According to associates of Dr. Oz, there are 4 new ways to really burn fat faster so I thought they would be most definitely worth mentioning:

1 – Lateral bounding – move quickly from side to side using muscles you don’t typically use.  This use of alternate muscles will retrain your body and essentially burn fat at an incredible rate! It’s similar to sprinting sideways back and forth.

2 – Drink Choffy!  It is 100% brewed and roasted cocoa beans.  Drink 1 cup a day to get incredible energy and an amazing boost that will burn fat like no other!  It has no caffeine, but rather a natural stimulant to boost metabolism and block fat.  It’s my personal new favorite!!!

3 – The figure 8 exercise – this is the core basic of latin dance and develops flexibility in hips and thighs…not to mention burns lots of fat!

4 – Eat pasta!  It’s called Fiber Gourmet and has 18 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.  Best of all, it has only 130 calories per serving.  It’s a wonderful food to eat if you like to eat a lot or if it takes you longer to get full.  You will feel so full eating this because of the amount of fiber that there won’t be any room left for seconds.  It is excellent if you are watching your portion control.

Suddenly, burning fat seems so easy!  Just trying a few new easy steps could put you well on your way to burning off that stubborn fat quicker.  It certainly doesn’t hurt to try and see the results!

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

If you are like millions of women who have that undesirable belly fat that you just can’t get rid of then you need to try some new tricks to rid yourself of that belly fat!  Sometimes no matter what you do in the gym or with your diet, those stubborn areas of fat are the last to go so why not try the following and see what a difference it makes on your mid-region:

1 – Eat in reverse!  Carbs should be eaten in the morning only and less or not at all later in the day.  This way, you have all day to work it off.  Try eating your heavier meals at breakfast and lunch and eat lighter in the evening – sticking to just protein and vegetables.

2 – Eat 25 grams of fiber per day.  Do not eat less than this.  Fiber is crucial to your diet!

3 – Drink a small glass of red wine daily with dinner.  (what a bonus!)

4 – Confuse your muscle.  Do different exercises every day so that your muscles are confused.  This will allow your muscles to adjust and your body will reshape itself.  Doing the same workout every day will not allow your body to change.  In fact, your body will become resistant to change and you will not lose that fat.

5 – Crunches, crunches and more crunches!  Do as many as you can each day and set goals for yourself so that you increase the number of crunches that you do from day to day or week to week.  The more you do, the closer you will be to ridding yourself of belly fat and gaining a six pack!

Try the following foods as well to help blast that fat!

1 – Goldenberries – they come from Brazil and they contain B complex vitamins that essential are for your metabolism.  Eat a quarter cup a day!

2 – Have a cup a day of Miso soup as part of your daily diet.  One reason that women from Japan are so thin is because they eat Miso soup in their diet!  This is a very effective way to jumpstart your program for losing belly fat.

3 – Eat 3 teaspoons of sauerkraut a day.  Put it on a sandwich with whole wheat bread and turkey and remember to eat this early as you want to eat your carbs earlier in the day and not late in the evening.  It is an unprocessed and fermented food and is a very effective belly buster!

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Weight loss is very essential for your physical, emotional and psychological heath. This process is usually slow and as a result, majority of people opt to use weight loss supplements because these products enhance weight loss through blocking the absorption of fat, decreasing appetite, or increasing the metabolism rate. Nevertheless, according to weight loss experts, some of the products in the market that are being sold as weight loss supplements are substandard and therefore not recommended. Some of the supplements such as ephedra are known to cause stroke and heart attack and this is the reason why this particular supplement was banned in some countries like the United States. Due to the increased number of people suffering from the problems associated with weight loss, many people continue to suffer as a result of buying products that are not as effective as they claim to be and some of the products may have negative impacts on their health too.

One may wonder that if some of the weight loss supplements are unsafe, why should the companies that selling them do it? One thing that you should note is that weight loss aids and dietary supplements usually do not undergo the normal meticulous standards that prescription drugs go through. In this regard, these products can be sold based on some inadequate proof that they are actually safe to use and effectual in enhancing weight loss. The good thing is that once a product is released to the market, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) scrutinizes its safety and can always effect a ban on the product or recall any product that is risky for human consumption. This is the reason why you should ensure that you are well informed on weight loss supplements before trying out any brand. You should read the labels, health warnings and instructions that come with these products carefully and then consult a pharmacist or a renowned doctor before deciding on embarking on the use of any weight loss supplements. It is also very important to check the FDA website regularly to receive the latest news on safety and on any product that may have been recalled. This way you will be well informed when you go to purchase the weight loss supplements and hence you will avoid making a hasty decision that might be too costly.

However, some of the weight loss supplements are safe and you can actually find them in the market. When going to buy any weight loss supplement, it is important to know that there are specific products which have been proved to effect weight loss and they can be found in the well established drug stores or heath food centers. These products include; fiber, calcium, conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), meal replacements, green tea extract, and Orlistat. One very important thing that you should always keep in mind is that, before you take any kind of weight loss supplement, you should ensure that you consult your doctor. Depending on the individual, weight loss supplements can also have some side effects or interfere with personal medications and hence the advice of a personal doctor is very important.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Tips For Running With Asthma…What You Must Know Before You Begin A Running Program:

Just because you have asthma doesn’t mean you can’t run. In fact, some of the worlds most famous athletes have asthma. Marathon runner Alberto Salazar, former NBA star Dennis Rodman…even track and field Olympic Gold Medalist Jackie-Joyner Kersee …all have asthma. Yet they were able to have very successful careers in spite of their severe asthma.

How?….By controlling their asthma.

When you have your asthma under control…you can develop a running program to build up your stamina and enjoy the benefits of running.

If you are using an inhaler more than twice a week…than your asthma is not under control.

Here are some valuable tips for running with asthma:

Consult With Your Doctor Before Beginning Any Running Program

The first step to gaining control over your asthma is to discuss it with your doctor first. Your doctor can determine if your asthma is allergy or exercise induced. You will need to know what triggers your asthma before you start running.

Start Slowly

Don’t try to run a marathon! Take your time and work up to running farther and for longer periods of time. Your body will have to adjust.

Run Indoors

During cold winter months … a blast of cold air in your lungs can trigger an asthma attack. The best solution would be to run indoors on a treadmill. During the summer if you have seasonal allergies consider running indoors. If you must run outside wear a protective mask.

If You’re A Smoker…Stop!

It may be easier said than done. But choosing to stop smoking can go along way to keeping your asthma under control. Smoking affects your breathing. Stop smoking and you will breathe much better and your ability to run farther will increase over time.

Always Have Your Inhaler With You

If while running you begin to have an asthma attack…having your inhaler with you can save your life. Never run without your inhaler. Make sure you can access your inhaler quickly. Many inhalers can be attached to your clothing via a clip. There are also inhaler that can be worn around your neck.

The Perfect Time To Run Outside

A rainy day with little or no wind is better for running for a person with seasonal asthma. The rain washes away the pollen dust and with little to no wind there’s less worry about pollen blowing around.

Take A Shower!

When you run when pollen is high you can end up with much of it on your skin and clothing. Take a shower immediately to remove any pollen that may be on your skin after your run. Make it a routine to remove your clothes in a specific area of your home where they will be washed asap. This will lessen the possibility of leaving pollen dust all over your home.

These tips for running with asthma are a good start to help you enjoy running safely. Please consult with your doctor before using these tips. Your doctor can create a more specific plan that is best for you.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Sometimes, I feel it’s necessary to “get back to basics” when talking about weight loss. There are so many get-skinny-quick gimmicks out there these days, and while some of them actually DO work, most of them do not. While navigating the sometimes bumpy seas of weight loss information, it’s very important to always remember the basics!

Each and every person has a different type of body structure. You have to do the exercise that fits you best, and ones that you are comfortable with. The best way to burn fat for losing weight is by doing cardiovascular exercises. Some good cardiovascular exercises are walking, running, swimming, bicycling, aerobics playing tennis, basketball, etc. The list goes on – but you get the point. You also need to eat lower calorie foods in addition to cardiovascular exercises. You have to make your workouts a regular habit so that it will be effective. You can first do walking for 15 or so minutes to warm up, and then continue your regular exercises such as jogging or swimming. Some common ways to integrate exercise into your daily schedule may include:

• Walk to the nearby places without using your car.
• Use stairs instead of elevators/escalators.
• Use your bike instead of your car on the weekends when you have more time.
• Instead of siting at your desk on that hour-long conference call, walk while talking on your cell.
• Cleaning your house, your car, your bike, or pretty much any other thing includes serious cardio when done right!

These habits make you regularly do some extra exercise in addition to that of your morning exercises. This will be very helpful to lose weight!  You’d be surprised how quickly the calories you burn add up throughout the day! Morning exercises also keep you brisk and energetic all day long.

The basic foods you have to avoid to burn fat and lose weight are:

• Avoid carbohydrate rich foods, especially later in the day
• Avoid junk foods (chips, etc.)
• Avoid oily and spicy foods
• Avoid drinking soft drinks
• Avoid salt whenever possible
• Avoid drinking more than 2 cups of tea or coffee per day

The foods you should eat more of include:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat fiber rich foods
• Drink fresh fruit juices.
• Eat a small meal every 2 – 3 hours.

Do exercises regularly for at least 5 days out of the week, and try to eat healthy the entire week.  “Cheat days” are a common phrase that I hear, but unless you can avoid it I do not recommend a “cheat day” on any given schedule.  By al means, if a special event (birthday party, etc.) comes up then it’s ok to have a cheat day – just don’t make “every Saturday is my cheat day”.

By getting back to these basics, as well as incorporating other information found on this site and other health & fitness sites, you should be able to get that weight off and keep it off!

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

If you are a woman interested in becoming physically fit and toned, you may be wondering what the best butt exercises are to get that tushy looking great.

Many women, when trying to become physically fit often are more interested in honing in developing the lower areas of their bodies. This is opposed to men who usually want strong upper body. The area of interest for most women, are the legs and the gluteus maximus area. In this article, I will go over four of the best butt exercises to give you that toned and sculpted look you are looking for (or what your partner is looking for!). The following ere are the four best butt exercises you can do, in my opinion:

1. Squats

Widely hailed as the King of exercises, squats are the single most beneficial exercise you can do for your body - bar none. They are a total body workout, although their main focus are the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus. Without a doubt, this is one of the best butt exercises to do, if not the best one period. Focus on lighter weight and high reps in order to achieve the toned and sculpted look you are going for.

#2. Lunges

The lunge is a great strengthening and toning exercise that you can do for your butt. In order to perform a lunge correctly, you simply bend one knee forward so touches the ground and then alternate knees. You can do this while holding dumbbells, in order to get more of a workout. You will feel the burn after this exercise – that is for sure, so make sure to work up to it - especially if you are brand new to this particular exercise. Without a doubt, this is one of the best butt exercises.

#3. Leg press

If you are a member of a gym, performing the leg press can be a great way for a firm and toned butt. What you’ll do is simply load the machine with weight - remember, not too heavy at first unless you want to have extremely muscular legs - and then you simply perform high reps with low weight. What this will do is tone your butt. It will burn at first, especially if you are new to this exercise, but eventually you’ll notice your butt taking an amazing shape!

#4. Romanian dead lift

And last but not least, bringing up the “rear” (pun intended) is the stiff legged, or Romanian dead lift. This is a great exercise not only for toning the butt, but for achieving an all-around body strength as well as cardiovascular endurance. To perform this exercise, you will need to put weights under the balls of your feet, so that your heels are lower than the balls of your feet, this will allow the exercise to target the glutes. After that you simply lift the weight up your chest in a slow and controlled manner. Your Reps will vary and you should increase them over time. This will help your butt take that amazing toned shape that you’re looking for!

Getting fit and in shape is not as hard as it seems, it simply takes some perseverance, dedication and the ability to keep going.  I hope these pointers on the best butt exercises help you get moving in the right direction!

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Sometimes you just don’t feel like being cooped up in the gym. There is something about being outside in the fresh air, that seems to make exercising much more desirable.  By skipping the gym, that does not allow you to miss your workouts. We still need to stay active and burn those unwanted calories. Here are some effective and fun workouts that you can do, all while burning at least 100 calories.

Take your dog to the dog park. Walking your canine at a relaxed pace burns 30 calories in 10 minutes. When you get to the park, allow your dog to run free, so they can burn off their unwanted calories. Use the leash to do some jump roping.  In just four minutes of jumping rope, you shed 40 calories. Time to walk back home and  to erase another 30 calories. 100 calories gone, and you probably didn’t even know it.

Go fly a kite….literally. Head to the beach with a kite and wait for that big gust of wind. In 12 minutes of doing something so enjoyable as flying a kite, you will burn 100 calories. How nice is that? You are relaxed, outside, and burning lots of calories.

Who can make the biggest splash?? Have a diving contest. In only 30 minutes of diving off the diving board or splashing everyone with your best cannonball, you will burn 95 calories. After you have used up all your energy (from laughing and acting like a big kid), head over to the whirlpool to relax for 5 minutes and burn another 5 calories.

Love to host dinner parties? Who would have known the calories you burn by making a night to remember. Between the table setting and all the chopping to prepare, you will burn 100 calories in just 38 minutes.  That is no time when you are getting ready for company to come.

I would have never thought that doing so many things we enjoy would burn so many calories. Just think of the positives the next time you have to vacuum your house. You are burning calories and getting your chores done.  So stay fit and enjoy your gym free workouts!

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Successful weight control must be achieved gradually and sustained for a lifetime in order to avoid becoming overweight and in many cases throughout the United States, obese!  Obesity has almost become the American way with so many suffering from this.  More and more children are becoming obese as well.  Good eating habits need to begin early, but when parents are obese, they pass on those bad habits to their children and they almost do not have a chance in life!

A successful weight loss program needs to be moderate in nature and prolonged for a period of time to have any merit.  There are no overnight miracles despite all of the diets that claim to offer quick weight loss.  This is usually accompanied with quick return of weight after the diet is over.  Hence, yo-yo dieting begins.  Unless the program is for a prolonged period of time with substantial backing to keep the weight off, you will not maintain the weight loss over time.  Individuals who are obese face a difficult task requiring intense commitment and long-term discipline. Those diets that claim a “fast and easy” approach are not safe most of the time and are most definitely not effective weight-loss programs.

Some of the best results for those who have lost weight have been through medically supervised programs and with reputable, long-term programs such as Weight Watchers.  Jenny Craig is another program that has had significant results as well.  Spot-reducing fat such as on the hips and thighs through massages and other types of fads do not work.  If it sounds too good to be true without real effort in trying to lose the weight, then it probably is.

It is important that we do what we can to decrease the amount of obesity in this country.  This begins at home with the family.  If good habits do not begin early, then many people will more than likely struggle with a lifetime of trying to lose the weight.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

There are many keys to a healthy lifestyle – most importantly are exercise, diet, smoking cessation, alcohol moderation, and weight control.

Exercise is the main ingredient for optimal health.  It strengthens the bones and makes the heart and lungs work better, essentially increasing vitality.  The most important type of exercise is aerobic activity for a variety of reasons. It is important for all ages and it’s never too late to begin!  This type of training builds good muscles, improves reflexes and balance,  burns fat, aids the bowels, and makes the bones stronger.

A variety of dietary considerations is important to your overall health and well being.  Most people fail when making drastic changes in their diet and those who yo-yo diet.  When making changes to your present diet, this should be done slowly and with careful consideration.  Good dietary habits are developed over time, not overnight!  Excessive dietary saturated fat is the worst thing for the body and the major cause of heart attacks and strokes.  It is important to cut down on the largest sources of bad saturated fats in your diet and compensate by increasing the good fats in moderation.  Some of the worst foods that are high in cholesterol are butter, whole milk, cheeses, eggs and animal fats.  Cut down on these in your diet and choose alternative foods such as margarine instead of butter or non-fat as opposed to whole milk.  You can also avoid eating red meat two days in a row.   Try increasing protein in your diet by choosing healthier meat such as fish or chicken.  Although there is still some cholesterol, they have less fat. Salmon is one of the most healthiest types of food you can eat.

Another thing to consider is salt intake.  Too much sodium in the system tends to retain fluid in the body which, in turn, increases blood pressure.  It is important to cut back on sodium and increase intake in other areas such as fiber and calcium.  Fiber is found in unrefined grains, cereals, and vegetables…also in some fruits.  What is most important to remember about fiber is that is binds cholesterol and helps eliminate it from the body.  Calcium is particularly important for senior women.  Calcium supplements are often needed since women over age 50 should have at least 1500 milligrams of calcium a day.

As for smoking, stop!  No need to elaborate here as there is not one good attribute that comes from smoking.  Bottom line…it will kill you!  The same goes for alcohol if not consumed in moderation.  Having a glass or two of red wine here and there is actually good for your health!  Just remember….the key is MODERATION!  Excessive drinking leads to depression and can have negative effects on your entire life.

Last, but not least, is weight control.  Obesity is a serious problem in the United States and needs to be addressed more heavily in schools and in the home environment as more and more children and teens are being diagnosed as obese.  Excessive body weight brings on a world of health problems.  It stresses the heart, the muscles, and the bones.  Fat people are hospitalized more frequently as a result.  Weight control is a difficult task as it requires continued attention and for most people, the problem and the solution are both personal, not medical.  Once weight reduction has been achieved, weight maintenance becomes the next goal, therefore making it a life-long challenge.

Thus, when considering diet and nutrition and how it fits into your lifestyle, the above five factors are great topics to consider.  It is vital to your health that they are incorporated into your daily regime.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Women especially have a misconception that eating fat will make you fat. That is completely not true. Calories found in the food is what makes you fat, and how we assume by eating “low-fat” or “fat-free” is just as loaded with as many calories as the full-fat versions.  The sad thing is that since we have cut down on our fat, and choosing foods that are “low-fat” or “fat-free”, the obesity rate in the US has actually doubled. Pretty crazy if you ask me.

So why is our obesity rate doubling, when so many of us are health concious when it comes to eating the right foods and sticking to the “low-fat” foods? These foods are loaded with extra sugar and chemicals which are not good for our bodies and how we breakdown the foods. There are several food habits that we are all guilty of and may not even be aware of it.

First bad habit that so many of us are guilty of is eating “low-fat”. It is definitely a mental thing, because I feel better when I am eating a bowl of “low-fat” ice cream, instead of the regular kind.  If you are like me, you need to stop buying foods that are marketed as “low-fat” or “fat-free”.  What you are getting is food that the maker replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly. This causes a sugar rush and right away, you are rebounding with hunger pains. So eat the real thing, in moderation of course. It is better for you and you will stay fuller longer causing you not to eat as much in the long run.

Secondly, another bad habit we all have given into is eating the free foods the restaurants offer to us. I am not talking about the kids eat free menu. I am talking about the complimentary breadsticks, biscuits, chips and salsa…you get my point. They know you are hungry when you come in to eat, so it is so easy to give into tempatation. By doing so, you are adding an easy 150 calories and you haven’t even touched your meal. Ouch!! You might as well save the calories for the “regular” ice cream sundae….well not really.

Soda, soda, soda! Even kids like soda, regular, diet, and flavored. So many of us think it is ok to have soda, because it is diet. No calories, no carbs, not bad. Wrong! Cross it right out of your diet. Studies have found that only drinking one to two sodas per day actually increases your chances of being overweight by nearly 33%.  Diet soda is not a better choice. Those who drank one to two diet sodas a day found their waistlines increasing five times faster. Who would have thought?

Cutting your calorie intake by skipping a meal. Sounds like a logical thing to do. If you skip a 300 calorie lunch, then you are able to make up for it at dinner. Unfortunately, skipping meals does more harm to your body and can cause you to gain weight. Especially for those of you that are not breakfast people. Start becoming breakfast people, because it is really the most important meal of the day. So by you skipping a meal, you are slowing your metabolism and boosting your hunger. Try to incorporate some lean protein and vegetables to keep you system on the right track.

Staying off of the scale. Many of us women dread a scale, but it can actually help you stay on the right track. As you all know, when we go shopping, you may be one size in one store and a totally different size in another. So by us “fitting” into our clothes, doesn’t mean we are staying in shape. Actually seeing if you have gained weight or lost, helps you to stay on the right track and makes it difficult to cheat.  Research has shown that stepping on a scale helped us to lose twice as much weight. So as much as we dislike the scale, it can actually help us. Be sure to weigh yourself the first thing in the morning after you go to the bathroom.

It is unfortunate that dieting has to seem so hard when actually it is just the opposite. Eating the right foods and choosing the right drinks are key to your dieting success. Remember that everything in moderation…even desert! When you work hard, it is ok to give yourself a treat once in awhile. Stay on track and eat smart. You will see the results before you know it.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts