Thursday, December 8, 2011

Planning for Atkins

When it comes to the Atkins diet, your success will lie in your planning. Making sure you have the proper foods on hand when you begin your diet will go a long way toward your ongoing weight loss. There are many suggestions for Atkins diet meals in the Atkins books, and there are plenty of resources online for Atkins and low-carb recipes.

Planning your meals and snacks will be an important part of your life when you are on this diet. That advice really goes for any diet. When you eat whatever you like, you gain weight. Your current weight and health problems are a direct result of letting your eating habits go unchecked for so long.

As with all diet plans, becoming used to the Atkins way of eating is going to take some time and adjustment. The standard American diet relies heavily on carbohydrates and other restricted foods. Many people grew up on carbohydrate heavy favorites like spaghetti and meatballs, meat and potatoes and pasta casserole. It is going to take some effort and patience to get used to eating in an entirely new way.

There are two different approaches you can take in adjusting your diet. You can find replacements for your favorite foods with “mock” carbohydrates. For example, lasagna made with eggplant or zucchini instead of pasta is much more carb-friendly than the regular variety. Spaghetti squash noodles make a good substitute for spaghetti noodles. There are also many low-carb or carb-free replacements for bread, pasta and sugar products.

The second approach is to find out how to make new recipes that center around meats and other low-carb foods. There are a wide variety of meats that are acceptable on the Atkins plan. If you are used to just eating ground beef or chicken on a weekly basis, you’ll be surprised by the variety of meats that are out there. Try incorporating pork, lamb and ham into your weekly routine. You can also experiment with game fowl like Cornish hen, quail and pheasant. If you’ve never been a fan of fish, try a different variety. Some people who don’t like trout find they have a love of salmon or another fish. Don’t forget shellfish like mussels, clams and shrimp. These foods are all acceptable and can add variety to your diet.

Make sure to have some easy to prepare foods on hand for snacks and quick meals. For example, thin sliced cucumbers, radishes and celery mixed with lemon mayonnaise makes a great low-carb meal or dinner salad. Fried peppers, mushrooms and garlic served on arugula with feta cheese is another good option.

Research and try out different low-carb recipes so you have a good base of knowledge of what to prepare for meals. The most important step you can take in losing weight is planning. Getting a good arsenal of easy to prepare meals will prevent you from hitting the drive through or going to a restaurant and breaking your diet.

If you have delicious food to look forward to everyday, you’ll be less bored with your diet. Even during the restrictive induction phase, there are many food combinations that you can use. At first glance, the vegetable and meat options may seem restrictive. But this is only in comparison to what you have been used to eating. With a little planning and creativity, you can find something interesting to eat everyday.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Is Atkins right for you

The Atkins diet is very popular, but is it right for you? Before you start down the low carb road, you should take some time to decide whether low carb is the right way for you to lose weight. Just because it has been effective for others doesn’t mean it will be right for you. No specific diet works for everyone, and you may even find that a type of low carb diet that works better for you than another. There are many things to consider before you start the Atkins diet.

First, evaluate your past dieting history. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a long period of time, you’ve no doubt tried a wide variety of diets. Take note of the different diets you’ve tried over the years. Write down the basics of each diet, what worked and what didn’t. Also, write down why you didn’t stay on the particular diet. Evaluate your experience with high carbohydrate diets. These types of diets include most low-fat and calorie controlled diets. How did you feel while on these types of diets? Were you hungry, obsessed with food or experiencing negative reactions? Or did you feel full of energy and generally good?

If you’ve had experience with low carb diets, write that down as well. Past the negative effects of the first week, how did eating low carb make you feel? Why did you stop using the low carb diet?

The answers to these questions will help you decide whether Atkins is right for you or not. If you’ve had good experiences with low-fat diets and bad experiences with other low carb diets, then Atkins is probably not for you. If other low-carb diets have worked but not without difficulty, then you may have been on the wrong type of low-carb diet and Atkins might work better. If you’ve had bad experiences with both types of diets, then you may have better success with a modified Atkins diet.

Your food and eating behaviors can also give you a clue to whether or not Atkins is a good choice for your weight loss efforts. Carb sensitivities are indicated by a certain set of behaviors. You may be carb sensitive if you feel like eating right after you’ve finished a meal. You will also feel strong urges to eat throughout the day. You may feel dizzy, fuzzyheaded and fatigued without getting a boost from sugar or another carbohydrate. Carb sensitivity is also shown when you feel sluggish after eating. This occurs especially after you eat a meal rich in sugars and carbohydrates. If you experience these symptoms frequently, you may have carb sensitivities. Try paying close attention to how carbohydrates affect you and if you continue to experience these symptoms, try doing a low carb diet.

Your success on the Atkins diet can also be determined by your medical and family history. If you have any pre-diabetic symptoms, or diabetes itself, a reduced carb diet like Atkins may be right for you. Significant weight gain can also be helped by the Atkins diet. Normally, the more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high blood glucose.

If any member of your family has diabetes or is significantly overweight, this can also put you at risk for these conditions. Your tendency toward these conditions on a genetic level can mark a necessity for a low carbohydrate diet like Atkins. The Atkins plan has been shown to improve weight and control blood sugar issues. If these are problems in your family history, then you may want to consider the Atkins diet.

There are a lot of good reasons to try the Atkins diet. Whether you have responded well to other low carb diets in the past or you have a medical history that warrants a controlled carbohydrate diet, the Atkins diet can meet your needs.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Is A Vegetarian Diet Safe For My Infant?

If, for dietary or ethical reasons, you have decided that you want to put your infant on a vegetarian diet, you should be very careful in choosing formulas and solid food for your child.

If you plan to breastfeed the infant and you are also a vegetarian, you may need to supplement breastmilk with additional sources of nutrition, depending on your dietary restrictions. If you are a vegan, or an ovo-vegetarian, you should add sources of vitamin B-12 to your child’s diet.

Other than the B-12 supplements, your infant should be able to receive all micro and macronutrients through breastfeeding, even if you are on a strictly vegan diet.

If you plan to use formula rather than breastmilk, you should stick to commercial formulas, which contain the proper amounts and ratios of nutrients. If you opt for a homemade formula or soymilk over a commercial product, your child could experience developmental problems from a lack of proper nutrition.

If you want to keep your infant on a vegan diet, you can select a soy commercial formula, as long as it is nutritionally-adequate.

After about a year, you can begin to supplement formula or breastmilk with other sources of nutrition, such as homemade formulas, soymilk, yogurt, and cow’s milk (if you are not a vegan).

Nutritionists suggest that you keep your infant on a full-fat, high protein diet after age one, which includes vegetarian-friendly foods, such as mashed and pureed avocados, soy milk, nutrient-fortified tofu, and yogurt.

When you are ready to switch your infant to solid vegetarian foods, you can introduce solid tofu, pieces of vegetarian burgers, eggs, and cheese.

If you supplement what a nonvegetarian diet lacks, maintain a full-fat diet, and increase your infant’s sources of protein, you should have no problem maintaining a healthful vegetarian diet during your child’s crucial developmental stages.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

How To Choose A Herbal Detox Diet?

Toxins can include perfume, alcohol, cigarette smoke, pesticides, mercury, food additives, oral contraceptives, and cleaning supplies. Toxins are transformed chemically to less harmful compounds that can be excreted via stools or urine.

Is there anyone who should not try a detox diet?

Consult your primary care provider to find out if a detox diet is appropriate for you. A detox diet should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, children, or people with anemia, eating disorders, heart problems, lowered immunity, low blood pressure, ulcers, diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, ulcerative colitis, unless recommended and supervised by your primary care provider.

There are endless detox plans you can follow, so chose carefully. Some will advocate complete fasting or juice-only days, but beware of the health implications and never start such an extreme plan without consulting your doctor or a qualified nutritionist.

Detox Benefits

1. Improves symptoms of heartburn, constipation and gas and treats digestive disorders;
2. Boosts the immune system.

Allergies or sensitivies?

By and large, conventional health care only deals with masking the symptoms of allergies and food sensitivities, rather than attempting to resolve them. The first step that many alternative practitioners recommend is a change of diet that cuts out wheat and dairy foods, two common allergens. To do so is also the first step in "detoxing." Higher levels of detoxing, as well as additional immune support through nutritional supplementation, have been known to help many allergy sufferers. Allergies are, however, almost by definition, a very individualized condition.

What happens after the detox?

Many of the foods that were eliminated during this diet can be allergenic. A natural health practitioner can help to systematically reintroduce food groups (wheat, dairy, gluten, corn) and note reactions to identify the food groups that may be aggravating health conditions such as sinus congestion, fatigue, skin conditions, arthritis and bloating and constipation. Flare-ups can occur, so supervision is recommended.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Dietary Loss Supplement Weight Controversy

In the world of bodybuilding, the dietary loss supplement weight controversy is huge. If you are serious about bodybuilding, this is an issue that you cannot avoid - especially if you have body fat. So, what is the deal with the dietary loss supplement weight controversy?

In recent years, many weight loss dietary supplements have been pulled off of store shelves by the FDA. It seems that they have horrendous side effects, such as heart attacks, strokes, and liver damage. But weight loss is still important in the bodybuilding world, so what should you do?

You should use the most miraculous body building supplement known to man - creatine. Creatine has an incredible number of benefits, it is safe, and it is highly recommended by doctors, scientists, and bodybuilding experts - and even weight loss experts these days.

It is amazing that there are still so many different dietary loss supplement weight products out there being used by bodybuilders - most of which do not work, and others of which are absolutely dangerous - when we have creatine which is highly approved of, incredibly effective, easily affordable, and simply proven to work.

Creatine occurs naturally in the body, and it consists of three amino acids, which include Methionine, Arginine, and Glycine. Once in the liver, these three amino acids are combined, and they produce creatine.

What scientists have found is that when you have plenty of creatine in your system, your muscles use more adenosine triphosphate during exercise. This is important, because this is what gives the muscles energy to perform the exercises that you are doing. The more creatine you have in your system, the more ATP you have, and the more exercises you can do.

Creatine is so effective in the process of building muscles that it has been deemed the legal steroid - even though it isn't actually a steroid. Creatine is perfectly safe, and it does not change your estrogen or testosterone levels in any way.

In terms of weight loss, creatine is effective in that it has been proven to burn off excess fat while building lean muscle mass. This happens very easily. The idea is to absolutely drench your muscles with creatine, by taking a creatine supplement. This in turn will attract water to those muscles. When this happens, the muscles must expand, which makes them bigger.

Bigger muscles require more energy than smaller muscles. When they cannot find that excess energy anywhere else, the muscles will start using stored body fat for energy. Note that exercise is still required; however this is incredibly beneficial for body builders, and in recent years has settled the great dietary loss supplement weight controversy.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Diet Food Doesn’t Have To Be Boring!

Not too long ago, my mother and I were talking about food and diets. "Your grandmother used to feed you pasta five nights a week," my mother insisted.

"She did not!" I exclaimed, stung. After all, I remembered my grandmother as a wonderfully varied cook who could make anything taste wonderful. She served all sorts of meals, not just pasta! There was spaghetti, of course - she was Italian, after all. But she also made Ziti with vegetables. And Linguine. And tuna casserole with. ..elbow macaroni. By the time I'd finished naming off a typical week's worth of menus, I had to concede my mother's point - but I made mine as well. "But... it didn't FEEL like we were eating pasta every night!"

There's a point to this story, I promise, and here it comes:

One of the biggest reasons that people slip off their diets and eating plans is BOREDOM.

It's very easy to look at the foods allowed on your diet and see it as restrictive and boring. Chicken four nights a week. Fish three times a week. Green leafy vegetables till they're coming out of your ears. Who wouldn't get bored?

The answer is - anyone with a good set of cookbooks and a healthy imagination. Perk up your cabinet with spices and fill your refrigerator with fresh fruits and vegetables, then look for novel ways to combine them.

Here are a handful of tips for non-boring, healthy, low-cal eating

1. Spice it up!

Spices are one of the quickest ways out of the diet doldrums. Rosemary and fennel with chicken, mint rubbed into pork, pepper and lemon mint on fresh fish - the 'blander' the food, the higher the effect of the spices.

2. Dress it up.

Fruit vinaigrette dressings make wonderful marinades for meats and dressings for warm or cold vegetables. Try broccoli drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette or cabbage spiced up with apple vinegar and pepper.

2. Herb-infused olive oils - tarragon, ginger, fennel and more.

3. My brother the chef gave me a set of three oils for Christmas one year and it completely changed the way I’ll cook forever!

4. Low sodium soy sauce is a great way to flavor up just about anything.

5. Fruit

The bitterness of dark leafy greens like spinach were practically designed to be eaten with mandarin oranges, raspberries or chunks of pineapple.

Still need some help? Here is a list of the absolute best cookbooks on the market to help you fight those diet boredom blues!

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook
This cookbook features polenta, couscous and more!

Laurie’s Low-Carb Cookbook
This everyday chef shares recipes that are so easy to do!

Low Carb Meals In Minutes
Use this book and get six weeks worth of complete menus that include shopping lists.

Dr. Atkins New Diet Cookbook
This one’s from the creator of the Atkins Diet

The South Beach Diet Cookbook
This book is packed with more than 200 recipes for delicious low-fat foods

Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites
If meat isn’t your thing, this cookbook shares recipes from one of the most famous vegetarian restaurants in America

American Heart Association Low-Fat Low-Cholesterol Cookbook
Are you trying to lower your cholesterol or take care of your heart? This book has great tasting recipes that are good for you—and your heart!

American Heart Association Meals in Minutes
If you’re constantly eating fast foods because you simply don’t have the time to create great tasting healthy meals, check out this book!

Joslin Diabetes Center's Vegetarian Diabetic Cookbook Meatless and vegan recipes that are low fat, high fiber, and delicious

The Guilt-Free Gourmet Famous cruise ship chef Sam Miles put together this wonderful cookbook from his six years traveling on ships as a cook.

So, now you’ve got some ideas and some resources—there should be no reason that you have to live with boring foods—even if you are on a diet!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Diet and your health

In recent years, we have heard more and more about how our diet affect our health , especially in relation to the production of cancers. Research has shown that our diet contains an enormous variety of natural mutagens and carcinogens. It is also apparent that we are ingesting vastly greater qualities of these substances than was previously suspected. Perhaps this natural chemical product should be primary concern rather than the mutagenicity of industrial chemicals, food additives and pollutants in our environment. For example, in 1989 the United States had a big publicity –generated scare concerning the plant growth regulator Alar, which is used to delay ripening of apples so that they do not drop prematurely. Alar was said to be carcinogenic, but when put in perspective with chemicals in our daily diets , it does not to be so bad. For instance, the hydrazines in a helping of mushrooms are 60 times more carcinogenic than the Alar consumed in a glass of apple juice or 20 times greater than a daily peanut butter sandwich, which frequently contains aflatoxin B. Our diets contain literally millions of natural chemicals; intact it is not practical to test them all for carcinogenicity.

Animal tests and the and the Ames test have been used to evaluate cooked foods for their potential for inducing cancers; and it has been found that browed sugars or breads contains a variety of mutagens. In addition, caffeine and its close relative theobromine found in coffee, tea, cocoa, and some soft drinks may increase the risk of tumors by inhibiting DNA repair enzymes. Plants synthesize many carcinogenic or teratogenic chemicals as delense mechanism to ward off the animals that want to consume them. Examples of plants plant carcinogens include psoralen and its derivatives, which are widespread in plants and have been used as sunscreen in France; solanine and chaconine are teratogens and are found in greened potatoes. Other food that contains natural cicargens includes banana, basil, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, horseradish, mustard turnips, and black pepper. In addition, red wines are believed to be responsible for the high incidence of stomach cancers among the French people, although red wine also seems to decrease the incidence of coronary heart disease. It seems that nothing can be consumed that does not contain mutagen!

Another big problem with American diet is the consumption of excess quantities of fats. The average American consumes 40% of her/ his calories in the form of fat. Comparisons of cancer death rates in different national populations have provided important clues to the nutrational causes of cancer. Very different types of cancers appear in the United States than appear in Japan. In United States, colon, breast, and prostate cancer are most prevalent, whereas stomach cancers are in excess in Japan. When the amount of dietary fat intake is plotted against the number of death by breast cancer, the results are striking; the more fat in the diet, the more higher the rate of breast cancer. How might fat intake cause cancer? It may be caused by rancid fat because it represents a sizable percentage of the fat are very prone to oxidation, which produces a variety of carcinogenic compounds. Another likely explanation is that may carcinogens are soluble in fats and accumulate in the fat of the animals we eat.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Congestive Heart Failure and the Heart Healthy Diet

Congestive Heart Failure, or CHF, is a medical condition concerning the heart. When diagnosed with CHF, a patient has a weakened heart that cannot properly pump blood to the necessary parts of the body. This condition requires extensive treatment and lifestyle changes in order to live as healthy and as normal a life as possible. Such lifestyle changes include a medicine regimen, an exercise program, and a heart healthy diet. While all of these factors are important, following a strict diet is a key element to controlling Congestive Heart Failure, and ensuring the best quality of life that can happen while living with this condition. A heart healthy diet includes low sodium intake, low fat and calorie intake, and reduced fluid intake.

When a patient is first diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, his or her doctor will begin a treatment plan matched specifically to that patient. Part of this treatment plan is usually a heart healthy diet. Part of what makes Congestive Heart Failure so uncomfortable for the patient diagnosed with the condition is the fact that as a result of how the heart fails to work efficiently, the lungs and the body in general begin to retain large amounts of fluid. Though there is an abundance of fluid in the body, the fluid that builds up in the lungs of the heart failure patient makes it exceedingly difficult to breathe, which is already a difficult venture for the patient.

Where the heart healthy diet comes in is that ridding the body and lungs of excess liquid is important to be able to breathe comfortably. An abundance of sodium in a person’s diet causes excessive amounts of liquid to be retained. This is something a heart patient does not need, considering the large amounts of liquid that already makes itself a problem. Along with medication to help release retained liquid, a diet of low sodium limitations is often given to the patient. The standard amount of sodium allotted in a diet like this is 2g or 2000mg. If the heart patient is a unusually bad case, a sodium limit as low as 1g or 1000mg may be given. When a heart failure patient exceeds this level of sodium in his or her diet, he or she runs the risk of retaining relatively large amounts of liquid that the body, in its less-than-efficient state, cannot effectively get rid of.

Another aspect of the heart healthy diet is for the heart patient to eat many low-calorie, low-fat foods. Sometimes Congestive Heart Failure is caused, in part, by obesity in the patient. Two things are accomplished by eating these low-calorie, low-fat foods. One, eating low-calorie, low-fat foods helps to keep the heart arteries clear of clots. Heart patients already have a weakened heart and, therefore, should not weaken it further by introducing clots to the passageways of the heart. The other thing that is accomplished by this part of the diet is that weight is a contributing factor to being healthy or unhealthy. Obesity, in some cases, can cause the Congestive Heart Failure condition. Not gaining weight if you are already thin, and losing weight if you are obese is important to being healthy with CHF. A low-fat, low-calorie diet can help with keeping or getting to a healthy weight.

The last part of a heart healthy diet for CHF patients is a diet with reduced fluid intake. In much the same way that sodium increasing fluid retention is negative for the heart failure patient, drinking lots of fluids is sometimes negative as well. If a heart patient is drinking many liquids, it just makes it harder for the body to get rid of the fluids that are building up naturally. Keeping a diet low in fluids helps keep fluids in the body at a minimum as well.

There are many positive aspects to the heart healthy diet. Low sodium limitations, low-fat and low-calorie foods, and reduced liquid intake can be helpful in keeping a heart healthy lifestyle. Congestive Heart Failure patients are recommended to change their current eating habits to a heart healthy diet in order to become as healthy as possible and to live as full life as is possible with this condition.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Atkins Snack Choices

We live in a society of nibblers. Long gone are the traditional three square meals per day. Today, people eat at their desks, catch a snack in the afternoon and eat late night goodies. Most, if not all, of these snacks are carbohydrate based and full of sugar. This poses a challenge to people who are trying to follow the Atkins plan. Snacking is a necessary part of keeping your blood sugar up, but most packaged snack foods are forbidden on the plan.

Sweet snacks are high in calories, full of empty carbohydrates and offer no nutritional value. But they sure are popular. There is actually a Snack Food Association that tracks sales of packaged snack foods. It is estimated that Americans eat 3.1 billion pounds of chocolate. Snacking has increased more than a third since 1988. Sales of snack foods gross over $30 billion a year.

If you’ve been a snack food junkie you’ve become used to eating carbohydrates of the worst kind. Snack foods are made from highly refined carbohydrates like white flour, white sugar, corn meal and corn syrup. They are high in trans-fats (which is a contributor to clogged arteries). All in all, they are probably one of the worst food choices you could be making.

But there is hope! You can conquer your love of snack foods by making Atkins-friendly snacking choices. Before you can make the switch, make sure to educate yourself. Understand just how dangerous trans fats can be by reading up on them. Then read the ingredients label of your favorite snack foods. You may be shocked to discover how many trans fats, artificial flavorings and preservatives that you are eating.

Next, get rid of all of the snack foods in your house. If its not there, then you can’t eat it. Junk food is not good for anyone in your home so ignore your family’s complaints and do what is best for the health of everyone.

Now you’ll need to replace those snack foods with some better choices. Giving up your snack foods is not the same as giving up snacks. Snacks should be a part of your daily eating plan because it will help you from becoming too hungry and indulging in high-carbohydrate treats.

There are plenty of low carbohydrate snacks that are easy to make and simple to have around the house. String cheese sticks or small cheese rounds are very easy to keep in the refrigerator. Meat snacks are also a good choice. You can buy jerky strips and other meat products that keep well for long periods of time. When you buy cheese or meat sticks, make sure to read the labels carefully for hidden carbs.

There are low carb instant soups available that are very easy to make and satisfying if you are craving something hot. Low carb soy chips and celery can help with “crunchy” cravings. Try adding peanut butter or cream cheese spread to add more protein to these snacks. Also, you can’t beat a handful of nuts for a high-protein, quick snack.

All of the previously mentioned snacks are good for the initial phases of the Atkins diet and beyond. If you are past the induction phase, you can enjoy berries with cream as a snack. There are also many acceptable fruits that make good snacks for the pre-maintenance phase.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Atkins Induction

Atkins diet foods are easy to find and available everywhere. There are many varieties to choose from, whether you pick prepackaged low-carb diet foods or make your own meals. No matter how you want to do the Atkins plan, there is a solution out there for you.

You’ll need to keep the Atkins food pyramid in mind when you make food choices. The Atkins pyramid looks much different than the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The base of the pyramid consists of protein sources such as eggs, fish, beef, chicken and tofu. On a daily basis, your diet should consist primarily of these foods. The second tier has low glycemic vegetables like salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and spinach.

The third tier is made up of berries and avocado. Fruits should be used on an occasional basis after the initial stages of the Atkins diet. Vegetable and seed oils, cheese, dairy, nuts and legumes are used sparingly and in appropriate portions. While the FDA pyramid has oils and fats at the top peak, the Atkins pyramid places whole grain foods in this spot. Whole grain foods should be used very occasionally and don’t make up the mainstay of the Atkins diet.

When you start the Atkins plan, you’ll need to make sure you understand which foods are acceptable for your stage of the program. The Induction phase is the most restrictive, but it only lasts two weeks.

You owe it to your dieting success to stay within the acceptable foods list. One of the best ways to do this is to follow the Atkins menu plans that are printed within the New Diet Revolution book. There are also Atkins cookbooks and cookbooks that are geared toward other low carb diets that are helpful in formulating meal plans.

It’s a helpful idea to use a cheat sheet of acceptable Atkins foods wherever you go. If you are out and about and hungry, the last thing you want to do is to try to think back in your memory to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Carrying a list of acceptable foods with you will make finding a snack or meal while out on the run easy. You can’t always rely on “low carb” labels to tell you whether or not something is diet friendly. Ever since low carb became the new diet craze, manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon to attract Atkins dieters. They label items low carb to sell products and don’t have your health in mind. Relying on foods from your own personal list is the best way to stay on the plan.

Another good resource for keeping track of the appropriate Atkins foods is an online diet program. There are several available. Some are free and some have a small monthly fee. The programs require you to register and then they provide you with personal weekly menu plans based on your needs and your carbohydrate gram level. There are normally printable weekly shopping lists that make picking up your Atkins diet foods from the grocery store easy and quick.

Atkins diet food is easy to find once you know what you are looking for. The books, food pyramid and online resources can help you make better food choices and stay on the diet for the long term.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Atkins Criticism

The Atkins diet is very popular, but it also comes with a lot of criticism. Health experts, doctors and diet specialists come from all different opinions when it comes to the Atkins diet and other low carb diets. Some believe that it is dangerous, some say that it is a healthy method to lose weight and others say that it works on a short-term basis.

However, there are also thousands of individuals who have found success with the Atkins diet. They can speak from personal experience and know that the diet works and it is an effective means of keeping weight off. There are thousands of testimonials that tout the benefits of the low carb way of living.

There are many typical criticisms of the Atkins diet. One of the first is that the diet it too high in fat. The butter, oil and fatty meats that are used in the Atkins diet are a far cry from the low-fat diet fad that recently swept the nation. For many people, the low fat mindset has prevailed and they cannot fathom eating real butter or cream with their meals. It seems like too much fat at first glance. However, those that pay close attention to Dr. Atkins guidelines and follow the program closely know that the diet focuses on good fats. Extra virgin olive oil and other helpful fats are emphasized. The proper use of these oils is important to brain function and mood management.

Another popular Atkins criticism is that it focuses too much on food and not enough on exercise. This is an unfair claim because the Atkins books clearly spell out a need for exercise. There is a lot of attention paid to food choices because they are an integral part of the program, and they are different foods than what people are normally used to eating. However, this does not mean that exercise is not an integral part of the Atkins program. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise regimens are encouraged, and both will greatly increase your weight loss efforts.

Many Atkins critics feel that the diet is hard too keep up in the long term. Critics in this category will admit that Atkins is effective in short-term weight loss efforts, but point out that the lifestyle is hard to maintain over time. However, people who have had long term success with Atkins claim it is one of the easiest diets to follow for significant periods of time. The Atkins plan has rich food that is forbidden on other programs, and it has appetite-suppressing effects. When you combine this with the quick weight loss, a motivating factor for many people, Atkins is easy to stick to long term.

The side effects of Atkins, like constipation and bad breath, have also been a topic that Atkins critics are quick to point out. However, these side effects are not as common as critics make them out to be. If they do occur, the side effects normal only last through the first phase of the diet. Additionally, drinking additional water will normally take care of both problems rather quickly.

There are pros and cons to many diets. If you don’t particularly enjoy preparing and eating meat, then Atkins is probably not for you. But if you are considering Atkins, make sure to look beyond the common criticisms for the truth about the diet.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Atkins and Exercise

There is a lot of attention paid in the Atkins diet plan towards food and cooking. It’s true that your food choices on the diet are of utmost importance. But a lot of people make the mistake of ignoring exercise. The newly released Atkins food pyramid shows the importance of exercise. It shows an increase in food options with increased activity. Exercise is important on the Atkins diet, and important for everyone’s overall health.

Exercise is beneficial to body, mind and soul. It has many major benefits, even at limited levels. It not only burns fat but it boosts your metabolism and increases circulation. Daily exercise helps your body eliminate toxins through sweat glands and lymph systems. It is especially important to all low-carb weight loss programs because it regulates blood sugar levels.

Physical exercise is essential for Atkins diet success. Without exercise, your body isn’t configured to process carbohydrates successfully. Research has shown that sedentary individuals have extreme insulin reactions to even moderate amounts of carbohydrates. This means that exercise doesn’t only help you lose weight, it will help you keep it off too. Exercise will teach your body how to process the carbohydrates in your diet. When you exercise regularly, you’ll be able to eat more carbohydrates over time because your body will use them efficiently.

There are two basic types of exercise: aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise. The best regimen combines these two forms each week.

Aerobic exercise’s primary goal is to increase your heart rate. This causes your body to consume more oxygen and it gives all of your cells a fresh supply of oxygen. If you’ve been without physical activity for a while, many of those cells have been deprived. Aerobic exercise will regenerate them and help you feel better in times when you aren’t exercising.

If you’ve been inactive for a while, it may take some time to get used to your new aerobic workouts. You may want to get some advice from your primary care doctor or a professional aerobics instructor. Make sure to start slowly to give yourself time to adjust to your new movements. It’s essential that you learn how to stretch and warm up correctly in order to avoid muscle strain. Some good beginning aerobic activities include walking, golf, tennis and dancing. These activities won’t cause a lot of strain on your body, but they will get your heart moving. Start slowly and set small goals for yourself. For example, if you are starting a walking program begin by walking four blocks. Then increase your training to five blocks, then six. Your body will respond well to the exercise…after all your body was meant to move!

Anaerobic exercise includes any activity that isn’t technically aerobic. Most of the exercises in this category build muscle mass. Weightlifting and strength training are examples of anaerobic exercises. Working out with weights is an important part of losing weight. As you lose fat, you’ll need to replace it with muscle in order to stay lean. Don’t be afraid of working out with weights. You won’t need to become a bodybuilder. Weight bearing exercises like isometrics and resistance training will help improve your bone density, your posture and your fat burning potential.

If an exercise program is not part of your weight loss efforts, you are setting yourself up for failure. Make a commitment to incorporating exercise into your weight loss efforts and you’ll see the results immediately.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Arthrits Relief with Simple Dietary Changes

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered ALL of your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what changes the experts think are significant when trying to control the pain of Arthritis..

Arthritis is one of the most prevalent health problems facing today's aging population.

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which usually strikes weight-bearing joints such as the ankles, knees and hips. Pain is caused by the gradual breakdown of cartilage, the soft "padding" material that cushions the joints.

About 85% of adults who reach the age of 85 will have osteoarthritis--unless they take a proactive approach to prevent it.

Exercise is very important. But what about diet?

For a long time, doctors doubted there could be any link between diet and osteoarthritis. They saw the disease as a natural result of wear and tear on the joints, something inevitable as we age.

But new research is making them reconsider that idea.

It now appears that nutrition plays a vital role in helping to prevent or ease the effects of osteoarthritis. One key element is vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, and may protect the joints from the damaging effects of free radicals (unstable molecules that can cause joint inflammation).

Recent research is showing that vitamin C can help prevent bone loss and cartilage inadequacies associated with aging. Specifically, when your joint has cartilage that needs to be repaired, vitamin C is needed for such repairs. It helps to keep your cartilage "young".

The information about Arthritis presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Arthritis or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

According to Dr. Timothy McAlindon of the Boston University School of Medicine, "Vitamin C may also help generate collagen, which enhances the body's ability to repair damage to the cartilage."

When scientists at the Boston University School of Medicine studied the eating habits of people with osteoarthritis of the knee, they found that those getting the most vitamin C--more than 200 milligrams a day--were three times less likely to have the disease get worse than those who got the least vitamin C (less than 120 milligrams a day).

Dr. McAlindon recommends that people get a least 120 milligrams of vitamin C every day. "That's the amount in a couple of oranges," he says.

Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, co-authors of "You: The Owner's Manual", recommend even more. "Shoot for 1200 milligrams of vitamin C a day--spread between your diet and supplements throughout the day."

Be careful not to overdo it. Some data suggest that more than 2,500 milligrams a day can have the opposite effect and actually increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

Dr. Eve Campanelli, a holistic family practitioner in Beverly Hills, CA, recommends black cherry juice. She advises her patients to drink two glasses, twice a day, of four ounces of the juice diluted with four ounces of water.

Other fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C include oranges, cantaloupe, broccoli, strawberries, peppers and cranberry juice.

A healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, has been recommended by nutritionists for years. Now there's another reason to pay attention--it can help your joints to stay young!

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Arthritis. Share your new understanding about Arthritis with others. They'll thank you for it.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Are Herbal Diet Pills Right For You?

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills I had taken, and I have to wonder what it was I had put in my body.

Herbal diet pills are very popular these days as an alternative to more traditional methods of weight loss like diet and exercise. Herbal treatments in general are very trendy today, which I find a little worrisome for several reasons.

First of all, just about anything can be in an herbal diet pill. ‘Herbs’ are a kind of loophole in the FDA system, as they are not classified as drugs and therefore don’t have the rigorous standards for testing and safety that drugs normally get.

Make no mistake about it though, herbs can be every bit as potent and harmful as drugs. The difference between medicinal herbs and drugs is really quite vague anyway, as most drugs themselves come from a kind of plant or herb.

Most of the time the ‘herbal’ classification doesn’t last very long; the FDA eventually calls it a drug and brings in the scientists. When that happens herbal diet pills often either become available only by prescription or are banned completely. Snooping around a little from site to site selling herbal diet pills, it is clear that the makers of these things are all too familiar with the FDA.

Many sites even use it to their advantage saying things to the effect of ‘buy it now before the FDA bans it!’. You have to ask yourself, if the FDA is likely going to ban an herbal diet pill you’re interested in, should you be taking it at all?

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills I had taken, and I have to wonder what it was I had put in my body.

Anyway, just don’t be fooled by the word ‘herbal’ in an herbal diet pill. I would actually trust a regular diet pill that is FDA approved a lot more than some herbal diet pill concoction that has who knows what in it. The words herbal and natural are marketing ploys and should never be confused with the word safe unless there’s been some testing to prove it.

Monday, October 10, 2011

All About The Chinese Diet Green Tea: Good For Diet?

Did you know that during the Boston Tea Party, the tea that was dumped into the harbor was mostly Chinese green tea? Well, this delightful beverage has been around for thousands of years and has been part of the Chinese diet since the ancient times. Today, it is highly appreciated for its advantages. As numerous studies have found out, the Chinese diet green tea has a significant number of health benefits.

Origin and Background

As noted, Chinese green tea has been around for thousands of year, approximately 4,000 years. Legend has it that this delightful brew was discovered accidentally by a Chinese emperor. It comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, as traditional black tea and oolong tea. And, for centuries, Chinese medicine has used it to treat headaches, digestive problems, lack of energy, and immune enhancement.

The Chinese diet green tea is actually produced by steaming the fresh tea leaves at high temperatures, leaving a significant part of the nutritional enzyme content intact. Unlike the black and oolong tea, the green tea is never fermented. Instead, its leaves bypass the fermenting process and steamed, baked or pan heated. The leaves are rolled and those tightly rolled leaves have long been considered as a sign of quality.

Chinese Diet Green Tea for Weight Loss

One particular claim that linked the Chinese green tea to diet is its being a miracle tea for weight loss. Well, there is no such thing as a “miracle” weight loss food or drug though, but several indications were revealed that Chinese green tea brings a number of benefits to those trying to lose weight.

It was revealed that green tea extracts are capable of reducing fat digestion by inhibiting digestive enzymes. Other studies have shown that green tea has thermogenic properties, which are probably brought on by the interaction between its caffeine content and catechin polyphenols. As you may know, thermogenesis is the process of the body burning fuel without making chemical energy.

Experts have said that of combined with the other weight loss supplements or techniques, the Chinese green tea could be an excellent addition to your diet.

Other Benefits

There are also other benefits connected with the intake of Chinese diet green tea. One of those is the claim that the polyphenols found in green tea have been shown to inhibit growth of cancer cells. The polyphenols appear to block the formation of cancer-causing compounds, and it is believed that the Chinese diet green tea has the greatest benefit on cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

The Chinese diet green tea polyphenols are also powerful anti-oxidants. They are even more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E, and more powerful than that found in many fruits and vegetables. The green tea itself contains vitamin C.

Further researches even found out that the compounds in green tea stimulate immune system cells. In recent years, research has shown that green tea may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is even good for the teeth as it contain fluoride that helps fight tooth decay.

Having said all these, I think that now is the right time to brew up a bit of Chinese diet green teas for a beneficial break in your day.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Acomplia is a Multifunctional Diet Pill

Acomplia is gripping the weight loss market like a wild fire. Its positive effects on weight loss and smoking cessation are highly beneficial and proved to be very effective. Right now it’s in the final stage of testing and once approved by FDA, is sure that it will create a rage among the obsessed people.

Weight loss is perhaps the most talked topic of late. Its not only considered as a problem but medical science mark it as an epidemic. It’s a nutritional disorder that arises due to over consumption of fats then our body requires. The new diet pill Acomplia is generating great interest among the overweight patients on this pretext. Proven records are also available related to its success on obesity.

Apart for keeping a person free from excess weight, the diet pill Acomplia also helps a person in stopping his or her’s urges for smoking. In fact it’s a multifunctional diet pill and is very effective indeed.

According to studies, there are nerve receptors called CB1receptors that exist in the brain and fat cells. These receptors urge the body to overeat and smoke. Acomplia works by targeting the CBI receptors and blocking the body's ability to receive signals that tells it to smoke or eat more. It helps to normalize the EndoCannabinoid System thus making hunger and cigarette cravings more manageable. This blocking of signals results in weight loss. It further improves the cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors in obese people and reduces their dependence on nicotine and helps them quit smoking.

Though, studies on the side-effects of Acomplia have been done, but are clinically proved to be tolerable and mild. Dizziness nausea, stomach upset, depression and sweating are a few to mention. Though reports of overdose haven’t been proved till date, but better to discard the practice, for it may be proved harmful sometimes.

Generally a dose of 20mg before breakfast or in an empty stomach is enough to give a desired result. But a mixture of a controlled diet, some exercise and Acomplia can really give miraculous results. According to clinical trials a person can loose his or her body weight, any amount 20-25 pound if a dose of 20mg is practised for a period of a year.

Although promising results are proved, it is should be used under a good dietician’s observation. Often there are misconception among it’s users that an overdose or double dose of Acomplia will show faster results. But one should know the fact it’s a drug and trying to overdose it can prove to be fatal.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

5 Healthy Benefits of Following a Mediterranean Diet Plan

The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries, but if you don't live in countries where this diet is prevalent such as Greece or Italy, you may not realize the many benefits of eating healthy foods "Mediterranean" style. According to studies, the Mediterranean diet encourages healthy weight loss and helps to reduce risks of many life-threatening diseases. Below are five of the top benefits of following this diet.

1. Fast Weight Loss

One of the key benefits of the Mediterranean diet is fast weight loss. This is not from the results of a diet pill or a crash starvation diet, but from healthy, portion-controlled eating. Weight loss rates will vary, but some have reported losing an average of 10 pounds per month. Delicious diet recipes are often provided when following the Mediterranean diet that help to speed up the weight loss process without depriving you of much needed vitamins and nutrients. Losing weight alone can offer many health benefits.

2. Good Heart Health

The delicious diet recipes provided while following a Mediterranean diet are all designed to promote good heart health. The Mediterranean diet consists of healthy doses of olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and oily fish. With some participants, a moderate amount of wine is consumed with meals. All these help to lower cholesterol and keep the blood flow to the heart at a normal level, thus, reducing the risk of heart disease tremendously.

3. Lower Cancer Risks

Having too many toxins in the body can cause some types of cancer, such as breast cancer. Eating the types of healthy foods promoted in the Mediterranean diet such as fruits and vegetables will lower the amount of toxins in the body because these foods are natural antioxidants.

4. Prevent Gallstones

Those who have fallen victim to gall stones realize how painful they can be. With around 639,000 people being hospitalized per year with gallstones, many studies are being conducted to help find a cause and cure. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nuts, vegetable oil, and fish. Though gallstones are not always diet-related, consuming these foods can help to reduce the risk of gall stones or eliminate them altogether for some according to recent studies.

5. Lower Blood Pressure

The healthy foods in a Mediterranean diet can also work to lower and regulate blood pressure. Blood cholesterol levels can return to normal when eating less fatty foods and salt, and more healthy vitamins and minerals. Cooking procedures on a Mediterranean diet usually involve roasting or grilling rather than frying, so more nutrients are retained in the food during preparation, and there is much less fat consumption.

These are only a few of the benefits. The Mediterranean diet also offers many other benefits such as reducing the risks of blood clotting, diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and other life-threatening diseases. Don't deprive yourself. Start eating delicious diet recipes on the Mediterranean diet for healthy weight loss today.

Monday, October 3, 2011

The Benefits Of Flexibility Exercise And Training

Flexibility exercise and training allows the body the activity it needs in order to achieve a wider range of motion. The joints as well as the muscles surrounding it can deteriorate or can only enjoy limited range of movement over time if seldom used. With exercise and regular training, the joints can become more flexible and the muscles build up to help support each movement. Besides increasing the joint’s ability to move, flexibility exercises also help provide balance to various muscle groups during periods of exercise and physical activity. This can be effectively improved through regular flexibility training and stretching exercises. This can help provide various benefits:

Flexibility training helps improve physical performance. If done regularly, it can help improve a person’s physical performance by improving the range of movement. By putting the joints into regular physical activity, they can be made to move better than before. It is common for unused muscle groups to become stuck up when not being used for long periods. This can further limit one’s range of movement. Stretching and flexibility exercises can help the muscles perform a certain amount of activity to help them develop more flexibility. Flexibility exercises can help increase the range of motion. Not only that, such exercises can also improve one’s general physical performance.

Regular flexibility exercises can also help reduce muscle strain and soreness such as what the muscles go through when they are suddenly being put into considerable physical activity. Muscles can react better to strenuous physical activity and then can adapt to them if done on a regular basis. A good way of helping the muscles adapt to strenuous activity through stretching. Stretching exercises helps the muscles go through a slow and controlled but an increasing range of motion. This process allows the muscles to gradually adapt to strenuous physical activity. It helps lessen the risk of developing strain and soreness in the muscles used.

Flexibility exercises can also help improve blood circulation. Regular stretching exercises not only help improve the body’s muscle tone. It can also help increase the blood that is circulating through them. With an improved blood circulation in the muscles, there are several things that happen. First, the improved blood circulation helps the nutrients to be transported in the tissues more efficiently and nourish the muscles. Another thing that happens with improved blood circulation is that more oxygen gets into the muscles to fuel it through physical exertion.

A regular flexibility and stretching exercises and training can also help increase the production of synovial fluid in the joints. This fluid that is found in the joints acts as the joints lubricating fluid that lessens the friction between the joint’s moving parts. Aside from that, the synovial fluid also helps transport the nutrients into the joint tissues.

Flexibility exercise and training is one of the most overlooked forms of fitness program around. Some people often neglect getting into stretching exercises as a form of their fitness regimen. The ultimate result would usually be muscle strain and injury. Without stretching exercises, it can easy for muscles to become strained. That is why it is important for such exercises to be included into any fitness and wellness program.

Friday, September 30, 2011

The Basics Of Pilates Exersise And Training System

The Pilates exercise and training system is a popular fitness program that is known to focus on stretching, strengthening and balancing of the different areas of the body. It makes use of a system or sets of body specific exercises that is practiced along with focused breathing patterns. The exercises also help in teaching proper breathing awareness while doing them. This fitness system also helps aid spine alignment. The exercises in the Pilates system also aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles that is more commonly known as the “core”.

History of Pilates The Pilates system was first developed by a German by the name of Joseph Pilates sometime during the First World War. In the system that is now widely known by his last name, the aim was to help improve the rehabilitation program being provided for the returning war veterans. This type of fitness regimen was proposed the make use only of a few and precise movements. This makes it a more convenient fitness regimen especially for injured soldiers. The said fitness system makes do with more emphasis on control and form, adding a mental aspect to fitness. A primary aim then was to help injured soldiers to regain their strength as well as to stabilize some of the body’s key muscles.

Mental Aspect At first, Joseph Pilates initially called this new fitness system as Contrology. The term was chosen because he believed that the new method and its exercises needed to make use of the mind more often in order to control the muscles to achieve the perfect execution and form of each type of exercise. The aim was to make the mind work closely together with the body in order to allow movements with grace and balance but with the least amount of movement possible. It is important in the Pilates system that practitioners to always pay close attention to the body as it moves when doing the exercises.

Breathing Aspect Another thing that Joseph Pilates believed is that good blood circulation is very important for having a healthy body. The blood needs to circulate properly in order for the body to function more efficiently. Good circulation helps awaken the cells in the body. Good circulation also helps a lot in getting rid of waste products in cells and tissues. These are the waste products that are usually related to fatigue.

One way for good circulation to do its work properly is through proper breathing. As the blood circulating in the body needs to be rich in oxygen and be freed of waste gases, proper breathing will allow it to do so. Pilates believed that proper breathing and good circulation go hand in hand. And because of this the practice of proper breathing is an important part of each Pilates exercise. If at one point a person stops breathing for a moment during a certain set of exercise, then it is considered as improper. The person may be doing something wrong in the said exercise.

Core Focus The Pilates exercise and training system also focuses on strengthening the group of muscles usually referred to as the “core”. This group of muscles which is located in the center of the body includes the muscles in the hips, abdomen, lower back and the buttocks. The Pilates exercises focuses on building a more powerful core. This is where the body’s energy is said to originate from.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Basics Of Exercise And Training

In following an exercise and training regimen, it is important that certain guidelines be followed in order to get more effective results. Knowing about exercise and training basics will provide the basis on what and what may not be considered as good practice in the training regimen. Here are some of the general training guideline basics to keep you properly guided fitness-wise.

Cardio Exercise And Training Cardio training programs help strengthen the heart muscles as well as the lungs. Not only will such training do that, it will also help in improving a person’s endurance. Cardio training can also help the body burn calories more efficiently which in turn aids in losing weight. But not all cardio training programs can be ideal for everyone. It can usually be set according to a person’s personal fitness level and would vary from person to person.

But as a general rule, a regular cardio training program should consist of at least 15 to 30 minutes of exercise sessions. It can either be continuous or in short bursts. Cardio training should also become a regular part of the complete fitness program at least for 3 to 5 days a week. The aim should at least get your heart to reaching 70 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to be effective.

Flexibility Exercise And Training Stretching exercises to improve flexibility is considered by most fitness experts to be one of the most overlooked exercise program. A lot of people never seem to bother working on their stretching exercises thinking that it would not matter that much. But having them as part of the general fitness program can help promote better movement and improve flexibility. Flexibility exercises can also help promote better muscle relaxation after finishing up on cardio or strength work outs.

Stretching the different muscle groups should be practiced while they are warm in order to be effective. By warm, what is meat is that they should have undergone to a certain period of activity. Stretching exercises can be done after doing some warm-up exercises or even after the whole fitness and exercise program. Stretching the muscles is especially good when focused on commonly tight muscle areas like the hamstring and the lower back. These exercises can be done for at least two to three times a week although its daily practice would also be suggested. Stretching exercises should be done within your full range of motion. The right stretching exercises would feel comfortable and would not feel painful.

Strength Exercise And Training Strength training usually involves working with free weights in order to strengthen the muscles, bones and the connective tissues surrounding them. It is important since strength training builds up muscles, help increase body metabolism and reduce body fat.

The usual strength exercise and training comprises of at least 8 to 10 exercises, each focusing on the different major muscle groups of the body. Building up strength and the muscles in the lower back, shoulders, chest, and the arms can be achieved with at least 8 to 16 repetitions for each set of the exercises. Muscle groups can be build up for two to three days each week. But it should not be consecutive to allow much needed rest periods. Proper form is also important in doing the exercises in order to avoid injury.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Motivations For Exercise And Training That Works

Exercise and training takes a lot of work. People can sometimes find it hard trying to do the same routine each and every week. The worst part is that some people then would eventually get bored and stop doing their fitness and exercise programs altogether. There are ways that you may be able to avoid this and continue on making exercise and fitness as a habit.

One of the most important thing in keeping up with any exercise and training program and sticking to it is having the proper motivation. Not being motivated to exercise and disciplined enough to stick to it as a habit can make any type of fitness program unworkable. In short, people would not be able to stick long to any fitness routine, long enough to achieve any result from the activity.

Motivation is something that does not happen in an instant. It is something that should be worked at. It is something that has to be worked upon. Just when one can easily find enough motivation, it can also be easy enough to lose. That is why you should try to psyche yourself out and try to keep that motivation up before it wanes.

The root behind the right motivation for exercise and training comes from the very reasons why you even wanted to start at all. If you wanted so much to lose weight or to build up a good physique, then that would be your primary motivation to follow an exercise and training program that would help carry out the results that you want. Then all you need to do is to keep reminding yourself every day why you are doing what you do and what you want to get from it.

One way of reminding yourself of the what you are doing to keep the motivation up is learning to have a visual cue of what you want to become after a certain exercise program. If you wish to lose weight, you might want to have a visual image of what you would possibly look like after achieving your goals. You might want to have a poster of the type of figure you wish to have after you have lost the weight you have aspires to let go of.

Another way to keep your motivation up while on an exercise program is by not doing it alone. You might wish to bring along a friend or a colleague at work who might also be after the same fitness goals as you are. This way, you have someone who can push you enough to do better doing the program and vice versa. Having a friend to work out with can help provide you with the necessary motivation that you need to keep going and to strive for your fitness goals.

Another way to keep up your motivation is by simply trying to keep track of your progress. Try to have a record of your previous weight or size and try to keep track of the changes on a weekly basis to give you an account of the pounds that you have lost and the inches that has melted away due to your hard work with exercise and training. Just by keeping track and being aware of the positive changes would even motivate you to do better and reach out for more achievement.

Friday, September 16, 2011

How To Buy A Home Exercise And Training Treadmill

Buying a home exercise and training treadmill can be such as an investment for some people. But it also offers its own set of benefits. Having a treadmill at home first and foremost can help make your fitness regimen more convenient. This is especially very helpful for some people who find it hard juggling their work schedule with following a cardiovascular fitness regimen. A home treadmill can be a necessity for a people who do not have the time for the gym or go out for even a brief jog outside. A busy lifestyle is the most common excuse that can prevent people from getting the right exercise and fitness regimen to maintain health.

Having a home treadmill can keep a person fit without the need to go into a gym to do so. It can even be a convenient way to keep fit since a home treadmill can be used at home. With it, one can exercise in absolute privacy. Not being able to go out for a run just because it’s raining will no longer be an excuse. For people leading a busy life, it pays to have a home treadmill handy. But buying one would require understanding the features and the types available out there.

Features Treadmills are generally made up of a wide rubber traction belt covering a platform bed of two or more rollers. This is where the user stands and so must be sturdy enough to handle a person’s weight. The rollers then move to stimulate motion that would keep a person running even while stationary. Treadmills can either be powered by its own motor or just by the running motion of the user. The rollers move the rubber belt as the user keeps running over it. Motor-powered treadmills, on the other hand, allow its users to enjoy some added features. It can be adjusted to regulate the running speed of the equipment according to their preferred fitness activity of the user.

Treadmills are generally differentiated according to quality and their features. They can either be for residential or commercial use. Home treadmills are considered for residential use and are differentiated from gym treadmills by their size and features. Gym or club treadmills are usually made bigger while the home treadmill is its smaller counterpart to make it more able to occupy limited space such as in small rooms. Gym treadmills are made to become more able to withstand the strain of regular daily use and usually and so have bigger and longer lasting motors. Home treadmills can be made using only a smaller motor enough to handle a certain load for a certain time.

Price Range Buying a home treadmill can sometimes be a challenge since there various models of such equipment available in the market. And the price range can be very different for different treadmills. There are treadmills that can range from the simplest down to the most advanced models. And their prices can range from the acceptable down to the outrageous. In this case, choosing the right home treadmill will ultimately depend on one’s budget and how one may be able to afford buying one. The price range for a home treadmill can range from the basic one in the hundred dollar area to the most advanced models that range somewhere around thousands. The price of certain treadmills may depend on its features, performance quality as well as durability.

Added Tips One of the most important things to consider when buying a home exercise and training treadmill is to make sure that the platform area where the user runs is most ideal for one’s height and weight. This can be known by the how wide the treadmill’s belt is. The common and more popular belt width is twenty inches for normal folks. Not only is the belt width important, its length is also considered another important point to consider. This will help determine if the person may have a sufficient running area. The taller a person is, the longer the belt should be. Normally, the length should not be less than 50 inches long. Treadmill belts should be around 55 to 60 inches for bigger and taller runners.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Home Exercise And Training Gym Equipment Basics

Setting up a home gym for your exercise and training programs can be very convenient especially if you are really serious into staying fit. Having one at home can help ensure that you always get the fitness training and exercise that you require in order to stay healthy. With a home gym following fitness programs no longer have to depend on whether you have the time to go somewhere else just to do them and stay fit.

Certain basic equipment is what a home gym needs for it to provide an effective overall fitness regimen. That does not mean that you have to buy all those fancy gym equipment that seem to be very popular in posh gym clubs. First of all, they can be very expensive. Only the very basic is what a home gym usually needs. Here are some of them:

Enough Floor Space For some people, home space does not matter much when setting up a home gym. But a little bit of planning can help make use of available space more efficiently, no matter how small. But aside from space for the basic gym equipment, a good home gym should have enough floor space also for doing some basic exercises. Having enough floor space can sometimes even be enough to give you a thorough work out. For the very basic of home gyms, sufficient floor space is all you will ever need along with knowledge about basic training techniques such as calisthenics and basic aerobic exercises.

Using Dumbbells The use of dumbbells is an easy option for your strength training needs. Even having only a set of dumbbells can give you a thorough strength workout. What is good about them is that they are versatile and handy enough to use in even a limited area of a home gym. Not need for other gadgets to set up. An inexpensive gym equipment to boot, dumbbells are a must have in your own home gym.

The Chin Up Bar The floor space will allow you to do push ups as part of your exercise regimen; you would need chin up bars to do pull up exercises. Both push ups and pull ups are quite effective in trying to build your upper body strength. Chin up bars would be the simplest equipment that you ca have for doing pull ups.

Jump Rope Another common basic equipment to include in your home gym is the all around jump rope. It allows you to do cardio exercises without having to go out for a run. A jump rope allows you to do cardio exercises from where you may be standing. A jump rope should not be absent in any basic home gym. Jump ropes would e the perfect tool for a home gym with limited space. If you find that you just don’t have the space in your home to set up even the very basic treadmill, a simple and inexpensive jump rope would be a good and simple alternative.

A home exercise ad training gym need not be the one with the most number of sophisticated gadgets to be effective in keeping you fit and healthy. All you need is to have the very basic equipment so that you may be able to do the most effective fitness program there is.

Common Gym Exercise And Training Mistakes

Going to the gym for some fitness exercise and training should only have one main purpose- to stay fit and healthy through exercise. Going to the gym should be trying to achieve that purpose and nothing else. But sadly, there are certain mistakes that many people going to the gym make that can keep them from fulfilling this purpose. There are certain mistakes that even experienced gym rats make that prevent them from getting the very best benefits that going to the gym offers. Here are some of them:

Socializing at the Gym True, it can be easy to get to know a lot of people while visiting their neighborhood gym. But the mistake that they make is that many tend to focus more on socializing with friends and other gym members instead of trying to keep fit. It seems that a lot of gym members may have the wrong notion of going to the gym if it is socializing they’re after. The gym may be a good and ideal venue to meet up with other people who are also eager in eventually getting fit and healthy, it isn’t really what the gym’s purpose is. One should try to keep their socializing at the gym in check because it can just as easily prevent one from using the gym to the utmost advantage to stay fit.

A Goal-less Exercise Another mistake that most people at the gym make is having no fitness goals to begin with. It can be easy for many to try and get into a fitness regimen without any goal in mind. They can go through the necessary work out without ever hoping to get anything from it. Many think that just going through the motions would be sufficient enough. But this is where many can be wrong.

Many may think that going to the gym to work out would be good enough to keep fit. It can help provide some visible results, but such a practice would not last without having fitness goals. The important part of going to the gym is to try to make it a regular habit. Making it a habit allows one to get into a fitness regimen more regularly. Without a fitness goal in mind when going to the gym, a person can be quite difficult to make the gym visits become enjoyable and worthwhile. In short, going to the gym can easily become boring after just a number of visits.

Without a fitness goal in mind, any fitness program would easily just be considered as something to get over with. Proper motivation to keep going would lack in the very serious sense. And without getting one’s heart into the fitness regimen can easily make it become even more boring to do. A simple fitness goal can help provide the necessary motivation since there is a sense of accomplishment attached to the fitness regimen. Too Much Exercise Without Rest Becoming too engrossed in a fitness program can also be a mistake. Some very serious gym rats can sometimes be so into the program that they try to outdo themselves to the point of exhaustion just to see results. And at times, this can mean not getting enough rest after bouts of too strenuous exercises. It may be good that some people take their training seriously. They are motivated enough to get into the highest levels of fitness. But with everything, too much can be a mistake. Some can be put at risk of getting injured in the process.

Serious fitness buffs can easily do very strenuous exercise and training routines without breaks. “No Pain No Gain”- that can be the attitude of some gym people. But it can also work at a rather negative way. The result of too much exercise is strained muscles. The body can break down faster than it can be repaired. A balance should always be made between physical activity and some recovery time. That would be the only way to enjoy the best benefits of any fitness program.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Common Gym Exercise And Training Mistakes

Going to the gym for some fitness exercise and training should only have one main purpose- to stay fit and healthy through exercise. Going to the gym should be trying to achieve that purpose and nothing else. But sadly, there are certain mistakes that many people going to the gym make that can keep them from fulfilling this purpose. There are certain mistakes that even experienced gym rats make that prevent them from getting the very best benefits that going to the gym offers. Here are some of them:

Socializing at the Gym True, it can be easy to get to know a lot of people while visiting their neighborhood gym. But the mistake that they make is that many tend to focus more on socializing with friends and other gym members instead of trying to keep fit. It seems that a lot of gym members may have the wrong notion of going to the gym if it is socializing they’re after. The gym may be a good and ideal venue to meet up with other people who are also eager in eventually getting fit and healthy, it isn’t really what the gym’s purpose is. One should try to keep their socializing at the gym in check because it can just as easily prevent one from using the gym to the utmost advantage to stay fit.

A Goal-less Exercise Another mistake that most people at the gym make is having no fitness goals to begin with. It can be easy for many to try and get into a fitness regimen without any goal in mind. They can go through the necessary work out without ever hoping to get anything from it. Many think that just going through the motions would be sufficient enough. But this is where many can be wrong.

Many may think that going to the gym to work out would be good enough to keep fit. It can help provide some visible results, but such a practice would not last without having fitness goals. The important part of going to the gym is to try to make it a regular habit. Making it a habit allows one to get into a fitness regimen more regularly. Without a fitness goal in mind when going to the gym, a person can be quite difficult to make the gym visits become enjoyable and worthwhile. In short, going to the gym can easily become boring after just a number of visits.

Without a fitness goal in mind, any fitness program would easily just be considered as something to get over with. Proper motivation to keep going would lack in the very serious sense. And without getting one’s heart into the fitness regimen can easily make it become even more boring to do. A simple fitness goal can help provide the necessary motivation since there is a sense of accomplishment attached to the fitness regimen. Too Much Exercise Without Rest Becoming too engrossed in a fitness program can also be a mistake. Some very serious gym rats can sometimes be so into the program that they try to outdo themselves to the point of exhaustion just to see results. And at times, this can mean not getting enough rest after bouts of too strenuous exercises. It may be good that some people take their training seriously. They are motivated enough to get into the highest levels of fitness. But with everything, too much can be a mistake. Some can be put at risk of getting injured in the process.

Serious fitness buffs can easily do very strenuous exercise and training routines without breaks. “No Pain No Gain”- that can be the attitude of some gym people. But it can also work at a rather negative way. The result of too much exercise is strained muscles. The body can break down faster than it can be repaired. A balance should always be made between physical activity and some recovery time. That would be the only way to enjoy the best benefits of any fitness program.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Common Exercise And Training Excuses

Exercise and training programs can take some motivation and effort in order to make into a habit. And building such a habit out of exercising can be pretty difficult especially if you see it as just some other task that needs to be done. Looking at a fitness program this way can easily make one give up trying just before one has really started. And in the course of the situation, excuses can be made not to exercise anymore.

The Hating Exercise Excuse One of the most common excuses people make by not exercising is that they simply hate doing it. But exercise is simply not just those things that you hate to do on a regular basis. Exercise can be any fitness regimen that can range from the usual calisthenics to more enjoyable sporting activities.

There are certainly different forms of exercise and fitness programs that people would like. It helps to match up a kind of physical activity to one’s own personality. For those who like the outdoors, going on a hike or biking around would be a worthwhile fitness activity. For those who like it simple, home fitness training or just simply walking on a regular basis would do just as well.

The No Motivation Excuse Doing exercises for some time now can really leave you feeling tired and stressed just as easily. Not having the right motivation can eventually make you feel bored with your workouts and keep doing them on a regular basis. And with boredom for company, it can be really hard to keep going. And hence, no motivation to do the exercise program regularly becomes the excuse.

In order to fight off boredom, it may be good to change your exercise routine every 4 to 6 weeks. Changes can mean trying out something new or just trying to change the intensity or duration of your exercises for variation. It is also important to remind yourself of your fitness goals and try to keep track of them. Rewarding yourself for a job well done can also be very effective to prevent becoming an unmotivated and bored fitness buff, if there is such a thing.

The Can’t Afford Gym Membership Excuse Some people believe that the only way to stay fit is by going to the gym. And just because they can’t afford the membership into one gives them reason enough not to exercise. This can be quite a foolish excuse not to keep fit and exercise.

Getting fit does not necessarily require that one needs to go to the gym regularly. Getting fit is not always becoming a gym member. A fitness regimen can be done just about anywhere. What can be important is by always trying to get the body to become physically active by giving it quite a regular workout. And there are many ways that this can be done. It can be as easy as just walking around the block everyday. You can also purchase exercise and training videos for guidance. Putting them in the player and doing the exercises is something that you can do at home without ever having to spend your money for a gym membership to stay fit.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Cardio Exercise And Training Benefits That You Should Know

Cardio exercise and training cover a wide range of activities that allow the use of major muscle groups in the body in a continuous manner. But most importantly, the very aim of cardiovascular exercise and training is mainly to improve the heart muscles. For cardio training to be effective, it should at least try to elevate about 60 to 85 percent of the individual’s considered maximum heart rate. There are various physical activities that can be considered as part of one’s cardio training. Such training includes walking or jogging, running, swimming, rowing and cycling as well as doing other aerobic exercises.

There are several benefits that one can enjoy from doing regular cardio training. Doing them on a regular basis can greatly help the body even become healthier in the long run. Here are just some of the benefits that cardio training can provide:

1. It boosts one’s energy levels. Regular cardio exercise such as running or swimming can eventually help in improving a person’s energy levels. When the body goes through regular cardio training, it slowly adapts and is more able to cope up with the added strenuous physical activity. People become less tired while doing more work. In the process, they can become more energetic. Physical endurance is developed and improved over time through cardio workouts.

2. It boosts body metabolism. A good benefit of regular cardio exercise and training is through having a better metabolism. As cardio exercises help the heart muscles cope up with added physical activities, it also helps the body to burn more calories more efficiently. Cardio training helps improve the body’s metabolism in order to handle for the energy needs of the added physical activity. This can signal the body to burn up some added fuel to keep its different functions up and running. With the regular training, the body then tends to keep the metabolism up. This then helps a person burn more calories which can be very convenient for losing weight.

3. It helps improve weight control. Regular cardio exercises can also help one maintain and keep a desired weight level. With a more improved metabolism, the body can burn more calories more efficiently. Regular cardio training can also help build up muscles through the physical activity that the body goes through. With more muscles and calories being burned by the body daily, losing some weight may be experienced which occurs as the process of burning the stored fats in the body starts. Up to a certain point when an ideal body weight is reached, people can then better maintain their weight through regular cardio training.

4. It helps prevent heart disease. Regular cardio training can also help in the prevention of heart disease. The heart also has muscles that make it work more effectively. Strengthening them can help the heart grow stronger and delay or prevent the development of diseases associated with the heart. Aside from training programs help strengthen the heart muscles, they also help strengthen the lungs as well. Conditions associated with a sedentary lifestyle such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease can be prevented with regular cardio exercise and training.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Basic Exercise And Training Variables

Effective exercise and training programs follow certain principles that allow it to help people keep fit. It may be known in various terms and is achieved through different means, but the basic principles behind exercise and fitness is always there. Knowing them and applying them in your own fitness regimen can help make it more effective in showing you the results that you need.

Exercise Variables How effective are the exercise routine that you follow would depend on certain factors. How you work over certain variables in exercise and fitness will help determine how fast you can lose weight, improve stamina or increase athletic performance. Here are the four exercise variables that you need to consider when trying to develop your own fitness program or regimen.

Exercise Frequency- this refers to how often you exercise. The frequency will allow you to develop an exercise regimen that you can go into for a certain period on, let us say, a weekly basis. If you plan to work out for two days in a week, you can speed up getting results by adding another day of exercise for the week.

Exercise Intensity- this refers to the level of physical activity of your exercise program. How hard you push yourself on each exercise session is also a factor in the effectiveness of an exercise and training program. For example, determining between bouts of jogging running and walking on one session would have different results. Doing more running rather than short bouts of walking or jogging would certainly have a different result from walking through each session most of the time.

Type of Exercise- this refers to the type of exercise included in your regimen. There are different types of exercises to choose from with each type being able to build up a certain part of the body better than the other. Knowledge of these types of exercises can help you develop a certain regimen that can be focused on improving target portions of the body.

Duration of Exercise- this refers to the time that is spent in doing the exercises. How long you stay in doing each exercise session will ultimately determine how fast or how slow that you get results. It may also be required to determine the duration of the exercise program along with the other exercise variables in order to either avoid injury or improve results.

These exercise and training variables can be used in developing a certain exercise program that would allow better performance as well as results. You may be able to start with using the different exercise variables in a way that you feel comfortable with. Along the way, you can then change any or all of these variables to either increase the efficiency as well as to reach the target results. The variables can also be used ideally just to make the exercise program even more interesting once they start to become too routine.


What You Need To Know About Weight Control For Children

In the United States alone, an astounding one fourth of the overall population of teenagers and children are found to be obese. But despite this rate, it is still alarmingly growing. With parents and grandparents catering to their children’s unhealthy eating and bad idling habits, this is not surprising. But if you are concerned for your children’s future, you know this is a serious matter to be considered. More than controlling what they eat or what they do, you need to consider weight control for children to treat the matter before it goes worse.

Obesity, when not treated properly and as early as possible, can be carried on to teen years, and eventually, to adult years. Of course, when a person is obese, it is the abnormally fat figure which is always being ridiculed, bullied, and harassed at. Unfortunately, the problem goes beyond the appearance and social distraction.

Obesity, as clinically discovered, can lead to some chronic diseases, such as heart failure and diabetes. It can even go worse, as these diseases can hit a person as early as in their childhood obese years.

So, instead of giving in to your children’s craving of sugar-loaded and fattening foods or unhealthy habits of being inactive most of the day, start looking out for the best weight control program for children. This is imperative if you don’t want to see your children suffering from chronic diseases and be plagued with expensive hospital treatments.

If you can’t simply get your obese child to eating the right or healthy foods, just think of the life and death matter, which is not a far possibility if not given the right treatment. There are many approaches available for you to successfully lure your children to get treated, to eat healthily, and live normally, just like other healthy children. So, there is no big deal if you’re thinking how you can encourage your child.

When choosing weight control program for children, you need to be very careful. If you are thinking you can apply your kind of diet, it isn’t going to treat the obesity problem of your child. This is because children basically need different kinds of nutrition as you do.

Weight control programs for adults are different from weight control for children. It is therefore recommended that you consult with the right persons, such as a pediatrician or nutritionist, before you submit your child to a specific weight control program.

The diet with which children are subjected to focuses on lowering weight gain while they are growing. It emphasizes the need of resorting to healthy eating habits as well as active lifestyle rather than just being in front of the television or computer sets all the time.

Now, when it comes to talking or encouraging your child into undergoing a specific weight control program, this not a difficult phase at all. What you need to do is to ensure you show your support and love for them. Make sure you are clear about how you are very much concerned over their health and future well-being.

Also, it is important that you guide them all throughout their childhood to teen years and even from teen to adult years. It is also a big factor to being successful in treating obesity problems if you can be a role model to them, from your eating habits, activeness, and healthy living ways. If you can increase family activities, then you even increase chances of being successful in this matter.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Weight Control With Bowling Anyone?

Bowling is a game sport that can free up your emotions. It can also be used to relieve stress and tension. It is perfect to those who are constantly busy with their lives and are frequently bombarded with pressure-filling jobs. But aside from these benefits, are you aware of other things that bowling can do to your body? Of course, weight control with bowling is possible.

After all, with this game sport, you get to move much of your body muscles. It makes you physically active, so you burn calories more as well. So, more than gaining higher physical vigor, you get some of your weight off, consequently giving you a fabulous body you so die for.

If you engage into this beautiful game sport, you can be almost assured to get your physical in top condition always. The good thing about this is it might no longer require you to engage in any other boring weight control programs, of course, depending on how much weight you are going to put away. Now, that’s good news, isn’t it? You need not shell out a hefty amount of your money just so you get enrolled on one of those diet programs, or buy those expensive diet pills or other similar stuffs. Most bowling centers are even affordable, so there’s no excuse that you shouldn’t go.

The health benefits of weight control with bowling summarize into the following:

• Tone body muscles

– walking along the bowling lane, stretching your hand to attempt making a spare or strike, and releasing the weighty ball are enough to promote good muscle exercises. This is just like when you exercise by walking, but with bowling there is weight involved; thus, you get more of the exercise. The stretching or flexing of your hand is also a good way for your joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles to get good exercise. In addition, it also promotes good blood circulation. So, overall, bowling is a fun way of exercising and losing weight in the process.

• Burn fats

– as you continue to move with those walking, flexing, stretching, and swinging, you are already causing some accumulated calories or fats to get burned. So, continuous involvement in this sport can be a routine of weight losing.

• Socially, you build friendships too with bowling

- You get to bond with your friends, family, or relatives with continuous engagement with bowling trips. You create good social relationships, which are psychologically known to promote better heart performance. A better heart performance is great match with weight losing or controlling.

So, now you know bowling is not just for building your stamina or releasing trapped energy but is also great as aid for losing/reducing weight. And even if you are enrolled with a certain weight control program, it is recommended that you get involved in active game sports, such as bowling activities.

Even if there are claims out there, there is no such thing as quick fix, as far as weight losing is concerned. Meaning, hard work, together with any program or product, is needed for a successful weight lose achievement. As advised by the experts, your weight control program will be more effective if this is done together with a clean and active lifestyle. Bowling produces healthy and safe active fat-burning lifestyle; therefore, weight control with bowling is just perfect!