Posts Tagged nutrition
Top 7 Time Wasters At The Gym
Posted by Patch Adams in Fitness on March 17, 2009
In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s nearly impossible to set aside the time you need at the gym each day. It seems there are always more “important” things to be doing. When you do get into the gym, avoid these 7 time wasters.
1) Believe it or not, one of the first things that wastes your time in the gym, is spending too much time at the gym. I realize that may not make sense, but it’s true. You don’t necessarily need to do cardio for 90 minutes everyday. Once you go beyond what your body needs, you’re wasting time.
2 – No more long rest periods between exercises. Usually this happens when you see a friend and you spend 10 minutes chatting about fitness. Talking about getting fit isn’t going to help you get fit. Don’t take as many breaks and instead schedule some time over coffee when you’re both of you are away from the gym.
3 – Plan your workouts. Make sure you know what exercises you’re going to do, how many reps you’ll do of each and how much weight you’re going to use. If you’re constantly trying to figure things out on the fly, you’ll double your time in the gym.
4. Not having a backup plan- There is nothing more frustrating then going to the gym with your plan in hand and someone is already using the machine! Having a backup plan ensures you spend more of your time in the gym exercising and less time feeling frustrated. If someone is using the chest machine, no big deal: Do push-ups instead.
5 – Get intense! Push yourself further than you thought you could go. Physical gains don’t happen when you’re barely pushing yourself. You need to be going to failure on almost every exercise. Even if you’re just building strength and have no interest in bulk, you should still work to failure, just at a higher level. Remember, bulk comes between 8 and 10 reps and strength comes when you’re doing between 12 and 15.
6) Form is vital. Doing too many “cheat” reps will kill your time in the gym. Focus on the right form and you’ll benefit greatly from every rep. Each time you do an exercise wrong, that’s one more wasted rep.
7. Not seeking the advice of a professional- If all the top athletes have coaches and professional trainers, don’t you think you could use their advice? Having a trainer will help you to get further along in your training then trying to do it by yourself. He or she will help you to use proper form, technique, rep ranges, tempo, rest intervals and exercise combinations to maximize your results and minimize your frustrations
I’m sure you didn’t relate to all seven items. You may only relate to one of them. If that’s the case, fix that one time and gain back some time for other areas in your life. If you could relate to them, focus on a few at a time and lean out your gym time while you lean out your body.
Tasty chicken breast recipes
The only part of the chicken that is low in fat and high in protein is the chicken breast meat. Other than that, this part of the chicken is also quite easy to cook and can be used in a lot of different chicken breast recipes. Amongst the many ways to prepare some delicious chicken meals is it bake, grill, roast, stir fry, deep fry and season the chicken with different condiments and sauces to make it as delectable as ever.
Baked chicken breast meat, without its skin, is by far the healthiest option for protein other than eating baked fish. However, it need not taste horrible or bland at all. There are so many different sauces and ways to prepare the chicken breast meat that baked chicken breast meat will never be plain, old boring food ever again.
Now, there are a lot of different chicken recipes to choose from so which are more suitable for chicken breast meat? Actually, due to the versatility of the meat, you can cook it any way you like. An easy way would be to have grilled chicken breast. To grill it to perfection, just season it and then put it into the griller and you are done.
Another way to cook chicken dinners healthily is to stir fry it. You only need to chop the chicken breast meat into small strips, season it with the appropriate sauces and then stir fry it using about a tablespoon of cooking oil only. Of course, it involves some basic stir frying techniques but it is pretty easy.
If you do not want to stir fry, you can also try roasting your chicken. Although roast chicken is using the whole chicken, chicken breast meat can also be roasted. You only need to marinade the chicken and then you roast it. If not, deep frying the chicken breast meat is another option. Although not healthy, who doesn’t love deep fried crunchy chicken? All you have to do is to cut it into long thin strips, marinade it with buttermilk then dip into egg whites and roll it over breadcrumbs before frying it in oil.
Other that these methods, you can also mince the chicken breast meat and referring to some really great chicken breast recipes, use it for homemade burgers, in pasta sauce, anything. There are so many different chicken recipes out there that you are really spoilt for choice. Whatever method you like, cooking chicken breast meat is easy enough but always remember not to overcook it or else you may just end up with some really tough chicken meat that you will find hard to chew.
Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Posted by Adrian Fletcher in Health on March 8, 2009
You have a few options for lowering your cholesterol. Your doctor will no doubt go through them with you if your blood test indicates that you have high cholesterol. For instance, there are medications that your doctor may prescribe that are very effective in lowering cholesterol. However this is generally not the first option that will be suggested.
Many people are encouraged to take a more active approach to lowering their cholesterol. In the long run it is better for the body to naturally lower it’s cholesterol than rely on medicine to do the job. Taking a more active role in solving the problem requires improving your diet and getting the right amount of exercise. This is obviously a bit more work than slugging back a pill each day but it can also have other benefits to the body and general health that make it a worthwhile approach to follow.
Focus on obtaining information on cholesterol and the methods of naturally lowering cholesterol in your bloodstream. There are a number of good cookbooks available in bookstores which will provide details of foods that will help reduce cholesterol. Eating these types of foods is the natural way to bring down cholesterol and perhaps the most effective way to improve your health. These types of cookbooks will have many recipes of delicious foods that you will like and thus keep you on the track to better heart health.
You will be pleasantly surprised by the side effect of learning to prepare and enjoy heart healthy foods for naturally lowering cholesterol. You will no longer feel bloated or overstuffed from eating too much after a meal. Eating a healthy diet leaves you feeling healthy and satisfied after a meal. After you have changed your eating habits, you may occasionally be in a situation where you will eat some heavy, high cholesterol food. You will be surprised to find that you no longer like it!
Finding ways for naturally lowering cholesterol can be a family adventure. Even though you may find favorite foods on the “no-no” list, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go completely without them. Substitution is the key. Use light cream instead of heavy cream, skinless ground chicken instead of beef. All these little changes can make a big difference when you are preparing the foods your family loves.
Dieting is a wonderful method to use for naturally lowering cholesterol, but exercising just as important too. You don’t have to work out like a professional runner in a cross country race. Just include some basic exercise in your life everyday such as something easy like taking a stroll. Any kind of exercise can benefit you if you did not exercise before, but remember to check with your doctor first. Gradually build up the amount or intensity over time.
Once you start naturally lowering cholesterol, your appearance will improve and you’ll feel better if you incorporate a regimen of good exercise into your day to day life. Soon, you’ll be amazed at how you ever managed to cope without it and be champing at the bit to get that exercise fix. Exercise is fun and relaxing, and you should look for and choose a plan which includes activities that are appealing to you. Exercise can also reduce stress that is thought to contribute to many health problems.
Naturally lowering cholesterol involves taking control of your health on your own by ensuring that your body is provided with the best nourishment. It also means toning up your body to its full potential. Healthy diet and exercise benefits are not limited to just bringing down your cholesterol levels. You will also get an overall sense of well-being and you will feel less tired.
Wu Yi Tea For Weight Loss: A Safe, Natural Alternative
Posted by Scott Foster in Health on February 28, 2009
You’ve probably heard something about Wu Yi tea by now – there are a lot of news stories out there about people using Wu Yi tea for weight loss. But what’s the truth about this tea? Can it really help you to lose weight? As it happens, people have been drinking Wu Yi tea in China for centuries; of course, the Chinese are known for their slim waistlines and good health. So how does Wu Yi tea for weight loss work? Let’s look at the facts.
A lot of research has been done on the health benefits of Wu Yi tea. Wu Yi tea is an oolong tea (the sort of tea commonly served in Chinese restaurants) which is grown around Mount Wu Yi on the Chinese province of Fujian. The soil of the region has a high mineral content, which along with the way the tea is processed after harvest is believed to give this tea its beneficial properties.
All tea contains polyphenols, but Wu Yi tea is an especially good source of these natural compounds. Polyphenols are also the reason that Wu Yi tea for weight loss is a winning strategy. Polyphenols cause your body to start producing more of the enzymes which break down fat stored in your body. Since Wu Yi tea helps your body use its natural fat burning abilities, it is a safe and natural way to step up your weight loss program.
The effects of polyphenols on weight loss have been studied, with the results showing that using Wu Yi Tea for weight loss just plain makes sense. One study showed that after drinking Wu Yi tea, the participants burned calories at a rate 10% higher than the control group, who drank water instead. Now, while you may not think this sounds that impressive, just think about what burning 10% more calories could mean for you when combined with a healthy diet and a regular exercise routine. This is the kind of edge you need to lose weight faster.
Besides this metabolism boosting effect and helping you to break down fat, Wu Yi tea may also be able to prevent you from absorbing some of the fat in foods you eat. A study performed in Japan showed that after drinking oolong tea, the participants absorbed less fat from a snack of potato chips than did their non-oolong drinking counterparts. Looks like there’s more than one way that drinking Wu Yi tea for weight loss can help you to meet your target weight faster.
If you’d like to find out more about how you can lose weight with Wu Yi tea, there is plenty of information out there; you can even read Wu Yi tea reviews in order to see what others are saying.
There are a lot of other great benefits which Wu Yi tea can offer. The taste alone makes it something well worth adding to your diet as a regular basis. It’s all natural, healthy and drinking Wu Yi tea for weight loss may be just what you need to get past the dreaded weight loss plateau.
Weight Loss Products for Wedding and Proactol
Posted by Ricardo daryans in Health on February 24, 2009
No matter how long you have until your wedding day will might be struck by how much weight you want to lose in time. Regardless of your goal, these are a couple of points to remember.
People often turn to dietary supplements and one that is quite propular is Proactol. What are the details of this supplement and does it do everything it says it will?
Basically, Proactol was developed for use as a dietary additive that can boost your ability to lose pounds. When looking at the packaging, it proposes to help you reduce your food craving and to burn off 28% of your fat intake. The benefits of taking proactol is multifold; including weight loss and higher energy levels as well as better flexibility and lower cholesterol levels.
The prickly pear or Optuntia Ficus India Cactus is one of the most often and well known ingredients in Proatctol, it is sometimes listed as Neopuntia. Neopuntia is a plant fiber taken from the prickly pear.
When you are thinking about figuring out whether Proactol is something that might work for you, it is important to understand how this supplement works. The main gist of its effectiveness is the prickly pear, which is known to be rich in vitamins B1 and B2, as well as pathothenic acids and niacin. Prickly pear is known to stimulate weight loss, and this is considered a positive for this supplement.
On the other hand, it is important to consider the possible negitives of taking this supplement. Those who take prickly pear too often can have stomach problems, it can also be problematic fot those with kidney problems or elevated cholesterol. It is strongly recommended that women avoid it if they are breast feeding.
Keeping that in mind, it can be a tricky decision to decide if you want to take Proactol or not. But, should you give your body something that may be difficult for you to handle just as you are entering a very stressful time?
Remember, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is proper diet and execise. Dietary supplements can give you a boost, but only a good diet and exercise will get you the results you desire.
Think it twice before using Proactol and decide on your needs before the big day!
Achieving Your Fitness Resolutions This Year
Posted by Nate Rifkin in Fitness on February 20, 2009
Here’s 5 things successful goal-setters do that can help you finally get in shape this year:
1. Keep your goals to yourself.
You don’t want other people who aren’t as committed to their health to bring you down with their negative energy. If the wrong person finds out you want to lose a few inches from your waist or exercise every day, this could happen. Don’t let it.
2.Figure out WHY you want to accomplish your goal.
If you want to drop 20 extra pounds, think about why. And dont think this is obvious stuff either. What you need to know is what personally motivates you and gets you emotionally involved. Is it because you want to look better? Have more energy? Attract a new mate? Re-attract and old one? Figure it out.
3. Remind yourself of this reason when you lose motivation.
Whenever you start slacking off after a few weeks or you just don’t feel like putting the effort in anymore, recall your reason for making this goal. Set your sights on that and you can find the power to keep moving forward.
4. Don’t do this alone.
Your habits reflect the habits of those around you. Getting around healthy people will make achieving your goals easier. Being around unhealthy people gets you up for failure.
5. If you screw up, don’t worry about it.
If you don’t exercise as consistently for a few days, relax. If you eat a few too many cheat meals, don’t worry. Feeling bad won’t do any good. Just keep moving forward and you’ll be all the better for it.
If you take advantage of these five secrets, 2009 WILL be the year you achieve the body of your dreams.