problems may not be able to take Xenical.
General Precautions with Xenical:
Your daily intake of fat should be evenly divided over 3 main meals. Xenical can decrease the absorption some fat-soluble vitamins and beta-carotene. Therefore when being treated with Xenical, take a multivitamin supplement that contains vitamins D, E, K, and beta-carotene.
Take your multivitamin once a day, at least 2 hours before or after taking Xenical, such as bedtime.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/xenical.html
Xenical is used to help obese people (who fit certain weight and height requirements) lose weight and maintain weight loss.
Xenical works in the intestines, where it blocks some of the fat you eat from being absorbed. This undigested fat is then eliminated in your bowel movements. Use Xenical together with a calorie-reduced diet. The weight management effects of Xenical continue only as long as you are taking it.
Who should not take Xenical? You cannot take Xenical if you:
*have problems absorbing food
*have gallbladder problems
*are pregnant, or breast-feeding a child
People with certain kidney problems may not be able to take Xenical.
General Precautions with Xenical:
Your daily intake of fat should be evenly divided over 3 main meals. Xenical can decrease the absorption some fat-soluble vitamins and beta-carotene. Therefore when being treated with Xenical, take a multivitamin supplement that contains vitamins D, E, K, and beta-carotene.
Take your multivitamin once a day, at least 2 hours before or after taking Xenical, such as bedtime.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/xenical.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Chromium Picolinate:
Chromium Picolinate is a nutritional supplement that works to increase the efficiency of insulin to optimal levels. This popular nutritional supplement is a combination of the element chromium and picolinic acid.
FDA recommends a daily chromium intake of approximately 130 mcg, as small amounts of chromium are needed to aid the transport of blood glucose across cell membranes. Combining chromium with picolinic acid simply aids in efficient chromium absorption, and it is this combined form that is popular on the diet market today.
Some benefits of chromium picolinate include it's ability to keep the metabolism healthy. The most common usage for chromium picolinate is as a weight loss aid; claims that this supplement can melt fat, drastically reduce appetite, and increase metabolism.
Chromium picolinate weight loss is also achieved by the ability of chromium picolinate to reduce sweet cravings and hunger pangs. Improved carbohydrate and fat metabolism is a major function of chromium picolinate, which can help with proper weight management.
Another benefit is that chromium picolinate can also decrease high blood pressure and cholesterol, while chromium picolinate aids in promoting healthy growth hormone functions. Anyone who wants to increase their general health and fitness levels, while maintaining a healthy body weight, should include chromium picolinate in their diet.
The best and safest source of chromium is food. Whole grains, cereals, seafood, green beans, broccoli, prunes, nuts, peanut butter, and potatoes are rich in chromium. Sugary foods are low in this mineral and may even promote chromium loss; vitamin C may increase it's absorption.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/chromium.html
Chromium Picolinate is a nutritional supplement that works to increase the efficiency of insulin to optimal levels. This popular nutritional supplement is a combination of the element chromium and picolinic acid.
FDA recommends a daily chromium intake of approximately 130 mcg, as small amounts of chromium are needed to aid the transport of blood glucose across cell membranes. Combining chromium with picolinic acid simply aids in efficient chromium absorption, and it is this combined form that is popular on the diet market today.
Some benefits of chromium picolinate include it's ability to keep the metabolism healthy. The most common usage for chromium picolinate is as a weight loss aid; claims that this supplement can melt fat, drastically reduce appetite, and increase metabolism.
Chromium picolinate weight loss is also achieved by the ability of chromium picolinate to reduce sweet cravings and hunger pangs. Improved carbohydrate and fat metabolism is a major function of chromium picolinate, which can help with proper weight management.
Another benefit is that chromium picolinate can also decrease high blood pressure and cholesterol, while chromium picolinate aids in promoting healthy growth hormone functions. Anyone who wants to increase their general health and fitness levels, while maintaining a healthy body weight, should include chromium picolinate in their diet.
The best and safest source of chromium is food. Whole grains, cereals, seafood, green beans, broccoli, prunes, nuts, peanut butter, and potatoes are rich in chromium. Sugary foods are low in this mineral and may even promote chromium loss; vitamin C may increase it's absorption.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/chromium.html
Friday, January 25, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - The Basic Rules Of Achieving Good Health:
For a comfortable living, the importance of good health cannot be overstated. Inappropriate health makes us vulnerable to invasion by dangerous diseases and results in a shortened life span.
The great news is that good health is fairly easy to achieve. All it requires is determination, drive and willingness to make small changes in your life style. To make the process of transition as painless as possible, it is best to start off slowly and implement small changes in phases.
Exercise is the key in achieving good health. Exercise strengthens our cardio vascular system, strengthens muscle mass, and also helps to reduce stress and the affects that it has on the body. Many people find exercising a chore, but it doesn't have to be.
You need to find exercises that you enjoy doing rather than those that you dread. If you enjoy being out in the woods why not take up hiking, or even trail running. Or if you enjoy swimming get yourself a pass to the local pool.
Alternate methods of exercises are slowly becoming very popular. Amongst those that are really catching on is yoga. This is a very popular form of exercise that helps to strengthen your body, helps you lose weight, and is great as a stress reliever.
Another alternate exercise is Pilates that addresses the core strength of your abdominals. The moot point is that whatever your interest may be, you are sure to find an alternate form of exercise that would ensure good health.
Poor eating habits are a precursor to poor health. Healthy eating is very important in achieving and maintaining good health. Those who have poor eating habits should slowly change by taking steps such as adding a small salad to your dinner, or a piece of fruit for dessert rather than ice cream.
The aim is to slowly change the eating habits by making sure that the bulk of what you consume is nutritious and full of vitamins and minerals. Moderation in what ever you do is the key to success.
Staying away from over-processed foods is a great idea. Many people love the convenience of pre-packaged frozen foods that they can just pop in the microwave for a few minutes and have a "complete" meal.
You can continue to have convenient fast meals by taking a few easy steps. It is best to make a few nutritious meals on Sunday night and freezing portions of it. This provides you with the option of having fast meals during the week while consuming healthy nutritious stuff. Small changes such as this make a whale of a change in your life style and health.
Excessive smoking or drinking is certainly detrimental to your good health. It's okay to occasionally imbibe, a few drinks once in a while are fine, and small amounts of red wine are actually good for you, but there is no such exception for smoking. If you smoke, go talk to your doctor to discuss a smoking cessation program.
Smoking endangers your health and the health of those around you. The sooner you quit smoking, the faster your body can begin to repair the years of damage.
It is easy to achieve good health. All it takes is making some changes to your diet and lifestyle. Start by taking the stairs at work instead of getting in the elevator. Or switch that favorite lunchtime meal of hamburger and fries for a wrap and a salad.
Small, easy changes are the best way to start. By making these changes now you can enjoy good health well into your golden years.
For a comfortable living, the importance of good health cannot be overstated. Inappropriate health makes us vulnerable to invasion by dangerous diseases and results in a shortened life span.
The great news is that good health is fairly easy to achieve. All it requires is determination, drive and willingness to make small changes in your life style. To make the process of transition as painless as possible, it is best to start off slowly and implement small changes in phases.
Exercise is the key in achieving good health. Exercise strengthens our cardio vascular system, strengthens muscle mass, and also helps to reduce stress and the affects that it has on the body. Many people find exercising a chore, but it doesn't have to be.
You need to find exercises that you enjoy doing rather than those that you dread. If you enjoy being out in the woods why not take up hiking, or even trail running. Or if you enjoy swimming get yourself a pass to the local pool.
Alternate methods of exercises are slowly becoming very popular. Amongst those that are really catching on is yoga. This is a very popular form of exercise that helps to strengthen your body, helps you lose weight, and is great as a stress reliever.
Another alternate exercise is Pilates that addresses the core strength of your abdominals. The moot point is that whatever your interest may be, you are sure to find an alternate form of exercise that would ensure good health.
Poor eating habits are a precursor to poor health. Healthy eating is very important in achieving and maintaining good health. Those who have poor eating habits should slowly change by taking steps such as adding a small salad to your dinner, or a piece of fruit for dessert rather than ice cream.
The aim is to slowly change the eating habits by making sure that the bulk of what you consume is nutritious and full of vitamins and minerals. Moderation in what ever you do is the key to success.
Staying away from over-processed foods is a great idea. Many people love the convenience of pre-packaged frozen foods that they can just pop in the microwave for a few minutes and have a "complete" meal.
You can continue to have convenient fast meals by taking a few easy steps. It is best to make a few nutritious meals on Sunday night and freezing portions of it. This provides you with the option of having fast meals during the week while consuming healthy nutritious stuff. Small changes such as this make a whale of a change in your life style and health.
Excessive smoking or drinking is certainly detrimental to your good health. It's okay to occasionally imbibe, a few drinks once in a while are fine, and small amounts of red wine are actually good for you, but there is no such exception for smoking. If you smoke, go talk to your doctor to discuss a smoking cessation program.
Smoking endangers your health and the health of those around you. The sooner you quit smoking, the faster your body can begin to repair the years of damage.
It is easy to achieve good health. All it takes is making some changes to your diet and lifestyle. Start by taking the stairs at work instead of getting in the elevator. Or switch that favorite lunchtime meal of hamburger and fries for a wrap and a salad.
Small, easy changes are the best way to start. By making these changes now you can enjoy good health well into your golden years.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - How To Overcome Failure:
Everyone hates to fail but what most people don’t realize is that failing is part of success. Anyone who has ever succeeded has failed many times. So, how do you overcome failure?
1. Learn from your mistakes and failures.How did you learn to ride a bike? The short answer: you fell off 100 times. Every time you make a mistake or fail, learn as much as you can from it so that you are better prepared next time.
Write down the top five things that you learned from your last mistake or failure.
2. Don’t dwell on it.Now that you have learned something from your mistake, move on. Don’t dwell on your past. You can’t tell where you are going if you are looking backwards. Also, dwelling on your past failures will keep you in prison right where you are.
3. Don’t be afraid to try again.Don’t let the fear from your last failure stop you from reaching your greatness, goal, dream, or potential. Just like learning to ride that bike, you didn’t fall once or twice and then give up.
Take what you have learned and try it again now that you are better prepared.
4. Surround yourself with positive people.No matter what it is that you are trying to achieve, surround yourself with successful people that have done what you want to do. One of the best ways to overcome failure is to learn how other people just like you overcame failure. This will not only encourage you but give you the proof that it can be done.
Find a person or a group of people who are successful and get around them as soon as possible.
5. Realize that failure is part of the learning process. Failure and mistakes aren’t fun but they are what help us learn to be great at whatever it is we are trying to achieve.
Think back to a time where you succeeded. Then think how many times you failed or made mistakes to get to that success.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
Everyone hates to fail but what most people don’t realize is that failing is part of success. Anyone who has ever succeeded has failed many times. So, how do you overcome failure?
1. Learn from your mistakes and failures.How did you learn to ride a bike? The short answer: you fell off 100 times. Every time you make a mistake or fail, learn as much as you can from it so that you are better prepared next time.
Write down the top five things that you learned from your last mistake or failure.
2. Don’t dwell on it.Now that you have learned something from your mistake, move on. Don’t dwell on your past. You can’t tell where you are going if you are looking backwards. Also, dwelling on your past failures will keep you in prison right where you are.
3. Don’t be afraid to try again.Don’t let the fear from your last failure stop you from reaching your greatness, goal, dream, or potential. Just like learning to ride that bike, you didn’t fall once or twice and then give up.
Take what you have learned and try it again now that you are better prepared.
4. Surround yourself with positive people.No matter what it is that you are trying to achieve, surround yourself with successful people that have done what you want to do. One of the best ways to overcome failure is to learn how other people just like you overcame failure. This will not only encourage you but give you the proof that it can be done.
Find a person or a group of people who are successful and get around them as soon as possible.
5. Realize that failure is part of the learning process. Failure and mistakes aren’t fun but they are what help us learn to be great at whatever it is we are trying to achieve.
Think back to a time where you succeeded. Then think how many times you failed or made mistakes to get to that success.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips :
So what about cutting fat then, and forgetting the calorie intake? The downside of the anti-fat
diet is that eating foods with little to no fat will leave you hungrier than eating foods based on calorie totals. Also, an extreme anti-fat diet will cause health problems down the road.
Fat helps fill you up and keep you feeling satiated for a longer period of time. But even worse, foods without fat tend to have many more "fillers" in the form of sugar and starch. Sugars and starches are processed by your body quickly, which means you're hungrier again sooner. And many people make the mistake of thinking as long as they're not eating fat, they can eat "non-fat" products anytime they'd like. In reality, they're loading up on too many calories, and too much processed sugars and chemical-laden junk.
That said, of course there are fats you should limit in your diet. These are considered to be "bad" fats, and are called saturated fat or trans fats. Too many of these types of fat can cause health problems in addition to weight problems.
Now let's look at the low carb issue. Eliminating carbs all together was all the rage years ago, but that's not a wise move, as time has shown. Most of your healthy fruits and vegetables have at least some carbohydrates in them. So a better plan is to limit or restrict your carb intake instead of trying to eliminate it all together.
In fact, you should strive to choose healthy good carbs instead of simple ones. You can still limit the total amount of carbohydrates you take in each day, but be sure to eat those which are good for you such as what you find in vegetables or organic cheese.
I bet you've heard about the program where you're able to eat as much food as they want as long as you limit carb intake. Some practioners eat 3000 calories or more each day, but as long as they're restricting the carbs, they can still lose weight.
Why this works is quite simple. Cutting out quick, simple sugars, starches, and carbs from your diet will regulate your body's insulin production. And it will force you to eat alternative foods, which fill you up better and keep you full longer.
Believe it or not, all of these common approaches to weight loss work together. And they all work best when you cut out simple starches and sugars from your diet. Cutting your carbs very low for just a few days will kill your cravings for sweets... but it may also kill your appetite. In the end you actually consume much less calories overall, because you're not hungry often and you're not getting hit with sugar cravings. So a low carb diet will turn into a low calorie diet over time.
The same applies to low fat diets. If done well, you will find yourself eating more fiber rich foods to help you feel full longer. And foods which are naturally higher in fiber are also naturally lower in carbs and calories.
It all boils down to eating well. Choose healthy fats and healthy carbs, plus eliminate simple starches and sugars, and you will lose weight.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbs.html
So what about cutting fat then, and forgetting the calorie intake? The downside of the anti-fat
diet is that eating foods with little to no fat will leave you hungrier than eating foods based on calorie totals. Also, an extreme anti-fat diet will cause health problems down the road.
Fat helps fill you up and keep you feeling satiated for a longer period of time. But even worse, foods without fat tend to have many more "fillers" in the form of sugar and starch. Sugars and starches are processed by your body quickly, which means you're hungrier again sooner. And many people make the mistake of thinking as long as they're not eating fat, they can eat "non-fat" products anytime they'd like. In reality, they're loading up on too many calories, and too much processed sugars and chemical-laden junk.
That said, of course there are fats you should limit in your diet. These are considered to be "bad" fats, and are called saturated fat or trans fats. Too many of these types of fat can cause health problems in addition to weight problems.
Now let's look at the low carb issue. Eliminating carbs all together was all the rage years ago, but that's not a wise move, as time has shown. Most of your healthy fruits and vegetables have at least some carbohydrates in them. So a better plan is to limit or restrict your carb intake instead of trying to eliminate it all together.
In fact, you should strive to choose healthy good carbs instead of simple ones. You can still limit the total amount of carbohydrates you take in each day, but be sure to eat those which are good for you such as what you find in vegetables or organic cheese.
I bet you've heard about the program where you're able to eat as much food as they want as long as you limit carb intake. Some practioners eat 3000 calories or more each day, but as long as they're restricting the carbs, they can still lose weight.
Why this works is quite simple. Cutting out quick, simple sugars, starches, and carbs from your diet will regulate your body's insulin production. And it will force you to eat alternative foods, which fill you up better and keep you full longer.
Believe it or not, all of these common approaches to weight loss work together. And they all work best when you cut out simple starches and sugars from your diet. Cutting your carbs very low for just a few days will kill your cravings for sweets... but it may also kill your appetite. In the end you actually consume much less calories overall, because you're not hungry often and you're not getting hit with sugar cravings. So a low carb diet will turn into a low calorie diet over time.
The same applies to low fat diets. If done well, you will find yourself eating more fiber rich foods to help you feel full longer. And foods which are naturally higher in fiber are also naturally lower in carbs and calories.
It all boils down to eating well. Choose healthy fats and healthy carbs, plus eliminate simple starches and sugars, and you will lose weight.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbs.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Calories, Carbs and Fat:
Regardless of how much weight you might want to lose, you'll no doubt run into the same confusing issues everyone else does. Should you cut down your calories? Should you reduce or eliminate your carbohydrate intake? Or should you just cut out fat? I know I get so confused by all the different information available out there, I sometimes wonder if it would be easiest to just stop eating.
Well, obviously, not eating can and will kill you, if you keep the fast going long enough. Some forms of juice fasts and even water fasting can be beneficial, but chronic fasting will impact your health. Particularly if you do any of this for long periods of time.
The problem isn't really that there exist so many opinions, facts, and theories on weight loss, the problem is that many of these approaches work. Going on a juice fast will make you lose weight. But staying on a juice fast for too long could create further problems down the road.
Now to talk about lowering calorie intake.
The body burns a certain amount of calories in any given day, so taking in less than you're using will cause you to lose weight. The problem most people run in to with this approach is they become hungry all the time. Modern day foods don't keep most of us full and satiated for very long, but they contain quite a bit of calories.
So eating three simple meals of 400 calories each will give us a total of 1200 calories for the day. This is quite low for most men and women, but it will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately, the three meals you choose to eat may not satisfy you, so you end up hungry or even famished more often than not.
You could try eating five meals totaling just 250 calories each and that will help quite a bit. You're not going so long between meal times, and you may not feel quite as deprived in the process. You have to be careful with your meal choices when going this route though because as I've said: Our modern meals are not overly low in calories. In fact, many quick snacks come close to having 250 calories all by themselves.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbcounting.html
Regardless of how much weight you might want to lose, you'll no doubt run into the same confusing issues everyone else does. Should you cut down your calories? Should you reduce or eliminate your carbohydrate intake? Or should you just cut out fat? I know I get so confused by all the different information available out there, I sometimes wonder if it would be easiest to just stop eating.
Well, obviously, not eating can and will kill you, if you keep the fast going long enough. Some forms of juice fasts and even water fasting can be beneficial, but chronic fasting will impact your health. Particularly if you do any of this for long periods of time.
The problem isn't really that there exist so many opinions, facts, and theories on weight loss, the problem is that many of these approaches work. Going on a juice fast will make you lose weight. But staying on a juice fast for too long could create further problems down the road.
Now to talk about lowering calorie intake.
The body burns a certain amount of calories in any given day, so taking in less than you're using will cause you to lose weight. The problem most people run in to with this approach is they become hungry all the time. Modern day foods don't keep most of us full and satiated for very long, but they contain quite a bit of calories.
So eating three simple meals of 400 calories each will give us a total of 1200 calories for the day. This is quite low for most men and women, but it will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately, the three meals you choose to eat may not satisfy you, so you end up hungry or even famished more often than not.
You could try eating five meals totaling just 250 calories each and that will help quite a bit. You're not going so long between meal times, and you may not feel quite as deprived in the process. You have to be careful with your meal choices when going this route though because as I've said: Our modern meals are not overly low in calories. In fact, many quick snacks come close to having 250 calories all by themselves.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbcounting.html
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Why Some People Quit and Why Some People Never Give Up:
Some people who start a nutrition and exercise program give up very easily after hitting the first obstacle they encounter. If they feel the slightest bit of discouragement or frustration, they will abandon even their biggest goals and dreams.
On the other hand, some people simply NEVER give up. They have ferocious persistence and they never let go of their goals.
What's the difference between these two types of people?
Psychologists say there is an answer.
An extremely important guideline for achieving fitness success is the concept that, "There is no failure; only feedback. You don't "fail", you only get results."
This is a foundational principle from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) which uses a very powerful shift in mindset.
A lot of people will second-guess themselves and they'll bail out and quit, just because what they try at first doesn't work.
They consider it a permanent failure, but all they need is a little attitude change, a mindset change, or what we call a "reframe."
Instead of saying, "This is failure" they can say to themselves, "I produced a result" and "This is only temporary."
This change in perspective is going to change the way that they feel and how they mentally process and explain the experience. It turns into a learning opportunity and valuable feedback for a course correction instead of a failure, and that drives continued action and forward movement.
It's all about your results and your interpretation of those results.
People who see challenges and obstacles as temporary and as valuable learning experiences are the ones who never quit.
If you learn from your experiences, not repeating what didn't work in the past, and if you choose to never quit, your success is inevitable.
Some people who start a nutrition and exercise program give up very easily after hitting the first obstacle they encounter. If they feel the slightest bit of discouragement or frustration, they will abandon even their biggest goals and dreams.
On the other hand, some people simply NEVER give up. They have ferocious persistence and they never let go of their goals.
What's the difference between these two types of people?
Psychologists say there is an answer.
An extremely important guideline for achieving fitness success is the concept that, "There is no failure; only feedback. You don't "fail", you only get results."
This is a foundational principle from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) which uses a very powerful shift in mindset.
A lot of people will second-guess themselves and they'll bail out and quit, just because what they try at first doesn't work.
They consider it a permanent failure, but all they need is a little attitude change, a mindset change, or what we call a "reframe."
Instead of saying, "This is failure" they can say to themselves, "I produced a result" and "This is only temporary."
This change in perspective is going to change the way that they feel and how they mentally process and explain the experience. It turns into a learning opportunity and valuable feedback for a course correction instead of a failure, and that drives continued action and forward movement.
It's all about your results and your interpretation of those results.
People who see challenges and obstacles as temporary and as valuable learning experiences are the ones who never quit.
If you learn from your experiences, not repeating what didn't work in the past, and if you choose to never quit, your success is inevitable.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Setting Realistic Fitness Goals:
Setting up fitness goals is the first step toward reaching them. As the saying goes, "Fail to plan, plan to fail." Don't be like so many and fail just because you failed to do a little planning.
Benefits of Goal Setting:
For even more incentive to set goals, scope out these additional benefits. First of all, you can raise your self-confidence because you set out to do something and worked towards goal. And you'll increase you motivation, pride, and self satisfaction in a job well done.
You'll improve your life and have a new achievement to chalk up. "Veni Vidi Vici" -- you came, you saw, you conquered yet another difficult challenge, something that was holding you back.
Now check out the facts.
Effective goal setters reportedly boast more self-confidence, focus. and concentrate better and show less stress and anxiety.
And overall they are happier people and lead more productive lives.
Goal Setting Steps:
Simply stating unplanned goals is unwise. Effective goals start with education. In other words, the goal setter has researched the details involved in order to complete the goals, and then set up specific step-by-step action plans with timed tasks that correlate to success or failure with each step.
Begin your fitness education by checking out some of the latest health and fitness books from your local library. While you’re there, check out some of the latest health and fitness magazines.
When you’re finished with your research, start setting positive fitness goals and steps to reach them based on your results.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/index.html
Setting up fitness goals is the first step toward reaching them. As the saying goes, "Fail to plan, plan to fail." Don't be like so many and fail just because you failed to do a little planning.
Benefits of Goal Setting:
For even more incentive to set goals, scope out these additional benefits. First of all, you can raise your self-confidence because you set out to do something and worked towards goal. And you'll increase you motivation, pride, and self satisfaction in a job well done.
You'll improve your life and have a new achievement to chalk up. "Veni Vidi Vici" -- you came, you saw, you conquered yet another difficult challenge, something that was holding you back.
Now check out the facts.
Effective goal setters reportedly boast more self-confidence, focus. and concentrate better and show less stress and anxiety.
And overall they are happier people and lead more productive lives.
Goal Setting Steps:
Simply stating unplanned goals is unwise. Effective goals start with education. In other words, the goal setter has researched the details involved in order to complete the goals, and then set up specific step-by-step action plans with timed tasks that correlate to success or failure with each step.
Begin your fitness education by checking out some of the latest health and fitness books from your local library. While you’re there, check out some of the latest health and fitness magazines.
When you’re finished with your research, start setting positive fitness goals and steps to reach them based on your results.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/index.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Swimming for Better Health:
Unlike football or baseball, which focus specifically on muscular development, swimming is an activity that concentrates on full-body health. While swimming will give you great muscle tone, it will also slim down the body and burn fat. When you move against the resistance of the water, you work most of your major muscle groups.
Whether you want to go for an all out competition to see who can swim the most laps, or just swim along slowly, savoring the feel of the water, time spent swimming is time spent being active and away from the television or computer.
Another nice thing about swimming is that it is specifically low-impact. The water supports your body and takes the stress off your joints, resulting in a workout that is unaffected by your knees or hips complaining.
If you've had an injury, an event that can throw everyone for quite a loop, swimming might be a good way to get everyone back in shape. When an accident happens, everyone's routine gets disrupted and we stop being as diligent about exercising.
Swimming is free of stress, and it is very easy to take away the competitive aspect and focus on refining your own skill.
Essentially, with swimming, you get more results with less effort than with other forms of exercise. Additionally, you put less wear and on your body with swimming than with other sports.
Unlike football or baseball, which focus specifically on muscular development, swimming is an activity that concentrates on full-body health. While swimming will give you great muscle tone, it will also slim down the body and burn fat. When you move against the resistance of the water, you work most of your major muscle groups.
Whether you want to go for an all out competition to see who can swim the most laps, or just swim along slowly, savoring the feel of the water, time spent swimming is time spent being active and away from the television or computer.
Another nice thing about swimming is that it is specifically low-impact. The water supports your body and takes the stress off your joints, resulting in a workout that is unaffected by your knees or hips complaining.
If you've had an injury, an event that can throw everyone for quite a loop, swimming might be a good way to get everyone back in shape. When an accident happens, everyone's routine gets disrupted and we stop being as diligent about exercising.
Swimming is free of stress, and it is very easy to take away the competitive aspect and focus on refining your own skill.
Essentially, with swimming, you get more results with less effort than with other forms of exercise. Additionally, you put less wear and on your body with swimming than with other sports.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Basic Rules of Proper Food Combining:
1. Eat acids and starches at separate meals. Acids neutralize the alkaline medium required for starch digestion and the result is fermentation and indigestion.
2. Eat protein foods and carbohydrate foods at separate meals. Protein foods require an acid medium for digestion.
3. Eat but one kind of protein food at a meal.
4. Eat proteins and acid foods at separate meals. The acids of acid foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested protein putrefies in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.
5. Eat fats and proteins at separate meals. Some foods, especially nuts, are over 50% fat and require hours for digestion.
6. Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.
7. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals. Fruits undergo no digestion in the stomach and are held up if eaten with foods that require digestion in the stomach.
8. Eat melons alone. They combine with almost no other food.
9. Desert the desserts. Eaten on top of meals they lie heavy on the stomach, requiring no digestion there, and ferment. Bacteria turn them into alcohols and vinegars and acetic acids.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/foodcombining.html
1. Eat acids and starches at separate meals. Acids neutralize the alkaline medium required for starch digestion and the result is fermentation and indigestion.
2. Eat protein foods and carbohydrate foods at separate meals. Protein foods require an acid medium for digestion.
3. Eat but one kind of protein food at a meal.
4. Eat proteins and acid foods at separate meals. The acids of acid foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested protein putrefies in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.
5. Eat fats and proteins at separate meals. Some foods, especially nuts, are over 50% fat and require hours for digestion.
6. Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.
7. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals. Fruits undergo no digestion in the stomach and are held up if eaten with foods that require digestion in the stomach.
8. Eat melons alone. They combine with almost no other food.
9. Desert the desserts. Eaten on top of meals they lie heavy on the stomach, requiring no digestion there, and ferment. Bacteria turn them into alcohols and vinegars and acetic acids.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/foodcombining.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Pilates Vs. Yoga:
Pilates refers to a physical fitness exercise system that focuses mainly on developing the core postural muscles (i.e., abdominal and back) along with lengthening and stabilizing of the spine in order to achieve and maintain perfect body alignment and posture. It was formulated by Joseph Pilates more than 80 years ago by taking inspiration from the ancient Yoga postures.
Although Pilates is not as complete or a holistic health system like Yoga, it seeks to reach more or less the same physical fitness goals as Yoga through a series of controlled movements and breathing regulation. It is particularly effective for aesthetic body sculpting and makes you feel and look tall, lean, and svelte.
Pilates basically represents the adaptation of certain yoga exercises for performing them using an exercise gear, the Pilates machine, for specific and limited purpose – i.e., core strength development, perfect body alignment and posture.
The Pilates machine makes these exercises much easier to learn and more fun to perform. Pilates is a dynamic form of Yoga, you can say. Similar to yoga, the emphasis in Pilates is on concentration, control, breathing and precision. And just like in yoga, one’s own body weight is used for resistance and strength development.
However, Pilates highlights just a tiny aspect of the vast discipline of Yoga, which encompasses what Pilates comprises plus much more. Yoga lays emphasis on uniting the mind, body and spirit. It involves a combination of physical exercises, breathing exercises and meditation and is aimed at promoting flexibility, increase stamina and strength, reduce stress and cure ailments.
Yoga is considered therapeutic not only for the body but also for the mind and spirit. People practice Yoga not only to feel more physically fit and energetic, but also to reduce stress and anxiety and achieve inner peace and happiness.
Yoga is the most holistic approach to physical and mental well-being known to mankind. It is not just a physical exercise program – it is a complete system for physical and mental health, covering additional aspects like proper breathing, relaxation, internal hygiene, diet, meditation and ultimately self-realization.
The Yoga exercises are meant not only to make you physically fit and strong, they are also designed to set right the functioning of the internal organs by bathing them with rich oxygenated blood and life force energy. Yoga regulates the endocrine system, strengthens the respiratory system, improves digestion and elimination and perks up the reproductive system.
So, what should you be doing for overall health and fitness – Pilates or Yoga? The answer is a sensible combination of the physical and meditative aspects of both. Both, on some level, share the same goal of strengthening of the body using your own body weight for resistance. In fact, many of their movements and postures are strikingly similar.
And, similar to Yoga, even Pilates can be performed as floor (mat) exercises if you don’t want to spend money on buying Pilates equipment. Pilates is relatively easier to learn and simpler to understand and tends to give faster results.
But ultimately the choice is yours depending upon your patience level and the goals you have set for yourself: just physical fitness and a svelte figure or all that plus long-lasting inner peace and happiness.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/pilates.html
Pilates refers to a physical fitness exercise system that focuses mainly on developing the core postural muscles (i.e., abdominal and back) along with lengthening and stabilizing of the spine in order to achieve and maintain perfect body alignment and posture. It was formulated by Joseph Pilates more than 80 years ago by taking inspiration from the ancient Yoga postures.
Although Pilates is not as complete or a holistic health system like Yoga, it seeks to reach more or less the same physical fitness goals as Yoga through a series of controlled movements and breathing regulation. It is particularly effective for aesthetic body sculpting and makes you feel and look tall, lean, and svelte.
Pilates basically represents the adaptation of certain yoga exercises for performing them using an exercise gear, the Pilates machine, for specific and limited purpose – i.e., core strength development, perfect body alignment and posture.
The Pilates machine makes these exercises much easier to learn and more fun to perform. Pilates is a dynamic form of Yoga, you can say. Similar to yoga, the emphasis in Pilates is on concentration, control, breathing and precision. And just like in yoga, one’s own body weight is used for resistance and strength development.
However, Pilates highlights just a tiny aspect of the vast discipline of Yoga, which encompasses what Pilates comprises plus much more. Yoga lays emphasis on uniting the mind, body and spirit. It involves a combination of physical exercises, breathing exercises and meditation and is aimed at promoting flexibility, increase stamina and strength, reduce stress and cure ailments.
Yoga is considered therapeutic not only for the body but also for the mind and spirit. People practice Yoga not only to feel more physically fit and energetic, but also to reduce stress and anxiety and achieve inner peace and happiness.
Yoga is the most holistic approach to physical and mental well-being known to mankind. It is not just a physical exercise program – it is a complete system for physical and mental health, covering additional aspects like proper breathing, relaxation, internal hygiene, diet, meditation and ultimately self-realization.
The Yoga exercises are meant not only to make you physically fit and strong, they are also designed to set right the functioning of the internal organs by bathing them with rich oxygenated blood and life force energy. Yoga regulates the endocrine system, strengthens the respiratory system, improves digestion and elimination and perks up the reproductive system.
So, what should you be doing for overall health and fitness – Pilates or Yoga? The answer is a sensible combination of the physical and meditative aspects of both. Both, on some level, share the same goal of strengthening of the body using your own body weight for resistance. In fact, many of their movements and postures are strikingly similar.
And, similar to Yoga, even Pilates can be performed as floor (mat) exercises if you don’t want to spend money on buying Pilates equipment. Pilates is relatively easier to learn and simpler to understand and tends to give faster results.
But ultimately the choice is yours depending upon your patience level and the goals you have set for yourself: just physical fitness and a svelte figure or all that plus long-lasting inner peace and happiness.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/pilates.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Healthy Food:
Sweet Fruit - Banana - Carob - Date - Fig - Prune - Raisins - Dried fruit - Persimmon - Mango - Papaya - Sapote
Sub-Acid Fruit - Apple - Apricot - Blackberry - Cherimoya - Cherry - Elderberry - Gooseberry - Grape - Huckleberry - Nectarine - Peach - Pear - Plum - Quince - Raspberry - Sapodilla
Acid Fruit - Currant - Grapefruit - Guava - Kumquat - Lemon - Lime - Orange - Loganberry - Pineapple - Pomegranate - Strawberry - Tamarind - Tangerine - Tomato
Melons - Banana melon - Cantaloupe - Casaba - Christmas melon - Persian melon - Crenshaw melon - Watermelon - Honeydew melon - Muskmelon - Nutmeg melon
Proteins - Almonds - Cashew nuts - Hazel nuts - Hickory nuts - Lentils - Peanuts - Gooseberry - Avocados - Pecans - Pine nuts - Pistachio nuts - Soy beans - Walnuts - Sunflower seeds - Coconuts
Starches - Artichoke - Bean (lima)* - Beets - Chestnut - Carrots - Corn - Hubbard squash - Jerusalem artichoke - Peanuts* - Peas - Potatoes - Pumpkin - Yam * Peanuts, lentils, beans, and all cereals are considered as protein and starch combinations
Non-Starchy Vegetables - Bamboo shoots - Broccoli - Brussel sprouts - Romaine - Cabbage - Cauliflower - Celery - Chard - Cucumber - Eggplant - Endive - Kale - Kohlrabi - Lettuce: Boston, Bibb, Leaf, Romaine, etc. - Okra - Parsnip - Pepper (sweet) - Rutabaga - Sorrel - Sprouts: Mung bean, alfalfa, wheat, barley, etc. - Squash (ex. starchy) - Turnip
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Sweet Fruit - Banana - Carob - Date - Fig - Prune - Raisins - Dried fruit - Persimmon - Mango - Papaya - Sapote
Sub-Acid Fruit - Apple - Apricot - Blackberry - Cherimoya - Cherry - Elderberry - Gooseberry - Grape - Huckleberry - Nectarine - Peach - Pear - Plum - Quince - Raspberry - Sapodilla
Acid Fruit - Currant - Grapefruit - Guava - Kumquat - Lemon - Lime - Orange - Loganberry - Pineapple - Pomegranate - Strawberry - Tamarind - Tangerine - Tomato
Melons - Banana melon - Cantaloupe - Casaba - Christmas melon - Persian melon - Crenshaw melon - Watermelon - Honeydew melon - Muskmelon - Nutmeg melon
Proteins - Almonds - Cashew nuts - Hazel nuts - Hickory nuts - Lentils - Peanuts - Gooseberry - Avocados - Pecans - Pine nuts - Pistachio nuts - Soy beans - Walnuts - Sunflower seeds - Coconuts
Starches - Artichoke - Bean (lima)* - Beets - Chestnut - Carrots - Corn - Hubbard squash - Jerusalem artichoke - Peanuts* - Peas - Potatoes - Pumpkin - Yam * Peanuts, lentils, beans, and all cereals are considered as protein and starch combinations
Non-Starchy Vegetables - Bamboo shoots - Broccoli - Brussel sprouts - Romaine - Cabbage - Cauliflower - Celery - Chard - Cucumber - Eggplant - Endive - Kale - Kohlrabi - Lettuce: Boston, Bibb, Leaf, Romaine, etc. - Okra - Parsnip - Pepper (sweet) - Rutabaga - Sorrel - Sprouts: Mung bean, alfalfa, wheat, barley, etc. - Squash (ex. starchy) - Turnip
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
18 Health and Fitness Tips:
1. Eat uncooked food one day each week.
2. Fast at least three meals a week.
3. Do not eat fast.
4. Do not drink things real hot or real cold.
5. Do not drink liquids with your meals.
6. Drink your fruit juices at least forty-five minutes before you eat and wait at least two hours after you eat before you drink fruit juices or vegetable juices.
7. DO NOT eat starches, sugar, or sweet fruits such as raisins, dates, and figs with meats or fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons, apples, pears, peaches, etc.
8. Avoid fried foods, gravies, hot sauces, and black pepper.
9. Drink a lot of pure water.
10. Do not eat late at night.
11. Young people, remember that a good complexion does not come out of a jar or a bottle, but out of your stomach. A healthy outside comes from a healthy inside.
12. Take a good fast walk every day, concentrating on breathing deeply. It's better to walk early in the morning when things are fresh and you get your purest air.
13. Wear the most comfortable shoes if you want healthy feet.
14. Do not wear clothes that interfere with the circulation.
15. Do not be afraid of sunshine. There is healing in it.
16. Try to be asleep by ten o'clock and not later than eleven. One hour before midnight is worth two after midnight.
17. Do not be deceived either by the advertisements or by the great intellects. Good food and good health habits really work. Find out what your body needs and faithfully provide it.
18. Don't compare money or time with health. Health is priceless.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - 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.
How To Do It: This exercise is very simple to execute but is extremely effective. 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.
Common Errors: 1. Relaxing the abdomen: This will compromise the stability of your lower back and could potentially lead to injury. Be absolutely sure to keep your abdominal area tight throughout the entire rotation.
2. Hunching over: Make sure you maintain an upright torso position. Hunching over can also lead to lower back strain.
3. Rotating too fast: This exercise should be performed slowly and under complete control at all times. Rotating quickly to the other side could seriously torque the lower back. This ultimately defeats the purpose of the exercise all together, which is placing tension on the rotating and supporting muscles of the midsection.
Tricks: 1. Increasing the resistance during the set The typical way to increase resistance would be to use a bigger dumbell. There is, however, a way you can adjust the resistance on your abs during the set itself. This is accomplished by simply adjusting where you hold the dumbell. Holding the dumbell in close to your body will put the least torque on the muscles. Extending your arms away from your body will increase the torque on your muscles.
2. Kneeling: This exercise can also be done on the floor in a kneeling position. Set the dumbell on end on the ground immediately beside you. Turn your body, reach down and pick up the dumbell, then rotate your body around to the other side. The effect of the exercise is essentially the same. Only the angle of pull on your abdominal area is different.
3. The Pause: If you want to make your rectus abdominus (the front six-pack ab muscles) scream, try stopping your rotation halfway through the movement. You should be facing forward. Hold the weight out in front of you for as long as you can then continue the rotation.
4. Hold a barbell plate: For a different kind of resistance or if you don’t have a dumbell to use for this, you can also hold onto a barbell plate. The only limitation then is the size of the barbell plate - you most likely won’t want to hold more than one plate at a time.
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.
How To Do It: This exercise is very simple to execute but is extremely effective. 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.
Common Errors: 1. Relaxing the abdomen: This will compromise the stability of your lower back and could potentially lead to injury. Be absolutely sure to keep your abdominal area tight throughout the entire rotation.
2. Hunching over: Make sure you maintain an upright torso position. Hunching over can also lead to lower back strain.
3. Rotating too fast: This exercise should be performed slowly and under complete control at all times. Rotating quickly to the other side could seriously torque the lower back. This ultimately defeats the purpose of the exercise all together, which is placing tension on the rotating and supporting muscles of the midsection.
Tricks: 1. Increasing the resistance during the set The typical way to increase resistance would be to use a bigger dumbell. There is, however, a way you can adjust the resistance on your abs during the set itself. This is accomplished by simply adjusting where you hold the dumbell. Holding the dumbell in close to your body will put the least torque on the muscles. Extending your arms away from your body will increase the torque on your muscles.
2. Kneeling: This exercise can also be done on the floor in a kneeling position. Set the dumbell on end on the ground immediately beside you. Turn your body, reach down and pick up the dumbell, then rotate your body around to the other side. The effect of the exercise is essentially the same. Only the angle of pull on your abdominal area is different.
3. The Pause: If you want to make your rectus abdominus (the front six-pack ab muscles) scream, try stopping your rotation halfway through the movement. You should be facing forward. Hold the weight out in front of you for as long as you can then continue the rotation.
4. Hold a barbell plate: For a different kind of resistance or if you don’t have a dumbell to use for this, you can also hold onto a barbell plate. The only limitation then is the size of the barbell plate - you most likely won’t want to hold more than one plate at a time.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Pushdowns Crunches:
If you’re looking for an extremely intense contraction in the upper abs against resistance, this exercise is what you need. It places the majority of its tension on the abs in their most contracted position.
It also hits the abs with a pushing movement rather than a pulling movement, giving it a VERY unique action on the midsection.
How To Do It: This exercise is performed very much like a cable crunch combined with a pushdown. Set up this exercise by clipping a bar attachment onto a high pulley.
Stand in position as you normally would for a pushdown. Get the bar to the bottom of the regular pushdown position.
Lean forward into the cable, pushing your torso into the cable, setting your head either to the left or right side of the cable so that the cable is running down one side of your neck. This will allow you keep your body closer to the line of resistance, minimizing torque on the lower back. Lock the elbows, and arch your back a little for the start position. From this point, keep your arms fully extended and locked out straight down then just try and push the bar right down to the floor or as close to it as you can get.
Bend at the waist and the knees as you come down and push it hard. Squeeze your abs hard at the bottom. Be sure not to move your feet while doing the exercise to get the best contraction. Get the negative as you let your body come up slowly, fighting the weight on the way up.
Switch the side of your head that cable is on every two or three reps to balance the tension on your abs.
Common Errors: 1. Not coming down far enough It’s important to try and push the bar if not all the way to the floor, at least as close to it as you can. The further down you can get the bar, the better the contraction you’ll get on the abs.
2. Not locking the elbows This exercise, while having the word "pushdown" in it, has really nothing to do with a tricep pushdown. Once you’re at the bottom of the pushdown, lock your elbows and push to the ground using your abs.
3. Standing too far away from the pulley If you stand too far back, the line of pull of the resistance will be at too much of an angle rather than straight down. This will put unnecessary torque on the lower back while not substantially increasing the effectiveness of the exercise.
4. Letting the weight up too quickly Be sure to take the movement slowly on the way up. Rather than just releasing the tension and allowing the weight to pull your body up quickly, try to slow it down and control the weight.
5. Not putting your head to one side of the cable For this exercise to be most effective and least stressful on the lower back, you need to let the cable run down the side of your neck. If you just keep the cable in front of you, it puts torque on your lower back when you start to get into heavier weights. Also, be sure to switch sides every few reps to get a balanced workload on the abs.
Tricks: 1. Hitting the sides Use a single handle instead of a regular bar. When you push it down, bring it down to the opposing foot. This will strongly hit the obliques. When you get near the floor, you can go in front or behind the foot (experiment to see which works better for you). You can either switch hands after a few reps or you can do an entire set on one side then an entire set on the other side.
2. Do a small pulsing movement at the bottom When you’ve pushed the bar close to the floor and finished the downward movement, let it up a few inches then push it back down. Repeat this a few times with a short pulsing movement to really peak the contraction on the abs.
3. Wear a dip belt to hold yourself down If you find you’re able to use more weight for your abs on this exercise than you’re able to get into position easily because your upper body isn’t heavy enough, this trick will instantly increase your bodyweight and anchor you down, allowing you to use far more weight on the exercise with better form.
4. Use a short, powerful push as you get near the bottom. You can use a little momentum and give a short, powerful push as you get near the bottom in order to get the bar further down with heavier weight. When you’ve got it further down, don’t let it pop back up. Try your best to hold it down and only let it up slowly to take full advantage of the short push.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/absanatomy.html
If you’re looking for an extremely intense contraction in the upper abs against resistance, this exercise is what you need. It places the majority of its tension on the abs in their most contracted position.
It also hits the abs with a pushing movement rather than a pulling movement, giving it a VERY unique action on the midsection.
How To Do It: This exercise is performed very much like a cable crunch combined with a pushdown. Set up this exercise by clipping a bar attachment onto a high pulley.
Stand in position as you normally would for a pushdown. Get the bar to the bottom of the regular pushdown position.
Lean forward into the cable, pushing your torso into the cable, setting your head either to the left or right side of the cable so that the cable is running down one side of your neck. This will allow you keep your body closer to the line of resistance, minimizing torque on the lower back. Lock the elbows, and arch your back a little for the start position. From this point, keep your arms fully extended and locked out straight down then just try and push the bar right down to the floor or as close to it as you can get.
Bend at the waist and the knees as you come down and push it hard. Squeeze your abs hard at the bottom. Be sure not to move your feet while doing the exercise to get the best contraction. Get the negative as you let your body come up slowly, fighting the weight on the way up.
Switch the side of your head that cable is on every two or three reps to balance the tension on your abs.
Common Errors: 1. Not coming down far enough It’s important to try and push the bar if not all the way to the floor, at least as close to it as you can. The further down you can get the bar, the better the contraction you’ll get on the abs.
2. Not locking the elbows This exercise, while having the word "pushdown" in it, has really nothing to do with a tricep pushdown. Once you’re at the bottom of the pushdown, lock your elbows and push to the ground using your abs.
3. Standing too far away from the pulley If you stand too far back, the line of pull of the resistance will be at too much of an angle rather than straight down. This will put unnecessary torque on the lower back while not substantially increasing the effectiveness of the exercise.
4. Letting the weight up too quickly Be sure to take the movement slowly on the way up. Rather than just releasing the tension and allowing the weight to pull your body up quickly, try to slow it down and control the weight.
5. Not putting your head to one side of the cable For this exercise to be most effective and least stressful on the lower back, you need to let the cable run down the side of your neck. If you just keep the cable in front of you, it puts torque on your lower back when you start to get into heavier weights. Also, be sure to switch sides every few reps to get a balanced workload on the abs.
Tricks: 1. Hitting the sides Use a single handle instead of a regular bar. When you push it down, bring it down to the opposing foot. This will strongly hit the obliques. When you get near the floor, you can go in front or behind the foot (experiment to see which works better for you). You can either switch hands after a few reps or you can do an entire set on one side then an entire set on the other side.
2. Do a small pulsing movement at the bottom When you’ve pushed the bar close to the floor and finished the downward movement, let it up a few inches then push it back down. Repeat this a few times with a short pulsing movement to really peak the contraction on the abs.
3. Wear a dip belt to hold yourself down If you find you’re able to use more weight for your abs on this exercise than you’re able to get into position easily because your upper body isn’t heavy enough, this trick will instantly increase your bodyweight and anchor you down, allowing you to use far more weight on the exercise with better form.
4. Use a short, powerful push as you get near the bottom. You can use a little momentum and give a short, powerful push as you get near the bottom in order to get the bar further down with heavier weight. When you’ve got it further down, don’t let it pop back up. Try your best to hold it down and only let it up slowly to take full advantage of the short push.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/absanatomy.html
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Chromium:
Chromium is a mineral the body needs in only small amounts, but it's important to human nutrition.
Although it has principally been studied for improving blood sugar control in people with diabetes, chromium has also been tried for reducing total weight and body fat percentage, with some success.
Both of these potential benefits involve chromium's effects on insulin.
Before we can explain how chromium may help, we need to provide some background information on how the body controls it's blood sugar levels.
The body needs a constant level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. When you digest a carbohydrate meal, glucose levels rise. Protein meals have the same effect, although to a lesser extent.
Your body responds by secreting insulin. Insulin causes the cells of your body to absorb glucose out of the blood, thereby reducing circulating blood sugar.
Once cells have taken in glucose, they can burn it for energy or convert it to a storage form. Liver and muscle cells can store a limited amount of glucose as glycogen. Fat cells can convert unlimited amounts of glucose into energy stored as fat.
The process also goes the opposite way.
When your body has used up the food from its last meal, blood glucose levels drop. Just as the body doesn't like it when glucose levels are too high, low glucose levels also cause problems.
So your body applies its control mechanisms to raise blood sugar levels. It does so by reducing its output of insulin, and also by raising levels of another hormone called glucagon.
The net effect is that energy storage depots are mobilized. Glycogen is converted back into glucose. In addition, fat cells release their contents into the bloodstream to supply an alternate energy source.
In summary, high insulin levels build fat, while low insulin levels break down fat.
Based on this push-pull effect, if you want to lose weight you'd probably rather keep your insulin levels low.
Dieting is the most obvious method of reducing insulin. When you don't take in enough calories to supply your body's daily needs, insulin levels fall and your body breaks down fat cells.
Exercising is another method; by increasing your body's energy requirements, exercise causes insulin levels to fall and fat cells to break down.
But it's difficult to consistently use more energy than you take in. Hunger takes over, and you start wanting to eat. If there were some way to trigger fat breakdown without going hungry, it would make weight loss much easier.
There's another important connection between insulin and weight to consider. Individuals who weigh too much often develop insulin resistance. In this condition, certain cells of the body become less sensitive to insulin. The body senses this, and increases insulin production until it overcomes the resistance.
It is possible that fat cells respond to these increased levels of insulin by storing even more fat.
Chromium is thought to improve the body's responsiveness to insulin. Combining this fact with the insulin–weight connections just described, some researchers have proposed that chromium may assist in decreasing weight or improving body composition (the ratio of fatty tissue to lean tissue).
Their main argument goes like this: chromium increases insulin sensitivity. This causes levels of insulin to fall. With reduced amounts of insulin in the blood, fat cells are less inclined to store fat, and weight loss may become easier.
In addition, there is some evidence that chromium partially blocks insulin's effects on fat cells, interfering with its fat-building effect.This could also promote weight loss.
Insulin resistance, in other words, might be a natural method of keeping the lid on weight gain. Chromium supplements might have the undesired effect of increasing the ability of fat cells to respond to insulin, helping them store fat better.
However, theory only takes one so far.
It is more important to review the results of studies in which people were given chromium supplements to reduce their weight.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/chromium.html
Chromium is a mineral the body needs in only small amounts, but it's important to human nutrition.
Although it has principally been studied for improving blood sugar control in people with diabetes, chromium has also been tried for reducing total weight and body fat percentage, with some success.
Both of these potential benefits involve chromium's effects on insulin.
Before we can explain how chromium may help, we need to provide some background information on how the body controls it's blood sugar levels.
The body needs a constant level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. When you digest a carbohydrate meal, glucose levels rise. Protein meals have the same effect, although to a lesser extent.
Your body responds by secreting insulin. Insulin causes the cells of your body to absorb glucose out of the blood, thereby reducing circulating blood sugar.
Once cells have taken in glucose, they can burn it for energy or convert it to a storage form. Liver and muscle cells can store a limited amount of glucose as glycogen. Fat cells can convert unlimited amounts of glucose into energy stored as fat.
The process also goes the opposite way.
When your body has used up the food from its last meal, blood glucose levels drop. Just as the body doesn't like it when glucose levels are too high, low glucose levels also cause problems.
So your body applies its control mechanisms to raise blood sugar levels. It does so by reducing its output of insulin, and also by raising levels of another hormone called glucagon.
The net effect is that energy storage depots are mobilized. Glycogen is converted back into glucose. In addition, fat cells release their contents into the bloodstream to supply an alternate energy source.
In summary, high insulin levels build fat, while low insulin levels break down fat.
Based on this push-pull effect, if you want to lose weight you'd probably rather keep your insulin levels low.
Dieting is the most obvious method of reducing insulin. When you don't take in enough calories to supply your body's daily needs, insulin levels fall and your body breaks down fat cells.
Exercising is another method; by increasing your body's energy requirements, exercise causes insulin levels to fall and fat cells to break down.
But it's difficult to consistently use more energy than you take in. Hunger takes over, and you start wanting to eat. If there were some way to trigger fat breakdown without going hungry, it would make weight loss much easier.
There's another important connection between insulin and weight to consider. Individuals who weigh too much often develop insulin resistance. In this condition, certain cells of the body become less sensitive to insulin. The body senses this, and increases insulin production until it overcomes the resistance.
It is possible that fat cells respond to these increased levels of insulin by storing even more fat.
Chromium is thought to improve the body's responsiveness to insulin. Combining this fact with the insulin–weight connections just described, some researchers have proposed that chromium may assist in decreasing weight or improving body composition (the ratio of fatty tissue to lean tissue).
Their main argument goes like this: chromium increases insulin sensitivity. This causes levels of insulin to fall. With reduced amounts of insulin in the blood, fat cells are less inclined to store fat, and weight loss may become easier.
In addition, there is some evidence that chromium partially blocks insulin's effects on fat cells, interfering with its fat-building effect.This could also promote weight loss.
Insulin resistance, in other words, might be a natural method of keeping the lid on weight gain. Chromium supplements might have the undesired effect of increasing the ability of fat cells to respond to insulin, helping them store fat better.
However, theory only takes one so far.
It is more important to review the results of studies in which people were given chromium supplements to reduce their weight.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/chromium.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Weight Gain and Other Disorders:
The "thickening" of women's bodies and the "softening" of men's bodies are often related to excess estrogen.
When in excess, estrogen promotes the growth of estrogen sensitive tissues, leading to an increased size of adipose (fat) tissues in the waist, belly and other estrogen sensitive fat tissues.
For men, typically in the belly and chest; for women, in the belly, lower butt, upper thighs and sometimes in the back of the arms. In some cases, excess estrogen causes feminization of men's bodies with conditions such as genecomastia.
Estrogen sensitive fat tissues are also called "stubborn fat" due to their high resistance to fat burning. Generally, not even diet or exercise can help remove this estrogen sensitive tenacious fat. Excess estrogen works in a vicious cycle.
Estrogen promotes fat gain, and the enlarged fat tissue produces more estrogen within its cells, which then promotes more fat gain, and so on.
The only solution is to attack the core of the problem, which is excess estrogen. Excess estrogen can lead into overgrowth of other estrogen sensitive tissues such as the lining of the endometrium (endometriosis), or ovarian fibroids in women, and the enlargement of the prostate gland in men. If untreated, such conditions can lead into cancer.
Considering all of the above, it becomes evidently clear that we're living today under an ever-growing risk to get fatter and sicker due to estrogenic chemicals and other factors that contribute to excess estrogens.
The "thickening" of women's bodies and the "softening" of men's bodies are often related to excess estrogen.
When in excess, estrogen promotes the growth of estrogen sensitive tissues, leading to an increased size of adipose (fat) tissues in the waist, belly and other estrogen sensitive fat tissues.
For men, typically in the belly and chest; for women, in the belly, lower butt, upper thighs and sometimes in the back of the arms. In some cases, excess estrogen causes feminization of men's bodies with conditions such as genecomastia.
Estrogen sensitive fat tissues are also called "stubborn fat" due to their high resistance to fat burning. Generally, not even diet or exercise can help remove this estrogen sensitive tenacious fat. Excess estrogen works in a vicious cycle.
Estrogen promotes fat gain, and the enlarged fat tissue produces more estrogen within its cells, which then promotes more fat gain, and so on.
The only solution is to attack the core of the problem, which is excess estrogen. Excess estrogen can lead into overgrowth of other estrogen sensitive tissues such as the lining of the endometrium (endometriosis), or ovarian fibroids in women, and the enlargement of the prostate gland in men. If untreated, such conditions can lead into cancer.
Considering all of the above, it becomes evidently clear that we're living today under an ever-growing risk to get fatter and sicker due to estrogenic chemicals and other factors that contribute to excess estrogens.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Useful Foods For Enhancing The Immune System:
Avocado - is rich in the powerful detoxifier glutathione. It is also rich in potassium and chromium,
Cranberries and blueberries - contain anthocyanins with powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. They also inhibit bacteria from attaching to the wall of the bladder, thereby stopping urinary tract infections.
Grapefruit - which is rich in lycopene, is also a good source of glutathione, the immune system master nutrient.
Red and purple grapes - may put small tumors into remission and enhance natural killer cell activity. They also inhibit oxidation, unclog arteries and reduce cholesterol, fight allergies and have anti-inflammatory properties. An extract from the grape seed, proanthocyanidin oligomers (PCO) has also shown immune-enhancing anticancer effects.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, collard greens, kale, daikon, mustard greens, etc. ) - increase levels of glutathione which is an extremely important generator of immune cells and a powerful detoxifier that eliminates carcinogens.
Broccoli contains sulphoraphane, a powerful phytonutrient that stimulates certain enzymes to deactivate cancer cells, allowing them to be digested and eliminated from the body. Sulphoraphane helps turn on helper T-cells to recognize them as invaders and tell killer cells to respond and destroy them.
Garlic -The sulfur compounds found in garlic are the basis for its immune-enhancing capabilities. Sulfur enhances the function of natural killer cells, thereby boosting the immune system's ability to fight cancerous cells and cells Infected by bacteria and viruses, garlic is also able to help the body detoxify heavy metals, especially mercury. Heavy metal toxicity is a serious burden to the immune system.
Essential Fatty Adds - Ground flaxseeds contain lignans that have been proven to have anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Yogurt - One study found that yogurt containing acidophilus eaten over several months increased gamma-interferon, an important immune-enhancing protein that prevents viruses from reproducing themselves.
Yogurt contains calcium D-glucarate which helps metabolize excess estrogen to be eliminated from the body via the liver. Excess estrogens are thought to be a factor in the promotion of breast cancer.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/immenhancement.html
Avocado - is rich in the powerful detoxifier glutathione. It is also rich in potassium and chromium,
Cranberries and blueberries - contain anthocyanins with powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. They also inhibit bacteria from attaching to the wall of the bladder, thereby stopping urinary tract infections.
Grapefruit - which is rich in lycopene, is also a good source of glutathione, the immune system master nutrient.
Red and purple grapes - may put small tumors into remission and enhance natural killer cell activity. They also inhibit oxidation, unclog arteries and reduce cholesterol, fight allergies and have anti-inflammatory properties. An extract from the grape seed, proanthocyanidin oligomers (PCO) has also shown immune-enhancing anticancer effects.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, collard greens, kale, daikon, mustard greens, etc. ) - increase levels of glutathione which is an extremely important generator of immune cells and a powerful detoxifier that eliminates carcinogens.
Broccoli contains sulphoraphane, a powerful phytonutrient that stimulates certain enzymes to deactivate cancer cells, allowing them to be digested and eliminated from the body. Sulphoraphane helps turn on helper T-cells to recognize them as invaders and tell killer cells to respond and destroy them.
Garlic -The sulfur compounds found in garlic are the basis for its immune-enhancing capabilities. Sulfur enhances the function of natural killer cells, thereby boosting the immune system's ability to fight cancerous cells and cells Infected by bacteria and viruses, garlic is also able to help the body detoxify heavy metals, especially mercury. Heavy metal toxicity is a serious burden to the immune system.
Essential Fatty Adds - Ground flaxseeds contain lignans that have been proven to have anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Yogurt - One study found that yogurt containing acidophilus eaten over several months increased gamma-interferon, an important immune-enhancing protein that prevents viruses from reproducing themselves.
Yogurt contains calcium D-glucarate which helps metabolize excess estrogen to be eliminated from the body via the liver. Excess estrogens are thought to be a factor in the promotion of breast cancer.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/immenhancement.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Detoxification:
Detoxification comes in many forms and refers to many different programs that cleanse the body of toxins. Today, our environment is toxic and the foods we eat, even the air we breathe and the water we drink is laden with chemicals foreign to our system.
Therefore, everyone is undergoing some type of detoxification to maintain life and health. Although basic detoxification begins with diet, detox programs may include nutritional fortification for the liver, lungs, kidneys, bowels and blood.
We will soon see why these organs are so important in detoxification. Detoxification for the body may refer to the cleansing of the bowels, kidneys, lungs, the liver or the blood, since these are the organs involved in detoxification of chemicals and toxins from the body. The liver acts as an "in-line" filter for the removal of foreign substances and wastes from the blood. The kidneys filter wastes from the blood into the urine, while the lungs remove volatile gases as we breathe.
Our body is designed to utilize natural substances, which includes foods, herbs and phytochemicals. Any foreign substance will serve as a stimulus to our immune system, which has the function of removing these substances.
Although the toxicity of a chemical may vary, it is the job of the liver to reduce toxins into compounds that the body can safely handle and eliminate through the kidneys (as urine), skin (as sweat), lungs (as expelled air) and bowels (as feces). Maintaining these eliminative organs in good working order is essential for one's good health to continue.
While there are many detoxification programs available, they differ in their actions and their intent. Some detoxification programs (DP) work only with the bowels, others may cleanse the liver or the blood, and others may aid the kidneys or the skin in their functions. By combining these detox programs into a total health program, one can effectively restore their health to an optimal level and look younger in the process.
When the body can eliminate toxins, then health is restored and energy and vigor are revitalized. Many different approaches to detoxification and wellness will work, even though they attack the problem at different levels. Any program that augments detoxification will improve health. Other factors must be considered in detoxification, like nutrition, water, and exercise, rest, sunshine, and fresh air.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/detoxandweightloss.html
Detoxification comes in many forms and refers to many different programs that cleanse the body of toxins. Today, our environment is toxic and the foods we eat, even the air we breathe and the water we drink is laden with chemicals foreign to our system.
Therefore, everyone is undergoing some type of detoxification to maintain life and health. Although basic detoxification begins with diet, detox programs may include nutritional fortification for the liver, lungs, kidneys, bowels and blood.
We will soon see why these organs are so important in detoxification. Detoxification for the body may refer to the cleansing of the bowels, kidneys, lungs, the liver or the blood, since these are the organs involved in detoxification of chemicals and toxins from the body. The liver acts as an "in-line" filter for the removal of foreign substances and wastes from the blood. The kidneys filter wastes from the blood into the urine, while the lungs remove volatile gases as we breathe.
Our body is designed to utilize natural substances, which includes foods, herbs and phytochemicals. Any foreign substance will serve as a stimulus to our immune system, which has the function of removing these substances.
Although the toxicity of a chemical may vary, it is the job of the liver to reduce toxins into compounds that the body can safely handle and eliminate through the kidneys (as urine), skin (as sweat), lungs (as expelled air) and bowels (as feces). Maintaining these eliminative organs in good working order is essential for one's good health to continue.
While there are many detoxification programs available, they differ in their actions and their intent. Some detoxification programs (DP) work only with the bowels, others may cleanse the liver or the blood, and others may aid the kidneys or the skin in their functions. By combining these detox programs into a total health program, one can effectively restore their health to an optimal level and look younger in the process.
When the body can eliminate toxins, then health is restored and energy and vigor are revitalized. Many different approaches to detoxification and wellness will work, even though they attack the problem at different levels. Any program that augments detoxification will improve health. Other factors must be considered in detoxification, like nutrition, water, and exercise, rest, sunshine, and fresh air.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/detoxandweightloss.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Turbulence Training:
Turbulence Training is about getting the most fat loss results in the least amount of workout time. Recent exercise research has shown us two things:
*1) Interval training is as good or better than long, slow cardio (and takes HALF the time to do).
*2) Moderately-heavy strength training is better for boosting metabolism and sculpting your body than light strength training.
The Turbulence Training cuts your exercise time in half, so that you can get more results in only three 45-minute sessions per week.
Compare that to what most people think they have to do in order to lose weight (5 days per week of body part strength training plus 60 minutes of cardio per day). You can quickly see results, which is the desired approach.
And as an extra bonus, the Turbulence Training workouts don't require fancy muscle-building machines. You can do all of these workouts at home with a bench, an exercise ball, dumbbells, and your own body weight(and a pull-up bar if you’re strong enough).
*The Warm-up: We use three body weight exercises done in a circuit. This is a much better way to prepare for training than by walking slowly on a treadmill.
*The Strength Training Supersets: This can be as little as one brilliant superset (DB squats + DB presses) if you have only 10 minutes, or up to 4 supersets if you want to spend 30 minutes on your Turbulence Training Strength Training.
*Intervals: Bodyweight circuits, stationary bike intervals, or running on the treadmill or outside, these are just a few of the ways we can do intervals for 10-20 minutes. We don't need 40 minutes of slow cardio, or even 40 minutes of intervals.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/turbulencetraining.html
Turbulence Training is about getting the most fat loss results in the least amount of workout time. Recent exercise research has shown us two things:
*1) Interval training is as good or better than long, slow cardio (and takes HALF the time to do).
*2) Moderately-heavy strength training is better for boosting metabolism and sculpting your body than light strength training.
The Turbulence Training cuts your exercise time in half, so that you can get more results in only three 45-minute sessions per week.
Compare that to what most people think they have to do in order to lose weight (5 days per week of body part strength training plus 60 minutes of cardio per day). You can quickly see results, which is the desired approach.
And as an extra bonus, the Turbulence Training workouts don't require fancy muscle-building machines. You can do all of these workouts at home with a bench, an exercise ball, dumbbells, and your own body weight(and a pull-up bar if you’re strong enough).
*The Warm-up: We use three body weight exercises done in a circuit. This is a much better way to prepare for training than by walking slowly on a treadmill.
*The Strength Training Supersets: This can be as little as one brilliant superset (DB squats + DB presses) if you have only 10 minutes, or up to 4 supersets if you want to spend 30 minutes on your Turbulence Training Strength Training.
*Intervals: Bodyweight circuits, stationary bike intervals, or running on the treadmill or outside, these are just a few of the ways we can do intervals for 10-20 minutes. We don't need 40 minutes of slow cardio, or even 40 minutes of intervals.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/turbulencetraining.html
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Cholesterol Lowering Diets and Your Health:
One of the first things you need to do to prevent heart problems is to watch your cholesterol levels. Keep an eye on what you're eating to make sure that you are keeping those cholesterol levels down.
Think of the food you put into your body as fuel for a car. If you are putting terrible fuel into your car, your car won't run very well. If you put in top quality fuel, your car will run like a dream.
Your body works the same way.To lower your cholesterol levels, eat plenty of vegetables and grains. Stay away from saturated fats and trans fats whenever possible.
Cut down on fast food trips and make an extra visit at the salad bar instead. Try to include tasty treats with your salad to give you that extra flavor edge. Adding seeds and unsalted nuts can make a boring salad into something wonderful, but avoid the bacon bits.
The best way to keep your heart healthy is through regular exercise. You can do all you want to your diet, but if you aren't keeping your body in motion, all of those dietary decisions are essentially useless.
Get regular exercise that benefits your heart. Cardiovascular exercise involves running, walking, swimming, biking and any other exercise that gets your blood pumping. You can add some small amount of cardiovascular exercise to your day by taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking to the corner store instead of driving.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/cholesterol.html
One of the first things you need to do to prevent heart problems is to watch your cholesterol levels. Keep an eye on what you're eating to make sure that you are keeping those cholesterol levels down.
Think of the food you put into your body as fuel for a car. If you are putting terrible fuel into your car, your car won't run very well. If you put in top quality fuel, your car will run like a dream.
Your body works the same way.To lower your cholesterol levels, eat plenty of vegetables and grains. Stay away from saturated fats and trans fats whenever possible.
Cut down on fast food trips and make an extra visit at the salad bar instead. Try to include tasty treats with your salad to give you that extra flavor edge. Adding seeds and unsalted nuts can make a boring salad into something wonderful, but avoid the bacon bits.
The best way to keep your heart healthy is through regular exercise. You can do all you want to your diet, but if you aren't keeping your body in motion, all of those dietary decisions are essentially useless.
Get regular exercise that benefits your heart. Cardiovascular exercise involves running, walking, swimming, biking and any other exercise that gets your blood pumping. You can add some small amount of cardiovascular exercise to your day by taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking to the corner store instead of driving.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/cholesterol.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness and Nutrition - Fresh Shellfish Can Be Enjoyed Many Ways:
Wild varieties are equally delicious. Clams are a very popular addition to pasta dishes. Hard clams, also called quahogs, live in sandy coves and can be caught when the tide is low.Fresh shellfish is a wonderful thing to eat all year round. It includes clams, scallops, mussels and more. Farm-raised cultured mussels are fresh and readily available. A great dish to enjoy with butter and garlic is stuffed quahogs.
During the summer months, fresh shellfish will take your mind off the hot weather. For a light yet delicious meal, consider an appetizer of raw or barbequed oysters. These tasty treats can be bought in most markets as well as chosen farms that specially breed them to sell. If you are lucky enough to live by a port or in a town near the ocean, you will probably find oysters easily and for a reasonable price.
The scallops are meatier than clams and require very little preparation. Sea scallops are delightfully large, though must be shucked (removed from their shells) almost immediately after capture to ensure they don't lose moisture and die. It is important not to overcook scallops, or you will end up with a chewy, inedible taste.
Mussels have blue-black shells and brown hairs called byssal threads attached to their shell. Their meat is usually an orange color and they are full of protein. As with clams, mussels taste best steamed and should remain encased in their shell until cooked.
Other fresh shellfish includes lobster and crab. Both are bigger and more substantial than their other, small shelled relatives. They are truly tasty and are a symbol of excellence in every type of cuisine. Lobster is a cuisine favorite in fancy, high-end restaurants and is the most expensive of all fresh shellfish.
Once you get down to the meaty goodness of crab legs, you will want to make this fresh shellfish part of your everyday meal planning. Crab is maybe the most popular shellfish and is widely bought and eaten. The crabbing industry is a multi-million dollar one. While eating crab can be messy and often difficult, special tools have been created to make cracking crab easier.
People are so busy and life is so fast paced it is often difficult to slow down enough to eat healthy. With processed foods all around us it is refreshing to enjoy a tasty and healthy seafood dinner on occasion. The ocean does not add harmful ingredients to its bounty.
Stay healthy by including tasty shellfish items into your busy lifestyle.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfoood.html
Wild varieties are equally delicious. Clams are a very popular addition to pasta dishes. Hard clams, also called quahogs, live in sandy coves and can be caught when the tide is low.Fresh shellfish is a wonderful thing to eat all year round. It includes clams, scallops, mussels and more. Farm-raised cultured mussels are fresh and readily available. A great dish to enjoy with butter and garlic is stuffed quahogs.
During the summer months, fresh shellfish will take your mind off the hot weather. For a light yet delicious meal, consider an appetizer of raw or barbequed oysters. These tasty treats can be bought in most markets as well as chosen farms that specially breed them to sell. If you are lucky enough to live by a port or in a town near the ocean, you will probably find oysters easily and for a reasonable price.
The scallops are meatier than clams and require very little preparation. Sea scallops are delightfully large, though must be shucked (removed from their shells) almost immediately after capture to ensure they don't lose moisture and die. It is important not to overcook scallops, or you will end up with a chewy, inedible taste.
Mussels have blue-black shells and brown hairs called byssal threads attached to their shell. Their meat is usually an orange color and they are full of protein. As with clams, mussels taste best steamed and should remain encased in their shell until cooked.
Other fresh shellfish includes lobster and crab. Both are bigger and more substantial than their other, small shelled relatives. They are truly tasty and are a symbol of excellence in every type of cuisine. Lobster is a cuisine favorite in fancy, high-end restaurants and is the most expensive of all fresh shellfish.
Once you get down to the meaty goodness of crab legs, you will want to make this fresh shellfish part of your everyday meal planning. Crab is maybe the most popular shellfish and is widely bought and eaten. The crabbing industry is a multi-million dollar one. While eating crab can be messy and often difficult, special tools have been created to make cracking crab easier.
People are so busy and life is so fast paced it is often difficult to slow down enough to eat healthy. With processed foods all around us it is refreshing to enjoy a tasty and healthy seafood dinner on occasion. The ocean does not add harmful ingredients to its bounty.
Stay healthy by including tasty shellfish items into your busy lifestyle.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfoood.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips- Healthy Habits:
Eating right is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. Now according to many of today’s marketing ploys, you could be eating anything and it’s considered “healthy”. Low-fat, low-carb, no-carb…what’s the best.
Well, I think if you just use common sense, you’ll know what a healthy diet is. If you can, shop at the natural food store, as this is usually the healthiest food. Stick to the food guide pyramid and get some variety.
One of the biggest factors is how often you eat. All of our lives we’ve been taught to eat three big meals. However, recent studies have shown that this isn’t necessarily best for us. If you can, try eating 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This keeps your metabolism working constantly and will burn more calories. This approach is pretty obvious when you think about it.
When you only eat big portions a few times per day, your body thinks it will be awhile until it gets food again. Therefore, it stores some of the food away for a rainy day. If you eat more frequently, your body thinks more food will be coming soon. Less fat is stored as a result of this.
Another habit that healthy people perform is taking supplements. Vitamins can give you that extra boost that you don’t get through your diet. Chances are, even if you’re trying to eat healthy, you miss something that you need. A good multivitamin will solve that.
Healthy people generally get a good amount of sleep every night. Your body was designed to rest every night. It will work better for you if you let it. Six to eight hours is optimal. When you go to sleep, clear your mind of everything else. A busy mind will keep you awake and not let you sleep as deeply. Just try to forget the day and rest. You’ll feel much better.
One habit that nearly all highly healthy people have in common is their attitude. Good mental health is synonymous with good physical health. You can’t be depressed all the time and be healthy. Control your attitude and control your health.
Try to put some of these habits into your routine. You’ll be glad you did.
Eating right is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. Now according to many of today’s marketing ploys, you could be eating anything and it’s considered “healthy”. Low-fat, low-carb, no-carb…what’s the best.
Well, I think if you just use common sense, you’ll know what a healthy diet is. If you can, shop at the natural food store, as this is usually the healthiest food. Stick to the food guide pyramid and get some variety.
One of the biggest factors is how often you eat. All of our lives we’ve been taught to eat three big meals. However, recent studies have shown that this isn’t necessarily best for us. If you can, try eating 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This keeps your metabolism working constantly and will burn more calories. This approach is pretty obvious when you think about it.
When you only eat big portions a few times per day, your body thinks it will be awhile until it gets food again. Therefore, it stores some of the food away for a rainy day. If you eat more frequently, your body thinks more food will be coming soon. Less fat is stored as a result of this.
Another habit that healthy people perform is taking supplements. Vitamins can give you that extra boost that you don’t get through your diet. Chances are, even if you’re trying to eat healthy, you miss something that you need. A good multivitamin will solve that.
Healthy people generally get a good amount of sleep every night. Your body was designed to rest every night. It will work better for you if you let it. Six to eight hours is optimal. When you go to sleep, clear your mind of everything else. A busy mind will keep you awake and not let you sleep as deeply. Just try to forget the day and rest. You’ll feel much better.
One habit that nearly all highly healthy people have in common is their attitude. Good mental health is synonymous with good physical health. You can’t be depressed all the time and be healthy. Control your attitude and control your health.
Try to put some of these habits into your routine. You’ll be glad you did.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Losing fat cannot be accomplished without hard work:
If someone is eating poorly and not exercising, then
they can often begin losing fat very quickly and easily,
relative to their previous disappointing results.
All they have to do is improve their nutrition and
exercise habits and a quantum leap can often be made.
With that distinction made, let me state that 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 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.
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
bodybuilders and fitness models, have worked very hard for
a very long time to get where they are.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com
If someone is eating poorly and not exercising, then
they can often begin losing fat very quickly and easily,
relative to their previous disappointing results.
All they have to do is improve their nutrition and
exercise habits and a quantum leap can often be made.
With that distinction made, let me state that 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 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.
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
bodybuilders and fitness models, have worked very hard for
a very long time to get where they are.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - A Split Fitness Routine:
A full body routine performed three days per week is probably the best way for a beginner to start weight training.
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. 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:
*Work each muscle more thoroughly and more deeply into the fibers
*Work the entire muscle group; for example, front deltoid, side deltoid AND rear deltoid
*Concentrate on each muscle more instead of spreading your attention out
*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.
A full body routine performed three days per week is probably the best way for a beginner to start weight training.
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. 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:
*Work each muscle more thoroughly and more deeply into the fibers
*Work the entire muscle group; for example, front deltoid, side deltoid AND rear deltoid
*Concentrate on each muscle more instead of spreading your attention out
*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.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips:
If we possess good health, then we have a quality life. And the best way to keep your health in a perfect state is to follow different health and fitness programs.
And what is more - researchers and experts in health, fitness, and medicine now advice exercises that would be practiced on a regular basis, as important for achieving and maintaining good health.
Unfortunately to be in good fit is not enough to be healthy, and no matter that fitness exercises play an important role in getting healthier.
Fitness is only a firm basis for living a quality life that helps you to make one whole something out of your separate mind and body.
While you are making efforts working out and getting healthier, you are discovering new individuality inside you.
You may be curious about how much exercise exactly should you do every day to achieve good enough health and fitness level? Let us pretend that you are concerned only about living longer.
Some researches showed us that people who do minimal amount of fitness exercise (like walking 30 minutes a day regularly) have almost 3 times less chances of premature death than those people who had absolutely no regular exercise.
In order to lower the risk of premature death from cancer, heart diseases and other health-related causes it is strongly suggested to make at least small amount of health and fitness exercises daily. And imagine what health you could possess if you'd had moderate exercise intensity?
Actually the purpose of exercise is to live not longer, but better life. People that work out in order to maintain good health and fitness level have much more energy to carry out daily routine.
They also sleep better, eat without being worried about gaining extra weight, improve their performance in a favorite games, sport, at work or in a pastime. In other words they really enjoy this feeling of being physically fit and possessing good health.
Our body is made for action and can not handle sitting all day round. In order to gain some energy we need to use energy.
So if you want to have healthy and fit body you'd better take in consideration all those statements and truths listed above. And remember - fitness is not getting by in life, but it is about living to your fullest capacity.
Only healthy and physically fit organism may work at its full potential. Health and fit people really tend to feel and think good about themselves and those who surround them.
If we possess good health, then we have a quality life. And the best way to keep your health in a perfect state is to follow different health and fitness programs.
And what is more - researchers and experts in health, fitness, and medicine now advice exercises that would be practiced on a regular basis, as important for achieving and maintaining good health.
Unfortunately to be in good fit is not enough to be healthy, and no matter that fitness exercises play an important role in getting healthier.
Fitness is only a firm basis for living a quality life that helps you to make one whole something out of your separate mind and body.
While you are making efforts working out and getting healthier, you are discovering new individuality inside you.
You may be curious about how much exercise exactly should you do every day to achieve good enough health and fitness level? Let us pretend that you are concerned only about living longer.
Some researches showed us that people who do minimal amount of fitness exercise (like walking 30 minutes a day regularly) have almost 3 times less chances of premature death than those people who had absolutely no regular exercise.
In order to lower the risk of premature death from cancer, heart diseases and other health-related causes it is strongly suggested to make at least small amount of health and fitness exercises daily. And imagine what health you could possess if you'd had moderate exercise intensity?
Actually the purpose of exercise is to live not longer, but better life. People that work out in order to maintain good health and fitness level have much more energy to carry out daily routine.
They also sleep better, eat without being worried about gaining extra weight, improve their performance in a favorite games, sport, at work or in a pastime. In other words they really enjoy this feeling of being physically fit and possessing good health.
Our body is made for action and can not handle sitting all day round. In order to gain some energy we need to use energy.
So if you want to have healthy and fit body you'd better take in consideration all those statements and truths listed above. And remember - fitness is not getting by in life, but it is about living to your fullest capacity.
Only healthy and physically fit organism may work at its full potential. Health and fit people really tend to feel and think good about themselves and those who surround them.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness and Exercise Tips - Exercise ball :
The exercise ball is a perfect tool for strengthening so called hard-to-get-to spine muscles. It is also good for improving your balance and overall coordination.
Before starting exercise program you should choose an exercise ball for yourself. Exercises balls have four basic sizes and should be purchased according to your body height.
First of all the exercise ball must be inflated to the point where it becomes firm, however it must have some "give to it. Do not fill your ball until it becomes hard. This "give" is quite necessary to contour to your body shape.
The other thing is that you should give your ball few days to expand to his average full size. Because when the ball is first time inflated it will be a bit smaller that the maximum diameter size. So measure the ball from top to bottom to see whether it is already large enough for your height.
Almost all exercises with a ball demand your knees and hips to be bent at 90 degrees. And keep in mind that all the exercise balls have their own weight limit too.
For your safety during exercise work out program on the ball you should know few things, so called "safety tips".
First of all - these exercises are designed for those people that are in good health, so if you have troubles with that you'd better consult your doctor.
Anyway, you should warm up about 5-10 minutes, so that your heart could start working properly. Start slowly and carefully, because almost all of the exercise demand much more strength and balance than it seems.
It is obvious that you should breathe deeply and slowly. Try not to combine stretching and twisting the spine exercise with bouncing.
Start from the easiest exercise and follow the instructions in the manual or listen to the instructor. Only after polishing these basic movements proceed with the more difficult ball exercises.
If you start experiencing pain, dizziness, cramping or maybe any other symptoms or complaints while working out with the exercise ball - immediately stop what you are doing and consult your instructor or doctor.
The exercise ball is a perfect tool for strengthening so called hard-to-get-to spine muscles. It is also good for improving your balance and overall coordination.
Before starting exercise program you should choose an exercise ball for yourself. Exercises balls have four basic sizes and should be purchased according to your body height.
First of all the exercise ball must be inflated to the point where it becomes firm, however it must have some "give to it. Do not fill your ball until it becomes hard. This "give" is quite necessary to contour to your body shape.
The other thing is that you should give your ball few days to expand to his average full size. Because when the ball is first time inflated it will be a bit smaller that the maximum diameter size. So measure the ball from top to bottom to see whether it is already large enough for your height.
Almost all exercises with a ball demand your knees and hips to be bent at 90 degrees. And keep in mind that all the exercise balls have their own weight limit too.
For your safety during exercise work out program on the ball you should know few things, so called "safety tips".
First of all - these exercises are designed for those people that are in good health, so if you have troubles with that you'd better consult your doctor.
Anyway, you should warm up about 5-10 minutes, so that your heart could start working properly. Start slowly and carefully, because almost all of the exercise demand much more strength and balance than it seems.
It is obvious that you should breathe deeply and slowly. Try not to combine stretching and twisting the spine exercise with bouncing.
Start from the easiest exercise and follow the instructions in the manual or listen to the instructor. Only after polishing these basic movements proceed with the more difficult ball exercises.
If you start experiencing pain, dizziness, cramping or maybe any other symptoms or complaints while working out with the exercise ball - immediately stop what you are doing and consult your instructor or doctor.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Increase Your Fitness and Burn Body Fat with Cycling:
Benefits of Cycling for Fitness and Fat Burning:
Cycling can offer benefits for both fitness and fat burning. You can vary your programs so that you can either alternate between fitness and fat burning or a program that includes both.
It really depends on your health and fitness goals and what you want to achieve from your cycling program.
Outdoor cycling can include cycle tracks in forests and parks to cycle ways within your town or city along beaches or major roads and free ways. You can take the family cycling or use your cycling program as some "time out" for yourself away from work and other pressures you may be experiencing at that moment in time.
Indoor cycling also offers some exciting opportunities as well. With "spin" and other cycle classes being extremely popular, and lots of fun, to just being able to control your own training programs from within the privacy of your own home.
Cycling indoors or outdoors is a great way to keep fit and burn off those extra calories. Cycling 3-4 times per week will make a difference in the way you look, feel as well increasing your self esteem.
You don't need to cycle for hours on end, 20 - 30 mins is sufficient and sometimes less when you are first starting out.
Choose a program to suit your health and fitness needs and you'll be on your way!
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/bikes.html
Benefits of Cycling for Fitness and Fat Burning:
Cycling can offer benefits for both fitness and fat burning. You can vary your programs so that you can either alternate between fitness and fat burning or a program that includes both.
It really depends on your health and fitness goals and what you want to achieve from your cycling program.
Outdoor cycling can include cycle tracks in forests and parks to cycle ways within your town or city along beaches or major roads and free ways. You can take the family cycling or use your cycling program as some "time out" for yourself away from work and other pressures you may be experiencing at that moment in time.
Indoor cycling also offers some exciting opportunities as well. With "spin" and other cycle classes being extremely popular, and lots of fun, to just being able to control your own training programs from within the privacy of your own home.
Cycling indoors or outdoors is a great way to keep fit and burn off those extra calories. Cycling 3-4 times per week will make a difference in the way you look, feel as well increasing your self esteem.
You don't need to cycle for hours on end, 20 - 30 mins is sufficient and sometimes less when you are first starting out.
Choose a program to suit your health and fitness needs and you'll be on your way!
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/bikes.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness and Low-Fat Eating Program:
*Reduce your fat content in your meals.
*Do not cook with oil, use a low fat cooking spray instead
*Reduce, and I mean really cut back, on your fried foods
*Reduce your margarine and butter usage to only a small amount or none at all
*Increase lean protein (to help feed your muscles and support repair and growth)
*Eat fresh salads and veggies
*Towards the end of the day reduce your intake of carbs like potato, rice, pasta, cereals and bread. Still include them in your meals towards the beginning of the day but don't pig out on them - and consume the brown ones rather than the white ones. Try to fill up on green veggies and protein instead.
*Don't use fatty gravies on your meals or meat, use very low oil or no oil gravies instead
*Don't use oily salad dressings, go for low oil or no oil with them as well.
*Check the fat content on the labels of tins and cans
*Cut all the fat off your meat and grill it.
*Eat 5-6 meals smaller regular meals per day rather than having one or two large meals per day.
*Always have breakfast!
*Have one day off your eating program per week. That doesn't mean you've got the green pass to go to "all you can eat" breakfasts, lunch and dinners all day either. It just means go and treat yourself to a meal or brunch etc.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
*Reduce your fat content in your meals.
*Do not cook with oil, use a low fat cooking spray instead
*Reduce, and I mean really cut back, on your fried foods
*Reduce your margarine and butter usage to only a small amount or none at all
*Increase lean protein (to help feed your muscles and support repair and growth)
*Eat fresh salads and veggies
*Towards the end of the day reduce your intake of carbs like potato, rice, pasta, cereals and bread. Still include them in your meals towards the beginning of the day but don't pig out on them - and consume the brown ones rather than the white ones. Try to fill up on green veggies and protein instead.
*Don't use fatty gravies on your meals or meat, use very low oil or no oil gravies instead
*Don't use oily salad dressings, go for low oil or no oil with them as well.
*Check the fat content on the labels of tins and cans
*Cut all the fat off your meat and grill it.
*Eat 5-6 meals smaller regular meals per day rather than having one or two large meals per day.
*Always have breakfast!
*Have one day off your eating program per week. That doesn't mean you've got the green pass to go to "all you can eat" breakfasts, lunch and dinners all day either. It just means go and treat yourself to a meal or brunch etc.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercises For Abdominal Muscles:
*Train your lower abdominals first.
*Breath out as you crunch up.
*If you have your hands behind your neck, make sure you keep your elbows back, and crunch up using your shoulders. (This will help prevent neck soreness).
*Keep your lower back pushed into the floor or bench. I know that some people don't agree with this but unless you are advanced, and have sufficient abdominal and lower back strength, or have a personal trainer or exercise therapist that is spotting you and can ensure that you're performing the exercise safely, you shouldn't be performing exercises that encourage you to excessively arch your back.
*Exercises like this are not for "newbies" that are just starting out training their abdominals.If you're on your own and find in general that your back arches considerably when performing just basic ab exercises then keep your knees bent and closer to your body so that your lower back is pushing into the floor or bench.
*Don't overtrain your abs. Three quality training sessions per week is ample.
Remember muscle needs recovery time to grow. It's muscle growth that increases your muscle in your midsection. Overtraining will actually deplete the muscle instead of increasing it. So that you can focus on your ab exercises perform them on your cardio days or on non-weight training days.
*Don't go overboard with perfroming loads of repetitions.
Rather than trying to achieve 5 x 100 crunches per exercise, hold for a count of 2-5, each rep you perform using 4-5 x 12 burning reps. This will get you better results.
*Don' t just train your abs. You need to be performing a full-body program rather than only concentrating on your abdominal region. Direct your attention to training each body part so that you can a achieve a "toned and firm look" all over.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/ab.html
*Train your lower abdominals first.
*Breath out as you crunch up.
*If you have your hands behind your neck, make sure you keep your elbows back, and crunch up using your shoulders. (This will help prevent neck soreness).
*Keep your lower back pushed into the floor or bench. I know that some people don't agree with this but unless you are advanced, and have sufficient abdominal and lower back strength, or have a personal trainer or exercise therapist that is spotting you and can ensure that you're performing the exercise safely, you shouldn't be performing exercises that encourage you to excessively arch your back.
*Exercises like this are not for "newbies" that are just starting out training their abdominals.If you're on your own and find in general that your back arches considerably when performing just basic ab exercises then keep your knees bent and closer to your body so that your lower back is pushing into the floor or bench.
*Don't overtrain your abs. Three quality training sessions per week is ample.
Remember muscle needs recovery time to grow. It's muscle growth that increases your muscle in your midsection. Overtraining will actually deplete the muscle instead of increasing it. So that you can focus on your ab exercises perform them on your cardio days or on non-weight training days.
*Don't go overboard with perfroming loads of repetitions.
Rather than trying to achieve 5 x 100 crunches per exercise, hold for a count of 2-5, each rep you perform using 4-5 x 12 burning reps. This will get you better results.
*Don' t just train your abs. You need to be performing a full-body program rather than only concentrating on your abdominal region. Direct your attention to training each body part so that you can a achieve a "toned and firm look" all over.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/ab.html
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise Basic Plank:
Lying face down, prop yourself up on your elbows and toes.
Make sure your palms down and facing forward and your belly button is gently drawn in.
Elbows should be directly under your shoulder sand your eyes should be looking at the floor.
Hold this for 30 seconds.
Rest 30 seconds and repeat 5-10 times.
Try to work up to 1 minute holds.
Lying face down, prop yourself up on your elbows and toes.
Make sure your palms down and facing forward and your belly button is gently drawn in.
Elbows should be directly under your shoulder sand your eyes should be looking at the floor.
Hold this for 30 seconds.
Rest 30 seconds and repeat 5-10 times.
Try to work up to 1 minute holds.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise Speed Skater Walk:
Slowly draw your belly button in to stabilize your core.
Then stand with both feet together and knees bent to 90 degrees if you can.
Lean forward at the waist so your spine is at about 45 degree angle to the floor.
Keep your chin up and hands behind your back or tightly next to your side.
Take a big step forward with your right leg.
Let your left leg extend as much as possible.
Slowly drag the toes of your left foot up until they are even with your right foot.
As soon as this happens, step forward with the left extending your right leg.
Perform 10 strides with each leg rest a minute and repeat.
Slowly draw your belly button in to stabilize your core.
Then stand with both feet together and knees bent to 90 degrees if you can.
Lean forward at the waist so your spine is at about 45 degree angle to the floor.
Keep your chin up and hands behind your back or tightly next to your side.
Take a big step forward with your right leg.
Let your left leg extend as much as possible.
Slowly drag the toes of your left foot up until they are even with your right foot.
As soon as this happens, step forward with the left extending your right leg.
Perform 10 strides with each leg rest a minute and repeat.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise T-Push Up:
Get on the floor face down and support your weight with your toes and hands.
Your feet should be together and your palms flat on the floor a little wider then shoulder width.
Your body should form a straight line from your neck to your ankles.
Keep your head in neutral (not facing up) and draw in your belly button slightly to keep a strong core.
Slowly lower your body towards the floor.
Lower your chest to within one inch of the floor keeping good alignment.
Push yourself back up to the starting position, then twist to your right side, lifting your right arm so it's perpendicular to the floor and it forms a straight line with your torso and left arm.
Your head and eyes should follow your hand,so you are looking at up at the top hand.
Slowly lower down and perform another push up and repeat twisting to the left side.
Perform 8-10 T push ups, four to each side.
Do 2 sets of this exercise.
Get on the floor face down and support your weight with your toes and hands.
Your feet should be together and your palms flat on the floor a little wider then shoulder width.
Your body should form a straight line from your neck to your ankles.
Keep your head in neutral (not facing up) and draw in your belly button slightly to keep a strong core.
Slowly lower your body towards the floor.
Lower your chest to within one inch of the floor keeping good alignment.
Push yourself back up to the starting position, then twist to your right side, lifting your right arm so it's perpendicular to the floor and it forms a straight line with your torso and left arm.
Your head and eyes should follow your hand,so you are looking at up at the top hand.
Slowly lower down and perform another push up and repeat twisting to the left side.
Perform 8-10 T push ups, four to each side.
Do 2 sets of this exercise.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise See Saw Shoulder Press:
This exercise not only aids in a strong set of shoulders but also helps with entire body stabilization which helps prevent injuries.
Perform this exercise for 12-15 reps to each side left and right.
To perform the exercise stand with your knees slightly bent,belly button drawn in a touch, and feet shoulder width apart.
Your palms should be facing each other.
Hold the dumbbells overhead for 5-10 seconds, then slowly lower one side to shoulder level or parallel to the floor.
Pause at the bottom for 2 seconds then slowly push the weight back up.
Repeat this action with the opposite arm.
This exercise not only aids in a strong set of shoulders but also helps with entire body stabilization which helps prevent injuries.
Perform this exercise for 12-15 reps to each side left and right.
To perform the exercise stand with your knees slightly bent,belly button drawn in a touch, and feet shoulder width apart.
Your palms should be facing each other.
Hold the dumbbells overhead for 5-10 seconds, then slowly lower one side to shoulder level or parallel to the floor.
Pause at the bottom for 2 seconds then slowly push the weight back up.
Repeat this action with the opposite arm.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise for Back- Bent Knee Dead Lifts:
To perform this exercise you can use a set of dumbbells or barbell.
This exercise should be performed with strict form.
Load the barbell or grab a set of dumbbells that will allow you to do 12-15 repetitions.
This could take a few tries so stick with it.
Stand with your up straight and grasp the dumbbells or barbell with an overhand grip a little wider then your shoulders; just outside your thighs.
Inhale a deep breath to stabilize your core area.
Slowly bend with your knees slightly bent, keeping your chest up and back flat until it is parallel with the floor.
Slowly exhale and stand up straight.
Repeat for the allotted reps and sets.
To perform this exercise you can use a set of dumbbells or barbell.
This exercise should be performed with strict form.
Load the barbell or grab a set of dumbbells that will allow you to do 12-15 repetitions.
This could take a few tries so stick with it.
Stand with your up straight and grasp the dumbbells or barbell with an overhand grip a little wider then your shoulders; just outside your thighs.
Inhale a deep breath to stabilize your core area.
Slowly bend with your knees slightly bent, keeping your chest up and back flat until it is parallel with the floor.
Slowly exhale and stand up straight.
Repeat for the allotted reps and sets.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Band Overhead Triceps Press:
· Starting Position:
· Stand with your legs staggered one in front of the other with knees slightly bent.
· The middle section of the fitness band should be placed under the rear leg.
· Hold a handle in each hand behind your head over your shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows.
· Your palms should be facing each other with thumbs pointing down.
Movement:
· Contracting the triceps muscles, extend your arms, lifting your hands above your head.
Your upper arm should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
Stop when your arms are directly above your head with a slight bend in the elbows and your knuckles are pointing toward the ceiling.
· Slowly return to the starting position.
· Key Points:
· Exhale while extending your arms.
· Inhale while returning to the starting position.
· You may perform this motion using both arms or one arm at a time.
Perform 12-15 repetitions.
Beginners should perform one cycle on three alternate days of the week.
Intermediates should perform two cycles on alternate days of the week and advanced exercisers -- three cycles.
Wait one minute between cycles before repeating.
· Starting Position:
· Stand with your legs staggered one in front of the other with knees slightly bent.
· The middle section of the fitness band should be placed under the rear leg.
· Hold a handle in each hand behind your head over your shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows.
· Your palms should be facing each other with thumbs pointing down.
Movement:
· Contracting the triceps muscles, extend your arms, lifting your hands above your head.
Your upper arm should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
Stop when your arms are directly above your head with a slight bend in the elbows and your knuckles are pointing toward the ceiling.
· Slowly return to the starting position.
· Key Points:
· Exhale while extending your arms.
· Inhale while returning to the starting position.
· You may perform this motion using both arms or one arm at a time.
Perform 12-15 repetitions.
Beginners should perform one cycle on three alternate days of the week.
Intermediates should perform two cycles on alternate days of the week and advanced exercisers -- three cycles.
Wait one minute between cycles before repeating.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercises for Arms - Dumbbell Alternating Biceps Curl:
· Starting Position:
· Sit upright in a chair with your legs bent, feet forward and your head at a natural extension of your spine.
· Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms hanging down at your sides and palms facing your body.
· Keep your wrists straight throughout the exercise.
Movement:
· Contracting the biceps muscles, bend your right arm at the elbow while turning your wrist until your palm is facing the ceiling, stopping when the weight is just short of touching your shoulder.
· Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the elbow fully extending.
· Repeat motion with left arm and alternate right and left. Perform the movement with control and precise form at all times.
Key Points:
· Exhale as you lift the weight.
· Inhale while returning to the starting position.
· The upper arm should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
Perform 10-12 repetitions and immediately go to the next exercise.
· Starting Position:
· Sit upright in a chair with your legs bent, feet forward and your head at a natural extension of your spine.
· Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms hanging down at your sides and palms facing your body.
· Keep your wrists straight throughout the exercise.
Movement:
· Contracting the biceps muscles, bend your right arm at the elbow while turning your wrist until your palm is facing the ceiling, stopping when the weight is just short of touching your shoulder.
· Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the elbow fully extending.
· Repeat motion with left arm and alternate right and left. Perform the movement with control and precise form at all times.
Key Points:
· Exhale as you lift the weight.
· Inhale while returning to the starting position.
· The upper arm should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
Perform 10-12 repetitions and immediately go to the next exercise.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Arm Exercise - Dumbbell Snatch:
Keep torso straight but bent forward at the hips slightly.
Explosively raise the dumbell by extending the hips, knee and ankle in a "jumping action".
Keep your elbow pointed out and arm straight.
At maximum height slightly flex the hips then the knees.
Rotate elbows around and under the dumbbell.
At maximum bar height, fully extend the elbows and lock the dumbbell overhead.
Catch the dumbbell by flexing at the knees and hips to absorb the weight.
Keep torso straight but bent forward at the hips slightly.
Explosively raise the dumbell by extending the hips, knee and ankle in a "jumping action".
Keep your elbow pointed out and arm straight.
At maximum height slightly flex the hips then the knees.
Rotate elbows around and under the dumbbell.
At maximum bar height, fully extend the elbows and lock the dumbbell overhead.
Catch the dumbbell by flexing at the knees and hips to absorb the weight.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Band Overhead Triceps Press:
Starting Position:
· Stand with your legs staggered one in front of the other with knees slightly bent.
· The middle section of the fitness band should be placed under the rear leg.
· Hold a handle in each hand behind your head over your shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows.
· Your palms should be facing each other with thumbs pointing down.
Movement:
· Contracting the triceps muscles, extend your arms, lifting your hands above your head.
Your upper arm should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
Stop when your arms are directly above your head with a slight bend in the elbows and your knuckles are pointing toward the ceiling.
· Slowly return to the starting position.
· Key Points:
· Exhale while extending your arms.
· Inhale while returning to the starting position.
· You may perform this motion using both arms or one arm at a time.
Perform 12-15 repetitions.
Beginners should perform one cycle on three alternate days of the week.
Intermediates should perform two cycles on alternate days of the week and advanced exercisers -- three cycles.
Wait one minute between cycles before repeating.
You still need to perform weight training for your entire body as well as cardiovascular exercise. However, if you incorporate the above specialty arm workout routine, you’ll see some great results.
Starting Position:
· Stand with your legs staggered one in front of the other with knees slightly bent.
· The middle section of the fitness band should be placed under the rear leg.
· Hold a handle in each hand behind your head over your shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows.
· Your palms should be facing each other with thumbs pointing down.
Movement:
· Contracting the triceps muscles, extend your arms, lifting your hands above your head.
Your upper arm should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
Stop when your arms are directly above your head with a slight bend in the elbows and your knuckles are pointing toward the ceiling.
· Slowly return to the starting position.
· Key Points:
· Exhale while extending your arms.
· Inhale while returning to the starting position.
· You may perform this motion using both arms or one arm at a time.
Perform 12-15 repetitions.
Beginners should perform one cycle on three alternate days of the week.
Intermediates should perform two cycles on alternate days of the week and advanced exercisers -- three cycles.
Wait one minute between cycles before repeating.
You still need to perform weight training for your entire body as well as cardiovascular exercise. However, if you incorporate the above specialty arm workout routine, you’ll see some great results.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise for Legs - Squat Jump:
1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back straight in a neutral position.
2) Arms should be in the "ready" position with elbows flexed at approximately 90°.
3) Lower body where thighs are parallel to ground.
4) Explode vertically and drive arms up.
5) Land on both feet and repeat.Prior to take off extend the ankles to their maximum range (full plantar flexion) to ensure proper mechanics.
1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back straight in a neutral position.
2) Arms should be in the "ready" position with elbows flexed at approximately 90°.
3) Lower body where thighs are parallel to ground.
4) Explode vertically and drive arms up.
5) Land on both feet and repeat.Prior to take off extend the ankles to their maximum range (full plantar flexion) to ensure proper mechanics.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Fitness Exercise for Legs - Front Squat (barbell):
1) Step under bar and position bar across anterior deltoids.
Cross arms across each other so that your hands are touching opposite shoulders.
Lift elbows up, pull shoulder blades together, and lift chest up to create a “shelf” for the bar.
2) Start position: Using the legs, remove bar from rack. Stand with feet slighter wider than hip width apart. Back should be straight in a neutral position.
3) Lower body by flexing at the hips and knees. Upper body can flex forward at the hips slightly during movement. Be sure to “sit back” so that knees stay over the feet.
4) Once thighs are parallel to floor, return to start position.
5) Remember to keep head and back straight in a neutral position - hyperextension or flexion may cause injury. Keep weight over the middle of foot and heel, not the toes.
6) Do not allow knees to go past the big toe or deviate medially or laterally throughout movement. Keep abdominals tight throughout exercise by drawing stomach in toward spine.
1) Step under bar and position bar across anterior deltoids.
Cross arms across each other so that your hands are touching opposite shoulders.
Lift elbows up, pull shoulder blades together, and lift chest up to create a “shelf” for the bar.
2) Start position: Using the legs, remove bar from rack. Stand with feet slighter wider than hip width apart. Back should be straight in a neutral position.
3) Lower body by flexing at the hips and knees. Upper body can flex forward at the hips slightly during movement. Be sure to “sit back” so that knees stay over the feet.
4) Once thighs are parallel to floor, return to start position.
5) Remember to keep head and back straight in a neutral position - hyperextension or flexion may cause injury. Keep weight over the middle of foot and heel, not the toes.
6) Do not allow knees to go past the big toe or deviate medially or laterally throughout movement. Keep abdominals tight throughout exercise by drawing stomach in toward spine.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Core Training:
The term "core training" is often used interchangeably or in association with the terms "functional training" or "functional movement," although there is a distinction between the two.
Core training is actually a form of functional training, so functional training is a broader description of an important training concept.
Functional training is popular today as it well should be. It really revolves around integrated, multi-dimensional movements that sometimes change speed in all planes of motion. I don't want to get into a deep discussion about exercise kinesiology or biomechanics, so just think of everyday life: How many leg extensions or leg curls do you perform in everyday life as compared to squats? Squatting down is a natural, "everyday" movement. In other words, it's "functional."
The word "integration" is also mentioned frequently in discussions of core training and functional training. This means that we do not condition or train by isolating muscles. We "bring together" all the muscles of the body to work as a unit - that's integration. In sports training, the concept of integration is embodied in the maxim, "train movements, not muscles."
Try to do a bicep curl on a machine, then do a curl with a single heavy dumbbell. You will notice right away that your entire body must stabilize and work together for you to curl that dumbbell.
Even if your goal is looks and not performance, there is still no reason to train only form (looks) and not function if you have a way to train both at the same time.
The term "core training" is often used interchangeably or in association with the terms "functional training" or "functional movement," although there is a distinction between the two.
Core training is actually a form of functional training, so functional training is a broader description of an important training concept.
Functional training is popular today as it well should be. It really revolves around integrated, multi-dimensional movements that sometimes change speed in all planes of motion. I don't want to get into a deep discussion about exercise kinesiology or biomechanics, so just think of everyday life: How many leg extensions or leg curls do you perform in everyday life as compared to squats? Squatting down is a natural, "everyday" movement. In other words, it's "functional."
The word "integration" is also mentioned frequently in discussions of core training and functional training. This means that we do not condition or train by isolating muscles. We "bring together" all the muscles of the body to work as a unit - that's integration. In sports training, the concept of integration is embodied in the maxim, "train movements, not muscles."
Try to do a bicep curl on a machine, then do a curl with a single heavy dumbbell. You will notice right away that your entire body must stabilize and work together for you to curl that dumbbell.
Even if your goal is looks and not performance, there is still no reason to train only form (looks) and not function if you have a way to train both at the same time.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Antioxidants Are Great for Fitness:
You have probably heard about the amazing health benefits of antioxidant-rich foods in your diet. Not only do these 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.
The 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. Anytime 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, blacktea, and red tea, nuts, seeds, red and black beans, purple potatoes, grapes, cinnamon, and cocoa.
The almond butter, blackberries, blueberries, raw honey,and the green tea are all loaded with different varietiesof muscle protecting, youth-promoting antioxidants.
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.
Remember that whole foods are always better for you (and cheaper) than a pill.
Antioxidants are just one piece to the puzzle of a healthy diet that will give you the lean,muscular, youthful, and healthy body everyone wants.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/vitminchart.html
You have probably heard about the amazing health benefits of antioxidant-rich foods in your diet. Not only do these 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.
The 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. Anytime 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, blacktea, and red tea, nuts, seeds, red and black beans, purple potatoes, grapes, cinnamon, and cocoa.
The almond butter, blackberries, blueberries, raw honey,and the green tea are all loaded with different varietiesof muscle protecting, youth-promoting antioxidants.
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.
Remember that whole foods are always better for you (and cheaper) than a pill.
Antioxidants are just one piece to the puzzle of a healthy diet that will give you the lean,muscular, youthful, and healthy body everyone wants.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/vitminchart.html
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - 4 Key Elements for Fat Loss Success:
1. Nutrition
2. Cardio training
3. Strength training
4. Mental training
Most people think behavior is changed with willpower and in fact, willpower does gets you started, but it doesn’t keep you going.
Only habit keeps you going.
The true source of your behavior is the subconscious mind, and a habit is a behavior pattern fixed in the subconscious mind.
If someone wants a permanent behavior change, whether it’s trading in white sugar for fruits and vegetables or trading in some TV time for gym time, a change has to take place in the mind first.
The majority of what we do every day – probably 90% of our actions – are patterns which we repeat without thinking about because they are generated on a non conscious level.
As long as old thought and belief patterns are in the non conscious mind, old behavior patterns will keep running. And this explains why so many people start out with guns blazing but they can’t stay on a diet or exercise program long term.
1. Nutrition
2. Cardio training
3. Strength training
4. Mental training
Most people think behavior is changed with willpower and in fact, willpower does gets you started, but it doesn’t keep you going.
Only habit keeps you going.
The true source of your behavior is the subconscious mind, and a habit is a behavior pattern fixed in the subconscious mind.
If someone wants a permanent behavior change, whether it’s trading in white sugar for fruits and vegetables or trading in some TV time for gym time, a change has to take place in the mind first.
The majority of what we do every day – probably 90% of our actions – are patterns which we repeat without thinking about because they are generated on a non conscious level.
As long as old thought and belief patterns are in the non conscious mind, old behavior patterns will keep running. And this explains why so many people start out with guns blazing but they can’t stay on a diet or exercise program long term.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - 5 Most Effective Training Tips for Fat Loss:
First is to include weight training as a way to maintain or increase lean body mass, which will help maintain optimal metabolism long term. I’m still shocked at how many people are still not doing any weight training and they’re focusing only on diet or diet plus cardio.
Second is to include primarily compound, multi joint, basic free weight exercises. If you’re a bodybuilder, you’ll also be doing isolation exercises and working the small muscles like calves on a body part basis, but the isolation work and machine work shouldn’t take precedence over the basics, which involve more muscle mass, burn more calories and stimulate metabolism more.
Third is to increase the density of your weight training. High Density Training (HDT) means more work in less time. Instead of making workouts longer, you do more work in the same time or even in less time. This can be achieved by decreasing rest intervals and by using a lot of superset training. When you combine the use of supersets or other types of density training with the compound exercises, the results are even better still.
Fourth is to do at least some of your cardio with intensity. All activity will contribute to fat loss, but in a linear fashion. With high intensity comes an exponential increase in results. Common sense alone says that if you work harder, you will burn more calories and therefore more body fat. The problem is many people still believe in the fat burn zone which suggests that you have to intentionally slow down and exercise at low intensity to burn fat because when you exercise at high intensity, you burn more carbs.
The problem with this line of thinking is that the lower your intensity, the fewer calories you burn overall and therefore the less fat you burn. Most people think exclusively of high intensity interval training when they think of high intensity cardio, but I’ve found that regardless of whether you use intervals or maintain a steady pace, either way, if you simply push yourself harder, you burn more calories and more fat.
Fifth is when you want to create a change in your body, do all your training with progression and variation. It’s impossible to improve workout performance at a constant rate forever, but during periods when you want a major body change, your goal should be for each workout to build on the previous one.
A lot of people ignore this and they continue to repeat the same workouts they’ve done in the past and wonder why they keep getting the same results. The body adapts to everything in time and the longer you’ve been training, the faster it adapts.
Workout routines need to be changed often and that includes exercises, sets, reps, rest intervals, tempo and every other variable. Remember, do what you’ve always done, get what you’ve always gotten.
First is to include weight training as a way to maintain or increase lean body mass, which will help maintain optimal metabolism long term. I’m still shocked at how many people are still not doing any weight training and they’re focusing only on diet or diet plus cardio.
Second is to include primarily compound, multi joint, basic free weight exercises. If you’re a bodybuilder, you’ll also be doing isolation exercises and working the small muscles like calves on a body part basis, but the isolation work and machine work shouldn’t take precedence over the basics, which involve more muscle mass, burn more calories and stimulate metabolism more.
Third is to increase the density of your weight training. High Density Training (HDT) means more work in less time. Instead of making workouts longer, you do more work in the same time or even in less time. This can be achieved by decreasing rest intervals and by using a lot of superset training. When you combine the use of supersets or other types of density training with the compound exercises, the results are even better still.
Fourth is to do at least some of your cardio with intensity. All activity will contribute to fat loss, but in a linear fashion. With high intensity comes an exponential increase in results. Common sense alone says that if you work harder, you will burn more calories and therefore more body fat. The problem is many people still believe in the fat burn zone which suggests that you have to intentionally slow down and exercise at low intensity to burn fat because when you exercise at high intensity, you burn more carbs.
The problem with this line of thinking is that the lower your intensity, the fewer calories you burn overall and therefore the less fat you burn. Most people think exclusively of high intensity interval training when they think of high intensity cardio, but I’ve found that regardless of whether you use intervals or maintain a steady pace, either way, if you simply push yourself harder, you burn more calories and more fat.
Fifth is when you want to create a change in your body, do all your training with progression and variation. It’s impossible to improve workout performance at a constant rate forever, but during periods when you want a major body change, your goal should be for each workout to build on the previous one.
A lot of people ignore this and they continue to repeat the same workouts they’ve done in the past and wonder why they keep getting the same results. The body adapts to everything in time and the longer you’ve been training, the faster it adapts.
Workout routines need to be changed often and that includes exercises, sets, reps, rest intervals, tempo and every other variable. Remember, do what you’ve always done, get what you’ve always gotten.
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Reduced Carb Dieting and Fat Loss:
Reduced carb dieting can definitely improve fat loss, but it may not be for the reasons that some people think. The fact is, one of the biggest reasons that low carb diets can help improve fat loss is because its very difficult to overeat when you restrict an entire group of energy dense foods like carbohydrates.
If you put any restriction whatsoever on fat intake on top of that, then it’s virtually impossible from a practical standpoint to overeat. See how hard it is to eat in a calorie surplus if you’re only allowed to eat lean protein, salad veggies and green veggies with a little bit of essential fat. You’re going to lose fat like crazy on a diet like that, but its not necessarily because carbs are low, it’s primarily because calories are low. The problem is a diet like that is hardly sustainable.
That said, there are some advantages of a lower carb diet. For one, a low carb diet, tends to be higher in protein. Since protein has a much higher thermic effect, it can lead to slightly greater fat loss than a diet of the same calorie amount that is high in fat and carbs.
There are also quite a few studies showing that lean protein is very effective at blunting appetite, so by eating lean protein with every meal and taking a slightly higher intake of protein, you effectively control appetite.
You also tend to get better glycemic control with reduced carbs, so there may be some body composition advantages to that as well. But again, the real bottom line is calories, not carbs.
Very low carb or ketogenic diet programs often tell you not to count calories and say you can eat as much as you like if you just stick to protein and fat. They are making a huge assumption that by restricting carbs and allowing high fat intake, your appetite will regulate itself and you will automatically eat in a deficit as a result.
This is often exactly what happens with low carb, high fat diets, which put no limits on your calories, but there is nothing about a low carb diet that allows you to eat unlimited calories. If you eat in a surplus, you are going to gain weight, no matter what the macronutrient composition of the diet.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbs.html
Reduced carb dieting can definitely improve fat loss, but it may not be for the reasons that some people think. The fact is, one of the biggest reasons that low carb diets can help improve fat loss is because its very difficult to overeat when you restrict an entire group of energy dense foods like carbohydrates.
If you put any restriction whatsoever on fat intake on top of that, then it’s virtually impossible from a practical standpoint to overeat. See how hard it is to eat in a calorie surplus if you’re only allowed to eat lean protein, salad veggies and green veggies with a little bit of essential fat. You’re going to lose fat like crazy on a diet like that, but its not necessarily because carbs are low, it’s primarily because calories are low. The problem is a diet like that is hardly sustainable.
That said, there are some advantages of a lower carb diet. For one, a low carb diet, tends to be higher in protein. Since protein has a much higher thermic effect, it can lead to slightly greater fat loss than a diet of the same calorie amount that is high in fat and carbs.
There are also quite a few studies showing that lean protein is very effective at blunting appetite, so by eating lean protein with every meal and taking a slightly higher intake of protein, you effectively control appetite.
You also tend to get better glycemic control with reduced carbs, so there may be some body composition advantages to that as well. But again, the real bottom line is calories, not carbs.
Very low carb or ketogenic diet programs often tell you not to count calories and say you can eat as much as you like if you just stick to protein and fat. They are making a huge assumption that by restricting carbs and allowing high fat intake, your appetite will regulate itself and you will automatically eat in a deficit as a result.
This is often exactly what happens with low carb, high fat diets, which put no limits on your calories, but there is nothing about a low carb diet that allows you to eat unlimited calories. If you eat in a surplus, you are going to gain weight, no matter what the macronutrient composition of the diet.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/carbs.html
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