Pages

Sabtu, 20 Desember 2008

How Long Should You Stay On The Atkins Diet?

How long should you stay on the Atkins diet to achieve maximum weight loss? The effectiveness of Atkins diet depends on the durations of the diet you stick with it. The average time is six months to a year for maximum weight loss success. The Atkins diet has a four-step process that must be followed to achieve optimum weight loss. If you aim to achieve such result and breaks it, then you must restart the four-phase again so it is important to stick to it during this period.

Many people loss a few pounds with only a few weeks on the Atkins diet and results in gaining back the lost weight commented that this diet does not work. It is actually their own behavior that is preventing them from attaining their weight loss goals. How long should you stay on the Atkins diet depends on how much weight you need to lose and your nutritional desires. Since Atkins diet focus on reducing carbohydrates and controlling blood sugar levels with every meals, it is recommended to keep to this for a period of time not only to to achieve maximum weight loss but also to maintain vibrant health at the same time.

Note: There is a very good alternative to Atkins Diet that is very effective and safe for weight loss is the Fat Loss 4 Idiots. Please visit lose weight in a week and fat loss 4 idiots review for more details.

You may also check with your doctor to determine your weight loss goals and duration of the diet. Set the goals into weeks for easy monitoring will do the trick. Setting goals in weekly basis will provide motivation to carry on since you only need to weigh once a week. The benefit is that your weekly drop of 5 lbs is more convincing than what you saw from yesterday.

You may not be able to determine how long you should stay on the Atkins diet but if you stick to it for a few months and set your weight loss goals in weekly basis, you are very sure to see a big difference in your figure. However, as if many weight loss programs, it is most likely people will gain back the weight and much more after they discontinue the diet program. The only way to keep the fat off permanently is to elevate the body's metabolism by exercising. If you combine a sensibly eating habit and exercise routine, you are on the way to weight loss success.
Read More..

Overcoming Weight Loss Plateau in 2 Easy Ways

It is very common you will hit a weight loss plateau along your weight loss journey and easily be de-motivated by it. This situation is only temporary and overcoming weight loss plateau is not difficult by changing diet and exercise routine.

First off, have you been eating too less or too much? Eating too less does not mean you will lose weight fast. Instead your body will go into starvation mode and burn less calorie. If you have been eating too much, you need to control your calorie intake. Your calories input must be less than your calories burned. Eat smaller and frequent meals, drink more water and eat more high fiber foods. Green tea helps to increase your metabolism so it is good to consume at least 2 cups per day. With the correct eating habits and healthy food, the body's metabolism will always remain high which means more calories burned. Altering diet is the first thing to overcoming weight loss plateau. It is not an option but a necessity if you want to continue losing weight.

Another necessary step to overcoming weight loss plateau is to change your workout or exercise routine. Are you adopting the same exercise routine for the past few weeks? If yes, then you must adjust your exercise routine with higher intensity or with longer endurance. This is due to your body already accustomed to your exercise routine and start to burn fewer calories. If you are concentrating on weight training, you may try to add more aerobics or cardiovascular exercise to your existing workouts and push your endurance to its limit. It is also good to try different exercises to "shock" your body so that it will continue to burn more calories. Some fitness experts recommend interval training to increase resting metabolism. This result in more calories burned while you sleep.

The above 2 steps will effectively overcome weight loss plateau and by the next scale reading probably in two week�s time you will be please to see your weight dropping to a new low record.

All in all, overcoming weight loss plateau is about eating sensibly and changing exercise routine consistently. There is no other weight loss method that can beat it. With all these in mind, it's time to challenge yourself to lose weight effectively with fat loss easy diets. There are many positive feedback from users all over the world. That's the guarantee when you choose the right choice.
Read More..

Senin, 20 Oktober 2008

Great healthy and Easy Alternatives

so many of you have asked for the details of my drink and snack healthy alternatives so here are some
Alternative to Diet Coke
Buy Crazy Jacks concentrated fruit juice from Holland and Barret, they do lots of flavours but for a coke alternative the apple and blackcurrant is best. Dilute 1 part juice to 7 parts fizzy water and you have a delicious healthy drink that tastes very close to diet coke but is a million times better for you. You can add zsweet healthy sweetener to it if you like it to taste really sweet.

Alternative to crisps
Buy plain popping corn/popcorn kernels, you can find them in most food shops, put about 40g or a handful into a brown paper bag fold it at the top and microwave for 3 minutes and you will have a large bag of air popped popcorn which has hardly any calories. Sprinkle it with light soy sauce or light tahini sauce and you have a healthy filling snack of under 100 calories. Popcorn is full of lutein which guards against macular eye degeneration.

Alternative to spaghetti
Use a julienne vegetable parer on courgettes to make courgette ribbons, place the courgette ribbons in boiling water for one minute to soften them than you can add them to bolognaise sauce. You can use them in place of spaghetti or pasta in any pasta dish and also in place of noodles in stir fry dishes you can also add them to soups once the soup has been cooked.
You can also cook beansprouts (they only need a few minutes to cook )and use them as an alternative to pasta and noodles.

Real Breakfast Bars
Cook a large pan of porridge oats using water or water and rice, oat or soya milk once its cooked leave it to asborb all the liquid and thicken then add other ingredients to it like hemp seeds and microwaved popcorn or sunfloweer seeds, flaked almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds etc. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. If you like it chewy cook it for less time and if you like it crunchy press it down so it is thinner and cook for a little longet then cut into squares or slices and enjoy. You can experiment with lots of added ingredients like chopped up pear and ginger or grated apple and cinnamon or mashed up banana and peanut butter (smooth or crunchy and of course sugar free) or blueberries or any berries and dessicated coconut. In fact any kind of fruit, seeds, nut combo is good; dont use dried fruit as it is too high in sugar. These bars will keep for at least a week in foil or an airtight container and are great for breakfast on the go, or as alternatives to biscuits and snacks for you and your children.

Alternative Spreads

Fantastic Home Made Hummus
Here is my recipe for hummus its much nicer and lower in calories than the shop bought stuff.
400g tinned chickpeas drained
2 tbsp light tahini paste
2 crushed garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon (you can also add lime juice )
2-5 tbsp virgin olive oil
small handful of parsley
small handful of coriander
half tsp mild smoked paprika
2-4 tbsp water according to how thick you like it

blend all the ingredients in a food processor season with salt and or black pepper. Spoon into a tub or individual bowls and place in fridge for an hour before serving. It will thicken up so you can thin it with more water or olive oil.
Sprinkle with smoked paprika or tumeric for colour and a few sprigs of corinader or parsley.

You can make hummus different by adding tomatoes, peppers, olives or sun dried tomatoes to the mix. If you have time its lovely to roast or grill peppers or tomatoes or a mild red chilli or all 3 for for about 7 minutes until the skins blacken then remove the skins and add the roasted peppers, chilli and or tomatoes to the mix before blending. its also great to add avocado to hummus. When you add ingredients like cucumber, tomatoes or peppers you naturally lower the calories, just make sure the salad ingredients have been dried in kitchen towels so they dont make the hummus watery.

Butter Bean Spread/Butter Bean Hummus

One large tin of butter beans, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 tblsp olive oil, fresh garlic and 6-8 sun dried tomatoes or 2 roasted red peppers. drain the butter beans, press the garlic and blend all the ingredients in a food processor until they are smooth and creamy add a little lemon juice and more olive oil if you like it thinner. You can experiment with this recipe by adding some fresh peas and mint, some mild chillies, an avocado, more sun dried tomatoes, more peppers, or some olives, more coriander etc. It will keep for about 5 days and can be frozen.

Read More..

Selasa, 30 September 2008

BMI Calculation Formula Made Easy

BMI, or body mass index has been generally used to determine whether a person is overweight or not. The BMI calculation formula is simple maths anyone can understand. Regardless of BMI chart for males, females, kids, teenage, youth or the senior, the formula is the same. Although BMI calculation formula was created almost 200 years ago by mathematician and scientist Adolphe Quetelet, it is widely used today almost exactly as he outlined.

While BMI isn't the final word in whether or not someone is at a normal weight, it's one of the first tools often used to determine if someone's overweight. Because the BMI doesn't distinguish between weight from fat and weight from muscle (other tools must be used to determine the actual amount of fat) it doesn't work well for very muscular people like athletes. But for most of us, BMI is a pretty accurate measure of whether we're underweight, a normal weight, overweight or obese. If you are found to be truly overweight or simply you have health problem with bad bmi(too high or to low value) you should start to find out why before it is too late? You can create a printable BMI chart reminding yourself to take good care of your own health. For the senior, it is not surprise to have heart disease or other health problems when you are overweight. Keeping fit and losing weight is the most important task in order to live healthier. To effective lose weight without sending your body into starvation mode, fat loss easy diet is the best weight loss diet secret in the market.

Calculating BMI isn't difficult once you understand the formula. The basic BMI calculation formula is weight divided by height squared, or kg/m2. You simply take your height in meters and square it which means you take the number of meters times itself. Then divide that number into your weight in kilograms. So a person who's five-and-a-half-feet tall stands about 1.7 meters. To get 1.7 meters squared, you simply multiply 1.7 times 1.7, which equals 2.89. Now, convert weight to kilograms.

Calculating BMI isn't difficult once you understand the formula. The basic BMI calculation formula is weight divided by height squared, or kg/m2. You simply take your height in meters and square it which means you take the number of meters times itself. Then divide that number into your weight in kilograms. So a person who's five-and-a-half-feet tall stands about 1.7 meters. To get 1.7 meters squared, you simply multiply 1.7 times 1.7, which equals 2.89. Now, convert weight to kilograms.

A BMI of 18.5 or below indicates an underweight person. The normal weight range is from 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight people will have a BMI of 25 to 29.9. A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity. So a person with a BMI of 31 is in the obese range, but not by much. By calculating BMI again with different weights, you can see that the person would only need to lose 5 kilograms, or about 11 pounds, to no longer be obese, but merely overweight. And a loss of 19 kilograms, or about 42 pounds, will put this person within a normal weight range. Calculating BMI to determine how much weight one should lose can be a big help for someone who's not sure.

BMI calculation formula can be made even more simple if you're not sure how to convert to kilograms or meters. Simply take your weight in pounds times 4.88. Then divide that number by your height in feet, squared. So a 200 pound person who is 6 feet tall: 976 divided by 36 = 27.1. After calculating BMI, it's clear this person is within a normal and healthy weight range.
Read More..

Minggu, 21 September 2008

The Truth About Tummy Tucks

Losing weight can be extremely difficult, and some people are turning to medical procedures in order to help themselves lose weight as quickly as possible. While it is not as common as it used to be, abdominoplasties, or tummy tucks, can help you look and feel better about your weight. However, remember to review the pros and cons to this procedure before you decide to go through with it.

Tummy tucks can be done both before and after significant weight loss. The procedure removes the excess skin tissue and fat from around the abdomen, which means that you can instantly beyond thinner. If done before weight loss, your doctor will remove lots of fatty deposits, while if done afterwards, your doctor will simply be removing lots of excess skin. In fact, if you�ve lost a lot of weight fairly quickly, a tummy tuck may be necessary to get rid of the sagging skin.

While you may think that this procedure sounds like an easy way to lose weight, it is actually a major surgery. Think twice about the procedure before you decide if it is right for you or not. You should also consult your doctor or another health care professional. There will be scars after the surgery, and possible side effects include rupture of inserted sutures, infection, anesthesia complications, bleeding, and a number of other things.

Cost is also important. Tummy tucks are usually considered cosmetic procedures and can therefore not be paid for by your insurance company in most cases. The average cost for a tummy tuck is thousand of dollars, with some doctors charging up to $10,000 for the procedure. You will also have to pay for medications and treatment for the recovery process and in the event that anything would go wrong after the surgery. This is a pretty steep bill to pay for some flatter abs!

Remember also that you�ll quickly put the weight back on if you don�t change your diet and exercise habits. What we recommend instead of Tummy tucks is to find the healthy diets to lose weight safely and healthily such as lose weight in a week. There you can read about healthy weight loss tips and advice. When you get a tummy tuck, make sure that you are prepared for what could be a long recovery process. This is just a first step in the right direction towards a happier and healthier life. Your doctor should be able to recommend those who will be best at this procedure and can give you more information on how a tummy tuck could change your life. Consider all options carefully before making any medical decisions.
Read More..

Jumat, 15 Agustus 2008

Using Pilates at Home

Pilate�s loves around the world are using their workouts and enjoying every second of them. They are doing them at home and anytime they want.

It used to be that a person had to travel to a higher end studio or health club to get a Pilates workout. The equipment was expensive and too big and bulky to bring home.

There are some things that have changed like the mat workouts. The at home users first found out that Pilates mat videos and different DVD�s were able to give them refreshing entire body workouts.

You are going to become more flexible when you are doing Pilates at home. There are no schedules that include Pilates mat videos and different DVD�s that were able to give them a refreshing entire body workout.

You are going to be able to stay flexible when you are doing workouts at home. There are no schedules that you have to meet and you will have a certain amount of self-disciple to be able to take time for at least three sessions a week.

Before you start a Pilate�s program at home you will need to take a couple of classes so that you can get familiar with the Pilates exercises.

You want to find good techniques of movement and breathing. They are best found to be explained and demonstrated by an instructor that is completely qualified.

You need to begin your Pilates exercises on a floor mat. They are very important for two reasons:
1. They are not very expensive.
2. They do not take up much space to store.

You will notice that there are a bunch of videos and DVD�s to pick from. Many of them will have different styles that will accommodate beginners as well as the more advanced students.

Some of the videos will include exercises that use small inexpensive items like roller and rings. This is going to add fun and variety in your everyday workout.

There is just no better place to exercise than at home!
Read More..

Rabu, 09 Juli 2008

Rapid Weight Loss Techniques

Other than physical appearance weight affects a person in many ways. This could be the overall quality of life, self-esteem, depression, health risks, and physical incapabilities. There are a lot of positive changes once a person experience weight loss. It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for rapid weight loss techniques that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body.

The first thing that an over-weight should do is seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss regimen. This will be done after a full physical examination, which leads to the determination of proper weight loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively four aspects of life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, behavior and activity level.

Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight's life:

First: Fast weight loss composes of a multi-faceted technique that consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements. Begin by learning a diet food plan that can easily be accustomed with. Incorporate an exercise plan that allows even at least fifteen minutes a day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.

Second: Set realistic approaches. The ability to focus and have proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, a dieter will never be discouraged and lose focus.

Third: Listen as the body speaks. Each and everyone's body metabolism reacts differently to different fast weight loss programs and plans. Try substituting one program for another to compensate the body's reaction. Exercise program must be suitable to one's body, as others are not able to exercise as rigorously as others can. If walking is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best exercise. Muscles burn more calories than fats so it's also best to put on a little muscle and looking good too.

Fourth: Eat more fibers for it makes a person full sooner and stays in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion. A single serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system faster. Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body's insulin level. Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body when it should stop burning fats or start storing.

Fifth: Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this contains a great amount of fat. Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried. It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

Sixth: Takes lots of fluid. Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed. Since weight loss depends on how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.

All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success. Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.
Read More..

Jumat, 27 Juni 2008

Some Recipes and Menus for Lunches and Dinners �

Hi everyone here are some recipes and menus for lunches and dinners that should help you live without bread, cheese and pasta I would love it if you would add some of your favorite recipes and I will add my own favorites.
My current favorite fast lunch is to open tin of red salmon add to it a small packet of cashews and some sun dried tomatoes and eat with half an avocado and some salad leaves.
My favorite fast dinner is to put frozen spinach, frozen sweetcorn and frozen prawns in an oven proof dish and bake for 20 minutes adding a small amount of cubed feta for the last 5 minutes. Frozen veg (as long as they contain no salt and sugar are a perfect alternative to fresh veg)


Breakfast
� Eggs boiled, poached, hard boiled,
� Scrambled eggs made with olive oil
� Omelette made with oil NOT milk or butter
Cook your eggs with any kind of vegetable including tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, peas, sweet corn, onions or ham, prawns or salmon and add coriander for serotonin.

� Soya yogurt with almonds and/or mixed seeds sunflower, hemp, sesame, pumpkin (a dessert spoon size of mixed seeds and nuts) add cinnamon if you like it.

� Stewed fruit apples, pears, plums (sprinkle with a mixture of nuts and seeds) add half teaspoon of ground cinnamon to reduce blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings

� Smoothie made with any fruit combination or fruit and soya milk add seeds and half a spoon of cinnamon if liked.

� Any fruit especially bananas for the serotonin eat with 10 almonds or cashew or a spoonful of seeds for the protein

� Oats made with water add soya or rice milk and cinnamon.

If you need breakfast on the go either make a frittata see recipe below and take a slice of with you or cook up a pan of porridge oats (ensure they are not runny) after cooking add some seeds and berries spread it on a baking tray and bake slowly in the oven for about 15 minutes cut into slices and take a slice or two with you for a late breakfast. This really is breakfast in a bar unlike those you buy in supermarkets which are full of sugar and additives.


____________________________________
Lunch
SALADS:

Chicken or turkey salad
Dressing
� cup olive oil
� cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon coriander
� teaspoon salt
Salad Ingredients
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes
tomatoes peppers cucumber spring onions sweetcorn
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, coriander and salt.
In a medium bowl, place all the remaining ingredients. Whip the dressing ingredients together with a fork, and then pour over the chicken mixture. Gently toss and refrigerate until served.
Add tofu or nuts and seeds or quinoa if preferred
Serves 4.


� Salad of avocado, sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, cucumber and tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, pilchards
� Salad of cold roast chicken or turkey with cold roast sweet potato, spring onions, peppers and tomatoes.

� Baked sweet potatoes or yams with a filling of chicken or tuna, sweetcorn baby tomatoes


� Cold cooked ham or Hummus and falafels with salad or vegetables



Mid afternoon snacks
� any fruit
� soya yogurt with seeds or fruit,
� endemame beans
� hummus with raw vegetables
� Popcorn put popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag fold in half and cook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, sprinkle with light soy sauce and enjoy.




Dinner
� Thai Rice noodles with prawns or tofu
Cook I large handful of rice noodles per person according to instructions and in a wok stir fry veggies like mange tout, leeks, peppers, beansprouts, mushrooms, spring onions and cherry tomatoes until al dente, add the cooked noodles to veggies add tofu or prawns, light soy sauce and sesame seeds stir fry for a further 5 minutes
4oz noodles 3oz prawns 3oz veg per person

� Spinach Parma and Basil Frittata
made with oil (not milk or butter) served with salad and sweet potato wedges
4oz Parma ham
3tsp olive oil
I onion chopped
I chopped garlic clove
6 eggs
Small bunch fresh basil torn
Medium bunch of spinach torn

Heat one tbs of olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan and cook one onion and one garlic clove finely chopped for 2-3 minutes or until softened.
Beat 6 eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and peppers. Stir in the onions and garlic, spinach, basil and Parma ham.
Preheat grill on high heat. Wipe out the frying pan and add a little oil. Heat over medium heat then pour in the egg mixture. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until almost set. Grill for 2-3 minutes or until golden, then slide gently out of the pan and cut into wedges to serve.
Cut sweet potatoes into wedges rub in oil and cinnamon bake under a hot grill or in the oven for 30 minutes.
You can make a breakfast frittata with Parma ham and mushrooms
You can make them for lunch or dinner with prawns, smoked salmon courgettes, sweetcorn, peas and any other veggies you choose.



� Fishcakes
Make salmon or crab fish cakes by adding 100g mashed sweet potato to 75 cooked flaked salmon or tinned salmon or crab add some fresh coriander black pepper and lemon juice. Dip in beaten egg and fry in olive oil and serve with salad or stir fry vegetables.



� teriyaki turkey or beef

1 1/4 pounds turkey pieces
5 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, divided
2 tablespoons peanut butter (sugar free)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) Hot Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped
Cut turkey or beef into 1/8 inch thick strips. In medium bowl, combine turkey and 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce; toss to coat. In small bowl, combine remaining 3 tbsp. teriyaki sauce, peanut butter, 1 tablespoon water, ginger and hot chili sauce.
Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey (1/2 at a time) and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface is no longer pink. Remove turkey from wok. Toss turkey with peanut butter mixture to coat. Sprinkle with chopped cucumber. :


� Roasted cauliflower with baked ham

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, broken into small flowerets and washed
2-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon seasoning salt

Preparation
1 Bake the ham in the oven and 25 minutes before its finished
2. Place all other ingredients in a large storage bag and shake well to coat.
3. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Spraying with additional water after 15 minutes as needed. If a more tender bite is enjoyed continue to cook till desired.
Mustard can be added to the cauli and the ham for taste


� Ratatouille of tomatoes, onions, courgettes , eggplants, peppers sweetcorn and herbs
It can be served with tofu, chicken or turkey
4 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons
Finely minced garlic
1 cup chopped onions
1 large eggplant
3 medium zucchini
2 large green peppers
2 cans sweetcorn
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Tablespoon fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
2 cups crushed canned tomatoes
fresh ground pepper

Preparation
1. Heat oil in oven or large pan
Cook garlic and onions until tender.
2. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces.
3. Add the eggplant, zucchini, pepper, oregano, parsley
and stir well.
4. Saut� for about 5 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, cover and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes.
6. Serve hot or cover mixture and refrigerate to serve chilled.




� Steamed fish with Mediterranean vegetables and aioli

(Serves 4)

4 x firm white fish fillets e.g. haddock,
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic , crushed
2 red peppers, sliced into strips
2 courgettes cut into matchsticks
2 tomatoes skinned and chopped
few thyme leaves
1tbsp balsamic vinegar

garlic mayonnaise : 2 cloves garlic crushed
2 egg yolks
200 ml olive oil
100ml sunflower oil
3tbsp lemon juice

Preparation

To make the garlic mayonnaise: put the garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Start whisking, and very slowly start adding the oils a little at a time, whisking all the time, until the mixture starts to thicken. Do this until all the oils are used up. Add the lemon juice and check the seasoning.

Using the 2tbs olive oil, saut� the onion, garlic, peppers and courgettes gently for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the tomatoes and thyme leaves and cook for another 8-10 minutes, adding the vinegar after 5 minutes. Season.

Meanwhile season the fish fillets as required, place on the steam grid and add water to the bottom part of the steamer or steam in the pan

Serve the fish with vegetables and mayonnaise



� Garlic-Ginger Chicken Strips


2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves


1/4 cup soy sauce


1/4 cup dry sherry


1 tablespoon fresh basil


6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced


2 teaspoons grated ginger root


1/2 pepper


1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper


1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder

Cut each chicken breast half lengthwise into 4 long strips in a medium non-metal bowl, combine all other ingredients. Mix well. Add chicken pieces and cover with marinade. Let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature or 4-24 hours refrigerated.
Drain chicken. Place chicken pieces on hot grill; grill 4-5 inches from heat about 5 minutes or until light brown. Turn and grill another 3-5 minutes until golden brown and no longer pink inside. Serve hot with mixed roast vegetables (peppers, onions. leeks, courgettes and tomatoes)



� Foil bake a 150g trout seasoned with lemon and parsley and black pepper. Serve with caramelised red onions and a 130g baked sweet potato

� For a special dinner put a chicken in a casserole dish cover with fresh coriander add a tin of coconut milk and a little curry powder and turmeric or lemongrass and some baby sweetcorn . Roast the chicken and alongside roast some scallions, peppers and artichokes (once roasted they taste just like roast potatoes) 5 mines before the end of cooking add more fresh coriander to the chicken. I cook it until it is caramelized and the coconut milk is almost cooked away you may prefer to keep the coconut milk as sauce in which case add half the tin at the beginning and the other half 15 mins before the end of cooking.
Cooking salmon and sweet potatoes in a base of coconut milk is also lovely

SOUPS:

� Spicy tomato soup
8 fresh tomatoes pureed
1 cup of water
1 cup of chicken broth
1 red onion finely minced
2 gloves of garlic mixed
2 red peppers diced
1tsp of cayenne pepper
1tsp paprika
� green chillies diced
� chives diced

Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot and cook on low heat for one hour
serves 6



� lentil soup
4 sticks of celery
4 leeks
4 carrots
2 red onions
cup of lentils
tsp garlic
cook vegetables in 1 � pints of marigold stock for I hour
take out and blend half the mixture then return to the pan
serves 6
For a variation of the soup roast 6 parsnips 6 carrots 12 scallions chop into chunks and add to the soup 5 minutes before its finished cooking.

� Chicken and mushroom soup
6 cups of water
meat of I chicken diced
2 cloves of garlic diced
2 onions diced
I tsp black pepper
18 button mushrooms

in a large pan combine water chicken garlic onion bay leaf and pepper bring to boil reduce heat cover and simmer for 2 hours until chicken is tender. Remove bay leaf ,discard. bring to boil. Reduce heat add mushrooms cover simmer for 20 minutes
serves 6

� Cabbage soup
3 cups non-fat broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chopped cabbage
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large saucepan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, saut� carrot, onion and garlic over low heat for 5 minutes (until softened).
2. Add broth, tomato paste, cabbage, green beans, basil, oregano, and salt & pepper to taste.
3. Lower heat and simmer for a about 10-15 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
4. Stir in zucchini and heat 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 6-8 servings






� Spring minestrone
3 rashers of pancetta
2tbsp olive oil
I chopped onion
1chopped celery stick
I sliced leek
3 crushed garlic cloves
2ltr stock
1 bay leaf
1 sliced courgette
2oz sliced French beans
2oz shelled broad beans
1head of broccoli
5asparagus spears
Chop panccetta heat olive oil in large saucepan add the pancetta onion celery leek and garlic and fry for 5 minutes add the stock bay leaf and oregano to season bring to the boil simmer for 5 minutes add courgettes and French beans simmer for a further five minutes. Add the broccoli asparagus and broad beans simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in dried basil add more seasoning if desired serve sprinkled with chilli.
serves 4-6



� Baked sweet potato with tuna fish, soya peas and sweet corn and or mixed salad 4oz veg and 4oz of tuna 2oz soya beans 2oz sweet corn

� prawn skewers with cherry tomatoes, courgettes, button mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, cubed feta or halumi and olives brush with sesame oil and grill for about 25 minutes.

� When cooking chicken or turkey make it different by cooking it in coconut oil, sesame oil or any flavored oil: it�s also really good to fry chicken or fish portions in a base of pure lemon juice.
� Grilled fish, cook in lemon juice for 5 minutes then add fresh or frozen spinach to the pan cook for a further 2 minutes add a handful of pine nuts and brown a little.
� Roasting veg like onions peppers leeks celery carrots peas soya beans tomatoes mushrooms garlic spring onions scallions spinach sweetcorn or yams with a dusting of cinnamon and oil gives them a great flavour
� mashed cauliflower with olive oil instead of potatoes mashed with butter is lovely you can also fry it into delicious potatoe cakes
� You can cook quinoa and add it to soups salads or serve it with meat instead of rice potatoes and pasta-quinoa is a seed not a grain
� DelUgo Spaghetti made from chickpeas is a great substitute for pasta
� place frozen peas and runner beans in a casserole dish add a little boiled water and a dessert spoon of marigold bouillon place fillets of any fish on top of the veg and cook in the oven for about 10 minutes






Desserts
� Bake a banana in foil sprinkled with vanilla essence orange juice 1 tsp honey and some crushed cardamom seeds.

� Poach 100g apples and 135g pears with cloves sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds. Add a swirl of soya yogurt if desired

� For a fab and quick dessert add any berries; blueberries, strawberries, raspberries (fresh or frozen) to a saucepan with a dessertspoon of honey a handful of sesame seeds and some shredded mint leaves cook on a high for 5 minutes and serve
� Baked apples with fruit
� Soya yogurt with fruit
� Hot berry compote
� Fruit kebabs
� Stewed fruit with cinnamon, nuts and seeds
� Fruit compote with apple cinnamon and raisins








Other breakfasts
Herb and veggie omelette
Yogurt with seeds nuts or fruit limit the variety to three
Yogurt with Seeds
Yogurt with Linwoods milled flaxseeds and nuts
Yogurt with fruit
Fruit with seeds and nuts
Halumi cheese with olives
Feta cheese with olives and tomatoes


Desk bound lunch
Tuna with salad
Cold chicken or turkey with salad
Soup with vegetable noodles
Cold fish
Hummus with salad or vegetables
Olive�s nuts and seeds
Feta or halumi cheeses with salad
Avocado with pine nuts and prawns
Hard boiled eggs with salsa or tomatoes and mayo
Lentil soup
Lentil and herb salad
Frittata or tortilla (Spanish omelette without the potatoes)
Add fruit veggies and soya yogurt or smoothies if you want more


Dinner
Spinach and eggs
Prawns and eggs
Tortilla without potatoes
Salmon and pine nuts
Salad with tuna
Chicken
Sweet potatoes and yams
Baked sweet potatoes with peppers, sweetcorn, cucumber and halumi
Baked sweet potatoe wedges with ham
Casseroles
Stews of fish poultry or lean meat
Grilled lean pork with steamed red cabbage and onions
Roast meat or fish with roasted vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes
Cooked lentils with onions tomatoes peppers and feta
Kebabs of steak chicken turkey or fish with vegetables
Minestrone with chick peas instead of pasta
Roasted peppers stuffed with lean lamb mince or turkey mince
Red onions stuffed with veggies and tofu
Spinach frittata
Ratatouille with clams

SNACKS:
Fruit with a handful of almonds or seeds
Raw carrot sticks and hummus (home made with less oil more lemon, coriander and herbs)
Celery sticks spread with a very small amount of sugar free peanut butter
Raw red and green pepper sticks with low fat hummus (home made with more lemon less oil add coriander and herbs to make it more tasty)
Small quantity of nuts, especially almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts
Small quantity of seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin or hemp
No added sugar seed or seed & nut bar
Oatcakes with v small amount of soya spread or a sliced peach apple or pear
Humus & rice cakes or oat cakes
Tangerines grapes blueberries
Olives
Japanese soy beans
Read More..

Jumat, 16 Mei 2008

Natural Herbs Used For Weight Loss

The efficiency of natural herbs used for weight loss can be very positive if it is used alongside proper diet and exercise. In other words, purely using herbs for weight loss in the absence of diet and exercise will not benefit your bodies. Firstly, it is important to understand the functions of natural herbs should you decide to include them as part of any weight loss program. Once the correct types of natural herbs and dosage is chosen according to individual's body needs, it will undoubtedly optimize fat burning and improve health condition.

Basically natural herbs used for weight loss have one of the properties below.

Appetite suppressant
Metabolism booster
Stimulant
Diuretics
Laxatives
Colon cleansing

These properties could either increase heart beat, trick the brain into thinking you are not hungry even though you eat less, get rid of body fluid, and detoxify the body. Some of these can only be consumed for short term since they have some negative side effects which caused the body to starve and loss water together with muscle tissue. However, there are some herbs that can be consumed for long term, such as green tea. Although green tea has minor stimulant effects but the strong antioxidant properties could strengthen overall body immune system. Consume appropriate amount daily together with exercise can help to boost metabolism and burn fat faster.

There are other herbs such as Cascara Sagrada and Dandelion that work as diuretics and laxatives. Hoodia is also another herb that is an appetite suppresant. For diuretics, laxatives, or appetite suppresant, whether they are able to burn fat and build muscle can be very controversial. But the fact is that exercise and strength training can help to boost up metabolism and fat burn efficiently than any herbs in the market. If you are using natural herbs to lose weight only for short term, it is doable. For muscle gain, always keep up with proper diet and resistance training. Fat loss is the proper way to lose weight and not water loss.
Read More..

Senin, 12 Mei 2008

marisa's seminars �

Hi to everyone who attended my most recent You Can Be Thin seminars in March, April and May this blog is a way for you and anyone else to communicate with me and with each other through your comments.
You can post any comments, messages or feedback to me or to each other you can swap recipes and menus and get support so please do add any comments
thanks
marisa
Read More..

Minggu, 11 Mei 2008

Two Day Fat Burning Programme �

The most effective and painless way to shed weight over 2 days is to just eat fruit, vegetables and very lean protein.

This programme is designed to ensure you not only drop between 2-4lbs it will also ensure that you are not bloated, have a flatter stomach and shed the weight and inches predominantly from your waist, stomach and hips, perfect if you want to look good in little black dress. Its particular combination of foods and spices specifically work together to minimise sugar cravings, burn fat and lower the levels of sugar in your blood while satisfying hunger.

It is quite simple to drop a few pounds by just eating fruit or fruit and vegetables but adding lean protein keeps your energy levels high throughout the day and keeps you full. The amino acids and catecholamine in protein send a message of fullness to our brains. Protein-rich foods encourage the production of the hormone peptide YY which is known to suppress appetite.

The body works hard to properly digest protein the longer and the more effort put into digesting protein, the more calories your body uses up and the more your metabolic rate will increase. Lean protein has 2-3 times the thermic effect of carbs or fat meaning it elevates metabolism by up to 10% more than when carbs or fat are eaten.

This 2 day programme is based around lean fish and vegetables as most people who crave sugar are low in magnesium. Magnesium-rich foods lessen sugar cravings these include apples, celery, parsley and fish. A diet deficient in magnesium can cause weight gain as well as sugar cravings, as an added bonus the fish is very nourishing for your skin so will look glowing rather than haggard as a result of this 2 day detox programme.

Day one

Breakfast: Any kind of water based fruit like apples, pears, grapes, peaches, plums or berries don't have more than 3 varieties as too much variety stimulates the appetite.
Sprinkle with half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, cinnamon reduces sugar levels in the blood and reduces sugar cravings. Warm the fruit in a little water if you like hot food for breakfast. If you don�t like fruit have 2 hard boiled eggs instead or scrambled in oil no milk or butter.

Drink herb teas, cinnamon, rooibos and green tea are the best. No milk, cream or any dairy products at all. Japanese Green Tea can burn fat more rapidly. The catechins in Green tea can reduce waist circumference and abdominal fat by boosting metabolism. Drink several cups a day hot or iced and several glasses of water with lemon, orange or lime slices or a strawberry added for a little flavour.

Lunch: Spicy salad a mixed salad of green vegetables, peppers, celery, parsley, tomatoes and a fist sized serving of prawns, prawns are naturally rich in zinc which lessens craving for sugary foods add ginger and cayenne pepper if possible as they can help to stimulate thermogenisis (heat generated by the body) and promote weight reduction, add chillies if you like them. Chillies speed up the metabolism and reduce hunger. Hot spices can boost the rate at which calories are burnt by up to 15 per cent for a few hours after eating

Dinner: spicy fish and vegetables Steamed or stir fried vegetables (with the tiniest amount of oil) with cooked prawns parsley and the same spices as above, serve them on shredded lettuce. If you can�t face prawns twice have a fist sized serving of sardines mackerel, tuna or salmon (canned in water not oil) with cumin, ginger, cayenne pepper and chillies to further boost your metabolism. You can add a sauce of canned tomatoes and garlic for extra flavour.

Snack on fruit, again no more than two varieties (apples are the best), or cherry tomatoes, raw vegetables or soy beans without salt (you can buy birds eye frozen soy beans) Soy protein slightly increases your metabolism. The isoflavones, glycine and arginine in soya milk can accelerate the breakdown of fat, especially stomach fat and reduce the levels of sugar in the blood.

Day two

Breakfast: As day one, any 3 types of fruit with half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Lunch same as day one but you can replace the prawns with any fish.

Dinner same as day one any type of fish and vegetables or salad with tomatoes and spices. If you hate fish replace with eggs or skinless chicken.

Snacks same as day one

Absolutely NO alcohol, sugar, wheat or dairy foods and NO salt or artificial sweeteners, the spices will give the food all the flavour you need.
Read More..

Rabu, 16 April 2008

Women Can Build Huge Female Biceps

Men can have good figure and big solid arms but why women can't build huge female biceps? For women who like to do strength training just to tone the muscles and look slim this is a piece of good news for them. However, for women who like to build huge biceps and solid arms will have to work much harder. By nature, women are born with less muscles than men and in order to build muscles you need to have testosterone(male hormone). Does it means that women can't build huge female biceps? The answer lies in the training and the extra steps need to take to force muscle building like men. However, don't expect to be the world's largest female biceps although hard training does part an important part.

Firstly, taking advantage of the cutting edge professional gym equipments do help to reap better benefits than using any bodyweight training. For example, one arm hammer preacher curl, one arm dumbbell preacher curl, or cable double bicep machine workouts are the effective methods for building bicep muscles. To get the best results try to monitor each exercise and fix errors based on individual adjustments. It is important to combine different bicep workouts to get well-balanced female bicep muscles.

So how many sets of exercise is enough to build big female biceps?

Is it recommended not to over train or your muscles will not grow. Try 2 types of bicep exercises each with 3 sets of 8 - 10 reps. For example - one arm dumbbell preacher curl and one arm concentration curl. If you are able to train more than 10 reps then it is time to add more weights to force muscle grow. Always try to adjust for improvement, either add more weights and reduce the reps or add another set. As you experiment along the way, you'll find the optimum bicep workouts and muscle grow. While doing the curls always concentrate on the slow movements towards your head and do not jerk or move the elbows. The burn on the biceps can be easily felt that means the curl is correct.

In order for women to build hugh female or any other muscle groups, heavy protein supplementation is necessary. Some female bodybuilders go extra length to take hormones and steroids to boost muscle growth. Women can have big biceps, it is not trained differently than men but rather put more efforts in supplementation. Women can't produce testosterone hormone like men to assist muscle growth but with enough supplementation and effective training hugh female biceps can be achieved.
Read More..

Sabtu, 05 April 2008

Burn Body Fat Diet For Weight Loss

In order to lose weight and burn body fat, diet and regular exercise are the only answer to long term fat loss. When it comes to dieting, fruits and vegetables must be included in the high protein and low carbohydrate meals. They provide high fiber, vitamins and minerals our bodies need to do the job. When taken raw, it helps to clean body toxic and dilute fat deposits in the body. Most fruits and vegetables provide negative calories that mean the body needs more energy to digest them than it consumes, hence result in losing weight. The general rule to lose weight is to include foods that help burn off fat. Diet plays an important role not only to weight management but also helps to maintain vibrant health. Do include some exercises everyday, as simple as 10 min cardio fat burn exercise such as jumping jacks, running in place, and squats. This will effectively shed off body fat when combined with fat burning diet.

However, different people like different kinds of foods and that make diet plans differ. There is no one typical diet plan that can fit all. Below is a simple weight loss, burn body fat diet plan for your consideration.

Breakfast
Prepare oatmeal, 1 - 2 eggs and fruits.

Next few meals
Chose 2 - 3 different types - chicken breast, lean meat, turkey, fish, tofu, soyabeans, peas, whole grains, vegetables and fruits.

Vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage contain vitamin c and calcium so there is no reasons not to include them in your diet. Many dark green vegetables are also good antioxidants and fat burner for the body. Limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, berries, waterlemon, apples are also vitamin rich fruits.

The above diet plan is specially designed to include high protein and low carbohydrates in each meal. This is because protein needs more energy and longer time to digest which is essential for weight loss. Preferably each meal should goes with fruits and vegetables to increase fiber intake. One gram of fiber burns 9 grams of calories, the more fiber consumptions the more effective is fat burning.

Each day calories intake should maintain between 1,200 and 1,400. Split the meals into 5 and keep small instead of 3 to prevent excess foods store as fat. With smaller meals in between the body will maintain high metabolism and allow the body to absorb food nutrients more efficiently. Following such a simple diet plan should expect to lose 1 - 2 lbs of weight each week.

Each meal should have sufficient vitamins and minerals to ensure the body could function properly. However, most of the people are not taking enough nutrients to support bodily functions and bone maintenance. Some will find preparing fat burning meals a nuisance. Therefore, meal replacement in the form of shake and bar is a good alternative. It packs with protein, low carbohydrates, good fats, multivitamin and minerals all in one for busy workers. In the market, there are some natural products to burn fat, do a little research before you decide to purchase.

Is calcium important for weight loss? Research shows that a group of people includes 1,100 mg of calcium in their diet daily lose more weight by 22 percent, 61 percent more body fat and 81 percent more stomach fat as compared to another group of people with only low calcium(500mg) intake in a 12-week study. It is therefore important to include high calcium in any weight loss, burn body fat diets to not only maintain bone density but also help to burn more fat.

To effectively lose weight with a good burn body fat diet, I highly recommend Turbulence Training for Fat Loss and Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle training ebooks. Results are guaranteed, the information provided for fat loss and muscle building is excellence.
Read More..

Senin, 10 Maret 2008

Aerobics For Seniors | Senior Aerobics

Everyone wants to get healthier, and everyone knows what when it comes right down to it. Doing aerobic exercise on a regular basis is something that can really take you from a point of being unhealthy, and bring you to a place where you can be healthy and you can enjoy all that life has to offer you. This goes for everyone, but there are certain groups of people who have to design their aerobic exercise very carefully to avoid hurting themselves. The types of aerobics for seniors are important factors to consider since seniors are more prone to body injuries.

Dieting for seniors is also an important factor since the body hormones are different from young adults. The body ability to absorb nutrients and the effects on muscle with the same workouts will differ from young adults. Since seniors are more prone to health problems in general, it is advisable to consult a doctor before taking up any aerobic exercise or gym workout.

With regular aerobics, it helps to reduce risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, stroke, hypertension, and arthritis. It is recommended to exercise three to five times each week.

There are many types of senior aerobics. In fact, most of the aerobics are practiced by all ages; the only difference is the intensity. Below are some of the recommended aerobics for seniors which must be performed only according to individual level of comfort.

Jumping Jacks � This is the exercise practiced by many people. It can be a warm up exercise for resistance training or any other workouts and by increasing the intensity you will find that it is a very good aerobic exercise. It works almost the whole body muscle � shoulders, thigh, and calf. For seniors, start slow as a warm up and slowly increase the intensity to which your body feels comfortable. Three to five minutes of jumping jack should be sufficient. Combine with other aerobic exercise to work on other muscle groups will provide all round results.

Water Aerobics � One of the advantages of water aerobics is that it is a low impact or low intensity exercise. Water aerobics benefit people with knee or joint problems. It does not stress on your joints since water provide buoyancy. Water aerobics for seniors help to relief joint stiffness and tone body muscles.

Fast Walking � Do you find walking easy? Try fast walking for 30 minutes and feel your heart pumping. The intensity of fast walking is between jogging and slow walking. This is one of the preference aerobics for seniors since it has less stress on knees and joints as opposed to running and burn calories more than just walking. Depending on your body weight, you may burn about 10 calories or more per minute.

Chair Aerobics � People find themselves lacking the time for aerobics especially working adults may like chair aerobics. Stretching and punching in the air sitting on the chair not only help to circulate the blood but also wake up the sleepy mind and relief stress during office hours. To work on the legs and abdominal, try cycling in the air with both legs elevated above the ground. Chair aerobics can be performed while working in the office or at home watching television.

Other than the above exercises, any movements with higher intensity can be considered as aerobics for seniors. For example, gardening, mopping the floor, and walking up the stair. These are indoor activities. It is most convenient for seniors staying at home. There are many more outdoor aerobics such as swimming, jogging, and cycling. Whether you take it as cardio exercises or aerobics, as long as you get the heart pumping you are on the way to a healthy lifestyle.
Read More..

Kamis, 06 Maret 2008

Muscle Group Strength Training Exercise For Beginners

Beginners may have problem planning their workouts initially but imagine the weekly routine is split into muscle group strength training on alternate day that will clear the confusion from the beginning.

The experts recommend a weekly routine on 3-day per week workouts with 2 to 3 exercises per muscle group. For beginners, it is recommended to train 1 to 2 sets of exercise. Each set is about 12 to 15 repetitions strength training workouts. For each set, train no more than 15 repetitions. If you feel it is too easy then it does not really serve the purpose of weight training for strength and muscles.

As you progress, you can add weight slowly to it. For example, if you can do more than 15 reps without much difficulty after some training you can add 5% to 10% extra weight to it. That will make you stress out at maximum of 15 reps or lower. You should not add weight until you are able to do 15 reps. This applies to dumbbells, barbells, or machines.

Once you progress to the intermediate and more advance stages, you can add more sets and weights per muscle group and then reduce the repetitions to about 8 to 12 reps. This method of training will ensure building strength and muscles progressively.

Let�s take an example of a 3-day per week muscle group strength training exercises routine. Each training day will involve a portion of upper and lower body muscle groups with push and pull exercises to prevent muscle imbalance. Remember for beginners do not train more than 2 sets per muscle group with total combination from different weight machines. However, for abdominal exercises you can add more sets. Resting between sets is about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Also remember to warm up your body before any workouts.

Day 1

Chest
Bench press, peck deck machine, chest press machine, or push up.
(Example: 1 set of bench press and peck deck machine � maximum 15 reps)

Triceps

Tricep extensions, dips, or kickback.
(Example: 1 set of tricep extensions and dips � maximum 15 reps)

Abdominal
Bicycle crunch, reverse crunches, leg raise, or left and right side crunches.
(Example: 30 reps of bicycle crunch, reverse crunch, and leg raise)

Day 2

Back
Lat pulldowns, back extensions, or row machine.
(Example: 1 set of lat pulldowns and back extensions � maximum 15 reps)

Biceps
Bicep curls, or hammer curls.
(Example: 1 set of bicep curls and hammer curls � maximum 15 reps)

Quadriceps
Squat, leg press machine, lunges, or leg curl machine.
(Example: 1 set of squat and leg press machine � maximum 15 reps)

Day 3

Hamstrings
Leg curl machine, lunges, squats, leg press machine.
(Example: 1 set of leg curl machine and lunges � maximum 15 reps)

Calves

Standing calf raise.
(Example: 2 sets of standing calf raise � maximum 15 reps)

Shoulders
Overhead press, lateral raise, or front raise.
(Example: 1 set of overhead press and lateral raise � maximum 15 reps)

The above is just one example of muscle group strength training exercises. For a complete training manual, you may consider hire a trainer for guidance.

Muscle groups workouts do require focus and concentration because you train less on each training day as opposed to total body training. The benefit goes to your muscle gain because you are less stress during the workouts and therefore have more energy to work on each muscle group.

Training on muscles alone does not make a perfect body. You have to include cardio exercises to burn more fats and stay fit as a long term plan.

Beginners have to pay more attention to the movements to avoiding injuries. Firstly, learn how to do the exercises correctly rather than building muscles. Avoid jerky and swinging movements so as not to cause injuries to the connective tissues and muscles. It also helps to strengthen tendons and ligament. The safest way is to perform all repetitions in a slow and controlled manner. Do not use more than 80% of your maximum strength when doing any set of exercises.

Secondly, exercise the larger muscle groups first when you are fresh and less fatigue because larger muscle groups require more blood flow and oxygen when it is stressed. Normally the smaller muscle groups require less energy and stamina. There is a reason why you need to train the bigger muscle groups first.

Last but not least, train only on alternate days to make sure you have at least one full day of rest for muscle recovery. The muscles only grow on rest day and not during training.
Read More..

Selasa, 04 Maret 2008

Differences Between Power Lifting and Bodybuilding

Power lifting is a sport that came from bodybuilding. Although both have different goals but one of the benefits is undoubtedly in strength building. So what makes the two sports different from each other? The main thing that separates the two is competition. When you compete in power lifting, your goal is to impress the judges by moving as much weight as you can whereas in bodybuilding your goal is to show big and defined muscles.

Power lifting competitions will include squat, bench press, and dead weight. Competitors are put into classes that are determined by different factors like the experience and age and are asked to lift in each of the three competitions. As compared to bodybuilding, there is no need to remove hair or flex muscles with different poses to win the game; it is how much weight you have lifted that determines the winner.

Power lifters should have enough protein to optimize muscle building and avoid bad carbohydrates and bad fats such as potatoes and fried foods. Although muscles are not required for power lifting competition but more muscles will provide more strength in general. Staying slim will also benefit power lifters. You should remember that power lifting, is not a measure of how much body fat you have or definition, so if you would happen to put on a few extra pounds, it will not affect how judges see you. Losing the body fat, however will promote a healthier lifestyle completely. You will be able to feel better in the gym when you are weight training and if you cut back on the junk food from your diet.

Just like bodybuilding, power lifting requires good training routine and dedication for the workouts to keep going. Rest is a must between workouts for muscles to recover and occasionally take a good week off every two to three months to allow the body to breath. This is a method that is used by many different trainers and is found to be a great benefit in most people.

Overall, power lifting can both be beneficial to your health and reward you in the competitive sport and keep you dedicated to it as you see the progression from week to week. You will need to focus on winning against your own goals and beating the other lifters. Keep your positive attitude and you will succeed in this great sport.
Read More..

Can Bodyweight Strength Training Routine Build Muscle?

While weight training is the best way to achieve muscle mass and strength, utilizing bodyweight strength training routine regularly will yield same results to some extent. It is inexpensive and can be accomplished anywhere, anytime even at home. Use your body as a gym - no dumbbell, barbell, or special equipment is required. Another benefit is that you can use the creativity of your mind to combine many types of muscle groups training. Using bodyweight for strength training is safer than weight since you are only limited to your own bodyweight. You have no chance of overloading your training by external weight. By implementing proper bodyweight strength training routine to muscle groups, it is likely that your muscles will grow at the same rate as normal weight training.

Although bodyweight strength training is very safe, there are chances of injuries if you are not careful. The focusing of the mind and movement is very important to avoid injuries and always consult your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. If you experience any lightheadedness, dizziness, or shortness of breath while exercising, stop the movement and consult a physician.

The beginning phase of bodyweight strength training routine is less intensity and it is very suitable for beginners. After some training to ensure your body is adapted to the bodyweight with gradual increased in strength you will move into the intermediate and advance phases with higher intensity and repetitions. You will see fat loss, increase in strength endurance and muscle growth during this period.

Not all trainers have the same workouts. Different trainers will have different sets of training but it is very common to include training sessions for different muscle groups on upper and lower body, back, legs, and arms. Common types of training will include:

� Squat
� Push Up
� Pull Up
� Crunch
� Lunge

For more advance training, it will include more difficult variations of the above exercises. For example, instead of normal squat train with one leg squat, split squat jump, or cycled split squat jump. Instead of push up, train with elevated push up or use only one hand. Some people like to alternate the variations each week to train a wider muscle group.

Just like any weight training, three times per week of bodyweight strength training is sufficient. However, experts recommend adding interval training(cardio exercise) after bodyweight strength training either on the same day or on non-workout days. This will greatly accelerate the fat burning process in the body, resulting in effective fat loss. The total training days will never exceed six days. Leave at least one full day per week for rest.

Below is one example of bodyweight strength training recommended by Wesleyan University.

1. Squat - 1 x 20
2. Push-up - 1 x 20
3. In place forward lunge - 1 x 10
4. Pull-ups (partner, bar, modified) - 1 x 15-20
5. Squat Jump (use arms) (explosive jump) - 1 x 15
6. Abdominal activity (Various Crunches) � 1 minute
7. Step ups (chair, box, stairs, etc..) - 1 x 10
8. Low back extensions/Supermans (on ground) - 1 x 20
9. Lateral Lunge (in place or walking) - 1 x 10
10. Dip (Bench, chair, bed, etc..) - 1 x 15-20
11. Single Leg Front Reach (single leg SLD) - 1 x 12

Here is another bodyweight strength training routine by Craig Ballantyne from Turbulence Training for beginners.

1A) Lying Hip Extension (8 reps)
no rest � go directly to:
1B) Plank (15 seconds) Rest 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

2A) Prisoner Squat (12 reps)
no rest � go directly to:
2B) Bird Dog (5 reps) Rest 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

3A) Kneeling Pushup (8 reps)
no rest � go directly to:
3B) Side Plank (5 seconds) Rest 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

4A) Band Pull (15 reps) no rest
go directly to:
4B) Ab Curl-up (15 reps) Rest 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

For more information on bodyweight strength training routine, visit Turbulence Training For Fat Loss and Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle.

It is not surprise to build more muscle mass by increasing the sets, repetitions and resistance of these exercises. In general, the more resistance applies to the exercise, the more muscle strength is needed and hence muscle growth.
Read More..

Kamis, 28 Februari 2008

How To Lose Weight For College Student

Staying in an unfamiliar environment such as college with new roommate can be very inconvenient and difficult at times. But that doesn�t mean you can forget about eating healthy foods. To keep your immune system at peak is important in college because you want to make sure you will stay healthy and concentrate on your study so healthy eating is necessary to keep the weight off.

Healthy always comes with good eating habits. You can plan an eating routine such as never eat after a certain time at night. Make an effort to wake up early to take your breakfast before classes. Breakfast is the most important meal for the day so don�t skip breakfast. Also make sure you have time between classes for a balanced lunch and dinner. Break into more frequent smaller meals if possible. This is the most important factors to lose weight. Plan for a five light meals instead of the normal three if possible. This could be difficult to implement at first but with careful planning it can be done easily.

Does it mean you can eat whatever it is available at your convenience? Nope. Forget about foods from vending machine, take a healthy salad or sandwich with you to eat if you have class over mealtime. Most professors don�t mind if you bring food to class as long as your eat it quietly.

There are times when you eat in the cafeteria, it is important to make healthy decisions. Give no chance to pizza, fried and greasy foods. Take more fruits, vegetables, and in order to consume more protein for building muscles choose lean meat, fish or soybean. A good indication that you have a nutritious meal is color. If your trey is colorful, with fruits, vegetables, and proteins, you are on the right track.

You might also want to note that alcohol has more empty calories than most of the foods you can eat at the cafeteria combined. For health sake, stay away from it.

Sometimes you may want to eat elsewhere. It�s very tempting to order Chinese food or other delivery, especially when participating in study groups. Try to find the best options here and allow yourself to splurge only on special occasions. For example, if someone is ordering pizza, see if the pizza comes with salads. This may be a healthy option.

Exercise is an important part of your life. Add an exercise routine at a local gym, you will not become a bodybuilder or power lifter but it will keep your metabolism high enough to stay slim and fit.

College is one of the best times of your life. Don�t let poor eating choices ruin your health. Swear that you will want to graduate from college healthier than before.
Read More..

Senin, 25 Februari 2008

What Is Metabolic Rate - What Can Affect Metabolism?

The metabolic rate in your body determines how fast you can lose weight. If you�ve been on diet and exercising and nothing seem to work then you must find out what are the factors that affect your metabolism.

Age � As we age, the metabolism tends to slow down. It�s a natural human cycle but with some exercises your metabolic rate can be slowly improved.

Stress � Stress has a lesser influence among all other factors but when stress disrupts some of the body�s processes, metabolism will be affected and hence slow down. It is true that most of the people eat more when they are stressed or depressed. Eating serves as the catharsis for them.

Hormone - A gland in our bodies called �thyroid� is responsible for our weight and other bodily processes. The hormonal production in the body involving the thyroid will certainly affect every person and thus, giving different effects to each. That is why people come in different metabolism and different sizes. Genes have something to do with it too.

Water � Water intake is one of the important factors that will affect your metabolism. Those who hydrate well have the chance to have faster metabolism than those who have lower levels. Inadequate water intake may impede body processes thus affecting one�s metabolic rate. Remember to drink as much water as you can.

Diet � Food intake is a major concern for people trying to control weight. Differences between nutritious food and junk food will determine how healthy you are. Most busy people who choose fast food will lead them to an unhealthy diet, giving them higher calorie intake compared to those who choose healthy food. More calories mean more weight to gain. The general rule is that you have to choose the foods that speed up metabolic rate such as vegetables and fruits.

Activities - Activities involving the body are one of the top determinants of metabolic rate. More movements mean more energy required therefore more calories burned. People who sit in office and desk bounded all day long will have a slower metabolism compared to construction workers.

Muscle Mass - Muscles are the biggest factor in a person�s metabolic rate. The more the muscular tissues are, the higher the metabolic rate would be. Muscles burn more calories and this makes people with more active muscle tissues lose weight faster than those who do not.

The above factors will determine the body�s metabolism. People must be aware of these factors so that it will be easier for them to work out on their target weight management and choose their own means of slimming down.
Read More..

Kamis, 21 Februari 2008

How To Get Motivated To Lose Weight And Build Muscle

How do bodybuilders get motivated to lose weight, build muscles and enjoy their tough training years after years? The answer is positive attitude, which is the right mindset you must have before taking up any weight training. Without positive thinking, you will find it easy to become frustrated and give excuses to drop your exercising routine or to start cheating on diet. Conquer your state of mind is the most important factor in order to keep building muscles and have a better outlook in life for everything.

But how do you keep a positive mind? First you must find some reasons to keep motivate yourself and never give chance to any negative thoughts to reside in your mind. Below are some tips to help you get motivated.

� Ask yourself what do you hope to accomplish?
� What benefits do you get and why you are doing it?
� What are your short and long term goals?
� Visualize you have achieved short term goals and are seeing amazing results.
� Tell yourself your short term goals will easily lead to the achievement of long term goals.
� Have a trainer or training partner.

In order to keep motivate yourself towards success, set smaller goals for yourself from week to week no matter what your goal is and the difficulty levels. You will want to keep a close eye on your activity and your progress as you go. Keep the end goal for yourself in sight and make sure that you are excited about what you are doing.

Feeling frustrated by the slow improvement or no improvement at all can easily kill your positive thinking. Always stay calm if you feel frustrated or trying to throw tantrum. Control yourself by all means. If you are not in good mood, stop training for the time being and relax at the beach or take a short vacation. Bodybuilding is a tough sport and even if you only take it as a hobby, when you do not see results right away its easy to become discouraged and stop. Do not worry, just keep motivated by the above steps or use whatever ways you find fit with the right exercise and maintaining a good healthy lifestyle, you should be able to see weight loss and muscle gain in a few weeks.

All in all, one of the most important factors is to be dedicated. You may need a workout partner to keep motivate each other on the way. If the two of you can keep an eye on each other, you will have a good motivation and be less likely to back out on your hard work and diet. With some motivation, inspiration, and dedication, you will be able to see the results that you want in the gym. You will be able to start feeling better about your health and looking better too.
Read More..

Sabtu, 16 Februari 2008

What You Need To Know About Gym Etiquette While Working Out

If you do not belong to a gym you may be surprised to find that there are many hidden rules that are enforced by bodybuilders and other people there to work out. You should know gym etiquette is as simple of having good manners and using these towards to the other members. There are some things that you may not think about and that maybe you should before you decide to join a gym.You may want to watch others as beginners to a gym and see how they do not follow the rules and how it makes you feel. Here are some simple tips for having good manners and respect for others at a gym.

Wear Clean Clothing for Workouts
You should first make sure that you stay clean. This will include yourself, your clothing, and the equipment that you use.

Shower After Each Workout
You should shower regularly and defiantly always wear your deodorant. Do this for at least others if not for your own self. Many of the gyms will have showers and locker rooms so you can take advantage of them. You should shower after each workout.

Keep Those Damped Clothes
Keep the gym clean and fresh by keeping damp and dirty in a bag instead of lying around. If you do, bacteria can grow and someone can get sick.

Carry A Towel
During your workouts you tend to sweat a lot. You may want to carry around a towel so that you can wipe off your sweat during or after your workouts. When you are done working out, you should clean all the equipment off so that no bacteria can build up.

Keep Your Time
You should also be aware of the time. Other people are waiting to use the equipment and weights so you should only use one type of equipment at a time instead of jumping from one piece to another. Remember that even if you leave a machine for a second, someone else has the right to take it over. Everyone is usually on a routine and you need to be aware of that.

Put The Weights In The Original Place
Put the weights in the right spot so that the next person can find them easily. Image how frustrating it is if you have to search around for the weights the next time you use it.

Make sure that you are considerate. Your training is going to be hard but it should be fun too. Others are at the gym for the same reason as you so you need to be respectful of those around you in the gym. If you are respectful, you will notice that you will not have any problems with anyone at the gym. You will have a better time and get the work out that you are looking for.
Read More..

Kamis, 14 Februari 2008

Why You Need High Fiber Diets?

Fiber is important to the body. Fiber is mostly polysaccharides composed of glucose units, but human digestive enzymes cannot break the bonding of these units. You might not understand the terminology behind these terms but one thing for sure is people who intend to lose weight need to include high fiber diets in their lives.

Depending on their solubility in water, there are of two main types of fiber: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Both of these types are important for optimum health. Fiber has a number of health benefits and hence is highly recommended in daily food. Some of its health benefits are:

� It promotes the feelings of fullness and reduces energy consumption.
� It prevents constipation, hemorrhoids, and other intestinal problems.
� Fiber helps prevent bacterial infection of the appendix.
� It reduces the risk of colon cancer.
� It stimulates the muscles of the digestive tract and helps them retain their health and tone.

To keep the digestive tract healthy and prevent other disorders like hemorrhoids and intestinal problems, people normally need 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily. These can be obtained from a variety of plants, vegetables and fruits. Fibers are especially abundant in whole foods. All fruits are rich in fiber.

For just 2 grams of fiber, you could eat 1 small apple, 1 peach, 1 small banana, 2 prunes, 16 large cherries, or a number of other fruits. Grains also contain fiber.

For 2 grams of fiber, simply try 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 2 slices of cracked wheat bread, 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, 2 cups of popped popcorn, or 1/4 of a cup of corn bran.

For 2 grams of fiber from vegetables, eat � of a cup of broccoli, 1 cup of celery, � of a cup of carrots, 1 small potato, 1 large tomato, or a variety of beans.

We have wide variety of choices for high fiber diets so there is really no excuse for not getting enough fiber in your diet! Start to include high fiber diets in your meals. Healthy lifestyle not only helps to prevent diseases but also make you feel stronger
Read More..

Sabtu, 09 Februari 2008

Fad Diets - Why Are They Bad?

Like most of the quick weight loss diet programs including fad diets, why are they bad for the body?

Fad diets are a sort of diet plan or aid that aims at losing weight, usually in a relatively short time. Fad diets attract a large number of people who suffer from weight problems and are helplessly looking to some way of arriving at a shapely physique. The problem with fad diets is that their fat-reducing effect is temporary and results in quick regain of weight. What is worse is that most of these diets are harmful to health. This is the main reason why fad diets are bad for the body.

Fat diets are not as new as they might seem at first. It started more than a century ago when an obese Londoner was prescribed fad diets on experimental basis. It is only after a century and a half that fad diets have become popular as a kind of weight loss diet plan. Teens and young adults especially flock to fad diets for answers to weight problems.

Fad diets are usually centered on a higher consumption of fats or proteins while stressing to go easy on or, in some cases, completely cut out carbohydrates. It is the low intake of carbohydrates that brings about rapid weight loss. In fact, this rapid loss is the loss of water that glycogen has stored. With loss of glycogen, the large amount of water stored in it is also lost and body weight drops. The fats are still there and as the fad diets are given up, the body regains its proportion of water lost. Weight is put back on as fast as it was lost.

People on fad diets may feel weak and fatigue. Normally, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body. Since fad diets rip off carbohydrates the body will use stored fat for energy and this may seem beneficial but in fact it is not. Without carbohydrates, fats cannot be completely oxidized and put to work. This is the reason why people feel tired and weak. In addition, the ketone molecules resulting from the fat-breakdown accumulate in the blood and are excreted out via urine, causing dehydration.

Given the harmful health effects of fad diets, it is important for us, especially the weight-conscious people, to recognize and beware of these diet plans. Watch out for diets that:

� Promise quick weight loss
� Publicize before and after pictures
� Present weight-loss testimonials
� Tend to limit natural food choices
� Require a large sum of money

Fad diets may be popular, but it is very bad for your body. It could lead to death from fad diets. Be careful with any diet or exercise program and ask your doctor to be sure it is safe.

The best solution to lose weight is to lose fat and not water or muscles. A sensible diet with adequate exercise is the answer to it.
Read More..

Jumat, 08 Februari 2008

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise For Weight Loss and Fitness

Most often than not, aerobic exercise is associated with weight loss, health and fitness. Aerobics does not require full blast of energy but are done at moderate levels of intensity for a longer time to achieve optimum level of fitness as well as for weight loss. The key to weight loss is to increase heart rate and metabolism by spreading out moderate levels of energy over a longer period of time to trigger the use of fat in energy production. Doing it right could be a cure for obesity. High intensity of aerobic exercise and workout movement meets all the above requirements for weight loss and fitness.

During aerobic exercise, your body breaks down glycogen to use for energy. If there is not enough glycogen in the body, you start using fat reserves instead, which is why you lose weight. Unlike anaerobic exercise such as weight training and strength exercise, aerobic exercise requires more on body�s stamina and not muscle strength.

However, there are many people prefer weight training to aerobics for weight loss. The reason is weight training requires muscle strength to build muscles and burns fat as well, whereas aerobics only requires more on stamina and endurance. Both have its pros and cons, it really depends on one�s preference. If your aim is only for fitness or simply to lose weight, aerobic exercise can be a simple and effective method for busy people.

Do not overlook the important of aerobics. Other than losing weight, there are many other benefits including strengthening of repertory muscle, train the heart to pump more efficiently, increase blood flow and oxygen in the body, and increase endurance. Aerobics can effectively decrease the risk of death due to cardiovascular problems and of osteoporosis in both men and women.

Aerobic exercise can be done from home or attend classes with groups. Many doctors recommend it to patients as a mean to maintain healthy lifestyle. Regardless of age, youngsters or seniors, aerobic exercise is one of the best forms of activities to keep fit as well as for weight management.

Are you interest to learn how aerobics can change your life? Consult the health care professional what types of aerobic exercises will work best for your body. Aerobics are the key to living a healthier and physically productive life, so don�t wait another day before starting a new healthy program that includes aerobics.
Read More..

Kamis, 07 Februari 2008

Benefits of Increasing Your Metabolism

The key to successful weight loss is by increasing your metabolism. What is metabolism? Metabolism is the process of burning calories in your body naturally all day long whether you exercise or not, including when you are asleep. As metabolism increases, more fluid are taken in and thus weight loss would happen gradually. Increasing metabolism does not result in rapid weight loss but 1 to 2 pounds a week is possible. By increasing the metabolism you are giving the body a need to have more amount of protein.

Although exercise could increase metabolism but one must choose the right exercises that are suitable and effective for his or her body type. Increasing the metabolism must come before trimming down on calories. Otherwise, it is just another weight loss diet plan that can harm your body badly.

By increasing metabolism you can enjoy many of the following benefits:

� Reduce your time for exercise because you do not need so much exercise to burn fat. In other words, you can have more time spend on other activities.

� Weight loss is long term. No other rapid weight loss diet plan can provide such long term results without gaining weight again.

� No worry on foods. You do not have to ignore the favorite food and you need not spend so much time just preparing non-fat meals.

� You have stronger muscle and live healthier. You will feel stronger and have more energy in whatever you are already doing.

� You have stronger immune system. You are less prone to disease because your immune system will increase together with the metabolism.

These benefits are very simple but these are very important especially for the well-being of an individual. When we exert effort and work hard on our objectives like losing weight, impossible will not even be a fact at all.

These benefits are just some of the many increasing your metabolism could offer - so what are you waiting for?

Download the ways to increase metabolism now - Turbulance Training Fat Loss System
Read More..

Selasa, 05 Februari 2008

Why Do We Need Fats In Our Diet?

Why your body needs fat? From nutritional point of view, fats are potentially harmful elements to your body. People who are health conscious always avoid fats as far as possible. While this is true in general, it does not necessary imply that all fats are bad. In fact, fats are the chief form of energy and are necessary for maintaining proper health as long as it is not over consumed. During times of unavailability of food, the fats that stored in the body will provide energy to prevent starvation.

Why fats are the chief form of energy and not carbohydrates?

Glycogen which is the dominant form of the body�s carbohydrates, requires a great deal of water to hold in the body. As the body cannot hold this bulk of water, it can only provide limited energy when needed. Fats, on the other hand, will not require water to bond and stay in the body. Therefore, they can store much more energy than glycogen in a small space.

Depends on the conditions, fats are required to provide energy in the form of heat such as people doing hard physical labor and people in cold climates. Moreover, there are fats surrounded the vital organs of the body that served as shock absorbers. Also, the layer of fat beneath the skin prevents the body from extremes of temperature conditions. Fats also dissolve some essential nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K. Without some fats in our diet, we cannot survive.

The fact that weight gaining is often associated with anorexia and other eating disorders, such as binge eating. Fat which is consumed in moderate amounts is actually healthy for your body. A healthy lifestyle should consist of more good fats than bad ones.

Good fats are actually good for your heart such as omega 3, which is found in many foods including fish, seeds, and plants. Theses are polyunsaturated fats. On the contrary, try to avoid fried and oily foods that mostly found in fast food. It consists of large amount of saturated fat that is very bad for your health.

Even bodybuilders who are on strict diet do not completely avoid fats and carbohydrates but only limit its intake to a small percentage for body energy. Remember to eat a small amount of good fats every day so that you can maintain good health
Read More..

Senin, 04 Februari 2008

Aerobics for Beginners

If you are just getting started with aerobics, you might be feeling overwhelmed. It is true that there are many ways to work out, and that if you can manage to get a good workout you are going to be much more healthy. It is also true that you need to have a course of workout in which your body is moving fast and your heart and lungs are forced to work harder than when you are at rest. This is called aerobic exercise, and it is something that is very important that you understand.

Always start from the beginning and slowly work your way up to advance level. Beginning aerobics are very easy and it can be done anywhere even from home. The point is to get your blood flowing, you may try jogging in place and moving your arms and legs in order to get your heart rate up. Then, you gradually increase the intensity and repetitions. For instance, running in place lifting your leg as high as possible or doing a series of movements with high speed can be an excellent aerobic exercise if your heart can take it. Another advance aerobics is rope skipping.

Something else that you should keep in mind is that aerobics often work better with music. The way that it works is that you can use the music to keep your tempo and to keep you working hard. You can also time your exercises with music � you can do one set for an entire song, for instance. Music can be your motivator and it can help you keep working out. For example, you can add music to step aerobics. This can be very fun and you won�t be bored by the monotonous movements you already get used to.
Read More..

Sabtu, 02 Februari 2008

The Advantages of Weight Loss

It seems like everyone is trying to lose weight - but why? Actually, there are a number of reasons why a person may want to lose weight, and these reasons are justified. Losing weight does have great advantages. Of course, there are always going to be horror stories about people who fall into the traps of eating disorders, but for the most part, losing weight is greatly to your advantage.

The most obvious advantage to weight loss is, of course, the health benefits. When you are heavier than normal, you put our body at risk to develop a number of disease and conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and intestinal diseases. These can be prevented and more easily treated if you lose weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is something that you and your doctor should discuss in order to make the best decisions for your body�s health.

There are, however, other advantages as well. First and foremost, when you are of a normal weight, shopping for clothing is more fun and easier because you actually fit into clothing more readily. It can often be less expensive as well. The extra large sizes and beyond use more fabric to make, so many manufacturers raise the prices for these larger articles of clothing.

The motivation to lose weight will open the opportunity to learn about healthy eating. When was the last time you calculate the calories, carbohydrate, and protein of the foods if you�re not on diet? Nutrition is another interest topic to explore and the knowledge will benefit you for life. Cooking nutritious foods with the family can be fun and it will also help to influence the family to be health conscious.

Most importantly is how you feel and see your body after losing weight. Are you stronger and healthier? In addition, who doesn�t want to receive compliments from coworkers? Who doesn�t want to attend their high school reunions looking even prettier than when actually in high school? Who doesn�t want to smile at their appearance every day when looking in the mirror?

Have you seen the great benefits of losing weight, staying fit and slim? Take action today and be healthier tomorrow.
Read More..

Jumat, 01 Februari 2008

Binge Eating Disorder Help | Medication Treatments Or Exercise

What is binge eating? Binge eating is basically a form of overeating at its worst. Binge eating, unlike some other dangerous eating disorders that affect people of all ages, is one of the lesser known weight loss disasters. It�s sweeping the nation and hence there is a need for binge eating disorder help from experts and doctors to stop the rise of such eating disorder that leads to many kinds of diseases.

How can I stop binge eating?

Medication treatments. It�s not late to seek medication treatment for binge eating disorders although it happens mostly in adults but there seems to have a small percentage in toddler. However, binge eating in toddler requires treatment promptly so as to prevent the onset of diseases before it�s too late. For adults, it is difficult to find a special binge eating disorder clinic but you may want to check with your doctor as a cure for obesity(weight loss program), psychotherapy, and medications such as antidrepressant. It�s better to do a thorough research offline or online treatments for binge eating disorder before you go for it.

Exercise and diet. The best way to stop binge eating is to get motivated to exercise regularly and stay on proper diet. It�s only through exercising and eating healthy foods will binge eaters enjoy healthy lifestyle. Most of us can�t focus well on diet and training. The problem lies in the lack of proper plan or step by step instructions to follow through. If this is the problem, I would recommend Turbulence Training for Fat Loss and Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle as a guide for your workouts. See your body change and feel your strength in a matter of weeks if you stay focus.

Once a while we may tend to overeat in certain occasions at a restaurant or during holiday, but binge eater faces overeating problems more than a few times a week. It�s the overeating bad habits that lead to damage of the body. The long term effects of binge eating can cause heart disease, diabetes, and a number of other medical conditions, which actually could result in death. The most common symptoms for binge eating are shortness of breath and chest tightening. It is important to learn about binge eating disorder and to seek help immediately if you think this could be a problem for you.

Why do people binge eating? From study trial, binge eating may be caused by a few of the followings:

� Feeling depressed
� Lonely
� Stress

Binge eaters will overeat thousands of calories in one sitting until they feel sick. And most of the foods are not very nutritious. Binge eaters may enjoy sweet or savory foods, and may also have a problem with alcohol. It�s very normal that a binge eater may eat more than a normal person will eat in a week. Binge eaters are always overweight from the fats and calories they consumed. There are cases whereby binge eaters tried to maintain their weight by overeating for one day and starve for the next few days with vigorously exercises.

Binge eating goes hand in hand with a number of other physical diseases, but it can also affect a personal mentally and emotionally. Many binge eaters turn to food for comfort as a way to work out their problems, which is unhealthy. Binge eaters are also usually very emotionally charged about their body weight and may experience depression because of it, regardless of if they are overweight or not. Binge eating is not only dangerous for the binge eater, but can affect everyone in his or her life. If you or someone you know is suffering from this disease, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. This is not a good way to lose weight.
Read More..