Weight Loss Naturally

Understanding the Maze of Healthy Fats Vs Bad Fat

2008-06-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

People hear the word fat and they think bad for your health. This happened because there was so much conflicting information that if you were not a nutritionist you could not understand the meaning of what is fat. And with this confusion most people just decided to cut all fat from their diet.

Some have even gone as far as to say not even low-fat; they just want a diet of no fat period. But is having a diet of no fat really healthy? What is the real meaning or importance of having fat in your diet? Well let us take a closer look at the fat issue and see if all fats are the same.
A closer look at fats reveals that there are some fat that we really need to eliminate from our diet. These are the fats that you just should really just cut from your diet altogether. These fats are called saturated fats.

Saturated fats are most found in meat and high dense dairy products. This simple means that if you are going to be eating meat you should be looking for the leaner cuts, without all the fat. When eating dairy you want to choose low fat dairy products to loser your intake of saturated fat. Another bad fat that you should be avoiding are trans fat.
Trans fat largely found in some margarines, cakes and fried foods such as chips. Almost most baked product that is store bought will have some amount of trans fat in them. So when shopping you have to practice to read labels. Both saturated fat and trans fat have the propensity to raise your cholesterol level and clog your arteries.

These fats are a dieter worst nightmare. You want to avoid these foods that may contain these fats because these will definitely load on the pounds. But not because these fats are bad does not mean that all fat is bad. The good fast that you should be consuming is unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats can be found in fish such as salmon and tuna just to name a few. Another source of unsaturated fat is plants, these fats are essential for your health.

Even though you might hear the term fat, remember that there is good fat and bad fat. And even though you might be tempted to avoid fats you have to understand that the bad fats should be avoided but the good fat are needed to ensure that you maintain good health. With this in mind, try to start adding more fish to your diet that way you will ensure that you are getting the good fats and staying away from the horrible fats.

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Jack!e Reid is an expert in weight loss management and fitness advice. She focuses on innovative and unique techniques to losing weight and who has been successful in using these techniques to keeping the weight off. For a limited time, you can claim " A breakthrough in Weight Loss Secrets" e-book absolutely free at Get my free copy now! Get your FREE copy now at http://www.FatLossSecretsReveal.com
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Easy Fat Loss Nutrition Tip

2008-06-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

By Ed Scow

Everybody wants to lose fat. No matter if you're 10 pounds overweight or 200, it's on everybody's mind.
If it weren't there wouldn't be new infomercials popping up on television every week trying to scam you into buying their cheap piece of plastic or fad diet book.
The truth is...the truth that the fat loss television marketers and diet makers don't want you to know is that it's pretty simple to lose fat. All you have to do is start making minor tweaks to your nutrition right now and I guarantee you'll see results within a week.
I'll give you a very easy tip to follow right now.

Eat more fiber.
If you follow this one nutrition tip, you will lose fat. It's impossible to not lose fat if you consume more fiber.
Why? Well first of all the foods that are loaded with fiber are generally low in calories, which means you'll consume fewer calories, which means you'll lose fat. Foods such as vegetables, beans and whole grains are loaded with fiber and generally low in calories per serving.
Some fruit is even packed with fiber. In fact, a medium sized apple has about 4-5 grams of fiber. Have two of those per day and that's almost half of your daily fiber goal right there.

Another reason it's impossible not to lose fat while consuming more fiber is that fiber acts as a "bulker" in your stomach, which means it'll make you feel full faster. If you were to think about that last statement, you'd realize that fiber is in fact nature's appetite suppressant!
The supplement manufacturers have been trying for years to get you to buy their pills that they say act as an appetite suppressant. They say they have these magic compounds or magic herbs that trick your brain into believing you're full.

Well surprise surprise, nature has had its own appetite suppressant all along and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than the bottles they were trying to sell you.
So if you feel full faster, you won't eat as much right? Which means you won't eat as much right? Which means you'll lose fat right? Bingo!

Start today. Go to the grocery store this evening and stock up on fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and some whole grains. Vegetables like romaine lettuce and spinach for salads, broccoli, etc. Fruits like apples and pears. Grab some almonds, black beans, white beans and whole grain bread and you are good to go.

Another reason adding more fiber will help you lose weight is that by doing so, you're most likely going to be replacing some junky snack food for your healthy fiber-rich food. Doing so will obviously help you lose fat. It really is that simple.

Just do everybody a favor and don't try to go from 0 fiber to lots of fiber in a couple days. Your stomach will revolt and your friends and family won't want to come near you. Hopefully you know what I mean.

Start small by adding 1 fruit and/or vegetable to your daily eating plan and build from there.
Learn how to lose body fat quicker than you ever thought imaginable by going to http://www.fatlosstogo.com/
The fast, time efficient fat loss workouts found in Fat Loss To Go have helped busy men and women lose fat faster than they ever could have imagined.

The workouts found in Fat Loss To Go can be done in the comfort of your own home with limited equipment in as little as 15-20 minutes! To learn more go to http://www.fatlosstogo.com/
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4 Tips For Eating Mindfully

2008-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

By Lynn Grieger

Which of these best describes your typical meal:
1. You eat standing up, working at your desk, or while running around the kitchen trying to make sure everyone else has everything they need. Mealtime is stressful, hectic, and not a lot of fun.

2. You eat at a beautifully set table, have plenty of time to enjoy your meal and the company of the people you're eating with, and savor both the taste and atmosphere of mealtime.

If you're like me, #1 is your typical meal, and #2 happens only when the stars align, there's no full moon, you're on vacation, and your kids are off at camp. But it doesn't have to be this way! Eating mindfully, more like scenario #2, can actually help us lose weight because we're paying more attention to what and why we're eating. What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating, according to The Center for Mindful Eating (TCME) at www.tcme.org, is choosing to eat food that is pleasing, nourishing, and involves all your senses. That counts out going through the fast food drive-through with a car full of smelly, sweaty soccer players!

Mindful eating also acknowledges our individual feelings about food, both positive and negative. I have really good memories of picking, cleaning, and eating fresh strawberries with my family that I remember with a smile every time fresh strawberry season rolls around. The memories, and the act of savoring those memories, make eating strawberries a delight.

The 4 steps to achieving mindful eating:
If you want to make mealtime more than a 5-minute race to down something half-way nutritious, start by working on these four steps suggested by TCME.
1. Become aware of what's going on while you're eating. Use all of your senses, and really pay attention to the smells, sounds, sights, and texture of your food and your surroundings. Many of us can't remember anything about what we ate yesterday, and trying to conjure up the smells and sounds that went along with the meals is more than we can handle. Yet if we start to pay attention to our meals, we'll be able to figure out what works - and what doesn't.

2. Think about why you're eating these particular foods. What led you to ordering these foods, preparing this particular meal, or choosing one restaurant over another? The reasons why aren't as important as identifying the choice behind the reasons.

3. Next, start to focus in on choice. Why did I choose these foods, this location, even this time of day to eat? What's going on physically, mentally, and emotionally that led me to these choices? Try to reflect objectively on what's going on; this is not the time to berate yourself for forgetting to pack lunch and relying on the vending machine!

4. Finally, start to become aware of how the choices you make about meals and foods help or harm you. Is anyone else affected by these choices? In my case, I'm the one who purchases and prepares the food for my family, so my choices affect not only myself, but also my husband and kids. Extend that out to where choosing organic foods helps protect the Earth, and opting to shop from the local farmer's market positively impacts my neighbors who produce these foods.

Take it one step at a time
There's no set time frame for learning to eat mindfully. Work at a pace that makes the most sense to you. Perhaps start with just one meal, or pick one day of the week to practice just one of these steps. Start with step one, and after you've mastered it, move on to step two. Eating mindfully not only can help you enjoy meals more, it can also lead to weight loss and healthier eating habits.
Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE, cPT is a health, food and fitness coach at http://www.LynnGrieger.com
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Stop That Random Eating!

2008-06-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

By Carol Stanley

Stop that random eating! This careless eating is what is making many of us over-weight and unhealthy. I do not mean "stop eating" but think before you eat. Plan your splurges. When you see that plate of cookies, doughnuts, samples in grocery stores just say NO! During the holidays this is a major problem. There is food everywhere. Give yourself two splurges a week and plan them out. Be sure it is something you really love.

Keep your home sugar free and fat free. Sound difficult? It is not at all. If your house is lacking in sugary drinks, potato chips or chocolate chip cookies you will more than likely forego your craving. It is far too much work to go to the store. Sugar is addictive. Have it one day and you want it the next day. When your house has healthy snacks such as cut up veggies with low fat dip, fruit cut up and raw nuts, you will reach for them. Another thing is when these snacks are ready to eat you will be more likely to help yourself. Unfortunately as we get older the pounds graciously attack our waists, thighs and other unwanted places. The metabolism slows down even with planned exercise. Your weapon is to make wise choices when you are able.

When going into a restaurant decide whether or not it is a splurge night. How does the bread look? Is it just average? Is it crusty and hot? Is it worth the calories? This may seem like a lot of work, but your choices at these times will help keep your trim and healthy.
Baking is another downfall. Unless you love the activity and can avoid tasting (generously) avoid it!! Actually as good as pastries are we do not need them for good health.
Food is fuel for life and energy. Think of that whenever you are tempted to indulge in something with a million calories.

My rules to live by:

1. Eat only what you love

2. Eat only when you are hungry

3. Stop before you are full

4. Never random eat

5. Plan your splurges ahead

Follow these simple rules and your energy and your body will thank you.
my book "For Kids 59.99 and Over"
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Antioxidants - What Are Antioxidants and the Benefits of Antioxidant Fruits & Supplements

2008-06-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

By Hope Pope

I am sure you have heard the word "antioxidants" many times. You probably know from the news and articles that you have read that fruits and vegetables have high levels of antioxidants but trying to understand what antioxidants actually are can be very confusing. Well, here it is going to be explained quite simply.

In order to explain what antioxidants are, you need to understand that your body is made of trillions of different cells. Each organ in your body (for example, the heart, the brain, the liver, etc.) is made up of many different cells.

As we get older, cells in our bodies can get damaged by many different things. For instance, pollution can damage our cells... poor diets can damage our cells... poor water can damage our cells... smoking (as well as second hand smoke can damage our cells.), etc. Depending on the extent of the damage, different organs (remember, each organ is made up of many cells) can get damaged. Once they get damaged too much, it leads to problems such as heart disease, liver problems, cancer, alzheimers, etc.

Antioxidants help repair damaged cells in our bodies and antioxidants also help prevent our healthy cells from getting damaged. Hopefully, if we take enough antioxidants when we are younger, we can prevent ourselves from getting problems such as heart disease, liver problems and cancer.
So it is definitely good to try to prevent your cells from getting damaged. You can start this at any age.

Antioxidants can be found in our foods as well as in different supplements.
The fruits with the most antioxidants in them are any kind of berries... blueberries, strawberries, etc. Dark green vegetables also contain a lot of antioxidants such as spinach and kale.
Some good supplements that contain high levels of antioxidants are green tea extract, grape seed extract and turmeric curcumin.

Visit http://www.provennaturalcures.com for more information on natural cures.
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What Are the Most Important Things in a Nutrition Program?

2008-06-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

By Jason Szova

Nutrition program can be defined as a process of taking in or consuming healthy and growth supporting food. With the changing lifestyle in urban areas every other person is surrounded with junk food or fast food temptation, but none of those unfit food stuff works the way a balanced diet does.

A good or balanced nutrition for healthy living is a benefit for every age type, especially for those spending hours in gym or other physical activities. It is a well known fact that nutritional diet intake is full of benefits for every category of people and supports growth in teenagers and kids, while helping in maintaining healthy and fit body in adults.

Before going to nutrition filled food and the important things in a nutrition program, you need to understand that nutrition does not only mean having lots of protein through the day or throwing calories away from your life or to skip a meal or to eat less. Nutrition or nutrition program is a process where a complete combination of all the nutrients should be present in day to day diet i.e. you can not just skip carbohydrates or fat from your food intake.

Mostly people involved in workouts tend to suffer from weakness and late post-workout recovery due to incomplete nutrition intake. You may be having protein supplements, but your body will still be lacking in nutrition for the absence of other vital ingredients of a perfect nutrition program. A human body needs a well balanced combination of the three main ingredients of a nutrition program .i.e. protein, carbohydrate and fat. Along with these three main components, a nutrition program also consists of vitamins, minerals and adequate amount of water intake.

A good nutrition program consist of vital steps or things to be taken care of, as it helps to ensure that the body is getting complete nutrition and does not lacks in any of the key ingredient. But, there are also things not to be done to balance and succeed in your nutritional intake. These 'not to do' things say - do not begin a nutrition program without a physical activity like exercising or cycling or brisk walking, do not skip your meals (breakfast or lunch or dinner), do not depend only on supplements and substitutes for losing weight or gaining muscle strength and do not skip or minus any of the three main ingredients mentioned.

Another big mistake people tend to make in the name of nutrition intake or nutritious diet is by eating less or staying on fast through the day (with nothing but fruits intake). Often, eating less or nothing works towards slowing down or destroying the metabolism of a body.

Some of the most important things in a complete nutrition program are small but 5-6 meals per day, little bit of everything, management of calories to a level or intake of good fat, lost of water intake through a day, addition of fiber rich food and inclusion of vegetables and fruits in daily intake.

Experts believe that for a good healthy and nutritional intake one need to eat more than 3 meals per day. These meals should be 5 to 6 in number and less in quantity; also these small meals should consist of a balanced ratio of all the vital ingredients. This step of a nutrition programs helps to put an end to extra hunger or need for food and puts an end to starvation, also this helps to boost up the body metabolism and supports digestion system too. Next step comes as a balanced ratio of all the ingredients or little bit of everything i.e. to manage your 5-6 meals with lots of protein, required amount of carbohydrates, 20 to 25 % of fat per day and desired amount of vitamins and minerals.

People in general are always afraid of fat intake and tend to shift towards fat free or low fat food products, but truth is that fat has its own vital role in a nutrition diet. Fat is required for providing energy, stamina and oil to the bones, muscles, tissues and cells in the body. Fat intake to a desired level (specially the essential fat or the good fat) is compulsory for not just those indulged in muscle building, but is also equally important for rowing children and ageing adults for lubrication of joints. There are three types of fats present in food, such as saturate fat, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Out of these three types, monounsaturated fats are the essential and good fats required by a body for growth, strong joints and bones, building of stamina and for maintaining a decent level of cholesterol in the body. It also is said to have good 'antioxidant' characteristics. Olive oil, canola oil and fish oil are some of the sources of monounsaturated fats; also this type of fat is present in both kinds of products (plant and animal).

Objective of a nutritious diet is not just to provide health and growth to a body, but to maintain its vital function like metabolism and digestion. Adequate intake of water in a day works towards helping the body in performing these functions successfully. Water does not just prevent a body from dehydrating, but also act as a cleanser for body toxins. Water is needed in a body to support the breakdown of valuable ingredients within the body.

Lastly, a balanced or perfect nutrition program can never exit without the intake of right amount of valuable fiber rich products like fruits and vegetables. To maintain a fiber level within a body is important enough to not to be ignored. You can always eat lots of salad or fruits between your main meals to fill your body with vital fibers required for performing digestive functions and to maintain the nutrition level of the body. Some of the source for fiber rich fruits and vegetables are: apples, pears, oranges, grapefruits, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, carrots, mushrooms and green beans.

Thus, a good nutritional diet program is essential to make your body perform its vital functions with an ease.

Copyright (c) 2008 Jason Szova
This article has been brought to you by Positive Body Real Results Magazine if you would like more free information on health fitness fat loss and bodybuilding please visit http://positivebody.com - http://totalbodytransformations.com
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Different Foods to Eat to Lose Weight

2008-06-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

By Phil Hixon

In recent studies, researchers say that incorporating dairy products such as yogurt, cheese or drinking milk could promote weight-loss without actually cutting any amount of calories out of your current diet which makes them great foods to eat to lose weight. Mineral calcium, it is believed, actually burns fat stored in fat cells in your body. The studies also show that people that drink skim milk, or consume other types of dairy products lose anywhere from one to two pounds a month.

Also, a study at the University of Tennessee suggests calcium from these dairy products actually blocks the storing of fat cells. Moreover, a study in Quebec reported that consuming one-thousand milligrams of calcium each day raises HOL cholesterol, the good cholesterol and decreases the bad cholesterol (LOL cholesterol). Fat-free milk contains 220 milligrams of calcium and 80 calories per glass, which is the same as whole milk.

So, you know about things like milk; yogurt and cheese. However, consider other foods to eat to lose weight, things like spinach, tofu (and other soy products) and collard greens and non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese. Iso-flavones which are plant chemicals that break down fat are found in soy, making this an excellent choice to include in your diet. These iso-flavones are also known to reduce the possibility of heart disease and also lower your LOL cholesterol.

Along with incorporating more healthy products into your diet, lowering the overall fat intake within your diet will increase your chances of losing weight and keeping that weight off.

To see Phils video and sample diets of how Phil lost almost 30lbs in 30 days WITHOUT exercising visit foods to eat to lose weight
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Losing Weight Via the Maple Syrup Diet

2008-06-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

By Vincent Russells

The Maple Syrup diet is common name for the well known Master Cleanse diet. It gets the name Maple Syrup diet as this is one of the main ingredients of this diet. Do continue reading to find out what is the Maple Syrup diet.

This diet came into being in the 1950s and has been tried out by tens of thousands of people world over with an objective to purify their bodies and loose a substantial amount of weight. It is a 10 day plan similar to detox type diet plan which cleanses and facilitates your body to get rid of all the pollutants which have been ingested into the system due to substandard or industrialized highly processed junk food, the modern day lifestyle, and various other factors. We all have these harmful chemicals accumulated in varying degree inside our body. This can have negative effects like it can cause a massive and immensely big weight gain, or difficulty to lose massive weight with regular diets, and various other conditions like acne, pimples, stomach aches, allergies, and many more.

The Maple Syrup diet plays a role in cleansing our entire body. The recommendations include strictly following the diet's recipe which consists of lemon juice, Grade B maple syrup, sea salt, tea, and cayenne pepper. Some other average people also eat various other foods which give similar effect, but the recipe is the core of the diet.

The food has a low calorie value and also has the cleansing properties agents. This functionality allows the organic and well processed maple syrup diet to flush out of the body all the toxins and wastes along with large quantities of undigested food which has clogged and accumulated inside your system over long period of time. Maple Syrup Diet plan gives impressive results as far as reduction in weight is concerned. Beyonce the known singer lost over 20 pounds of her weight by implementing this diet for preparing for her role for the movie Dreamgirls.

Vincent is a veteran nutrition and dieting expert for the last 20 years. Do read more on Master Cleanse Diets at Master Cleanse
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Dangers of Fad Dieting - Cabbage Soup Diet is Pointless

2008-06-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

By Garen Arnold
The infamous Cabbage Soup Diet can become damaging to your health and I would not recommend trying it. It is true the Cabbage Soup Diet is a joke This popular dieting plan can cause a great deal of physical discomfort as well as flatulence gas. The major disappointment to this harmful dieting plan the "Cabbage soup diet" is that you regain weight back as soon as you stop following the directions that are suggested. Like every other fad diet out you the Cabbage Soup Diet is no different. These fad diets seem to all claim new revolutionary results but it is all just a lie.

What this dieting plan offers is a quick weight loss diet that is overemphasized with one particular food or type of food. This really doe not make since to me. I can't even understand how people fall for this dieting plan. This infringes the first principle of nutrition. If you want to lose weight you need to eat a well balanced diet Proper exercise is also what you need not some misleading Cabbage Soup Diet Don't fall for these foolish fad diets. The Cabbage Soup Diet does not work!

Another problem I commonly see with the Cabbage Soup Diet is that within a couple of weeks into this diet you start to notice a nutritional deficiencies, because no one type of food has all the nutrients you need for good health. This is a pointless diet and is eaten mostly with fruits and vegetables. This diet is even said to help you lose 10-17 pounds in seven days. That is not healthy at all. As you can see there are many dangers of fad dieting but it seems that a new one pops up every other day.

A further problem I see with this dieting plan is that it violates the second important principle of good nutrition. Eating should always be enjoyable but with this diet it is not. These dieting plans are so droning and boring that it is nearly impossible to stay on them for a long period of time. Why would you want to follow this diet?

In conclusion, there are no "superfoods" as commonly stated by the Cabbage Soup Diet You should always eat a well balanced diet at moderate amounts. This includes foods from every food group. Don't eat large amounts of a special food because it is proven to be detrimental to your health.

Now You Know Effects of The Cabbage Soup Diet

I would not recommend any of the popular fad diets to anyone trying to lose weight. It is just not healthy and your health is very important. Find out why fad diets are so bad here and your can also learn more about what people are talking about here
Garen Arnold

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Another Set Of 7 One-Minute Workouts For The Busy You

2008-05-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

By Marian Kay

Previously, I have written a guide entitled "7 Minute Workouts For The Busy You." It was quite a success that I received countless requests, through my website, to come up with another list of short but effective workouts that people can do during the day without sacrificing their responsibilities or their time.

These short workouts, which I have dubbed "one-minute workouts" though they may require a shorter time than that, may burn a negligible amount of calories by themselves, but if all of them are carried out in one day, which should take no more than 7 minutes if their tag is accurate, they will help you lose 5 to 7 pounds per year, all via very minimal effort on your part.
To answer the requests I have received, here is a list of another 7 one-minute workouts that you can accomplish in between the tasks you do everyday.

1. Who let the dawg out? Ever seen an overweight dog play catch? No? That's because such a game is a great workout. Here's a nice idea. Buy a Frisbee. When going to work, or going to school, or going anywhere else, try to throw the Frisbee to someone, even a friendly-looking stranger, and ask him or her to throw it back to you. This isn't just a great workout, it's a great way to make new friends as well. Just don't forget to throw the disc with a smile. BURNS: 90 to 110 calories for every straight hour of play. 20 to 30 calories for every cumulative hour of play.

2. Rasslin' with yo' spouse. A lot of couples love the minutes before bedtime, when they spend some quality moments in bed. They may cuddle. They may make love. Or they may have for themselves a good-natured wrestling match, complete with pillow fights and all. Tussling with your partner doesn't only help build intimacy, it's a great way to exercise as well. BURNS: 300 calories if you win, 200 if you lose.

3. Coffee corner. While preparing a cup of coffee, try to tiptoe with one foot. Do this until your cup's ready. BURNS: 8 to 10 calories.

4. DIY FTW! Are you the boss of the office? Are you always asking your secretary or an assistant to bring you this and that? Get off this habit and do these tasks yourself. You'll lose more weight. Why? Because you will be forced to walk. They may be short distances, but cumulatively, they will account for a lot. BURNS: 30 calories per 8 hours of work doing menial tasks.

5. Take a stand. Whenever there's an opportunity to stand up - even during work hours - do so. One big difference between fit and overweight people is that the latter spends 1 and a half hours more on his seat compared to the former. Here's an effective tip: whenever you have to talk to someone over the phone, make it a point to stand up. This way, you can guarantee at least an hour of such. BURNS: 30 to 50 calories, depends on how much time you spend standing up.

6. "Seat-Ups." Does your office chair have arm rests? If so, firmly grip the edge of the arms rests with your hands. Bend your knees while sitting down. With strength coming from your arms, push your body up, using your legs only for balance and as support. Repeat 10 times. BURNS: 10 calories.

7. "Seat-Squats." Using the same setup as no. 6, push yourself up using only your legs this time. Repeat 10 times. BURNS: another 10 calories.

Marian Kay is a fitness and lifestyle expert with almost a decade of experience in helping people lose weight and live healthier lives. He has developed a revolutionary system that will help people enjoy better health and a longer life.

This system is also guaranteed to help people lose significant weight through simple steps that can be accomplished everyday. Visit his website at Live Better Life download your FREE report on his proven weight loss methods.
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Top 5 Fat Burning Exercises

2008-05-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

By Craig Ballantyne

If you are going to the gym and spending too much time while not getting the results you deserve, then you probably aren't using the right exercises.

Over my 16 years of training and training men and women for fat loss, I've stumbled across the "Big 5" movements that must be used in a total-body fat burning, muscle-building workout.
The "Big 5" movements are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and help you lose belly fat. If you don't have these types of exercises in your program, then you are wasting your time and money when trying to lose fat.

So I designed this workout around the Big 5, and put them into a circuit to help you get more results in less time. But first, let's go over the Big 5 fat burning exercises...
Actually, let me clarify something. The Big 5 are not specific exercises. Instead, they are specific movements, but this allows for a huge number of exercises to be used, and therefore a lot of variety in your workouts. And don't forget, variety is one of the 3 main principles that explain why the short, burst exercise workouts work so well.

Here are the Big 5 movements, starting with the most important of them all.
1) Squat movements
This could be a barbell squat to a dumbbell squat, it could be a deadlift because that's the same type of movement, or it could even be a kettlebell or dumbbell swing, which is becoming a very popular exercise these days.
Kettlebells are becoming more popular for fat-burning because it's just that movement of pushing your hips back, bending you knees, and dropping your body. You're moving your entire body there.

The squat movement allows you to do a lot of mechanical work which is one of the keys to burning a lot of calories. So that's the first movement in the "Big 5". Always start your Big 5 workouts with a squat.
Please note: Lunges and split-squats also qualify as a "Squat-type" movement, even though you will also be able to use them in the Single-Leg Exercise category below. Sometimes the lines blur between movement types for such great multi-muscle exercises.

2) Pushing exercises
The next exercise to use is any type of push-up or dumbbell press or bench press or even standing shoulder press. Again, very large amount of muscle to be used in those exercises that burn a lot of calories.
Plus, using the "non-compete" principle of the short, burst exercises, by using a pushing exercise next, we let our leg muscles recover (and often our grip strength too, depending on the first movement used).

3) Pulling exercises
The next movement is any type of pulling exercise, so it could be rowing or pull-ups, dumbbell rows, seated rows, anything in a pulling motion is going to work a lot of musculature so a lot of your upper back, some of your arms, your lats, and even a little bit of your lower back if you keep that - by holding yourself in that static upright position.

This is a powerful fat burning, muscle-building movement. You could even use the deadlift at this time because it is a pulling movement. Again, often the lines blur between movement types for such great multi-muscle exercises.

And at this time, you'd have gotten about 80-90% of your results. So if you are really crunched for time, you could stick to only the first 3 movement patterns. But if you want to put the finishing touches on your body and rev up your metabolism even more, then you'll need the last 2 pieces of the Big 5 circuit.

4) Single leg exercises
This could be a dumbbell lunge or split squat or a reverse lunge or a single leg squat, anything that works one leg at a time. Because you're using the lower body, it's a lot of musculature.
This is a tricky movement to do right after the Pulling movement, because your grip strength will be fatigued from the rowing or chin-ups or whatever you did. So try to use a bodyweight only single-leg exercise, such as the 1- leg squat or 1-leg lying hip extension.

This would also be a great place for a single-leg stability ball leg curl, or a single-leg exercise holding the barbell across your back. If you must use a dumbell exercise, choose the Bulgarian Split Squat or DB Step-up because less weight is needed than for lunges or split squats (and therefore less competition for grip occurs).

5) Total body ab exercises
The final movement in the Big 5 circuit could be anything from a mountain climber to a stability ball rollout, it could be using the old infomercial gadget - the Ab Wheel since that works great - or it could be a hanging knee raise. Alternatives include cable chops and cable crunches if you have access to cables in a gym.

But you'll notice these aren't just basic crunches. Instead, you're working your arms, legs, and torso. That's why you must use a total-body ab exercise to finish off the Big 5 circuit workout.
Those are all the exercises that you could use for the Big 5 movements.

Fortunately, you have an endless variety of exercises and set-ups that you can choose.
If you did those exercises, you would have a total body workout, you'd have an incredible muscle-building, fat-burning, metabolism-boosting training session and if you did that type of stuff 3 days per week and maybe did your interval training after each circuit you'd lose a lot of belly fat. Man, it would just melt right off!

That's my Big 5 exercise movement system for building a better body.
If you want to burn fat, you want to build muscle, and you want results that are absolutely guaranteed, implement the Big 5 into your workout today.

To recap, here are the Big 5 Movements:
Squat
Push
Pull
Single Leg Exercise
Total Body Ab Exercise

Discover the 5 cardio fat loss mistakes preventing you from losing fat at Turbulence Training. Get your free report on the Dark Side of Cardio from Men's Health Expert and Turbulence Training creator Craig Ballantyne.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne

Best Leg Exercises For Women

2008-05-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

By Jennifer Jolan

Here are the best leg exercises for women to do. You don't need to do the typical barbell squat or jog... or any of that sort of stuff. I have 2 simple exercises you can do that'll shape and thin your legs like nothing else.

2 Best Leg Exercises For Women
1. Walking on an incline
This is a great weight loss exercise that tones down and slims up the legs really quick. Walking on a flat surface sucks for weight loss. The results take way too long. But walking on an inclined treadmill or a hill are great for quick results. All you do is either find a nearby hill or walk on a treadmill that's inclined 10-15 degrees.

Do this for 15-20 minutes a day. Trust me, plain walking on a treadmill and incline walking are totally different. Just do it once and you'll know what I mean.

2. Jump on a mini-trampoline
Jumping on a mini-trampoline is my favorite exercise. It's probably the best exercise you can do to rejuvenate all of your body's cells. The jumping is really good for your legs. You barely have to jump too... an inch is more than enough to get great results.
What I like to do is jump on the mini-trampoline during 2 minute tv commercials. Since a 1 hour tv show has between 20-22 minutes of commercials, I can easily get in 20 minutes of cardio everyday without having to schedule a workout that'll block off a big chunk of my time.

Try these exercises because they're 2 of the best leg exercises women can do to shape and tone their legs.

If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired weight loss advice while getting the best legs you can get... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, jog, drink 8 glasses of water, exercise more, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

First, click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your free 19-page report "How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success". This will give you a jumpstart on how to lose 10 pounds fast.

Second... after you get the free report, you'll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics. These unconventional tricks are a "shortcut" way on how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks... no mention of eating carrots or celery. I promise.

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you want great legs (try the best leg exercises for women noted above) and to lose weight without changing much in your diet or exercise plans... I get it. I have this completely covered. I've worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1 size fits all plan doesn't work. So I've come up with lots of "tricks" to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Fourth... there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. If you don't lose 10 pounds with just my free information... I'd be amazingly surprised!
http://www.weightlossguide4women.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Jolan

Gain Muscle And Get Lean!

2008-05-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

By Chess McDoogle

The ultimate athletic physique is one which carries muscle, yet at the same time remains lean. You can gain muscle and get leaner at the same time by doing the following:

1. Lift weights heavy and hard for muscle gain
Gaining muscle in the quickest way possible is going to require lifting weights for repetitions in the 6-8 range. You want to find a weight which is heavy enough where you can only perform between 6-8 reps and no more. This rep range is the best for fast muscle gain. Of course you want to make sure your form is good and you are not sacrificing safety.

2. Do cardiovascular work throughout the week.
In order to get lean you are going to have to do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise, 3-4 times a weeks. This will burn off the fat, and keep it off. The key is not doing cardo too hard or too often. This would interfere with your muscle gains.
For example, you will see individuals who work out in the gym, but also do heavy running. Their physique seldom changes, and they never seem to gain any substantial muscle. Most of their hard work lifting weights becomes null and void for muscle gains due to their strenuous running routine which breaks down the muscle rather than rebuilding it.

3. Watch your carbohydrate intake.
As far as diet, you will have to watch what you eat and not consume junk food continuously. But beyond that what you really should focus on is cutting out those heavy carbohydrates like breads and pastas. These add a ton of calories to your diet and definitely won't get you lean, rather they'll add fat and all your hard cardiovascular exercise work won't get you lean if you keep consuming heavy carb foods.

An easy route to take to accomplish all of the above is simply getting on a muscle building program which promotes more muscular development while at the same time gets you lean and athletic looking.

Here is an excellent muscle building program which contains everything you need to know to develop a more muscular, yet lean, physique - http://gaining-muscle.blogspot.com
This is complete, turnkey program which you can start immediately and begin to see results very, very quickly - http://gaining-muscle.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chess_McDoogle

How To Get Abs Fast And Easy

2008-05-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

By Jennifer Jolan

Here's how to get abs fast and easy. No sit ups, no crunches, no jogging. Just give me a few minutes a day of your time and I'll get you some sexy abs.

How To Get Abs
1. Do the vacuum pose
The vacuum pose is a version of sucking in your belly. But much better. What you do is suck in your lower belly area around your belly button... instead of your upper abs that most people do. Before you discount this, this exercise is responsible for 100's of my clients losing around 1.75 inches from their waists in less than a month.
Now, suck in your belly and hold it for 15-60 seconds. Rest, then repeat. Do this for a total of at least 5 minutes a day. However, more is better.

2. Isometric ab squeezes
What you do here is squeeze and flex your abs as hard as you can for as long as possible... again, 15-60 seconds is ideal. Keep repeating this for a total of 5 minutes.

3. Hula hoop
Hula hoop your way to sexy abs. This is a little used exercise that targets your waist and hips with laser precision. Just twirl the hula hoop for 10 minutes a day, everyday... doesn't even have to be 10 minutes straight. Just get 10 minutes done by the end of the day.
Hula hooping is a great way to get ultra feminine waist and hips... much like the waist and hips of belly dancers.

That's how to get abs fast and easy without even having to leave your house... in just minutes a day.

If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired weight loss advice on how to get abs fast and easy... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, do sit ups, jog, add some crunches, drink 8 glasses of water, exercise more, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you want to get abs fast without changing much in your diet or exercise plans... I get it. I have this completely covered. I've worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1 size fits all plan doesn't work. So I've come up with lots of "tricks" to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Get Rock Hard Abs With These 6 Step Instructions For Lying Leg Thrusts

2008-05-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

By Paul D Brown

Consistent exercise, the kind of exercise that offers us long term results is often tough to commit to. And with so much information out there about which ab workouts do what and which diets are best for this area of the body or that area of the body, it's no wonder that you might start to feel a little overwhelmed with information overload.

Then, if you're lucky enough to find an ab workout routine that works for you and your busy schedule, the next problem you have is knowing how to perform each exercise correctly to give you the best results for getting those rock hard abs.
All the ab workout books out there tell you to focus on your posture and exercise form, but so often they make the actual performance of the exercise confusing.

So in this brief article I have broken the classic Lying Leg Thrusts abs exercise down into 6 easy to follow steps. Please perform these steps and integrate them into your existing workout routine and you will see dramatic results in the form of firm abs.

Lying Leg Thrusts - Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Lie flat on the floor with head and shoulder slightly off the floor
Step 2: Place your hands - palm down - on mat by your hips
Step 3: Raise both legs up until they are at 90 degrees to the floor
Step 4: Slowly lower both legs until they are at 45 degrees to the floor - do not go all the way down to the floor as you can put pressure on your back
Step 5: Raise both legs back up to the 90 degrees position
Step 6: Once at the 90 degrees level - no further - thrust your hips off the floor. Repeat exercise from Step 3.

Depending on your experience and fitness level you will want to combine the above workout with other ab exercises, such as Reverse Crunches, Ab Bicycles and Bench Crunches, and also perhaps do multiple sets of the above.

If you are interested in learning more about abs exercises and learning how to achieve and maintain firm abs, abs that you would be proud to show off at the beach then please take a moment to visit my website http://www.FirmAbsSecrets.com where you can download my free report 'Insider Secrets to a Lean Body'.

This report will teach you the #1 ultimate hard-body exercise. By reading it you will discover the 55 fastest fat-burning foods. It also contains over 2 dozen unique workout ideas for a leaner, sexier body! And it offers you great suggestions on how to avoid the 2 worst types of food that stimulate more belly fat!

Paul Brown is dedicated to showing you how to achieve maximum results from your ab workouts by showing you step by step how to perform your exercises. For more information and a free report on achieving a Lean Body please visit http://www.FirmAbsSecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_D_Brown

Is A Treadmill Better Than Walking

2008-05-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

By Chris Kennelly

According to research the average person should do a daily exercise of 30 minutes daily for walking. A recent study of overweight men and women showed that just walking 30 minutes a day without drastically changing your diet plan allowed the individuals to lose weight and body fat after walking or running on a weekly basis of 12 miles. Also a control group was made with the same age group of people but took the daily walk or run out of the equation. The people with no exercise put on extra weight where as the ones doing exercise lost it.

Experts opinion on walking
A PhD professor of the Duke University research team stated that a minimum of 30 minutes a day dedicated to walking will prevent most people from obtaining extra weight associated to inactivity.

The more exercise the better
Groups shown to exercise 60%-80% of heart rates for 15-20 miles a week are shown to have better results give better results than if walking 12 miles a week. This just proves, the more intense workout you do each day the better results that are produced.

Not exercising & diet
Doing no exercise at all and not having a constant diet will change your blood pressure and make you in danger of major illnesses such as heart conditions. Research has proven that you dont actually have to change your diet to an all healthy way of eating; you just have to learn to control it. By doing exercise 30 minutes a day, you are programming your body to burn fat cells and not glucose allowing your body to keep a nice lean figure. Although healthy eating is recommended, it is not totally necessary. You can still eat your regular diet, just try cut down on the amount that you eat and keep to your exercise regime.

Alternative supplements to weight loss
To supplement you exercise, there are always pharmaceutical option. Sport supplements have become big business in todays society with people wanting to have slim lean bodies. It has grown into a billion dollar industry. Weight loss pills have a ingredient called C9.t11 conjugated linoleic isomers that from research done in normanday has proven to quickly metabolize belly fat and melt away an average of 20.2% of your body fat within 12 weeks.

The natural c9.t11 Conjugated Linoleic Acid isomers have been proven in new research from Norway to quickly metabolize belly fat and melt away an average of 20.2% of your bodyfat within only 12 weeks.
Body supplements come in many shapes and sizes and all are aimed at building protein in your body to: build abs quickly, and lose weight fast.

Learn the secret to weight loss from Sport and Fitness With great offers on products from All Mall Shop
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Kennelly

3 Truly Effective Stomach Exercises!

2008-05-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

By Chloe Bailey and Gisele Brosnan

When you are trying to lose weight, you'll find that you are very tempted to take some time and work on those trouble spots, and one place that a lot of people, men and women both, like to think about and work on are their stomachs! Whether you're carrying a few extra pounds after the holidays, or that has always been a problem area for you, you'll find that there are a lot of great exercises to get you started.

While you should remember that you cannot simply slim down one area of your body and that weight loss needs to happen all over, you'll find that by toning the muscles in a certain area of your body can help give you a smoother silhouette and a more healthy look all around. Take a look at a few of these stomach exercises to get you started.

Hip Slides
Hip slides are a great way to trim down your waist while working your stomach, and in doing them, you'll find out what belly dancers have known for years: by working your hips and your stomach together, you'll find that you can have a great figure! In terms of stomach exercises, hip slides will help you work your abdominals and your obliques. To begin, stand with your feet about a shoulder's width apart. Pretend that there is a hole going through your hips, from one side to the other, as though you were a bead on a string. Slide your hips to the left and to the right, keeping them as parallel as possible while keeping your feet still. This is a great exercise for anyone and it encourages grace and smooth movement as well.

Cross-over crunches
We all know that crunches can help tone our abdominal muscles, but what about getting our obliques into it as well? Your obliques are often sadly neglected when it comes to stomach exercises, so take your time and work them in. Start to do a normal crunch, by lying on your back and tightening your stomach muscles, but instead of going straight up, lean you right elbow over to your left knee, and then repeat with the opposite. Take some time to really think about what you are doing and feel the stretch throughout your torso.

Pilates Ball
When you are thinking of a great way to get your stomach in shape, there is a good chance that you already know that you will need to work on strength as well. You'll find that you can both burn fat and build muscle by getting a Pilates ball. A Pilates ball is essentially a ball that you can use as an exercise aid. In terms of core strength and letting you work on your abdominals, many people are realizing that it is an excellent way to get moving. Start by balancing on all fours on top of the ball. You'll find that this is extremely hard to do if you have just started. Work on balance, and let the tightness of your stomach exercises help you through. Then you can kneel up on the ball, with your arms spread for balance, and this will still encourage your stomach exercises because it keeps your stomach tight.

Learning lots of good stomach exercises is a good way to start your workout, but remember not to let it end there!

Chloe Bailey is a contributing Editor for Body & Mind Health on Beauty Match Network.
Find out which body & mind health tips, anti-aging skincare productstreatments, and aging well options that will help you look as young as you feel.
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Crunchy Nuts And Seeds Are Healthy Food Snacks

2008-05-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

By Brenda Skidmore

Are you looking for some delicious, alternative dietary choices to replace those highly processed sugar, and hydrogenated fat food snacks? If so, look no further than to nuts or seeds. Most people do not even consider them, avoiding nuts or seeds, altogether, because of their high fat and calorie content. While it is true that they are high in both, shunning them from your diet for these reasons, alone, will have you missing out on a wide array of other important nutrients.

Nuts and seeds, depending on the variety, are quite a nutrient dense food. Nutritional research science studies are finding out, that people who eat 1 to 3 ounces of nuts regularly have fewer risks of developing heart disease, cancer, and lessens the severity of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

These foods are healthy food snack choices, and although they are nutritious, some people may have a hard time not over indulging on them. As with any other diet choice, healthy or unhealthy, moderation is the key.

There is a way, though, that you can improve upon the nutritional aspect to eating them even further. Try eating them dry roasted. Avoid most commercially processed brands, which are slathered in several unhealthy varieties of processed polyunsaturated fats like cottonseed, rapeseed, and soybean oils, and coated in nutrient deficient processed salt.

While everyone may not have this convenience in their own backyard, Amish community bulk food stores are a wonderful resource for finding many different kinds of fresh, raw nuts and seeds. Roasting them does lessen the nutritional value slightly, but you can do this at home rather easily, and you will have a much healthier snack product afterwards. Coat the nuts or seeds with a little coconut oil, sprinkle with sea salt, bake in the oven, and store in an air-tight container.

Nuts and seeds are high in mostly monounsaturated fat and, to a lesser degree, polyunsaturated fat. They are also good sources of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber, and cholesterol lowering phytosterols.

When choosing to add them for health conscious reasons, to your existing diet, don't consider them as a fix-all approach for poor eating habits. Look at them as a replacement therapy tool, in getting rid of the processed fatty meat snacks, other fried foods, and sugar laden treats out of your diet. Nuts and seeds can help you with weight management issues, because of their high percentage of healthy fats, protein, and fiber content. They provide a 'full' feeling of satiety when combined with a full glass of water.

Most nuts and seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals help to control blood pressure, while their naturally high fiber content helps protect against colon cancer.

As an example, of the nutritional powerhouse that can be found in nuts and seeds, a listing of the content in certain types of nuts and seeds is provided below for your information. One hundred grams equals, approximately, a 3.5 ounce serving.

Seeds:

Pumpkin - 100 g pumpkin seeds contain 29 g protein, 11.2 mg iron, and 1144 mg phosphorous. Sesame- 100 g of sesame seeds contain 26.4 g protein, 12.6 mg vitamin B-3, 7.8 mg iron, 131 mg calcium, and 10.3 mg zinc. Sunflower- 100 g sunflower seeds are an excellent source of potassium and magnesium and contain 24 g protein, 7.1 mg iron, and 120 mg calcium.

Flax seeds - 100 g flax seeds contain 431 mg magnesium, 831 mg potassium, and 112 g folic acid, not to mention its high omega-3 content.

Nuts:

Almonds - 100 g almonds contain 16.9 g protein, 4.2 mg iron, 250 mg calcium, 20 mg vitamin E, 3.1 mg zinc, and 0.92 mg vitamin B-2.

Cashews- 100 g cashews contain 17.2 g protein, 60 micrograms vitamin A, and 3.8 mg iron.

Peanuts- 100 g peanuts contain 2.3 g protein, 2 mg iron, and 3 mg zinc.

Pecans- 100 g pecans contain 9.2 g protein, a very high fat content of 71.2 g (of which, 60 percent is mono and 30 percent is polyunsaturated), 130 micrograms vitamin A (also very high), 2.4 g iron, and 73 mg calcium.

And, while there is definitely more nutritional content in each one of those food sources listed above, nutritional research science is still discovering, and identifying, even more unique and natural food substances in all of our plant foods every day.

One thing is for certain, we are all living through one of the most interesting generations to date. For the first time in history, man's curiosity has him seriously investigating the perfect union nutritional path nature intended all of us to strictly follow.

What is being learned today, about eating beneficial plant foods in their truest and unadulterated forms, will help future generations wipe out many modern diseases that are, now, plaguing most modern cultures. Although this one aspect, alone, is not the complete answer to all of modern society's health care woes, these new nutritional discoveries being uncovered today will definitely help more people lead healthier and happier lives tomorrow, in body, mind, and spirit.

Brenda Skidmore has spent over the last five years actively researching natural health care alternatives. She can attest to the many positive results natural practical cures and preventive strategies bring to human health. Along with the many medical professionals whose published works she has studied, it is her sincere desire to empower others by sharing this important information. To improve your life visit: mywater4life
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Skidmore

How To Cut Calories

2008-05-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

By Chris McCombs

Today's world is highly competitive. Here only the fit survive-literally! If you are physically fit, you can perform better and achieve more. While there is no second question about the importance of fitness, everybody finds being fit an uphill task. This article will help you cut calories the easy way.

Look before you buy
When buying your food items you have to give consideration to how much calories each item contains. Take a careful look at the labels of the food items. You will really be surprised to find out how rich they are in calorie content. You may be tempted by the taste of the food item. But look at the label of the pack. Just imagine by buying and eating that whole packet how much calories you are going to add to your body. Would you love a few more inches increase in your hips as much as you love the taste of that food? Think about this and settle for food items that have low calories. Carefully read the calorie amount present per 1 oz or 100mg and buy items that have this value really low.

When buying food items the amount of calories present is not the only criteria that you should give attention to. When buying dairy foods you have to see about the amount of fat content as well. Low fat dairy foods are good in the sense that they have fewer calories. Low fat dairy foods taste as good as full fat dairy foods. When you can get substantial calorie reduction without loosing on the taste why don't you go for that? Buying low fat dairy foods should become your habit if you want to cut calories and be fit.

Where You Eat Matters
Restaurants make sure that you eat more. After all it's their business and the more you eat more they earn. So they offer you lot of food. It is up to you to be watchful of what you eat when you go out. The following tips would help you eat out the healthy way.
• Select restaurants that offer healthy foods. However tempting the menu may be settle for the healthiest food items in the menu.
• Choose smaller amount of foods like one or two starters instead of going for th complete main course.
• Tomato based items are far healthier choices then cream and fat-rich foods.
• Coffee and chocolate in place of dessert is healthier.
It is always better to eat at home as you have more control here over what you eat.

Baking Vs Cooking
Everybody loves to bake, either for others or for themselves. But would you stop with just one serving of what you baked? Temptation to show off your baking skills and indulge in what you'd baked is really too good to resist. It is always better to prevent before the adverse happening. So stop baking all the time. Prefer steamed food items, as they are healthier than the baked ones.

Yes, Vegetables. No, alcohol!
Prefer a lot of vegetables than just plain meat. Salads and soups with lot of vegetables are really good for health. Even if you like to eat meat cook it along with vegetables and eat. This way you can reduce the calories you take.
Alcohol is highly rich in calories. Not to mention that other oily fried snacks that you eat along with your drink would add up more calories. If you drink more you certainly will put on weight.
To cut down calories buy low calorie and low fat food items. Avoid eating out, drink less, eat more vegetables and eat healthy food cooked (not baked) at home.

Chris McCombs is a Hollywood Personal Trainer in Southern California. At one time Chris was 143 pounds overweight. Chris owns personal training and fitness business Positively Fit Inc, where he is also a Los Angeles Personal Trainer. He also runs KickBackLife, a company providing marketing and business strategies to the Fitness Business industry. Find out more by visiting http://www.kickbacklife.com/ .
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_McCombs

Eating To Speed Metabolism - 5 Foods You Should Be Eating To Speed Up Your Metabolism

2008-05-28T06:21:00.000-07:00

By Heather Lockshorn

Losing weight is a process that involves complex body functions combined with the things you eat and the way you exercise. One of those body functions is your metabolism, which is the body's process of turning the food calories you eat into energy.

If you take in more food calories than your body can use in a day, the body has no choice but to store those calories as fat. If you take in fewer food calories than your body needs each day, you will lose weight. Providing your body with the right types of food calories can make a huge difference in the time it takes to lose some extra weight. Let's talk about the process of eating to speed metabolism.

The most important thing you can do when eating to speed metabolism is to break your meals down into small snack size portions. You should eat approximately every 3 hours. Instead of eating 3 big meals each day, break your large meals down into 6 snack sized meals spaced about 3 hours apart. This will allow your body to process what you eat more efficiently.

5 Foods You Should Be Eating To Speed Metabolism
Grapefruit - This citrus fruit has the amazing ability to block the amount of insulin absorbed in the body for as long as 2 hours after a meal. Try eating half a grapefruit before each meal. The Vitamin C also helps to release trapped fat and toxins in the body.
Oatmeal - Not only does oatmeal have the ability to lower cholesterol, but it slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream which can help keep the metabolism raised. It's high in fiber and contains antioxidants which help improve the body's fat burning process.

Bananas - This tropical fruit is rich in potassium which plays a key role in the metabolic process. Under ripe bananas are best since they are loaded with resistant starch. Slice a banana up in your oatmeal for a double metabolic boost.
Chili Pepper - This hot spice is available in many forms and can boost your metabolism by almost 50% for up to an hour after you eat it. Hot pepper generates large amounts of body heat and the body burns calories trying to cool down. If you enjoy hot and spicy dishes, then this natural metabolism booster is right up your alley.
Green Tea - While technically not a food you can eat, this ancient drink contains antioxidants and polyphenols that have been clinically proven to speed metabolism and increase the fat burning process by as much as 10% for those people who drink 3-4 cups each day.

The weight loss process can be made much easier by eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. These foods require a longer time to digest and help you to feel full much longer than with more processed foods. Eating to speed metabolism isn't difficult, but it does require you to pay attention to what is going in your mouth.

Want to drop those extra pounds as fast as possible? Don't wait! Discover how eating to speed metabolism can help you get slim in record time!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Lockshorn

Flat Tummy Secrets To Get 6 Pack Abs

2008-05-28T06:18:00.000-07:00

By Marc Sumner

I've ready many books demonstrating how to supposedly get 6 pack abs. The flat tummy secrets provided in many of those books are unfortunately the same old recommendations that have been preached for hundreds of years. There's no wonder why everyone is still searching for the truth on how to get a six pack. I can tell you from experience however that there are some methods that DO work, here are just a couple that I use regularly and help my clients do.

Start Using a Medicine Ball routine
If you aren't currently using a medicine ball in your workouts, you are surely missing out big time. I started using a medicine ball roughly 3 years ago and could hardly move the second day after starting. This is a good thing keep in mind as the workout was so targeted it made me extremely sore! I like to use the medicine ball with a partner and toss the ball back and forth while doing sit ups as it really tests your core strength and builds it up very quickly. Giving the medicine ball a try is sure to give you great results very quickly!

Start Using Kettle Bell Exercises
If you haven't heard of kettle bells then you should definitely check them out. You basically utilize weights that allow you to do multiple exercises that produce great results. These weights can be lifted overhead, squatted with, rise ups, and much much more. These really build your entire body including your abs which results in a slimmer waistline.

If you would like some more weight loss tips and want to lose that unwanted gut, visit http://simple-weightloss.com for great tips and information on how you can slim your waistline!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Sumner

Easy at Home Exercises

2008-04-15T09:19:00.007-07:00

By Fred Richard

Using a simple workout in place of all the energy supplements, drinks, and sugary foods is definitely more likely to make you feel better, and in a short period of time. Even better, you do not have to look forward to the crash that makes you feel worse than you did before using those foods and drinks as a crutch. Besides a lack of motivation (though many of us have the extra pounds to motivate us), many people try to justify working out as a time consuming activity; which no time is left for by the time all the other activities and duties are finished for the day. But, you know what, after reading this, you will not be able to use that excuse anymore! You know why? The simple exercises listed below can be done quickly, and efficiently enough to start seeing results, which will fuel the motivation to stick to it! Perspiration is minimal as these will not demand too much of your body, and will work to build serious muscle tone, and a healthier body in about an hour-working through your entire body hitting all the major groups for optimal results. To maximize on these results, as well as to prevent injuries that will create setbacks, make sure that you eat a healthy snack at least one hour prior to the start of the workout, and follow workout completion with eating a healthy full meal.

A full workout of your body includes maintaining cardiovascular activity, which can easily be done by walking briskly enough to feel it working, for a half hour. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and you will barely notice yourself doing anything good for your body! Distance does not really matter, but you should work toward being able to move further in your 30 minutes progressively as your body builds its strength and endurance. Test it out periodically and step it up a notch until you face yourself running to beat your distances. Use a pedometer, (which may require that you measure your stride length, or the distance between your feet as you step) in order to determine how far you are walking. Your pedometer will attach to your body, and keep track of the steps you take, and then convert it to the total distance walked by using the stride length you measure and place into it. We tend to walk further over the course of a day than one realizes, but you should aim for a total of 10,000 steps within this walk to effectively use it in a workout.

Follow this brisk walk with a series of upper body strength exercises, three times a week for the best muscle growth potential. These upper body strength exercises include standard pushups, close grip pushups, wide grip pushups, and your chest area. Make sure your form is correct for the best result by keeping your body straight, and never letting it touch the floor before you move on to the next rep. Close grip pushups require the same form as the standard; however, bring your hands together and fold your fingers, allow your elbows to rest on the floor. The wide grip pushups also use this same form, with the exception of your hands being placed more than shoulder width apart, and fingers pointed outward. Work on these by using three sets of 10-15 reps each, per each type of pushup. Then increase weight along with reps and sets as your endurance increases. To finish up the chest, work on your pectoral muscle group by using bench press exercises with varying weights and intensity with reps as you become stronger.

To rest your upper body, work on your legs before moving back to your arms. These exercises will work on your buttocks and thigh muscles, toning and developing them progressively as you increase intensity and repetitions over time in sync with your endurance levels. Spread your legs to hip length and keep your legs fully extended. Holding dumbbells in each hand and maintaining a straight back, slowly bend your knees until your thighs are level to the floor. Then, slowly return to your original position. Continue this exercise until you tire your legs to failure. Over time, you will certainly see that you will be able to do this longer as it will take more for your legs to tire. If you see it taking too much time of your hour workout to make your legs tire, add weight to make it strenuous again. This will allow you to progress your workout within your time constraint without sacrificing any slack on any other portion of your workout. It maintains even strength and muscle building throughout your body.

Moving back to the upper body now, because your legs should be too tired to continue focus on them, these exercises will work on your biceps. Sit on the edge of a secure, sturdy chair. Making sure that your feet are firm on the floor placed hip width apart, hold the weights in each hand; with your palms facing each other in front of you. Bring the weight up in a curl motion toward your shoulder. Do this working one arm at a time, alternating between the two of them.

With this great workout and a balanced diet, you will start seeing the pounds melt off in no time. However, if you are interested in getting a little extra boost, then you may decide to try Proactol. Proactol helps suppress your appetite, curb your cravings, and even absorbs some of the fact you eat! It's safe to use because it's all natural, and will help you manage your weight. To find out more on proactol go to http://myhealthproductreviews.com/natural-herbal-remedies.html
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Richard

The Importance Of Exercise - A Healthy Weight Loss Plan

2008-04-15T09:19:00.006-07:00

By Brody B. Beach

There are two main recipes for healthy and efficient weight loss. The first is a well balanced healthy diet. It is very important that you eat 4 - 6 meals on a daily basis. These meals need to be high in vitamins and nutrients. Understand that fad diets are not your saving grace to sustainable fat loss. They set you up for failure in the long run. Why starve yourself from the things you crave when in all actuality you can eat your sinful foods in extreme moderation.
The biggest overlooked recipe for healthy weight loss is exercising. Exercising combined with a well balanced diet can create a super powered weight loss formula.

In order to lose weight you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. Its simple math, yet people fail to understand that you HAVE to have a caloric imbalance to lose FAT. Unless you're a super athlete or someone with incredibly fast metabolism you don't burn calories just sitting around. In order to burn calories you have to burn energy within your body.

It could be as simple as walking your dog around the block every day. Or you could take an afternoon jog on your lunch break. You could even play a pick up game of basketball. Any activity that elevates your heart rate burns calories. Obviously there are certain exercises which burn more calories than other. Depending on your weight loss goals you need to incorporate a suitable exercise plan.

If you are looking to burn fat quickly you need to develop an exercise plan where you are training in your target fat burning heart rate zone for a min of 30 min. 5 times a week. If you are looking for a slow gradual weight loss goal your exercise plan can be as simple as walking a mile every other day. Either way YOU MUST EXERCISE!

Weight Loss Expert Brody Beach specializes in helping individuals with their weight loss goals. He is currently taking applications for a FREE weight loss plan. He is looking to help aid people in putting together a personalized weight loss plan for FREE. If you are interested in this opportunity please visit http://www.weight-loss-truth.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brody_B._Beach

Keep Your Metabolism On The Run

2008-04-15T09:19:00.005-07:00

By Guerrelyne Gautreau

CALORIE SHIFTING.
You are overweight because you're eating the wrong foods, the wrong types of calories per meal, and you're also eating meals in the wrong patterns each day. Calorie Shifting is a way in which you constantly rotate your food thereby tricking your metabolism so it remains running high and burning a lot of fat. Basically, you eat a low calorie diet for 3 or 4 days and the rest of the week and double your calorie intake then start all over. This is a win-win situation where you lose fat and gain muscle. To lose weight your diet menu needs to be SHIFTED every few days, and that's why you've never been able to change your body when dieting. You don't get fat because of a lack of exercising, You get fat because you don't eat the right foods at the right intervals each day. As you shift you calories your metabolism works by getting you to eat the right food at specific times of the day and then by rotating it so your metabolism never gets used to any routine.

Calorie shifting diet program helps you stay on plan for 11 days in a row and then take 3 days off to eat whatever you like. Once the three days are up, you go back to the eating plan for another 11 days and basically continue this pattern until you've lost your excess weight. This strategy is designed to fight the natural slowdown that occurs in your metabolism whenever you are restricting your calorie intake. With calorie shifting, people constantly shift the amount of calories that they eat. They have low days and high days; and because their bodies never know what to expect, their metabolisms is always on the run because it does not know what to expect. Because of this, people continue to lose pounds upon pounds of weight.

Calorie Shifting is an effective way for people to lose weight in which people don't have to set restrictive guidelines for themselves. It is something most people can stick with. It has worked very well. It is a good way of keeping your metabolism up.Calorie Shifting works to trick a dieter's metabolism. This is accomplished by rotating food types and amounts. It requires eating specific foods at certain times of day, and then rotating food choices so that the metabolism doesn't adjust to a specific diet regime.

Calorie shifting is a weight loss method designed to keep the metabolism running high so dieters continue to burn fat quickly. It is the key to not gaining the weight back when dieters go off the diet. Following this diet keeps a person's metabolism guessing at how much fuel or energy it will have on hand, and the weight is loss and the diet is off, the metabolism is still running. As a result, when other foods are introduced back into the diet, it doesn't flood a slow metabolism.

http://unlimitedhealth.blogspot.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Guerrelyne_Gautreau

The Dangers Of A Low Carb Diet

2008-04-15T09:19:00.004-07:00

By Gary Kidd

If you are contemplating a low carb diet to help you lose weight, then you should read this article as it points out some of the dangers related with this type of diet plan.
If you believe that cutting out carbohydrates will prevent you from getting fat, then you need to think again. It is a myth in dieting that you should avoid carbohydrates when dieting. Many of these foods actually help to give us energy which it turn allows us to do the things we do each day as a part of our lives.

If you go on a low carb diet, it should only be for a very short period of time as anything long term will increase the risks to you of osteoporosis which of course is other wise know as brittle bones. This is mainly caused in women through a lack of calcium but not enough carbohydrates can also cause it.
Women especially need calcium when eating lots of animal protein from meat etc. Calcium is needed to neutralize the acids that build up in the blood which results from eating a lot of protein foods.

Research also shows us that we increase the risk of getting cancer when our diet is low on fruits, whole grains, vegetables but high on animal foods. Studies also tell us that high fat consumption also increases the risk of breast cancer in women. Diets which contain high fiber food are much better and will gradually overcome the risk of breast cancer.
Low carb diets also put you at danger of heart disease. It will increase your cholesterol levels and put you at risk of a heart attack or even a stroke.

Do not diet and avoid the important food groups your body needs to function correctly. Not eating certain foods can harm your immune system and put you at risk of catching many diseases or illnesses.
Simply learn to understand that it is your metabolism that will help you lose weight safely and naturally and not ignoring carbohydrates in foods. This article is not meant to scare you in any way, it is simply to point out some of the many dangers that can be involved with low carb diets when you use them for too long. Stick to using them for short periods of time and therefore avoid putting your health at risk.

Gary J Kidd has been involved in the health industry for over 8 years. He highly recommends Cheia Vida Slim to people who are desperate to lose weight naturally and improve their overall health. Check out his site at: http://www.10dayslimdownchallenge.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Kidd

The Evil Fad Diet - Why You Need To Stay AWAY From Fad Diets

2008-04-15T09:19:00.003-07:00

By Brody B. Beach

What exactly is a FAD Diet. Simply put a fad diet is a diet in which you eliminate 100% of a certain food(s) and focus primarily on another(s). For instance; the Atkins diet tells you to eliminate all carbs from your diet. Fad diets come and go. You will hear of the new diet which boats that you could lose 20 pounds in 5 days. Fad diets is a huge business. Millions and Millions of people world wide buy into these on a daily basis. The truth is all Fad diets are crap.

Can you lose 20 pounds in 5 days on a fad diet, yes, I have. Can you go down 6 dress sizes in a month on a fad diet, YES. There are a couple big problems which exist with fad diets. First it is un healthy to starve your self from any particular food source. Your body was created to support healthy living eating all types of foods, carbs, protein, fats, sugars, etc. Your body expects these foods, and by starving yourself and believing that you don't need this or that you are setting up possible future health issues.

Another big problem with fad dieting is there is little to no sustainability. How many people do you know who have tried the Atkins diet and faithfully lasted 6 months or longer? Your answer is probably very few. This is because people are addicted to food (I am) very few people have the self control to fight their body's temptations.

Many of these programs boast that you can take the weight off and keep it off. No way! If you are able to sustain a fad diet for some time and decide to come off it your body will react very unbalanced. When you begin to consume the foods which you were not eating in the past your body will not react to them the same way it did before you dieted. Many people gain the weight back quicker than they took it off, and often they gain back more weight than they lost.

Point blank avoid fad diets. Focus on a healthy well balanced diet. If you have cravings for ice cream instead of eating it every night, first back down to every other night, than once a week, than once a month as a treat. You don't have to eliminate 100% of junk food from your diet to lose weight. A well balanced diet is much easier to sustain than a fad diet and at the same time your not starving yourself.

Vegan, Vegetarian, Or Raw? - Change Your Eating Habits To Lose Weight Naturally And Improve Health

2008-04-15T09:19:00.002-07:00

By Connie Ragen Green

Eating a vegan diet as opposed to a vegetarian diet means that you consume no animal products at all. There are even those who prefer a completely raw food diet, which is supposed to be the healthiest of all ways of eating. You can lose unwanted weight while eating more food than ever before.
Before switching over to one of these extreme diets, make sure you have done your research and know what will work for you and your lifestyle. Here are some things to think about it you are considering going vegetarian or vegan.

Read as much as you can before beginning to eat this way. There are many books written on the subject, including The China Study, written by T. Colin Campbell. This book has changed the way many westerners will eat forever, particularly if they are suffering from any of a host of illnesses and diseases, including cancer, diabetes, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or heart disease.

Visit health food grocery stores to get some ideas oh what foods to eat and how to prepare them. One of the reasons people go back to their old ways of eating have to with not being able to easily prepare meals using the new foods they are choosing to eat. There are also many cookbooks now available that explain how to fix delicious vegan, vegetarian, or even raw food meals and snacks.

Be prepared for the change in your body that will take place, both physically and mentally. Ridding the body of toxins will clear out your mind during the first couple of weeks, even though you may suffer with headaches or other annoyances during the first two or three days.
Have an open mind and you may find that this new way of eating will help you look and feel better very quickly. You will also lose unwanted pounds and keep them off by eating this way.

And now I invite you to find out more about cleansing your body of toxins by visiting http://www.FivePoundsAtATime.com to learn how you can lose weight quickly and improve your health forever.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Ragen_Green

The Advantages Of A Raw Food Diet

2008-04-15T09:19:00.001-07:00

By Mike Selvon

Raw foodists are people who consume a raw food diet. Most of the time these folks undertake this style of eating to enjoy better health, and their diet consists mainly of natural foods that have not been heated, cooked, pasteurized or processed. Raw food that is grown organically is also very important to this way of eating. For many, this is considered a lifestyle choice that is known as living raw or raw foodism.

There are some variations that people decide to follow with a "go raw" diet, depending on their lifestyle choices and the overall results they are attempting to achieve. The living raw food diets include a wide variety of different raw edibles including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, sprouts from seeds and from whole grain berries.

There is a common misconception that everyone who follows a raw food eating plan is either vegetarian or vegan. But a raw food diet in general is not that narrowly defined and can include dairy products that have not gone through the pasteurization process, as well as eggs, fish and some meats.
However, those who do want to eat raw vegan or raw vegetarian diets would simply follow their normal food selections, but would make sure not to cook their food. Because of this flexibility, just about any lifestyle can incorporate a diet of eating raw food.

Overall, raw foodists believe that the higher percentage of raw foods eaten, the better. There are many studies and also anecdotal reports that support the premise that the greater the ratio of raw foods to cooked foods in the diet, the greater the benefits to a person's state of health.
Many active members of this type of diet community also are quick to claim that eating food raw will help people to lose weight and help to regulate a healthy weight level. There are also many recorded instances of people recovering from a wide range of illnesses, sickness and even chronic diseases after making the change to a diet that is focused on living foods.

Many people have experienced significant turnarounds in their health with the raw food diet and they say that living raw is the only way to go. Many claim it has kept them alive and thriving.
More and more experts in the field of health and nutrition are advocating eating raw food on a regular basis because of the many benefits people have experienced, and also because of the potential for preventing illness and disease.

Throughout the decades of debate and discussion regarding the value and benefits of a raw food diet, there have been many experts in the field of nutrition that have stepped forward to illuminate why it is that raw foods can be so beneficial. One of the main reasons is that when natural, uncooked food is properly chewed there are many natural enzymes released. The enzymes improve digestion and help to assure that the nutrients in the foods are assimilated by the body.

Mike Selvon has some great raw food articles for the hobbist, where you can find out more tips on a raw food diet. We appreciate your feedback at our nutrition blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon

Diet Secrets Of Hollywood Stars

2008-04-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

By Limoeg Veigroeg

There is a variety of diets in Hollywood. Any medical person who thinks to have a great idea or an old idea on new voice and with success sells it to the society is thinking to establish a store in Hollywood. It is the only place on our planet where diets are so much worshiped like in Hollywood. A lot of ladies and gentlemen (not only from the young generation) hire instructors and get in touch with the last dieting fashion because it is fine for their career.

The society is curious to discover dieting secrets of actors and singers. Movie stars and singers are ordinary like all of us. Not every diet suits for everybody. They try several diets to discover the right one. Not every star worships the diets.

Stars do not have secret to be in form and thin. A lot of them find out advices like all of us - from coiffeurs and make- up artists, agents. They are up to date on the latest dieting trends. Turning around it is not so difficult than refusing Buddhism because of Kabbalah. Many stars employ people with good knowledge about diets to take important solutions for themselves. Celebrities must handle with types of issues like all of us. To follow a diet is not so easy and they eat un allowed things. They have their worries about their skin and they do not look perfect in every moment. For each star there are experts, make - up girls, image makers and visual effects men who do their jobs to ensure us that the faces we watch are ideal. No blemishes, no derma problems. Only excellence.

The stars work more to be thin than most of us. It is good for their career and authority. They want to be in form and good-looking each day of the week. The stars develop themselves in different ways The truth is that Hollywood stars have not diet secrets. Only the crave to move on and the fight to stay in shape and thin.

Limoeg Veigroeg is owner and editor of http://www.herbalbunch.com where you can find information on every type of herbal products. Herbal Bunch provides detailed information about herbal medicine and herbal products for general health, men's health, women's health and weight loss.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Limoeg_Veigroeg

Foods that Lower LDL Bad Cholesterol

2008-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

By Tim Lazaro

LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. Its role is to move cholesterol and other fatty substances to the cells where it can be used or stored. LDLs are made in the liver and intestines.
LDLs consist of cholesterol wrapped in a protein sheath; hence, the name lipo for fat, and protein - 'lipoprotein'. The protein wrapping is needed because blood is mainly of liquid and the fats in cholesterol would be difficult to transport in the blood stream. By wrapping the waxy-fatty cholesterol in a protein sheath, the fats can easily move through the bloodstream.

Newborn babies have an LDL level between 25 and 40 mg/dL, whereas the average American adult's LDL level is somewhere between 130 and 160 mg/dL. However, LDL levels below 100 mg/dL are optimal.
The body makes enough cholesterol for its needs, so cholesterol that is ingested is extra. Plants do not produce cholesterol only animals do. The easiest way to lower your cholesterol is to limit your intake of animal products.
Thousands of years ago, early man ate from the natural environment. He had more plants in his diet than he did animals because animals were harder to kill. Human physiologies developed in response to that early environment.

Today we have processed foods and fast foods which contain a lot of fillers that make the food smell and taste delicious. But these fillers can contain ingredients that increase our cholesterol. So returning to a more natural, plant-based diet will help lower your LDL cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol can be lowered by eating grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and small portions of lean meat or fish.

For breakfast have a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of pulpy, orange juice, or a bowl of cereal (as close to the grain as possible - not processed) and pulpy, orange juice.
For mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks eat an apple, a pear, some other fresh fruit, or a handful of nuts (nuts are high in calories so only once a day).
For lunch have plain yogurt with fresh fruit in it. Or a tuna fish sandwich on stone-crushed, whole wheat bread.
For the dinner meal have two fresh vegetables, a 4-ounce portion of lean meat or fish with a colorful, garden salad. Top the salad with vinegar and olive oil. Drink a 4-ounce glass of grape juice with the dinner meal.

To lower LDL cholesterol, you have to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat. You need to gravitate towards natural, heart-healthy foods, and get away from processed foods. The latter might taste incredibly good, but in general they are incredibly bad for you.

About the Author:
Tim Lazaro is a nutrition scholar and competitive, masters runner who writes on issues related to heart health, natural-food diets, and aerobic exercise. By employing the diets and life-style changes that he writes about, he has lowered his total cholesterol and lost weight.
If you want to learn more about lowering your cholesterol, download his Free guide here: Five Secrets to Lowering Cholesterol
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Lazaro

7 Food Additives You Need To Avoid

2008-04-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

By Janet Martin

Food additives are used to make food appear fresher, more delectable, and longer lasting. In the US, about 3,000 substances can be added by manufacturers to their products in order to help enhance food flavor, increase shelf life, and improve the texture and color of their food products. Although most of these substances are safe, there are some items that you need to look out for.

The best way to ensure that you are not consuming unhealthy additives is by eating and consuming only fresh and whole foods. However if you cannot help introducing some processed food in your everyday diet, just make sure that you stay away from products that contain dangerous food additives. Here are seven of the most unhealthful substances that you need to avoid and exclude from the list of ingredients in the food that you eat or feed your family.

BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are used to make sure fats don't go rancid immediately. These substances are quite common ingredients in cereals, vegetable oil, chewing gum, and chips. Some studies show that BHA and BHT cause cancer in rats. According to World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, BHA could cause cancer in humans. In fact, BHA is labeled as a carcinogen in the State of California.

Aspartame
One artificial sweetener that is used in diet sodas and other low-cal products is aspartame. In the 70's, several studies have already shown that aspartame can cause brain tumors in rats. In 2005, another study has confirmed that even just a small amount of this substance can increase the risk of developing brain tumors as well as leukemia and lymphomas in rats. Some people also experience dizziness, headaches and hallucination after taking food that is loaded with aspartame.

Acesulfame-K
Another artificial sweetener that you should avoid is acesulfame-K, which is considered to be sweeter than sugar by as much as 200 times. It is common to find this ingredient in baked goodies, gelatin, chewing gum, and sodas. Some studies have shown that this substance can also cause cancers in rats. To date, a clinical study to confirm its safety in humans is yet to be conducted.

Potassium Bromate
Although potassium bromate, which is used in breads, cakes, doughnuts and rolls, can still be used in Japan and the US, it is actually banned in other parts of the world because of its cancerous threat. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is actually asking the US Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of potassium bromate because clinical research found that it can cause cancer in rats.

Sodium Nitrate
The ingredient used to preserve, add color and flavor bacon, hot dogs, corned beef and other processed or cured meats is sodium nitrate. Many studies have shown that this food additive is responsible for the development of nitrosamines, which have been confirmed to cause cancer. Research shows that there is a direct link between cancer in humans and the immoderate consumption of food containing sodium nitrate.

Red # 3
A popular coloring included in candies, baked goods and cherries is the red # 3 dye. Experts believe that this can increase risk for thyroid tumors in rats as well as in humans. Presently, the FDA is looking at completely banning the use of this red dye. In the meantime, just be on guard for baked and processed foods that contain this ingredient.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Many canned goods, potato chips, baked goods and many other foods available in the market contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is responsible for creating trans fat. According to the Institute of Medicine, consumers should stay away from food that contains trans fat because it elevates risk for diabetes and other heart problems.

If you have been consuming food with the above ingredients all these years, you can go into a detoxification program to get rid of all the toxins that these food additives may have accumulated in your body. Drinking plenty of water and eating mostly fruits and vegetables are good ways to flush out toxins from your system. You can also make use of internal cleansing products like Colpurin to help clean your gut and other internal organs from wastes and toxins created by the above mentioned food additives. To know more about how Colpurin can help you, just visit http://www.colpurin.com/.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Martin

The Top Abdominal Exercises You Have Never Used For Developing A 6-Pack

2008-04-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Ward

Everyone knows about the average abdominal exercises like sit ups, crunches, leg lifts, etc...But why settle for average abdominal routine when you can learn advanced high intensity ab exercise that work your body and abs simultaneously while sky-rocketing your metabolism? You're about to learn my all time favorite abdominal exercises which doesn't include actually direct ab stimulation at all. It's in a 3-set format. (not unlike a super-set, except you will alternate these three exercises.)

Here it is:
1a. Renegade Dumbbell Rows
1b. Front squats with barbell
1c. Mountain climbers on Floor

I like to use a good rep scheme of around 8 reps and 3-4 sets for each exercise. Of course you can increase the sets and decrease the reps as you see fit. You can do mountain climbers through a time set (like 30 seconds) instead of "reps".

To do a renegade dumbbell row start in push up position and place your hand on two dumbbells. Then you row one dumbbell while balancing your body on the second with your other hand. After you finish your required reps switch hands and balance yourself with the arm you just exercised. Balancing yourself while doing a row will really work out your abdominals. Believe me... You'll definitely feel it in the morning!

Front squats are a lot like back squats, except with one you have the barbell in the front of your shoulders. Can you guess which exercise I'm referring too? To do this exercise correctly you balance the barbell by crossing your arms and pushing your fists into the bar against your shoulders. Make sure to keep your elbows in front of your body. This usually takes some practice to get the hang of it. Make sure you seek out a qualified trainer before you attempt this exercise. Your local gym would be a great place to look for one. Front squats require a tremendous amount of strength from you abs because the weight of the dumbbell is located on the front of the body, instead of the back. Let's just say you will definitely feel this in the morning!

Mountain climbers are accomplished by starting in a push up position and then shuffling your feet so your knees come in under your chest, and then back out. This exercise looks like you a scaling a mountain except you will be on the floor. There is a more extreme version of this. What you do is shuffle your hands 8-10 inches or so backward and forward while doing the leg exercises as well. This exercise will work your entire body and is much harder than a standard mountain climber.

Make sure you rest about 30 seconds after you complete each exercise and 1-2 minutes after you finish the 3-set before you continue.
This 3-set abs action plan will give you hardest abdominal exercise session you have ever had. All without actually focusing on your abs. After you try this you'll understand.

If you're interested in taking your fat-loss efforts to an entirely new level, go to the following site and grab a FREE fat loss report which details 27 unique methods for boosting your metabolism and losing belly fat - http://www.TruthAboutAbsBlog.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Ward

Want To Know How I Lost 60lbs Within 4 Months After My Son Was Born?

2008-04-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

By Amanda Bennett

Do you have the can't loose the baby weight blues? Getting Fit without Dieting, and spending a ton of money IS possible! Wanna know how I lost 60lbs within 4 months after my son was born? Then keep reading, it will only take a few minutes and you'll be happy you did!

First of all I'd like to start off by saying, that actually loosing the weight you'd like has a lot to do with your state of mind! It will be a little harder if you're a single Mom, but none the less YOU can do it! Everyone of us needs to remember that "WE WERE, ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE that beautiful woman we used to see in the mirror". You're sole, and heart does not change when we've gained a few pounds (Just sanity, hormones, and that big ole butt that seems to have appeared over night).When we're pregnant everyone treats us like we're gonna break. Don't lift that, don't sit there, let me get that, you shouldn't be doing that, etc. I know, you know what I mean, It's easy to get stuck in that mindset of being helpless when it's in your face from all angles for 9 months. Enjoy it while it lasts, then get over it!

Once that baby is born get off your tuckas and do things for yourself. My mother mentioned to me when I was 9 months pregnant, that I was the most active 8 month along women she'd ever seen. For me though I found it much more painful to sit and do nothing than get to up and walk the stairs to switch up laundry. I needed to stay busy, because I was in a lot of pain in my last few months. When someone offers to do something for you, GET IT YOURSELF. If you have some one else there to be with the baby. (Dad, family, other). Take an hour for yourself to take a great shower, shave your legs, cut your nails, pluck a few eyebrows, do your hair. (take as long as you can get, when you can get it) It's very hard to feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror and see a bed head hair hallow around your head and a unibrow.

Anyway, Get to know you're neighbourhood. There are tons of trails, parks and shopping malls within walking distance in most places. Get a few friends who also have small children together, pack a healthy lunch, and visit the local festivals, and entertainment. (it's amazing what goes on in your city for children alone) I am lucky, I live close to so much! WALK, WALK, WALK! Get a great pair of sneakers (I wear Flip flops) and walk ANYWHERE you can. Even if you have a car, leave it home. Pack the stroller or wagon for the day and off ya go! My friends had some really great days meeting in the morning without a destination. We'd hit the local Tim Horton's, get our daily Icecap () and then decide. Our boys where so happy to be outside, they didn't care what we did. My son was only a few months old, so he slept most of the time. I'm very excited for this summer because he'll be walking. (can't wait for that) When you pack a lunch for the day, pack things like nuts, fruit or fruit bars, sandwiches with lean cut meats, lots of water.

When I eat I try to find things that are high in protein, low in fat and sodium. To add flavor use real onions and garlic, instead of powdered spices. I'm a sucker for steamed veggies, so often I'll just eat a chicken breast or steak with a plate full of veggies and not carbs(pasta, rice, potatoes) Seafood is so good for you and usually pretty low in fat. But a large bag of ready to eat shrimp. (already peeled)Fry a cup or two in garlic, onions, mushrooms and olive oil, add a cup of steamed veggies. (mix together or eat separate, it's up to you). It's so fast and easy!

Things will be much easier for you if you have at least one other person with a small child to venture off with. It's hard to get motivated when you're doing it alone! Remember the sooner you start becoming active again after the baby's born the better. The longer you sit on the couch, the longer you will sit on that couch! Don't look at it as exercise, look at it as quality time (away from the TV) with your child! Once you've been doing it for a week you'll feel so great you won't wanna stop! I promise!

Personal Experience
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Bennett

Help for Cellulite - Home Remedies For Cellulite

2008-04-09T05:27:00.003-07:00

By Nikki Montgomery

Help for cellulite is something which many women of all ages and sizes need. This is because cellulite affects an estimated ninety five percent of women at some stage of their life. So, what are the best home remedies for cellulite?

Firstly, let us define this common problem that affects many women and identify what cause it. Cellulite is simply fat deposits that are stored underneath your skin and therefore creating a lumpy look on your skin that is similar to cottage cheese or orange peel. The fat underneath your skin presses against body's connective tissue underneath your skin, and this causes the surface of the skin to appear dimply and lumpy. These fat deposits commonly occur on the lower part of the body on the stomach, thighs and butt.

Cellulite is caused by many things. Excess weight, an unhealthy diet, high stress levels and lack of exercise are some of the main causes of this problem. A person's age, gender and the amount of excess fat in the body are some of the factors that influence the probability of being affected by this problem.

Cellulite creams are the most common home remedy for cellulite. Revitol cellulite solution is the most reputable and effective product that has been used by many women for many years to get rid of get rid of excess fat, slim down and tone-up. Revitol Cellulite Cream is a topical solution that can be applied on your parts of your body that are affected by cellulite.

This product works by safely breaking down the fat deposits under your skin, increasing local metabolism on the parts of your body with excess fat so that more fats are broken down and blood circulation to these parts of your body is increased. The product also firms up your skin. All this helps to eliminate cellulite.

A healthy diet that consists of many vegetables and fruits also helps to get rid of cellulite. It is important to eliminate unhealthy and fatty foods from your diet, and this will reduce the fats that get stored in your body.
Regular physical activity is necessary to increase blood circulation and stop fats from accumulating in your body by making sure that you burn the calories that you consume in the food that you eat. The exercise can be in the form of a walk, a jog, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, dancing or any other activity that you enjoy.

Eliminating stress and drinking lots of water is also important. If you are stressed and dehydrated, there is a high probability that your body easily accumulate cellulite.
Massaging the parts of your body that are affected by excess fats is also effective in removing these fat deposits because this increases blood circulation and reduces the chances of fats getting stored underneath your skin.

If you are looking for help for cellulite, to get rid of cellulite and have a smooth and firm lower body, simply follow the tips outlined above, and order your Revitol Cellulite Solution for fast results.

If you want to get rid of cellulite fast, order a 4 Pack Revitol Cellulite Solution and get 2 FREE Revitol Cellulite Solution bottles. For more powerful tips on how to get rid of cellulite fast, visit: http://www.cellulitelotionreviews.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nikki_Montgomery

Working Out At All Ages

2008-04-09T05:27:00.002-07:00

By Christine Erickson

Exercise is the key to health at any age, you are never to young or to old to incorporate physical activity into your life. That is the real key, it should be part of your day to day life style and not a sporadic undertaking to lose weight, the nice side effect of exercise is weight loss.

In the late teens and twenties the focus is mainly on looking fabulous at any cost instead of being healthy. This misguided view generally leads to drastic dieting instead of a balanced diet and exercise routine. For those individuals who are looking improve their overall fitness it is recommended that one hour of exercise six days a week in the ultimate goal. These sessions should focus on cardio with at least three thirty minute sessions of resistance training incorporated in. This then means that on three of the days you will do a half hour of cardio and half on hour of weight training or resistance training of some kind.

Find activities that you enjoy, doing cardio does not mean that you have to run on a tread mill or spend your time on a stair climber. It is much more beneficial to your body to mix things up, play tennis, swim some laps, play hockey or soccer, go skating or skiing. There are a lot of activities that are considered cardio so there is no need to get bored the goal is to have fun while pursuing a healthy life style.

When we reach our thirties many of us have experienced a major shift in priorities, work and family seem to dictate every moment of our waking hours. Our bodies begin show the signs of inactivity and we are tired and stressed. Life is definitely underway. Our focus is on others and no longer our selves. Although this trap is understandable this is also the beginning of our bodies and health going downhill.

When we enter this phase of our lives it important to make the time to be physically active as this is when we begin to naturally lose muscle mass and gain body fat. Our metabolism begins to noticeably slow down. To stop and reverse this trend it is important to get in at least five or six days of concentrated exercise. There should be a slight shift to incorporate a little more resistance or weight training to compensate for the bodies natural changes.

Doing circuit training is a good option, because you are alternating between resistance training and cardio on a constant cycle. Pilates and yoga are beneficial for new moms especially because they are very effective at strengthening your core muscles and lifting your parts back up where they belong.
By the time you reach your forties you will definitely notice changes to your body, gravity begins to take over, hormones begin to change and you continue to see more evidence of muscle loss and body fat increases. You have to work much harder to keep the weight off and to keep your muscles toned.

To help ward off these impending changes total body weight training should be a part of your weekly routine (at least three one hour sessions). This is especially important for women because of the correlation between menopause and bone loss. You also be incorporating in thirty to forty five minutes of cardio activity five days a week.

In your fifties you will notice real changes to your metabolism, your body takes much less calories to keep it going and therefore it is much easier to put on weight. For women it is a must to continue to incorporate weight training or resistance training into their lifestyle, bone loss is a real concern and osteoporosis is on the rise.

Again four to six sessions of cardio twenty to forty minutes each is optimum, remember a good brisk walk is a cardio workout. It is recommended as a minimum that you commit to two half hour sessions of weight training or resistance training. There are many at home DVDs on the market that incorporate both cardio and resistance training into one session and can easily be done in the comfort of your own home.
The sixties and beyond and new focuses for physical activities as many individuals now begin to experience medical concerns. It is never to late to start being active and positive results are can be achieved very quickly.

Cardio should still be a focus, three days a week of concentrated physical activity is recommended, such as walking, swimming or riding a bike. In addition three days of weight training or resistance training are necessary to keep muscles strong, prevent bone loss and to maintain balance. Activities such as Yoga, Pilates, and Tia Chi are good alternatives as they give you all the benefits of a total body workout, every muscle is worked and stretched and balance is a focus.

Working out and staying physically active are a must at any age. It is also important to remember that exercise is the number one way to prevent illness and disease. It needs to become a part of your life style, make it fun and change it up to keep it fresh. Find activities you enjoy doing.

Looking for fitness tips, information, and program reviews visit: http://www.fitnessprogramsreviewed.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Erickson

Lunges - Good Leg Exercise

2008-04-09T05:27:00.001-07:00

By Andrew Bruce Mills

When trying to develop your legs and butt it is hard, and there is just no easy way around this. Now there are very few good yet easy exercises for the legs, but the closest we could find is the lunge, and this article will quickly talk about what lunges are and how they may benefit you in your training.

Lunges are for losers, and I mean that in the most positive way! Lunges are an absolutely great way to tighten your butt, and are also a great exercises for your thighs. The lunge is an exercise like squats which are considered multi-joint or compound exercises.

As mentioned above lunges are a great exercise for your thighs; just remember that whenever you add a new or different exercise to your routine, you should do so slowly and carefully. Any changes you make to your exercise routine may result in soreness for the next few days. Lunges are generally considered to be fairly easy in terms of lower body exercises go, but some people simply cannot perform lunges correctly due to injury, musculoskeletal misalignments, poor flexibility or coordination. The key to doing lunges is to have good technique, and with proper technique comes better results also. Lunges are done holding dumbbells or without any weight for beginners. Start in a standing position and then step forward without your upper body leaning forward until your lead knee is 90 degrees.

Doing lunges is not rocket science as you can see for the above mentioned technique, but they are still fairly difficult to do and even more so if you add weight to them in the form of a barbell on the shoulders or dumbells held in your hands. Please don't think for a second adding lunges to your exercise routine is going to be a cake walk because you are sadly mistaken and will pay for it. This exercise will pay off huge if done correctly, and you will see drastic changes in leg strength and size.

Learn more about lunges
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Bruce_Mills

Exercise for Weight Loss - What Time of the Day Should You Work Out?

2008-04-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

By Tyler Boshears

I get asked all the time whether it makes much of a difference when you do your working out. Many will tell you that it doesn't matter when you do your exercising. I'm here to tell you that it DOES make a difference. The human bodies ability to lose weight can be leveraged and this is the reason why.

When you wake up early in the morning, your body is just finishing a full night of burning calories while you sleep. The main thing to point out here is that while you are sleeping you aren't eating. Therefore, when you awaken in the morning your body is at it's optimal potential to burn calories. You have little to no food in your immediate digestive tract, and any working out you do will burn an amazing amount of calories.

Alternatively, many people choose to work out in the evening. Saying that this doesn't help is not a fair comparison. The only problem with working out in the evening is you are more likely to have food in your stomach from the day time and your body will naturally burn that storage first before going after your fat stores.

Exercising in the morning allows you to be fully rested and at the same time able to burn an abundance of calories. If you ever get the choice between exercising in the AM compared to the PM I can safely and wisely suggest the AM.

If you give this a try you will most definitely begin to notice remarkable changes in your exercising and progress as you continue on your weight loss journey! Good Luck!

Tyler Boshears is a weight loss survivor, having lost over 100lbs. and keeping it off for 5 years! To learn how YOU can drop those unwanted pounds and keep them off, visit his website at: http://www.simple-weightloss.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tyler_Boshears

Weight Loss Plan - Why It Is So Important to You

2008-04-03T05:22:00.011-07:00

By John Gale

Want to start losing weight? The first step to lose weight is to have a weight loss plan. Without a plan, your journey to loss weight will be of no direction and most of the times, you'll fail to achieve what you ultimately want.
Did you know that exercise is a very important part in your weight loss plan? A lot of people know what exercise is, but they do not have a very clear idea of what exercise really is.

You will certainly burn off calories when you exercise. All these calories which you burn will lead to you losing weight. If you want to lose weight faster, you should focus on exercising at least 45-60 minutes, 5 times a week. The exercise should be of medium to high intensity. Doing a low intensity exercise will do no good for you to lose weight.

You can incorporate an unlimited number of varieties of exercise into your weight loss plan. You can start with simple exercise equipments like dumb bells, exercise balls and weights. You can also try the treadmill, stair climber and stationary bike. It's best if you sign up at your local gym and you'll have access to all these, and even more exercise equipments.

You should do more research and survey before signing up for a gym membership. Some of them come with affordable membership rates, while some are very expensive. Another point you should make sure is to find those that are open during the hours which suit you, making it easy for you to exercise.

After all, if you are serious about losing weight, a weight loss plan is very important to you.
Do you want to discover easy weight loss exercises that you can do at home? http://www.fatburn4idiots.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gale

How To Sequence Your Exercises For A Flatter Stomach In Less Time

2008-04-03T05:22:00.010-07:00

By Doug Setter

For decades I used to end off my strength training routine with abdominal exercises. I guess the logic was that abdominal exercises were kind of cool down exercise or that if my abs were trashed, I would not be able to do justice to my other exercises. While I had a fair midriff, I was also investing lots of time in it.

Before I learned of the following technique, I used to train my gut muscles randomly, without any strategy. Then a friend from a national cycling team, taught me this sequence of: working the obliques, the lower and then upper abdominals. Although I found that I was exhausted the first few times (and subsequently somewhat embarrassed), I had fast results within four weeks. And even though I was training by running and kick-boxing five days a week, I was only training my abdominals using this system, once per week. Within three weeks, I was seeing better results and had a faster recovery time. Most people get good results from training their abdominals three times per week.

The following routine is very basic, simple and most effective when you work out the abdominal groups in the sequence I have provided here:
First, work the obliques. As these are the body's stabilizers, they will tend to assist the other abdominal groups during an abdominal workout. You will want to tire them out so that the other abdominal groups get more work. Side-to-side movements, such as leg-overs will work this area.
Next, work the lower abdominal muscles. As body builders, athletes and formerly pregnant women can tell you, this is a soft area of the body that is difficult to strengthen. Movements such as leg raises will work this area. Again, you want this area pre-fatigued so that you can really work the next stage.

Now work the crunch for the upper abdominals. With the other abdominal groups already fatigued, the upper abdominals have to take on most of the workload. This is like most of a rowing team suddenly stopping and leaving two members to keep rowing. The upper abdominals get far more work than if they were cruising along with the rest of the abdominal "crew."

For optimum training, there should be no more than three seconds in between exercises. Otherwise, each subsequent group of abdominal muscles will recover and end up "sharing the load" with the other abdominal groups. This means less work and less results. It is better to do less repetitions, with NO rests in between, than perform more repetitions, but have long rests in between sets. The no rest method means more work for each set of muscle groups, but also superior results in less time.

If you are a beginner, start with one set of 3-5 repetitions of each movement and work your way up to three sets of 20. Then, and only then, should you increase the difficulty of the exercise. Remember that the objective here is to improve your life, not shorten it.

If you already have an abdominal routine, try to perform it following this sequence. That is, first do your oblique exercises (side bends, jackknifes, twists) second, do your lower abdominals (hanging leg raises, frog kicks, reverse crunches) and finally, the upper abdominal exercises (crunches, pull-down crunches, machine crunches). If you are doing several sets of each exercise, try instead to follow the mentioned sequence, rest for a minute and then do the sequence again. You might find yourself tiring out much quicker than with a standard routine of three sets of each exercise.

For further Stomach Flattening tips, check out our website at:
http://www.2ndwindbodyscience.com/
by Doug Setter
Doug Setter holds a Bachelor's Degree in Foods and Nutrition. He instructs fitness, weight-loss, stomach flattening and kick-boxing. He has trained over 700 people in fitness and military skills.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Setter

The Top 3 Fat Loss Diets - Which Is The Top Fat Loss Diet?

2008-04-03T05:22:00.009-07:00

By Vitaliy Gershfeld
Of the dozens of fat loss diets in existence today, there are only 3, yes 3 that stand out above the rest. Each of these diets are unique in that they get rid of fat in every area of the body. They work quickly, and their effects can be seen/felt days after you've started it. So here they are, the top 3 fat loss diets.

1. Master Cleanse:
The master cleanse is also known as the lemonade detox diet. What it does is it flushes out all of the toxins, undigested food and harmful substances in your body. This causes people to lose 10-20 pounds within 1 week and fat loss also occurs VERY quickly.
During the 5th day of the master cleanse, the body will be rejuvenated and will start to burn fat at an incredible level. This will cause people to see a tremendous difference and once the master cleanse is complete, the results remain for months including health benefits such as energy, vitality, stamina and much much more. This is definitely one of the most powerful fat loss diets in the world. A resource will be provided later on in the article for people interested in trying the master cleanse.

2. Swimming:
Swimming has and always will be the #1 most beneficial exercise in the world. It is the only exercise that trains every muscle in the body, causes people to lose weight quickly and burn off fat fast. If you go to a gym and it has a pool, consider going there at least twice a week. Swim at a steady pace and don't overdo anything. If you keep at it, the body will adapt to the swimming and will burn off plenty of fat. People can see results within 2 weeks when it comes to swimming and it is the most recommended exercise by experts. Jogging on treadmills doesn't even come close.

Now we move onto the last diet. Of all the methods mentioned above, this is arguably the easiest and quickest Fat Loss diet. It is called:
The Fat Loss 4 Idiot's Diet:
Just as the name suggests, anyone can complete this diet. The Fat Loss 4 Idiot's Diet incorporates a technique called "calorie shifting". This technique automatically raises your metabolism and increase fat burning tremendously causing rapid fat loss and weight loss.
The diet itself involves eating 4 or more full meals a day and shifting the calorie values of every meal while drinking 10 glasses of water a day. This tricks the body's fat burning functions and causes it to increase them to keep order going. Many people can lose 10 or more pounds in less than 2 weeks with calorie shifting. It is also the ideal diet for anyone whose too busy to try the other 2 methods and is looking for an easy way to lose weight and get rid of fat quickly.

To find out more about the Fat Loss 4 Idiot's calorie shifting diet and why it's considered to be the #1 Fat loss/weight loss diet, click here.
As mentioned earlier, if you're interested to learn about the Master cleanse, you can helpful info on that here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitaliy_Gershfeld

Apple Patch Diet

2008-04-03T05:22:00.008-07:00

By Kate Brennan

The Apple Patch Diet is a revolutionary weight loss program that has no harsh side effects and is made from 100% all natural ingredients. This diet plan will supress those nagging mid-night cravings and give you the energy to go about your everyday activities.

The system works by simply taking two Apple Patch Diet capsules every morning with one full glass of water. The capsule's ingredients include 500mg of Hoodia, which is an organic, desert plant with the miracle molecule that deceives the brain into believing you are full. Glucose, which is what your food is converted to after digestion, is the chemical that is sent to the Hypothalamus, which acts as a control center for the brain, and this, in turn, tells you that you are full. The only problem here is that sugar turns into fat, which the body then stores for all eternity, or so it seems. However, this wonder plant that we call Hoodia is chemically similar to glucose and, therefore, has the same effect on the brain, but better looking results. This miracle plant has been thoroughly studied by researchers at Brown University Medical School. They demonstrated significant weight loss in rats that were bred to be particularly obese. There were also human studies done in Leicester, U.K. They too yielded remarkable weight loss using Hoodia.

In conclusion, the Apple Patch Diet with Hoodia is your number one weight loss weapon. It will help you to lose the pounds quickly, safely and with more energy. It will also help you to maintain your new healthy weight long term.

My name is Kate Brennan. I work from home and thoroughly enjoy the extra free time I've gained because of it. If you'd like to learn more please visit me at http://processrebates318.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Brennan

South Beach Diet Meals

2008-04-03T05:22:00.007-07:00

By Steve K Smith

How are South Beach Diet meals different from other diets?
The South Beach Diet plan was started in Florida by Dr. Arthur Agatston who like Dr. Dean Ornish was looking for a diet that would benefit his heart patients. His book became a New York Times best seller and has become popular for those looking for diet solutions that work.
The Diet is divided into 3 phases and most South Beach Diet meals at the start are low carb. The diet rates carbs based on the Glycemic Index which is based on how fast they are broken down by the body. Carbs that are high on the Glycemic Index are broken down fast and cause a rapid release of insulin which is not good for weight loss. Conversely carbs that are low on the index like pasta break down slow and do not cause a rapid release in insulin.

Fats are also viewed in the same way with saturated fats being eliminated and monounsaturated fats like those that are found in olive oil allowed in moderation. Good fats are thought to play a key role in the bodies metabolism and to help lower the bodies LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol which is responsible for clogging arteries.
Like the Atkins diet meat is allowed but lean cuts are stressed and generally white meat should be consumed. Those starting on phase 1 will find the South Beach Diet meals very restrictive and bland as the choices are limited but as the diet progresses more and more options are available.

The South Beach Diet seems to borrow a little bit from different diets but is not quites the same as any of them. Its a little like Atkins, Ornish, and the Mediterranean but is based on Dr Agatston years of research. The South Beach Diet Plan has a solid track record and has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off.

To see a sample of South Beach Diet Meals for a day and find more diet reviews visit http://dietproblem.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_K_Smith

The CSIRO Diet - Everything You Need To Know About How It Works

2008-04-03T05:22:00.006-07:00

By Marcus Ryan

If you are interested in losing weight or maintaining your current healthy weight, you may have heard of the CSIRO Diet. If you have a weight loss goal, the CSIRO Diet should also become an important diet plan for you to consider. This diet is an easy and cost effective way to maintain a healthy weight.
But did you know that this diet, also commonly referred to as the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, like all other diets, must be followed properly to see success? Well if you didn't know, it is now time for you to find out.
Why? Because properly following a diet plan that's sensible and based on research as well, will result in helping with weight loss.

What is the CSIRO Diet?
The CSIRO Diet is a high protein diet that was developed in Australia. Dr. Manny Noakes and Dr. Peter Clifton, scientific researchers at CSIRO Human Nutrition, wrote the popular Total Wellbeing Diets books. As for the program itself, it was developed by a team of qualified scientists. Their program has helped countless men and women lose weight and maintain it with one of the easiest to implement diet plans.
This diet plan relies on the regular consumption of foods high in protein, as well as a moderate level of carbohydrates. Protein and carbohydrates, the right types that is, both play effective roles in weight loss.

As with any healthy eating plan, a high intake of vegetables, lean red meats, poultry, and fish is recommended. In fact, numerous recipes and meal plans have emerged, including roast pork and vegetables, salmon leek with asparagus, and much more.
Tasty and easy to prepare breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts are just one of the many reasons why this diet is preferred, as well as successful.
What this means is that this diet is more than just your average fad diet to hit bookstore shelves. It is a safe, easy, and effective way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

How the CSIRO Diet works:
So what is it about this particular diet that makes it possible to lose weight and maintain it?
Diets that are high in protein and low in fat have a number of benefits. Clinical studies performed by CSIRO Human Nutrition have shown that foods high in protein and low in fat enhance weight loss. During weight loss, they also help to preserve muscle. And muscle mass means your metabolism is higher, which results in more fat burning.
Protein translates into energy, giving many followers the ability to stay fit and active. In fact, these diet guidelines emphasizes a proper diet combined with exercise as the ultimate way to achieve your weight loss goals.

So in conclusion, you now know that the CSIRO Diet, which relies on high protein food and the moderate consumption of carbohydrates, is a safe and effective way to lose weight.
If you really want to achieve your weight loss goals, improve your physical appearance and your overall health and wellbeing, you need to start eating meals that fit into the diet plan. So go for it, find out more about this diet; the sooner you do, the sooner you will start to achieve your health and weight loss goals.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Ryan

High Sodium Diet - What You Can Do About It

2008-04-03T05:22:00.005-07:00

By Chima Njoku

Do you crave salty foods? If yes, your diet is high in sodium. High sodium diet increases the risk of high blood pressure in certain groups of people. It may also complicate certain medical conditions. Salt (or sodium chloride) is the primary source of sodium in diet. Like all habits, your salt craving is a learned behavior, which can be unlearned by making appropriate changes to your diet.

The following steps may help you reduce your sodium intake.
Read the food label before you buy any processed food. Food labels are an important tool for making smart food choices. Once you learn the technical terms, it is easy to read any food label and quickly gather the valuable information it provides. Such information includes the amount of sodium in one serving as well as in the entire package of any particular food. In the United States, the daily sodium intake for a healthy adult is 2400 mg.

Always go for foods low in sodium. Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, and low-sodium foods like canned "without salt" vegetables. Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types. Whenever you eat out, ask that your food be prepared without salt. This way, you can control the amount of salt in your food. In the supermarkets, you can find low- or reduced-sodium, or sodium free versions of foods.

Use spices to season your food. Most spices naturally contain small amounts of sodium. Prepare your food with sodium-free spices like lemon, mint, oregano, parsley, pepper, rosemary, basil, bay leaves, caraway seeds, curry, garlic, ginger, sesame and thyme. Also, low-sodium bouillon can add extra flavor to your food, as can wine, vinegar, and lemon or lime juice.

Avoid foods high in sodium. Cut back on processed foods; they are high in sodium. How easy is it to exceed the recommended daily sodium intake level? It is easier than you think. Suppose that you ate a dinner consisting of parmesan cheese (1 tablespoon), pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce (canned), and garlic bread (1 slice). Your total sodium intake for the dinner is about 1326 mg. This amount is more than half of your daily sodium requirement.

Sodium is an important mineral for good health but too much sodium is bad for your heart. If you crave salt, shake the habit by making simple changes like having more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, seasoning your food with sodium-free spices, and cutting back on processed foods. Changing the way you eat can have substantial health benefits, which in turn can change the way you feel.

Chima Njoku is a biochemist and freelance medical writer. How does blood sodium level affect your heart? Find out the answer to the question at Health Solutions on the web
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chima_Njoku

5 Foods That Create Fat - Avoid These Foods Like The Plague And Lose Weight Fast

2008-04-03T05:22:00.004-07:00

By Heather Lockshorn

If you're trying to lose weight, you know that going to the grocery store can feel like being asked to walk through a mine field. It can be terribly hard to know which way to go and what to choose with so many foods all claiming that they can help you slim down fast. Unfortunately, food manufacturers don't really care whether or not you lose weight with their product, they just their foods to taste good enough that you continue to buy from them regardless of the damage it may do to your waistline.

So, if you can't believe the health claims on the food packages in the store, how are you supposed to tell whether or not a particular food will help you lose weight or if it will only make you fatter? Become a label reader! Regardless of what the front of the package says, manufacturers are required to list their ingredients on the back. Reading labels will help you make better choices and lose weight faster. Avoid the following foods like the plague and watch your bathroom scale take a nosedive.

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup - This is number one of the foods that create fat. Up until the past 35 years, almost all the sugar we ate was in the form of sucrose. It was produced from sugar cane and beets. The danger of pure corn fructose is in the fact that it is without enzymes, vitamins or minerals. The energy required for the liver to metabolize fructose forces the body to overuse its mineral and enzyme stores. High fructose corn syrup seems disrupt metabolism to such a degree that collagen and elastin production are markedly reduced. That's bad news if you suffer from cellulite! Eating this will make cellulite worse.

2. Cooking oil - Corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil and cottonseed oil are the cheapest cooking oils produced. They are used most often in the home and in restaurants. Unfortunately, they are so high in polyunsaturated fats that they are not healthy. They also oxidize much faster than other fats which generates free radicals and damages all the body's cells. Many degenerative diseases and certain cancers have been linked to this process. Healthier cooking oil options are unrefined coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.

3. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil - This deadly type of oil is also known as "trans fatty acids". Deadly, heart clogging stuff and terrible for the waistline as well. You will see this most often in pre-packaged snack foods, coffee creamer and commercial peanut butter. If this stuff is anywhere on the ingredient list, don't eat it!

4. Low fat or fat free snacks - Labeling food as "low-fat" or "fat free" has been really good for food manufacturers bottom lines, but not so good for consumers. These types of snacks, while they may be low in fat, are extremely high in sugar. Most often that sugar comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Research also shows that people overeat foods labeled as low fat. People think that the low fat foods contain about 25% less calories when in reality they only contain about 10-15% fewer calories. There is also a decreased sense of consumption guilt so people generally eat about 20% more of these so called healthy foods.

5. Soda - Both diet and regular sodas are basically carbonated chemical soups plus high fructose corn syrup or dangerous artificial sweeteners. There are absolutely no redeeming nutritional qualities in soda at all. Soda contains no vitamins, no minerals and no enzymes.If you crave a flavored drink without the calories, try a flavored herbal tea sweetened with stevia instead.

The bottom line is this, in order to lose weight fast it's an absolute necessity that you eliminate the foods that create fat and replace them with foods that burn fat.

You know about 5 foods that create fat and should be removed from your diet. Are you ready to LOSE WEIGHT FAST? Find out about the 110 foods that burn fat and how you can get more of them in your meals every day!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Lockshorn

Artificial Sweeteners - Friend or Foe?

2008-04-03T05:22:00.003-07:00

By Gail M. Davis

Artificial sweeteners... Now that's a hot topic! If you're like most people, you fluctuate between wanting to know everything the experts have to say and wanting to bury your head in the sand! The public accepted a long ago that a sugar-free food product had to get its taste from something. Usually that meant more fat was added, but often, artificial sweeteners were used. The reason I find this new research so disturbing is that I LOVE DIET SODA! I've been a fan since conception, when TAB was the only choice. Even now, with so many options available, I'm not particular about the brand. One might even say I'm hooked! Oh, sure, a couple of times each year, I give it up cold-turkey, just to prove to myself that I can, but to never have one again...life just wouldn't be worth living!!

The purpose of artificial sweeteners, of course, is to trick your taste buds into thinking that you have satisfied your sweet tooth. The problem, apparently, is that artificial sweeteners MAY also confuse your system when it comes to appetite control and making choices about caloric intake.Purdue University conducted research recently that found that rats eating yogurt sweetened with saccharin ate more food overall and gained more weight in a two-week period, than rats eating yogurt sweetened with glucose. The saccharin-eating rats consumed up to 10% more calories overall, gained 20% more weight, and raised their body fat by 5%!Granted, not all scientists are convinced that this research relates to humans, but it is cause for concern.Quite a few studies have been conducted recently concerning the possible relationship between weight gain and diet beverages.

A 2007 study found a 50% increased risk of metabolic syndrome over four years in study participants who drank one or more sodas per day with those who drank less than one soda per day. Are you ready for this? IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER THE SODA WAS DIET OR REGULAR!

If you're like me, your next question is, "What the heck is metabolic syndrome?" Metabolic syndrome is the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These risk factors include:
abdominal obesity
high cholesterol
elevated blood pressure
high blood-glucose levels

To help put this in perspective, a typical Western diet, consisting of refined grains, fried foods, and red meat, is associated with an 18% increased risk for metabolic syndrome. A sensible diet, consisting mostly of fruits, vegetables, and fish or poultry, is associated with neither an increase nor decrease in the risk for metabolic syndrome. But... Add a diet soda to the mix and things begin to get interesting! The study participants who ate a typical Western diet and drank at least one can of diet soda a day, showed a 34% higher increase in the risk of developing metabolic syndrome over the participants who ate the Western diet, but drank no diet soda.It does make one stop and think, but the major thing that the researchers do seem to agree on is that more research is needed. I guess you'll be hearing more about this topic in the future...

Gail M. Davis is the author of the weight loss advice site http://www.easy-weightloss-tips.com. For more tips on weight loss visit our site today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_M._Davis

How Much Fat Do You Need?

2008-04-03T05:22:00.001-07:00

By April Adams

Fat is one of our three main sources of calories (in addition to carbohydrate and protein), and provides nine calories per gram. That means if a product contains 10 grams of fat, it would provide 90 calories from fat (9 calories per gram x 10 gm of fat). Carbohydrate and protein each provide four calories per gram. Notice that fat provides more calories than carbohydrates and proteins combined, which means that fat is the richest source of calories in our diet. This is why it's important to watch your fat intake if you're trying to lose weight. If you currently have a high-fat diet, then limiting your fat intake is one of the quickest ways to cut calories.

Be assured, however, that fats are a necessary part of a healthy diet. You need fat in your diet in order for your body to function properly as fats provide "essential fatty acids" (EFA). EFA's are essential because our body does not produce them on its own, therefore we must consume them. One EFA you may have heard of is omega-3 fatty acid. This one has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which is believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Fats are also a good source of vitamin E and have many functions, such as brain development in babies and toddlers, hormone production, nervous system function, the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and healthy skin and hair, just to name a few.

Examples of good fats include oil, trans-fat free margarines, nuts, seeds, olives, salad dressings, etc. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish, especially salmon and tuna; shellfish; flaxseed; and walnuts.

So, how much fat do you need? Well, first you need to know how many calories your body needs daily because your diet should be comprised of about 25-30% fat. That means 25-30% of your calories should come from fat. If you're not sure how many calories you need, you can easily find a calorie calculator online or you can search for the article I wrote about how to calculate your calorie needs. If you are overweight or underweight, be sure to use your ideal body weight or goal weight in the equation and not your current weight. Once you know how many calories your body needs, then you can complete the following equation to determine how much fat you need.

Here's a sample calculation for an individual who needs 2000 calories per day:2000 calories x 30% (0.30) = 600 calories600 calories per day / 9 calories per gram = 67 grams per day2000 calories x 25% (0.25) = 500 calories500 calories per day / 9 calories per gram = 56 grams per dayTherefore, this individual needs about 56-67 grams of fat per day.As I've said in other articles, I don't think it's necessary to count anything for the rest of your life in order to lose weight and keep it off, whether it's calories, fat grams, carbs, points, etc. I hope that you will simply use this equation to determine how much fat you need and then compare that to what you are consuming on average. (Just count your fat intake for a few typical days). Then, you can adjust your diet accordingly. If you find that you are way under-consuming fat, then give yourself some more leniency. However, if you find that you are over-consuming fat, then try and cut back a bit more until you are in a healthy range.

April Adams

http://www.AntiFadDiet.com I am a Registered Dietitian and author with years of experience in weight loss counseling. If you are tired of wasting your time on fad diets and are ready to learn how to eat healthier and lose weight in the most practical, painless way possible, please visit my website. I have recently written a book entitled Back to Basics: A Practical Guide to Healthier Eating and Weight Loss that provides my no non-sense tips to help you cut unnecessary calories from your diet and better meet your body's nutrient needs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=April_Adams

Foods That Speed Up Your Metabolism - Lose Weight Faster With Metabolism Boosting Foods

2008-04-03T05:22:00.000-07:00

By Heather Lockshorn

You may or may not be aware that your metabolism plays a significant role in the amount of body fat you carry. The faster your metabolism, the more fat you burn. The slower your metabolism, the more fat you lug around with you each day. Although there are several effective methods you can use to increase metabolism, right now we are going to focus on foods that speed up your metabolism.

How can the food you eat affect how much fat you burn?
Any food you eat requires energy to be digested. The act of digesting foods causes calories to be burned. The difference being, that some foods require more energy than others to be digested. Most people consume meals that contain many more calories than are required by the body to digest and be used. This is the primary reason for weight gain.
However, it's just as easy to turn this around and begin to burn more calories than you consume, which will result in weight loss. So, how does this work? In order to reverse this energy inequality that most of overweight people struggle with, you must eat foods that speed up your metabolism.

So which foods should you eat?
Foods that speed up your metabolism can't contain many calories but must require a greater amount of calories to digest. These foods include complex carbohydrates and clean sources of protein. Here are a few suggestions to get you going.

Fruits - Grapefruit, oranges, lemons, apples, and pears are all good fruit choices.
Vegetables - Chilies, potatoes (plain and sweet), cabbage, celery, spinach and broccoli are great vegetables that are high in nutrition and low in caloric value.
Protein - Egg whites, skinless chicken breast, salmon and whey protein powder are the cleanest sources of protein you can choose.
Other foods - Fat free, plain yogurt, steel cut oats and broth based soups are also foods that speed up your metabolism.

Water and green tea should also be on your list. They are not foods, but they will assist your body in digesting your food properly and help get the nutrients to the cells of your body.
This is just a partial list of the foods that speed up your metabolism. The key is not to add fat or sugar to these foods. Breading, deep frying or sugar coating any of these foods will destroy the metabolism boosting properties they contain and make them worthless for you weight loss efforts.

Want to lose weight at warp speed? Grab the complete list of foods that speed up your metabolism before you go to the grocery store and never count calories again!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Lockshorn

Is It Safe to Stay on a Low Carb Diet Long Term?

2008-03-29T19:59:00.003-07:00

By Joan Martin

It may seem impossible to live on a low-carbohydrate diet. However, following a low carb plan is one of the best ways to break the cycle of carbohydrate addiction and take back your life and your health. A low carb plan helps you take control of your cravings and rid yourself of years of damage caused by eating too many carbohydrates.

While on a low carb diet, you may experience some carbohydrate cravings from time to time, especially during the initial phases of the diet. However, these will lessen as your body becomes more used to eating a protein-centered diet. In order to keep your cravings in check, eat small meals or snacks that contain protein every few hours. This will keep your blood sugars stable and avoid the "crash" you feel when you go hungry. Skipping meals will cause drops in blood sugar and leave you craving sweets.

Protein and fat, which are the focus of a low carb plan, will give your body extended energy. Make sure you are getting enough levels of the essential fats. Sometimes an Omega 3 fish oil supplement will help stave off carbohydrate cravings.
Cravings for foods can sometimes be caused by dehydration. It's a good rule of thumb to drink a glass of water before reaching for any type of snack. Sometimes thirst can mask itself as hunger. When your body is properly hydrated, it will run more efficiently and you will see a decrease in cravings.

Recognize that there is a physical addiction to carbohydrates that will need to be broken. Don't worry if you feel overwhelmed with cravings for carbs after the first few days on the plan. This is normal. Your body is used to running on a diet full of sugar and carbohydrates. It will take some time to adjust to this new way of eating. Normally, these feelings don't last more than the two-week induction period. This plan is safe for many people. And those who stay committed to this new way of eating will see the benefits quickly. Always check with your doctor before starting or continuing this or any other weight loss program.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_Martin

Atkins Diet Plan - My Father Lost 32 Pounds But Gained Back 65, Did the Atkins Diet Fail?

2008-03-29T19:59:00.002-07:00

By Ted Delorey

When my father was 53 he made the Atkins diet and lost 32 pounds. It did work well. Not much later he gained 65 pounds back. Did the Atkins diet fail?
My father was weighing almost 300 pounds when he decided to give the Atkins diet a try. He never did much exercise, loved meat and fat food. One day it was enough. Although he felt otherwise healthy he knew that this condition would not last long when he continues to add weight.

It was time for a change. The Atkins diet was quite popular at that time (and still is today) but he had not really much clue about it. He heard that the idea of the diet was to reduce carbohydrates. Since he loved to eat meat he liked this diet.
He really lost some good weight over a period of almost one year. But the diet did not really change his thinking or way of living. It was just a diet for him. Some day he stopped dieting and fell back in his old eating habits and gained weight again. This time it was even worse. He gained back twice the weight he lost with the diet. Can he blame the Atkins diet for it? Not really.

The problem with any high-protein diet is that the reduction of carbohydrates can lead to imbalances. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for your body and brain. A lack of carbohydrates can make you feel tired and down. In addition, most of the weight loss in the beginning of the Atkins diet is water loss and not fat.
The Atkins diet helps but it is just that, a diet. If you stop it then you will gain your weight back. You must change your thinking and eating habits to achieve permanent success.
Reducing carbohydrates is a great idea as long as you reduce the bad carbohydrates like sugar and white flour products for example. Do not reduce carbohydrates of whole-wheat products, vegetables or fruits.

Highly Recommended Reading:
Atkins Diet Plan
Atkins Diet Menu Plan
Ted Delorey is an expert author on Atkins diet. His articles have been published on numerous web sites, forums, blogs and ezines all over the Internet.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ted_Delorey

Alkaline Diet, How Does It Help?

2008-03-29T19:59:00.001-07:00

By Ron Lin

Introduction
Alkaline Diet, also known as Alkaline Acid Diet, is a diet based on consumption of food such as fruits, vegetables, roots, nuts, and legumes but avoid dairy, meat, grains and salts. Recently, this diet has gained popularity among diet and nutrition specialists and authors. It is still in debate on the efficiency of alkaline diet because there is no concrete evidence that alkaline diet can reduce certain diseases.

As aforementioned, fruits, vegetables, roots, nuts, and legumes are part of alkaline diet. This is because these food released alkaline after being digested, absorbed, and metabolised. On the other hand, dairy, meat, grains and salts produce acid after the processes. Food is categorized as acid-producing or alkaline-producing based on their pH (power of Hydrogen) values, where pH 0 - 6 is acidic, pH 8 - 14 is alkaline and pH 7 is neutral (water). Hence, alkaline diet refers to the diet of having more of alkaline-producing food.

Alkaline Diet
Our blood has a pH between 7.35 and 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. Alkaline diet is based on this pH level of our blood and any diet that is high in acid-producing food will disorganise the balance. When the body tries to revitalize the equilibrium of pH in the blood, the acidity of the food will contribute to the loss of vital minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. The imbalance will make people susceptible to illness.

Unfortunately, Western diets are more acid-producing and they consume little fresh fruits and vegetables. Due to the advent of alkaline diet, the standard of Western diet has changed considerably.

Some diet and nutrition practitioners believe that acid-producing diet may cause some chronic illness and following symptoms such as:
~ headache
~ lethargic
~ frequent flu and cold, and excess mucous production
~ anxiety, nervousness
~ polycystic ovaries, ovarian cysts, benign breast cysts.

Although some believe the above conditions are the result of acid-producing diet, and consumption of fruits and vegetables is beneficial to health, some doctors think that acid-producing diet does not cause chronic disease. Other than that, there are proofs shown that alkaline diets helps to prevent the formation of calcium kidney stones, osteoporosis, and age-related muscle wasting.

Balanced diet
Although alkaline diet is preferred, it is not recommended to have extreme diet (eat all alkaline-producing food). It is healthier to strive for a balanced middle ground of both types of food. Just remember to take note of the pointers above and consult a practitioner/doctor before you want try a new diet.

Ron Lin
Ultimate Diet Solutions --> the Diet Solution Pilot, your guide to weight loss and diet
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Lin

Does The Calorie Shifting Diet Really Work?

2008-03-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

By Vitaliy Gershfeld

This is a question so many people ask because this diet is so unusual that it just seems impossible, right? Most people would say yes, but not the people who actaully tried it. This article explains the details of the diet and most people will still be skeptical about whether or not it works. I will explain as best as I can why the calorie shifting diet works but in the end it's just something you'll have to see to believe!

Most people who read about calorie shifting and how it involves eating 4 or more meals a day and shifting the order in which you eat immediately think "It's a scam! How can you eat more and lose weight? The answer is to cut calories!" But this assumption is a huge mistake! Did you know 90% of all known diets which stick to the conventional cut calories theory don't work? The reason is because once you stop doing the diet, the weight comes back and you're back at square one.

But back to the point. Eating 4 meals a day and making sure the calorie values of each meal are different, triggers a special reaction in your body that causes it to raise metabolism and fat burning to a very high level, causing weight loss. The reason is because the body adjusts to your eating routines. This means that if you eat less, your body will burn less calories to adjust to this change. This is why so many people who try eating less do not lose weight.

On the other hand if you eat in different orders and consume meals in different calorie values often each day, you will confuse your body's adjustment reflex causing it to wonder how can it adjust to this constant change. And the first thing it will do will be to raise your metabolism and increase fat burning which will trigger rapid weight loss to occur. This is what's so unique about the calorie shifting diet and why it works!

As said before it's something you have to see to believe. Most people disregard this diet because it doesn't make sense, but if 90% of conventional diets fail, then it doesn't make sense to keep trying what doesn't work! Calorie shifting does work and it's weight loss effect remains for a long period even after you've stopped doing it!

If you're interested to find out more including how to get started, get helpful resources, and get the most out of this diet, click here to pick up a free 20 page weight loss guide which reveals everything above and much much more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitaliy_Gershfeld

The Path to Understanding Your Cravings

2008-03-27T05:19:00.006-07:00

By Stacey Morgenstern

Health Counselors Have Cravings Too
People often ask me "do you ever crave sugar?"
Of course I do!
In fact, I love cookies, cake and chocolate so much that before becoming a nutrition counselor I ate them professionally!

Sounds like a neat job, doesn't it?I was actually getting paid to eat cookies. But I didn't feel so good, I started gaining weight, had less energy, and I was constantly on the mood swing roller coaster. Guess what I'd crave when I was in a slump? More sugar! Sugar is convenient, it's everywhere, and it gave me a quick burst of energy and pleasure, but soon I'd crash, perpetuating the negative cycle. What I didn't know then , but I do now, was how to listen to my cravings so I could answer them properly. In this issue of Nourishing News I want to share with you some essential tips for dealing with cravings.

WHAT IS A CRAVING?
Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.- Cicero
The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it, and maintaining homeostasis. Is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of will-power or discipline?

A craving is not a weakness.

Actually, a craving is a critical piece of information that tells you what your body needs.
The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too strict, devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water, or more love (sweetness) in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand what your body really needs.

Your body knows best and is always trying to create balance. However, products like refined foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs, which have little or no nutritional value, are confusing to the body. They throw it off balance and can create serious cravings, as your body tries to get what it needs to restore internal harmony. The more your food is whole and healthy, the easier it is for your body to stay in balance, giving you a happier, healthier life.

No book or theory can tell you what to eat, only awareness of your body and its needs. Of all the relationships in our life, the one with our body is most essential, and it takes communication, love, and time to cultivate. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body's cravings, you will create a deep lasting level of health and balance.
The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of as a weakness.

ANSWERING YOUR CRAVINGS
"Does being healthy mean I have to give up ice cream and potato chips forever?"
So many people come to me fearing they will have to be deprived of their favorite foods or demonstrate extraordinary willpower to "beat" their cravings. Not true! In fact, when we hear "don't", the little kid in all of us wants to rebel. Sound familiar? This is why diets don't work. Tuning in to your cravings is NOT about depriving you of the pleasure you seek from food, it's about gaining a better understanding of our bodies so we can answer our cravings properly. What I'd like to suggest is that a craving is not the enemy to be defeated, but instead more like a misunderstood friend.

The lesson is to look for the foods, deficits and behaviours in your life that the underlying cause of your cravings. This may require a radical shift in perspective because many people view cravings as a weakness where in reality they are important messages meant to assist you in maintaining balance. When you are experiencing cravings, deconstruct them by asking yourself, What is my body wanting? Why is it wanting that?

Try these steps to respond to your body:
* First have a glass of water and wait ten minutes. Sometimes we have a craving when we are actually just thirsty.

* Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet vegetables such as yams, squash, & beets.

* What is out of balance in you life? Is there something you need to express, something being repressed? What happened in your life just before you had this craving?

* When you eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its affects. Then you can be more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

Want to learn more about how to de-construct cravings?

Check my teleclass page to attend a workshop by phone. I highly recommend the Kick Sugar Teleclass! http://www.fivepointwellness.com/holistic-health-counseling/programs/teleclasses/
Stacey Morgenstern is a certified health expert, chef, and co-owner of Rainbow Grocery Cooperative in San Francisco. She specializes in optimal health, cravings, kicking the sugar habit, and integrating healthy habits into behaviors that last. For more information or to schedule a phone consultation contact stacey@fivepointwellness.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stacey_Morgenstern

3 Exercises How to Burn Fat Like Triathletes

2008-03-27T05:19:00.005-07:00

By John Gale

Many people these days are dying to burn fat through exercises. They tend to be involved in a lot of exercises but most of them never see any significant results from their effect. Some say it is because they are doing all the wrong exercises that don't help them to burn fat.
So, here are 3 proven exercises that burn fat fast.

Exercise #1 - Indoor Cycling

Indoor cycling is one of the best fat burn exercises out there. You can easily burn up to 700 calories for every 1 hour session that you attend. What I like most about indoor cycling is that you can have complete control of the intensity. Another good thing is that the class plays good music to keep you hyped up and motivated.

Exercise #2 - Running

I would prefer to run on the treat mill. This way you can have total control of the intensity and not being affected by the surroundings outside. You should at least run 3-4 miles everyday to keep yourself healthy and to enable your body to burn fat. When you feel you're comfortable with your current intensity, try pushing it up to a new level.

Exercise #3 - Swimming

Swim, swim and swim. Swimming is another top exercise to burn fat. If you do it with the right intensity, it is very very effective. Swimming is one exercise that will workout most of the body muscles and enable you to have greater flexibility of movements.
Having listed the top 3 exercises to burn fat, there is one thing that you will notice. All these 3 fat burn exercises are actually the tri-athletes disciplines. No wonder why these tri-athletes burn fat so fast!

Want to find out why triathletes burn fat much faster and effective than you? What about a FREE fat burn exercise interview with a fitness coach with over 15 years of experience coaching triathletes? Get your FREE interview here. http://www.fatburn4idiots.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gale

Why Bruce Lee Started Weight Training

2008-03-27T05:19:00.004-07:00

By Brad Gibala

As we all know Bruce Lee was an amazing martial artist. You instantly became a fan of his while watching his movies. There was not that much digital enhancing going on during his film career. For the most part, everything we saw on the movie screen was him doing what he does best. How did he get in such great shape, but more importantly what pushed him to be that way.

Bruce Lee started training when he was thirteen years. He was introduced to the Wu style Tai Chi Chuan from his father while in Hong Kong. He continued practicing this style of martial arts until he moved to the United States. While in the Seattle area he opened up his own school and taught friends that he met. He improved on his own skills, especially his kicks.

Bruce was still competing at the time. A match against a man named Wong Jack Man lasted too long for Bruce's liking. This match single handily changed his philosophy on fighting. He came to the conclusion that his training methods were not up to date and needed to be improved. This is how Jeet Kune Do was formed. These methods were to be made so that you could defend yourself in a street fight. He thought that the traditional ways were too formal for the craziness of a street fight.

He knew that he had to emphasize his weight training, endurance, and flexibility. This is what took him to the top of the martial art world. He spent a lot of time building up his arms. He was able to do bicep curls at eighty pounds for three sets up to eight reps. He inserted push-ups, reverse and concentration curls along with squats into his routine with six to twelve reps at a time. This amazing strength was able to make him do things most humans could not. He was documented doing push ups using just his thumbs. To take it one step further he even could do one hand push ups using only the thumb and index finger. He could do fifty one arm chin ups.

Bruce Lee was about having the most effective body. Sure he had a lot more time during his day to workout. He worked out anywhere between three and four hours a day six days a week. Without that type of commitment you will probably not see the results he did. This does not mean you can't at least incorporate some of his exercises into your workout.

If you are looking to increase your overall fitness, then look for more Bruce Lee workouts and other celebrity training techniques. He also wrote a number of books. I would suggest reading one of Bruce Lees workout books.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_Gibala

How to Build Abdominal Muscles?

2008-03-27T05:19:00.003-07:00

By Victor Anicama

This is by far the most frequently asked question. Abdominal muscles are the most desired muscles that people (male or female) want developed and improved.
Usually, the questions are followed by comments such as, "I do 100 sit-ups a day and I'm not seeing any results." First, you must outline the information you need to improve your body in this region, which is often referred to as the 'core' region. And this core musculature is made up of many different muscles and muscle groups. To target the entire core area you must address each of these groups and prescribe specific exercises. All that we do must correspond to improving not only aesthetics but also their natural function if you want results.

Exercise is an extremely important, however not the only factor considered when defining the midsection. Everyone has abdominal muscles; however, most of the population never sees them due to the "spill over effect" of fat hanging around their midsection. The trick or solution to finally viewing the abdominal region underneath is simply a core-conditioning program coupled with a fat loss nutrition program. If you want to see the core region and the six-pack, the fat has got to go. This is done through diet. The shape of what lies beneath depends upon your conditioning.

By making a couple of adjustments to your current schedules, you can have those prized abs you've always wanted within a couple of weeks or months in extreme cases, and not years as you might have expected.

I'll be the first to admit; abdominal information can be confusing. We hear too many different concepts, opinions, rumors, and theories from experts, doctors, personal trainers, friends, teachers, infomercials; know it alls and even our parents.

Learn the facts, what information is good, and what myths and rumors about abs can be thrown out at My Stomach Exercises
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Anicama

I Hate Exercise

2008-03-27T05:19:00.002-07:00

By Susan Velez

How can I lose weight if I hate exercise? This is a question that a lot of people tell me when they first begin a weight loss program; they want to shed the weight but they do not want to do what it takes to lose the weight. They say they are willing to eat properly but they do not have the time for exercise. So how can one go from the belief of "I hate exercise to beginning a regular cardiovascular program on a daily basis?

No matter how much you hate exercise you do it on a daily basis; however most of us do not do enough of it to actually make an positive impact on our lives.

So what steps can you begin taking to increase your exercise; if you follow these steps chances are you will be able to increase your exercise routine everyday into your life:
1. Park Further Away From The Stores: When you go to the grocery store, or any other store do not drive around looking for the closest possible parking spot. Many people will actually drive around for ten minutes or more just to find a close parking spot. However if you begin parking further away from the store you can actually increase your walking per day by about 20 minutes.

2. Walk The Dogs: Even if you have a fenced in back yard; if you take the dogs for a 10-15 minute walk everyday then you will get more exercise.
3. Walk To The Mailbox: Do not check your mailbox by driving up to the mailbox; park your car in the driveway and then walk and check your mailbox.
4. Do Pushups When You Wake Up: When you first get out of bed take the time to stretch and do some pushups. This will actually make you feel better and you may even want to take a walk.
5. Play With The Children: We all know that children have a ton of energy; spend some time playing with them. You will eventually realize that you are having a great time and you will not even know that you are exercising.

There are several other ways you can add exercise into your life even though you hate exercise. You just have to get creative with it. We all know the benefits of actually spending at least 30 minutes a day exercising; so before you totally cut it out of your life take the time to notice how it affects your life both positively and negatively. You will realize that the negative affects that your body can incur without proper exercise in your life is much worse than spending some time exercising.

We have all been given our body and you only have one. Why not learn how to take care of it so it can take care of you. Your body was meant to fight off all kinds of diseases and sicknesses; however if you are not feeding it correctly and giving it the proper amount of exercise it will not function the way it was meant to.

Learn more about how you too can lose 9 lbs in 11 days and the secrets that have been keeping you overweight Get all the facts here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Velez

Weight Lifting Routines for Women

2008-03-27T05:19:00.001-07:00

By Elle Nash

I'm here to share a few weight lifting routines for women only. These have been specifically designed just for women. You can use these routines for either for putting on muscle or dropping the fat off your body. The results are determined by the diet, but the workout will burn a lot of calories.

When you first enter the gym, you will want to go straight for a bench in front of the dumbbells. Put the back up slightly, around 20 degrees. It should be at its lowest incline. Grab a set of dumbbells and sit down, resting the dumbbells on your knees. When you're ready to begin, with each leg, kick the dumbbells up in the air as you lie back. Keep your shoulders cocked out and push the weights straight up. Do this for 10 repetitions. Take a 60 second break and repeat the process 2 more times.

Next, on the same bench, take the inclined back and make it flat. Grab a set of dumbbells and put them on the floor, one on each side. Start by putting your right knee on the end of the bench and bend over and put your right hand to balance yourself. Keep your back straight and with your left hand pick up the dumbbell. Lift it all the way to your chest and back down again. Do this 10 times and than switch to your other arm. Take a 60 second break and repeat the process 2 more times.

Finally, you can leave the bench and stand in front of the dumbbells. Grab a set and hold the weights at your side. Keep your back straight and start bending your knees. Lower your body until you're at the position of sitting in a chair. Stand up straight again. Do this for a total of 10 times and take a 60 second break. Repeat the process 2 more times.

With these weight lifting routines for women you'll be in shape in no time. There is no need to fear if you'll put on muscle because you need a very special and heavy diet. Just keep doing this and your metabolism will go up, as well as the amount of calories you burn.

For a free copy of Elle Nash's ebook go to Womens Bodybuilding. You can also view Elle Nash's Blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elle_Nash

Scottish Kettlebell Training

2008-03-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Klemens

Kettlebells are simply cannonballs with handles. But, they are hot! They are a fast growing choice for weight training, conditioning, and physical rehab. The Net is replete with numerous sites and blogs offering kettlebell information, training tips, books, and training DVDs.
Kettlebells have been used for centuries, but the origin is obscure. Many assume that this popular form of esoteric weight training developed in Mother Russia. Over the years, Russian athletes and trainers have popularized kettlebells because they produce results and also because they were readily available being less expensive and easier for blacksmiths to produce than traditional dumbbells. Many believe the use of heavy round weights actually originated as part of the Scottish Highland sporting culture using curling stones as the principal model.

Curling involves the use of birch brooms to guide heavy gliding round stones on frozen lakes and rivers. In glacial temperatures, picking up heavy round stones covered in ice was problematic. Therefore, cast iron handles were attached to the stones to make them easier to handle. These enhanced stones were now easy to use for pressing and swinging motions. Consequently, Highland and famed Cumberland wrestlers (North-West England) began using these "handled" stones during their spring training sessions in preparation for the Highland Games.

Close relationships between Scotland and Russia date back to the Middle Ages. Multitudes of Scots flocked to the vast Russian Motherland that was ripe with opportunity and potential for a better life. Could this be the missing link in kettlebell lore? Perhaps kettlebell advocates and trainees should all don the traditional time-honored kilt! However, this would make many swinging movements considerably humorous and somewhat hazardous!

Kettlebells are traditionally just cast-iron balls with attached handles. Variations include a flat bottom or an overall "padlock" shape. Most are plain black iron, but some are painted in a variety of colors (often each weight is a different color) and some are even plastic coated. But, I have yet to see a Scottish tartan motif!

Weight training and conditioning with kettlebells works many muscle groups and stretches the body across a wide range of motion. They can work well with any regimen, but these weights are more awkward than traditional dumbbells and are more difficult to control. This takes practice. Remember that you are working with a weight as it moves. If you are concerned about banging your forearms, special forearm protectors are available.

Most often a single kettlebell is used, but for certain exercises two may be used. A good workout can be aerobic, intense, and ballistic. They are not suitable for those beginning weight training or conditioning program. Gradual weight increases with proper control, technique, and form must be mastered in due time. Improper use can damage wrists, arms, elbows, shoulders, and back. Perfect technique and form is essential to safe workouts. Exercises include the same basic routines used with a dumbbell plus special exercises that include various one and two-arm swings, finger presses, and unique combined moves like the "Turkish Getups."

Kettlebells generally come in a variety of defined weights. Traditionally, Men usually start with a 35lb (16kg) weight and women usually start with an 18lb (8kg) weight. If you are an experienced overhead lifter, these might be increased to 44lb (20kg) for men and 26lb (12kg) for women. In the U.S. sporting good stores may stock kettlebells in 5-lb increments (15lb, 20lb, 25lb, 30lb ... 45lb etc.). Russian weights are traditionally measured in "poods" with one pood equal to 36lbs.
It is always safer to error on the lighter side when starting out. Those with previous, but recovered, muscle or connective tissue damage should definitely start with lighter weights and then gradually increase. Selecting versatile plate-loaded kettlebells may be another choice as gradual increments can be made when you are ready for increased resistance. Generally kettlebells cost more than equivalent weight dumbbells, but prices vary greatly.

Everyone has their own favorite training methods that they hold dear. These are the routines that hold your interest and show results. Stick with what works for you. Kettlebells may not be the best weight training equipment for your needs. As a martial artist, I personally use kettlebells, whatever their arcane origin, as part of my weight training to supplement traditional conditioning routines. Not that I'm weary of kettlebell training, but sometimes plain cast-iron is somewhat lackluster - needs a little color. Perhaps I'll have to spend the weekend painting my kettlebells in the traditional Clan Gregor tartan!

Workouts On The Go

2008-03-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

By Kaleena A Lawless

One of my most common client concerns is that they don't always have time to work out on their own, in between training sessions. This is a very legitimate concern and when I hear what some people's schedules are like, I'm amazed they manage at all. Unfortunately there is no way for us to add in an extra hour to our day, without losing much needed sleep! So we need to make the most of every workout opportunity we can.

When life becomes too hectic for me to hit up the gym I do what I call "Power workouts." This basically means, I work out in little bits at a time, a set here and there, throughout the day.
A few examples of typical "Power Workouts":
Speed walk wherever you go. Sounds obvious but it truly makes a difference. For example. Say someone that weighs 2oolbs walked 1 mile at a rate of 2mph. They will have burned 91 calories. If that same person pumped up the pace to 4.0 they will have burned 127 calories. In a week the slow walker burns 637 while the speed walker burns 889 calories. Just from walking 15 mins a day!

Sometimes I find myself with a brief period of waiting around in the middle of a hectic day. Waiting for water to boil, waiting for a call-back etc. During those times I do body weight exercises. Squats in as many sets of 15-20 reps that I can, push ups in sets of 15-20, calf raises in 3 sets of 20 (toes in, out and forward) and crunches in sets of 20-25 reps. It doesn't take much to feel an exercise the next day!

Health conscious companies are beginning to open fitness facilities on-site, have corporate membership rates with a local gym, or even have a hired trainer come to the office to train small groups on lunch break. Look in to these programs and if your office doesn't offer any of the above ask co-workers if they would like to go in on a small group trainer, or even a 15 minute lunch break power walk.

Have you ever heard of a swear jar? Well during hectic times it's probably pretty common to curse quite a bit. Not that I do this, but I know it happens:P So instead of dropping change in to a jar, drop and give yourself 20. It's an unconventional suggestion but hey, humour can get you through a tough day. You might as well make it benefit you physically as well!

Even people with the busiest schedules have some down-time in the evening. I'm not saying you should skip your favourite TV program or not read your magazines. What you can do is stretch in the evening while you are enjoying normally sedentary leisure activities. Stretching is usually forgotten about, especially when people are busy but a good stretch in the evening before bed will make you sleep great, feel totally refreshed in the morning and completely ready for the new day.

Life gets hectic but never allow your schedule to take over caring for your bod. A couple of crazy weeks here and there should not set back all of your hard earned efforts in the gym. There are always small things you can do to keep up with your fitness routine until you have a spare hour or two to get back in the gym.

Stay Fit!
Kaleena LawlessPersonal Training Specialisthttp://www.kalisthenixfitnessblog.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaleena_A_Lawless

The Best Butt Exercises For a Sexy Firm Butt and Thighs

2008-03-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

By Erik C Fuller

I don't think there is one woman out there who doesn't want a tighter, firmer, or more sexier butt. Would you like to know the best exercises on achieving a sexier bottom?
If you looked on the internet for Butt Machines you were heading in the wrong direction. Did you know that the best and most effective butt exercises are done with only bodyweight exercises? In this article I will give you some of the best techniques out there on achieving a firm butt.
This exercise I am going to describe is going to cover your butt and thighs. This is also a one legged exercise, which helps with strengthening the ankles.

1. Focus your eyes straight ahead of you while balancing on one leg. Kick your other leg behind you
2. Slightly bend your knees while doing this exercise
3. Keep your back straight, and start pushing the butt and hips back while bending forward
4. When your pushing your butt and hips back start kicking backwards with the other leg, while touching or attempting to touch your toe. After doing this a few times you will notice the effectiveness in the feeling of the workout.
5. Remember to squeeze your butt muscles while doing this
Alright now that you have the exercise start doing reps. Do about 5-15 reps per leg. These may seem a little difficult at first, but after the first few tries you will get the hang of it.

To read more about exercising your butt, thighs, and hips read below.
To discover more about the most effective butt and thigh exercises, go to Butt, Hip, and Thigh Makeover and grab free instructions and photos.
Erik Fuller is an ezine articles expert author. He writes many great articles on fitness and health. Erik is giving away a free bodyweight exercise program at his website, you can get this free report by clicking here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erik_C_Fuller

Leg Workout Programs - Sprints and Leg Workouts

2008-03-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

By Shannon Clark

If one of your goals is to build muscle in your legs, you're likely looking for a good bodybuilding lower body workout.
There are a wide number of different set-ups you can do, from working legs three times a week with a full-body program, to twice a week with an upper/lower split, to finally, only working them once on a body part split.

How you choose to do this is going to be a function of your own personal preferences, results you've experienced in the past with similar set-ups, and your recovery ability.
That said, when trying to build lower body leg muscle, you must take into consideration any type of cardio you are doing, namely, sprints.

The Issue With Sprints
The big issue with sprints is that they are very taxing on the lower body. If you are trying to work legs three times a week with heavy lifts like squat, deadlifts, and lunges, you will most definitely not want to do sprints another three times a week.
This would be overkill, and you would wind up overtrained faster than you make it through your second week.

How To Treat Sprint Workouts
If you are going to do sprints during your muscle building workout program, you should consider them another lower body workout and make room as such. So, if you were going to do a full body program and work legs three days a week, consider making one of those a sprint session with upper body lifting instead.

An Alternate Method
Another way you could do this set-up would be doing your leg workouts on the same days as your sprint sessions. Take note though, this is not for the faint of heart. These types of days will be brutal with a capital 'B', and you will be tired.
Space the workouts out so that you do your sprint session in the morning and then the lifting session at night, or vice versa.
Also, again, don't try and do this more than once a week, twice at the very max, and that is only for those who have extremely good recovery ability and are ensuring proper nutritional protocols.

The Final Word
In all reality, consider the fact that the absolute best way to build lower body muscle is heavy lifting sessions with very little cardio (cardio only done to maintain fitness - which doesn't require a lot).
Cardio and weight lifting are opposing activities and do serve to slightly hinder each other.
Some light cardio can be good for the fact it helps to clear the body of build up byproducts and improve recovery, but this is light cardio such as a twenty minute walk, not a forty-five minute intense run.

So, the first choice would be to keep cardio to a minimum, but if you are dead-set on doing some sprint work, take the above points into consideration.
Are you tired of hitting the gym day after day but not seeing the results you're looking for? Find out how you can change this.

Shannon Clark is a certified personal trainer, fitness writer, and co-author. She specializes in helping skinny guys build muscle and helping females get the lean, sexy body they crave. View more information here!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Clark

How to Build Muscle for Bigger Legs

2008-03-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

By Steve R Robbins

If you watch a lot of people in the gym you would think their legs are only used to hold the upper body high enough for people to see it. Close to half the bodies muscle mass is below the waist, yet training it is an after thought for most. This is partly due to the fact that leg training is very hard and the most common leg exercise, the squat, is very difficult if you have any back issues. This routine shows how to build muscle in your legs without squats.

The legs are comprised, primarily of the quad, hamstring and calf muscle. The Squat does work all three muscles simultaneously and is the best single lower body exercise. I don't do them. It seems that no matter where I position the bar it bothers me and I do have spinal issues that make it virtually impossible for me to confidently challenge myself. So I have developed a leg routine that has no squatting involved. Here's the routine:

Start with the leg press. It is a great alternative to squats, and you can really load up on the weight. Do 5 pyramided sets with 6-10 reps for each set. A little trick do vary the emphasis is as you push the rack away use more of the ball of the foot on one set, and then use the heels on the next. This brings more work to the quad, then hammy on alternating sets. Plus it takes away a little of the boredom!

Stay on the leg press but switch to single leg. This is a lot more difficult than using both legs but it forces you do not be strong leg dominate, which we all are. For increased difficulty add the heel/toe variation. Same set and rep count as above.

Stay on the leg press (when people see me doing legs they know I own the leg press station for the next hour). Leave the safety stops in place and work your calves. You do this by moving your feet to the bottom of the plate, hang your heels off and move the rack by "pointing the toes".

I like this better than calf raise machines because if you use a lot of weight it can be hard on your traps. Same set and rep count as above.
Grab a bar and do stiff leg deadlifts. Place your feet shoulder width apart and keeping your legs straight (stiff) and a flat back raise the bar off the floor until you are standing straight up, then lower it back by bending at the waist (keep your back flat) till the weights touch the floor and repeat. This not only develops the hamstrings but also stretches and lengthens them. This is an excellent hamstring move, far superior in efficiency than hamstring curls. Same set and rep count as above.

There are many other leg exercises you can add that do not involve squats, but I have found that these hit the major muscles effectively without giving my back any problems, and allows my legs to do more than just hold my upper body high enough to be seen. Do this routine for a few weeks and your legs too will make their own statement.

Steve R. Robbins has been a life long fitness enthusiast. Has the distinction of being able to run a marathon and bench press twice his weight in the same day. All at the age of 50. Editor and regular contributor to http://www.MuscleandHealth.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_R_Robbins

1 Shocking Reason Why You Should Burn Fat Fast

2008-03-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

By John Mcewen

Today, there is a wide public awareness, general tendency and desire to burn fat fast. The fat level of your body increases very fast when you do not take healthy and balanced diet. Healthy food habits are essential for a healthy life.

These days, people take unhealthy fast foods that affect their health badly and thus increasing the fat level to increase everyday. Junk foods and spicy foods are dangerous to your health. They increases the fat accumulation process in your body and will harm you in the long run. When the fat level increases, it affects the normal systems of your body. The blood pressure level of your body fluctuates if you have excessive fat in your body. It also affects the normal blood sugar level. It even causes cardiac arrests and cerebral strokes if the fat level goes to a certain level. You must be conscious about the major ill effects of increased fat level in your body.

The fat level can also affect your nervous system and it is a common reason of mental depression. If you want to avoid these ill effects and live a healthy life you can take help from fat burn diet and exercise programs. They have helped a large number of people to burn fat fast and live a healthy life. These expert counselors are there to guide you on how to burn stomach fat, how to burn fat fast, food that burn fat, and other ways to reduce the fat level in your body.
Fat burn diet is very helpful in controlling your body's fat level. Burning fat and increasing metabolism is the best way to be healthy and avoid the diseases that can harm you in the long run.

These fat burn diet and exercise programs will increase the metabolism level of your body and help a lot in burning fat fast. Different types of fat burners are available. There are two types of thermogenic fat burners. One uses the stimulants like guarana, caffeine etc. The stimulants are helpful in enhancing the metabolic rate. The other contains no stimulants. It uses green tea extract to reduce the fat level. If you are nervous about taking the stimulants, you can easily opt for other thermogenic fat burning process to burn fat fast.

Nowadays ephedra free fat burners are the most popular all over the world. Health specialists suggest that the fat burner which contains the drug ephedra is not always good for your health. In some cases this powerful stimulant causes problem in the nervous system. You should look for the safest fast burner while trying to burn fat fast.

Did you know 95% of the people have the wrong and imbalanced diets that lead to excessive fat storage in the body? Find out how to burn fat fast with a FREE interview with a certified, professional fitness coach. http://www.FatBurn4Idiots.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mcewen

Circuit Training

2008-03-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

By Christine Beals

Circuit training is a type of interval training in which strength exercises are combined with aerobic/endurance exercises, combining the benefits of both a cardiovascular and strength training workout. 'Circuit' means a group of activities and refers to a number of selected 'stations' positioned around the facility that are to be visited in rapid succession. The range of stations includes those comprising resistance equipment, such as free weights, as well as aloted spaces for exercises such as squat thrusts, jumping jacks, sit-ups, and pushups.

Experts agree, circuit training is an excellent way to improve strength, mobility, and stamina. Most circuit training formats utilize a group of 6 to 10 strength exercises that are completed one exercise after another. Each exercise is performed for a specified number of repetitions or for a prescribed time before moving on to the next exercise. The exercises within each circuit are separated by brief, timed rest intervals, and each circuit is separated by a longer rest period. The total number of circuits performed during a training session may vary from two to six depending on your training level, your period of training, and your ultimate training objective.

Circuit training is a training exercise program that was developed by R.E. Morgan and G.T. Anderson in 1953 at the University of Leeds in England. Early in the original format introduced by Morgan and Anderson, the circuit was made up of 9 to 12 stations. However, today, this number has been modified according to the design of the circuit. The program may be performed in a variety of way with exercise machines, hydraulic equipment, elastic resistance, hand-held weights, calisthenics or any combination of the latter. An example of an 8 exercise work out could be: treadmill, press ups, squat jumps, sit ups, squat thrusts, bench dips, shuttle runs, and finally back extension chest raise.

One thing to remember in circuit training is planning. Identify the possible exercises that can be performed with the available equipment available to you. Identify on paper 3 to 4 circuits of 6 to 10 exercise. In each circuit try to ensure that no two consecutive exercises exercise the same muscle group. Experts agree a circuit should be set up so that you work each body part as follows: total-body, upper-body, lower-body, and core & trunk. Experts also agree it is extremely important to conduct a warm up at the start of any circuit training session and a cool down at the end of each session. It's also important to check with your Doctor before beginning any sort of new workout regimen.

Christine Beals is a professional writer who provides information for Exercise Equipment Guide where you'll find information on circuit training and more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Beals

Easy Weight Training For Women

2008-03-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

By Elle Nash

Weight training for women can be one of the best tools used for weight loss. Weights have an unbelievable effect on the body that leaves people in high calorie burning states. For women, it can some what feel overwhelming. Not to fret, I've created this guide to give each woman out there a chance to experience weight training first hand.

Dumbbell Press: This is a great exercise the will work your chest. Grab a set of dumbbells and start out light. Lie back on a bench, cock your elbows out and push the weights up in the air. Repeat this 10 times and take a 1 minute break. Repeat this process 2 more times to give you 30 total reps.

Bent Over Rows: This exercise will work your back. Grab yourself another set of dumbbells and place one on each side of a bench. You're going to workout one arm at a time, so place your right knee on the end of a bench, bend over and put your right arm on the bench to fully balance you. Your back should be parallel to the ground. Use your free left hand, pick up the dumbbell and pull it up to your chest. Let it go back down and repeat this for 10 times. Take a 1 minute break. Repeat this process 2 more times.

Dumbbell Squats: This exercise will work your thighs and butt. Pick up another set up dumbbells, this time you should be able to get heavier weights. Hold onto these weights at your side, keep your back straight and bend your knees. Lower your body to the position of sitting in a chair. Stand back up straight and repeat this process for 10 reps. Take a 1 minute break and repeat the process 2 more times.

Dumbbell Sit ups: This exercise will work your abs and core. Pick up one dumbbell, start out at a light weight. Lie down on a gym mat and hold the weight with both hands at your chest. Proceed to do a sit up. If you're unaware, when you do a sit up, you should try to move your chest and shoulders straight up in the air, not toward your knees. Repeat this process for a total of 10 reps. Take a 1 minute break and repeat the process 2 more times.

These are more than enough exercises for weight training for women. This will work your entire body. I've given exercises that are less intimidating, by using dumbbells.

Elle Nash is a female bodybuilder and weight loss guru. If you're looking for more advanced weight training techniques, check out Elle Nash's Womens Bodybuilding. It contains articles for womens bodybuilding and regular weight training for weight loss.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elle_Nash

How Much Should We Exercise?

2008-03-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

By Lee E. Balcom

One recommendation from a recognized medical institution was that we should all engage in 60 minutes of exercise on a daily basis. And this didn't count the regular unscheduled activities that people do such as walking around a shopping center, going to the grocery store, walking from their car to their office and back, climbing stairs, etc.

In my opinion, the 60 minute per day regimen is not within the reach or desire of the vast majority of people. Most of us have busy lifestyles, but we know that having a solid daily exercise routine is necessary to maintain our cardiovascular and overall health. This can be achieved by setting aside a more reasonable time of 15-30 minutes a day to do our favorite exercise, be it walking, jogging, stretching, etc.

If done in moderation, your favorite exercise can keep you in good physical condition whether you are a pre-schooler, school age, young adult, senior citizen, male or female.
So choose an exercise that you enjoy and get off the couch and do it on a daily basis. The more that your exercise incorporates the three major elements of endurance, flexibility, and strength, the better chance you have of enjoying good health throughout your life.

As a senior citizen, I chose a rebounding exercise that I thoroughly enjoy. It's easy and fun to do, and the benefits have been very positive. For a free report on this rebounding exercise, please click on the link below. Go ahead - you'll be glad you did!
http://www.new-info-products.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_E._Balcom

SomerSize Me

2008-03-19T02:49:00.019-07:00

By Ivan A Cuxeva

Suzanne Somers is probably best known around the world for her role as Chrissy in the hit comedy Three's Company? Where she played ' the dumbest blonde in the world' is seems since that role Suzanne has proved that she is not so dumb after all.
She is probably nearly as well known for her Thigh Master® device and its extremely well remembered TV advertisements. Recently, she has developed a new diet and nutrition plan, which she rather cleverly calls the Somersize diet.

Suzanne makes no secret that the basis of many of her ideas for Somersize come from combining the best parts from other diet plans. She has combined what she has learned from studying a vast amount of diet and nutrition literature into one useful diet plan.
SomerSize teaches people how to eat the correct combinations of foods to help kick start their body's metabolism, as a means of losing weight and gaining health. Most people's bodies in the modern world are only geared to dealing greasy foods that do little to help our natural metabolism to function.

Suzanne's extensive research has revealed what she considers to be one of the main culprits for our increased weight and reduced metabolism. She believes that simple white flour plays a huge part in our weight problems. The reason for this is that flour features extremely highly on what is known as the glycemic index.

The glycemic index indicates how much certain foods will increase the production of insulin within the body. Increased insulin production equals a rapid return to hunger after eating as a result we eat more often and eat more at each sitting.
Increased insulin also makes it far more difficult for the body to keep up its energy levels, making people lethargic and lowering metabolism and increasing weight.

Suzanne's earlier publication 'Get Skinny on Fabulous Food' was the basis for the SomerSize plan. The original book was not a diet plan as such, more a teaching tool for people to understand why they eat what they eat, and how to control it.
Somersize is a simple idea that divides foods into four separate groups. Proteins and fats are combined, as one group, because fat and protein when combined cause the bodies digestion of food to slow down greatly.

Another group is carbohydrates as Suzanne is concerned about products made from white flour. She considers that carbohydrates made from other grains are better suited for diet and increased metabolism.
The fruit group is included for its healthy supply of natural unrefined sugars, which Suzanne says are far healthier than sugars found in nearly every processed food.

The last group is vegetables, she encourages the eating of all kinds of vegetables, or a least the ones that are low in starch.
The SomerSize plan has a detailed list of foods that Suzanne considers should be eliminated while participating in her system. There is a lot a very useful, simple to follow information and guidelines for people that are looking for a viable diet that allows plenty of variety to avoid the dieter's worst enemy, food boredom.

Ageless-Diva provides a full range of official Suzanne Somers products, such as the FaceMaster, the ThighMaster, SomerSweet and Spray On MakeUp.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivan_A_Cuxeva

The "Love Life" Diet - 6 Ways to Look Great & Maintain Your Weight

2008-03-19T02:49:00.018-07:00

By Cherry Norris

I love it when people tell me, "You're so lucky. You've never had a weight problem."
Ha! Little do they know!
I struggled with diets and weight gain for YEARS! I've been on Weight Watchers, Nutri-system, Jenny Craig, the Hotdog diet, the Grapefruit diet, the Cabbage diet...to name a FEW! Some of them worked...for a while. Most of them made me crazy!

Although I'll never be a "skinny minny", I have grown to respect my body (most of the time). And even though I am not a "diet and nutrition expert", I've discovered 6 non-obsessive ways to feel great and maintain a comfortable body weight.
I call it the "Love Life" Diet.

1. Throw Away Your Scale
Your weight is a useless piece of data. Muscle weighs more than fat anyway. And just because you're "skinnier" doesn't mean you're "healthier".
Now...the thought of tossing your scale may freak you out! (It did me at first.)
I'd been slave to that flat piece of metal since my adolescence. (One Christmas I came home from college after gaining 30 pounds my first semester freshman year. My father threw me on the bathroom scale so I could "put my weight before me". Talk about horrifying! (And embarrassing!)
But still...throwing away my scale was one of the scariest things I've ever done. How would I hold myself accountable? I didn't trust my body. I worried that I'd blow up to be the size of the Goodyear Blimp.

But I did it. I took the risk. I tossed that bloody scale. And I've never looked back. (In fact, when I go to the doctor's office, I turn my back when getting on the scale and WARN the assistant not to utter my tonnage, lest risk my wrath!)
I don't know my weight and I don't care. My clothes tell me when I'm puffy or thin. And I've stopped the insanity of "weighing in" on the almighty scale.

2. Express Your Feelings, Don't Stuff Them Down
Learning how to communicate your feelings in a logical rational way may be the best "Love Life" diet tip. When you're able to express your feelings, you're less likely to stuff down your emotions with food (or other substances).
It's soooooo important to be able to say what you want or what you think. Or express what you don't want or feel uncomfortable with. Even at the risk of making someone upset with you.
If you can't risk hurting someone else's feelings, you risk hurting yourself.

What your mind can't assimilate (understand) and your mouth can't articulate (say), your body will demonstrate (gaining weight).
And weight gain isn't the only price tag. Your physical, mental and emotional health will pay dearly too.

3. Listen to Your Body
Eat when you're hungry. Stop when you're full. Your body will let you know what it wants and how much.
Your body will tell you when it needs to relax or needs to move. It will tell you when it feels well and when it doesn't.
Your body knows what it craves, but often your head argues. Your "old habits" get in the way by telling you what you "should" do.

Does this sound familiar?
Body: "Ice cream."Head: "You can't have ice cream."Body: "Chocolate."Head: "You're too fat."And on and on and on...
If your body craves ice cream, eat it. Enjoy it. Stop the madness and deprivation in your head. It's just ice cream! One scoop isn't going to make you fat. (The whole carton might.)
I appreciate it takes a huge leap of faith to listen to your body over what your head thinks. (Or what someone else thinks.) But once you REALLY start paying attention to Your Body and eating what It wants, you'll never go back to "dieting" again.

4. Eat "WOW" Foods
I have two categories for food: "WOW" Food and "Filler" Food.
"WOW" food is great food! (1) Your body craves it and is so satisfied when it eats it or (2) the food is SOOOOO good that it doesn't matter if you eat more. It's worth paying the price!
"Filler" food is just that. It's food that fills you up when you're hungry. "Filler" food is fuel. It gives you energy. "Filler" food is easier to say "no" to when you're full.
I do my best to eat "WOW" food...because I hate wasting stomach space with "filler" food. When I satisfy my cravings, I feel better. I don't obsess and I'm not deprived.

It cracks me up when a friend comments on the dessert tray..."Oh, that looks so good, but I can't eat it. It's too fattening."
Well...yes. And no. Who says you have to eat the whole thing? Personally, I'd rather have a few bites of a fabulous "WOW" than a whole lot of "low fat filler" that tastes like crap.
I don't know how it works, but eating real "WOW" food...no matter how "fattening" it is...fills me up quicker and satisfies me more without the weight gain.

5. Don't Panic If You Gain a Few Pounds
Like tides of the sea, weight comes and goes. DON'T PANIC if you start to feel yourself getting a little heavier!
Years ago, I beat myself up if I gained weight. I punished my body by starving or eating yucky "health" food that I hated. I gave myself mental bashings about how unworthy I was or undisciplined or fat.
The result: I gained more weight.
Not any more!

Now, when I notice myself eating more...and my clothes are getting tighter...and I feel that extra "pudge" around my waist...I say to myself, "Cherry, you're eating too much. What's going on? Is there something stressing you out? Something you need to say? Or do you just need to control your portion size (or stop drinking wine for a while)? Do you really WANT that second piece of pie? How's it going to feel after you eat it?"
If I reeeaaaalllly want it, I eat it. But I'm used to my body telling me when it's full and I can always have it LATER if I don't eat it now.
That's a big key...knowing you aren't depriving yourself. That you can have ANYTHING you want...as long as your body tells you it's hungry.

6. Move Your Butt!
If you think "exercise is boring" or "don't have time", you haven't found the "WOW" of exercise.
Getting in the habit of moving your body is one of the best things you'll ever do for yourself.
Good Morning America recently said, "If you walk 30 minutes, five days a week, you will extend your life. (I forget for how many years.) (Sorry.) Walking is easy and cheap and the payoffs are enormous!

I combine walking with The Bar Method because I like the toning, strengthening and flexibility the class offers. (Plus the music is great and the teachers are cute!)
Like any habit, starting to exercise can take a couple months to integrate into your routine. I don't need to preach to you about the benefits of exercise. You already know it helps your heart, gives you a glowing complexion and decreases your appetite.

For me, exercise feels great. I'm not one of those "gotta get results" people (although I do look better by doing it). If I don't feel high energy during my class or walk, I don't push it. Just showing up and doing it is good enough for me. I listen to my body and it tells me how hard it wants to work.
So get up and move! Believe me, your butt will thank you!

Cherry Norris is a renowned celebrity dating coach, workshop director and popular speaker. Based in Los Angeles, California, Cherry is an official dating coach for Cupid's Coach matchmaking service and the relationship expert on Catherine Oxenberg's TV pilot, Practical Princess. Cherry has lead workshops around the US and on cruises to Mexico and Alaska. She has been featured in The LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Divine Caroline, and Women's World.
Cherry's passion is helping people build healthy, intimate romantic relationships. Under her direction, you will learn the skills and techniques for dating that will have you starring in the role of a lifetime opposite the co-star you've been waiting for!
For FREE Dating Directions newsletter and event calendar, GO HERE: Dating Directions Newsletter
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherry_Norris

The Candida Diet

2008-03-19T02:49:00.017-07:00

By Michael Winicki

If you have a problem with excess Candida that makes you sick or have unwanted side effects, you need to understand that your diet plays a big role in this. When you learn to avoid foods that aggravate your condition and eat the foods that help you, your body will adjust its levels of Candida naturally and prevent an overproduction of Candida which causes complications.

Many practitioners and natural or alternative practitioners are teaching their patients to use their diet to help address the problem of Candida overgrowth. To achieve this, you need to know more about what foods to eat and which foods to avoid. In general, your Candida diet should try to avoid sugar as much as possible.

Sugar promotes the growth of the yeast so if you have an overgrowth, you may want to start out by limiting your sugar. You can do this by cutting back or quitting sodas and teas, limiting your carbohydrate intake and limiting known foods with sugar.

You should also limit foods that have any type of yeast in them as this can contribute to the Candida overgrowth. Fermented foods like beer and bread made with yeast are a bad choice. You should also avoid cheese, tomato paste and mushrooms. It is believed that many people with Candida overgrowth actually suffer from a type of yeast allergy or intolerance and it should be treated similar to the way other food allergies and sensitivities are treated.

Some foods that you should avoid are:
Milk
Cheese
Sugar
Gluten
Wheat
Coffee
Yeast
Alcohol
Chocolate
High fat foods

Some foods that are good to eat when on a diet for Candida and yeast are:
Onions and garlic
Fresh vegetables
Approved breads
Rice cakes
Corn tortillas
Meats
Fresh fish
Eggs
Beans and lentils
Cottage cheese and yogurt

These are just some guidelines to start with. You should talk with your doctor if you are on a Candida and yeast diet so that you can determine a plan together to keep you healthy. For many people, it can take a couple of weeks or more to notice results of the change in diet. This is because traces of the foods you were eating before will still remain in your system.

This is why many will suggest a total elimination diet for the first 4-6 weeks of your new Candida diet. After this time, some foods are okay in moderation. Talk with your doctor about your specific dietary needs.

The Candida Yeast Research Center http://www.candidayeastresearchcenter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Winicki

The Sonoma Diet - The Sunny Side Of Dieting

2008-03-19T02:49:00.016-07:00

By Oliver Springate

Ever heard of the Sonoma Diet? If that's a yes then you get a big pat on the back, if not then don't worry, you haven't been left behind, it's just that the Sonoma Diet likes to stay low key. Unlike Atkins or the weird and wonderful diets of celebrities, the Sonoma Diet has been left in the dark to a large extent, and never given the opportunity to shine, so I thought I'd write a bit about it, and help it along the way.

First for the boring stuff; it's been fairly commercially successful, won some awards, low calorie, and invented by Dr. Connie Gutterson. Alright, done with that, now I'll tell you how it's going to help you shed those pounds.

I first heard about this diet some time ago, not paying much attention to it and assuming it to just be another 'diet of the moment', conjured up by another crazy doctor, probably related to Atkins himself, and designed to give its users a plethora of unwanted health problems.

But a couple of months ago I was checking my email and there was something with the subject, "Drink Wine & Lose Weight". My eyes widened and without thinking that message was open. I mean there have been some pretty crazy diet plans before, but if this promise was true, just think of the possibilities!
And as if sipping top quality French Cabernet Sauvignon (a personal favourite) wasn't good enough, the message went on to tell me that I could also dine on fine Mediterranean food.
The sweet images of holidays in Spain filled my mind.

Now for a bit of bad news. I did some more research on the Sonoma Diet, and found out that Mediterranean is taken a bit too literally. "How?" you may ask. When I have a Mediterranean style meal, let's take red mullet for example, I want a nice wholesome serving, to fill me up. However, according to my research, this isn't how they do it in Spain, they like small portions. This is how the Sonoma Diet works.

Another little issue I have with it, although clearly not as pressing as small meals, is that the diet plan doesn't give clear advice about how to exercise while on the diet, or if it's necessary at all. This is left up to you, but it shouldn't really be a problem, as exercise is the same with pretty much all low calorie diet plans, so just find a simple exercise plan and run with it.

Despite my minor hang-ups about the diet, I do recommend it. It's well structured, and very simply structured, making it impossible to slide off track, and the final stage is maintenance, so you really will be able to keep the weight off. That's something I don't like about other diets; you reach your target weight and then it leaves you hanging, this has a getaway plan.

On balance, the problems with the Sonoma Diet don't even come close to outweighing the benefits. If you'd like to drink great wine and relive holidays in the Mediterranean, or just pretend you are for those who've never been, the Sonoma Diet is an excellent diet to follow.
Just don't drink too much wine.

For more info on which diet you should choose, check out http://tinyurl.com/27gztf
JuicyDiet.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oliver_Springate

The 5 Most Popular Diet Fads

2008-03-19T02:49:00.014-07:00

By Kristi Patrice Carter

Today, the five most popular diet fads include everything from eating only certain types of foods, to limiting carbohydrates, to following diets that severely restrict calories. Generally speaking, a fad diet is defined as one that promises drastic weight loss but with little or no exercise or changes in one's eating habits. Some require that certain foods be eaten at specific intervals throughout the day, while others limit what you can eat, or eliminate whole groups of food entirely.

Here is a look at the five most popular diet fads today and how each of them claim to work.
1. 3-Day Diets
For those looking for quick, but short-term results, there are several different 3-day diets to choose from, each with different types of foods, but all following the low-calorie theme. Unfortunately, much of the weight lost on this type of diet tends to be water weight, and because of the low caloric content, it can only be followed for a few days at a time, hence the three day distinction.

2. The Atkins Diet
Although created in the 1970s by Dr. Robert Atkins, this diet didn't become widely popular until the last decade or so as many manufacturers soon began marketing low-carb versions of their products. The Atkins Diet involves four different phases, each with a different and controlled carbohydrate intake. The first phase allows for only 20 carbohydrates per day, followed by Phase 2, or the ongoing weight loss phase, which calls for adding more vegetables to the diet, increasing the level of carbs. Phases 3 and 4 are the maintenance portions of the diet which allow for an increased carb intake, but only those that are unprocessed or unrefined.

3. The Cabbage Soup Diet
The Cabbage Soup Diet is usually a seven day plan that's used to promote quick weight loss and consists of eating none other than cabbage soup for every meal of the week. This particular diet allows for no more than 700 calories per day, and many people say they are able to lose 10 pounds or more per week. However, eating only cabbage may cause a large amount of gas, as well as not providing enough vitamins and nutrients, causing the dieter to feel weak or light headed.

4. The Grapefruit Diet
The grapefruit diet requires that dieters eat no more than 800 calories per day, along with having a grapefruit with each meal. Some of the foods allowed on the Grapefruit Diet include salad, small amounts of proteins, such as beef or eggs, and water, tea and coffee as the beverages of choice. Although some feel that the enzymes within the grapefruit are responsible for the rapid weight loss, others state that it's merely the severe reduction in calories that's causing a loss of pounds.

5. The Hollywood Diet
For an even greater caloric restriction, the Hollywood Diet allows a scant 500 calories per day. Also called the "48-hour Diet" or the "48-hour Miracle Diet," this one claims that dieters can lose anywhere from five to 15 pounds, or two to seven kg of weight in two days. This diet allows for no food intake during the 48 hours, but features a juice drink that must be consumed alone without eating any type of foods at all. Containing enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and botanical extracts, this juice claims to provide all of the necessary nutrients while promoting weight loss.

Fad diets are out! Learn how to lose weight and keep it off without deprivation and drugs. Visit http://www.fad-diet.net today and get rid of those unwanted pounds forever!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristi_Patrice_Carter

Fat Girl's Guide To A Flat Stomach

2008-03-19T02:49:00.013-07:00

By Elizabeth Hartley

So you're a fat girl but you want a flat stomach. Not possible - right?
Wrong! Think again!
Ok, we're not talking a washboard tum or six pack abs here, but a sleeker, flatter stomach is not out of the question even if you are on the large side. How? Because a big, round stomach is not always just due to excess weight, it can be due to bloating. So what's the difference? Let me explain.

There are many causes of stomach bloating and most of them are food related. It's fair to say that if you are overweight you probably eat more than your slim neighbour which raises the odds of you reacting to a particular food. However just because you may carry excess fat doesn't mean you have to put up with abdominal bloating any more than a thin person does. And even if you are fat, with a little effort, getting rid of bloating can help you get a flatter stomach.

So if you are a sufferer you need to find out what is your bloat trigger in order to help you deal with the problem and treat it properly. For many women, bloating may be hormone related and the result of a build up of fluid especially in the week prior to menstruation. When an imbalance occurs in the body, excess fluid can build up in spaces between cells.

Abdominal Bloating Treatment
Diuretics (water tablets) are not always the best solution as these can lead to dehydration and dizziness. A better solution is to cut down on salt and alcohol intake and increase potassium levels. Good natural sources of potassium include fruit (especially bananas), vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, milk, fish, shellfish, beef and poultry.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Stomach Bloating
Irritable bowel syndrome can cause abdominal bloating. Treating ibs and digestive problems can be difficult and treatments should be discussed with your GP. Some of the more common remedies include anti-spasmodic tablets, peppermint oil capsules and charcoal products. Probiotic drinks and yoghurts may also be helpful by encouraging good bacteria and helping to maintain a healthy gut.

Additional Stomach Bloating Causes
Stress can also be a factor in abdominal bloating. The link between the digestive system and emotions is well documented. Many people suffer from a 'nervous tummy' and most of us are familiar with that stomach lurching feeling or that urgent need to rush to the loo when we are anxious. Taking time to eat slowly and chewing food properly can be helpful. Try eating smaller portions and putting the fork down between mouthfuls. Relaxation techniques or hypnosis may be the best long term solutions to help to deal with stomach bloating caused by stress.
Probably the most common cause of abdominal bloating is food intolerance.

To find out what your bloating triggers are you will need to follow an elimination diet. This involves following a strict, bland diet for a few days until your stomach bloating has gone and then gradually re-introducing individual foods and keeping a record of any reaction you may experience. You should soon be able to pinpoint which foods are responsible for your abdominal bloating which will enable you to cut down on these products and control your symptoms.

To sum up, bloating affects people of all ages and sizes, whether you're fat or skinny. Investigating what causes you to bloat and finding a solution to the problem will help you get a flatter stomach.

If you would like to reprint this article you may do so provided the text remains unchanged and you include the "Author Bio" statement below:
Elizabeth Hartley is the author and creator of The Flat Stomach Diet. This diet plan is the result of many years of research after consultation with doctors and professional nutritionists in an effort to discover the causes of painful abdominal cramps and bloating. The findings are based on personal experience after undergoing numerous medical tests and procedures and failing to find any other alternative long term solution. Details of The Flat Stomach Diet can be found at http://www.flatstomachplan.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Hartley

Exercise Bikes - Uprights Versus Recumbent

2008-03-19T02:49:00.012-07:00

By Dave R Jones

So which is best, there is a great deal of debate as to which of the two styles of exercise bike is best, the upright bike or the recumbent bike. It is true that both have their advantages. Which to choice when buying one? well that is down to your personally preference.

The Upright Bike.
The upright is of course the traditional style of bike modelled on the conventional road bike. If you are used to riding on the road on a normal road bike then the upright exercise bike would feel the more natural of the two styles.
Another advantage that the upright offers is the space saving over a recumbent. By its nature a recumbent is a laid back style and the body is stretched out, as a result the is longer. So the upright takes up less floor space.

It is widely regarded, by most fitness professionals, that the upright bike gives a more intense workout as the body is more upright, it is easier to put more effort into the ride.

Recumbent exercise bike.
The recumbent exercise bike is without doubt the more comfortable of the two styles. One of the down side of an upright is they can leave you a little saddle sore, no matter how padded the seat is. The recumbent is like sitting in armchair, no risk of a numb bum.
People with back trouble may find the posture of the recumbent more supportive than an upright, enabling them to cycle longer getting a better workout. A similar thing applies to overweight people; the more comfortable posture of the recumbent may suit them better.
The differing posture of the recumbent also puts more load on the legs and buttocks, so if reshaping your behind is one of your concerns then this a better choice.

Cycling in an upright position also puts a lot of pressure on the hands and wrists and can leave your fingers numb after a while. Using a recumbent eliminates this as your hands no longer support your body weight. Because you are not hunched over on a recumbent your lungs are more open thus you are able too breathe better making for a better workout.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both style of bike, in the end it comes down to personal preference and how fit you are too start with. It is definitely worth testing both style in the store, before you buy.

For more infomation on exercise bikes exercise bike workouts visit http://www.theexercisebikesite.com. There is lots of free info and workouts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_R_Jones

The Bowflex Tread Climber - The Fat Blasting Secrets Of Three Machines In One!

2008-03-19T02:49:00.011-07:00

By Brent Craig

The Bowflex Tread Climber is a remarkable piece of equipment for the home gym. Essentially a hybrid of three different kinds of machines, the Bowflex Tread Climber provides a smooth, fluid and nearly impact-less workout that will have you sweating and panting and burning loads of calories in no time. This makes the machine especially valuable for the elderly, those recovering from injury, or those who are concerned about the long-term damage, especially to the knees, that running can do.

About Bowflex
The Bowflex brand is a subsidiary of Nautilus, a name synonymous with quality and well known to gym users for the last two decades. Like the rest of the Bowflex line, the Tread Climber is a sturdy well built unit with some great features. The frame is made of high grade carbon steel, and the unit is quite heavy giving it a great 'feel' during use. The machine features a system Bowflex calls 'dual-treadle', which is essentially a treadmill split down the middle, with each left and right section working independently.

Three Machines In One
The Bowflex Tread Climber is a combination of three popular cardiovascular workout machines: the treadmill, the stair climber, and the elliptical machine. The Tread Climber uses the dual-treadle system for two separate rolling platforms, like a treadmill, but with each of the two 'pads' lifting as you walk forward. This creates the stair climber effect, though it is a smoother motion than with traditional stair climbers and without the impact of using a stepper. The separate feet are much like an elliptical machine, but the feet are free and not held into a foot pad, so the motion feels much more natural. It is important to stress that this is not a running machine, but rather a hill-walking machine. The feel of the incline is more gradual than with a stepper, but it is a great workout nonetheless. Unlike an elliptical machine, the arms stay static, so it is more like a traditional treadmill in that respect.

The machine can also be used as a standard stair climber, by leaving the power off and simply adjusting the resistance. Also, the dual-treadles can be snapped together to create a traditional treadmill that runs at a 10 degree incline.

What makes this machine such a great workout, and an effective fat-blaster, is its ability to easily accommodate interval training. Interval training is a cardiovascular workout that is highly effective and used extensively by athletes. Essentially it is simply interspersing all-out efforts with periods of lower activity, then back to another all-out effort. It is the most effective weight loss training there is, and this unit does it perfectly. By varying speeds, resistance and incline, the Tread Climber easily adjusts the workout so that intense intervals are followed by relatively light-walking, then back to more stairs.

Make Room for a Bowflex!
Like all Bowflex equipment, the Tread Climber is designed for home gyms, and thus consideration is made for fitting inside a normal sized room. The unit measures 63 by 32 inches, and is mounted on wheels, for moving. It does, however, weigh in at 350 pounds, so it is not easily moved. Also, the unit requires some assembly when it arrives, and is best done by two people.

For an all-around great piece of home gym equipment, the Bowflex Tread Climber is a smart choice that will have you burning tons of calories and replacing all that fat with muscle mass in no time!

For more information on the Bowflex Tread Climber, or other Bowflex gear, please visit: http://www.HomeSportsGear.com.
Brent Craig is a researcher and journalist and an avid Bowflex user.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brent_Craig

The Bodyblade Exerciser, A Revolutionary Rehabilitation And Exercise Tool

2008-03-19T02:49:00.010-07:00

By Are Kallak

The bodyblade exerciser represents a highly innovative advance in exercise equipment. The Bodyblade is a reactive, oscillating device that utilizes inertia to generate up to 270 muscle contractions per minute. Most other systems work on the principle of the user attempting to lift a weighted item or stretch an elastic band.

This fitness equipment however, works on the opposite premise: Once the ends begin to move, inertia wants to keep them in motion and it's up to you to resist. Thus, the risk of injury through overexertion is greatly reduced. In addition, Bodyblade Exerciser will directly impact whatever sport you play by specifically targeting those muscle groups used in a particular sport. Many of the exercises you perform with this fitness accessory mimic the same movements athletes use in competition, allowing you to train your body to execute moves faster and with more force.

With Bodyblade there are no weights or elastic bands that can break. You control the intensity and acceleration of the movement, which makes it safer and more effective than other equipment. Bodyblade is technically known as a dynamic reactive instrument, which means that it matches the force you put into the blade and nothing more.

As it moves back and forth four and half times per second, it uses the principles of inertia to stimulate the muscles and make them stronger. The better conditioned the user, the more enhanced the workout will be. Tis is a piece of equipment that should not be ignored, it may look funny to start with but it's a highly effective and versatile way of training everything from throwing sports to core stability.

This article was written by Are Kallak, physical therapist and admin of the health information site physioresources.com which features many more articles and information on similar and related topics including fitness and exercise techniques
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Are_Kallak

Medicine Ball Madness

2008-03-19T02:49:00.009-07:00

By Kaleena A Lawless

I love medicine balls! They are great for strength, power and agility training. They're not just used to throw at a boxer's stomachs, you know!

Medicine balls have been around since ancient times. They were used by athletes such as wrestlers and on the other end of the spectrum, Hippocrates' rehabilitation patients.
Medicine balls typically come in weights ranging from 2-25 lbs and can be made from various materials. Some look basketballs, some like Pilates balls and other are made from leather.

You can use the medicine ball simply as added resistance to basic exercises such as squats and lunges. Or as a substitute for free weights, like for tricep extensions and bicep curls. Alternately you can combine the basics with the free weight exercises comfortably with the ball to form some pretty badass compound exercises. My favourite compounds with the medicine balls are:
*lunge + tricep extensions
*walking lunges + twisting for the abs
*squat + bicep curl + shoulder raise

Using the ball this way really gets your heart going and definitely makes you sweat.
Medicine balls are commonly known for power training. When I train outdoors I do a drill where I throw the ball out from my chest as hard as I can, sprint to it, throw it overhead and repeat. This really works your chest, arms, shoulders, abs and legs. With a lighter med ball I lay on my back, throw it up in to the air and catch it. However, you have to have good hand-eye co-ordination for this one and also, know how to get away from the ball, in case you can't catch it!

Medicine balls are also great for ab work. Adding a little resistance to your crunches puts on muscle and holding on to the ball is more comfortable than a free weight. Pretty much any crunch you can do, can be enhanced with a medicine ball. Try your crunches with a medicine AND stability ball. The possibilities are truly endless!

Medicine balls are affordable, transportable and durable. They make a great addition to home gyms, outdoor training and are a great way to take your workout up a notch.
Try it!
Kaleena LawlessPersonal Training Specialisthttp://www.kalisthenixfitnessblog.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaleena_A_Lawless

Treadmill with TV - What to Know Before You Buy

2008-03-19T02:49:00.008-07:00

By Vienna Miller

Looking for a treadmill with TV? If you've been to a health club lately, you've probably seen the latest rage in treadmills - built-in TVs.
The demand for treadmills with TVs is skyrocketing and the good news is that you don't have to pay a commercial treadmill price just to get a built in TV. However, there are some things you should be aware of before you go looking for a treadmill with built in TV.
There are 2 main types of TV treadmills. The first has a television built directly into the console. The second has a TV attached separately to the console that sits above it (more in line with your eyes).

The first version of treadmills usually have smaller screens (around 7-12 inches) and are the more affordable options (these treadmills can range from $1000 - $1500).
The second version comes with larger screens (around 15 inches) and are similar to the design you see in health club treadmills. They are usually more expensive ($2500+) and harder to find in a home treadmill - but they're still out there and will probably become more affordable in time.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each.
Built into the console TV treadmills are much more affordable. You can choose to watch your program and track your workout statistics (Time, MPH, Incline, etc.) at the same time, or you can just choose to watch TV. However the downside is that on some machines - if the TV breaks it can sometimes render the treadmill useless - not always, but sometimes. Another downside is that if you're doing heavy running - especially on the cheaper units - the screens may shake or wobble a bit.

Separate TV treadmills are more expensive however the screens are larger and usually the TV can be removed easily for repair without disrupting the treadmills operation. Also, because of the subframe design, even if you're doing heavy running, the screen will not shake or wobble.
All TV treadmills come with some type of built in speaker system and many of them also allow you to listen to your iPod of mp3 player as well. They come cable and DVD ready. Regardless of which type of treadmill with TV you choose, one thing you do want to consider is the warranty coverage on the TV (i.e. the electronics warranty). Obviously the longer the better. If you're concerned about it, you can also usually buy extra warranty coverage on checkout.

Also, a TV is a great feature to have - but it's not essential. Make sure your treadmill has the essentials of a high quality machine first like a strong motor power, excellent cushioning, high stability, lengthy warranty, etc. Then the other features are icing on the cake. Another alternative to a TV treadmill is to just buy a well-built treadmill and then set it up in front of your TV - it may not look as cool but it's what people have been doing for years.

So those are a few things to know before you buy a treadmill with TV. Hopefully it will save you some time and help you to find your best treadmill option.

Vienna Miller writes for Treadmill Comparison - a consumer oriented website offering easy treadmill comparison charts and individual treadmill reviews.
For an easy way to compare TV treadmills visit the Treadmill with TV page
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vienna_Miller

Fast Fat Loss Workout

2008-03-19T02:49:00.007-07:00

By Ed Scow

Today was a crazy day.
I had non-stop appointments for 8 hours straight, including a couple deep tissue massages.
Needless to say that when I finally sat down I was spent. That's OK, because I love what I do for a living.
I get to wear comfortable clothes, I own a private studio, which means nobody is around to bug me or my clients. No weirdos lurking around the gym, no inconsiderate people leaving sweat pools on benches and the music is good.

Anyway, after my day I didn't really want to workout. I could have believed the excuse I was giving myself "I worked hard all day training clients and giving a couple deep tissue massages, I don't need to workout".
It's true, I probably could've gotten by taking a day off. The only problem is that believing that excuse begins a cycle...and a bad cycle.

Where does it stop?
Pretty soon I'll be telling myself that I don't have time to workout.
That's not true. I've been telling you that for months, possibly years. That's not a viable excuse.
So I bucked up and did the following workout. You can do it too if you have the equipment in your home gym.

Warm-up 3 sets:
Hatchets - 15 reps
Push-ups - 15 reps

I had a little over 8 minutes left in my 10 minute workout after the warm-up and did as many sets as possible of the following:
Chin-up - 10 reps
Dips - 10 reps

I only rested 15-20 seconds after the dips before returning to the chin-ups. I don't remember exactly how many sets I got in because I was breathing so hard and was in kind of a daze from all those chin-ups.
Needless to say, this fast 10 minute workout was a killer!

Learn how to lose body fat quicker than you ever thought imaginable by going to http://www.fatlosstogo.com/
Ed Scow's fast, time efficient fat loss workouts have helped busy men and women lose fat faster than they ever could have imagined.
Ed's workouts can be done in the comfort of your own home with limited equipment in as little as 15-20 minutes! To learn more go to http://www.fatlosstogo.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed_Scow

Taking Personal Training To The Next Level

2008-03-19T02:49:00.006-07:00

By John C. Kelly

Being "in the moment" is a special quality that will enable a trainer to take a client to the next level. The next level as it applies to exercise is a level of physical performance a subject has not yet achieved. A subject exercising is capable of exercising at an absolute level. Somewhere below that limit is what a subject is willing to do by themselves. A good personal trainer who is "in the moment" will get the subject go to the next level - somewhere above what they are willing to do and closer to what they are truly capable of. As one of my clients once told me, "I pay you to give me a workout I could not possibly get by myself".

To help a client get to that next level a good trainer will be able to be "in the moment" every minute of the workout. By paying close attention to the client the trainer will be able to anticipate the breaks in form and be able to talk them through it without an interruption in the flow of the exercise. As the set becomes difficult the trainer will be able to help the client with breathing and help the client avoid the panic that can happen when doing demanding work. The trainer will know what the client is experiencing every repetition of every exercise. To do so the personal trainer will pay close attention to cues - facial expressions, breathing, breaks in form, and what they say. Each client will be different and will respond differently on each exercise. A personal trainer should intimately know how each client will respond on each exercise or each exercise sequence.

A personal trainer might ask for "one more" when the client is about to throw in the towel. The client is thinking, "OK I wasn't going to but I will try it. I don't want to quit so close to the end". Years ago at a health club during one set I heard a trainer tell the client "one more" five times. He had no idea where that client was in the particular set. He had no idea what that client was capable of.

That personal trainer was not in the moment as the client was going through a difficult workout. His body language shouted out boredom. The trainer was constantly looking at his watch. The trainer who is in the moment will be totally consumed with what is going on with a client during those most difficult repetitions. She will find great satisfaction in taking the client to a level the client could not possibly achieve by herself. She will draw upon all her past experience of exercise and her knowledge of that individual client. She will use whatever psychological ploys she knows that worked in the past. It is anything but boring for the trainer, and the client will really appreciate it. The workout is gratifying for both the trainer and the client.

In order to understand what the client is experiencing during a workout a good trainer will have "been there and done that' workout many times over. The workouts should preferably be under the supervision of another trainer. By submitting to their demands one gets a better idea of what it is like to be on the receiving end. Twenty-eight years as a trainer and I still learn from workouts and use what I learn to better understand what clients are experiencing physically and what they are thinking every step of the way - to be in the moment.

John Kelly specializes in high-intensity interval strength training designed for safety and maximum impact in minimum time. For more information go to either one of John's websites Austin Personal Trainers or New Orleans Personal Trainers or call John at 512-964-8787
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_C._Kelly

Basic Exercise Principles

2008-03-19T02:49:00.005-07:00

By Are Kallak

Below follows a description of some basic exercise principles that needs to be understood before effectively engaging in any exercise program.

The main forms of exercise dealt with here are:
Cardiovascular exercise
Strength training
Sports-specific training

Three basic principles
In order to be specific in your exercise goals it is important to understand a little bit about how exercise affects various systems in your body . The next section intends to explain some of the main responses in your body to different form of exercise.

There are three basic principles that needs to be applied to any form of exercise in order to be successful.

These three main principles are:
Specificity
Progression
Overload

Specificity

The specificity principle can be interpreted and applied in many different ways depending on what you want to improve, specificity can apply to muscle groups,energy systems or specific movements or activities.
You can break down and apply the principle almost any way you like to fit your specific goals within and exercise program. However, in its simplest most general form specificity means that in order to get better at any type of skill or activity you need to perform that activity, this means that if you want to get better at swimming you need to swim,if you wanna be a better runner you need to run, throwing darts you need to throw darts etc...

Overload
The principle of overload states that a greater than normal load is required if adaptation is to take place. The body will then adapt to the increased stimulus of the specific tissue or system we want to affect. When the body has adapted, a greater and/or different stimulus is required to continue the adaptation process. In order for a muscle (including the heart) to increase in strength, it must be gradually stressed by working against a load greater than it is accustomed to.

Progression
The principle of progression refers to the rate of which overload is applied. In principle there exists an optimal rate of which to apply overload to achieve optimal results. Overload should not be increased too slowly or improvement will not take place. In the event that overload is increased too rapidly it will result in injury or muscle damage and most certainly no improvement. For example, an athlete that exercises only sporadically and with too much overload violates both the principle of overload and the principle of progression and will not achieve good results.

As you can see, these three principles are highly interconnected and are reciprocally dependent on each other. They also relate strongly to additional principles like those of adaptation and individual differences.

Learn Good Technique With Polar S725X Heart Rate Monitor

2008-03-19T02:49:00.004-07:00

By Adam Peters

Good Techniques Improve Fitness
Of all the factors that can contribute to good performance, technique may be the most important, given some natural talent and desire. But to achieve a certain level of technique, the individual first needs the correct information. For example, recreational runners as well as competitors on the world scene need only learn about and adopt a few techniques they are aware of to move up the ladder to competitive success, weight loss, heart health etc. Technique can help an individual jump higher and run faster certainly, but overall health and fitness will improve as well.

Self-observation is a great way to determine if the individual is using the proper techniques during an exercise session or a competitor. Keeping a close watch on how an individual is performing can be as basic as biofeedback - asking oneself if things are working properly. There is some help for this task in the Polar S725X heart rate monitor and other good exercise/training accessories.

What Are The Benefits?
Good techniques in exercise, training and competition allow the individual to perform efficiently, using only the needed energy. Better results can be achieved without additional stress (less stress is possible with good technique).
So, what techniques can be learned and used to achieve these desirable benefits and avoid body stress and injury? Some say that focusing on "toe lift" will help the individual achieve the proper foot angle (working the hamstring and moving the individual toward a more efficient stride). Not allowing the heel to contact the running surface is a great technique that must be learned. But the results and benefits will be worth the concentration and learning curve necessary. The foot will "tire" less frequently. In addition, learning to get the knees higher during running will give the individual better overall movement, as well as preventing knee injury. (Because the knee takes so much of the stress caused by the individual's weight, this "knee lift" technique can be very important.)

What Else?
Focusing on running by moving the legs straight, backward and forward, and with maximum reach will allow the individual to get the best stride. Experienced runners move the whole body as part of the running motion, making use of the momentum created by the body during running (reducing wasted motion).

Just as accessories as the Polar S725X heart rate monitor can help the runner determine if technique is working for him or her, such quality training and exercise accessories can help uncover problems created by poor technique. Some of these are not apparent, even to the most experienced individual. A good running coach may spot these problems though. Hip elevation and body lean or angle can be critical in achieving good stride and maximum efficiency.

Adam Peters is a syndicated columnist on different resources like http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com, A website with tips on polar s725x and polar s725x review.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Peters

Summer Hunks! Get That Lean Firm Eye Catching Body With Less Effort

2008-03-19T02:49:00.003-07:00

By Lorna Darden

It is almost summer which to me is the perfect time of the year. It is also a good time to start getting in shape if you want to look good in that bikini. It is not all about looking good for others but looking good for you, what better way to find an accuse to start working out not only for your health but because it's near summer. Tired of that pot belly, low on energy, want to feel young again and turn heads so fast that they'll get whip lash. Feel good about yourself and have more confidence, look so incredible that people you know will barely recgonize you. This is what happens when you take that step to change your body. Your mind plays a very important role in accomplishing that body you've always wanted.

You look in the mirror and you are not satisfied you say ok I'm going on a diet, I'm going to start eating better. Somehow you seem not to get to that point, you try but it does not work out the way you want it too. Knowing what to do and how to do it is the key to getting what you want and desire. What if I told you that with just 24 minutes a day will get you to your goal? Would you believe me? It is true, with the right exercise and knowledge you'll be on your way to building your perfect body. I know it is no such thing as a perfect body but it will be perfect to you. When the time is right for you you will know it, when you are sick and tired of the way you look the change will come from within you. Sometimes when someone you know loses weight some people tend to take influence and try to lose weight because they see someone else has lost it. If you are not ready to make that step then you will fail.

Getting in shape is something that you want to do because of you not because of influence. Getting in shape is the way to long life and good health. Build Muscle is a powerful system that'll give you the results it is the #1 selling body makeover today. Get that button popping chest, sleeve ripping arms and six pack abs with just 3 hours a week that's all you need. This system works so fast that you won't believe your eyes. Building muscle takes time and with the right tools it won't take too much of it. Your body is your temple and when you do not take care of it it starts to crumble bit by bit, cherish yourself put your health first. You don't have to be like the hulk just work out to your satisfaction. If you want to make that change make sure it is what you want and if it is then you will succeed in building a new body and a new you.

Lorna Darden
http://bhspot.com/?w=lornasworld
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorna_Darden

Unique Kettlebell Exercises to Strengthen the Core and Improve Stability for Golf

2008-03-19T02:49:00.002-07:00

By Rui Rosario

These two exercises are not seen too often in your local gym or course facility. One resembles a movement from traditional yoga, and the other is an exercise long forgotten but made popular by old-time strong men back in the early 1900's. Both exercises have tremendous benefits to golf. Particularly when dealing with core strength and stability. The first exercise is the kettlebell windmill. The kettlebell windmill is a tremendous core exercise for the shoulder girdle, rotator cuff, trunk rotators, side flexors, buttocks, and hamstrings. This exercise will develop strength, increase flexibility, and develop body awareness in the hips, spine, torso, and shoulders.

To perform the kettlebell windmill:
1) Clean and press a kettlebell overhead with one arm.
2) Keeping the kettlebell that is overhead locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell.
3) Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the locked out kettlebell. 4) Slowly lower your torso until your non-working hand touches the floor or front foot. Pause for a second and reverse the motion back to the starting position. Remember to squeeze your buttocks when rising up.

Next is the kettlebell bent press. The bent press is an "old school" move that has a huge carryover to golf. This exercise was once made popular by Eugene Sandow, the father of modern bodybuilding, in the early 20th century. This exercise will target your shoulder girdle, rotator cuff, trunk rotators and side flexors, and hamstrings. It will develop strength, flexibility, coordination, and total body awareness. This exercise can train various physical abilities and movement planes all at the same time.

To perform the bent press:
1) Clean a kettlebell with one arm. Push your hip out in the direction of the cleaned kettlebell.
2) Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the kettlebell. While you are sitting back and lowering yourself, contract your lat as hard as possible and move your body away from the kettlebell.
3) Continue to bend to the side until the kettlebell is locked out. You then simply hold the bell in position and extend your forearm as you shift your weight away from the kettlebell. Remember to squeeze your buttocks as you rise back up.

Keep in mind that the movements are performed slowly and while in total control. Take your time in learning the basics then progress. For more exercise idea's like these ones check out http://www.back9strength.com

RUI ROSARIO is a golf conditioning coach and kettlebell instructor based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Rui has been involved in strength & conditioning training for 6 years, and has enjoyed test driving a variety of training modalities over the years. Through the years he has developed a unique blend of kettlebell lifting, bodyweight exercises, yoga, and core conditioning in order to enhance your athletic performance, correct imbalances, and maximize your golf performance. Rui has helped many amateur and professional golfers improve their golf fitness and conditioning as well as recover from injuries.
FOUNDER OF IRON-WORX - CERTIFIED RUSSIAN KETTLEBELL INSTRUCTOR UNDER PAVEL TSATSOULINE. - CERTIFIED C.H.E.K. EXERCISE COACH - CERTIFIED C.H.E.K. GOLF BIOMECHANIC
RUI takes'a refreshing new approach to fitness using old school tool, ie. a kettlebell, and a low tech/high concept' approach to strength and conditioning.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rui_Rosario

The Benefits of an Exercise Bike

2008-03-19T02:49:00.001-07:00

By Dave R Jones

If you are looking for a piece of home gym equipment then look no further than an exercise bike. They are really popular both at home and in the gym. They provide all you need to stay in shape.
You may be amongst the many people that just don't get enough exercise in their daily lives. We are increasingly spending more and more time sat in front of computers both at home and in the work place.

The common excuse for not getting enough exercise is lack of time, well when was the last time you sat in front of the TV and watched a 30min soap. Quite often I would have thought. Having your own exercise bike allows you not only to enjoy your favourite soap but get a healthy workout. The modern exercise bike is smooth and quiet; you won't disturb the neighbours with a modern bike. Doing this will go a long way to getting your recommended exercise everyday.

Those that suffer with back problems or knee and joint problems will have no trouble with an exercise bike, especially if you choose a recumbent exercise bike. There is no impact on your joints with an exercise bike, there is enough load to provide a good strengthening workout to your lower body. The recumbent bike is probably easier on the back because of it riding position; the soft padded seat will also prevent saddle soreness.

If you are a fair weather friend, or live in a cold wet climate then the exercise bike will allow you to workout indoors where it is dry and warm. No more battling the elements and getting wet to stay in shape, great during the winter months.
Regular aerobic exercise is excellent for your heart; a regular exercise routine will reduce the risk of heart problems. As more and more people are leading sedentary lives this has to be a good thing.

You cannot go far wrong with choosing an exercise bike for your daily fitness needs; there are bikes available to suit just about all budgets.
For more infomation on exercise bikes which is the best exercise bike visit http://www.theexercisebikesite.com. There is lots of free info and workouts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_R_Jones

Rowing Machines For Fun And Fitness

2008-03-19T02:49:00.000-07:00

By Craig Thornburrow

Rowing machines are unsung heroes in the fitness arena. They provide excellent cardiovascular and muscle building exercise. If you have an indoor rowing machine, you also have the ability to exercise anytime and during any type of weather.
Do you have a few pounds you need to lose? Rowing machines burn 500 - 800 calories per hour if you row vigorously. The rowing action is a low impact movement which means that it does not jar elbows or knees because you use a smooth, sliding action to complete the motion. Because rowing increases your heart rate, it is considered a cardiovascular exercise. It strengthens your heart muscle and helps to increase your lung capacity and performance.

There is the possibility that you are a healthy weight, but maybe you have some areas of muscle that need toning. If you do still have that last pound or two, just remember that muscle burns more calories than fat. A rowing machine works the all the major muscle groups. You can count on a workout in the muscles of your back, shoulders, back of the upper arms, buttocks, thighs, and abdomen. Your legs are used to move the seat back and forth along the range of motion of the stroke.

The stroke begins with the legs bent (shins vertical) and finishes with the legs extended and then repeats. The arms are strengthened beginning with full extension when grasping the oars (referred to as "the catch") to the point when the arms are pulled into the abdomen. Your core muscles (back, abdomen, and chest) are used to stabilize and complete the central portion of the stroke. The back muscles are primarily used as you are pulling back in the stroke and the abdomen muscles are used coming forward. All the movements of the body during the stroke should be completed as smoothly as possible.

Rowing can also be fundamental in reducing the amount of stress you hold on to after work. The repetitive nature of the rowing stroke allows time for the mind to find something else to fixate on. This of course gives you the opportunity to clear your mind of your worries while you concentrate on making each stroke count.

Rowing is, above all, enjoyable. Using a rowing machine can help you perfect your stroke so you can be counted on during the next rowing competition or next excursion onto the lake, canal, or pond. Maybe you will decide to take your next date to a secluded spot on the lake for a romantic picnic. Once you have mastered the stroke, you can just enjoy the exercise. You can spend your workout listening to music on your mp3 player or watching a show on your TV.

Fitness can be fun and effective at the same time. By spending a few minutes a day exercising, you can lose weight, build muscle tone, decrease stress, and have an enjoyable outlet for your energy. A unique solution to your exercise needs is an indoor rowing machine.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on rowing machines and the Concept2 rowing machine at http://www.rowingmachineratings.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Thornburrow

What to Eat After Exercising

2008-03-18T06:54:00.018-07:00

By Kristine Thornham

The foods after exercise should help to promote recovery. Foods do not necessarily need to have higher levels of protein to rebuild damaged tissues, but carbohydrates are essential to replenish energy. Although protein is desirable to assist in the rebuilding process of muscle tissue, too much could slow digestion, and in turn delay recovery. Sports drinks and foods that are designed with recovery in mind tend to contain less protein, fats, and fiber. Often, the simpler food will be better absorbed by the body. Dietitians can help you meet your sports nutrition goals.

Why Don't I Need More Protein?
Think about having a car with just an engine, sure the engine will go, but not too far without a transmission, drive train, etc. More simply, the body needs more than just protein to play important individual roles in proper recovery. It is well known that protein is recognized as the tissue builder in the body, but do not concentrate too heavily on one substance for its known attributes. The body also needs iron to have red blood cells carry adequate oxygen to tissues, phosphorus for energy transfer and storage, as well as many other micro- and macronutrients. Protein is a very important food to consume while on an exercise regiment; however, most foods that we eat on a regular basis (post-exercise or not) contain sufficient protein. The key is to eat a heavier concentration of carbohydrates along with a good balance of most nutrients to promote optimal recovery.

What Foods Have the Best Balance?
Many research studies indicate that adequate amounts of carbohydrates are essential for proper recover. Muscle protein may have also been damaged during strenuous exercise regiments, so protein consumption may also be necessary. Although, how much protein is enough to aid in recovery, but not too much to hinder it? How much protein in excess would slow the digestive system from breaking down the food? Current research suggests that every 4 grams of carbohydrate should be consumed with 1 gram of protein.

Also characteristic to pre-exercise food, the post-exercise food should not be too heavy, but should provide enough energy to support recovery. Many foods from the fruits and breads food groups can satisfy this criteria, some examples are listed below.

How Many Carbohydrates Should I Consume?
Immediately after exercise, the body's most important task is to re-fuel. 75-100 grams of carbohydrate will supply adequate energy until a larger amount of carbohydrate can be consumed later. See the table below for a reference of foods with 75-100 grams of carbohydrates.

When Is The Best Time To Eat After Exercise?
Eating within 45 minutes after exercise seems to be the most widely agreed upon time frame from most research professionals. Protein synthesis can remain as high as 80% post-exercise for about 4 hours and will slowly fall back to zero after 24 hours. However, most Americans take in adequate protein to meet this need. As stated before, the key is to consume a larger amount of carbohydrates to aid in the proper uptake of protein.

For those that take more convincing, start with simple foods that are high carbohydrate without sacrificing protein. 2 cups of low fat chocolate milk is a great way to knock out about 50g of carbohydrates as well as taking in about 16g of protein. A few other examples are listed below on the right hand side of the table provided.

Post Exercise Eating
>75-100g Carbohydrate
>40oz Sports Drink
3 Slices Toast with Jam + Banana
3 Pancakes + Syrup
>75-100g Carbohydrate + Protein
1-2 Sport Energy Bars
2 Cups Fresh Fruit + 1 Cup Yogurt
Half Medium Pizza (~4 Slices)

http://www.finddiethelp.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristine_Thornham

Healthy Eating For Exercise

2008-03-18T06:54:00.017-07:00

By Annie Horthorne

If you want to make the most of your body your have to eat healthily and exercise healthily. One thing you should always bear in mind that healthy eating and healthy exercise doesn't mean punishing yourself with a spartan diet, or driving yourself into the ground with a fearsome exercise regime. Health comes from moderation, and that means moderation in all things. Too much of anything is not good for you, and too little is also not good for you! Virtually everyone knows that eating healthy food will not achieve very much if you don't combine it with a good exercise regime, the trick is knowing how to do that.

With the mountains of conflicting advice that are thrown at us in various publications it can be difficult to know what is best. There are a few simple tips and guidelines to help you make the most of your diet/exercise routine so that it enhances your quality of life and does not become a burden. Which will apply to you depends on the type of exercise routine and diet suits you.

If you are doing exercise that involves a lot of 'muscular effort' such as working out with weights you should make sure that you eat plenty of protein, particularly from lean meats such as Chicken and Turkey, soya protein is also good as are nuts and pulses as well as red meat in moderation. When you exercise in this way, the muscles suffer many small tears and need a good source of protein to help repair and strengthen them.

If you are intending to do an intense workout, or undertake any heavy exercise you need to make sure you eat appropriately. You cannot do demanding exercises on either an empty or a full stomach. You should make sure you have eaten at least an hour before you start and not more than three hours. If your intend to lose weight, then you want to use more calories that you take in with your meals but it is not advisable that your body relies only on fat reserves for energy. This will make you feel weak and tired and is not healthy at all. If you plan a concentrated exercise session, plan a suitable healthy meal to support your body.

Proper hydration is critical. It is only of recent times that we have realised just how important. Fluid should be an important part of your normal everyday diet, water is ideal but you may want to consider special hydrating sports drinks if you will be working out intensely and sweating a lot. When we sweat, we lose minerals and salts as well as water, and we have to replace these in our bodies. Without the correct salt and mineral balance your body won't be able to use the water and you will suffer potentially serious side effects.

Set yourself a schedule, not a punishing one, but one that you can keep to easily and that fits in with your lifestyle. Both meals and exercise should be included in the plan so that you make sure you eat an appropriate time before or after a workout session. You must not underestimate how important it is to your new regime that you set everything so that your normal life continues without too many changes or self imposed pressures. If you don't , you won't be able to stick to it and that is a huge disappointment.

On a very practical basis if you have not done any exercise for a long time, or you intend to dramatically increase your levels of exercise please consult your Doctor first. It only takes a short time to get a quick check up to make sure your plan is suitable for your current state of health. Your Doctor is also an invaluable source of information and guidance on both healthy eating and healthy exercise.

Annie Horthorne grew up in the catering business and has always been an enthusiastic and highly regarded cook. She has a special interest in healthy eating and how to make it tasty and fun. Annie's delicious healthy eating recipes can be found at The Healthy Eating Guide
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annie_Horthorne

Why Nutrition Is The Key, But Fitness Is Most Important

2008-03-18T06:54:00.016-07:00

By Zach Hunt

When you say the word diet what comes to your mind?
The top pick is probably eating the right foods day in and day out. Although this is a great idea, and it's what every bodybuilder or Personal Training enthusiast should be doing, it only addresses one part of the equation.

What is the other part of total fitness & health?
Well, to tell you the truth without this, dieting wouldn't do you any good. This is more important as far as health and well being even more so than having a perfect diet. A planned cardiovascular exercise and weight training program could be the key to your success and continued motivation. When you are working out daily this increases your motivation ten fold.
After you get done with a hard workout are you going to go to the kitchen and have a pint of rocky road ice cream with a piece of cheesecake on the side, I don't think so.

When you put all of that effort into a workout or Personal Training you will obviously want to capitalize on the workout and continue its benefits by eating optimal foods throughout the day. A great idea would be to put a note or poster on your fridge/pantry that says "Is is worth it", or something to that effect. This will really make you think twice before you go into the pantry to grab that box of twinkles and run to the couch to chow them down.

Not only does your exercise affect your belly it also affects your mood. Study after study show that consistent exercise affects your mood in a positive way. Meaning you're gonna be happier every day. Rather than the only thing to look forward to being your daily ritual of eating on the couch you're actually gonna feel good about yourself.
A recent study also showed how even those that eat healthy are still not necessarily if they don't exercise. The main factor in a person's health is if they exercise. You're internal fat can still be at a high level when you visually look thin with a shirt on.

So you can see that dieting is not just what you eat but it is also about working out. If you don't know how to workout effectively or are confused about where to even start consider getting help from a reputable personal trainer or fitness studio.

Zach Hunt is a Spokane Personal training expert, personal trainer and owner of Physzique, a fitness coaching service in Spokane, WA. Go here: Personal Trainer Spokane
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zach_Hunt

Two Important Hormonal Benefits from Kettlebell Compound Exercises

2008-03-18T06:54:00.015-07:00

By Frank Spohr

Did you know you could be missing out on some major health benefits if you only stick to isolation exercises? If you want to maximize your health you need to be incorporating compound exercises into your weight lifting routine.
For those not in the know, isolation exercises are lifts that focus only on one muscle group in your body. Examples of these include bicep curls, leg extensions, and shoulder raises. Compound exercises, on the other hand, recruit many major muscle groups in order to lift a weight. Examples of these are squats, dead lifts, and pull-ups.

To someone who lifts weight it may seem like there would not be much of a difference between the two exercise types. In reality, the difference is quite significant. Exercises like the squat and dead lift place an extreme amount of load on the body. This shocks your central nervous system and causes certain hormones to be released. You simply cannot get the same effect while doing isolation exercises like bicep curls. Your body will not react the same way to 80lbs. curls as it will to squatting 400lbs. So, as previously mentioned, once you place you body under heavier loads it will start release certain hormones that are beneficial to your overall fitness.

These two hormones are testosterone and growth hormone. As a man, these are two things you want! Suffering from low levels of either hormones will cause your training routine to produce lackluster results. You will want to make sure your testosterone levels are optimal because it also has a strong connection to your sex drive, energy levels, and even helps protect you from osteoporosis. Growth hormone is just as important. In cases where people were deficient in this hormone, medical growth hormone supplementation has provided benefits such as fat loss, increased lean mass, denser bones, improved lipid profile, healthier heart and cardiovascular system, and overall psychosocial well-being. It should be obvious why you would want to do compound exercises since they stimulate your body to release these hormones. It would also be smart to check with your doctor to get some blood work and make sure your levels are pretty good before even beginning your training routine. Low levels of these hormones from the start could be like shooting yourself in the foot.

Once you're set with your doctor, you can use high repetition squats to keep good growth hormone levels. Doing low repetition dead lifts will keep your testosterone levels where they need to be. The kind of weights you choose to perform these exercises are up to you. Kettlebells are an excellent choice though since many of their exercises are geared toward compound ones. Grab your two favorite heavy kettlebells and you're ready to do some hard core squatting or dead lifts!

Summary
Stay away from isolation exercises because they do not put enough load on an average lifter.
Stick to compound exercises since they stimulate more muscles.
Using compound exercises can help maintain testosterone and growth hormone.
These hormones are linked to many positive health benefits.

Learn more about the building lean muscle, cutting fat, benefits, history, how Russian Kettlebells feel, exercises, how they differ from traditional weights, and more at KettlebellSoldier.com.
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Famous Weight Loss Diets - 12 Reasons To Avoid Low Carb, High Protein Diets

2008-03-18T06:54:00.014-07:00

By Leisa St Ledger

The low carbohydrate style diet, and there are many variations, are popular for two main reasons; firstly, the initial weight loss is dramatic and secondly, those following such a diet have permission to eat brie, bacon, steaks and other foods usually forbidden when on a 'diet'.
If you are considering a low carbohydrate diet you need to know the facts, and the possible damage you can do to yourself. While it's unlikely you'll drop dead on the spot, the detrimental effects on your health are real, long lasting and can be experienced virtually from day one.

1. A low carb diet depletes the healthy storage of glucose (glycogen) in your muscles and liver. When you deplete this store, you become dehydrated and this is what causes the dramatic weight loss in the first week or two. The loss on the scales is due to dehydration and muscle loss, not fat loss.
2. This depletion of muscle glycogen causes you to feel tired easily, and makes exercising difficult. A reluctance to exercise means your caloric expenditure is low and your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn the energy in your food) declines.

3.When the body does not have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy, it burns muscle and fat. Loss of muscle causes a decrease in your metabolic rate. Less muscle and muscle tone means a slower metabolism, which means fewer calories are burned each day. Aesthetically, this means your muscles and skin lack tone, and you will soon lose your look of vibrancy, however little you had to begin with!

4.Not all carbohydrates are the enemies in the weight loss war. While, everyone knows that lollies, cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks are unhealthy and add extra kilos, some carbohydrates are very healthy and give us the energy we need to get through our day and do some extra exercising. Examples of good carbohydrates include: wholemeal bread and wholemeal pasta, brown rice, fruit, vegetables and legumes. Just like with proteins and fats, these carbohydrates should be eaten in moderation. Large volumes of any proteins, fats or carbohydrates are not conducive to weight loss and health. This is why watching your portion size is an essential part of switching to a new, healthy way of eating.

5.Many people regain the weight they've lost with most methods of weight loss, but the rate is even higher with low carb, high protein diets. This occurs for four main reasons;
a) Muscle loss. With that comes a slower metabolism which means fewer calories burned each 24 hour period. A loss of muscle during the process of losing weight will almost guarantee you regain the lost weight and sometimes a bit more!
b) Re-hydration. You regain the healthy fluid lost because of glycogen depletion.
c) Lack of maintenance. It's difficult to maintain that type of diet long-term.
d) Lack of positive change. You have not made a change to a long-term healthy lifestyle.

6.Eating too much fat, especially saturated fat, is very unhealthy. There is a plethora of research which shows that an increase in the consumption of animal products and/or saturated fat leads to increased heart disease, strokes, gallstones, kidney stones, arthritic symptoms, certain cancers and more.

7.Low carbohydrate diets are low in fibre and we know what that means! No animal foods have fibre. A lack of fibre increases your risk of cancers of the digestive tract and cardiovascular disease. It also obviously puts you at a higher risk for constipation and other bowel disorders, which can throw out your whole body rhythm.

8.Some people feel that the high protein diets must work because it seems everyone loses weight on them. This is because they are usually eating fewer calories. The same can be achieved on a well balanced, healthy, low fat diet.

9.Our western diets often contain far more protein than we really need as it is. If we look at some of the healthiest people in the world, for example the Okinawans in Japan, you'll see they often have very little dairy in their diet, and use meat more as a garnish to dishes, rather than the main ingredient.

10.These diets also lack sufficient quantities of the many nutrients, phytonutrients and antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains necessary to aid in the prevention of cancer and heart diseases. Ironically, you actually need these nutrients more when you're on a low carb diet because you're consuming so much saturated fat.

11.The aim of every person on a low carb diet is 'ketosis'. This is an unhealthy physiological state, a type of metabolic acidosis. For fat to burn efficiently and without producing excess toxic ketones, there must be sufficient carbohydrate present. Ketosis can lead to many health problems and can be very serious at its extreme.

12.This brings us to the delightful side effect known as 'keto breath'. People on a low carb, high protein diet often develop terribly bad breath, caused by the production of acetones in the state of ketosis. The key to long term weight loss is choosing a healthy, well balanced diet rich in quality carbohydrates, plant foods and lean meats. This will ensure you don't just start one diet after another, but you adjust your eating habits to guarantee you lead a long, happy and healthy life.

Yours in health,
Leisa St Ledger http://www.leisassecret.com
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The Butter Versus Margarine Debate

2008-03-18T06:54:00.013-07:00

By Lisa Nelson

This seems to be an area of confusion for many people. Some swear by butter only and others opt for margarine. Who is right? It is time to clear up the confusion.
First of all, both are fats. Therefore, the number of calories in 1 tsp of butter is equal to the number of calories in 1 tsp of margarine. The difference is the type of fat they each contain.

Butter consists of saturated fat. Saturated fat is found mainly in animal sources. Sources of saturated fat include meat, milk, cheese, ice cream, shortening, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil. The more saturated fat a product contains the more solid it will be at room temperature. For example, a stick of butter has more saturated fat than tub butter. Saturated fat leads to increased cholesterol levels.

Margarine is made of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are better for our health than saturated. The key words to make note of are "partially hydrogenated". To make oils solid, hydrogen is added resulting in a trans fatty acid byproduct. These trans fatty acids have given margarine a bad rap, because they are just as bad for our cholesterol levels as saturated fat. So what is the solution? Read labels when you are shopping. As of January 2006, all packaged food products must list the content of trans fats on the nutrition fact panel. Therefore, check the margarine food label to make sure trans fats equal zero. Some products have also added a label that states "no trans fat" or "trans fat free".

Regardless of which you choose, margarine or butter, you still need to limit the amount you add to foods. One tablespoon of margarine or butter equals approximately 100 calories.
Bottom Line: Margarine is the better choice over butter for your health. Select margarines that have zero trans fats. Even better, opt for a "light" margarine with "no trans fats".

Are you ready to improve your nutrition? Lose weight? Lower your cholesterol? Contact Lisa Nelson, RD, founder and owner of eNutritionServices. Receive the support you need from the comfort of home. To learn more visit http://eNutritionServices.com
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Healthy Food Choices

2008-03-18T06:54:00.012-07:00

By Jun Yuan Lim

It is not true that you have to go on a dieting in order to have a successful weight loss experience. In fact, by reducing the amount of food intake everyday drastically, it is harmful for your body. What you need to do actually is to carefully consider the type of food you eat everyday.

Here are some healthy food choices you may want to consider:
1. Grains
You should consume 6 ounces of grains everyday. Grains can be found in foods such as whole grain cereals, breads, rice, crackers and pasta.
2. Vegetables
You should consume 2 1/2 cups of vegetables everyday. Vegetables you should consume are broccoli and spinach. Carrots and sweet potatoes are very good as well, along with dry beans such as peas, pinto beans and kidney beans.

3. Fruits
You should consume 2 cups of fruits everyday. You should focus on eating a variety of fruits (and not stick to just one variety). You can also consume fruit juices as well.
4. Milk
If you are an adult, you should drink 3 cups of milk everyday. If you are a kid aged 2 - 8 years, you should drink 2 cups of milk everyday. When choosing milk or other dairy products, you should opt for those which are fat-free or low-fat.
If you do not like milk or you can't have it due to medical reasons, you can go for lactose free products or other sources of foods with calcium such as fortified foods and beverages.

5. Meat and Beans
You should consume 5 ounces of meat and beans everyday. When eating meat, you should always bake it, grill it or broil it, as this will prevent grease from adding to the equation. You should also vary the amount of protein intake everyday, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.
In addition, when you cook your food, you should also limit the amount of solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening and lard you put in. Even though these may help make your dishes taste better, but along with it comes with lots of fats, and it will also increase your cholesterol level.

By picking the types and varieties of foods wisely, it will greatly aid you in your weight loss regime. However, on top of choosing healthier food to consume, you should not neglect exercising - as it goes hand-in-hand with your healthy eating lifestyle. No matter how young or old you may be, eating healthy will help you keep prolong your active lifestyle for even more years ahead and help you in your health as well.

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How to Easily Burn Fat And Gain Muscles

2008-03-18T06:54:00.011-07:00

By John Mcewen

These days majority of people are concerned with their physique and want to have presentable figures. The idea is to have more of muscles and less of fat in the body. There are ways to maintain your body and to get rid of the extra fat from the body.
To burn fat and calories of the body that are extra to what the body requires is an essential practice that requires discipline and a regular maintenance of the fat burning regime that a dietitian prescribes.

The problem of obesity is a disorder where "calories in" is more than "calories out" and thus there is an accumulation of fat in the body. It may result from the incapability of the body to burn fat and calories. However, it is wrong to say that fat people get the problem of accumulation of fat in the body due to excess intake of fat.

Actually, the fat is accumulated in the body because of the lack of physical activities and exercises. One of the main factors responsible for the accumulation of fat in the body is insulin. As the insulin in the body increases, the metabolic rate in the body decreases and the fat is stored in the body as harmful deposit.

Diet is one of the main factors responsible for the weight gain or loss strategy. A diet, which is low in fat and contains more of protein, helps in the formation of a muscular body and lessens the storage of fat in the arteries and veins. A diet rich in raw vegetables, fruits, legumes and olive oils is a healthier option for the body with the problem of excess weight due to the accumulation of fats. There are exercise regimen that you need to follow daily in order to get a muscular build and a healthy body-mass index.

An adult should have the body mass comprising of mass of the muscles more than any other component. There are many other options for the person with obesity problem to go for instead of the harmful surgeries and harsh routines.
Yoga practices are amongst the most ancient methods to keep the body free from any type of problems. Yoga also has amazing cure for obesity related problems. To burn fat fast, yoga provides easy-to-follow regimes and recommends the intake of healthy food according to the need of your body. However, even if the process of burning fat and calories through the yogi process takes much more time than other procedures, it provides long-term benefits to the body.

You may see that the health centers that offer weight reduction programs in return of a large sum of money are not that beneficial and the fat returns after you leave the rehabilitation program. Thus, it is more effective if you have the self-confidence and the self-control to start your daily exercise regime at home and check weight gain by diet control and by keeping a check on your daily routines. You can easily enjoy the long-term effect of losing weight and feel great about yourself.

Do you want to learn more about how to burn fat and gain muscle? Get your FREE interview with a certified, professional fitness trainer for all your fat burning questions.
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This Is What You Must Know About Muscle Building - Deadly Mistakes You Must Be Aware Of

2008-03-18T06:54:00.010-07:00

By Pushpa Pal Singh

We often think that we are on the right path when it comes to workouts and muscle gain but often we are doing the exact opposite of what we are required to do in order to really gain some muscle. You see we make several mistakes with our workouts and diets. These mistakes immensely affect our overall progress and well being when it comes to gaining muscles. You see in educating yourself is extremely important about these mistakes as lack of knowledge can often lead to devastating results. Read on to discover things you must know about muscle building...

Always warm up before starting- Now lack of proper warm up can lead to a lot of strain and muscle pulls which might end up causing several sorts of muscle injuries. Always do proper warm ups and stretch before your workouts as that would not only prevent injuries but also help you gain more results.

Sticking to the same routine over a long period- Do you know that your body becomes some what immune to the workouts when done over long periods? In order to see the best results it's extremely important to really keep changing your routines and workouts.
Not taking enough protein- You will never gain any muscle without consuming the right amount of protein. Always make it a point to have a protein rich diet on a regular basis specially breakfast. Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it should contain a lot of protein rich foods to really see some real results with muscle building.

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