Author: Aaron Landry

Cellulite is a growing problem in America and across the world.  Nearly 90% of all women suffer from a degree of cellulite.  That’s why so many women are searching for a way to reduce cellulite without having to spend an arm and a leg on cellulite creams and other gimmicks.  You can  reduce cellulite naturally  without wasting your money on scammy products. Keep reading to find out how.   The term ‘cellulite’ is a word that was made up to describe the cottage cheese appearance many women  have on their hips and thighs.  It’s not a special type of fat or toxins or any other junk.  It’s just like any other fat.  The reason it shows a dimpled appearance is because of the connective tissue under the skin.  In women, most fat gets stored in the thighs and butt. Since fat is very soft, it doesn’t hold the skin taught like muscle does.  This causes it to push through gaps in the tissue and bulge out.   The skin in these problem areas is often thinner than other parts of the body.  This is often due to hormonal issues that increase fat storage in the area and break apart collagen fibers.  These factors cause the fat to bulge out and the skin to become thinner, making it even more apparanet.   To  reduce cellulite , you can perform some specific cellulite targeting exercises, and alter your diet to control problem hormones.  This combination can help to tighten the skin and tone the muscle in these problem areas.  It also can put you back in a cellulite fighting state and increase collagen production.  You can reduce cellulite naturally, you don’t need any expensive gimmicks.   Ask any doctor and they’ll tell you, there is no cream or other product that can get reduce cellulite.  It’s not a practical solution.  But don’t give up, you can reduce cellulite naturally if you really want to.

Author: Faye Brown

If you are an athlete you know that good athlete nutrition is essential. It’s not something you can just brush aside, saying, “Today I’ll be healthy, tomorrow I’m going to throw it all to the wind.” Good nutrition is as vital to your athletic performance as practicing, and when you learn the secret to good nutrition you’ll be able to enjoy improvements in your athletic performance that you never thought were possible!

The key steps to athlete nutrition:

1) If you’re thirsty, it’s already too late. Dehydration is the number one nutritional killer of most athletes’ performance, because they don’t drink enough water through the day. Not drinking enough water will leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy, and when you’re an athlete involved in a sport where every second counts you know that a few minutes of feeling sluggish and sleepy can completely ruin your performance.

Although most doctors recommend you drink six to eight glasses of water a day, that amount actually varies from person to person. The best thing you can do is cut other drinks out of your diet and drink water all day long. Remember, if your body is so dehydrated that you feel thirsty, it’s already too late.

2) Take your vitamins. Vitamin and mineral supplements are a key element in athlete nutrition, since the constant demands placed on their body burn those vitamins up faster than the average individual. Talk with your coach and your physician to see what supplements are right for you.

3) Enjoy your carbs! Although the Atkins diet has instilled a deathly fear of carbs into a huge percentage of the population, the bottom line is that your body gets its energy from its carbohydrates. As an athlete, you need that energy to keep going; as an individual, you need those carbs to replace what you burn throughout the day.

4) Keep your meat lean. There’s nothing wrong with a nice, juicy steak every once in a while, but good athlete nutrition hinges on keeping the body at a cutting edge. Lean meats are much more effective for that purpose. Remember, however, that your body craves protein as well. As an athlete your daily protein requirements may be higher than many other individuals who live more sedentary lives.

5) Avoid sweets. Sweets and sugary drinks will dehydrate you and slow you down. That’s the last thing you need! If you can, cut these sweets out of your diet completely. If you can’t, indulge in moderation. Remember, there’s a vast difference between a small slice of cake at your cousin’s wedding reception and an entire apple pie devoured in front of “I Love Lucy” re-runs!

Good athlete nutrition is a vital part of staying on top of your game. Sit down with your coach and your physician as soon as possible to work out a detailed diet plan just for you to have you at your peak athletic performance. You’ll be surprised at the difference a little change can make!

Author: Deidra Garcia

1. Beverages can cause you to gain weight.

•    True

•    False

TRUE: Many men don’t realize that beverages are often loaded with empty calories. Even fortified waters can contain as many calories as a can of soda. In fact, a recent study found that most men don’t accommodate for these extra calories with their meals.  A better bet is to stick to drinking plenty of water, as it keeps your system well-hydrated, helps food break down easier and doesn’t pack on the pounds.

2. Fasting is a good way to drop a few pounds.

•    True

•    False

FALSE: By skipping meals and then playing catch-up, you could end up promoting more fat storage and lowering your metabolism due to fluctuating insulin and blood sugar levels.  You also lose more than fat when you don’t eat…you lose muscle and tissue mass. A better bet is to follow a moderate diet and continue to exercise regularly.

3. Eating more produce reduces the pounds.

•    True

•    False

TRUE: This seems like it should go without saying, but most men don’t get their allotted five servings a day. In addition to containing vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and protein, fruits and vegetables are a low-calorie option that can help you lose weight and improve health tremendously. A few ideas for consuming more are eating a vegetarian meal at least once a week, keeping fresh produce on hand for snacks (even canned vegetables and fruits are valuable as long as they don’t contain heavy syrup or preservatives), and adding more to salads, sandwiches and as side dishes..

4. Drinking a lot of water causes you to lose weight.

•    True

•    False

FALSE: Water is key to fending of dehydration and it helps the body processes. It even helps provide a “full” feeling. But drinking water does not burn off calories, and drinking an excessive amount of water can also add to temporary water weight and make you feel bloated.

5. You need to exercise as well as diet to lose weight.

•    True

•    False

TRUE: Many men think if they eat right they can skip exercising altogether. Or vice versa. Wrong. If you are actively looking to lose weight, you are going to have to regularly exercise as well as follow a nutritious diet. Exercising 3-4 times a week not only improves cardiovascular and overall health, it also helps you burn calories as you build muscle.

6. You can keep your weight down by skipping meals.

•    True

•    False

FALSE: Although experts are divided on how many meals you should eat (3 moderate meals, or several small ones throughout the day), mealtimes need to be kept at the same time every day so your body knows when to feel hungry. Skipping meals can cause you to overeat at the next meal as your body tries to make up for the meal that was missed.

7. Diets that focus on adding or removing only one type of food are the most effective.

•    True

•    False

FALSE: Many fad diets rely on eating a large quantity of or removing one substance or food from your diet (for example: low-carb diet, the cabbage diet, etc.). But the fact is that eating too much of one thing can cause you to miss out on valuable nutrients in other foods (how many fruits contain protein?). And your body needs many components to function well (carbs provide energy, etc.). Instead of drastically cutting or adding an ingredient, try reducing “bad” foods and eating moderate servings of more varied foods.

8. You can still snack and eat your favorite foods as you diet.

•    True

•    False

TRUE: The reason many men fail at weight management is because they try to deprive themselves of their favorite foods…which may not be the healthiest. Unfortunately, when deprived like this, many guys tend to overeat or binge at the slightest waver of willpower. There’s no need to give up desserts or less-than-healthy options…just eat them in small servings and restrict them to only once or twice a week. Even restaurant meals and fast food options can be conquered if you keep the portions small (take half home as leftovers) and you’re aware of what exactly you are consuming, nutrition-wise.

9. How you eat is just as important as what you eat.

•    True

•    False

TRUE: Ever wolf down a huge plate of food and then realize that you weren’t even that hungry to begin with? This happens more frequently than most men think. Men who overeat tend to eat very quickly. This does not allow your stomach time to process food and does not allow your brain time to realize you’ve had enough. A better option is to take your time as you eat: you’ll be able to recognize when you fill full (and then stop) and it will also help with digestion. Not to mention that you’ll be able to savor the flavors much better this way!

10. Nutritional supplements don’t help you lose weight.

•    True

•    False

FALSE: While you cannot rely on a nutritional supplement for all of your dietary needs, they can help you attain significant weigh loss results when coupled with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Just make sure they contain high concentrations of natural ingredients from a trusted source.

11. You always gain weight when you quit smoking.

•    True

•    False

FALSE: Although some men gain weight when they quit, the benefits of quitting smoking far outweigh the risk of putting on a few pounds. And you can avoid that altogether by avoiding snacking on fattening foods. Instead, keep healthier options available (such as veggies, fruit or even sugar-less gum) for when a craving occurs. Exercise can also work out anxiety.

ANSWER KEY:

9 – 11 correct: Fitness guru

6 – 8 correct:     A healthy mind set

3 – 5 correct:     Need some coaching

0 – 2 correct:     Get off the couch!

Author: Nara Demie

We often see claims such as “zero trans fat” and “reduced in calories” on the front of food packages highlighting a product’s nutrition features. They are a quick and easy way to get information about a food, but these eye-catching statements do not tell the whole story. For example, a food free of trans fat may still be high in Calories. Be sure to also read the Nutrition Facts table to determine what a claim is really telling you.

Furthermore, the word “light” on a food label can mean different things. This claim is used to describe a food as “reduced in fat” and “reduced in calories”, but not always. Sometimes the word “light” describes the taste, colour or texture of a food. Manufacturers must describe what is “light” about the food. Manufacturers can only use a nutrition claim if their product meets certain criteria. Here are some other definitions for claims that may come in handy:  “Low” is always associated with a very small amount. “Low in fat” means the food contains no more than 3g (grams) of fat in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts.

“Reduced in calories” means the food contains at least 25% less energy than the food to which it is compared.  “Source of fibre” means the food contains at least 2g of dietary fibre in the amount of food listed under the Nutrition Facts. A food with the claim ‘High source of fibre’ contains at least 4g in that amount of food. It is recommended that most to consume about 25g or more of fibre per day.  “Less” is used to compare one product with another. For example, a box of crackers claiming to contain “50% less salt” will have half the sodium of the food to which it’s compared. It doesn’t necessarily mean the product is low in sodium, so check the sodium content in the Nutrition Facts.   While claims are a good starting point, you need to check the Nutrition Facts to get the details.

The Nutrition Facts Table - What’s in it for You?  Have you ever wondered about the nutrition value of your favourite breakfast cereal? Does it have the dietary fibre you need? Is it high or low in sodium or saturated fat?  The Nutrition Facts table, which you see on almost all pre-packaged foods, makes it easier to answer questions you may have about what is in the foods you buy. In the Nutrition Facts you will find the number of Calories and the amounts of 13 nutrients contained in a specific amount of the food. These nutrients will be expressed in grams (g) or milligrams (mg) or as a % Daily Value.   The Daily Values are based on recommendations for a healthy diet. The % Daily Value makes comparing foods easier because it puts all nutrients on the same scale (0% – 100% Daily Value), much like a ruler. For example, a food that has a % Daily Value of 5% or less for fat, sodium or cholesterol would be low in these nutrients. A food that has a % Daily Value of 15% or more for calcium, vitamin A or fibre would be high in these nutrients.   In general, you should look for a higher % Daily Value next to nutrients you are trying to increase in your diet, such as fibre, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Look for a lower % Daily Value for nutrients you are trying to decrease, such as saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium.   Also remember to compare the specific amount of food listed at the top of the Nutrition Facts to the amount that you eat. If you eat double the amount listed, don’t forget to double the values for Calories and nutrients.        Nutrition Labelling – It’s the Amount That Counts         Food labels are valuable sources of information. A Nutrition Facts table is found on almost all food labels and it can tell you a lot about the food you buy. Reading food labels can help you make informed food choices, but there are important tips to keep in mind.   The nutrient information in the Nutrition Facts is always based on a specific ‘amount’ of food measured in household units – such as a cup of milk, or a slice of bread – followed by the metric measurement (g, mL). The amount reflects the quantity people usually eat at one sitting. The key however, is comparing the amount in the Nutrition Facts to the amount you actually eat. -Why? A favourite bowl you use at breakfast might hold anywhere from a ½ cup to a 2 ½ cup amount of cereal. Having 2 ½ cups of a particular cereal may be five times the amount specified in the Nutrition Facts. If the cereal box label indicates a ½ cup amount is 120 Calories, this means that, instead of consuming 120 Calories, you have just consumed a 600 Calorie bowl of cereal.   More tips for using the Nutrition Facts:  Remember – the amount of food in the Nutrition Facts is not a recommended serving. Canada’s Food Guide recommends the amount and type of food needed for different age and gender groups, as well as different stages of life.    Nutrition Facts on different brands of the same type of food may be based on different amounts of food. For example, one brand of crackers may have nutrition information based on eight crackers, while another brand’s is based on only four crackers. So check the metric amount under the Nutrition Facts when comparing products.    Not all foods are sold ‘ready to eat’. Foods that require preparation, such as cake mix baked with an egg, or breakfast cereal served with milk, will have one column in Nutrition Facts providing nutrient values for the food as sold, while another column will provide nutrient values for the food “as prepared,” with the extra egg or milk, for example.

Author: Eddie Lomax

Mention strength training, and weight lifting or using machines immediately comes to mind.  But there are many types of strength, not just “maximum” strength.  I want to show you how bodyweight strength training is excellent for increasing each type of strength and why you should use your own bodyweight first and as an ongoing part of your strength training.

So, what is strength?

Well, a simple definition of strength is the capacity your body has to exert muscular and skeletal force against a resistance.  The resistance can be the weight of your own body,  the weight of something else or both.  So, the larger capacity you have to move your own body or a foreign object in your environment, the stronger you are.

And being stronger has its benefits:

-    You can do more with your body and objects you find in your environment
-    You reduce the risk of injury because of increased ability to control your body and other objects
-    You gain confidence knowing there is strength behind your movements
-    You can overcome the challenges of sport, work and life easier
-    And you look better because your strength is visually apparent in strong muscles

But the truth is, there are many different kinds of strength.  And I believe each one can be improved upon with bodyweight strength training.  Here we are going to look at the three main types of strength: maximal strength, explosive strength and strength endurance.

Bodyweight Training For Maximal Strength

Maximal strength is the amount of force that can be generated from one, all out effort, regardless of time or bodyweight.

Some people say weight training is best for maximal strength training, and for some exercises they are right.  However, many trainees are using weights to perform exercises because they can’t handle the weight of their own body.  For example, many men and women do Lat Pull Downs because they can’t do pull ups or chin ups.

There are many other bodyweight exercises that can build maximal strength.  How about one-arm pushups or one-leg squats as strength builders?  Most weight lifters can’t perform these exercises, regardless of the weights they use in their training.

Bodyweight Strength Training For Explosive Strength

Explosive strength is strength per unit of time, and is also known as speed strength.  So, this is how much force you can generate in the shortest amount of time.  In terms of bodyweight training, it means how fast you can move your body from one position to another.

Think of explosive movements like jumping squats or plyometric pushups where your body is propelled with such force it actually leaves the ground.  Is this type of strength important?  You bet it is!

Bodyweight Strength Training For Strength Endurance

Strength endurance is the amount of force you can generate for an extended period if time.  It is the ability to be as strong as possible as long as possible.  This type of strength is characterized by being able to perform a movement repeatedly without being overcome by fatigue or sacrificing form.

When you think of bodyweight strength training, this is normally the type of strength people think of.  Rhythmic, repeated bodyweight calisthenics for example builds strength endurance.

As you can see, there are a lot of different types of strength.  And you can train each one by using the weight of your own body.  No outside resistance is necessary.

Think of it this way.  The training you do is specific.  If you do a certain type of exercise, you become better at that exercise.  So, if you are training for all-purpose strength (which included maximal, explosive and endurance strength) where the object performing the movement is your own body, there is no better tool than bodyweight calisthenics.

Bodyweight strength training should be the starting point, and a continual part, of everyone’s over-all workout program.

Author: Chuck Arnone

Many of our readers asked for simple nutrition tips for women.  Women today are busier than ever before. Their stress is exacerbated by today’s fast paced, pre-packaged, convenience based society and the toxins that come from antibiotics and household cleaners.  Iron-deficiency anemia is very common in young women. Women need nutrition and they need to be CLEAN from toxins. Here’s a nutrition tip for all women — berries are your friends.

While women’s role in the food chain is essential to produce that all-important resource, food, it paradoxically does not guarantee women even minimum levels of nutrition.  Women are often responsible for producing and preparing food for the household, so their knowledge  or lack thereof  about nutritions effect on the entire family.  Women with adequate stores of iron and other micronutrients are less likely to suffer fatal infections and are more likely to survive bleeding during and after childbirth.  Women in developing countries are also regularly deficient in vitamin A, iodine, and energy.  Women of child-bearing age are recommended to take folic acid supplements and consume a folic-rich diet.  Women are also at higher risk for developing osteoporosis and need more calcium and vitamin D to prevent it.  Studies showed that women with vitamin D insufficiency absorb less than 10 percent of available calcium.

However, even among the poor, different groups of women are affected differently by macro development policies, such as the commercialization of agriculture or family planning.  The conflict between women’s (economic) earning role and (biological and social) mothering role results to some degree in a squeeze on child care, with consequences for child health and nutrition.  While women will be mothers too, motherhood is just one part of the inexorable life cycle.  We need programs to increase women’s awareness, self-confidence, and motivation to act.  Men must be educated about the cost to society of neglecting women and the need for affirmative action for women, which arises both from the fact of their greater work burden and their unique reproductive roles.  The issue of women’s nutrition status and roles is crucial to the proposal for nutrition as a basic right for all in the 1990s, in which human development goals are paramount over economic goals.  Programming for women’s health must extend beyond their role as mothers to encompass their non-reproductive and work-related energy and health needs.

The nutrition tips for women broadcast on the news often imply that nutrition may magically cure all kinds of diseases.  The role of nutrition is to feed our bodies.  1 nutrition tip for women is to regularly include iron-rich foods such as meat, shellfish, beans and enriched cereals in your diet.  The effects of high levels of protein-energy malnutrition and anemia among women.  The nutritional handicap accumulated in the life of a woman is passed on to the next generation through low birth weight, which considerably reduces survival and jeopardizes growth.  The ultimate constraint of time affects the extent to which women can acquire nutritional goods and services and allocate them to improving their own well-being or that of their families.  The best way to give your body the balanced nutrition it needs is by eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods every day.  In some respects, men and women have different nutritional needs, largely due to differences in male and female hormones.

“If you look at the current federal dietary guidelines for kids, there is no difference in nutritional needs for males and females until age 9,” says Elaine Turner, PhD, RD, associate professor in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida in Gainesville.  Pregnancy drives the role of women and nutrition.  If you need fewer calories, the calories you take in need to pack a lot of nutritional punch.  One way that traditionally-minded woman can continue to keep their strength and health within the cycles of the creation,is through the use of berry plants.  Remember, too that although berry plants have much nutritional value, they are only meant to supplement and enhance a well-balanced diet.

Anemia is the most common form of malnutrition, afflicting an estimated 47 percent of women worldwide, and anemia in pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal death.  For maximum effect, improving women’s nutrition should begin long before pregnancy.  Improving nutrition by maintaining a healthy diet before and during pregnancy and also during lactation can help to ensure adequate gestational weight gain, prevent weight loss during lactation, help strengthen the immune system, and delay HIV disease progression.  Good nutrition is important for all pregnant and lactating women irrespective of their HIV status. Ignorance about the symptoms of malnutrition, such as the lethargy and depression caused by iron deficiency, may be dismissed as “normal” or unimportant, further exacerbating the problem.  Addressing women’s malnutrition has a range of positive effects because healthy women can fulfill their multiple roles  generating income, ensuring their families’ nutrition, and having healthy children  more effectively and thereby help advance countries’ socioeconomic development.  Well-nourished mothers are more likely to have infants with healthy birth weights, and such children are less likely to ever suffer from malnutrition.  For reasons including women’s reproductive biology, low social status, poverty, and lack of education, they suffer from nutritional imbalances.  After the first year of life adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition.

Author: Body Fitness

Following are the  Components of Physical fitness  :   1. Speed: Speed is the ability of a person to execute motor movements with high speed in the shortest period of time. It is equal to the distance covered per unit of time. the element of speed is involved in most of the athletic skills such as in sprint running, some skills of soccer, basketball, etc.

2.Strength: Strength is the ability of a muscle to expert or release force by contraction enabling a person to overcome resistance or to act against resistance.

3. Power: Power is the ability of muscle to release maximum force in the shortest period of time. It is equal to force multiplied by speed. It is the combination of strength and speed. Speed and force must be combined for effective performance in activities like baseball throw, jumps for height, football kick, boxing punch,etc.

4. Endurance :Endurance is the ability of the person to perform movement of moderate (Sub-maximum) contractions over prolonged period of time under conditions of fatigue or tiredness. It is the product of all psychic and physical energy of human body.

5. Flexibility : Flexibility is the ability of a muscle to perform movements with large range of motion.

6. Agility : Agility is the ability of a person to change positions in space or to change directions quickly and effectively e.g. football player quickly changes direction or giving dodge to opponent, hurdle crossing over the barrier or hurdles, zig-zag running, etc.

7. Balance : Balance is the ability of a person to control human body or to maintain equilibrium under static and dynamic conditions e.g. hand stand, skating, skiing, catching a fly in baseball, etc.   – By  Body Health  Blog .

Author: Bill Nad

So what’s The Purpose of Leading Exercise Ball? Before looking at the motives of using a leading exercise ball, we need to understand as to what exactly are exercise balls and why are they even used in the first place? Exercise balls are also known by several alternative names such as Swiss balls or fitness balls, the latter term being more prevalent. There are several exercises in yoga, Pilates or other general workout in which the body needs to stay balanced while performing the exercise.

It is under these conditions that an exercise or fitness ball is used. Virtually all exercise balls have an outer coating of soft elastic PVC which is completely harmless to the human touch and hence is ideal for contact exercises. The basic principle behind using exercise balls is to increase the effort required for exercising which will eventually help in building more muscles. There are several ways in which exercise balls are used such as by adding balance challenges during exercising or by engaging the scarcely used muscles to provide balance to the entire body which will correspondingly help in strengthening of such muscles.

The leading exercise ball is a special kind of exercise ball which was invented jointly by some Swiss medical therapists. Initially, the only purpose of leading exercise ball was to provide support during various exercises and the reason as to why such a need was felt is because a rigid surface, when used for support, can induce unnecessary strain on the contact muscles. It is here that the leading exercise ball provides the solution by replacing a rigid surface with a soft, compressible surface thereby lessening the amount of muscle strain considerably. All the major muscles of the body can be strengthened by working out with the leading exercise ball. Since these balls maintain their strength even while undergoing pressure, they are quite popular even among those engaging in yoga or aerobics. Such balls are also used by several athletes who are engaged in heavy duty workout training. It’s important to note here that leading exercise balls do require some time to get used to in an optimum manner. It is not recommended that you go all out using a leading exercise ball with each and every exercise that you do, while just starting out. In fact, you should limit yourself in using a leading exercise ball with a maximum of two exercises while starting out. Of course, if you have been working out for quite some time, say two months, then you can surely use a leading exercise ball with any exercise which you have mastered during your time in the gym.

Again, let me add here that a leading exercise ball should be used with caution and not by throwing caution to the wind. As mentioned earlier, leading exercise ball was originally invented to cure medical conditions but this is no longer the case. Several exercises which are done with a standing position can include a leading exercise ball to simultaneously improve the back muscles as well. Similarly for those exercises which are done in a sitting position, addition of leading exercise ball can dramatically improve the abdominal muscles.