Don't expect to eat all the junk saturated or trans fats to lose fat. Not only that, they'll swell your waisteline and clog up your arteries.
Some essential unsaturated fats are good healthy fats that help protect your heart and arteries and prevent other diseases.
So what are these "good" fats?
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
It's an omega-3 fatty acid produced in algae then goes up in food chain to fish. Omega-3s are major components of the cell membranes and are vital elements in your immune system.
Omega-3s have been shown to reduce heart disease risk, decrease "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and lower blood pressure. They fight inflammation such as from workout and prevent inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.
According to Dr. Andrew Stoll, director of phychopharmacology laboratory at McLean Hospital in boston, an adult male with no major health problems should get a gram of EPA a day. Eating fish two or three times a week will help meet this requirement.
With concern about heavy metal pollution contained in fish, it's wise to try different fish in different sources. Sources of EPA include: fatty fish (sardines and salmon), grass-fed beef, specially labeled eggs (Eggland's Best and Gold Circle Farms), and supplements.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
It's another omega-3 fatty acid not produced by the human body. Researchers have found that DHA is essential for brain development. Low levels of DHA have been associated with depression and Alzhimer's disease.
According to Dr. Stoll, taking in DHA 100 to 200 mg a day should be sufficient for an adult make since it accumulates in the body over time. A fish-oil supplement that has enough EPA is likely to contain at least that much.
The sources of DHA are the same as for EPA.
ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)
This fatty acid is converted by human body into the omega-3s EPA and DHA. ALA has been found to lower risk of heart disease and some cancers. It may also help lower blood pressure, help relieve arthritis pain and reduce the risk of depression.
A few studies, however, have found a correlation between high ALA consumption and an increased risk of prostate cancer. Therefore, some doctors are against men taking flaxseed oil which has a high concentration of both linolenic acid and linoleic acid.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
How to Control Your Cravings
You Can't Stop the Cravings!
Controlling your cravings is probably one of the most difficult ordeal when you're on a diet. It's a true test on your will power. And the chances are that you will lose the "will power" game - another reason not to go on diet.
It's All About Blood Sugar
Cravings are all about blood sugar. If you eat consistently throughout the day, your blood sugar levels are like to be consistent as well. When you starve yourself for hours, your hunger and cravings will call. And you will answer by surrendering yourself to over eating and binge eating when you get that chance.
When you suddenly eat a lot, particularly simple carb or sugar, the fast-rising blood sugar triggers your pancreas to release a flood of insulin, a hormone that not only lowers blood sugar but also signals your body to store fat. Insulin tends to spike up and then sends blood sugar crashing. This reinforces the binge, because it makes you crave sugar and starch again.
How to Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check
The most effective way to keep you blood sugar in check is to avoid foods that are made with added sugar such as soda, some fruit juices, baked goods. In addition, minimize foods that contain high amounts of starch such as pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, or any other flour-based foods. You should limit yourself to 30 to 40 grams (g) of total carbohydrates at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 10 to 20 g at any given snack.
More Effective Strategies ...
Here are 8 strategies to help you control your cravings:
1. Eat regularly
Eat approximately every 3 hours. This allows you to eat smaller meals without becoming hungry.
2. Have protein and fat at every meal
This slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, which helps prevent spikes in blood sugar.
3. Eat more whole grain
Shop carefully for carbs. Make sure any bread, pasta, or rice that you eat is 100 percent whole grain. Because whole grains contain fiber, their effect on your blood sugar is reduced.
4. Eat breakfast
Since you sleep for 6 to 8 hours without any food intake, your body is essentially running empty in the morning. Your body demands all sorts of vital nutrients to function normally. If you skip breakfast and by the time you get to work at 8 or 9 o'clock, you'll desperately seek sugar that is easy to find. The most convenient foods are often the same ones you should be avoiding. These convenient foods are in the vending machines or on your eye-level shelves in the supermarkets. They're usually packed with sugar (candy bars, soda), or other fast-digesting carbohydrates (cookies, chips).
5. Watch your food environment
In my earlier article on New Year's Resolutions, watching your environment is one of my TOP 10 strageties. If you want to stay healthy and fit, you really need to watch your food environment in your home, at work, and in your car. Clean out your cupboard and fridge. Restock them with healthy foods and snacks such as almonds and other nuts, cheese, fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna, chicken, and salmon. Keep healthy snacks at work and in your car. So when it's time to eat, you won't run to the vending machines for pricey sugary snacks. You won't drive through the fast-food joints when you're on the go.
6. Sense the hunger signal
Have a craving for sweets, even though you ate just an hour ago? When the hunger strikes, everything in sight is so tantalizing and irresistible. Your WILL POWER just doesn't do anyting good at all. You can replace your old habit of eating more sweets for a quick pick-me-up with a new healthy habit of doing 15 pushups, 15 squats and one-pint water.
7. Take a sensible approach
Before you put money in the vending machines or drive-thru, think about whether it's moving you one step closer to your goals or one step away from them. Think abut the consequences. Rethink about your goals and commitments. The changes are in 8 or 9 out of 10 times, you'll make a better and wiser decision.
8. Find more motivation
If your diet's only purpose is to help you finally achieve six-pack abs, it may be hard to stick with for the long haul. An easy fix is to find additional incentives to motivate yourself. Think about improving your overall health, reducing healthcare cost, better life quality.
8 1/2. Natural remedy
This tip cannot be counted as a full strategy. If you have tried all of the above strategies and still want something more or different, you can try sniffing peppermint essential oil to help you curb appetite. Click here to learn more about the science and research study.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Controlling your cravings is probably one of the most difficult ordeal when you're on a diet. It's a true test on your will power. And the chances are that you will lose the "will power" game - another reason not to go on diet.
It's All About Blood Sugar
Cravings are all about blood sugar. If you eat consistently throughout the day, your blood sugar levels are like to be consistent as well. When you starve yourself for hours, your hunger and cravings will call. And you will answer by surrendering yourself to over eating and binge eating when you get that chance.
When you suddenly eat a lot, particularly simple carb or sugar, the fast-rising blood sugar triggers your pancreas to release a flood of insulin, a hormone that not only lowers blood sugar but also signals your body to store fat. Insulin tends to spike up and then sends blood sugar crashing. This reinforces the binge, because it makes you crave sugar and starch again.
How to Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check
The most effective way to keep you blood sugar in check is to avoid foods that are made with added sugar such as soda, some fruit juices, baked goods. In addition, minimize foods that contain high amounts of starch such as pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, or any other flour-based foods. You should limit yourself to 30 to 40 grams (g) of total carbohydrates at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 10 to 20 g at any given snack.
More Effective Strategies ...
Here are 8 strategies to help you control your cravings:
1. Eat regularly
Eat approximately every 3 hours. This allows you to eat smaller meals without becoming hungry.
2. Have protein and fat at every meal
This slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, which helps prevent spikes in blood sugar.
3. Eat more whole grain
Shop carefully for carbs. Make sure any bread, pasta, or rice that you eat is 100 percent whole grain. Because whole grains contain fiber, their effect on your blood sugar is reduced.
4. Eat breakfast
Since you sleep for 6 to 8 hours without any food intake, your body is essentially running empty in the morning. Your body demands all sorts of vital nutrients to function normally. If you skip breakfast and by the time you get to work at 8 or 9 o'clock, you'll desperately seek sugar that is easy to find. The most convenient foods are often the same ones you should be avoiding. These convenient foods are in the vending machines or on your eye-level shelves in the supermarkets. They're usually packed with sugar (candy bars, soda), or other fast-digesting carbohydrates (cookies, chips).
5. Watch your food environment
In my earlier article on New Year's Resolutions, watching your environment is one of my TOP 10 strageties. If you want to stay healthy and fit, you really need to watch your food environment in your home, at work, and in your car. Clean out your cupboard and fridge. Restock them with healthy foods and snacks such as almonds and other nuts, cheese, fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna, chicken, and salmon. Keep healthy snacks at work and in your car. So when it's time to eat, you won't run to the vending machines for pricey sugary snacks. You won't drive through the fast-food joints when you're on the go.
6. Sense the hunger signal
Have a craving for sweets, even though you ate just an hour ago? When the hunger strikes, everything in sight is so tantalizing and irresistible. Your WILL POWER just doesn't do anyting good at all. You can replace your old habit of eating more sweets for a quick pick-me-up with a new healthy habit of doing 15 pushups, 15 squats and one-pint water.
7. Take a sensible approach
Before you put money in the vending machines or drive-thru, think about whether it's moving you one step closer to your goals or one step away from them. Think abut the consequences. Rethink about your goals and commitments. The changes are in 8 or 9 out of 10 times, you'll make a better and wiser decision.
8. Find more motivation
If your diet's only purpose is to help you finally achieve six-pack abs, it may be hard to stick with for the long haul. An easy fix is to find additional incentives to motivate yourself. Think about improving your overall health, reducing healthcare cost, better life quality.
8 1/2. Natural remedy
This tip cannot be counted as a full strategy. If you have tried all of the above strategies and still want something more or different, you can try sniffing peppermint essential oil to help you curb appetite. Click here to learn more about the science and research study.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Truth about Building Muscle: Your Best Secret Weapon Revealed
Lean muscle is the best fat burning engine. Period.
What's the best way to build lean muscle?
It's not just the exercises, light weight - high reps or heavy weight - low reps, etc. These are all good and important, but not enough.
The secret to build muscles is to do whatever you can to to increase your testosterone level. Why testosterone (T)?
Testosterone (T) helps activate Type I slow-twitch (for endurance) and Type IIb fast-twitch (for strength and power) fibers to Type IIa fibers which have the greatest potential for muscle growth from weight training.
A high-intensity weight training session boosts your T levels for about 1-2 hours after the workout and then levels off after about 48 hours. This is actually a good thing, although research does not know why this happens, because T is taken up by the muscles to increase protein synthesis.
Now you know why it's importance to recover from workout to workout. As you work out more and more and get bigger and stronger, your body's hormone receptors become more sensitive and are able to do more with the same amount of T. Consistent training also results in activating your T receptors with small bursts of testosterone, making your body more efficient at using T.
As you know, muscle is your secret weapon to fighting abdominal fat, especially the fat that accumulates around your mid section (the 'love handle"). Research shows that increased abdominal fat decreases T levels. So weight training increases testosterone's effects simply by reducing body fat. Sounds good?
But what's the best way to increase your natural testosterone level?
Lean muscle is your secret weapon to fighting abdominal fat, especially the fat that accumulates around your mid section (the 'love handle"). The reason behind this is that testosterone is the anabolic hormone responsible for muscular development.
So what's the best way to increase your natural testosterone level?
What's the best way to build lean muscle?
It's not just the exercises, light weight - high reps or heavy weight - low reps, etc. These are all good and important, but not enough.
The secret to build muscles is to do whatever you can to to increase your testosterone level. Why testosterone (T)?
Testosterone (T) helps activate Type I slow-twitch (for endurance) and Type IIb fast-twitch (for strength and power) fibers to Type IIa fibers which have the greatest potential for muscle growth from weight training.
A high-intensity weight training session boosts your T levels for about 1-2 hours after the workout and then levels off after about 48 hours. This is actually a good thing, although research does not know why this happens, because T is taken up by the muscles to increase protein synthesis.
Now you know why it's importance to recover from workout to workout. As you work out more and more and get bigger and stronger, your body's hormone receptors become more sensitive and are able to do more with the same amount of T. Consistent training also results in activating your T receptors with small bursts of testosterone, making your body more efficient at using T.
As you know, muscle is your secret weapon to fighting abdominal fat, especially the fat that accumulates around your mid section (the 'love handle"). Research shows that increased abdominal fat decreases T levels. So weight training increases testosterone's effects simply by reducing body fat. Sounds good?
But what's the best way to increase your natural testosterone level?
Lean muscle is your secret weapon to fighting abdominal fat, especially the fat that accumulates around your mid section (the 'love handle"). The reason behind this is that testosterone is the anabolic hormone responsible for muscular development.
So what's the best way to increase your natural testosterone level?
- Lift heavy that recruit, involve and stimulate more muscle tissue.
- Use compound movements to maximize muscle-fiber involvement such as squat and deadlift.
- Keep rest interval short to effectively optimize hormone release.
- Don't over-train to avoid releasing catabolic hormone (cortisol) which breaks down muscle fiber.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
FREE Preview Call of a 10-Week Intensive Life & Body Makeover Program "New Life, New Body, New You"
You've heard from me for a while about the new 10-week group coaching and training program "New Life, New Body, New You" that I put together with an Empowerment Life Coach.
The 10-week intensive life and body makeover program is designed to bring about a WHOLE NEW YOU.
This Group Teleclass will start in March and finish by Memorial Day Weekend - the unofficial kickoff of summer in U.S. You'll be ready for the swimsuit season with great confidence in your body and about yourself.
In this intensive group coaching and training program, we'll teach you, coach you and guide you step-by-step to a new level of life balance, a body of your dreams and a whole new YOU.
You must have been curious about this program and what it is all about. I'll present the program details in a FREE teleclass this Friday February 22nd at 12:00 pm EST. Sign up here for the FREE teleclass. You don't want to miss this great opportunity to fire away your burning questions.
>> Sign up here for the FREE teleclass
This is just the beginning of the beginning .... because in this FREE teleclass we'll show you
www.YourDreamBodyWorkoutXpert.com
24/7 Dream Body Hotline: 973.303.2424
The 10-week intensive life and body makeover program is designed to bring about a WHOLE NEW YOU.
This Group Teleclass will start in March and finish by Memorial Day Weekend - the unofficial kickoff of summer in U.S. You'll be ready for the swimsuit season with great confidence in your body and about yourself.
In this intensive group coaching and training program, we'll teach you, coach you and guide you step-by-step to a new level of life balance, a body of your dreams and a whole new YOU.
You must have been curious about this program and what it is all about. I'll present the program details in a FREE teleclass this Friday February 22nd at 12:00 pm EST. Sign up here for the FREE teleclass. You don't want to miss this great opportunity to fire away your burning questions.
>> Sign up here for the FREE teleclass
This is just the beginning of the beginning .... because in this FREE teleclass we'll show you
- Why your New Year's Resolutions fail in the first month
- Why "dieting" doesn't work, and what to do instead
- Why exercise isn't enough, but working out 7 days a week may hurt you
- Why stress makes you gain weight and what to do about it
- Why losing 20 (or any number) pounds is a wrong goal
- Why doing hundreds of situps won't get you six pack abs if ...
- How to FINALLY lose the weight and keep it OFF for good
In the full 10-week curriculum, you will learn how to:
- Define yourself and your life purpose
- Reprogram your mindset
- Optimize your lifestyle
- Set your S.M.A.R.T. goals
- Replenish and manage your energy
- Eat healthy and nutrient-rich foods
- Plan your schedule for training, fueling and nourishing your body
- Train to build muscle, lose fat and get your dream body
- Deal with challenges and obstacles
- Manage your stress and create your work-life balance
- Appreciate and celebrate a whole New YOU
Click here and follow the instructions to sign up for the FREE preview call. In the call, I will give you an overview about the curriculum, class structure, schedule and investment. In the end, I'll make you an irresistible bonus offer. I love to hear you in the call and answer any questions you may have.
It's FREE to listen to the teleclass, but you need to sign up to receive the call-in phone number and access code.
>> Sign up here for the FREE teleclass
Your Dream Body WorkoutXpertwww.YourDreamBodyWorkoutXpert.com
24/7 Dream Body Hotline: 973.303.2424
Saturday, February 16, 2008
What Defines a Champion?
When you find yourself slack off in your workout next time, watch this inspirational video to give you the shot in the arm.
What defines a champion?
The warrior' spirit - never give up no matter what.
Pick up where you left off.
Have a big goal! Have a big dream!
Find your passion and desire to overcome the obstacles.
My salute to Dustin Carter!
What defines a champion?
The warrior' spirit - never give up no matter what.
Pick up where you left off.
Have a big goal! Have a big dream!
Find your passion and desire to overcome the obstacles.
My salute to Dustin Carter!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Three Highs - What Else Is New?
I'm traveling on the road today. In fact, I was on the air half of the time. Getting out of the door, driving through the slush in heavy icy rain, waiting for the security check at the airport was definitely not a fun thing.
This is probably the only time that I pick up the free newspaper USA Today from the hotel. Naturally I glance through the headline news, particularly health related topics. It's often not so good news 9 of 10 times.
One headline reads "More using prescription drugs." It may sound a good news on the paper since more Americans are taking care of themselves (by the order of their doctors) by taking prescription drugs.
The findings in the 40-State study by Express Scripts are troublesome. The percentage of Americans taking prescription drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol increased by more than 50% from year 2000 to 2006. The cost is about $12 billion.
Specifically, from year 2000 to 2006, the percentage of insured Americans taking prescription drugs for high cholesterol increased from 6.1% to 13.2%, for diabetes 3.1% to 5.5%, for high blood pressure from 8.0% to 14.1%.
Among the 40 states, the states with the highest rates of prescription drug usage are also high in obesity rates including Mississippi and West Virgina. These three health conditions can be associated with obesity.
Taking prescription drugs may help reduce future more costly medical procedures dealing with heart attack, stroke and other problems. Prevention is the key to reduce the need for drugs. Prescription drugs are still a very expensive way of dealing with the problem. It all adds up to the economic cost.
So the question is how to prevent these problems from happening or at least minimize the risk and impact?
You know the answers --- healthy lifestyle and habit changes, regualr exercise and physical activities, balanced nutrition and diet, and social support. What else is new?
Yes, it's that simple. People take either a long way around or a shortcut, but rarely the right way!
Source Link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-02-12-drugs_N.htm
This is probably the only time that I pick up the free newspaper USA Today from the hotel. Naturally I glance through the headline news, particularly health related topics. It's often not so good news 9 of 10 times.
One headline reads "More using prescription drugs." It may sound a good news on the paper since more Americans are taking care of themselves (by the order of their doctors) by taking prescription drugs.
The findings in the 40-State study by Express Scripts are troublesome. The percentage of Americans taking prescription drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol increased by more than 50% from year 2000 to 2006. The cost is about $12 billion.
Specifically, from year 2000 to 2006, the percentage of insured Americans taking prescription drugs for high cholesterol increased from 6.1% to 13.2%, for diabetes 3.1% to 5.5%, for high blood pressure from 8.0% to 14.1%.
Among the 40 states, the states with the highest rates of prescription drug usage are also high in obesity rates including Mississippi and West Virgina. These three health conditions can be associated with obesity.
Taking prescription drugs may help reduce future more costly medical procedures dealing with heart attack, stroke and other problems. Prevention is the key to reduce the need for drugs. Prescription drugs are still a very expensive way of dealing with the problem. It all adds up to the economic cost.
So the question is how to prevent these problems from happening or at least minimize the risk and impact?
You know the answers --- healthy lifestyle and habit changes, regualr exercise and physical activities, balanced nutrition and diet, and social support. What else is new?
Yes, it's that simple. People take either a long way around or a shortcut, but rarely the right way!
Source Link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-02-12-drugs_N.htm
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Buddy Up to Shape Up
If you made your New Year's Resolutions to get in shape this year and still stay on your training program, give yourself a round of applause and a pat on your back.
In fact, you beat 36% of the people who resolve to lose weight and change their eating habits. I have cited a study from the University of Scranton in my earlier post that only 64% of these resolutons are still maintained after one month.
That sounds encouraging since 2 out of 3 are still sticking to their resolutions. Unfortunately, enthusiasm and momentum may start to wear off after 6 weeks where many people hit the first critical plateau on the psychological and physical levels. Some people start to slack and slowly relapse in their training and diet. A few people find ways to change up to make it through. The same study showed that only half are still on track after 6 months.
In my TOP 10 Tips to Beat the New Year's Resolutoins Syndrome, I have offered my advices on how to stick to your New Year's Resolutions. The #10 Tip is to watch your environment as quoted in the following.
If you want to lose weight and change your habits, buddy up with a like-minded friend who shares a similar goal with you. Buddy System is one great way to help you (both of you) stay on track. Joining a Mastermind Group or fitness inner circle surrounds youself with positive, high energy, health conscious like-minded peer.
According to a psychology professor John C. Norcross at the University of Scranton, "having someone to exercise or someone who bugs you about going to the gym doesn't make a difference in January, but it does in February."
"People can tough it out on their own for a month, but after that it gets hard." said Professor Norcross. The exercise pal -- or cop, in the case of a nagging friend, spouse or office mate -- adds incentive. Your workout buddy or accountability partner will cheer you up and keep you going on occasions where you have the moment of "I don't feel like it." or "It's too (you name it excuses)."
We all have last-minute emergency or other reasons to pass up a workout. The difference is that successful people think a missed workout isn't the end of the world. A lapse is not a relapse!
On the other hand, unsuccessful people think that they won't make it and use one slipup as an excuse to quit. This is one of the major component in my "Your Dream Body Blueprint" about powerful mindset and deal with obstacles to set you up for a success start.
Your journey to shape up and get your dream body is guaranteed not to be a smooth ride. What makes the difference to those who succeed is that they follow the step-by-step guide to execute the Dream Body Blueprint.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
In fact, you beat 36% of the people who resolve to lose weight and change their eating habits. I have cited a study from the University of Scranton in my earlier post that only 64% of these resolutons are still maintained after one month.
That sounds encouraging since 2 out of 3 are still sticking to their resolutions. Unfortunately, enthusiasm and momentum may start to wear off after 6 weeks where many people hit the first critical plateau on the psychological and physical levels. Some people start to slack and slowly relapse in their training and diet. A few people find ways to change up to make it through. The same study showed that only half are still on track after 6 months.
In my TOP 10 Tips to Beat the New Year's Resolutoins Syndrome, I have offered my advices on how to stick to your New Year's Resolutions. The #10 Tip is to watch your environment as quoted in the following.
10/10 Watch your enviroment. When you want to lose weight and stay fit and healthy, you need to watch out who you're associated with. You are the product of five of your closest friends.In my earlier article on the power of friends, I cited a research finding that obesity is epidemic and contagious. Some people call it "sympathetic weight gain" with your friends. On the other hand, thinness could be contagious too. See who has the upper hand over the other.So stay close to your fit and healthy friends. But don't break up with your overweight freinds as yet. Just be aware and stay conscious in your environments. Stay away from sources that drain your energy and damage your health. Make friends with like-minded people who are positive, fit, healthy, high-energy and high-performance.
If you want to lose weight and change your habits, buddy up with a like-minded friend who shares a similar goal with you. Buddy System is one great way to help you (both of you) stay on track. Joining a Mastermind Group or fitness inner circle surrounds youself with positive, high energy, health conscious like-minded peer.
According to a psychology professor John C. Norcross at the University of Scranton, "having someone to exercise or someone who bugs you about going to the gym doesn't make a difference in January, but it does in February."
"People can tough it out on their own for a month, but after that it gets hard." said Professor Norcross. The exercise pal -- or cop, in the case of a nagging friend, spouse or office mate -- adds incentive. Your workout buddy or accountability partner will cheer you up and keep you going on occasions where you have the moment of "I don't feel like it." or "It's too (you name it excuses)."
We all have last-minute emergency or other reasons to pass up a workout. The difference is that successful people think a missed workout isn't the end of the world. A lapse is not a relapse!
On the other hand, unsuccessful people think that they won't make it and use one slipup as an excuse to quit. This is one of the major component in my "Your Dream Body Blueprint" about powerful mindset and deal with obstacles to set you up for a success start.
Your journey to shape up and get your dream body is guaranteed not to be a smooth ride. What makes the difference to those who succeed is that they follow the step-by-step guide to execute the Dream Body Blueprint.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Can You Burn More Fat by Running on Empty Stomach?
It's been myth about running on empty first thing in the morinig to burn more fat.
Some bodybuilders swear by it. Most fitness professionals don't recommend it.
The theory goes by that your glycogen level is very low after a night's sleep with food intake for 8 or 9 hours. So when you do cardio on empty stomach in the morning before your breakfast, your body has to utilize other sources of energy. Research showed that your body indeed use more fat (but not as much as you think) as the energy source. You may also start to dip in your muscles to fuel your cardio. You don't have real control as to how your body utilitizes the energy.
On the flip side, since your glycogen level is almost depleted, you can't really perform high intensity cardio exercise or weight training. So essentially you're spending more time on the low intensity exercise to burn just a few extra calories of fat. That helps ramp up your stress hormones and run the risk of using your muscle protein for energy.
The total amount of calorie consumption through a combination of weight training and cardio exercise in the least amount of time should be the goal if you want lost weight. So don't count on running on empty stomach to burn extra calories. Can you drive a sports car on empty fuel tank?
Eat at least a small amount of protein (5 to 10 grams) along with complex carbs (20 grams) before performing a full-body workout. For the best fat-burning results, you should combine weight traing and cardio exercise in the same session.
Some bodybuilders swear by it. Most fitness professionals don't recommend it.
The theory goes by that your glycogen level is very low after a night's sleep with food intake for 8 or 9 hours. So when you do cardio on empty stomach in the morning before your breakfast, your body has to utilize other sources of energy. Research showed that your body indeed use more fat (but not as much as you think) as the energy source. You may also start to dip in your muscles to fuel your cardio. You don't have real control as to how your body utilitizes the energy.
On the flip side, since your glycogen level is almost depleted, you can't really perform high intensity cardio exercise or weight training. So essentially you're spending more time on the low intensity exercise to burn just a few extra calories of fat. That helps ramp up your stress hormones and run the risk of using your muscle protein for energy.
The total amount of calorie consumption through a combination of weight training and cardio exercise in the least amount of time should be the goal if you want lost weight. So don't count on running on empty stomach to burn extra calories. Can you drive a sports car on empty fuel tank?
Eat at least a small amount of protein (5 to 10 grams) along with complex carbs (20 grams) before performing a full-body workout. For the best fat-burning results, you should combine weight traing and cardio exercise in the same session.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Are you afraid of failure?
We are human beings. We have emotion and feeling. Fear of success or failure could play a major role in our day-to-day actions and decisions.
It applies to the fitness training or weight loss journey. Many people set out in the right foot but start to doubt themselves whether they can succeed in getting lean and fit. They have the self-inflicted limiting belief about themselves. They put those negative thoughts in their subconscious mind. Sooner than later, the thoughts become the reality. They failed.
A special teleclass presented by Kathy Atkinson is scheduled Friday February 8th about "fear." The teleclass is hosted by Hueina Su. Both are renowned empowerment life coaches. Here is the summary about the teleclass. Sign up for the class at the end.
==========================================================
Is Fear of Failure Holding You Back? by Hueina Su, MS, BSN, CEC, Rx for Balance
Is fear of failure, or fear of success, one of your major roadblocks to achieving your goals? Are you tired of thinking small and being afraid to go for the big prize?
If this sounds like you, then you wouldn't want to miss this FREE Teleclass that I'm hosting on Friday, February 8th. My good friend & colleague Kathy Atkinson, Professional Life Coach & EFT-ADV Practitioner, will present this experiential Teleclass "Playing Bigger ~ Is the fear of success or fear of failure preventing you from moving out of your comfort zone and playing bigger?"
Kathy Atkinson is the owner of Creative Life Coaching, a Personal Growth and Self Development Company offering products and services to help you to be more successful in your personal and professional life.
Kathy specializes in using EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique, to help business owners, professionals and individuals release the fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that cost them financially in their careers and emotionally in their relationships.
Kathy has found the EFT process to be so valuable that she has created an entire web site filled with EFT topic specific downloads. In minutes, you can shift your energy with the EFT process from the comfort of your home using her audio recordings and written scripts. Some of the topics on her web site are fear of success, fear of failure, releasing anger, worry and guilt and activating self-confidence, self-love and good luck.
Kathy offers a FREE Anxiety Relief Download so you can experience this amazing process for yourself. Visit www.EFTdownloads.com for more information about the Emotional Freedom Technique.Kathy's also has a Life Coaching Web Site - Eight Keys to Success. With her Eight Keys to Success, Kathy offers you a plan and a process for taking charge of your life. Check out the Eight Keys and sign up for her newsletter at www.8keystosuccess.com.
Come and join us for this interactive and experiential teleclass. Kathy will discuss the signs and symptoms of the fear of success and fear of failure. She will then be guiding you through the EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) process for Fear of Success and Fear of Failure. These two EFT sessions will help you release and shift the most common fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck and afraid to play bigger.
In this Teleclass you will:
* Discover your block to success
* Experience an energy shift with EFT
* Come away from the call empowered to "Play Bigger"
Teleclass Details:
Title: Playing Bigger ~ Is the fear of success or fear of failure preventing you from moving out of your comfort zone and playing bigger?
Date: Friday, February 8, 2008
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern time (To convert to your local time, visit here)
Cost: FREE, but you must register to receive the conference call number & Access CodeRecording will be available for those who register for this Teleclass.
If you are interested but cannot attend the live class, please sign up anyway.==> Te register for this FREE Teleclass, please click here.
It applies to the fitness training or weight loss journey. Many people set out in the right foot but start to doubt themselves whether they can succeed in getting lean and fit. They have the self-inflicted limiting belief about themselves. They put those negative thoughts in their subconscious mind. Sooner than later, the thoughts become the reality. They failed.
A special teleclass presented by Kathy Atkinson is scheduled Friday February 8th about "fear." The teleclass is hosted by Hueina Su. Both are renowned empowerment life coaches. Here is the summary about the teleclass. Sign up for the class at the end.
==========================================================
Is Fear of Failure Holding You Back? by Hueina Su, MS, BSN, CEC, Rx for Balance
Is fear of failure, or fear of success, one of your major roadblocks to achieving your goals? Are you tired of thinking small and being afraid to go for the big prize?
If this sounds like you, then you wouldn't want to miss this FREE Teleclass that I'm hosting on Friday, February 8th. My good friend & colleague Kathy Atkinson, Professional Life Coach & EFT-ADV Practitioner, will present this experiential Teleclass "Playing Bigger ~ Is the fear of success or fear of failure preventing you from moving out of your comfort zone and playing bigger?"
Kathy Atkinson is the owner of Creative Life Coaching, a Personal Growth and Self Development Company offering products and services to help you to be more successful in your personal and professional life.
Kathy specializes in using EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique, to help business owners, professionals and individuals release the fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that cost them financially in their careers and emotionally in their relationships.
Kathy has found the EFT process to be so valuable that she has created an entire web site filled with EFT topic specific downloads. In minutes, you can shift your energy with the EFT process from the comfort of your home using her audio recordings and written scripts. Some of the topics on her web site are fear of success, fear of failure, releasing anger, worry and guilt and activating self-confidence, self-love and good luck.
Kathy offers a FREE Anxiety Relief Download so you can experience this amazing process for yourself. Visit www.EFTdownloads.com for more information about the Emotional Freedom Technique.Kathy's also has a Life Coaching Web Site - Eight Keys to Success. With her Eight Keys to Success, Kathy offers you a plan and a process for taking charge of your life. Check out the Eight Keys and sign up for her newsletter at www.8keystosuccess.com.
Come and join us for this interactive and experiential teleclass. Kathy will discuss the signs and symptoms of the fear of success and fear of failure. She will then be guiding you through the EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) process for Fear of Success and Fear of Failure. These two EFT sessions will help you release and shift the most common fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck and afraid to play bigger.
In this Teleclass you will:
* Discover your block to success
* Experience an energy shift with EFT
* Come away from the call empowered to "Play Bigger"
Teleclass Details:
Title: Playing Bigger ~ Is the fear of success or fear of failure preventing you from moving out of your comfort zone and playing bigger?
Date: Friday, February 8, 2008
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern time (To convert to your local time, visit here)
Cost: FREE, but you must register to receive the conference call number & Access CodeRecording will be available for those who register for this Teleclass.
If you are interested but cannot attend the live class, please sign up anyway.==> Te register for this FREE Teleclass, please click here.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Ultra Super Bowl Party Workout
In the U.S. here, we're gearing toward Super Bowl XLII game on Sunday night February 3rd. This year the NFL Championship title game is between New York Giants and New England Patriots.
While enjoying (and betting) the game with friends and family over drinks and foods, try the following Super Bowl Workout Routine at your own discretion. Watch out for your alcohol and calorie intakes for sake of your own health and safety.
Warmup: Before heading out to the party and at home, do 30 squats, 30 pushups, 30 burpees and 30 double crunches for 3 circuits. Stretch. Drink 2 glasses of water.
Pre Game: While socializing with the host/ess, friends and family, start with fruits, vegetables, cheese, whole wheat/multi grain crackers and plenty of water.
First Half: For every field goal (3 points), do 10 squats and 10 lunges. For every touchdown (6 points), do 10 pushups and 10 reverse crunches. For every additional goal kick after touchdown (one point), do 10 burpees.
Half Time Show: Enjoy the show (I hope no wardrobe malfunction), cheerleaders and commercials (hopefully with good taste). Drink two more glasses of water.
Second Half: For every field goal (3 points), do 10 alligator pushups then hold in plank position for 30 seconds. For every touchdown (6 points), do 10 Y-squats and 10 reverse lunges. For the one additional point after each touchdown, do 10 jumping split squats.
Post Game: Stretch. Enjoy foods and non-alcoholic drinks. Recap the game. Celebrate if your team win. Check the score card if you win any pool money. Make sure your alcohol level is down to safe level before driving home. Ask for a ride or call a cab. (Or course, the driver has to be sober, LOL!)
Post Super Bowl Day: I wonder why it's called "Monday Morning Quarterback" when you head back to work on Monday (if you do) and still hang over from the drinks and game. Head to the gym after work and get back on to your own training. You're your own quarterback. You're in charge of your own (life and fitness) game!
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
While enjoying (and betting) the game with friends and family over drinks and foods, try the following Super Bowl Workout Routine at your own discretion. Watch out for your alcohol and calorie intakes for sake of your own health and safety.
Warmup: Before heading out to the party and at home, do 30 squats, 30 pushups, 30 burpees and 30 double crunches for 3 circuits. Stretch. Drink 2 glasses of water.
Pre Game: While socializing with the host/ess, friends and family, start with fruits, vegetables, cheese, whole wheat/multi grain crackers and plenty of water.
First Half: For every field goal (3 points), do 10 squats and 10 lunges. For every touchdown (6 points), do 10 pushups and 10 reverse crunches. For every additional goal kick after touchdown (one point), do 10 burpees.
Half Time Show: Enjoy the show (I hope no wardrobe malfunction), cheerleaders and commercials (hopefully with good taste). Drink two more glasses of water.
Second Half: For every field goal (3 points), do 10 alligator pushups then hold in plank position for 30 seconds. For every touchdown (6 points), do 10 Y-squats and 10 reverse lunges. For the one additional point after each touchdown, do 10 jumping split squats.
Post Game: Stretch. Enjoy foods and non-alcoholic drinks. Recap the game. Celebrate if your team win. Check the score card if you win any pool money. Make sure your alcohol level is down to safe level before driving home. Ask for a ride or call a cab. (Or course, the driver has to be sober, LOL!)
Post Super Bowl Day: I wonder why it's called "Monday Morning Quarterback" when you head back to work on Monday (if you do) and still hang over from the drinks and game. Head to the gym after work and get back on to your own training. You're your own quarterback. You're in charge of your own (life and fitness) game!
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
How Fit Are You?
Remember the one-mile run test since third grade?
The truth is that your maximum aerobic capacity (a.k.a. VO2 max) is a measurement of your cardiovascular fitness. Regular and "properly programmed" cardiovascular exericise helps you improve overall health, boost immune system, lose body fat and build muscle.
VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume per minute relative to your bodyweight. The more oxygen you can consume, the harder and longer you can exercise without feeling fatigue.
How to measure your VO2 max without stepping into the kinesiology lab?
Here is a test provided by the Cooper Institute of Aerobics.
Your Test
Perform this test on a treadmill on a treadmill or on a flat well-marked running track. Warm up for five minutes by walking or jogging slowly at RPE level of 3.
Reset the treadmill or step on the starting line on the track. Then run as far and as fast you can for 12 minutes at 1% incline. Note the distance.
Your Score
Enter the distance into the following formula to estimate your maximum aerobic capacity.
A. The number of miles you ran in 12 minutes: ______________
B. Multiply A by 1649.3: __________________
C: Substract 504.9 from B: _____________________
D: Divide C by 44.73: _________________
Your Grade
For age 20-29, 42.5-46.4 = Good
For age 30-39, 41.0-44.9 = Good
For age 40-49, 39.0-43.7 = Good
For age 50-59, 35.8-40.9 = Good
For age 60+, 32.3-36.4 = Good
You're aerobically fit if your score is in the "Good" range or above.
Lance Armstrong's maximum aerobic capacity is 83.8!
Wonder why he's the champ?!
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
The truth is that your maximum aerobic capacity (a.k.a. VO2 max) is a measurement of your cardiovascular fitness. Regular and "properly programmed" cardiovascular exericise helps you improve overall health, boost immune system, lose body fat and build muscle.
VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume per minute relative to your bodyweight. The more oxygen you can consume, the harder and longer you can exercise without feeling fatigue.
How to measure your VO2 max without stepping into the kinesiology lab?
Here is a test provided by the Cooper Institute of Aerobics.
Your Test
Perform this test on a treadmill on a treadmill or on a flat well-marked running track. Warm up for five minutes by walking or jogging slowly at RPE level of 3.
Reset the treadmill or step on the starting line on the track. Then run as far and as fast you can for 12 minutes at 1% incline. Note the distance.
Your Score
Enter the distance into the following formula to estimate your maximum aerobic capacity.
A. The number of miles you ran in 12 minutes: ______________
B. Multiply A by 1649.3: __________________
C: Substract 504.9 from B: _____________________
D: Divide C by 44.73: _________________
Your Grade
For age 20-29, 42.5-46.4 = Good
For age 30-39, 41.0-44.9 = Good
For age 40-49, 39.0-43.7 = Good
For age 50-59, 35.8-40.9 = Good
For age 60+, 32.3-36.4 = Good
You're aerobically fit if your score is in the "Good" range or above.
Lance Armstrong's maximum aerobic capacity is 83.8!
Wonder why he's the champ?!
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
How to Fix up Your Old Weightlifting Moves
Are your tired of doing the same weightlifting moves over and over again?
Do you stop making progress in building muscles?
Do you simply just change up the exercise order, the rep range, the weight but use the same weightlifting moves?
In an earlier popular article, I showed you how to change up your weight training program so that you make continual progress.
There are so many training variables you can change up. So please don't tell me that "I have tried everything!" You haven't.
If you think you did have tried everything, try the following weightlifting moves to replace your current ones.
Old: Barbell Back Squat
New: Barbell Overhead Squat
How: Hold the bar directly above your head with your arms straight, elbows locked, shoulder blades squeezed together. Then your squat with this position.
Why: Your form on the classic squat will improve because the overhead squat emphasizes posture, one of the most neglected and important element of fitness.
Old: Barbell Deadlift
New: One-Arm Deadlift
How: Instead of standing in front of the barbell, stand next to it so it's on the right side of your body. Squat down into the starting position and grab the center of the barbell with your right hand. Perform the deadlift by keeping your torso upright and standing up.
Why: It works all your pulling muscles - hamstrings, back, traps and biceps whlie strengthening your grip.
Old: Dumbbell Chest Press
New: Fly Press
How: Start the movement from the "up" position, your palms facing out. Without changing the bend in your elbows, lower the weight as if you're doing a chest fly until your arms are about halfway between the starting position and parallel to the floor. The bend your elbows and lower dumbbells straight down as if you're doing the dumbbell chest press. Press the dumbbells straight up and repeat.
Why: This combination move allows you to overload your muscles in the negative portion of the chest fly and stimulate your pecs to grow.
Old: Hammer Curl
New: Towel Curl
How: Wrap a hand towel around each dumbbell one time. Then perform the hammer curl by holding the ends of the towel instead of the dumbbells.
Why: The load shifts as you curl, providing an entirely different stimulus to the biceps.
More new found weightlifting moves are coming soon!
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Do you stop making progress in building muscles?
Do you simply just change up the exercise order, the rep range, the weight but use the same weightlifting moves?
In an earlier popular article, I showed you how to change up your weight training program so that you make continual progress.
There are so many training variables you can change up. So please don't tell me that "I have tried everything!" You haven't.
If you think you did have tried everything, try the following weightlifting moves to replace your current ones.
Old: Barbell Back Squat
New: Barbell Overhead Squat
How: Hold the bar directly above your head with your arms straight, elbows locked, shoulder blades squeezed together. Then your squat with this position.
Why: Your form on the classic squat will improve because the overhead squat emphasizes posture, one of the most neglected and important element of fitness.
Old: Barbell Deadlift
New: One-Arm Deadlift
How: Instead of standing in front of the barbell, stand next to it so it's on the right side of your body. Squat down into the starting position and grab the center of the barbell with your right hand. Perform the deadlift by keeping your torso upright and standing up.
Why: It works all your pulling muscles - hamstrings, back, traps and biceps whlie strengthening your grip.
Old: Dumbbell Chest Press
New: Fly Press
How: Start the movement from the "up" position, your palms facing out. Without changing the bend in your elbows, lower the weight as if you're doing a chest fly until your arms are about halfway between the starting position and parallel to the floor. The bend your elbows and lower dumbbells straight down as if you're doing the dumbbell chest press. Press the dumbbells straight up and repeat.
Why: This combination move allows you to overload your muscles in the negative portion of the chest fly and stimulate your pecs to grow.
Old: Hammer Curl
New: Towel Curl
How: Wrap a hand towel around each dumbbell one time. Then perform the hammer curl by holding the ends of the towel instead of the dumbbells.
Why: The load shifts as you curl, providing an entirely different stimulus to the biceps.
More new found weightlifting moves are coming soon!
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions by Dreaming Big but Starting Small
In my last post, I offered my Top 10 Tips to help you make healthy New Year's Resolutions and stick to them.
Let me re-quote my #5 tip:
5/10
Dream big but start small. Your old-and-never-worked resolution could be like "I resolve to start exercising 5 to 7 times a week, 30 to 60 minutes each time." If you haven't exercised regularly for the last 3 months, this resolution is bound to fail and you're doomed!Start with small baby steps. You could start with a combination of walking, aerobic exercise, strength training, and other physical activities for 2 to 3 times for a total accumulation of 2 hours of exercise a week. The key is to be able to get into a regular exercise habit. Gradually increase the duration, variety, intensity and frequency. This is one of the reasons why a coach/trainer can be a really good source of professional guidance and accountability.
Improving health and fitness is on the top 3 New Year's Resolutions for most people. You can witness by the crazy crowd in the gym for the first two weeks. I can testify by the exploding number of visitors to my website and blog and new subscriber signups. People all over the world are searching for advices on losing weight, building muscles, eating right, workout routines, six pack abs, etc.
Health and fitness is the case where haste makes waste, as the old saying goes. Many people start the new year with good momentum, then lose steam by the end of January. By February, most people already quit or visit the gym much less often. Pad yourself on the back if you're still working out by June. You're rare if you're still showing up in the gym regularly by year end.
One study from the University of Scranton showed that a quarter of people who resolve to lose weight and change their eating habits on January 1st will go back to their old ways within a week.
The following list shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- Past the first week: 75%
- Past two weeks: 71%
- Past one month: 64%
- After 6 months: 46%
Source: Auld Lang Syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers, by John C. Norcross, Marci S. Mrykalo, Matthew D. Blagys , University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 58, Issue 4 (2002).
Respect yourself by showing your commitment and accountability in healthy lifestyle changes, not just 3 days, one week, or 6 months, permanent, for the long run.
One of the biggest mistakes when people make their New Year's Resolutions is that they want to do everything, change everything - all of them at the same time. Sooner than later they get so overwhelmed that they simply cannot keep up with and just quit.
Changing or replacing an old habit takes time to become permanently part of you. Healthy lifestyle and habit changes don't just happen overnight. You should have known human behavior by now. It's true to eating healthy and working out regularly.
It's perfectly okay to dream big and have a big goal. But you need break down the big goal into smaller goals and action steps. Make the smaller goals challenging yet still easily and realistically achievable. You'll feel confident and good about yourself when you achieve the small steps. It gives you the momentum, reinforcement and sense of accomplishment to move to the next step, a step closer to your bigger goal.
I suggest that you pick no more than two things to work on in each of the following areas. When you stick to it for one month, then add another one or two thing in the following month. If you're really conscious about your actions, you'll achieve 24 things in one area by the year end. That could be your bigger goal.
I must admit that I cannot start to change with all 24 things at the same time in just one area. But I can certainly focus on just two things in one month.
Here is an example of action plan to start with. Gradually add more healthy choices to your desired goals.
Nutrition
Let me re-quote my #5 tip:
5/10
Dream big but start small. Your old-and-never-worked resolution could be like "I resolve to start exercising 5 to 7 times a week, 30 to 60 minutes each time." If you haven't exercised regularly for the last 3 months, this resolution is bound to fail and you're doomed!Start with small baby steps. You could start with a combination of walking, aerobic exercise, strength training, and other physical activities for 2 to 3 times for a total accumulation of 2 hours of exercise a week. The key is to be able to get into a regular exercise habit. Gradually increase the duration, variety, intensity and frequency. This is one of the reasons why a coach/trainer can be a really good source of professional guidance and accountability.
Improving health and fitness is on the top 3 New Year's Resolutions for most people. You can witness by the crazy crowd in the gym for the first two weeks. I can testify by the exploding number of visitors to my website and blog and new subscriber signups. People all over the world are searching for advices on losing weight, building muscles, eating right, workout routines, six pack abs, etc.
Health and fitness is the case where haste makes waste, as the old saying goes. Many people start the new year with good momentum, then lose steam by the end of January. By February, most people already quit or visit the gym much less often. Pad yourself on the back if you're still working out by June. You're rare if you're still showing up in the gym regularly by year end.
One study from the University of Scranton showed that a quarter of people who resolve to lose weight and change their eating habits on January 1st will go back to their old ways within a week.
The following list shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- Past the first week: 75%
- Past two weeks: 71%
- Past one month: 64%
- After 6 months: 46%
Source: Auld Lang Syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers, by John C. Norcross, Marci S. Mrykalo, Matthew D. Blagys , University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 58, Issue 4 (2002).
Respect yourself by showing your commitment and accountability in healthy lifestyle changes, not just 3 days, one week, or 6 months, permanent, for the long run.
One of the biggest mistakes when people make their New Year's Resolutions is that they want to do everything, change everything - all of them at the same time. Sooner than later they get so overwhelmed that they simply cannot keep up with and just quit.
Changing or replacing an old habit takes time to become permanently part of you. Healthy lifestyle and habit changes don't just happen overnight. You should have known human behavior by now. It's true to eating healthy and working out regularly.
It's perfectly okay to dream big and have a big goal. But you need break down the big goal into smaller goals and action steps. Make the smaller goals challenging yet still easily and realistically achievable. You'll feel confident and good about yourself when you achieve the small steps. It gives you the momentum, reinforcement and sense of accomplishment to move to the next step, a step closer to your bigger goal.
I suggest that you pick no more than two things to work on in each of the following areas. When you stick to it for one month, then add another one or two thing in the following month. If you're really conscious about your actions, you'll achieve 24 things in one area by the year end. That could be your bigger goal.
I must admit that I cannot start to change with all 24 things at the same time in just one area. But I can certainly focus on just two things in one month.
Here is an example of action plan to start with. Gradually add more healthy choices to your desired goals.
Nutrition
- Eat more whole grains => Eat at least two servings of whole grains food per day such as whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, etc.
- Eat more vegetables => Eat at least two servings of dark green or leafy vegetables per day such as broccoli, spinach, kale, romain lettuce, bok choy, etc.
- Eat more fruits => Eat at least two servings of fruits such as apple, blueberry, grape, grapefruit, orange, etc.
Lifestyle
- Drink less alcohol => Limit to one glass of wine per day.
- Watch less TV => Limit to two hours a day, no later than 9 pm.
Exercise
- Exercise every day => Walk at least 2ooo steps per day.
- Lift weight 5 days a week => Do any type of weight training 20 minutes each time, twice a week.
- Do cardio 7 days a week => Combined with the weight training, do 20 minutes of any cardio exercise at moderate intensity (RPE = 5) twice a week.
Once you get yourself into a regular habit and routine, add more options, variety, intensity, duration or frequency.
If you need help to get started and get going, it won't hurt to hire a coach and trainer. It's worth every penny. And it goes a long way.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Top 10 Ways to Beat the New Year's Resolution Syndrome
As the New Year is quickly approaching, I know that you're eager to make the changes to change your body. I also know that you want to, yet again, make the New Year's Resolutions that hopefully will stick, for 3 weeks, 3 months or perhaps at least 6 months!?
Is something wrong about the New Year's Resolutions you made last year?
Did you make your Resolutions with right attitudes and healthy mindsets?
Were your Resolutions guided by healthy lifestyle and behavior changes?
Did you follow through your Resolutions with a master game plan and course of actions?
Did you adjust and fine-tune your mini goals as you moved along?
Did you find your inner motivation and and external support to keep you on track?
Did you find ways to overcome the challenges or derail quickly as soon as you saw the roadblocks?
Why did your Resolutions fail?
Here are my top 10 tips to beat the New Year's Resolution Syndrome.
1/10
Visit my website and my blog often and sign up for my monthly newsletter to keep you motivated, informed and supported all year around.
2/10
Investment in youself. Sign up with a wellness coach/trainer for at least 12 weeks and better yet commit to 6 months. Health and fitness is a lifelong commitment. Twelve weeks aren't going to make miracles, but are the "minimum" period of time to get into regular exercise routine, healthy lifestyle and eating habits.
Even just a few sessions with a trainer could be worth the investment to get you in the right direction. For those people who like DIY, I also offer on-line personal training and program design. I'll design a training program for you including two to four workout routines for you to rotate on a weekly basis.
3/10
Make multiple resolutions that reinforce each other. When you make a healthy resolution, you'll start to re-think about falling back to those not-so-good habits.
Make multi-week, multi-month and multi-year resolutions. Why makes "annual" resolutions that you can only follow for a month? Have a big picutre. Break it down into smaller, realistic, achievable mini goals. You'll feel better when you accomplish the mini goals. It gives you more confidence and momentum to stay on track towards your bigger goals.
If you're still smoking or eating junk foods regularly, why do all the cardio and strength training? It just doens't make sense. You won't transform to your dream body even if you train 7 days while staying on the unhealthy lifestyle and poor eating habits.
4/10
Know what you want. Do you really know what you want? I doubt. Many people want to lose 10, 20, 50 pounds. These are not the right healthy goals. And most people won't get it!
"Know what you want" is the #1 step to build your dream body. Why 10, 20 or 50 pounds, instead of 5 pounds? Where are these extra pounds distributed? Are these fat, muscle or water weight? What type of body shape do you want to be in? You're not so sure, right!?
5/10
Dream big but start small. Your old-and-never-worked resolution could be like "I resolve to start exercising 5 to 7 times a week, 30 to 60 minutes each time." If you haven't exercised regularly for the last 3 months, this resolution is bound to fail and you're doomed!
Start with small baby steps. You could start with a combination of walking, aerobic exercise, strength training, and other physical activities for 2 to 3 times for a total accumulation of 2 hours of exercise a week. The key is to be able to get into a regular exercise habit. Gradually increase the duration, variety, intensity and frequency. This is one of the reasons why a coach/trainer can be a really good source of professional guidance and accountability.
6/10
Food is your friend, not your foe. Make a good friend with your foods. Every year, or in fact evey day, you'll see new diet books on the market. You lose money but not your weight. Food is the source of energy to fuel your body so that you can function and perform.
In an earlier article, I touched the topic about stress eating, emotional eating, overeating, mindless eating and fat gain. Eating healthy foods is the choice you can make. Replace the poor choices with healthy ones.
Pick two of your weak areas and consciously replace them with healthy choices and stay on them for a month. Similar to exercise, too much too soon is going to backfire. When you can stick to the two healthy choices for a month, then you start to include more healthy choices.
7/10
Plan your exercise and plan your meals around it. If you don't plan, then you plan to fail. This is one of the reasons why many people skip exercise and make poor food choices.
One easy way is to book your appointments with your coach/trainer in advance. Then you'll prepare for your day and anticipate the training session. Pencil in your own workouts as if it's a date with yourself and it's the time for yourself. Prepare the meals and healthy snacks to support your training and fuel your body.
It's a good idea to prepare the meals for several servings at a time. Keep healthy snacks and water at home, in your office and in the car. So when you're hungry, strapped for time or on the go, whatever you reach is all good. It's tough to deny the high-sugar high-fat comfort foods in the vending machine or the drive-thru. You willpower doesn't count!
8/10
Get a good night sleep. Go to bed a half hour earlier. I know many people are eating late, snacking, drinking alcohols, watching TV shows in the evening to unwind their stress from the day. These poor habits disturbance your sleeping quality. They drain your energy and sabotage your resolutions if you want to lose weight and look good.
If you have followed the first three tips, you shouldn't be here. Your body releases growth hormones while you're sleeping that help you build muscle. Deprivation of sleep also makes you crave for sugary and high fat foods and make you wan to eat more to feel satisfied.
9/10
Schedule your downtime. This may be counter intuitive. Aren't we supposed to work out more and longer to lose weight? Yes and no.
Training is like a double-edged sword. Proper, consistent, progressive overloading with balanced nutrition and quality rest and sleep will make you strong, healthy and fit. Overtraining can break you and make you sick, injured with diminishing results. Please re-visit my earlier article on overtraining.
There is a fineline between overloading and overtraining. This is yet another good reason to hire a personal trainer to help you design a customized workout plan and change up your training routine.
It's also a good practice to periodize your training program into microcycle (daily/weekly), mesocycle (2 to 4 months) and macrocycle (6 months, seasonally or annually). The training cycle could coincide with a special event or function. So, you really need to plan the whole picture and break it down into mid-range, near-range and immediate actions.
10/10
Watch your enviroment. When you want to lose weight and stay fit and healthy, you need to watch out who you're associated with. You are the product of five of your closest friends.
In my earlier article on the power of friends, I cited a research finding that obesity is epidemic and contagious. Some people call it "sympathetic weight gain" with your friends. On the other hand, thinness could be contagious too. See who has the upper hand over the other.
So stay close to your fit and healthy friends. But don't break up with your overweight freinds as yet. Just be aware and stay conscious in your environments.
Stay away from sources that drain your energy and damage your health. Make friends with like-minded people who are positive, fit, healthy, high-energy and high-performance.
My Last Two Cents
Your New Year's Resolutions should be simple but challenging enough for you to follow through. Pick one or two things in each of the lifestyle, exercise and nutrition areas to work on and improve at a time. When you achieve them, add more gradually. Doing too much too soon is the #1 reason why almost all resolutions fail in the first month.
Remember, your health is wealth and it's invaluable. When you're healthy, you can create more wealth and enjoy your life. I wish all your resolutions and goals achieved by the year end or sooner.
Copyright 2007 www.careyforfitness.com by C. Carey Yang.
All rights reserved.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Is something wrong about the New Year's Resolutions you made last year?
Did you make your Resolutions with right attitudes and healthy mindsets?
Were your Resolutions guided by healthy lifestyle and behavior changes?
Did you follow through your Resolutions with a master game plan and course of actions?
Did you adjust and fine-tune your mini goals as you moved along?
Did you find your inner motivation and and external support to keep you on track?
Did you find ways to overcome the challenges or derail quickly as soon as you saw the roadblocks?
Why did your Resolutions fail?
Here are my top 10 tips to beat the New Year's Resolution Syndrome.
1/10
Visit my website and my blog often and sign up for my monthly newsletter to keep you motivated, informed and supported all year around.
2/10
Investment in youself. Sign up with a wellness coach/trainer for at least 12 weeks and better yet commit to 6 months. Health and fitness is a lifelong commitment. Twelve weeks aren't going to make miracles, but are the "minimum" period of time to get into regular exercise routine, healthy lifestyle and eating habits.
Even just a few sessions with a trainer could be worth the investment to get you in the right direction. For those people who like DIY, I also offer on-line personal training and program design. I'll design a training program for you including two to four workout routines for you to rotate on a weekly basis.
3/10
Make multiple resolutions that reinforce each other. When you make a healthy resolution, you'll start to re-think about falling back to those not-so-good habits.
Make multi-week, multi-month and multi-year resolutions. Why makes "annual" resolutions that you can only follow for a month? Have a big picutre. Break it down into smaller, realistic, achievable mini goals. You'll feel better when you accomplish the mini goals. It gives you more confidence and momentum to stay on track towards your bigger goals.
If you're still smoking or eating junk foods regularly, why do all the cardio and strength training? It just doens't make sense. You won't transform to your dream body even if you train 7 days while staying on the unhealthy lifestyle and poor eating habits.
4/10
Know what you want. Do you really know what you want? I doubt. Many people want to lose 10, 20, 50 pounds. These are not the right healthy goals. And most people won't get it!
"Know what you want" is the #1 step to build your dream body. Why 10, 20 or 50 pounds, instead of 5 pounds? Where are these extra pounds distributed? Are these fat, muscle or water weight? What type of body shape do you want to be in? You're not so sure, right!?
5/10
Dream big but start small. Your old-and-never-worked resolution could be like "I resolve to start exercising 5 to 7 times a week, 30 to 60 minutes each time." If you haven't exercised regularly for the last 3 months, this resolution is bound to fail and you're doomed!
Start with small baby steps. You could start with a combination of walking, aerobic exercise, strength training, and other physical activities for 2 to 3 times for a total accumulation of 2 hours of exercise a week. The key is to be able to get into a regular exercise habit. Gradually increase the duration, variety, intensity and frequency. This is one of the reasons why a coach/trainer can be a really good source of professional guidance and accountability.
6/10
Food is your friend, not your foe. Make a good friend with your foods. Every year, or in fact evey day, you'll see new diet books on the market. You lose money but not your weight. Food is the source of energy to fuel your body so that you can function and perform.
In an earlier article, I touched the topic about stress eating, emotional eating, overeating, mindless eating and fat gain. Eating healthy foods is the choice you can make. Replace the poor choices with healthy ones.
Pick two of your weak areas and consciously replace them with healthy choices and stay on them for a month. Similar to exercise, too much too soon is going to backfire. When you can stick to the two healthy choices for a month, then you start to include more healthy choices.
7/10
Plan your exercise and plan your meals around it. If you don't plan, then you plan to fail. This is one of the reasons why many people skip exercise and make poor food choices.
One easy way is to book your appointments with your coach/trainer in advance. Then you'll prepare for your day and anticipate the training session. Pencil in your own workouts as if it's a date with yourself and it's the time for yourself. Prepare the meals and healthy snacks to support your training and fuel your body.
It's a good idea to prepare the meals for several servings at a time. Keep healthy snacks and water at home, in your office and in the car. So when you're hungry, strapped for time or on the go, whatever you reach is all good. It's tough to deny the high-sugar high-fat comfort foods in the vending machine or the drive-thru. You willpower doesn't count!
8/10
Get a good night sleep. Go to bed a half hour earlier. I know many people are eating late, snacking, drinking alcohols, watching TV shows in the evening to unwind their stress from the day. These poor habits disturbance your sleeping quality. They drain your energy and sabotage your resolutions if you want to lose weight and look good.
If you have followed the first three tips, you shouldn't be here. Your body releases growth hormones while you're sleeping that help you build muscle. Deprivation of sleep also makes you crave for sugary and high fat foods and make you wan to eat more to feel satisfied.
9/10
Schedule your downtime. This may be counter intuitive. Aren't we supposed to work out more and longer to lose weight? Yes and no.
Training is like a double-edged sword. Proper, consistent, progressive overloading with balanced nutrition and quality rest and sleep will make you strong, healthy and fit. Overtraining can break you and make you sick, injured with diminishing results. Please re-visit my earlier article on overtraining.
There is a fineline between overloading and overtraining. This is yet another good reason to hire a personal trainer to help you design a customized workout plan and change up your training routine.
It's also a good practice to periodize your training program into microcycle (daily/weekly), mesocycle (2 to 4 months) and macrocycle (6 months, seasonally or annually). The training cycle could coincide with a special event or function. So, you really need to plan the whole picture and break it down into mid-range, near-range and immediate actions.
10/10
Watch your enviroment. When you want to lose weight and stay fit and healthy, you need to watch out who you're associated with. You are the product of five of your closest friends.
In my earlier article on the power of friends, I cited a research finding that obesity is epidemic and contagious. Some people call it "sympathetic weight gain" with your friends. On the other hand, thinness could be contagious too. See who has the upper hand over the other.
So stay close to your fit and healthy friends. But don't break up with your overweight freinds as yet. Just be aware and stay conscious in your environments.
Stay away from sources that drain your energy and damage your health. Make friends with like-minded people who are positive, fit, healthy, high-energy and high-performance.
My Last Two Cents
Your New Year's Resolutions should be simple but challenging enough for you to follow through. Pick one or two things in each of the lifestyle, exercise and nutrition areas to work on and improve at a time. When you achieve them, add more gradually. Doing too much too soon is the #1 reason why almost all resolutions fail in the first month.
Remember, your health is wealth and it's invaluable. When you're healthy, you can create more wealth and enjoy your life. I wish all your resolutions and goals achieved by the year end or sooner.
Copyright 2007 www.careyforfitness.com by C. Carey Yang.
All rights reserved.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Eat Less Now To Pig Out Later?
A guest article contribution from Tom Venuto, CSCS, fat loss expert and author of the #1 best-selling e-Book, Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.
Suppose you’re on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You’re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.” You’re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you’re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?
What I’ve just described is commonly known as "banking calories," which is analogous to saving calories like money because you're going to consume more later, and it’s a very common practice among dieters. If you’re really serious about your diet and fitness goals however, then the answer is no, you should NOT “bank calories! Here's why and here's what you should do instead:
First of all, if you're being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there's almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there's usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?
No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of "party foods" rather than a huge portion, thereby obeying the law of calorie balance.
If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you are thinking only in terms of calories, but you’re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to stoke the furnace of your metabolism.
Not only that, but eating less early in the day in anticipation for overeating later is more likely to increase your appetite, causing you to binge or eat much more than you thought you would at night when the banquet does arrive.
Eating healthy food earlier in the day is likely to fill you up and you'll be less likely to overeat in the evening. High fiber foods, healthy fats and especially lean protein, tend to suppress your appetite the most.
I don’t like the concept of "banking calories." Your body just doesn't work that way - it tends to seek equilibrium by adjusting your appetite to the point where you consume the same total amount of calories in the end anyway.
Even if it worked the way you wanted it to, why would you eat less (starve) in an attempt to burn more fat, then overeat (binge) and put the fat right back on? Why allow yourself to put on fat in the first place?
A starving and bingeing pattern will almost certainly cause more damage than an occasional oversize meal. Some dieticians might even say that this kind of behavior borders on disordered eating.
A better approach is to stay on your regular menu of healthy foods and small meals through the entire day - business as usual - and then go ahead and treat yourself to a "cheat meal," but sure to keep your portions small.
It should be a big relief to know that on special occasions, whether it's a party, restaurant meal, banquet or holiday dinner, you can eat whatever you want with little or no ill effect on body composition, as long as you respect the law of calorie balance. However, you CANNOT starve and binge and expect not to reap negative consequences.
To burn fat and be healthy, you don't have to be a "party pooper" or completely deny yourself of foods you enjoy, but you do need to have the discipline to stick with your regular meal plan most of the time and control your portion sizes all of the time.
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.
Suppose you’re on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You’re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.” You’re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you’re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?
What I’ve just described is commonly known as "banking calories," which is analogous to saving calories like money because you're going to consume more later, and it’s a very common practice among dieters. If you’re really serious about your diet and fitness goals however, then the answer is no, you should NOT “bank calories! Here's why and here's what you should do instead:
First of all, if you're being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there's almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there's usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?
No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of "party foods" rather than a huge portion, thereby obeying the law of calorie balance.
If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you are thinking only in terms of calories, but you’re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to stoke the furnace of your metabolism.
Not only that, but eating less early in the day in anticipation for overeating later is more likely to increase your appetite, causing you to binge or eat much more than you thought you would at night when the banquet does arrive.
Eating healthy food earlier in the day is likely to fill you up and you'll be less likely to overeat in the evening. High fiber foods, healthy fats and especially lean protein, tend to suppress your appetite the most.
I don’t like the concept of "banking calories." Your body just doesn't work that way - it tends to seek equilibrium by adjusting your appetite to the point where you consume the same total amount of calories in the end anyway.
Even if it worked the way you wanted it to, why would you eat less (starve) in an attempt to burn more fat, then overeat (binge) and put the fat right back on? Why allow yourself to put on fat in the first place?
A starving and bingeing pattern will almost certainly cause more damage than an occasional oversize meal. Some dieticians might even say that this kind of behavior borders on disordered eating.
A better approach is to stay on your regular menu of healthy foods and small meals through the entire day - business as usual - and then go ahead and treat yourself to a "cheat meal," but sure to keep your portions small.
It should be a big relief to know that on special occasions, whether it's a party, restaurant meal, banquet or holiday dinner, you can eat whatever you want with little or no ill effect on body composition, as long as you respect the law of calorie balance. However, you CANNOT starve and binge and expect not to reap negative consequences.
To burn fat and be healthy, you don't have to be a "party pooper" or completely deny yourself of foods you enjoy, but you do need to have the discipline to stick with your regular meal plan most of the time and control your portion sizes all of the time.
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Experience the #1 Antioxidant Power to Fortify, Replenish and Rejuvenate Your Body
Why Antioxidant? 
By now, you should have known that the oxidative stress generates superoxide free radicals in your body. Millions of these dangerous superoxide free radicals are currently damaging your health causing all sorts of illness, disease, fatigue and pre-mature aging problems.
Read my last post in case you miss this critical health issue >>
It's becoming well known in health, nutrition and medicine community that it's possible to protect or reclaim your nutritional health, possibly reverse disease and prevent illness, by eating antioxidant-rich nutrients or supplements to absorb and neutralize the superoxide free radicals.
What's the Most Powerful Antioxidant?
No other functional drink delivers more Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) neutralizing capacity than NingXia Red™.
NingXia Red™ is a naturally delicious, nutrient-infused wolfberry drink that will energize, fortify, and replenish your body.
Rich in wide-spectrum antioxidant activity, NingXia Red has the highest levels of naturally occurring, age-defying S-ORAC (Super-Oxide Radical Absorbance Capacity) activity to help support immune function, cardiovascular health, and nourish the eyes.
S-ORAC testing meaures a product's abilitly to detroy the most dangerous and prevalent free radicals - Superoxides.
Why NingXia Red™?
An independent lab test data tells the whole story ...
Here is a S-ORAC comparison chart of NingXia Red™ with several other popular drinks.
What Does It Mean?
NingXia Red's S-ORAC activity rated at 363 is well off the chart and far exceeding other brands by a wide margin. In order to get the same benefit as drinking just 1oz of NingXia Red, you would have to drink:
> One and a half bottles of Via Viente™ or
> Eight bottles of Xango™ or
> Nine bottles of Noni™ or
> A whole truckload of Himalayan Goji™ !!!
These popular "functional drinks" don't compare to NingXia Red's activity. This third-party S-ORAC comparison is one of many ORAC comparisons that prove NingXia Red is in a class of its own.
The wolfberry also has a high concentration of the branched chain amino acidL-leucine, that we can only obtain from our diet. Inside the body, L-leucine is converterd into a powerful compound called HMB (betahydroxy beta-methylbutyrate). To date, four human clinical studies have been completed, including a double-blind study at the American College of Sports Medicine in Minnesota. Test subjects who used only 3 grams of HMB a day gained up to 300% more lean muscle mass and experienced 295% gain in strength.
By now, you should have known that the oxidative stress generates superoxide free radicals in your body. Millions of these dangerous superoxide free radicals are currently damaging your health causing all sorts of illness, disease, fatigue and pre-mature aging problems.
Read my last post in case you miss this critical health issue >>
It's becoming well known in health, nutrition and medicine community that it's possible to protect or reclaim your nutritional health, possibly reverse disease and prevent illness, by eating antioxidant-rich nutrients or supplements to absorb and neutralize the superoxide free radicals.
What's the Most Powerful Antioxidant?
No other functional drink delivers more Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) neutralizing capacity than NingXia Red™.
NingXia Red™ is a naturally delicious, nutrient-infused wolfberry drink that will energize, fortify, and replenish your body.
Rich in wide-spectrum antioxidant activity, NingXia Red has the highest levels of naturally occurring, age-defying S-ORAC (Super-Oxide Radical Absorbance Capacity) activity to help support immune function, cardiovascular health, and nourish the eyes.
S-ORAC testing meaures a product's abilitly to detroy the most dangerous and prevalent free radicals - Superoxides.
Why NingXia Red™?
An independent lab test data tells the whole story ...
Here is a S-ORAC comparison chart of NingXia Red™ with several other popular drinks.
What Does It Mean?
NingXia Red's S-ORAC activity rated at 363 is well off the chart and far exceeding other brands by a wide margin. In order to get the same benefit as drinking just 1oz of NingXia Red, you would have to drink:
> One and a half bottles of Via Viente™ or
> Eight bottles of Xango™ or
> Nine bottles of Noni™ or
> A whole truckload of Himalayan Goji™ !!!
These popular "functional drinks" don't compare to NingXia Red's activity. This third-party S-ORAC comparison is one of many ORAC comparisons that prove NingXia Red is in a class of its own.
What's in NingXia Red™?
NingXia Red starts with the finest organic, whole NingXia wolfberries grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Only NingXia wolfberries carry legendary reputation, scientific validation, and delicious taste.
NingXia Red is made by Young Living's "Nutrient Guard" preparation to protect complete wolfberry benefits and activity.
It's then blended with clinically and historically proven super fruits (e.g., blueberry, pomegrante, red raspberry, dark grapes, apricots).
Finally NingXia Red is fortified with lemon and orange therapeutic-grade essential oils rich in the powerful antioxidant d-limonene to promote healthy liver function.
- Ningxia Wolfberry puree (50%) - the world's highest antioxidant food, rich in immune-stimulating polysaccharides, ellagic acid, cerebrosides, pyrroles, and other unique phytochemicals.
- Blueberry juice - rich in proanthocyanidins. Tufts University studies show that it protects blood cells against free radical oxidation and slows brain aging. University of Mainz studies shows that it protects cell DNA.
- Pomegranate juice - 3 times the antioxidant activity of green tea or red wine, reduces oxidized cholesterol by 40%.
- Raspberry juice - high levels of ellagic acid (cancer fighter)
- Apricot juice - revered for longevity support, contains beta carotene and vitamin C.
- Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils - Lemon (citrus limon) and Orange (citrus sinensis) both high in d-limonene which combats cell mutation.
- Nutrition Values (one serving = 1 oz)
Calories: 19 per serving
Total Carbohydrate: 4 grams per serving
Dietary Fiber: 0.2 grams per serving
Sugars: 3.4 grams per serving
Sodium: 15 mg per serving
Protein: 0.65 grams per serving
Vitamin C: 180 mg per serving
What's Good in NingXia Red™?
Essential nutrients in NingXia Red help support normal cardiovascular function, normal eye health, normal cell growth and healthy live function.
The all-natural, powerful, nutrient-rich ingredients in NingXia Red help you provide:
- Dynamic energy and stamina without harmful stimulants (e.g., caffeine, refined sugar, ephedra)
- Key glyconutrients that fuel vital energy systems
- Unique protein-polysaccharides that help sustain proper immune function
- Highest levels of naturally occurring, age defying S-ORAC and ORAC activity
- Great taste with no sugary "junk-juices" (e.g., apple, white grape, pear)
- An amazingly low glycemic index of only 10.6 that does not spike blood sugar levels. (The glycemic index of table sugar is 83.)
Extensive medical research confirms that the wide-ranging and impactful benefits of NingXia Red's powerful nutrients. These nutrients support healthy liver function, increase immune activity, promote cellular health, encourage healthy eyesight, support healthy cholesterol levels and improve cellular energy production.
"When one understands that there are only a few basic mechanisms underlying all diseases, then it is extremely simple to see why NingXia Red is so effective for practically all ... organ systems." - Hugo Rodier, M.D., Adjunct Nutrition Professor, University of Utah
The wolfberry also has a high concentration of the branched chain amino acidL-leucine, that we can only obtain from our diet. Inside the body, L-leucine is converterd into a powerful compound called HMB (betahydroxy beta-methylbutyrate). To date, four human clinical studies have been completed, including a double-blind study at the American College of Sports Medicine in Minnesota. Test subjects who used only 3 grams of HMB a day gained up to 300% more lean muscle mass and experienced 295% gain in strength.
Experience the Power of NingXia Red™ NOW >>
Product # 3003, 3023, 3043
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Get Rid of Damaging Superoxide Free Radicals
"What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You" by Dr. Ray D. Strand
When Dr. Ray Strand found himself in a losing battle, unable to successfully treat his wife who had suffered chronically with pain and fatigue, he agreed to try the regimen of nutritional supplements that a neighbor suggested.
Much to his surprise, his wife's condition began to improve almost immediately. That amazing turn of events led him to dedicate himself to researching alternative therapies in medicine, particularly in the arena of nutritional supplements.
Dr. Strand's illumination of the body's silent enemy, oxidative stress, will astound you. The oxidative stress generates superoxide free radicals in your body that cause all sorts of illness, disease, health and aging problems.
When Dr. Ray Strand found himself in a losing battle, unable to successfully treat his wife who had suffered chronically with pain and fatigue, he agreed to try the regimen of nutritional supplements that a neighbor suggested.
Much to his surprise, his wife's condition began to improve almost immediately. That amazing turn of events led him to dedicate himself to researching alternative therapies in medicine, particularly in the arena of nutritional supplements.
Dr. Strand's illumination of the body's silent enemy, oxidative stress, will astound you. The oxidative stress generates superoxide free radicals in your body that cause all sorts of illness, disease, health and aging problems.
- Elevated levels of superoxide are linked to nearly every major killer and chronic disease.
- Superoxide is the body’s most aggressive source of destructive oxidation and inflammation, which destroy vital cells.
- Superoxide levels dramatically increase with age.
His research will equip you to protect or reclaim your nutritional health, possibly reversing disease and preventing illness by eating antioxidant-rich nutrients or supplements to absorb and neutralize the superoxide free radicals.
>> Learn more about the most potent #1 S-ORAC (Superoxide Radical Absorbance Capacity) rated nutrient for anti-aging and disease-fighting (# 3003, 3023, 3043)>>
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Peppermint Oil for Curbing Appetite and Losing Weight
Peppermint in History
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) belongs to the Labiatae (mint) botanical family. It's one of the oldest and the most high-regarded herbs for healing and remedy. The essential oil of peppermint has been used in medical treatments for anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, soothing digestion and pain relieving.
Peppermint Studies in Modern Days
Peppermint oil and fragrant influence has been studied scientifically in recent years. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati found that inhaling peppermint oil increased the mental alertness, focus and accuracy by 28%.
Peppermint Oil to Improve Athletic Performance
Dr. Bryan Raudenbush and his research group of Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia found that peppermint oil and vapor can enhance overall athletic performance:
Wow, that's really powerful, isn't it?
You can inhale peppermint oil before and during workout to help boost your mood and reduce fatigue. You can also diffuse the peppermint oil for improving energy and mental clarity.
But what can peppermint oil do for the non-athletic average folks or overweight population?
A recent research study by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush and his colleagues at the Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia confirmed a known effect of peppermint oil on reducing hunger level and curbing appetite.
Their study evaluated hunger levels during peppermint inhalation vs. non-inhalation, in addition to actual food consumption and dietary evaluation (e.g., fat intake, caloric intake, vitamin and mineral intake, etc.) over a period of two weeks.
Results indicate participants who were exposed to peppermint consumed nearly 3000 fewer total calories from saturated fat, total fat, and sugar each week. That's about 23% less calories based on 1800 calories/day diet for 7 days. Participants also rated their hunger level significantly lower during peppermint inhalation.
Whether simply inhaled or eaten, peppermint increases activity in the area of the brain responsible for alertness, according to researchers. Inhalation of peppermint oil helps trigger a sense of fullness after meals, enhance your sense of taste and smell, and improve concentration and mental activity.
This is a good news in that peppermint can be used as a natural aid to help people curb appetite, decrease hunger cravings, and eat fewer calories. As a result, the use of peppermint may help in weight loss and better overall health.
But not all peppermint oils are created equal. Only the true organic peppermint grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides offers the most active nutrient levels. The therapeutic-grade essesntial oil of peppermint has to be extracted by steam distillation under strictly controlled conditions and handling.
>> Learn about true, pure therapeutic-grade essential oil of peppermint and start enjoying its health and fitness benefits (product # 3614) >>
Before you decide to try peppermint oil in your weight loss program, you need to get the basics covered first: healthy lifestyle changes, regular weight training and cardio exercise routine, and balanced diet and macronutrition.
As I pointed out in my earlier post, there is a place for vitamins and nutritional supplements. They are meant to "supplement" your macronutrition or certain deficiencies, instead of becoming your major meals.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
>>> Sign up for FREE 'Jump-Start Your Body!' Workout and Nutrition Program to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) belongs to the Labiatae (mint) botanical family. It's one of the oldest and the most high-regarded herbs for healing and remedy. The essential oil of peppermint has been used in medical treatments for anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, soothing digestion and pain relieving.
Peppermint Studies in Modern Days
Peppermint oil and fragrant influence has been studied scientifically in recent years. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati found that inhaling peppermint oil increased the mental alertness, focus and accuracy by 28%.
Peppermint Oil to Improve Athletic Performance
Dr. Bryan Raudenbush and his research group of Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia found that peppermint oil and vapor can enhance overall athletic performance:
- Decrease in Fatigue by 25 %
- Decrease in Perceived Temporal Workload by 22 %
- Increase in Vigor by 13 %
- Decrease in Perceived Frustration by 13 %
- Decrease in Perceived Effort by 12 %
- Increase in Perceived Performance by 9 %
- Decrease in Perceived Physical Workload by 8 %
- Increase in Strength by 6 %
- Increase in Number of Push-Ups by 6 %
- Increase in Speed (400 Meter Run 1.5 Seconds Faster)
Wow, that's really powerful, isn't it?
You can inhale peppermint oil before and during workout to help boost your mood and reduce fatigue. You can also diffuse the peppermint oil for improving energy and mental clarity.
But what can peppermint oil do for the non-athletic average folks or overweight population?
A recent research study by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush and his colleagues at the Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia confirmed a known effect of peppermint oil on reducing hunger level and curbing appetite.
Their study evaluated hunger levels during peppermint inhalation vs. non-inhalation, in addition to actual food consumption and dietary evaluation (e.g., fat intake, caloric intake, vitamin and mineral intake, etc.) over a period of two weeks.
Results indicate participants who were exposed to peppermint consumed nearly 3000 fewer total calories from saturated fat, total fat, and sugar each week. That's about 23% less calories based on 1800 calories/day diet for 7 days. Participants also rated their hunger level significantly lower during peppermint inhalation.
"Research partipicants who were exposed to peppermint oil regularly ate nearly 3000 fewer calories each week. That's about 23% less calories a week!"
Whether simply inhaled or eaten, peppermint increases activity in the area of the brain responsible for alertness, according to researchers. Inhalation of peppermint oil helps trigger a sense of fullness after meals, enhance your sense of taste and smell, and improve concentration and mental activity.
This is a good news in that peppermint can be used as a natural aid to help people curb appetite, decrease hunger cravings, and eat fewer calories. As a result, the use of peppermint may help in weight loss and better overall health.
But not all peppermint oils are created equal. Only the true organic peppermint grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides offers the most active nutrient levels. The therapeutic-grade essesntial oil of peppermint has to be extracted by steam distillation under strictly controlled conditions and handling.
>> Learn about true, pure therapeutic-grade essential oil of peppermint and start enjoying its health and fitness benefits (product # 3614) >>
Before you decide to try peppermint oil in your weight loss program, you need to get the basics covered first: healthy lifestyle changes, regular weight training and cardio exercise routine, and balanced diet and macronutrition.
As I pointed out in my earlier post, there is a place for vitamins and nutritional supplements. They are meant to "supplement" your macronutrition or certain deficiencies, instead of becoming your major meals.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
>>> Sign up for FREE 'Jump-Start Your Body!' Workout and Nutrition Program to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Refresh and Recharge Yourself for a Stress-less Holiday Season
Thanksgiving was over, but shopping and getting ready for the holidays just got started in full swing. It could be very overwhelming, stressful and draining your energy.
I know many people start to skip workout. The commercial gym that I go to regularly was quite empty on "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving) morning. It was less than 1/10 of the usual traffic. But the parking lots in the malls was full and the stores were packed.
Staying stress-free in this holiday season in the #1 topic on the web and magazines. You may not have time to take the whole day off for yourself to relax. How about 2 hours? Can you spare an hour or 30 minutes? I'm sure you have many 5-minute breaks throughout the day.
Empowerment Life Coach, Work-Life Balance guru and Stress Management expert Hueina Su of Beyond Horizon Coaching has provided a list of mini energy break ideas for you to take. It doesn't matter whether you have 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 30 minutes or 2 hours. She has so many ideas for you to take a mini break to recharge and refresh yourself for a stress-less holiday season.
Read the full list of mini energy break ideas >>
Coach Hueina is hosting a FREE Teleclass "Joyful & Stress-less Holidays" on December 7th. Click the following to sign up for the FREE Teleclass and receive your BONUS gift.
Yes, please sign me up for the FREE Teleclass "Joyful & Stress-less Holidays" and send me the BONUS gift >>
I know many people start to skip workout. The commercial gym that I go to regularly was quite empty on "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving) morning. It was less than 1/10 of the usual traffic. But the parking lots in the malls was full and the stores were packed.
Staying stress-free in this holiday season in the #1 topic on the web and magazines. You may not have time to take the whole day off for yourself to relax. How about 2 hours? Can you spare an hour or 30 minutes? I'm sure you have many 5-minute breaks throughout the day.
Empowerment Life Coach, Work-Life Balance guru and Stress Management expert Hueina Su of Beyond Horizon Coaching has provided a list of mini energy break ideas for you to take. It doesn't matter whether you have 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 30 minutes or 2 hours. She has so many ideas for you to take a mini break to recharge and refresh yourself for a stress-less holiday season.
Read the full list of mini energy break ideas >>
Coach Hueina is hosting a FREE Teleclass "Joyful & Stress-less Holidays" on December 7th. Click the following to sign up for the FREE Teleclass and receive your BONUS gift.
Yes, please sign me up for the FREE Teleclass "Joyful & Stress-less Holidays" and send me the BONUS gift >>
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Stress, Mindless Eating and Fat Gain
Stress and More Stress
When we're stressed out, we tend to craze for sweet and greasy foods to make us feel good. Many people pig out on high-carb, high-fat, high-calorie but low-nutrient-value foods.
Eat, Eat and Eat More
By the time you realize it, you mindlessly shovel two bags of chips plus a jar of salsa, or munch a double cheeseburger along with a large order of fries and a supersized soda, or perhaps gobble six packs of beer with all the high-fat, high-calorie finger foods while watching TV all night. Enjoying a few drinks at night to unwind your stressful day could turn into an overeating disaster.
You Can't Stop Eating?!
You just cannot seem to stop eating 'til you really feel full and stuffed. That's very likely 1000+ calories of "feeling good" junk food. You rationalize that, "since I feel better now, I'll go to gym to work out tomorrow." You know that probably won't happen since your life spins around again with the same stress cycle. No wonder you've gained all the fat, particularly around the belly. That's why it's called "beer belly."
Does this stress eating sound familiar to you?
Does your stress sabotage your diet and make you fat?
Does the cold weather and winter blues make you feel depressed and feel like eating more?
You know your weakness in food. You know you have to stop it but simply cannot help it.
Tips for Taming Your Stress, Emotional and Impulsive Eating
I have the following tips to share with you as to how to use food to fuel your body, replenish your energy and soothe your stress while enjoying the food and eating mindfully to manage your weight.
- Recognize your stress triggers and signals. Your body releases a stress hormone cortisol that triggers the release of two neurotransmitters. These two brain chemicals make you increasingly crave for sugary and fatty foods.
- Take your time, sit down for at least three meals to eat mindfully. Enjoy the healthy, nutritious foods. Savor the tastes. You'll feel fuller and more satisfied than eating mindlessly. You'll eat fewer calories. Some natural herbs or their essential oils such as pepperment may help curb appetite and eat less.
- Keep healthy snacks in your home, office and car. When you're hungry and ready for snacks, you have all the healthy snacks in your reach. You won't run to the vending machine or drive through fast food joints to pick up the sugary, high-fat foods.
- Watch out for the few drinks, particularly during and after dinner, and in special occasions. The calories do add up. Don't "drink" your calories. Try to replace the sugary drinks with tea. Keep the alcohol to a glass of wine with dinner. Alcohol disturbs sleep pattern, which makes sleep-deprived you even more stressful.
- Eat a balanced diet by eating high-fiber, low-sugar breakfast and a good balance of complex carb, lean protein, healthy essential fats for other meals. Your blood sugar will be more stable throughout the day, leaving you less stressful and less likely to overeat mindlessly.
- Some nutrients are helpful in soothing stress such as B vitamins, folate, omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium.
- Eat antioxidant-rich nutrients or supplements to help absorb or neutralize superoxide free radicals generated from oxidative stress. The superoxide free radicals were proven to be causes of many diseases, health problems and aging.
- Learn and practice self-care and stress management techniques. Seek alternative or preventive methods beyond the traditional fix-it approach.
Copyright 2007 www.careyforfitness.com by C. Carey Yang.
All rights reserved.
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Friday, November 16, 2007
Triple Your Back Muscles
I'll introduce you another triple-set circuit workout routine to work your back muscles. It's one of my training principles to work muscles in balance for strength, posture and injury prevention.
I'm sure you see a lot of more people (particularly men) in the gym working on their chest and shoulder muscles well more than their back muscles in terms of training frequency and volume. Do you see more people doing chest press or pullup?
On the other hand, there are also a lot more people having back problems due to relatively weak, less developed back muscles and poor posture. How many people you know are having back pain of all sorts and seeking pain management?
It's health-wise to include workouts that strengthen your back muscles (latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid, trapezius) from different angles.
From physiological and aesthetic perspectives, working your lat increases the width of your back and gives the visually appealing "V" tapered upper body shape. Thickening your back muscles gives off the power sign of strength.
It's time to build a big wide muscular back.
Triple Back Muscle Attack
A. Seated Lat Front Pulldown x 8-12 reps
B. Standing Lat Pulldown (45 degrees) x 8-12 reps
C. Standing Straight-Arm Pulldown x 10-15 reps
Again, review the superset and triset training principles as to how to set up effective and efficient workout.
How to do it
Go to the lat pulldown station in the gym. You can also attach a resistance tubing around a secured point about 2 or 3 feet above your head level while standing.
Perform your standard seated lat front pulldown by pulling the bar straight downward towards your mid chest (sternum). Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the bar all the way down to your mid chest. Contract your lat muscles. Avoid using momentum to swing or pull down the bar. Do 8 to 12 reps.
Then stand up and step back about two feet. You can probably use the same weight. Now do similar pulldown by pulling the bar down towards your mid chest. Due to the change in the angle of pull, it's now about 45 degrees. Do 8 to 12 reps.
Reduce the weight or resistance by half. In the same standing position, do straight-arm pulldown. Pull the bar downward like an arc motion pivoting from your shoulders towards your thighs and feel the muscle contraction on the back. Maintain your neutral spine position and stabilize your body. Do 10 to 15 reps.
The reason to reduce the weight is that you're close to temporary muscular fatigue on the your forearms and back from the first two exercises. You typically wouldn't be able to pull the same amount of weight as standard lat pulldown without using momentum. It's a great training practice to adjust (reduce) weight so that you're able to perform the exercise properly with smooth, controlled movement and put the target muscle under tension.
This tri-set back workout routine will give your old way of back training a new spin. It gives you new stimulus to your back muscles. Who don't want a "V" tapered body shape?
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
I'm sure you see a lot of more people (particularly men) in the gym working on their chest and shoulder muscles well more than their back muscles in terms of training frequency and volume. Do you see more people doing chest press or pullup?
On the other hand, there are also a lot more people having back problems due to relatively weak, less developed back muscles and poor posture. How many people you know are having back pain of all sorts and seeking pain management?
It's health-wise to include workouts that strengthen your back muscles (latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid, trapezius) from different angles.
From physiological and aesthetic perspectives, working your lat increases the width of your back and gives the visually appealing "V" tapered upper body shape. Thickening your back muscles gives off the power sign of strength.
It's time to build a big wide muscular back.
Triple Back Muscle Attack
A. Seated Lat Front Pulldown x 8-12 reps
B. Standing Lat Pulldown (45 degrees) x 8-12 reps
C. Standing Straight-Arm Pulldown x 10-15 reps
Again, review the superset and triset training principles as to how to set up effective and efficient workout.
How to do it
Go to the lat pulldown station in the gym. You can also attach a resistance tubing around a secured point about 2 or 3 feet above your head level while standing.
Perform your standard seated lat front pulldown by pulling the bar straight downward towards your mid chest (sternum). Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the bar all the way down to your mid chest. Contract your lat muscles. Avoid using momentum to swing or pull down the bar. Do 8 to 12 reps.
Then stand up and step back about two feet. You can probably use the same weight. Now do similar pulldown by pulling the bar down towards your mid chest. Due to the change in the angle of pull, it's now about 45 degrees. Do 8 to 12 reps.
Reduce the weight or resistance by half. In the same standing position, do straight-arm pulldown. Pull the bar downward like an arc motion pivoting from your shoulders towards your thighs and feel the muscle contraction on the back. Maintain your neutral spine position and stabilize your body. Do 10 to 15 reps.
The reason to reduce the weight is that you're close to temporary muscular fatigue on the your forearms and back from the first two exercises. You typically wouldn't be able to pull the same amount of weight as standard lat pulldown without using momentum. It's a great training practice to adjust (reduce) weight so that you're able to perform the exercise properly with smooth, controlled movement and put the target muscle under tension.
This tri-set back workout routine will give your old way of back training a new spin. It gives you new stimulus to your back muscles. Who don't want a "V" tapered body shape?
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Dealing with Hamstring Pain
Ouch! I pulled my hamstrings.
You know how painful it is when you pull your hamstrings. It could be from straight-ahead running or sprinting, particularly when you tried to accelerate and made longer stride than usual. You could also hurt your hamstrings when you kicked straight without flexing your knee and snapping back. Single-leg exercises such as lunges could be the culprit as well.
Where and what are hamstrings?
The hamstrings are located on the back of your upper leg (thigh) and made of three muscles: biceps femoris, semi tendinosus and semi membranosus. They work together to extend the hips (e.g., deadlift) and flex the knees (e.g., leg curl). When you're running, the hamstrings perform both actions.
See a picture of the hamstrings here >>
What to do first when you hurt your hamstrings?
When you feel strain on the hamstrings, you would feel pain and should look for swelling and discoloration. For the first 48 to 72 hours, ice the area for 10 to 20 minutes for every 2 to 4 hours to reduce the pain and swelling. If your hamstrings look like a big bruise, see your doctor immediately for possible torn muscle.
Read the guideline for ice therapry >>
How to rehab your post-injured hamstrings
If the pain subsides after 48 hours, stretch your hamstrings slowly and start with small range of motion. You can warm up the injured hamstrings with a heat pad to promote circulation before stretching. Instead of doing traditional static stretching (e.g., sit-and-reach), you will do dynamic stretching by gently move muscles through their natural range of motion.
Start with simple side-stepping, backward walking, crossover stepping, exaggerated-length (giant) steps. When you're comforable with these exercises, you can gradually begin to lengthen your step, increase the speed at which you perform the steps, and add some stepups and squats. If the pain persists after 72 hours, see your doctor or physical therapist.
When you're recovering from hamstring injury, try to figure out why you're hurt in the first place and find proper rehab exercises to strengthen the weakness, balance muscle strength or stretch the tightness to prevent reoccurring.
For example, tight hip flexors tend to inhibit your glutes from extending your hips. It forces the hamstrings to work harder to extend the hips. This sets you up for a hamstring overload injury when you sprint, step up, squat or lunge. You can change up your training routine by including Romanian deadlift, hyperextension, good morning, and high stepup. These exercises strengthen the hip-extension action of the hamstrings.
Hamstring Injury Treatment and Stretching >>
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
You know how painful it is when you pull your hamstrings. It could be from straight-ahead running or sprinting, particularly when you tried to accelerate and made longer stride than usual. You could also hurt your hamstrings when you kicked straight without flexing your knee and snapping back. Single-leg exercises such as lunges could be the culprit as well.
Where and what are hamstrings?
The hamstrings are located on the back of your upper leg (thigh) and made of three muscles: biceps femoris, semi tendinosus and semi membranosus. They work together to extend the hips (e.g., deadlift) and flex the knees (e.g., leg curl). When you're running, the hamstrings perform both actions.
See a picture of the hamstrings here >>
What to do first when you hurt your hamstrings?
When you feel strain on the hamstrings, you would feel pain and should look for swelling and discoloration. For the first 48 to 72 hours, ice the area for 10 to 20 minutes for every 2 to 4 hours to reduce the pain and swelling. If your hamstrings look like a big bruise, see your doctor immediately for possible torn muscle.
Read the guideline for ice therapry >>
How to rehab your post-injured hamstrings
If the pain subsides after 48 hours, stretch your hamstrings slowly and start with small range of motion. You can warm up the injured hamstrings with a heat pad to promote circulation before stretching. Instead of doing traditional static stretching (e.g., sit-and-reach), you will do dynamic stretching by gently move muscles through their natural range of motion.
Start with simple side-stepping, backward walking, crossover stepping, exaggerated-length (giant) steps. When you're comforable with these exercises, you can gradually begin to lengthen your step, increase the speed at which you perform the steps, and add some stepups and squats. If the pain persists after 72 hours, see your doctor or physical therapist.
When you're recovering from hamstring injury, try to figure out why you're hurt in the first place and find proper rehab exercises to strengthen the weakness, balance muscle strength or stretch the tightness to prevent reoccurring.
For example, tight hip flexors tend to inhibit your glutes from extending your hips. It forces the hamstrings to work harder to extend the hips. This sets you up for a hamstring overload injury when you sprint, step up, squat or lunge. You can change up your training routine by including Romanian deadlift, hyperextension, good morning, and high stepup. These exercises strengthen the hip-extension action of the hamstrings.
Hamstring Injury Treatment and Stretching >>
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
High-Fat Diet Increases Risk of Heart Disease
Isn't it obvious? Do we need a research to tell us?
But not so. A few years ago, the low-carb, high-protein and high-fat Atkins Diet was in a full-blown fad.
People would get on any diet that promises them quick weight-loss in a month. They don't care about the long term adherence and health risks.
I've seen people eating double cheeseburger without the bread on supersized diet coke, 5 to 6 meals a day! What gives?
According to a recent research study at the University of Maryland, the high-fat Atkins Diet increased the study subjects' LDL cholesterol (the bad one) level and brought on symptoms of artery hardening - early signs of strokes or heart attacks.
The research also compared with two other diets, South Beach and Ornish, which both showed improvement in cholesterol and little change on artery condition.
The South Beach program allows a wide variety of foods and keeps fat at about 30 percent of total calories. The Ornish plan encourages a vegetarian-type diet, with 10 percent of calories from fat.
Regardless of the diet you're on, make sure it's a regiment that is healthy for you and you can stay on in the long run.
USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publish a food and nutrition guideline called The Food Pyramid. In the MyPyramid Plan, you can adjust the daily choices from each food group to meet your calorie needs. Visit www.MyPyramid.for details.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
But not so. A few years ago, the low-carb, high-protein and high-fat Atkins Diet was in a full-blown fad.
People would get on any diet that promises them quick weight-loss in a month. They don't care about the long term adherence and health risks.
I've seen people eating double cheeseburger without the bread on supersized diet coke, 5 to 6 meals a day! What gives?
According to a recent research study at the University of Maryland, the high-fat Atkins Diet increased the study subjects' LDL cholesterol (the bad one) level and brought on symptoms of artery hardening - early signs of strokes or heart attacks.
The research also compared with two other diets, South Beach and Ornish, which both showed improvement in cholesterol and little change on artery condition.
The South Beach program allows a wide variety of foods and keeps fat at about 30 percent of total calories. The Ornish plan encourages a vegetarian-type diet, with 10 percent of calories from fat.
Regardless of the diet you're on, make sure it's a regiment that is healthy for you and you can stay on in the long run.
USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publish a food and nutrition guideline called The Food Pyramid. In the MyPyramid Plan, you can adjust the daily choices from each food group to meet your calorie needs. Visit www.MyPyramid.for details.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Obesity Increases Risk of Cancer
If you're obese with excess body fat and still haven't taken actions (regular exercises and physical activities, proper and balanced nutrition, weight management), take note now!
According to a new research report release by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the Britain-based World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), your risk of cancer is increased with obesity. Obesity is now linked to six types of cancer, five more than its last report, 10 years ago.
The report, an analysis by scientists from around the world of more than 7,000 studies, offers 10 recommendations to help prevent cancer. They include staying lean, getting at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, limiting your intake of red meat and alcohol, and avoiding processed meats.
Factors such as birth weight, childbearing, breast-feeding, and adult height and weight also influence cancer risk.
So what types of cancer are linked to obesity? The analysis of the studies found a definite link between excess fat and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, endometrium, kidney as well as breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
This report really reinforces the connection between being overweight or obese and the increased risk of many, if not all, cancers.
The basic recommendations from the panel are:
According to a new research report release by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the Britain-based World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), your risk of cancer is increased with obesity. Obesity is now linked to six types of cancer, five more than its last report, 10 years ago.
The report, an analysis by scientists from around the world of more than 7,000 studies, offers 10 recommendations to help prevent cancer. They include staying lean, getting at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, limiting your intake of red meat and alcohol, and avoiding processed meats.
Factors such as birth weight, childbearing, breast-feeding, and adult height and weight also influence cancer risk.
So what types of cancer are linked to obesity? The analysis of the studies found a definite link between excess fat and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, endometrium, kidney as well as breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
This report really reinforces the connection between being overweight or obese and the increased risk of many, if not all, cancers.
The basic recommendations from the panel are:
- Body Fatness: Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight.
- Physical Activity: Be physically active part of everyday life.
- Foods and Drinks That Promote Weight Gain: Limit consumption of energy-dense foods and avoid sugary drinks.
- Plant Foods: Eat mostly foods of plant origin.
- Animal Foods: Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat.
- Alcoholic Drinks: Limit alcoholic drinks.
- Preservation, Processing, Preparation: Limit consumption of salt and avoid mouldy cereals (grains) or pulses (legumes).
- Dietary Supplements: Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone.
To read the full report, visit the American Institute for Cancer Research. This 500+ page report is packed with research report, summary and recommendations.
>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.
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