Category : Article
Posted in Article on February 22, 2012
While there’s a lot to be said about homemade cooking and how it helps you lose weight and save money, the fact of the matter is that it’s likely you’ll want to go out to eat once in a while. Whether you’re going out with friends or there’s a certain place that makes guacamole like nowhere else, there’s absolutely no reason why you should deny yourself the pleasures of restaurant dining every so often, even if you’re on a budget and trying to live healthily.
Just like with anything else in life, there’s a positive, intelligent way to go about eating out on a budget and there’s the not-so-good way. Here are some times to avoid the not-so-good-way.
First, try going out for lunch rather than dinner. Most restaurants are cheaper at lunch and the food is just as good. Many restaurants even offer special business lunches, which have multiple courses and are usually steals. Even better, lunch food has a tendency to be lighter than dinner courses, so eating out at lunch may offer you healthier choices than the dinner menu will.
If the place you love to go has large portions, try dining out with another health conscious friend and split the plate. The truth of the matter is that the vast majority of restaurants have enormous portions, and digging in to that chili dog meal alone is an excellent way to blow your calorie count out of the water for the rest of the day. Alternatively, ask for a doggie bag and take half your meal home to eat later – after a spot of exercise, perhaps!
Order vegetarian. Many restaurants these days offer vegetarian options ” or will at least listen if you tell them to hold the meat. This depends highly on what kind of restaurant you are at, as you’re likely to be unable to ask the guy making you a burger to “hold the meat” However, if there is a vegetarian option available, it’s likely to be lower in calories and just as delicious as its meat-laden counterpart.
Last, make it a point to skip dessert. Now, one of the cardinal rules of dieting is not to be overly cruel to yourself, but the fact of the matter is that a giant sundae is likely to have more calories than the rest of your meal combined and will definitely add some dollars to your bill. Enjoy eating out, of course, but don’t go overboard!
Posted in Article on February 18, 2012
Why is it that when exercising comes to mind everyone immediately thinks they have to join a gym? Maybe it is from watching all these weight loss and fitness shows on TV. Anyway getting fit doesn’t have to be expensive. If you look around your home and even your local community you can probably find ways to get fit without spending a ton of money.
To start with why not use the stairs in your home to get fit? If you have ever run up or down stairs you know how winded you can get. So why not start stair climbing on a daily basis. Aim to walk up and down the stairs five to ten times each day. Then once you have this mastered the next day add one more set. If you can do it once you can do it again, so there is no reason to do fewer repetitions.
If your stairs at home are really steep or you just want a change of venue, see where in your town you have lots of stairs. Is there a church, library or community building that has lots of stairs? How about your local mall? The mall is a great idea for rainy days plus you can walk around the mall as well as climb the stairs and get a great workout.
For those who live in a community with lots of parks or nearby trail walks you may find nature walks that incorporate stairs. These are the kind that are built right into the ground and are not as evenly spaced. This way you will have to adjust your steps to navigate the stairs.
If your child is in soccer, hockey or baseball you can walk the flight of stairs on the stands while your child is playing or practicing. This doesn’t allow you to have any excuse about not having time to exercise because of after school activities.
If you haven’t tried climbing stairs in a while you will be surprised at just how good of a workout this is. Your leg muscles will be burning afterwards and you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing. If you experience shin splints they will go away in about a week or two. This is just a sign of your muscles becoming adjusted to your new activity.
Stairs are available almost everywhere and you shouldn’t have any problem finding a set that you can use each day. It wasn’t that difficult to find a low cost exercise solution now was it?
Posted in Article on February 15, 2012
Sometimes also know as the Bradford Press, this exercise is mainly aimed at the shoulders, although the Tricep muscle is given a good workout at the same time.
It is an ideal exercise for those starting out with lifting weights, as your back is supported by the back of the bench seat.
For the purpose of this exercise, you will need a military bench press, and barbells of an appropriate weight for your level of expertise and strength.
As always, if you are unsure of your capabilities, or unsure of the exercise itself, start off with a low weight and build up to a heavier weight once you are feeling more confident. Try, if possible, to have another person present for safety reasons.
Position yourself comfortably on the bench press, with your back up against the back of the seat and the bar at shoulder level. Hold the bar with your palms facing forward and your grip wider than shoulder width.
Try to create an angle of 90 degrees between your forearm and upper arm as you lower the barbell.
This will now become your starting position.
Making sure that you hold the barbell in the correct position and the correct grip, lift the bar up slowly over your head and lock your arms.
While inhaling, lower the bar back down until it is positioned at the back of your head.
While exhaling, lift the bar slowly back up to the starting position.
Once again inhaling, slowly lower the bar back down until it is in position behind your head.
You have now completed one repetition.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Tip: There cannot be enough emphasis stressed on the importance of breathing correctly while performing any kind of physical exercise. Ensuring that you are breathing correctly will help you attain your fitness goals. If you are not breathing properly, you will find the exercise is more difficult than it needs to be.
If you want to add more stress to the shoulder muscles, you could try raising the bar to slightly higher than the head, followed by slowly lowering it to the opposite side. This will add extra tension to your shoulders, while ensuring that your tricep muscles involvement is kept to a minimum. This is a good idea if you are recovering from an injury or strain, and do not want to put added pressure on recovering muscles.
Another variation would be to alternate moves.
From the starting position, as described above, hold the bar in the correct way.
Lift the bar up slowly and lock your arms.
Inhale while lowering the bar down to the back of your head.
Exhale while raising the bar up again and lock your arms.
Now exhale, and this time slowly lower the bar until it is front of your chest.
Front and back are considered to be one repetition.
Yet another variation of the same exercise would be to perform it while in a standing position. This will increase the number of calories burnt.
Posted in Article on February 14, 2012
Taking the time to know the facts about heart disease is one of the first steps to help with prevention. Here are some facts relating to heart disease that may help you with your battle so you can win easily.
1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in America.
2. Heart disease death rate per 100,000 populations for the five largest cities in the U.S. based on racial and ethnic groups are Hispanics 69.2, Asians and Pacific Islanders 73, American Indians 82.5, Blacks 189.8, and Whites 235.5.
3. Coronary heart disease is the principle type of heart disease. In 2005 over 445,000 died of coronary heart disease, which equals 68.3of all heart disease deaths that year.
4. 47of all cardiac deaths occur before emergency services or transportation to the hospital.
5. Heart disease is projected to cost more than $304.6 billion, which includes the health care services, medications, and time off work.
6. In 2005, more that 7.6 million people died from heart disease worldwide.
7. Risk factors noted in 2003-2004 for adults with heart disease were contributed to 32.1of people 20 years or older with hypertension or taking medication for hypertension; 16.9of people 20 years or older with high cholesterol; 10of people 20 years or older with doctor diagnosed diabetes; 32of people 20 years or older with obesity; 18.4of people 18 years or old that smoked; and 39.5of people 18 years or older that did not have a standard exercise regimen.
8. 37in 2003 reported having two or more of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, current smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes.
9. In 2005, 92of people suffering from chest pains recognized the symptoms of the possible heart attack with only 27correctly knowing they were having a heart attack and contacted the emergency authorities for assistance. Timely access to emergency services can mean the difference between life and death. Knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attacks can and will save your life when you act accordingly.
10. According to studies, people with heart disease can lower their risks of heart attacks when they lower their cholesterol and blood pressure as well as avoiding needing surgery for heart bypass and angioplasty. To reduce the risks, take the steps to lower the blood pressure and cholesterol.
11. According to studies of people without heart disease, they reduce their potential risks of heart disease by lowering their cholesterol and high blood pressure.
When a person changes their unhealthy life style patterns, they reduce the risks of heart disease and strokes.
Posted in Article on February 13, 2012
The front plate raises will concentrate on your shoulders. It will help to strengthen them in order to help give the upper body the look of wider shoulders. When the shoulders appear wider it seems to help build the confidence up in a person. It also makes the body appear to be more balanced and athletic.
You will need a barbell plate when doing your front plate raises. The barbell plates are the big flat weights. Do not pick one that is too heavy instead get a weight that you will be able to lift easily.
This exercise is done in the standing position. Make sure both feet are flat and are aligned with your shoulders. You want to keep your back straight so you do not injury it.
Once you are in the proper position you will need to place your hands properly on the barbell weight. Place your right hand in the 3 o?clock position on the weight. Now take your left hand and place it at the 9 o?clock position. When your hands are placed in the correct position your palms will be pointing towards each other.
Keeping a firm grip on the barbell weight lower it until it is almost at your waist. Your elbows will be slightly bent and pointing at the wall behind you. Your arms will be extended and locked into place. This is going to be your starting position for the front plate raises.
While exhaling, start to raise the plate slowly until it is just above your shoulders. You will know the weight is at the correct height when you can see through the hole. Your arms should have stayed locked in the same position they were at the beginning. You are using your shoulders to pull the plate up in front of you not your arms or your torso.
Hold the position for a second while you look through the hole. Now start to inhale as you bring the plate back down to your starting position. Do the recommended repetitions.
If you do not feel comfortable with the barbell plate or cannot keep your grip on it there are some other items that can be used. The dumbbells can be used and you can do one arm at a time or you can do both at once. Some people prefer using the dumbbells because they can add more weight to it easily. If you feel more comfortable being able to grab a bar with both hands then use the barbells. The cables can also be used if you are worried about dropping the weights on to the ground.
If you are not sure if you are doing the front plate raises correctly then stop and ask a professional. The whole point of the exercise is to build and strengthen your shoulders and not to hurt them.
These three shoulder exercises will give your shoulders the appearance that they are wider over time. They will cut your shoulders and give them definition.
Posted in Article on February 10, 2012
In the past doctors thought, overweight patients had increased risks of developing heart failure due to complications from diabetes, coronary heart disease, and high blood pressure yet new studies show that obesity leads to heart failure without the other medical conditions present. The studies also show that even excess body weight tremendously increases the risks even when the person is not considered obese.
One study was based on 5881 people who volunteered for the case study at the institution. The people were either obese or overweight during the 14-year study. Those people that were considered overweight had a risk of developing heart failure 34greater than the non-overweight individuals. The ones considered obese had a risk factor of 104
The fact that obese individuals, had a higher risk rate, caused alarm for the doctors in the medical field, since this new study brought to light; a new medical condition previously never known. The fact proven by the study showed even healthy people are still at risk for heart disease by decreased amounts. Overweight and obese people, based on the results, began to be counselled to lose weight to lower the risk of possible heart failure.
Obesity leads to heart failure because the problems associated with obesity such as left ventricular hypertrophy known as LVH, which is the thickening of the walls of the left regions of the heart. Over time, LVH can lead to heart failure.
Obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome X that is a metabolic disorder causing the lipid abnormalities. Both LVH and metabolic syndrome lead to heart failure in obese and overweight individuals.
The treatments designed at improving the LVH and metabolic syndrome X can help with stopping heart failure. The theory has been tested in clinical studies, while it is still highly recommended individuals lose the excess weight to lower their risks of the medical conditions. Using a healthy low caloric diet and exercise, many individuals lower their risks as well as reducing the risks of hypertension, lipid abnormalities, metabolic syndrome X, and other heart diseases; they were previously considered at high risk to get.
Doctors used the studies to counsel patients on the importance of weight loss and weight management citing the study results as proof the patient was at high risk. Many patients, required the study as proof they were at risk, since in the past many had been informed differently.
The fact remains that obesity raises the risk levels for heart disease. Heart disease is an extremely serious condition, which must be recognized and taken seriously by both the doctor and the patient; so proper treatments can be used to lower the risks and prolong the life of the patients.
Posted in Article on February 7, 2012
There are a couple of lose weight vitamins that your body absolutely needs in order to go through metabolism. Plus, you’ll encounter a couple of other vitamins that you’ll also need to safely go through metabolism without killing you.
The Big B’s
B-complex vitamins are absolutely essential to your body’s metabolism. Without even just one of them, don’t expect the food you’re eating to go down the drain anytime soon. However, there are some particular “lose weight vitamins” in the B-complex family that play particularly important roles in weight-loss:
- Vitamin B 1 / Thiamine ~ for proper metabolism of starch and sugars. Found in eggs, whole grain flour, potatoes, oranges and asparagus.
- Vitamin B 2 / Riboflavin ~ for proper metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Found in milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables and almonds.
- Vitamin B 5 / Pantothenic Acid ~ for the generation of energy to be used in the body. Found in green vegetables, whole grain flour, chicken, eggs, beans and green vegetables.
- Vitamin B 6 / Pyridoxine ~ for the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids. Found in eggs, beef, chicken, bananas and avocados.
- Vitamin B 12 / Cyanocobalamin ~ for the whole gamut of metabolism: digestion, protein synthesis, food absorption and general metabolism. Found in meat, fish and eggs.
Other Stuff to Help Lose Weight
While the B-complex family is the star of the “lose weight vitamins,” there are some other materials that can help you reach your goal of losing weight in the long run:
- Vitamin C ~ this little puppy not only helps your immune system as heavily advertised, but it also helps keep you healthier by cleaning up the waste products that metabolism leaves behind. These waste products are called free radicals, and these free radicals are responsible for quite a number of problems in the body: ranging from arthritis to cancer.
- Fiber ~ if you have a problem feeling full after a light meal, go for fiber-rich foods instead. Fiber helps promote better digestion by making the food stick around longer in your digestive system while giving you that full feeling even after eating a portion of what you used to eat.
- Caffeine ~ ever wonder why you get so jittery when you drink a couple of espressos? Taking in a moderate amount of caffeine helps you burn up food a little better to produce energy for your body. That doesn’t mean you should guzzle down cup after cup of coffee! Caffeine helps a little, but taking in too much will ultimately be harmful for your body
- Green Tea ~ Although green tea has some caffeine in it, research has ruled out caffeine as the only weight-loss component of green tea. Something in green tea else that hasn’t been identified by science helps increase the metabolism and fat burning rates. Guess that explains how the Japanese, with their green-tea guzzling diets, manage to keep slim.
The Wrap-Up
There is no such thing as a miracle ‘lose weight vitamin’ that’ll shed off the pounds in an instant. It all boils down to getting exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, keeping your body amply supplied with the right B-complex vitamins coupled with some extra vitamins and foods will ensure that you’ll be able to help your own body to healthily lose weight.
Posted in Article on February 6, 2012
For someone being obese, health problem risks are greatly elevated. The extra weight can cause physical problems like bone and joint problems. And things like diabetes, heart disease, cancers and other serious conditions are more likely to occur. For those who are being obese, health problem risks often center around a condition known as metabolic syndrome.
For someone being obese, heath problem risks are generally directly tied to this syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is just a term for a cluster of conditions that tend to occur together. The presence of these conditions is a pretty good indicator about future health.
For instance, someone with metabolic syndrome is going to have a much higher chance of heart disease, stroke or diabetes than someone who doesn’t have the condition. For people who have one or two of the conditions that make up metabolic syndrome, their risk of these serious diseases is still a little less than someone with a full-on case.
The conditions that are generally present in metabolic syndrome include:
- Obesity. People with metabolic syndrome are generally obese, often with much of their body fat centered in their stomach, giving them an “apple” shape.
- High blood triglycerides (fat).
- High blood pressure.
- Low HDL cholesterol levels. This is high-density lipoprotein, also known as the “good” cholesterol. Having a low good cholesterol level has been found to be more dangerous. than having a high “bad” cholesterol, or LDL (low-density lipoprotein) level.
- Insulin resistance.
A person can have one or two of those conditions without having metabolic syndrome. But their risks for developing the other conditions is very high. In fact, having just one of the conditions listed above makes it very likely that you’ll develop the others.
Being obese, health problem risks are elevated, but there are some factors in metabolic syndrome that a person can’t control. A family history of diabetes, for instance, puts a person at greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Age and race are also factors. Asians and Hispanics tend to develop metabolic syndrome at a greater rate than other races. And the older a person gets, the greater the risk of developing the syndrome.
But for the most part, the conditions that make up the syndrome and the syndrome itself are preventable. And there are no special drugs or treatments required to prevent or reverse metabolic syndrome.
The first recommendation, whether you want to prevent the syndrome or reverse it, is to eat a healthy diet. Choose whole foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables and avoid carb-laden, starchy processed foods. Don’t drink sodas or other sugar-rich beverages, but opt for water instead.
The next step is to get some exercise. Walk for a half an hour or so each day. That’s all it takes. This along with a healthy diet can help you lose weight, the third thing to do to defeat metabolic syndrome. Being obese, health problem risks including that of metabolic syndrome are elevated if you smoke, so quit smoking and you’ll be on your way to preventing or reversing the disease.
Posted in Article on February 4, 2012
Yoga is another exercise which doesn’t require a whole lot of equipment to start with. Basically all you need is a yoga mat. If you attend a local yoga class these may even be provided for you. Yoga is also a great exercise that can be done at home with just a DVD to follow.
Before starting any type of yoga it is a good idea to do some research and even watch a few DVD’s. There are certain poses that you will need to learn. Plus to get the most benefit you want to be assured of doing them correctly.
You will also want to learn breathing techniques as this will also enhance your performance. Your body is bound to get a little sore after your first yoga session. This is perfectly normal and the soreness can be reduced a little by stretching afterwards.
A good yoga class or video will take you through an entire yoga workout. This should include a warm up period, a breathing or meditation technique and then proceeds into the main yoga session. In between all of this you will be taught certain poses like the child pose that allows you to take a short rest period. The class or video will end with you performing a series of cool down poses along with stretching.
To get the most of your yoga class you should not wear any socks or shoes. You should also not eat a large meal before exercising and you will want to drink some water before your class.
Any good teacher will have the ability to help you adapt any of the yoga positions that you find too difficult. Remember not to compare yourself to others as they may be more advanced than you.
When first starting out with yoga you don’t have to rush out and buy yoga clothing. Just wear pants and a top that are comfortable and be sure your clothes don’t restrict your movements. Lightweight clothes are recommended as they will help keep the moisture away from your skin.
After a few yoga sessions you can decide if this is the type of exercise that you would like to continue with. If so then you can start to purchase more yoga equipment as necessary.
It is possible to find low cost alternatives for exercising. There are many low cost yoga classes that are available. If not you can get a library book or even look online for yoga videos if money really is an issue.
Posted in Article on February 3, 2012
When doing the rocky presses your shoulders are going to get much stronger. This will help to build the strength in the shoulders so you can lift heavier weights with other exercises. These presses will also help to build up your triceps. If you really want to burn calories quickly try doing the rocky presses while standing up. You will definitely feel the difference in your shoulders when you are done.
Before attempting the rocky presses make sure you have a friend that can spot you in case you have troubles. This exercise is going to require the use of a press bench with a back on it and a dumbbell bar.
Pick the weights for using on the dumbbell bar. Make sure the weights are something you will be able to handle comfortably when you are lifting the bar above your head. Attach the weights to the bar and walk over to the press bench. Carefully sit in the chair and place your feet flat on the ground. Your feet need to be aligned with your shoulders and your back needs to be flat against the back of the press bench.
The proper way to grip the barbell is with your hands a little wider then your shoulders. The palms of your hands will be facing the wall in front of you. Now using your forearms lift the dumbbell to your chest. The bar will be sitting right below your chin. This will be your starting position for the rocky presses.
Tighten your grip on the bar and while exhaling lift the bar in the air. Your arms will be straight up and down. The dumbbell will now be over your head. Start inhaling and lower the bar behind your head. Do not try and lift the bar all the way to your shoulders. It only needs to be lifted to the middle of the back of your head. Your elbows will be to the side of you pointing straight out. Hold the position for a second then start exhaling.
While exhaling slowly raise the bar back in the air. Once again your arms will be straight up and down while holding the bar above your head. Hold the position for a second then start inhaling.
While inhaling bring the bar back down to the start position. One complete repetition is lifting the bar from the start position into the air, back behind your head, back into the air and back down to the start position. Do the recommended amount of repetitions.
Once you get the strength built up in your shoulders you can push them even harder. When doing the rocky presses keep the bar in the air, moving it from the front of the head to the back of the head. You will feel the stress mounting on the shoulders almost immediately.
Now that your shoulders are loosened up and feeling good lets go to the next step, Arnold presses. This will help with building shoulder strength.
