Posts Tagged ‘food’

How To Get Your Workplace To Help You Lose Weight And Get In Shape

Friday, December 17th, 2010

If you spend most of your day at work, as most people do, it would make sense to focus on changing this environment to help you lose weight. After all, your environment can be more powerful than your self-discipline.

The biggest issue here, though, is that many people do not know where to start or what changes to make.

So here is how to get your workplace to help you lose more weight:

1. Put your meals in your schedule: Doing this will formalize your nutritional plan and will prevent hiccups. You see, once you take your meal planning seriously, just as any other aspect of your job, you rate of adherence will sky rocket.

2. Bring your lunch box: Bringing food from home is a great strategy so that you don’t binge on the catered food your office provides or head to the nearest burger joint. You see, when you bring your own food from home, you know exactly what’s in it.

3. Stuff your desk with healthy food: You will want to buy packaged food here. Good options are healthy protein bars, nuts, high fiber cereal, etc. Doing this will provide quick exit strategies when you need something quick because of a last minute emergency.

4. Drink tea instead of coffee: Loose leaf teas are far superior to coffee in terms of health, fat loss and sustainable increases in energy. Coffee isn’t bad for you, it’s just not the best thing you can put into your body. So don’t hover over the coffee machine like a vulture, stick with tea.

5. Work upright: One of the biggest negatives of desk jobs is that you work from the seated position. A better approach is top work standing. Now this may seem a little extreme, but I can guarantee that it’s very effective. Not only will your lower back be healthier, but you will also burn many more calories which in turn will increase weight loss.

Workplace environments don’t have to be the nail in your weight loss coffin. A little foresight and action can make losing weight at work very manageable. All you have to do is one thing: take massive action.

Author Katherine Crawford, an exercise physiologist and recent flabby arms sufferer, teaches how to get thin arms. Unearth how to get sexy and toned arms by exploring her blog with shake weight reviews right now!

Essential Information About Tony Horton And His P90X

Friday, December 17th, 2010

One of the most sought after home fitness programs available these days is the Power 90 Extreme, or P90X for short. This was developed and starred by Tony Horton, a popular exercise instructor. Below you can find more information about him - the beginning of his career and the other fitness programs he came up with.

Born in Westerly, Rhode Island on the 2nd of July, 1958, he was christened Anthony Sawyer Horton Jr. After finishing his studies in the University of Rhode Island, he packed his bags to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. But he was told by agents to come back some other time until he’s fit. Tony, as a kid, hated exercising and loved fast food. He realized that making it in showbiz required having great physique.

What he did was join a famous fitness gym in Venice, California: World Gym. He was so into fitness that he also got information from books and the pros who were attending the same gym. That time, famous bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno frequented the place. But Tony wasn’t a fan of the bulky and non-flexible physique.

What he wanted was to have the sleek, toned and flexible body of an athlete. That’s why he designed his own workout routines to enable him to achieve such goal. Strength, speed, balance and flexibility - these were the things he focused on. His fitness level soon improved, and he started dabbling on other activities such as pilates, yoga, plyometrics, etc.

It was also during this time that he was introduced to interval training by Mark Sisson, a triathlete and former Ironman participant. Little did Tony know that all the things he learned would be the foundation for his revolutionary fitness programs in the future. News about his physical transformation from lanky to ripped spread like wildfire. Soon enough, opportunities came knocking on his door.

In the early 1980s, he became an in-demand exercise instructor for many celebrities - from film actors to recording artists. He started writing for many different health and fitness magazines. He became a spokesperson for a popular line of fitness machines. He also hosted a TV show. Additionally, he established his own company: ASH Fitness.

Tony and Carl Daikeler met through a client. He became Daikeler’s fitness trainer, and since then they became good friends. In the late 1990’s Daikeler and another guy (Jon Congdon) set up a company which offered products related to fitness - Beachbody. They asked Tony to come up with a series of home exercise videos where he’s also the star. The very first offering was called Great Body Guaranteed. It was followed by many others. Among them are Tony and the Kids, Tony and the Folks, 10 Minute Trainer, Power Half Hour, etc.

His earliest success is said to be the Power 90, which was launched back in 2001. Then in 2004, he created a much more intense version of it: the P90X or Power 90 Extreme. It’s a 90-day home fitness program that’s divided into 3 phases. Likewise, it’s backed up by a nutrition guide Tony himself developed. The foundation of the program is muscle confusion, which keeps the body from suffering from the plateau effect.

Tony Horton didn’t just design another in home fitness routine when he designed P90X. He revolutionized the in home weight loss industry by bringing not just what people wanted but what they needed. P90X MC2 being the next in his series will do the same when it delivers the next generation of muscle confusing exercises.

Get Thin, Lean, Sculpted, Defined and Sexy Arms By Hydrating Yourself Properly

Friday, December 17th, 2010

Are you aware of the importance of hydration? Do you know how to properly manage your hydration? Well, learning how to optimize your water intake is essential if you want to maximize arm fat loss and get thin arms. Yet it can be very confusing.

When did water consumption become so involved? Well, I firmly believe that excessive caffeine intakes are partly to blame. You see, caffeine does a very good job at hiding the ill effects of dehydration and it also makes it harder to optimize how much water you should drink.

Most women are suffering from low grade dehydration without even knowing it.

So here are 5 more reasons to stay hydrated when trying to get skinny arms:

1. A cooler core. Once your core temperature reaches a certain level your body will not want to move any more. The end result will be shorter and less effective arm-thinning workouts.

2. Less vascular volume. Which means less blood! And less blood translates into less nutrients going to your active tissues.

3. Toxic accumulation. Most reactions in your body happen within aqueous solutions. And most waste removal from your cells requires water. So if you don’t have enough water, expect some toxic buildup.

4. Metabolic drops. Your metabolism dictates how many calories you burn even while you sleep. If you’re dehydrated, expect a decrease in metabolism.

5. Poor mental outlook. This effect from dehydration is absolutely horrible. Anything that decreases motivation or worsens mood should be avoided at all costs. Getting thin arms is hard. Getting thin arms with poor mental functioning is harder.

6. Less exercise ability. Without sufficient water your muscles will not be able to exercise at full capacity because they are mostly made of water!

Water does many more things in the female body. So please do not assume that this list is comprehensive! Ultimately, your body is mostly made of water so any level of dehydration is likely to affect many systems. So make sure you carry a source of water with you at all times and slowly drink from it during the day.

Author Katherine Crawford, an exercise expert and former arm fat sufferer, instructs on how to get thin arms. Unearth how to get sexy and toned arms by exploring her website with shake weight reviews right now!

When Pregnant Use Helpful Workout Routines

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

If you are a woman who regularly exercises or you find yourself on the other end of the spectrum and are wondering what the word exercise means there’s no doubt that pregnancy adds a number of reasons why someone would either want to continue their workout routines or start a new one. In either case it’s always a smart idea to speak with an Obstetrician to learn about the different varieties of exercise that are allowable and the ones that should be avoided during pregnancy.

Speaking in general terms workout routines that are approved and appropriate to one’s situation are typically thought of as being beneficial to personal health and well-being. Research has also proven that a number of typical problems that come up with pregnancy, such as fatigue, excessive weight gain, and many future mothers personal favorite morning sickness can be alleviated with consistent exercise. It is also believed although not proven that labor pains can be decreased when a woman is physically in shape.

True to the adage of eating for two, proper nutrition is a very important aspect in maintaining the health of both the woman and the fetus. Keeping weight gain within recommended guidelines can be achieved through regular exercise and healthy eating choices. It is especially important that any workout routine does not result in a weight loss that includes the loss of muscle. Keeping fully hydrated before, during and after a routine is essential as well.

Personal safety should always be a priority regardless if you’re in your first trimester or third. Engaging in exercise routines that require a lot of weight, extreme intense activity, or could result in you falling on your abdomen would be routines that should be avoided. Whenever exercise routines call for outdoor activity consider the weather as a possible negative factor. Extreme temperatures and humidity that is above or below average would require you to be cautious and possibly reduce the amount of time you spend outdoors for exercise. Your exercise clothes should never be tight and restrictive but rather free-flowing and loose depending on where you are in your pregnancy. Also consider that as your pregnancy advances your balance will become affected and will worsen.

Low impact workout routines are the norm during pregnancy. Contact sports, as well as any activity that could cause harm to the abdomen or uterus are not recommended. Pregnancy is a time to eliminate any core sculpting exercises, deep lunges and push-ups. In the last two trimesters, it is cautioned to not lie fully prone on the back. Floor exercises need to be performed on one of the sides, usually with a pillow tucked underneath for comfort. At any point in time, exercise should cease if there is pain, dizziness or nausea and an OB-GYN consulted.

When approval has been given to exercise it is often recommended that a pregnant woman should do so about four times a week for 30 minutes long. A basic suggestion for determining the intensity of your workout as pregnancy advances is if you’re able to carry on a conversation while exercising. If you are unable to this would be a sign that you’re exercising too hard. Similar to exercise routines done when not pregnant your routines should always include a solid warm up as well is a cool down session that involves much stretching. Learning the importance of stretching throughout your entire pregnancy is key to making sure you do not bring injury to yourself as well as your unborn child.

The most basic principle by which to guide your exercise routines by is the principle to NOT OVERDUE IT. This principle will vary from person to person as everyone has a different threshold before becoming worn out. The level you choose to to to set in the beginning of the pregnancy should decrease as the pregnancy advances. An often found recommendation to pregnant women is to never exercise while hungry or without being properly hydrated. Making sure to check on a regular basis before you begin your workout routines your heart rate and blood pressure is highly recommended as these can change with each trimester.

The benefits of engaging in workout routines throughout pregnancy far outweigh any detriments if conducted properly. Common sense, in conjunction with professional medical advice should prevail during this time to ensure a healthy pregnancy, labor and baby.

Since pregnancy is a occasion for joy and happiness make sure that you’re workout routines add to the overall health and well being of momma and baby. A great fitness plan designed more so for post pregnancy is P90X you’re 90 day total body makeover.

5 Dieting Action Items You Can Do Right Now For Better Results!

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Gaining momentum is the hardest part of losing weight. After all, once you have enough positive inertia, things become easier and easier.

The main obstacle here, however, is that too many people do not know where to start. They are inundated with over analysis. After all, there are a multitude of approaches out there.

Thus, here are 5 dieting action items you can do right now:

1. Start writing things down: You won’t have to do this forever, but you do need an initial data set of what you are eating. Having this log will show, without any doubt, where your diet needs to be tweaked. Even better, studies have shown that nutrition logs increase weight loss success rates.

2. Eat breakfast (if you don’t already): Not only does skipping breakfast suck out your mid day energy, but it also disrupts your fat burning hormones for the majority of the day. Even worse, when skipped chronically, your muscle mass can be burned as fuel. And recall that muscle controls metabolism.

3. Stay away from liquid sugar: Juice is not healthy despite what all the commercials and packaging may say. Any time you have a liquid form of sugar, your body digests it very quickly which results in an insulin spike. And recall that insulin blocks fat burning and causes inflammation.

4. Have an eating routine: If you have a regular eating routine, you will lose more weight. Research studies have proven this time and again. Now we still don’t know exactly why this happens, but I suspect that it has to do with organ level circadian rhythms.

5. Stop eating junk food: Specifically, stay away from fast food. You see, even if you aren’t having that many calories, fast food has ingredients in it that will severely compromise your metabolism. So make sure you stop eating this stuff.

Don’t wait to get started with your weight loss efforts. Instead, get started right now and begin to notice how your body will change. And remember that you will make mistakes along the way, but never stop moving forward!

Author Katherine Crawford, a fitness physiologist and former arm fat sufferer, teaches how to get skinny arms. Figure out how to get sexy and toned arms by exploring her website with shake weight reviews now!