Category : Article
Posted in Article on April 14, 2012
The definition of obesity is having an excessive amount of body fat. It is not only a cosmetic issue it is a major health issue leading to health risks such as heart attracts, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Doctor use a formula called “body mass index” or BMI to calculate the levels of body fat. Adults with BMI’s over 30 are considered obese. Extreme obesity, which is sometimes called severe or morbid obesity, is when the BMI levels are 40 or higher. With morbid obesity, people are more likely to have serious health issues.
In America, one in three people are considered obese. The seriousness of this causes many to start a weight loss program to avoid the hazards of the excessive weight.
The symptoms associated with obesity are difficulty sleeping, snoring, sleep apnea, pain in the joints and back, excessive sweating, always feeling hot, rashes or infections in the folds of the skin, feeling out of breath with minor activity, daytime sleepiness or fatigue and depression. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, seek medical attention. Your doctor can counsel you how to decrease you risks related to the obesity. Through dietary changes and increased activity, you will be able to reduce the symptoms and health risks. In some cases, medication is prescribed as well as weight loss surgery can be performed.
The causes of obesity is directly related to the over consumption of calories compared to the amount of calorie burned with physical activity. There are genetic and hormonal influences with some people that are obese. The main causes for obesity are inactivity in the daily life. The inability to burn the excess fat consumed, leads to the body storing the fat instead of ridding the body of it. Watching television is one the leading causes to obesity.
Unhealthy diet and eating habits high in calories from fast foods, skipping breakfast, eating most of the calories at the evening meal or for a late night snack, consuming high calorie drinks, and eating too large of portions. Learning to change the eating habits will help combat obesity.
When a woman is pregnant, they gain weight yet after the birth, they find it difficult to lose the excess pounds. The weight from the pregnancy often leads to obesity when it is not lost in the future.
Getting less than seven hours of sleep at night causes the hormones to change by increasing the appetite leading to the person to crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates. This results in weight gain.
Some medications lead to weight gain when the weight is not compensated with diet and physical activity. The types of medications leading to weight gain include antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medication, steroids, beta-blockers, and antipsychotic medication.
Medical problems can cause obesity such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, and polycystic ovary syndrome to name a few. Arthritis can also lead to obesity due to the inactivity levels.
Posted in Article on April 11, 2012
It really is important for women to approach exercise differently than men. Of course it is possible to exercise with your spouse or boyfriend but as a woman you have certain things to be cautious about. This will depend upon your age as well.
Women are more prone to developing osteoporosis as they age. So if you are over 40 you want to pay attention to your joints. If you feel any sudden or sharp pain that doesn?t go away quickly you should visit your doctor for a check up.
Women over 50 will be experiencing plenty of hormonal changes and this can affect how your body reacts to certain activities. The best thing you can do for your body is to listen to what your body is telling you and heed any warning signs.
For example if you wanted to take up a new sport after not exercising for a while you are not going to suddenly start running 5 miles a day. You have to get your body adjusted to this new regimen by starting out slowly and working your way up to increasing your distance.
Low impact exercises are really your best bet. This can include simple things like going for a walk, swimming or even playing a round of golf. It is always advisable to warm up and stretch your body before you begin exercising. About five to ten minutes of warm up time is advisable.
The same goes for your cooling down period. Ensure that you slow your heart rate down during the last ten minutes of your workout and then make time to gently stretch your muscles and tendons. This way you are less likely to risk injury and be put out of action before your exercise routine even becomes a habit.
One of the best activities for women of all ages is water aerobics. These classes are popping up at more and more fitness facilities everywhere. Classes can last anywhere from 30 minutes to a full hour. There are normally classes for beginners, advanced and seniors. Participating in a water aerobics class is fun, gentle on your joints and a great way to meet new people.
If you are an overweight woman then low impact exercises are strongly recommended. Depending on how much weight you need to lose you can start off by walking to the end of your street each day. Each day try to increase the distance and within two weeks you should notice a huge improvement in your endurance and stamina.
Posted in Article on April 10, 2012
You can strengthen your abdominal muscles and also lose body fat with press sit-up exercises. The concept of this exercise is quite simple, all you will need is a lot of dedication, time and of course, patience in order to get the six packs that you have always wanted ? you will definitely be proud and pleased with the amount of time, hard work and dedication that you put into performing this exercise.
In order to get a washboard looking abs, you will need to do two things which are:
Build muscle
lose fat
Yes, you can achieve this by going on a diet and exercising every day. You need to understand that you can have the most muscular and well toned abdomen, but it will not show if you have a ?nice beefy? layer of fat over them. You can do it, you can get rid of the fat and build your abdominal muscles.
What You Will Need To Perform The Press Sit-up
You will need a barbell ? it is advisable to start with a light weight barbell and then move on to using a heavier one when you get used to the exercise. You will also need an abdominal bench as well.
How to Perform the Press Sit-up Exercise
To begin this exercise, you will need to lie down on the abdominal bench with a barbell on your chest. Then, position your legs in such a way that they are firmly secure on the abdominal bench extension. This is known as the starting position.
While you are inhaling, make sure that your tighten your abdominal muscles and glutes, and at the same time, curl your torso as you do when you are performing a sit-up and then press the barbell to an overhead position while you are exhaling.
Important Note: You should make use of your arms to push out the barbell as you carryout this exercise while still remaining focussed on the abdominal muscles.
You should lower the upper part of your body back down to the starting position while you bring the barbell back down to your torso. And do not forget to breathe in while lowering the body.
You should repeat according to the recommended amount of repetitions.
Important Note
You need to understand that it is best for you to have a spotter while doing this exercise ? this way, it would be a lot easier to get the barbell away from you if you are feeling a little overwhelmed. You should also make sure that you start with an empty bar and you should not use jerking motions while performing this exercise ? never! When you are much more advanced, you can use a ?decline bench?.
With a lot of dedication and hard work, you can get a washboard stomach in no time. Remember to drink lots of water and eat healthy and nutritious meals. You should remember that you need to be patient in order to achieve your goal ? six packs don?t happen overnight.
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.
The gorilla chin crunch is a compound exercise that effectively works the abdominal muscles, as well as the lats and biceps. It is certainly no secret that everyone who takes the time to workout wishes to have a flat, washboard abdomen. You do not want to have great looking abs and walk around with flabby arms ? or do you?
If you want to perform the gorilla chin crunch, you need to understand that although it may look really simple but if you do not have upper body strength, you may not find this exercise very easy to perform.
What You Need to Perform Gorilla Chin Crunch
You will require a chin-up bar, upper body strength and determination
How to Perform Gorilla Chin Crunch
You can start by hanging from the chin-up bar; you should use an underhand grip (that is, having your palms face you). The underhand grip should be a little bit wider than shoulder width.
Then, bend your knees at around a 90 degree angle in such a way that your calves are parallel to the floor while your thighs stay perpendicular to it ? this will be the starting position.
As you breathe out, you should pull yourself up while you crunch your knees up at exactly the same time ? do this until your knees are at chest level. When your nose reaches the same level as the bar, you will stop going.
Important Note: when you reach this point, you should also be done with the crunch at the same time.
You should breathe in slowly as you return to the starting position.
You should repeat the gorilla chin crunch according to the recommended amount of repetitions.
If you want to, you can also add resistance by holding medicine ball or dumbbell between your feet ? but you need to understand that if you are not an advanced athlete, you should not try this. On the other hand, when you become an advanced athlete, you can also try doing the one arm gorilla chin crunches, the exercise involve grasping your wrist with your free hand and continue working the oblique more.
The abdominal muscles need regular workouts and 5 minutes of daily abdominal exercises can actually make a real difference ? that is, as long as you do the exercises everyday.
Now, you need to know that even though exercises play a vital role in getting the physique you have always desired, you will need to make sure that you eat the right kind of food and drink lots and lots of water too.
When you feel your muscles cramping, you should immediately stop the exercises and rest. Do not over push yourself, especially if you have just started working out ? with a little time, you will be an advanced athlete.
Important Tip
You can get a training buddy if you are not sure whether you will be disciplined enough to continue your work out routine ? a committed workout buddy will keep you primed and ready to go.
Remember, you will never regret dedicating your time to staying fit.
Are you looking for a quick weight loss diet plan? If you have a big event like a wedding or reunion coming up, you may want to drop a few pounds before the big event. To do this, you can’t take the long view and build up an eating and exercise plan that will sustain permanent weight loss. But, you can find a quick weight loss diet before the event.
The first diet I’m going to introduce you to has been called by many names, the most popular of which are “The Three Day Diet” and “The Grapefruit Diet.” This is a contemporary update to the plan first introduced as the Scarsdale Diet.
The Grapefruit Diet requires you to eat specific foods in limited quantities. Overall, you will be eating less than 1000 calories a day which is why it is a quick weight loss diet.
On a given day, breakfast might be 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, black coffee and 1/2 a grapefruit. Lunch would consist of salad with salad dressing and unlimited lean meat. Dinner would be any non-starchy vegetables, unlimited fish, and half a grapefruit. As a bedtime snack, you could have 8 ounces of skim milk.
The “magic” ingredient of this quick weight loss diet is supposed to be the grapefruit. However, many scientific studies have shown that grapefruit has no specific weight loss value and the real secret behind this diet is the limited calories and lack of carbs.
However, you can lose weight on the Grapefruit Diet. The average person will lose 10 pounds in the 12 days that is recommended that you stay on the plan.
Another quick weight loss diet is the Cabbage Soup diet. This has not been associated with any specific hospital. However, in many parts of the country, it becomes affiliated with a regional medical center to give it credibility.
At the core of the Cabbage Soup diet is, well, cabbage soup. This is essentially a soup made from vegetable broth, lots of cabbage and any other non-starchy vegetables that you would like. Then, on various days, you can eat specific foods. For instance, on one day you can have all of the bananas and milk you want. On another day, you can have up to 16 oz. of red meat.
It is not recommended that you stay on the Cabbage Soup diet for more than 7 days at a time. However, in that week, you can expect to lose 5 pounds.
The “magic” behind the Cabbage Soup diet is the same as the Grapefruit Diet. Namely, you are eating about 800 calories a day. The soup has negligible calories, so you can have as much as you want of that. You get most of your calories from that day’s assigned foods.
If you are looking for a quick weight loss diet, the Grapefruit and Cabbage Soup plans may be right for you. Keep in mind that most of what you’ll lose is water weight and you can’t expect to keep it off for the long haul. But, if you are just looking for a fast drop before a big day, either of these quick weight loss diet will work for you.
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 March 30, 2012
Just hearing the terms “work out” or “exercise” causes many people to cringe. Yet it is a proven fact that exercise is an important concept for a healthy body and diet routine. Dieting alone will help anyone lose weight, but they must include exercise and working out; as part of the regime to maintain the weight loss and healthy body.
Learning to incorporate an exercise program, as easy as walking daily, will increase your weight loss with a healthy diet. Since many people are stationery for most of their day, adding the exercise to their lives will increase the benefits of the diet. Increasing the amount of activity increases the effects of the healthy eating habits.
Eating a healthy diet with a plan rich in protein, good carbohydrates, grains, Omega-3, and low fat foods is necessary for a serious dieter. Adding fresh vegetables and fruits to the diet provides the essential nutrients to the body. Removing the condiments and fried foods from the diet also is a great way to improve the eating habits.
Avoiding sugary and fatty foods in the diet will increase weight loss when including regiments of walking, jogging, swimming, and riding a bicycle. A healthy diet with exercise creates a healthy life style that will provide long-term weight management as well as a healthier body that is resistant to diabetes, heart disease, and other health complications.
Add water to the daily diet. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water to keep the body hydrated and flush out the toxins and fat from the body. The body needs water to have healthy lungs, kidneys, liver, hair, nails, bones, and teeth. Water in the diet also helps the person feel full (temporarily) and removes the urges to eat to relieve the feelings of hunger.
Avoid caffeine in coffee, tea, and sodas. The caffeine is not a good chemical for the body. Many feel caffeine energizes them but in reality, it actually causes fatigue when the levels drop thus creating weight gain due to the lack of energy to be active.
The more a person is active the more they will lose weight. They will have more energy, from the higher levels of exercise, which will then cause them to burn the stored fat. Losing the stored fat decreases the weight and provides a better looking body for many people.
Using a healthy diet combined with exercise and workouts can become a standard way of life, leading to a longer life span and a healthier body; that can fight off diseases and even the common cold. The well-maintained body is able to fight off heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and other diseases. People have changed their lives with a healthy diet, a good exercise program; consequently adding more productive years to their life span
Posted in Article on March 23, 2012
People are obsessed with diets. They are constantly seeking the right diet to help them lose weight. There are currently eight popular diets that have worked effectively for many people and providing more options for dieting.
1. Atkins Diet focuses on controlling the levels of insulin in the body through the food consumed. It is based on the consumption of proteins in the diet to reduce the levels of insulin in the bloodstream. The increasing of the proteins leads to weight loss in many people.
2. Zone Diet creates a nutritional balance with 40carbohydrates, 30fats, and 30protein. The focus is to control the insulin levels that will result in weight loss. The diet consists of unrefined carbohydrates and fats including nuts, olive oil, and avocado.
3. Vegetarian diet concentrates on eating non-animal based foods except for eggs, honey, and dairy products. Vegetarians have a lower body weight; suffer from less diseases, and longer life spans, according to current studies. Since the meat products have been removed from the diet, vegetarians consume less fat according to the studies.
4. Your Vegan diet is more a philosophy and way of life since the diet does not include any animal-based products including eggs, honey, dairy, and meat products. The concept of the diet is based more on environmental and ethical reasons versus health related issues.
5. Weight Watchers Diet focuses on weight loss, exercise, and a support network or group. Dieters have the ability of meeting in person with the groups or using online services for support. The diet reduces the types of foods consumed while increasing the levels of exercise.
6. South Beach diet focuses on the levels of insulin and refined carbohydrates in the diet. The foods consumed are low in fat as a method of controlling the insulin, which leads to weight loss and better health.
7. Raw Food Diet involves eating foods and drinks that are not processed but are only in their original form and organic. There are four types of raw foodists, raw vegetarians, raw vegans, raw omnivores, and raw carnivores. The belief of consuming the food in the raw form is the food does not have additives or extras that will cause health related issues including weight gain.
8. Mediterranean Diet is a diet from Southern Europe that focuses on the eating habits of citizens of Crete, Greece, and southern Italy. The concentration is on a lot of plant foods, fresh fruits as dessert, beans, nuts, cereals, seeds, olive oil for the main source of dietary fats, cheese and yogurts for the main dairy foods, moderate levels of fish, consuming less than four eggs a week, limited amounts of the red meat, and limited amounts of wine. The Mediterranean Diet consists of fat with the saturated fat less than 8of the caloric intake.
There are benefits of each type of diet. Depending on the personal life style, there is a diet available for everyone.
Posted in Article on March 21, 2012
When someone says they want some quick weight loss tips, then no doubt some think that it is impossible to lose weight quickly and more importantly, keep that weight off! Well they would be wrong because it is very possible to lose weight quickly and keep it off, and it starts by employing some of the basics that we pretty much all know.
First of all make sure breakfast is eaten every day and a healthy breakfast at that. Skipping breakfast is not what anyone looking for quick weight loss tips should be doing. Eating a healthy breakfast will kick start the metabolism when you wake, after it has slowed down during the night. Think of it this way, your metabolism is like a furnace, it needs to be fed with fuel in order for it to work at its optimum best. So get your metabolism working as soon as you wake with some fruit, cereals and a glass of water and it will begin burning fat straight away.
Drinking approximately two litres of water per day is also a great one of the quick weight loss tips that work. Water keeps the body hydrated and stops it holding onto fluid which will make you feel bloated and increase your weight. Sometimes tricky to understand, but the more water we drink, the more water our bodies naturally let go of. Not only that, drinking plenty of water helps to lower the amount of fats that the body stores. So add water to your diet and you’re bound to lose weight.
On the same note, salt is no friend to anyone looking to lose weight. Salt will make your body want to retain water which will give you that bloated feeling, so the more salt that can be cut out of the diet, the more weight will be lost.
What’s also good to know when looking for tips to lose weight quickly, is that some foods require the body to work that much harder to break them down. The results of which are that your body will use up far more calories as it digests them. That means you can lose weight by simply eating these foods that include raw fruits and vegetables and also anything that is made out of wholegrain.
Furthermore, wholegrain also falls into the fiber groups of food and anytime we eat more fiber our bodies feel fuller than they actually are. So as quick weight loss tips goes, making sure that you are eating sufficient fiber, such as brown rice, wholegrain breads and also leafy vegetables is a great way to lose weight.
Without a doubt, including some physical exercise in your weekly routine will be of benefit. Not only will it help to lose weight, but you will begin to strengthen your bones and muscles and your stamina and mental abilities will also increase.
