Category : Article
The dumbbell tricep extension is going to help build strength in your upper body. It will help in balancing the strength between your two arms.
The one arm dumbbell tricep extension will work one arm at a time. Choice a dumbbell that has the proper weight on it for you, then find a bench with back support. Sit on the bench with your back flat against the support. Place one leg on each side of the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
Once your back is flush and your feet are flat lift the dumbbell in the air. Then move your arm up in the air until it is straight up and down. Turn your wrist so it is pointed toward the wall in front of you. Your pinkie will be on top of the dumbbell towards the ceiling. Relax your other hand going straight down your side. You are now in the starting position for the dumbbell tricep extension.
While inhaling, lower the dumbbell behind your head only using the forearm. Bend your elbow as you lower the weight behind your head. As you are lowering the weight start turning your wrist so it is facing your head. Your elbow will be pointing at the wall across from you while your pinkie will be on top of the dumbbell towards the ceiling. Tighten your tricep for a second then start exhaling. While flexing your tricep pull the weight up and come back to the starting position. Complete the required repetitions then put the dumbbell in your other hand and repeat the steps.
The lying dumbbell tricep extension will build upper body strength also. You will need two dumbbells with weights on them that you can handle with ease. With the weights in hand sit on the bench and place your feet flat on the floor. Carefully lay back on the bench so your back is flat.
Slowly raise the dumbbells in the air until your arms are straight and in a 90 degree angle. The palms of your hands should be facing each other. This is going to be your starting position.
While inhaling, start lowering the dumbbells down to your ears. Bend your arms at your elbows and keep your upper arm straight. When the dumbbells have almost touched your ears then start exhaling. While exhaling bring the weights back up to the starting position. Make sure to complete the required amount of repetitions.
If you have any problems with your elbows then you might not want to proceed with this exercise. Since you are only using your forearms and triceps the exercise could put some unnecessary pressure on your elbows. Whenever you work with dumbbells you do not want more weight then you can handle with ease. If your weights are too heavy then you will not be able to control them. By not controlling the weights properly you could hurt your elbows rather badly. Do not over exceed your limits when you are working with the dumbbells.
One Arm Concentration Curls are fantastic for controlling your Bicep muscles, improving them and sculpting them. Concentration Curls are one of the oldest and most successful weight lifting exercises ever used. A Concentration Curl isolated the Bicep muscle completely ensuring that you use and exercise this muscle alone which add to your definition and helps you to not only look good but also adds strength to your arms that will last and help you with other exercises to push the limit. Without strong Biceps you will find other exercises harder and pushing past your limit to improve is nigh on impossible. This is why making sure your Biceps are strong is so important.
One Arm Concentration Curl allows you to work on each arm individually freeing up your other arm so that you can use it as your ?spotter? as such so that you can self ensure that you are safe and at minimum risk of muscle damage. Having someone else there too as a spotter is also a good idea if you have one as an extra set of eyes and hands can help you especially if you are dealing with very heavy weights. Depending on the current strength of your Biceps the weights that you use during your One Arm Concentration Curls can be varied, but starting off with low weights and building up to heavier weights is important to ensure that you get the most out of your training.
Technique and correct posture is important as with any other weight exercises so that you do not damage or put at risk any other muscles indirectly. You need to use a bench that is in the flat position, which you sit on the end of with your feet flat on the floor at shoulder width apart. Lean forward slightly keeping your back strong and straight, then using a correctly weighted dumbbell in your hand with your wrist facing up and your elbow on the inside of your leg resting on your thigh, lift the weight. Lifting the weight slowly and curling your arm (not your elbow as this should be locked) then twisting your wrist to the outside will keep everything in place to get the most out of each lift. When you get to the top of the lift squeeze your Bicep for a certain count, which you can increase as you progress, then bring the weight back down. As you progress you can increase the weight amount used but make sure you do it slowly, you may think you can jump up in weight quickly but keeping things controlled is more important in maximizing your Bicep potential.
Squeezing the Bicep in the count is very important and even using light weights you can come up with some amazing and fantastic results. Bicep improvement via One Arm Concentration Curls is the best method available for you to sculpt your arms, look good and be strong while maintain an athletic body without too much bulkiness. Some people want to stay lean and trim where as others look for bulking up. Either way One Arm Concentration Curls are the best!
Are washboard abs your dream? Do you want a flat, firm stomach? This article will examine how to lose your belly fat.
You need to realize that your belly is the first area where you will see large amounts of fat accumulate and it is the last area where you will lose it. That’s why you will sometimes see otherwise fit people with a little bit of a pouch. Even people who go to the gym regularly and mostly eat right can be concerned with their stomachs because every mistake is written there. How to lose your belly fat starts with the concept that you’ve got to be in pretty good shape to start with.
If you are 50 pounds over weight, you shouldn’t be concerned with how to lose your belly fat right now. Your present concern is losing the extra weight. A general combination of diet and cardio and strength training exercises is what you want to focus on.
If you are at your ideal weight or weigh 5 pounds more, then you can start worrying about how to lose your belly fat. At this point, you have a good chance of really tackling the problem.
Most people advocate sit ups or crunches to take off this last little bit. Indeed, sometimes “belly fat” isn’t fat at all but untoned muscles.
If you do have belly fat, a step up from sit ups and crunches is using a stability ball. Scientists at Sacramento State University in California took muscle fiber samples from people who regularly did crunches and people who regularly used a stability ball and found that the ball users had twice the muscle fiber. This $30 piece of equipment that you can buy at a sporting goods store is well worth the investment.
Next, consider exercises that bring your legs level to or above your waist. Many people have found that kickboxing is an excellent activity to give them flat stomachs. Not only are you getting a great cardio workout with kickboxing, but you are also moving your legs above your waist line. This is important, because it works out the muscles in your lower belly.
Dancing is also an activity that can help you get the perfect stomach. All kinds of dancing are good, but (and this one is mostly for the ladies), belly dancing specifically targets the muscles in that region. Join a belly dancing class at the local community center or just get video tapes that show you how to do it.
Don’t rely solely on cardio type activities though. You need to be building your muscle mass. Remember that muscle burns fat and when you have more muscle, you are burning fat all day long not just when you work out.
Many people focus on their stomachs as a sore point when they are really overweight all over. For them, I say “get in shape.” Only then will you lose the belly fat.
But, if you are fit, losing the tummy can be the result of doing specific exercises that target the problem area.
And, that’s how to lose your belly fat.
The fastest way to lose belly fat for women is to modify your diet and do the combination of cardio and strength training exercises that make you lose weight all over. That’s because fat gets stored in the tummy first and the stomach is the last place it comes off. Women who are otherwise fit all over may feel a little self conscious in a bikini. So, the fastest way to lose belly fat is to realize that you’ve got to get into perfect shape.
There is no one specific exercise that will make you lose your stomach if you are 20 pounds overweight. Sit ups and crunches will help strengthen the muscles in the area, but do nothing to burn the fat. And, belly fat is, at its core, fat. The only way to lose fat is to eat fewer calories than you burn.
So, one element in the fastest way to lose belly fat is to come up with a healthy eating plan. This is an eating plan for life, not some fad diet. When you yo yo in weight, you actually compound the stomach fat problem because you lose weight in other areas but you put it back on in the stomach area first. So, making a change in your diet on a permanent basis is key.
You’re developing a lifestyle, not going on a temporary diet.
Your diet needs to be concerned not only with the total number of calories but the kinds of calories. You need to take in at least 1 gram of protein per day for every pound you weigh. You also need some fat in your diet. A diet of 30:20:50 in the ratio protein: fat: carbohydrates makes a lot of sense for an overweight woman who wants the fastest way to lose belly fat. Fish oils are the best kind of fat for this purpose.
Next up is your training program. The fastest way to lose belly fat is by doing both weight training and cardio exercises. A study of overweight women showed that women who alternated between cardio and strength training every other day lost significantly more fat in their stomachs than women who relied on aerobics alone.
The best way to do aerobic exercise is high intensity interval training. This is where you do a two minute burst of activity at the most intense level you are capable of doing followed by three minutes of moderate activity. Repeat the cycle.
You will also want to track your progress. Not only will you be encouraged to see your belly fat decreasing, but if you stall or go up, you will be able to correct the problem quickly. It is a good idea to take your body fat measurements every two weeks.
The fastest way to lose belly fat is to develop good lifestyle habits. Once you lose the weight, your belly fat will come off.
Posted in Article on April 30, 2012
A calorie intake counter is a digital food journal. The advantages of a calorie intake counter over a pen and paper journal is that the amount of calories in each food are already programmed into the counter. This means that you get a running total of the amount of calories you have consumed throughout the day.
One of the biggest problems that dieters have is that they have no idea of the actual calories they are consuming. For one thing, they underestimate the actual portions they are eating. They also underestimate the calories in each portion. Many foods that are supposedly “good” for us are very high in calories. For instance, a one cup serving of orange juice has 122 calories. Many dieters try to stick to a 1200 calorie diet. So, that glass of orange juice, which is supposedly part of a “balanced” breakfast, takes up 1/10th of the calories for the day! A calorie intake counter will help you avoid pitfalls like this one.
It will also provide a running total of the amount of calories you have had. So, if you have an extra cookie at lunch, you will know that you have to make up for it by exercising more or eating less at dinner.
As the calorie intake counter works like a journal, you will be able to identify your “trouble spots” after using it for just a week. For instance, you may find that the lunch options you have at work force you into eating more calories than you would “budget” for that meal. Therefore, you might make the choice to pack your own lunch so that you can have your calories spread out through the day in a way that you would prefer.
You will also be able to track how many calories you are burning with a calorie intake counter. Again, you may be surprised by some of the results. For instance, running a mile can burn off 78 calories if you are a 120 pound woman and 117 calories if you are a 180 pound man. Knowing exactly how many calories you are burning rather than just estimating is a good way to stay on track as far as losing weight.
Another thing that might surprise you is that you can burn calories by doing things you wouldn’t consider exercise. For instance, playing with your children, playing the piano, and gardening all burn calories.
A calorie intake counter is a sophisticated journal to help you keep track of your weight loss journey. You can buy them as stand alone devises or buy add ons to your iPhone, PDA, or other electronic equipment. In this day and age when we keep track of everything electronically, a calorie intake counter is just one more tool in the battle of the bulge.
Posted in Article on April 29, 2012
For many people trying to eat healthy can be a challenge. Who doesn?t have a busy life, going to work and then coming home to take your children to various after school activities? No wonder people just eat and run and don?t pay that much attention to what they are eating.
Eventually though, your busy lifestyle will catch up with you. You will start to feel tired and maybe begin to get sick more often. But there is something that you can do about this. You can add a few natural supplements to your diet.
This could be in the form of a natural vitamin or as a natural breakfast or lunch type of supplement. These supplements can provide you with more energy and nutrients and give you enough fuel to get through the day.
You may even be using supplements and vitamins but are not getting enough benefits from them. This could be due to the ingredients in the products. Natural or organic supplements will have less chemicals and preservatives in them. The result is that they will provide your body with more valuable nutrition and your body will respond accordingly.
It is very true that the quality of your supplements matter, you wouldn?t run your car with low grade oil or bad gas would you? When purchasing a natural supplement whether in pill or powder form look at the list of ingredients and the instructions on how to take it. You can buy the best supplement in the world but if you don?t take it correctly you won?t receive the best benefits.
Some natural supplements are best taken on an empty stomach while others suggest that you eat a piece of fruit before taking them. Make sure you know how to take it, the proper serving size and how often the supplement can be safely used.
There are literally tons of natural supplements available on the market today. Some are meal replacements while others give you added calcium or protein. Body builders for example use natural supplements with added protein as this helps them build muscles more effectively.
Then of course there are natural supplements for weight loss. If you are not sure which supplements to choose think about the reason to wish to start using one? Is it to lose weight or maybe to just get better nutrition? If you have any major concerns then it is best to check with your family doctor before taking any natural supplements.
Posted in Article on April 28, 2012
Exercise and nutrition do go hand in hand. If you suddenly begin exercising strenuously without adequate nutrition you are going to start feel weak and sick before you know it. This is why it is important to eat properly and keep hydrated before, during and after your exercise routine.
Before starting your exercise program make sure that you have eaten something. A small amount of protein with some complex carbohydrates is a good choice. This snack will help fuel your body and provide you with energy while exercising.
Being properly hydrated is crucial for anyone at any time but especially when doing some form of physical exercise. You should always try to carry a water bottle with you and sip on water every 10 minutes or so. Being hydrated will help prevent your muscles from becoming too sore and helps reduce painful muscle cramps.
If you feel shaky after exercise your body may be requiring some food. So eating another small snack is advisable. Try eating a piece of fruit such as an apple or handful of grapes. This should be enough to see you through until your next meal.
Eating healthy during the day will also help your body get the most benefit from your exercise. If you are attempting to lose weight then cut back on sugars, starches and fats. Instead you want to concentrate on eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Protein is important and should be eaten in small portions. It is recommended that you eat lean, low fat choices of protein such as chicken, turkey, fish and avoid eating too much red meat.
The top tips for both fitness and nutrition can be summed up into the following points:
Always drink enough fluids before, during and after exercising
Eat a small snack before working out
Eat fresh foods as much as possible
Always take the time to warm up and cool down to avoid injury
If adding a low impact exercise to your lifestyle is a new concept then pick something that you will enjoy. Many types of activities can be classed as low impact. Walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, ice skating and golfing are just a few of your choices.
Pilates and yoga may sound easy to do but they are low impact workouts that can be very strenuous and good for your body. Don?t forget too that you don?t have to stay with one exercise. Pick a variety and do them once a week or a couple of times each month. This way you are less likely to get bored and will stick with your new exercise plan.
Posted in Article on April 27, 2012
The 3 Day Diet Menu is quite simple. Each day, you pick a breakfast, lunch, and dinner from this list. Besides the foods on this list, you can have salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mustard and catsup.? The 3 day diet menu is designed to give you about 900 calories a day.
On the 3 day diet menu, it is very important to eat your grapefruit or drink your grapefruit juice at every meal. Additionally, you must drink at least 32 ounces of water each day.
Breakfast #1
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
1 piece of dry toast topped with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Breakfast #2
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
1 egg
1 piece of dry toast
1/2 banana
Breakfast #3
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
5 saltine crackers
1 oz. cheese
1 apple
Lunch on the 3 day diet menu also has about 200 calories a day.
Lunch #1
1/2 cup tuna in spring water
1 piece of dry toast
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
Lunch #2
1 cup cottage cheese
8 saltine crackers
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
Lunch #3
1 boiled egg
1 slice dry toast
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
Dinner on the 3 day diet menu has about 350 calories and bulks up the meal with 2 cups of vegetables. You also get a sweet treat in the form of vanilla ice cream.
Dinner #1
3 ounces of lean meat
1 cup of green beans
1 cup of carrots
1 apple
1 cup of vanilla ice cream
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
Dinner #2
2 franks
1 cup of ?cabbage
1/2 cup of carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
Dinner #3
1 cup EACH of:
* tuna in spring water
* carrots
* cauliflower
* melon
* 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream
Coffee or tea (sugar substitute okay)
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. grapefruit juice
Grapefruit has no scientifically based fat reducing properties and does not magically speed up your metabolism. Eaten whole (rather than juiced), 1/2 of the fruit provides 6 grams of fibre. But then, oranges provide 7 grams of fibre.
The 3 day diet menus do provide a healthy, balanced meal plan, but it has only about 900 calories. So, will you lose weight if you stick to the diet? Yes. You will probably lose between 3 and 6 pounds. Some people claim to have lost 10 pounds.
This can be a real turn on for people who need to lose a dress size in a short amount of time, particularly if a big event is looming. But, the 3 day diet menu does not provide a lasting solution to weight loss.
Posted in Article on April 23, 2012
Protein is an amino acid which is vital to our every day lives. It’s especially important for those of us who like to work out – it’s essential to get adequate protein in our diets in order to keep our muscles growing and strong. Even for those of you who are looking more at slimming down rather than beefing up, building muscle will actually help you lose fat faster and keep it off.
So, how do we get protein? The most common source of protein for most Americans is meat, but this is not necessarily the most energy efficient or cheapest way to get it. Of course, a steak will have a ton of protein, but this is not cheap and is not necessarily the best way to get protein into our bodies.
A great way to make sure that you save money on your protein intake while leaning down your sources of protein is to switch out meat with eggs. Eggs are much cheaper and easier to cook and serve in portions as compared to meat, and are perfectly healthy. If you really want to maximize the health quotient of eggs, try cooking only with the egg whites. Most of the cholesterol and fat in eggs is in the yolk.
Another way to get protein from a non-meat source is through beans. Beans are super cheap and also incredibly good for you – in fact, one of the best foods for humans to consume are lentils. Canned beans are inexpensive and take very little time to prepare, and can be quite delicious if seasoned properly. For those of you who really want to save money, consider purchasing dried beans. Dried beans take a little more forethought than the canned variety – being that you’ll need to soak them overnight – but they’re extremely cheap and pack a punch with nutrients and protein.
The main thing to stay away from if you’re on a budget is the specialty “protein bars and shakes” that dominate the health food market these days. It’s not that these are inherently bad for you, but they are extremely expensive for the protein they contain, and there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t get the same amount of protein from different sources. If you want to live healthy, cheap, and happy, try to stay away from processed foods as much as possible, and this includes “diet” processed foods!
Posted in Article on April 22, 2012
For any dieter that keeps up to date on the numerous types of diets on the market, the numbers are astounding. It seems next to impossible to know the right diet to use or which one is healthy without any health risk factors.
The following is a partial list of what some people claim to be “The Popular Diet”
I. Many options include apple cider vinegar that is an old fashion weight loss remedy claiming to have many benefits including dieting issues.
II. Monavie is a juice that uses the acai berry, which is the newest craze for weight loss.
III. Slim Quick is a traditional herbal diet aid.
IV. Benefiber is a fiber supplement that claims to help with weight loss.
V. Lindora is a clinical based and monitored program used primarily for treating obesity.
VI. Lisinopril is a drug originally intended to regulate and lower heart attack risks but is used for dieting.
VII. Banital is a combination of nutrition, detox, and diet supplement.
VIII. The Atkins Diet promises weight loss when reducing the carb intake.
IX. The LA Weight Loss is centered on fitness centers in the Los Angeles area.
X. Alli Diet Pill is widely sold for weight loss in major department stores across the nation.
XI. AbGone is an herbal supplement that claims weight loss as a result for users.
XII. Complete 500 is a GNC supplement focusing on weight loss through bodybuilding.
XIII. Abdominal Cuts is a muscle-building supplement versus weight loss.
XIV. Decaslim is an appetite suppressant that helps with the hunger and food cravings.
XV. Chromim Picolinate is supposedly helpful for regulating the insulin levels.
XVI. Xenadrine is an herbal supplement for weight loss.
The top weight loss for 2009 is Avesil for controlling weight. It is the most researched diet method based on clinical research based on a peer-review. Unlike other diets, Avesil is based on clinical studies and proof of the results. It has a higher rate, nearly three times higher, than other healthy diets with exercise.
People using Avesil claim the diet aid provides realistic results. It is safe and effective for weight loss when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise. It does not claim weight loss without exercise as many current diets do.
Avesil promises to deliver a healthy, reasonable, and substantial weight loss for a risk-free trial period. This attracts many to use the product. Many feel the product will provide the results they are seeking based on the clinical research and results from prior dieters.
It is a safe and effective weight loss regimen for anyone seeking to lose weight effectively without any health related factors that many other diets have. When a person diets, they want to know they will have results without any health complications, Avesil offers everything many seek for their dieting means. It seems to be the best option for losing weight and is becoming a fast means used by many people.
You should always check with your physician prior to using any weight loss product.
