Friday, July 31, 2009

The Many Benefits of the Natural Bodybuilding Diet

By Ricardo d Argence

If you are getting ready to buckle down and build the body that you want, you will find that there are a number of different options open to you.

When it comes to developing the body you want, everyone has different techniques to suggest. However, you need to take time to learn about the human body as well as determine your specific needs. Slow natural bodybuilding is the best solution for getting the best results. You do not want to use potentially harmful methods.

Anabolic steroids and HGH are hazardous and have no place in natural bodybuilding. Instead, natural bodybuilding involves the use of natural supplements. You want permanent results with not trace of risk or harm.

When you are looking at Natural Bodybuilding, you will find that it is a very natural process that evolves on its own. For a long time now, people have realized that pumping their bodies full of drugs and expecting this artificial enhancement to bear them up over the long run was a mistake. This has resulted in more and more attention being paid into what goes into our athletes and our star performers and you should think about what this means for your own regimen.

When you take the time to consider the numerous options of bodybuilding regimens available today, you will realize how essential natural bodybuilding actually is.

The Natural Bodybuilding Diet is a highly concentrated process that focuses on your food intake. The diet involves consuming lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean cuts of meat.

You are generally looking for a diet where a meal essentially adds up to around 12-13 calories per pound of your own body weight. Counting your calories, you will find that your meals should largely break down into being around thirty percent protein, fifty percent from natural carbohydrates and twenty percent from healthy oils.

You have to avoid eating foods that are too sugary or too overly processed and you will want to pay special attention towards looking at the role that protein plays in your eating habits.

The Natural Bodybuilding diet offers various benefits. The results may take time developing; however, the best results come with time and are more permanent. This is not so when you use artificial means and drugs for enhancement. Besides you learn a great deal by listening to your body and bodybuilding naturally.

While using the Natural Bodybuilding diet you will notice that you enjoy improved health and you do not have to deal with questionable issues.

When you take the time, you deserve to find out about the Natural Bodybuilding diet and then put it into good practice you will know you have made the best decision in your life concerning your good health while achieving the bodybuilding type you desire.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Maximizing Your Fat Loss From An Exercise Program

By Lisa K Anderson

Most of us want to lose weight and get fit. Starting an exercise program or joining a gym always seems like a great first step but if you have ever spent any time at a gym you will notice that not everybody there makes progress on his or her fitness goals. It is not being at the gym that helps you to get fit but it is how hard you work at fitness that makes the difference.

In order to see the results from a new exercise program you are going to have to break a sweat. That means working hard enough so that your heart rate gets into the training zone and stays there for a while. There are some scientific studies that show that if you keep your heart rate at the lower end of the target zone for a longer period of time your body will burn more fat stores than carbohydrates, however if you want to drop fat from your body that is the most difficult way to do it and you probably won't even succeed.

Burning fat as you exercise is important but not nearly as important as just burning calories. For example if you are doing a cardio workout and you keep your heart rate at the lower ranges for 60 minutes you may burn 350 calories but if you do that same 60 minute workout and add in some high intensity interval training or HIIT, you will burn closer to 750 to 1000 calories. So which one will help you lose the most weight?

High intensity interval training is extremely effective for fat loss. The idea is to get your heart rate into the target heart training zone and then for 30 to 60 second intervals work really hard and raise your heart rate to the higher ends of the zone and then let it come back down to the lower ends and repeat a few times. If you do high intensity interval training you can even cut your workout time by half or more and still burn more calories and have more success.

To determine your target heart rate training zone, take 220 and subtract your age, then take that number and multiply it by 60% and 80%. This will give you an estimate of your target-training zone. You will need to keep your heart rate in this zone during your workout for the best results.

If you want to lose weight and drop fat for the long term, you will need to gain muscle. That means that you should pump iron. Muscle is a biologically active tissue. That means that you will burn more calories just in the process of living if you have more muscle on your body. Fat is basically an inactive tissue and it will not help your body to burn any calories at all.

While exercise is important the most crucial aspect to getting results from any fitness program does not happen at the gym. 6-pack abs are built in the kitchen, not at the gym. Incorporating a highly nutritious diet is the most important aspect of any fitness plan. You will never see the best results from an exercise plan unless you consume a good diet.

Maximum fat loss can be achieved by following a few fundamentals. Supercharge your cardio routine by adding in some HIIT, begin a solid weight-training program and improve your diet. If you do all of these basic things you should see some results quite quickly.

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Monday, July 27, 2009

Knowing What Causes Obesity Can Help Prevent Some Weight Gain

By Sarah Gardner

In a world in which obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, it is becoming absolutely crucial that the science and health professionals take a serious look at the causes of obesity in order to bring a halt to the increasing numbers of morbidly obese individuals.

One of the major issues in health care today is the skyrocketing prices associated with treating elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiac issues -all of which are closely associated with obesity. Since medical doctors and hospitals are now treating higher numbers of obese patients than ever, it's very clear that the causes for obesity must be found.

With the amount of Obese people ever on the rise, the health care needs for this segment of the population has gone up as well. In fact, today about 60% of adults are overweight, and many of them are medically obese. This trend is particularly alarming in young people, as over 13% of kids today are medically obese. These numbers reflect a massive spike since 1980, as these statistics have almost tripled.

The cost of treating obesity and it's related conditions is tremendous. Also, many people still die obesity related deaths that could be prevented if the patient would reduce their overall weight by 16%. The medical community, as well as many other community groups, are making serious efforts to lower the numbers of obese members of our society, and therefore eliminate many medical issues for these members of our society.

The most important cause of obesity was once the simple genetics of family heredity. Some people are just born with a natural tendency in their genetics to carry excess weight. This is something that has been studied with great intensity for many years but is not something that can currently be corrected or modified. However, it is not the cause of the obesity epidemic that is sweeping our nation.

Today we are realizing that a person's food intake and food choices are clearly causing obesity. Even though it appears that just changing food consumption is easy enough, actually putting that into practice long term is much harder.

It would seem that if a patient were told that the cause of their obesity is the food that they eat, it would seem easy for them to change the pattern. However, it isn?t. Individuals establish their eating habits over many years, beginning in their childhood and continuing through adulthood, changing these habits is a very difficult thing to do. If that seems odd, consider smokers. It is a known fact that smoking kills and still millions of people smoke every day without regard to the final effect of their choice.

Obesity is not a disease that strikes suddenly and out of the blue, but one that happens over time. The difficulty level of exchanging bad eating habits for good ones is one of the main reasons obesity flourishes. Diet centers like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and L.A. Weight Loss are trying to help people learn how to eat right and make healthy lifestyle changes so that they can avoid gaining weight again.

However, it is in implementing these new skills that bring about the weight loss changes and many individuals lack the will power to follow the programs. It just proves that even though someone may know the cause of their obesity, changing it takes more than just the knowledge and skills but also the structure and guidance to make those changes a reality.

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

Body Makeover

By Rico Kidd

Determining your body type is the first step in losing weight on the Michael Thurman 6 Week Body Makeover. Once you know the type of body you have, the foods you consume will assist you in your weight loss. The whole goal of this weight loss program is to make smart chooses when eating. Many people who diet give up as they feel like the amount of food that they eat is not enough. The people tend to cheat as they are not satisfied with the types of foods they eat and quantity of food that they get to eat.

Blue printing your body is the first step in determining what types of foods will help burn fat. According to the body makeover diet, your body type can be determined by categorizing yourself as an A, B, C or D. This article will describe each body type and the types of foods that should be consumed to maximize weight loss.

The type A body has a slow metabolism and these type of people have struggled with weight loss all of their lives. The reason for this is because these types of people are more sensitive to carbohydrates which are found in certain types of fruits and vegetables. Foods to avoid for type A bodies are fruits and starchy types of vegetables. Proteins should be limited to white fish and lean poultry.

Type B bodies are muscular and have an easier chance retaining lean muscle mass. However, these types of people still have a difficult time losing weight as their metabolisms do not burn as many calories that they take in. B people need to stay away from very complex carbs such as pasta and white rice. Type C is very similar to B; the only difference is that they can introduce more complex carbs in their diet as C people have slightly higher metabolisms.

D body types have very slow metabolisms due to a lack of lean muscle mass. They should stay away from most carbohydrates and focus on eating protein rich foods such as red meat and chicken. A sample recipe for a D body is a New York steak with steamed garden vegetables.

There is no magic bullet for weight loss. However, knowing your body type and choosing the right foods will increase your chance of losing weight. The first step in learning about your body is by taking the body blue print.

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Friday, July 24, 2009

What Exactly Is Body Building?

By Daniel Waser

Body building may be a favorite past time of many, but do you know what body building really is? Normally this is done for the purpose of competition or for vanity. Body building is a systematic way to develop a wonderful physique through the use of proper nutrition and exercise program that can sculpt strong, solid muscles. The result of these intensive training and dietary programs is visible in the form of strong and toned muscles, which creates a very attractive and sexy appeal for those professional and amateur body builders.

It is imperative that the body building standards be achieved, therefore how do you ensure that and what exactly are the main criteria to be considered? To answer that accurately, you need to be aware that the two most effective ways is using targeted weight training and proper nutrition.

The first step to an effective body building program is weight lifting. Regular weight lifting sessions is essential, so you would need physical strength and endurance to cope with the demands of the program. While weight lifting is often linked to athletic purposes, it is good to note that they do include those that are using it for other purposes as well.

There are tremendous benefits of weight lifting for the entire body, plus it is also useful in assisting the body to recover from a serious injury. People who are part of a health rehabilitation program might find it useful to adopt a good weight training program, to be implemented under close observation.

The next element of a successful body building program is the use of proper diet. A diet high in protein and carbohydrates is essential for many athletes who aspire to compete in body building competitions. Complex carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body.

Select food that is rich in carbohydrates for that fast energy such as brown rice, sweet potato and oatmeal. For a healthy bowel system, include a nice portion of fiber rich food such as vegetables and broccoli.

Without proper hydration, your body will start using the next available sources and you will find that your muscle mass will decrease. Start a healthy habit by drinking plenty of water just before you embark in a vigorous routine at the gym and pamper yourself by indulging in more refreshing water after a tiring session. It is also helpful to drink between exercises.

To prevent the risk of injury to tendons and ligaments, you could hire a training instructor to help you develop the right lifting habits necessary for long term success of your body building efforts.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Walk toward Fun and Weight Loss

By John GilbertGrant

Walking is one of the easiest exercises there is and it's one of the most effective. In fact, walking is the best way for a sedentary individual to begin an exercise program says Shirley Archer, a fitness expert and health educator from California.

Walking for weight loss does not only help you shed pounds and inches. It does more for your psych as well. Take Jim Wilson, for example. He's a financial adviser from Arkansas who lost 50 pounds in six months just by walking for weight loss. He says as he walked his weight away, he has an improved self-esteem; he sleeps better and feels healthier.

Even if you simply want to walk to lose weight, you'll also gain medical benefits that can't be disputed if you walk. In fact, it's cardiovascular exercise that can help you reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other injury. It lowers your cholesterol and blood pressure, improves your heart's function, and can tone your muscles all over your body.

If you need to walk for weight loss, don't make it a chore; and if you're just starting out, don't be drastic about it, either. Doing just a little can make all the difference in the world. Start small. Walk to work. If your office is too far away to do that, take the car but then park about 15 minutes away from the building and walk the rest of the way. Simply walking the 15 minutes to and from your car gives you a total of 30 minutes a day in walking.

Whenever you can, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you're not up to a hike of three or four flights, take the stairs from the first floor to the next, and then take the elevator the rest of the way. As you get in shape, take the stairs two at a time. You can burn calories off that you've had for lunch and burn a few more off, too. Instead of sending an e-mail to a colleague who is in the same office building, at least a couple of times a day, walk over and deliver the message in person. Instead of picking up the phone, pop on over and say what you need to say in person. This not only gives you a chance to get a little bit of exercise in, but it's a good short break, too. Getting up and stretching your muscles keeps the blood flowing and will help keep you from getting too tired; it boasts alertness and gives you a "mental health" break, too.

If you find yourself getting bored, switch things out and try something new. The first order of exercise is that it should be fun. So if you're finding that your walk is getting boring, take a buddy with you and walk home with each other. This gives you a chance to talk, and if you can talk while you're walking, you're also making sure that you're not going too fast or too hard for your own conditioning. This makes the exercising more effective.

Or, if you walk alone, listen to music while you do so. Pick something with a good walking beat and pop your headphones in, then get up and get moving so that you get energized. Even if weight loss is your actual goal, walking is also a good way to spend time with yourself alone, and it's enjoyable to boot.

Walk toward fun. Plot a route that ends at a fun place. It can be your favorite grocery store, a favorite spot at a local park, even a spa. Your route does not have to be the same everyday. And you don't have to actually go to the park, buy something from the store or walk into the spa every time you wind up there. But you can schedule it with your weight loss goals so that when you've reached a weight goal, you can reward yourself right away with a treat.

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Monday, July 20, 2009

Lose Weight Fast By The Numbers

By J Hunter

Lose weight fast by the numbers may not have really occurred to you before. It is easier to want fast results and just think that your scale is off, but with some real diligence, fast weight loss can be achieved.

Fast is a strange term. It means moving rapidly along a path that leads to somewhere, not an immediate arrival, but steady and sure. Immediate and unrestricted weight loss can harm your health. Go ahead cautiously and rapidly.

With your notebook as your constant companion, choose a beginning page for some simple math. For example: You are a female age 34 and weigh 150 pounds You are 5'2". Look at several weight charts in books or on the Internet. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company published a basic chart in the late 1950's which was somewhat lower than some newer charts. Therefore, you could be anywhere from 109-136 pounds and that would depend on age and frame. You would therefore think that you would like to lose at least 14 pounds or just a little less than 10% of your weight.

The first day may be frustrating as you drag your notebook around jotting down every morsel you consume, but you must. If you are like most people, you forget that half of brownie or that small handful of nuts. You remember meals, but often forget the tartar sauce, the extra butter on the noodles and the nibbling you did while preparing the meal.

The numbers will guide you to the answers about your weight. Determine how many calories you need to support life, your BMR, and determine how many pounds you have decided to lose. Use charts on the Internet or in books to find your correct number. Losing about 10% of you current weight is very beneficial. Remember that it takes 3500 calories burned or not consumed to lose 1 pound.

Look at the BMR chart and jot down the number of calories that you need to maintain your body weight. Since you will to lose weight and not maintain this weight, start by subtracting a number that will make your total calories no lower than 1200. You must eat 1200 calories for your metabolism to function properly. Lower consumption interferes with metabolic rate. You probably see that this is a slow process when you limit calories only.

If you increase your activity to include walking or jogging, you will burn more calories. By burning 500 calories per workout, 5 days a week, that's another 2500 calories. This totals 4250 calories off per week. That's an easy way to lose weight fast.

When you don't take all the numbers into account, you lose track of knowing what you ate that you didn't burn and you can determine how many calories you sent to fat storage. This is not a pleasant thought, so burn what you consume.

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Facts About Exercise For Cellulite

By Mandy Adamsen

Cellulite can be a person's worst nightmare. For some people, it may seem as unsightly as a large scar. It can ruin your chances of ever wearing those pair of sexy board shorts or that cute bikini. Fortunately, there is a chance that you can help relieve your cellulite condition with a little exercise for cellulite.

The Truth About Cellulite

Before rushing off to find the best exercise for cellulite, it is first best to know that cellulite can affect women of all shapes and sizes. Even skinny people and athletes can have some cellulite in their bodies. If you don't think you have cellulite, try pinching a couple of inches of your thigh. The rippling portion is actually a sign that you do have it and you probably need exercise for cellulite.

Contain your excitement, though. Cellulite is very difficult to get rid of. For a lot of people, exercise is simply not enough. For others, it may take a whole lot of exercising before they can make a dent on their cellulite condition. If you are interested in exercise for cellulite, you should have realistic expectations and a great deal of perseverance.

What Exercise Can Do for You

Exercise for cellulite can provide a couple of benefits. That is why a lot of people still want to get into an exercise program. One exercise benefit is that you can get your muscles toned. This may not completely get rid of cellulite but it can buff up your muscles so that cellulite won't look so obvious. Exercise can also help improve your blood circulation. This is important because this is how nutrients contained in food and supplements reach cellulite areas. This implies though that exercise for cellulite should always be paired with a nutritious diet and a good cellulite supplement.

Exercise for Cellulite

So what are exercises that can help get rid of cellulite? A lot of sources will tell you that muscle strengthening and endurance exercises are the best for cellulite. This is partly true because these exercises are the ones that can tone your muscles. Squats, leg curls and weight lifting are examples of muscle exercises.

Remember though that aerobic exercises are equally important. An aerobic exercise for cellulite is what can help improve your blood circulation and oxygen delivery. It also helps support toxin elimination. Swimming, jogging and walking are examples of aerobic exercises.

Gradual Start

Aside from effort and time, cellulite exercises would also require every ounce of perseverance from you. At the beginning, it is crucial to have a gradual start. Maybe you can begin exercising for 10 minutes a day for 2 to 3 days a week. When you are used to your pace, you can increase your exercise schedule to 15 to 20 minutes everyday for 5 days a week.

A regular exercise schedule doesn't have to mean exercising everyday for 7 days a week. It simply means that you have to make sure not to miss your scheduled exercise days. If you do not have a regular exercise for cellulite schedule, you might not be able to get rid of your problem even if you keep exercising for years.

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Friday, July 17, 2009

Speed Up Your Metabolism. It Can Be Done.

By Peter Dawson

One of the most lifelong and frustrating endeavors you can undertake is to lose weight.

Once you're trying to lose weight you'll be on the treadmill of failures and successes and mood swings and diets. But, probably because there's no products to be sold, there is one factor in losing weight that is rarely discussed. How to speed up your metabolism.

Speeding up metabolism can be a huge factor in weight loss. So lets look at what metabolism is and why speeding it up can be important.

What is metabolism? It isn't a part of the body. It is actually a bodily process, really in fact a series of processes. It's a process that your body uses to turn food into energy.

That's right. Food goes in and the body converts that food into energy to fuel the running of the body. It's a constant process that goes on without you knowing it.

Your body needs all sorts of things to happen and energy allows this. All sorts of physical processes are run all the time and calories that come from the food you eat is the fuel. But if your body has too much energy it stores this as fat.

But this excess energy can also be used to break down other fat cells to release energy. And if your body does this more than it deposits fat cells then it's laying down less fat and using up more. It does this if your metabolism speeds up and this changes the balance between creating fat cells and breaking them down.

So a faster metabolism is good breaking down more energy, or fat, cells.

There are ways to speed your metabolism and this aids in your weight loss program. It's not an answer all on it's own but it greatly helps your chances of success. But it does take a little effort.

You can't speed up your metabolism overnight. It takes some time, but doing so can be one of the very best things you could ever do for your weight loss program. The time and effort can be well worth while.

You get your body working for you rather than against you if you speed up your metabolism.

But there isn't a lot of money to be made in courses or expensive programs to speed up your metabolism so you won't see a lot of discussion about it. It is in fact pretty simple and something you can do if you know how.

But even though you may not hear a lot about it speeding up your metabolism is one of the best things you can do for your weight loss program.

Find my book about speeding up your metabolism at my website.

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Discover 7 Stretching Secrets to Improve Athletic Performance and Reduce Injury

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Choosing Protein Supplements: The Four Important Protein Sources

By Henrick Scofers

Protein is an essential nutrient for the body, especially for the muscles. The general recommendation is an intake of around .3 grams of protein for each pound a person weighs. For athletes and bodybuilders, though, the requirement is higher because the body is working harder and demands more protein. The recommendation jumps from .3 to 1.25 grams for this group of people.

The total amount of protein intake is important, but equally important are the sources of dietary protein. Most people are able to get enough protein from their diet; but many athletes require protein supplements to meet their daily requirements for this nutrient. Protein supplements are usually made from four different sources. Each of these protein sources is different and athletes should choose according to their needs.

These four sources used in most protein supplements are egg, whey, soy and casein. There are protein supplements which use only one type, but it is more common to have two of these proteins in a single supplement.

Whey protein is derived from milk and is the protein source used in the majority of protein supplements. Whey protein contains both essential and nonessential amino acids. The essential amino acids are those which must be obtained through the diet since our bodies cannot produce them " and as you may have guessed, nonessential amino acids are those which we can produce, but may want more of through dietary sources. Whey protein is easily digested and used by the human body, the exception being those who have allergies to milk, who should avoid concentrated whey protein. As it happens, the concentrated form is preferred for protein supplements, being inexpensive to produce and containing between 30% and 85% protein by weight. There are also whey protein isolates, with a protein content of around 90%, which are more expensive. Whey protein is not only an excellent protein source, but also boosts immune function, contains amino acids and is helpful in speeding along muscle recovery after a workout.

Soy protein is made from soy flour and is the most complete plant-based protein available. Just as with whey powder, there are soy protein concentrates and isolates, with the isolate being a richer source of protein but also more costly. Soy protein is also easily digestible and is suitable for persons with milk allergies or lactose intolerance. There are however some people who are allergic to soy and obviously, these people should not use soy-based protein supplements. Soy protein can be mixed into foods to increase the protein content and has the added benefit of helping to regulate cholesterol levels.

Egg protein is an excellent protein source. Derived from egg whites, egg protein contains all of the essential amino acids and is easily digestible. It's generally considered to be the best source of protein for supplements, but as with other proteins, there are some people who are allergic and should not use it.

Casein is another protein derived from milk. Casein protein is digested more slowly than whey, which makes it a protein often combined with other, more quickly digester proteins. Casein protein is ideal for adding to pre-workout meals or before bed. As with whey protein, those with milk allergies should avoid casein protein.

Choosing the right protein is about choosing what your body will tolerate the best and what protein will work for your exercise habits the best. You should consider all pros and cons of each type before you make your final decision about protein supplements.

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Monday, July 13, 2009

Sticking To Your Diet The Easy Way

By Barbara Woodward

People often make the mistake of starting a plan, any plan, not just a weight loss plan, is that they do not think about how they will keep to the plan. It is imperative to think ahead to the problems that could occur and threaten to spoil the goals that you hope so much to achieve.

For instance think about situations where you will encounter temptations. If there is a vending machine you have to walk past in your work place to get to your desk then you may wish to consider an alternative route to your workspace, or if this is not possible, refraining from carrying small change with you when away from your desk.

This is just one example among many and of course it is not practical to plan for every eventuality. But just from the act of planning itself you will be more consciously aware of your temptations and therefore be better prepared to take a pre-emptive strike on them before they get the chance to tempt you!

If you write your plans and goals down, this will ensure that you are able to see them more easily.

Stay alert, stay in control. Just like many other bodily functions, eating is a habit. This means that it is not something that we normally think about too much. This however is one of the greatest errors that a dieter can make. They take no notice of the the key to successful weight loss - that it lies in the mind just as much as it lies in the stomach. If you take conscious control over both what you eat and what you feel, you can more easily deal mentally to stop the cravings. I am not suggesting that you torment yourself mentally, I am just suggesting that you ask yourself the right questions before you decide what you are going to eat.

You will be confronted by temptation, you cannot avoid this but if you think about the side effects and the results of what you are going to eat, you will be be stronger and resisting will be easier - just remember you are greater than the urge, you don't have to follow it.

Doing this will ensure that you start to feel in control of your emotions and mental processes. This will in turn make you feel fulfilled as you will feel in control of your future.

Coping with eating Triggers. Its an interesting fact that a lot of the eating you do happens when you are not actually hungry. The reason for this can be explained with a little psychology. We respond naturally to mental cues or triggers. These can be internal or external in nature. An example of an external trigger is the smell of fish and chips or in the case of this author the sight of a chocolate gateau! Internal triggers take the form of stress, boredom, anxiety and anger to name but a few.

External triggers are the easiest to remove. For instance throwing out sweet items from your cupboard or avoiding walking past sites of temptation on the high street. The internal or emotional triggers are a bit more challenging

The first thing to do is accept that eliminating emotional triggers is not always possible, we just need to react to them differently. Instead of eating, take a little exercise, just a brisk walk will go a long way in stopping your cravings winning and changing your behaviour in regards to food.

Fill up on liquids Did you know that a lot the time, people eat when they are dehydrated? This is because feeling thirsty can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from hunger. Smoothies have gained widespread and deserved acclaim in the role they can play in fighting weight loss. Not only are they low in calories, but they are also an efficient way of getting in your 5 a day of fruit and veg.

A body that is used to snacking sometimes needs fooling into thinking it is full. One of the best and healthy ways to do this is through liquids. Of course this means low calorie drinks, it does not mean we can start filling up on carbonated (fizzy) sugary drinks.

Plain and simple water is by far the best liquid you can drink. Flavoured water is also fine if you find it boring in it's natural form. It not only ensures you feel full but it flushes the toxins from your system and keeps your metabolism working really well.

You need to treat yourself too, never forget this it is a very important part of the weight loss process. If you set goals and then you don't treat yourself when you reach them, that is no fun at all. Rewards are well documented as providing a great sense of achievement. In turn this leads to your body realeasing positive endorphins into your blood stream.

You need to set yourself some very specific goals. There are many you could choose but some suggestions are cutting down your intake by 300 calories a day or vowing to exercise for 30 minutes every day for two weeks. If you reach your goal, you need to give yourself a reward. The best rewards are a treat, maybe something you have wanted for a while such as a DVD or something similar. Giving yourself a reward for reaching a goal, is a very important part of your diet plan and it will make losing weight much sweeter.

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Saturday, July 11, 2009

Amazing Six-in-One Workout Plan

By Curtis Ludlow

How frequently, how long and how intensely you exercise, and what kinds of exercises you do should be determined by what you are attempting to achieve. Your goals, and other factors should also be considered.

For example most people would assume that an athlete training for high-level competition would follow a different program than a person whose goals are general health and fitness.

Interestingly, it is possible for a high level athlete and a novice to workout together. How is this possible? Simple, boot camp fitness programs.

Boot camp exercise programs include each of the 4-fitness components. Additionally, boot camp workouts also include warm up and cool down components.

Did you know that because camps often use time based, not performance based intervals, both high level athletes and novices both benefit from the program?

The minimum time requirements to maintain a minimum level of fitness are included below. As are the most popular exercises for in the category.

1. WARMUP - Five to ten minutes of moves such as lunges, jogging, arm circles or rotations. Other low intensity moves can also be included in the warmup.

2. MUSCULAR STRENGTH TRAINING - minimum of 2 25-min. sessions a week that include exercises for all the major muscle groups.

3. MUSCULAR ENDURANCE TRAINING- at least three 40-minute workouts a week that include exercises such as stretching, pushups, pilates, rowing, and strength training for all the large muscle groups.

4. CARDIO ENDURANCE - at least three 20-minute bouts of aerobic (activity requiring oxygen) rhythmic exercise each week. Exercises such as cross-country skiing, and some continuous action games like racquetball and handball.

5. FLEXIBILITY - ten to fifteen min. of stretching exercises performed slowly. This can be included after a warm up or during a cooldown.

6. COOL DOWN - a minimum of 5-10 minutes of slow walking, low-level exercise, combined with stretching.

MULTIPLY YOUR RESULTS WITH BOOT CAMP WORKOUTS

Did you know that bootcamp programs can improve the four components of fitness: muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance and flexibility?

It's true. With a good boot camp program you will improve all aspects of your fitness level with efficient movements that give you multiple (6-in-1) benefits. As an added benefit, you will also look and feel better too!

Aren't you ready to try a fitness boot camp now?

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Friday, July 10, 2009

Advantages of natural organic foods

By Karol Wariala

Brought to you by: Salad Cesar. With hypermarkets becoming an agglomeration of poisoning so-called foods, and in the conditions of more and more sensitivities and illness, it's no wonder people turn towards natural organic foods.

Although comparisons between conventional and non-conventional foods are relevant, any consumer can use his/her common sense to decide whether the foods he/she buys are good for health. Antibiotics, hormones and pesticides are just a few of the dangers that come from non-organic foods. The non-organic livestock is raised in very harsh conditions, while the fruit and vegetables are synthetically stimulated to appeal to the consumer's eye. By contrast, natural organic foods are cultivated or grown according to the rules of Mother Nature, with very little human intervention.

Natural organic foods may also have traces of chemical residues, but these usually come from nearby farms that use chemicals to grow crops. Furthermore, with natural organic foods the amount of nutrients is significantly higher while the threats are considerably fewer. If we take the example of organic eggs, analyses indicate that besides the lack of hormones and antibiotics, there is less saturated fat, less cholesterol, huge amounts of beta-carotene, superior levels of vitamin A, twice more Omega3 acids than in non-organic eggs. The difference is more than apparent, not to mention that the protein quality is incredible.

The word has traveled far about the positive aspects of natural organic foods, and since not all geographic areas benefit from the direct access to organic retailers, it is good to know that many of the products can be now ordered online from the closest source. If you want to buy natural organic foods, it is more likely to find them at the market than in hypermarkets. Moreover, producers of natural organic foods are more likely to be found in the countryside; therefore take the best of any trip.

Run a basic research and check for supplies.

The only problem with natural organic foods is their price, products will often be 10% or 40% more expensive than non-organic foods. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the products are very easy to recognize by their look: there will be no huge perfect strawberries or apples, but various fruit sizes, some better than others. Although it is more difficult to tell the difference for meat, go shopping in markets and supermarkets and you'll find what you need!

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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Why Walking Should be Part of Your Daily Exercise

By Mae Summerville

Taking along a partner can help stop the tedium setting in especially if you never vary your route, which is always a good idea. In fact there is a growing popularity for machines that can be used to mimic ordinary physical activities like walking, running, cycling and even skiing.

It is important to realize that walking is a great way to improve your weight loss is one of best exercises available. Other types of exercise also include an additional fitness element so if you were walking with a loaded rucksack, there would be an element of weight training to add to its benefits for example.

Walking is a wonderful way to start your exercise routine as it is low impact, you need no special equipment, and it costs nothing. You don't even have to start with the thirty minutes straight away but build up to it gradually so that within a few weeks you will be up to the 30 minutes a day.

If you want to improve your general health and keep fit, or if you want to reduce your weight, walking is a good place to start and has a multitude of health benefits for everyone. However, to really give yourself some more versatility then a treadmill can make all the difference with a huge range of difficulty levels and programs all without leaving you home.

Treadmills are still the most popular exercise machine out there, but not everyone can use a treadmill safely, especially when it is to be used for running because of the often high impact exercise that is required. A treadmill works because it utilizes a belt that rotates at various speeds and can be raised at one end to simulate a hill; this give the equipment the ability to be used to help improve the heart, lungs and circulation of the user and increasing their stamina.

The heart of your exercise treadmill is its motor and it is this plus the treadmill's ramp size that are the most important aspects to look for. It is the variety of possible walking conditions that make the treadmill so popular as many people would be hard pushed to find those conditions on their doorstep.

Ultimately it is the convenience of a treadmill that is hard to beat because if even if you only have ten minutes to spare you can use it so it means you can walk at any time you feel like it.

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Monday, July 6, 2009

Losing Weight and Staying Motivated

By Adrian Norris

Losing weight is simple. The simple weight loss secret is this: eat less, eat better and exercise more. Simple is not the same thing as easy. Not by far. Losing weight requires you to get into a pattern and stick with it.

Old habits die hard. And if you are used to eating junk and skipping physical exercise, it will be really easy for you to rationalize skipping that trip to the gym today because you are tired or eating dessert because it's a "special occasion." Often we let go of our long-term goals for short-term gratification.

Weighing yourself every day is a key part of keeping motivated. The scale gives you constant feedback on how youare doing, and the numbers donat lie. Knowing that youall have to weigh yourself tonight before bed might be the extra motivation you need to say no to that fatty dessert after dinner. When youare tempted to break (or bend) your diet, that can be your resolve to say no.

Second, you need to focus on a long term goal. A goal weight, a waist size - whatever will focus your mind. You want to remind yourself about your goal a couple of times a day. Once again you need to remind yourself of your long term goals so

Make a picture of that goal and put that goal in a major location where you will see it every day. Put that picture in your wallet or on the fridge. The fridge works well because it has a direct link to what you are eating and what you are trying to achieve. Put a picture in your wallet so every time you open it up you see your goal. Hang up the outfit you want to wear on the bedroom door.

Third, it's important to have a support network. Tell friends or family members about your goal, filling them in on the details of your exercise and eating plan as well as your goal. Ask them to interrogate you about your progress every so often. Having to report to someone on your progress may push you to stick with your plan. Peer pressure isn't always bad.

Keep your eyes on your long-term goal, and don't let yourself be distracted by short-term success. It could make you lose weight quickly, stop your diet, and regain your weight quickly. Focus on long-term weight loss. Being competitive with your weight loss could be positive, but if you obsess too much about how others look youall start to feel depressed and disappointed.

So break down your ultimate goal into several smaller ones. Be able to take a quantifiable daily measure of your progress. You need your friends support to reach your goal. Weight loss doesn't happen overnight, so be prepared for it to take a while to see results. This is why you need a clear vision of your goal to see you through.

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Saturday, July 4, 2009

The Polar F6 Heart Monitor

By Ed J Price

A truly great piece of technology and ingenuity is the F6 heart rate monitor from Polar. This Company has been at the forefront of the heart rate monitor industry for the last three decades or so. Having been in the industry for so long, they have given so many good releases. The heart rate monitors from Polar are work horses that take care of the business. For the Polar F6, there are only a handful heart monitors that come close to it. The following is a review on the F6 including its pros and cons.

Polars' Best

There are features on Polar heart rate monitors that no other brand has. The F6 Polar heart rate monitor is certainly no different. The Polar ZonePointer, Polar OwnCal, Polar OwnZone and the Polar OwnCode feature are just some of these unique qualities.

A visible and audio feature is the Polar ZonePointer. It displays the zone of your target heart rate on the F6 Polar monitor. This tool is there to give an indication of where you stand. The Polar OwnCal is as its name suggests. It is there to show the expenditure of energy in a session. If that is not enough, it also displays the accumulated kilocalories that you may have racked up in several workouts. For the Polar OwnZone and OwnCode features, they give guidance on the right warm up sessions and block unwanted signals from other wireless devices.

More Great Features

It is a great heart rate monitor for when you find yourself in a fitness group setting or around people who are using wireless technology. This technology prevents cross talk between other heart rate monitors and wireless devices which can be quite a nuisance. It gives the user flexibility to have a more personalized workout. The F6 is also loaded with other extraordinary and innovative features that include assistance to achieve goals and target heart rate zones.

Other finer features include its watch and stop watch abilities. It also has a battery life of up to one year and is water resistant to 30 meters or a hundred feet.

Downside

The Polar F6 heart rate monitor comes with quite a price tag. Though it is expensive, it is worth every cent. This Polar heart monitor also can be quite hard to work. For first time users, they find that the controls can be confusing.

The standards and quality overall on the F6 Polar heart rate monitor is truly remarkable. Even though there are a few cons to it, this heart rate monitor is a real wonderful piece of technology.

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Getting a Personal Trainer.

By Dian Sia

If you think that getting rid of fats and being slim is as easy as diet and a simple exercise, you are wrong. Because when you start doing so, you will begin to encounter a lot of problems, and I mean a lot.

Dont be troubled, as they say, every problem has a solution, and here it is, for every fitness program that you are in, you will need a fitness trainer. That is right; he is the perfect guy for you in fulfilling your dreams of having that perfect body.

You might be asking, personal trainer? Why?This person will truly help you since he is the one who knows what are the IMPORTANT things you should consider before you jump on to any diet program or undergo rigid exercise.

He will guide you along as you undergo your program for fitness, he might inspire you to improve your health. He will be your back up in becoming fit and slim.

You will sit with him and discuss matters regarding your diet and give suggestions to it. Just imagine if you don't have a trainer, you will be tempted to experiment on every program and might have more problems.

He will be the one who will study your data if you have a progress on your program or if you need any changes. Your trainer can also give you some tips on how to improve your skills or attitudes in the gym for you to get better.

Your trainer will pull you back when you are out of track. He will change your outlook in modifying your lifestyle until you become physically fit.

Honestly, it is costly; you might spend an amount of money. But one thing is for sure, it is not for other's benefit, it is for you. A little sacrifice will not hurt you, but it will yield a much better result.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Weight Loss Misinformation Can Sabotage Your Efforts - Don't Fall Victim to These Dieting Myths

By Keira Adams

Maybe you've often thought about starting a weight loss diet. Perhaps you held back because it seemed too difficult and complex. Judging by all the information about dieting that's out there, there are a lot of myths making the rounds. Our goal here is to disprove several of them.

1. One of the most common myths is that you can drop pounds quickly just by a severe cutback in food and calorie intake. This is an extremely unhealthy way to go about dieting. Your body thinks it's starving and will cling to its fat stores tenaciously.

2. Another myth we face in our quest for a slimmer waistline is one that tells us to eat only one specific type of food. The peppered water, grapefruit and the hot dog diet fads have resulted in many binges over the years. An unbalanced fad diet will result in not enough nutrients that are essential for good health and a strong immune system.

3. You may have also heard that you can never cheat on your diet. And if you do, you must pay the price by doubling up on your workouts. This just isn't true. There's nothing wrong with the occasional bowl of ice cream. It's only necessary that you cut back on your calories for a day or two. If you indulged yourself a little too much, a punishing workout certainly isn't necessary.

4. A particularly persistent myth is that you shouldn't eat just before going to bed because your body can't burn off the calories while you're sleeping. This one isn't true because a diet only means that you're eating healthy and watching your caloric intake for the day. If you have a small snack before bedtime, it won't have any real impact. That is, unless it's a three course gourmet dinner or a family size tub of ice cream.

5. Maybe you've heard of the one that tells you not to eat at all between established mealtimes? It's better that you do eat snacks. Consume several mini meals through your day and your hunger won't overwhelm you. You only cause yourself to be overly hungry at mealtime when you don't let yourself snack. This might lead you to eat much more than your body needs just to ease your hunger pangs.

6. There's another myth that says you shouldn't consume any dairy products at all because they're too fattening. However, don't ban dairy products from your refrigerator, because they are loaded with healthy substances that your body needs. In fact, some studies suggest those who consume dairy have better weight loss success. Just make sure you limit your amounts and go for the low-fat versions.

Try not to fall victim to the myriad of diet myths circulating the internet. Nutritious, mindful eating along with regular exercise can be the combination that will help you with your healthy weight loss.

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