Benefits Of Weight Training

Weight training isn’t just for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone anymore. It’s really a system of exercise and health benefits that are available to everyone. If you go to a local gym and observe, you can find everyone from teenagers to great-grandmas exercising and strength training.

Weight training doesn’t mean just using barbells – it involves much more than that and is most often combined with aerobic activity during the “circuit.”

The natural benefits of weight training include:

- Slowing down bone loss
- Making your bones stronger
- Toning and firm up your body
- Increasing your muscle strength

Most people will tell you that strength training and using weights makes them more energized and happier, along with reducing stress. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel when working out after a hard day at the office! The endorphins your body creates in response to exercise like this is very much “addictive,” and you’ll find that beyond being less-stressed, you’ll actually “crave” your workouts and look forward to them!

One of the benefits I have personally found in strength training is that it’s made my back stronger. Prior to beginning my workout, if I had to lift a lot of boxes or move heavy things, I really felt it the rest of the day, and sometimes the rest of the week. However after just a month of weight training, I found that I didn’t need to take an anti-inflammatory medication every time I moved some boxes around.

Of course, all professionals will tell you to consult a doctor before beginning your workout habit; you’ll want to make sure that there are no impediments to beginning this new part of your daily routine. Most doctors will tell you to use caution and listen to the trainers, but nearly none will eliminate exercise altogether for their patients—there are simply too many benefits from the exertion.

If you go to a chiropractor, ask him or her how strength training and weight lifting can help you and what specific exercises would benefit your back and joints. Again, s/he will probably have some specific suggestions for your body and spinal ‘issues,’ but generally, a chiropractor will tell you that strengthening back and abdominal muscles will benefit you greatly.

If you do find that you ‘overdo it’ initially, scale it back just a bit until you’re ready to move on. You can use cold and heat to minister to the aching muscle(s), and take an anti-inflammatory agent to help in the recovery. But if you do ache a bit, don’t take it as your body’s way of saying that you ‘shouldn’t workout.’ What your body is telling you is that you haven’t worked out enough and that it’s not used to the exertion!

If you plan your workout well, you will find that weight training machines can be a great part of your exercise plan and your health will improve greatly in very short order.

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Beat the Carb Cravings

Anyone who’s been on a low carb diet will tell you that the first week is the hardest. Some report actual physical symptoms of carb withdrawal, like irritability, headaches, and lack of energy. Others say it’s the emotional struggle to stay away from rice, bread, pasta, potatoes the staples that they’ve grown used to serving with every meal.

These carb cravings can easily tempt you into giving up on your diet altogether. Don’t. You have so much to gain (or in this case, lose): think 10 pounds in the first two weeks, as some diets claim, and a visible reduction of tummy handles. (Hey, you’ll be able to fit in a smaller size of jeans!) So how do you survive the battle against bread? Here are some tips:

Indulge in the right food

One of the advantages of low carb diets is that you don’t starve yourself. You can eat very well, just stay away from certain types of food. How does help beat the carb cravings? If you’re not ravenous, you’re less likely to raid the fridge in a mad fit of hunger. You can also replace a high-carb snack (like a chocolate bar) with an equally tasty bag of peanuts, and not feel deprived.

Veteran low carb dieters actually advise keeping stashes of low-carb diets in their desk drawers, or by the television the places where most people get the desire to munch on something. Keep the portions small, just enough to make you feel that you’ve had a treat, without actually turning into a binge. You’ll need a lot of small plastic bags, or tiny plastic containers. Another tip: prepare
the individual servings beforehand, preferably after eating a meal so you’re not tempted to put more than you should.

Keep yourself busy

Most of us eat not out of hunger but habit. You’re bored, stressed, or you’re killing time before you take on the next item on your to-do list. Avoid temptation by keeping your mind on something you enjoy. Some dieters carry a book around, others start a hobby like scrapbooking which will let them pass long hours without even thinking about food. For those who work at the office, and need something to keep them away from the vendo machine, bookmark a website that you can browse until the snack attack passes.

Look for other forms of recreation

It’s become customary to make meals the center of any recreational activity: eating chips while watching a movie, going out to dinner with friends. While you’re still getting used to the low-carb regimen, pass up the invitation to have drinks after work and invite everyone to watch a play, hit the badminton courts, or attend a museum opening.

Get a diet buddy

Dieting becomes more fun when you have a diet partner to give encouragement, praise you for every lost pound, and even help you scout for the low-carb friendly restaurants in your area. Don’t know anyone? Go online and join a dieter’s forum. Exchange recipes, share thoughts, and hey, even make new friends. You’ll still feel the carb cravings, but somehow, saying no is a little easier.

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Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

As the holidays approach, a feeling of dread creeps in. Not only is money getting tighter, but your pants are, too. It's the same old story. Colder weather keeps you stuck indoors, while the yummy holiday cooking fattens you up. Not this year. Not me! I refuse to gain those holiday pounds and you can, too. No, you don't have to sign any contracts at an expensive gym. You can get the body you want on a limited budget.

You may not realize it, but workout videos are more fun and exciting than they used to be.

Workout videos are also much less expensive than a gym membership or buying home workout equipment like a treadmill or elliptical trainer.

If the thought of buying workout videos reminds you of leg warmers and striped leotards, you've got some catching up to do. You're not stuck with the boring workout videos of the 80s and 90s anymore. Believe it or not, the same sought-after trainers who get paid the big bucks to train celebrities can be on call to train you in your own home for pennies a day.

Some of the newest fitness trends are available on video.

Ballet:

Have you always envied a ballet dancer's lean and graceful body? Several ballet videos are now available as workout videos. One of the most popular choices right now was created by the famous New York City Ballet. Although you won't learn to be the next prima ballerina training with exercise video at home, you will shape and lengthen your muscles for a graceful body.

Belly Dancing:

Shimmy your way to a great waistline. Whether you want an instructional video to teach you proper belly dancing technique or you just want to exercise with belly dance moves, you'll find a wide variety of videos available.

Exotic Dancing:

You read that right. If you've ever thought it would be fun to learn sexy moves, then this is for you. In the privacy and safety of your own home, you can bump and gyrate to your heart's content. I have also heard that laughter is good for your abs, so you'll have that covered as well, especially if you have a mirror in your workout room.

Yoga or Pilates:

If you're looking for a sleek, lean body, firm core, or more flexibility, then there are hundreds of yoga and Pilates videos to choose from. You'll find yoga for adults as well as yoga for kids. Yes, kids get stressed, too. Yoga is a great way to teach them to relax.

Fitness videos for kids:

Oftentimes kids can be the best motivators. If you put in a Sesame Street dance video and your three year old asks you to dance with Elmo, you can hardly say "no".

Once you've chosen a trend or video you are interested in, set a specific time each day to "meet" with your personal trainer. It's best to rotate at least two different forms of exercise (or videos) to avoid repetitive use strains. You can do different videos each day, or alternate a walk, bike ride or other activity you enjoy on your non-video days. As long as you are moving, you're keeping those spare pounds from firmly attaching to your body.

So, don't sign that costly gym membership agreement just yet. Blow the dust off the exercise videos in your cabinet, get some good walking shoes, or check out the hottest trends at your favorite online store. It's the frugal way to go.

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Nutrition And Running

Running is one of today’s healthiest ways to help maintain your body’s physical well-being. It is one good cardiovascular exercise that helps keep good circulation and a healthy heart.

Everybody needs proper nutrition and a healthy diet. This requirement becomes more vital for people who are into health activities like running. This is amplified further for runners who are also into competitions or have special dietary needs.

Normal diet

An average person’s diet normally consists of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fats. They also include such healthy components as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein and heart healthy fats.

The daily calorie consumption of runners can also be modified, depending on the individual’s needs – whether he is maintaining his weight, losing some or gaining some.
Combinations can be tweaked accordingly to suit the individual’s needs.

Runner’s diets

For instance, a distance runner preparing for a marathon may wish to increase the percentage of carbohydrates in his diet. This is during those periods of intense training where he covers long and grueling distances every week.

On the other hand, a sprinter who is working to improve his muscle mass by way of weight training and other equally intense exercises have to include additional amounts of protein into his diet. This is helpful because proteins can help stimulate muscle growth.

Calories

The next factor to consider with regards to people who are into running are calories. There are basic guidelines on the amount of calories an individual should consume regularly.

These are based on the person’s current weight and activity level. For runners who are into intense training, these might not be very accurate.

There are plenty of calorie calculators available online or you can get it from your doctor. Those are ballpark figures on the amount of individual needed calories. They can be good starting points for runners to find out if he is eating enough or not.

Sample scale

An example would be a runner regularly consuming 2500 calories a day and running around 7 to 8 miles daily. If he still feels tired, he may have to increase his calorie intake.

If the runner is already at an ideal weight, he should strive to consume enough calories to maintain his weight.

Lastly, the quality of the calories consumed should also be carefully considered. They have to come from quality sources such as whole grains carbohydrates, lean protein sources, and heart-healthy fats.

The runner could always obtain his calorie requirements from foods rich in sugar and fat. But these food groups are not quality calorie sources. More likely, the runner will get his same amount of calories but he will feel sluggish and may not be able to perform well.

A case in point is a piece of cake that has an equal amount of calories as a turkey sandwich on multi-grain bread. Eating the cake will give him enough calories. However, the sugar in it will trigger the insulin response from his body, which can make him sluggish and less energized.

Nutrition is a very important component in such an activity as running. It is not just a question of energy but also of health.

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Types of Detox Diets

There are many types of detox diets. To give you an idea, let’s discuss about a few of them so you already have a few choices.

First is the Master Cleanse Detox Diet which is a combination of cayenne pepper, lemon juice and maple syrup that is mixed in water. This is considered to be a gentler diet because maple syrup which is easily absorbed help regulates the release of toxins as stored fat and thus converts it to energy slowly.

Another type of Liquid Detox Diet is Juice Fast which may come from fruits, vegetables or the combination of both. This is similar to the master cleanse detox diet but you get more benefits like enzymes, minerals and vitamins that are known to support the rejuvenating process of the body. Best of all, the body is able to assimilate the juices directly without producing digestive enzymes.

Next is the Mono Fruit Detox Diet. From the word mono, you can already tell that this diet only involves eating one type of fruit. The nice thing about this diet is that it can be done for a long period since the fruit provides the body with organic water allowing the bodies cells to cleanse itself. Once inside, it can easily go out taking with it harmful waste products.

The use of only one fruit has one more benefit. It makes your body’s pH more stable and keeps the sugar levels in your bloodstream less volatile.

We also have the Raw Food Detox Diet. Here, eating food raw helps prevent the loss of vitamins, minerals and other essentials caused by cooking or washing. The body is also able to get digestive enzymes that will help in the metabolic process and strengthen your immune system. The best thing about eating raw food is that it supports ideal potassium-to-sodium ratios that optimize cell functioning and pH balance which is the overall objective of a detox diet.

Many of us can’t eat raw food three meals a day. So an alternative will be the Hallelujah diet which enables you to eat 85% raw foods and 15% cooked foods. The catch is that the cooked portion should only be done during the end of the evening meal. You will also have to skip breakfast and instead have only barley grass drinks and fresh vegetable juices.

It will take some time to skip breakfast if you are used to it and the transition can best be done by substituting your bacon and eggs with almond milk, fresh fruit salad, sprouted grain toast with almond butter and whole grain raw granola.

There is also the diuretic diet. This type of detox diet will not reduce body fat but help the body release fluid. You can get this from certain herbs and vegetables like asparagus, artichoke, celery seed, dandelion, juniper berries, melon, parsley and watercress. This is also available in food supplements and you can even find it in beverages like coffee, coke and tea.

These are just some of the detox diets available that are designed to cleanse your body. If you are not into those that were mentioned, do some research to find other alternatives. Just remember to consult your doctor first so you are sure that this is safe given your overall physical health.

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Essential Nutrition For Every Woman

As a woman, your body is very complex. Throughout every phase of your life you will require extra care and nutritional support. Today's scientific advances support a number of natural choices for women, like soy. Still, the fact remains that calcium, folic acid and iron continue to be the most important nutrients that can impact a woman's total health. All women should take a daily multiple vitamins with these essential nutrients.

Calcium is essential for bone health.

As a woman you have a much greater risk of developing osteoporosis because you have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly then men do. Be sure to consume adequate calcium throughout life, as this may reduce your risk of osteoporosis later in life. Calcium is essential to the health of bones, teeth and skin, yet few adults get enough of it in their diets. Make sure you find a high quality calcium supplement to ensure you receive a health-enhancing daily allowance.

Folic acid impacts women in many ways.

It plays an important role during rapid fetal growth and development. In fact, adequate intake of folic acid as part of a healthy diet before and in early pregnancy may reduce the risk of having a baby with a birth defect of the brain or spinal cord. All women of childbearing age are recommended to consume 400 mcg of folic acid everyday starting at least one month before conception into the early weeks of pregnancy.

Folic acid also plays a role in the maintenance of normal homocysteine levels; elevated levels of homocysteine are believed to be a risk factor of heart health.

Iron

Iron is a vital nutrient that plays an essential role in forming healthy red blood cells and transporting oxygen. It's estimated that as many as 62% of women over the age of 20 are not meeting the RDA for iron. Women also tend to be low in iron because they tend to eat foods low in iron and lose iron through menstruation.

Drinking a glass of orange juice with your cereal can boost iron absorption by the body. Vitamin C helps the body metabolize the iron. A high quality Vitamin C supplement rich in antioxidants to help fight the harmful effects of free radicals is a wonderful supplement not only to assist iron absorption, but also to combat ageing.

Vitamin C is coveted for its many benefits, including a contribution to healthy bones, teeth, blood vessels and the production of collagen.

In addition to taking a daily multiple vitamin, routine exams are key to prevention and healthy living. You should have a yearly gynecological exam that includes a pelvic exam, breast exam and PAP test. Also, consider performing monthly self-breast exams to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. If you are over 40, you should have a mammogram every year.

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Are you Starving to Lose Weight?

It’s never too late to rethink on your diet plan and make fresh and realistic health resolutions. It is the right time to take stock of the situation. Ask yourself: Are we being fair to ourselves when we make these strict guidelines of diet and exercise? Most people recoil at the thought of dieting and exercising, especially on a cold winter morning. And for all those people who are fed up of diet dictums, the good news is that the best way to lose weight is not to diet or deprive yourself of all the good things in life. If this sounds too good to be true, wait till you try this:

Wellness - the latest buzzword to hit the health industry - is actually the best way forward. Most people who plan strict diets do it in the hope that after losing the extra kilos, they will look ravishing. But the truth is that lusterless sagging skin or loose abdominal muscles are not the result that people want. What we want is a happy, healthy, svelte figure munching an apple. But alas, that is not what we end up with very often. Therefore, after trying to lose weight for the nth time, it is now time to stop dieting forever and yet look slim.

Wellness is not only about losing weight, it is also about a positive mindset and transforming oneself into a holistically healthy person. This kind of a change in focus will not only result in weight loss but also give you great skin, good hair, a glowing persona and best of all, freedom from diets. Here is what the wellness and diet schedule entails:

o    Understanding your food weaknesses and indulging in them two times a week.
o    Maintaining a diet log book.
o    Pick up a routine that you enjoy which is like an exercise: dancing, or walking the pet, floor exercises with music etc.
o    Never deprive yourself. Always add new healthy habits to the current schedule, like having a yummy soup in the evening instead of tea and a scrumptious salad during lunch with olives, balsamic dressing and some greens and cheese cubes.
o    Enjoy your meal. Many people who eat hurriedly always miss out on the flavors, do not feel satiated and end up compensating by overeating.
o    And if all this does not convince you, count the number of times you have struggled through a diet program only to regain the weight with a few extra kilos.
o    Looking at unhealthy habits and finding alternatives. For example, if you are prone to drinking too much of tea/coffee, substitute some for herbal teas which smell and taste good. If you eat too much of fried food, learn to make toasted snacks or baked snacks, and experiment with new roasted snacks.
o    Do not starve or eat less. When we cut down on quantities, our emotional system retaliates, so the best option is to add healthy foods to the diet before cutting out on food suddenly.

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