Efforts to fight obesity among children and teens should include strategies to help them think differently about their eating and exercise habits, researchers conclude based on a review of 64 studies of lifestyle "therapy" and drug interventions.
And it's important for parents to get involved, especially for pre-adolescent children, Dr. Hiltje Oude Luttikhuis, of the Beatrix Children's Hospital in Groningen, The Netherlands, and her colleagues say.
The review is published in the Cochrane Library, which is put out by The Cochrane Collaboration, an international group that produces systematic reviews of health care interventions.
The current review is an update of the first one, done in 2003. No direct conclusions could be drawn from the earlier review, Luttikhuis and her team note, because of the small size of many of the studies as well as quality concerns. The new review incorporates randomized, controlled trials published as recently as May 2008, including 12 targeting increased activity; 6 focused on diet; 36 of behavioral treatment; and 10 of drug therapy. The studies included 5,230 children in all.
Participants in many of these studies did lose significant amounts of weight, Luttikhuis and her colleagues report, but differences in the ways the studies were designed and their quality made it difficult to analyze the studies in combination.
While their review couldn't show that one method was better than the others, the researchers add, it does confirm that behavioral lifestyle interventions can help kids lose weight.
One-third of the lifestyle intervention studies included measures of potential adverse effects including disordered eating behavior, growth stunting, and worsening of psychological well-being. None of these potential adverse effects were seen in any of the studies.
The researchers were able to analyze the trials that included treatment with orlistat, a drug that blocks fat absorption, and those that included treatment with sibutramine, an appetite suppressant. Both sets of drug trials showed significant weight loss benefits from these two agents -- along with a number of adverse drug effects. They were unable to discern whether one medication was more effective than another.
"Evidence from this review shows that family-based, lifestyle interventions with a behavioral program aimed at changing diet and physical activity thinking patterns provide significant and clinically meaningful decrease in overweight in both children and adolescents compared to standard care or self-help in the short- and the long-term," the researchers write.
While orlistat and sibutramine should be considered as part of a lifestyle treatment program for obese adolescents, they add, "such therapy needs to be carefully weighed up against the potential for adverse events."
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
Fat Loss And Bodybuilding News! Even a modest amount of fat loss can reduce your risk of a serious illness and means you will enjoy a better, heathier and longer life expectancy.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Obesity epidemic shows perils to health reform
For years, Bob Clegg's insurance company paid out some $3,000 a month for doctor visits, drugs and medical devices to treat the health problems caused by his obesity.
In September 2007, when his weight peaked at 380 pounds (172 kg), he had gastric bypass surgery, and now his health issues -- joint pain, sleep apnea and esophageal problems -- have vanished, and so have the medical bills.
But even though the surgery -- in which the stomach is made smaller and part of the intestine is bypassed -- has saved his insurance company money, Clegg, who now weighs 240 pounds (108 kg), had to pay the $20,000 cost out of his own pocket.
"It wasn't until the doctor said my sleep apnea was at a point where we seriously had to consider a tracheotomy that we talked about gastric bypass," said Clegg, 54. "The irony is that insurance would pay for the tracheotomy, but not the surgery."
Clegg's experience highlights the difficulties facing the United States as it confronts an epidemic of obesity, and the problems for President Barack Obama as he sets about extending health insurance to more Americans at a time of runaway costs.
While his experience is typical, unlike most other people, Clegg was in a position to make some changes.
As a member of New Hampshire's senate, he took what he knew about obesity and the cost of treating related chronic illnesses to the state capitol, where he introduced a bill in January 2008 requiring insurers to offer surgery as a treatment option, just as the state's Medicaid program for the poor does.
While other states -- some of which don't cover any obesity treatment -- are studying New Hampshire's approach, experts say economics will increasingly drive policy at a time of burgeoning budget deficits.
EPIDEMIC COSTS
About two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, putting them at an increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoarthritis, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems and even some cancers.
The direct and indirect costs of obesity is $117 billion each year, according to a 2000 report by the U.S. Surgeon General.
Christine Ferguson, associate professor at George Washington University School of Public Health and the director of STOP Obesity Alliance, said the stigma surrounding obesity and belief that it is not a disease are keeping the government from addressing the crisis.
"At the root of this is that people still have a real problem thinking about obesity as anything other than a willpower issue," said Ferguson. "It is still perfectly acceptable to think about excluding treatment."
Ferguson, who has held high level healthcare posts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, acknowledged the difficulty in changing the way government thinks about spending on obesity.
"If I have to balance my budget at the end of each year, I have a choice between investing money in children who have mental retardation, or children with developmental disabilities ... or investing in people who have obesity, choosing obesity is a very hard case to make," she said.
This is even though insurers would recover the costs of bariatric surgery within two to four years, according to Pierre-Yves Cremieux, a researcher with the economic consulting firm Analysis Group.
Cremieux led a study that showed the operation helps patients' health and ultimately leads to cost savings. The study was paid for by Johnson & Johnson, which makes bariatric surgery instruments.
OBESITY BIAS
Ronald Williams, the chairman and chief executive of health insurer Aetna, said most large employers that it sells policies to have at least one plan that covers bariatric surgery.
But, he said, he's more focused on prevention.
"The bigger end of the story is, How do we help people not become obese to begin with?" he said. "If they are suffering the complications from being overweight or obese, how can we help them manage those conditions?"
Clegg blamed difficultly in pushing his bill through partly on society's bias against the obese. The bill finally passed in June, six months before he left the senate in December.
Other states have had similar difficulties, including Utah, where Jeff Haaga has lobbied the state to require insurers to provide greater coverage there.
"If we could only get our lawmakers to understand, like they did in New Hampshire," said Haaga, who at 360 pounds is classified as morbidly obese.
"Insurers are covering people who are morbidly obese one way or the other, whether it's surgery or just keeping us alive with medication."
In Mississippi, rated the nation's fattest state for the third consecutive year, a bill that would have banned restaurants from serving obese customers died almost immediately after it was introduced in February.
The Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit group that focuses on disease prevention, reported that adult obesity rates rose in 37 states in the past year, while no state saw a decrease.
In its 2008 report: 'F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America', the Trust said Mississippi has per capita medical costs that are among the highest in the nation. It also has a Medicaid policy that specifically excludes coverage for bariatric surgery.
For Clegg, the former New Hampshire lawmaker, Mississippi's obesity problems are clearly linked to its refusal to pay for bariatric surgery under its Medicaid program.
"If Mississippi is that ignorant and would rather pay for diabetic medicine every month and watch people have heart attacks at a cost of $40,000 ... but wont spend $10,000 or $20,000 (for the surgery), well maybe that's why Mississippi has a problem," he said.
(Reporting by Debra Sherman; Editing by Eddie Evans)
CHICAGO (Reuters)
In September 2007, when his weight peaked at 380 pounds (172 kg), he had gastric bypass surgery, and now his health issues -- joint pain, sleep apnea and esophageal problems -- have vanished, and so have the medical bills.
But even though the surgery -- in which the stomach is made smaller and part of the intestine is bypassed -- has saved his insurance company money, Clegg, who now weighs 240 pounds (108 kg), had to pay the $20,000 cost out of his own pocket.
"It wasn't until the doctor said my sleep apnea was at a point where we seriously had to consider a tracheotomy that we talked about gastric bypass," said Clegg, 54. "The irony is that insurance would pay for the tracheotomy, but not the surgery."
Clegg's experience highlights the difficulties facing the United States as it confronts an epidemic of obesity, and the problems for President Barack Obama as he sets about extending health insurance to more Americans at a time of runaway costs.
While his experience is typical, unlike most other people, Clegg was in a position to make some changes.
As a member of New Hampshire's senate, he took what he knew about obesity and the cost of treating related chronic illnesses to the state capitol, where he introduced a bill in January 2008 requiring insurers to offer surgery as a treatment option, just as the state's Medicaid program for the poor does.
While other states -- some of which don't cover any obesity treatment -- are studying New Hampshire's approach, experts say economics will increasingly drive policy at a time of burgeoning budget deficits.
EPIDEMIC COSTS
About two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, putting them at an increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoarthritis, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems and even some cancers.
The direct and indirect costs of obesity is $117 billion each year, according to a 2000 report by the U.S. Surgeon General.
Christine Ferguson, associate professor at George Washington University School of Public Health and the director of STOP Obesity Alliance, said the stigma surrounding obesity and belief that it is not a disease are keeping the government from addressing the crisis.
"At the root of this is that people still have a real problem thinking about obesity as anything other than a willpower issue," said Ferguson. "It is still perfectly acceptable to think about excluding treatment."
Ferguson, who has held high level healthcare posts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, acknowledged the difficulty in changing the way government thinks about spending on obesity.
"If I have to balance my budget at the end of each year, I have a choice between investing money in children who have mental retardation, or children with developmental disabilities ... or investing in people who have obesity, choosing obesity is a very hard case to make," she said.
This is even though insurers would recover the costs of bariatric surgery within two to four years, according to Pierre-Yves Cremieux, a researcher with the economic consulting firm Analysis Group.
Cremieux led a study that showed the operation helps patients' health and ultimately leads to cost savings. The study was paid for by Johnson & Johnson, which makes bariatric surgery instruments.
OBESITY BIAS
Ronald Williams, the chairman and chief executive of health insurer Aetna, said most large employers that it sells policies to have at least one plan that covers bariatric surgery.
But, he said, he's more focused on prevention.
"The bigger end of the story is, How do we help people not become obese to begin with?" he said. "If they are suffering the complications from being overweight or obese, how can we help them manage those conditions?"
Clegg blamed difficultly in pushing his bill through partly on society's bias against the obese. The bill finally passed in June, six months before he left the senate in December.
Other states have had similar difficulties, including Utah, where Jeff Haaga has lobbied the state to require insurers to provide greater coverage there.
"If we could only get our lawmakers to understand, like they did in New Hampshire," said Haaga, who at 360 pounds is classified as morbidly obese.
"Insurers are covering people who are morbidly obese one way or the other, whether it's surgery or just keeping us alive with medication."
In Mississippi, rated the nation's fattest state for the third consecutive year, a bill that would have banned restaurants from serving obese customers died almost immediately after it was introduced in February.
The Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit group that focuses on disease prevention, reported that adult obesity rates rose in 37 states in the past year, while no state saw a decrease.
In its 2008 report: 'F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America', the Trust said Mississippi has per capita medical costs that are among the highest in the nation. It also has a Medicaid policy that specifically excludes coverage for bariatric surgery.
For Clegg, the former New Hampshire lawmaker, Mississippi's obesity problems are clearly linked to its refusal to pay for bariatric surgery under its Medicaid program.
"If Mississippi is that ignorant and would rather pay for diabetic medicine every month and watch people have heart attacks at a cost of $40,000 ... but wont spend $10,000 or $20,000 (for the surgery), well maybe that's why Mississippi has a problem," he said.
(Reporting by Debra Sherman; Editing by Eddie Evans)
CHICAGO (Reuters)
Most successful dieters lose weight on their own
To shed excess pounds, forget expensive commercial diets or diet pills; most successful dieters lose weight on their own, largely by eating right and exercising regularly, according to a survey by Consumer Reports.
Their specific successful do-it-yourself weight loss tactics are unveiled at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
A total of 21,632 subscribers to Consumer Reports were asked recently about their lifetime weight history and their eating, dieting and exercise habits.
The "always thin" group - those who had never been overweight -- made up 16 percent of the sample, while "successful losers" made up an additional 15 percent. Successful losers were defined as people who, at the time of the survey, weighed at least 10 percent less than they did at their heaviest, and had been at that lower weight for at least 3 years.
"Failed dieters" - those would said they'd like to slim down yet still weighed at or near their lifetime high -- made up the largest group at 42 percent. The remaining 27 percent of respondents, such as people who had lost weight more recently, didn't fit into any of the categories.
Among the "always thin" group, only 3 percent said that they never exercised and that they ate whatever they wanted. In fact, the eating and exercise habits of the vast majority of the "always thin" group mirrored the eating and exercise habits of the "successful losers," a finding that downplays the idea that people who are able to stay fit and trim have a genetic edge.
Both the "always thin" and the "successful losers" say they regularly eat healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and stay away from excessive dietary fat. They also practice portion control and engage in regular vigorous exercise.
The only advantage the "always thin" have over the "successful dieters" is that those habits seem to come a bit more naturally to them, according to Consumer Reports.
"When we've compared people maintaining a weight loss with (those) who've always had a normal weight, we've found that both groups are working hard at it; the maintainers are just working a little harder," Dr. Suzanne Phelan of the California Polytechnic State University and co-investigator of the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks people who have successfully maintained a weight loss over time, noted in a Consumer Reports press statement.
According to the magazine, more than half of "successful losers" reported shedding the weight themselves, without the help of commercial diet program, a medical treatment, a book, or diet pills. This finding confirms a prior diet survey by Consumer Reports, in which 83 percent of "super losers" -- people who'd lost at least 10 percent of their starting weight and kept it off for 5 years or longer -- had done it entirely on their own.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
Their specific successful do-it-yourself weight loss tactics are unveiled at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
A total of 21,632 subscribers to Consumer Reports were asked recently about their lifetime weight history and their eating, dieting and exercise habits.
The "always thin" group - those who had never been overweight -- made up 16 percent of the sample, while "successful losers" made up an additional 15 percent. Successful losers were defined as people who, at the time of the survey, weighed at least 10 percent less than they did at their heaviest, and had been at that lower weight for at least 3 years.
"Failed dieters" - those would said they'd like to slim down yet still weighed at or near their lifetime high -- made up the largest group at 42 percent. The remaining 27 percent of respondents, such as people who had lost weight more recently, didn't fit into any of the categories.
Among the "always thin" group, only 3 percent said that they never exercised and that they ate whatever they wanted. In fact, the eating and exercise habits of the vast majority of the "always thin" group mirrored the eating and exercise habits of the "successful losers," a finding that downplays the idea that people who are able to stay fit and trim have a genetic edge.
Both the "always thin" and the "successful losers" say they regularly eat healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and stay away from excessive dietary fat. They also practice portion control and engage in regular vigorous exercise.
The only advantage the "always thin" have over the "successful dieters" is that those habits seem to come a bit more naturally to them, according to Consumer Reports.
"When we've compared people maintaining a weight loss with (those) who've always had a normal weight, we've found that both groups are working hard at it; the maintainers are just working a little harder," Dr. Suzanne Phelan of the California Polytechnic State University and co-investigator of the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks people who have successfully maintained a weight loss over time, noted in a Consumer Reports press statement.
According to the magazine, more than half of "successful losers" reported shedding the weight themselves, without the help of commercial diet program, a medical treatment, a book, or diet pills. This finding confirms a prior diet survey by Consumer Reports, in which 83 percent of "super losers" -- people who'd lost at least 10 percent of their starting weight and kept it off for 5 years or longer -- had done it entirely on their own.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
Friday, 5 December 2008
Bodyweight Exercises For Beginners - Getting Started
Many professional athletes regularly perform body weight exercises. This is because a body weight exercises greatly enhance strength, stamina, and endurance.
Many novices assume body weight exercises are difficult after seeing workouts involving Hindu squats/push ups, burpies, and neck bridges. However, these advanced exercises are exactly that advanced! For beginners, a very basic workout program can work wonders.
The results that it delivers merely from squats, sit ups, push ups, and chin ups can be surprising. Then again, the results should not come as much of a surprise since these exercises hit virtually every muscle group.
And advanced or not, if you push yourself to do a decent circuit of these exercises, make no mistake you will feel it in every piece of your body. So, lets take a closer look at the program and the exercises it involves.
Push ups work the entire upper body including the arm, back, and chest. Conversely, squats work the lower body including the glutes, quads, and calves.
A simple crunch or sit up develops the abdominal muscles which are the body's core. Then, there is the chin up. Without a doubt, chin ups enhance upper body endurance and strength to an incredible degree.
When these exercises are combined, the end result is a relatively simple workout that hits the entire body. Depending upon the intensity level employed, this basic program can be used by both beginners and those with significant experience. For beginners, here is a simple, basic workout program:
Mon/Weds/Fri:
2 - 3 sets of 15 - 25 push ups.
2 - 3 sets of 30 - 50 squats.
2 - 3 sets of 10 chin ups
2 - 3 sets of 50 - 100 situps
Sat/Sun (One or both days)
3 Sets of 50 - 100 situps.
Obviously, you can increase or decrease sets and repetitions based on your own personal fitness level, goals, and time constraints. Best of all, these exercises can be performed in any environment.
So, if you must workout at home, none of these exercises require any special equipment except for a chin up bar.
Thankfully, chin up bars for doorways can be purchased at any sporting goods store for under $40.00 so this really is not a problem either, or possibly the best place is a local park.
Consistency with these exercises will yield fantastic results. You will notice a change in your body in a very little time. If you add a 20 minute cardio workout to this program, the results will be even more amazing.
And, of course, anyone can do this program regardless of environment or experience level. That alone speaks volumes regarding the benefits of bodyweight exercises.
Bodyweight exercises are the holy grail of effective and fast strength and fitness training.
To become fitter, stronger and leaner than ever before in your entire life, go to http://www.truecorestrength.com, and sign up for Stevey's FREE Tips on Bodyweight Exercises.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stevey_Mcgeown
Many novices assume body weight exercises are difficult after seeing workouts involving Hindu squats/push ups, burpies, and neck bridges. However, these advanced exercises are exactly that advanced! For beginners, a very basic workout program can work wonders.
The results that it delivers merely from squats, sit ups, push ups, and chin ups can be surprising. Then again, the results should not come as much of a surprise since these exercises hit virtually every muscle group.
And advanced or not, if you push yourself to do a decent circuit of these exercises, make no mistake you will feel it in every piece of your body. So, lets take a closer look at the program and the exercises it involves.
Push ups work the entire upper body including the arm, back, and chest. Conversely, squats work the lower body including the glutes, quads, and calves.
A simple crunch or sit up develops the abdominal muscles which are the body's core. Then, there is the chin up. Without a doubt, chin ups enhance upper body endurance and strength to an incredible degree.
When these exercises are combined, the end result is a relatively simple workout that hits the entire body. Depending upon the intensity level employed, this basic program can be used by both beginners and those with significant experience. For beginners, here is a simple, basic workout program:
Mon/Weds/Fri:
2 - 3 sets of 15 - 25 push ups.
2 - 3 sets of 30 - 50 squats.
2 - 3 sets of 10 chin ups
2 - 3 sets of 50 - 100 situps
Sat/Sun (One or both days)
3 Sets of 50 - 100 situps.
Obviously, you can increase or decrease sets and repetitions based on your own personal fitness level, goals, and time constraints. Best of all, these exercises can be performed in any environment.
So, if you must workout at home, none of these exercises require any special equipment except for a chin up bar.
Thankfully, chin up bars for doorways can be purchased at any sporting goods store for under $40.00 so this really is not a problem either, or possibly the best place is a local park.
Consistency with these exercises will yield fantastic results. You will notice a change in your body in a very little time. If you add a 20 minute cardio workout to this program, the results will be even more amazing.
And, of course, anyone can do this program regardless of environment or experience level. That alone speaks volumes regarding the benefits of bodyweight exercises.
Bodyweight exercises are the holy grail of effective and fast strength and fitness training.
To become fitter, stronger and leaner than ever before in your entire life, go to http://www.truecorestrength.com, and sign up for Stevey's FREE Tips on Bodyweight Exercises.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stevey_Mcgeown
Friday, 28 November 2008
Weight loss foods spending slammed
Obese people around the world waste billions of pounds a year on food products that imply they aid weight loss, but are totally ineffective, it has been claimed.
Professor Mike Lean, a nutritional expert from the University of Glasgow, says new regulations designed to protect consumers should be "enforced proactively" to help direct them towards evidence based management of diseases, including obesity.
In an editorial published on bmj.com he says the EU Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices, enforced in the UK in May, was designed to plug gaps in existing consumer protection legislation and to protect vulnerable people who are often the target of unscrupulous traders, and obliges businesses not to mislead consumers.
"The distinction between medicines and foods is sometimes unclear when they are marketed for health reasons, and consumers can be misled," he writes.
"Medicines are licensed in Europe only after stringent experimental research to establish safety and efficacy. In the UK, this process is regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Food products marketed for health have largely escaped these controls.
"The Joint Health Claims Initiative, which was set up in the UK to establish a code of practice for health claims on food, established a process for their evaluation on the basis that similar systematic evidence bases should be required to those for drugs.
"The EU regulation on nutrition and health claims for foods was adopted in 2006. All claims - such as "low fat", "high fibre", or "helps lower cholesterol" - are required to be clear, accurate, and substantiated, so that only products offering genuine health or nutritional benefits could refer to these claims on their labels."
Professor Lean says it is already illegal under food labelling regulations (1996) to claim that food products can treat or prevent disease.
"However, huge numbers of such claims are still made, particularly for obesity. Many such claims are not overt or verbal. Using 'implied claims' in brand names, and images on packaging, they are positioned and promoted, by staff or 'testimonials' on vendors' websites, in such a way that consumers are likely to be misled.
"Under the new regulations, products or services that falsely (without substantiation) claim or imply that they can improve health are now clearly illegal."
channel4
Professor Mike Lean, a nutritional expert from the University of Glasgow, says new regulations designed to protect consumers should be "enforced proactively" to help direct them towards evidence based management of diseases, including obesity.
In an editorial published on bmj.com he says the EU Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices, enforced in the UK in May, was designed to plug gaps in existing consumer protection legislation and to protect vulnerable people who are often the target of unscrupulous traders, and obliges businesses not to mislead consumers.
"The distinction between medicines and foods is sometimes unclear when they are marketed for health reasons, and consumers can be misled," he writes.
"Medicines are licensed in Europe only after stringent experimental research to establish safety and efficacy. In the UK, this process is regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Food products marketed for health have largely escaped these controls.
"The Joint Health Claims Initiative, which was set up in the UK to establish a code of practice for health claims on food, established a process for their evaluation on the basis that similar systematic evidence bases should be required to those for drugs.
"The EU regulation on nutrition and health claims for foods was adopted in 2006. All claims - such as "low fat", "high fibre", or "helps lower cholesterol" - are required to be clear, accurate, and substantiated, so that only products offering genuine health or nutritional benefits could refer to these claims on their labels."
Professor Lean says it is already illegal under food labelling regulations (1996) to claim that food products can treat or prevent disease.
"However, huge numbers of such claims are still made, particularly for obesity. Many such claims are not overt or verbal. Using 'implied claims' in brand names, and images on packaging, they are positioned and promoted, by staff or 'testimonials' on vendors' websites, in such a way that consumers are likely to be misled.
"Under the new regulations, products or services that falsely (without substantiation) claim or imply that they can improve health are now clearly illegal."
channel4
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Hoodia - Does Hoodia Really Work For Fat Loss?
If you are anxious to get fat loss going, you've likely looked into the diet supplement, hoodia. Hoodia gordonii is a plant that was used in South African many years ago by hunters who would need to go for long durations of time without food and grows very slowly in harsh conditions and needs to be harvested for four to five years before it's ready.
But how well does Hoodia really work for fat loss? Many people turn to hoodia thinking it is the answer to all their prayers. Never hungry? Sounds like a dietary dream. After all, following a diet should be easy if you never have any feelings of hunger, shouldn't it?
Unfortunately, it isn't so simple.
First off, if you are a trying to get a lean, sexy midsection, not eating is the last thing you want to be doing. Sure, you definitely will need to eat less in order to lose body fat, but if you aren't eating enough, you'll actually just lose muscle rather than body fat. Since muscle tissue is your calorie burning engine, destroying it would be counterproductive to getting the results you want.
Who wants a slower metabolism at the end of the day? That'll just make further fat loss next to impossible.
If hoodia is affecting your natural hunger signals, it will be hard to get in the foods that you do need - the foods that will work with your body to lose the body fat while still keeping muscle tissue intact.
Secondly, you must understand that hoodia is not a thoroughly tested product and cannot be deemed safe. If you take enough of it, it can actually damage your metabolism, causing a variety of thyroid issues that will be stuck with you into the future. While fat loss and getting abs is important, you must do it a healthy way so that you don't do anything disrupting to your health.
Finally, hoodia diet pills are by no means a proper method to losing abdominal fat. In order to lose abdominal fat, you're going to have to find a method that will be sustainable over the long term. If you think that you're just going to skip eating for the years to come, you are very mistaken. You will not get the proper nutrients you need to sustain life, therefore, to put it bluntly, using hoodia as a means to help you maintain fat loss could very well put you in the hospital with severe malnutrition.
What you need is a diet that supplies all the nutrients you need, while still being affective with stomach fat loss. Then, you'll also need to make sure this diet is something you can work into your lifestyle so that your abs aren't going to be just covered up by more body fat again once you move off the diet.
The more time you waste chasing after gimmicky supplements that only hurt you in the long run, the more time you spend without the results you are after.
But how well does Hoodia really work for fat loss? Many people turn to hoodia thinking it is the answer to all their prayers. Never hungry? Sounds like a dietary dream. After all, following a diet should be easy if you never have any feelings of hunger, shouldn't it?
Unfortunately, it isn't so simple.
First off, if you are a trying to get a lean, sexy midsection, not eating is the last thing you want to be doing. Sure, you definitely will need to eat less in order to lose body fat, but if you aren't eating enough, you'll actually just lose muscle rather than body fat. Since muscle tissue is your calorie burning engine, destroying it would be counterproductive to getting the results you want.
Who wants a slower metabolism at the end of the day? That'll just make further fat loss next to impossible.
If hoodia is affecting your natural hunger signals, it will be hard to get in the foods that you do need - the foods that will work with your body to lose the body fat while still keeping muscle tissue intact.
Secondly, you must understand that hoodia is not a thoroughly tested product and cannot be deemed safe. If you take enough of it, it can actually damage your metabolism, causing a variety of thyroid issues that will be stuck with you into the future. While fat loss and getting abs is important, you must do it a healthy way so that you don't do anything disrupting to your health.
Finally, hoodia diet pills are by no means a proper method to losing abdominal fat. In order to lose abdominal fat, you're going to have to find a method that will be sustainable over the long term. If you think that you're just going to skip eating for the years to come, you are very mistaken. You will not get the proper nutrients you need to sustain life, therefore, to put it bluntly, using hoodia as a means to help you maintain fat loss could very well put you in the hospital with severe malnutrition.
What you need is a diet that supplies all the nutrients you need, while still being affective with stomach fat loss. Then, you'll also need to make sure this diet is something you can work into your lifestyle so that your abs aren't going to be just covered up by more body fat again once you move off the diet.
The more time you waste chasing after gimmicky supplements that only hurt you in the long run, the more time you spend without the results you are after.
6 Pack Abs - The Secret To 6 Pack Abs
Everywhere you turn, someone's promising the next secret to getting 6 pack abs. Some of these so called 'secrets' have some degree of accuracy, while others, not so much. Deciphering which are the best methods to getting 6 pack abs is going to be critical to your having success with this goal.
The biggest area you need to focus on when trying to obtain 6 pack abs is going to be on your diet. Like it or not, the old saying that 'abs are made in the kitchen', is probably one of the most truthful statements in the fitness industry. If your diet isn't in line, your stomach is going to show it.
So, what should you be doing with your diet?
First, ensure you are getting enough protein. Not only is protein going to form the key building blocks you need to build muscle tissue, but it's also going to provide you with a better feeling of fullness than eating just carbohydrates alone would for example. Protein is more "expensive" than any other macronutrient meaning that your body will burn more calories breaking down protein compared to carbs and fats.
Next, don't be afraid of dietary fat that comes from primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oils, fish oils, a mix of nuts, natural peanut butter and avocado. While it's true that eating fat will increase your calories fast, as long as you keep it between 20-30% it can be one of the best things to get 6 pack abs fast. The important point here is that dietary fat helps keep your insulin level stable, which, when high enough can actually cause fat gain itself.
Furthermore, dietary fat will keep you feeling the fullest for the longest duration in time; longer than both protein or carbohydrates would. Interestingly, some diets high in fat can get you 6 pack abs fast because your body learn to metabolize fat for energy.
So, while you do need to watch it, be sure you are getting some in your diet.
Finally, when it comes to carbohydrate intake and getting 6 pack abs, you want to focus most of your carbohydrate intake around the post workout period.
Why?
The biggest reason for this is because this is when your body is going to need those carbohydrates the most and will really suck them up into the muscle tissue. When you eat them at this time, it is least likely that they will turn into body fat.
Additionally, consuming carbohydrates during this period will also help to aid with muscle recovery and repair, so that means less down time from the gym for you.
If getting 6 pack abs fast is your goal than each meal you should consist of 1-2 cups of raw vegetables to control insulin levels, improve absorption of your protein and flood your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
So, if you are aiming to get 6 pack abs in the coming months, have a good hard look at your diet. That is the big secret that must not be overlooked if you are to succeed.
The biggest area you need to focus on when trying to obtain 6 pack abs is going to be on your diet. Like it or not, the old saying that 'abs are made in the kitchen', is probably one of the most truthful statements in the fitness industry. If your diet isn't in line, your stomach is going to show it.
So, what should you be doing with your diet?
First, ensure you are getting enough protein. Not only is protein going to form the key building blocks you need to build muscle tissue, but it's also going to provide you with a better feeling of fullness than eating just carbohydrates alone would for example. Protein is more "expensive" than any other macronutrient meaning that your body will burn more calories breaking down protein compared to carbs and fats.
Next, don't be afraid of dietary fat that comes from primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oils, fish oils, a mix of nuts, natural peanut butter and avocado. While it's true that eating fat will increase your calories fast, as long as you keep it between 20-30% it can be one of the best things to get 6 pack abs fast. The important point here is that dietary fat helps keep your insulin level stable, which, when high enough can actually cause fat gain itself.
Furthermore, dietary fat will keep you feeling the fullest for the longest duration in time; longer than both protein or carbohydrates would. Interestingly, some diets high in fat can get you 6 pack abs fast because your body learn to metabolize fat for energy.
So, while you do need to watch it, be sure you are getting some in your diet.
Finally, when it comes to carbohydrate intake and getting 6 pack abs, you want to focus most of your carbohydrate intake around the post workout period.
Why?
The biggest reason for this is because this is when your body is going to need those carbohydrates the most and will really suck them up into the muscle tissue. When you eat them at this time, it is least likely that they will turn into body fat.
Additionally, consuming carbohydrates during this period will also help to aid with muscle recovery and repair, so that means less down time from the gym for you.
If getting 6 pack abs fast is your goal than each meal you should consist of 1-2 cups of raw vegetables to control insulin levels, improve absorption of your protein and flood your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
So, if you are aiming to get 6 pack abs in the coming months, have a good hard look at your diet. That is the big secret that must not be overlooked if you are to succeed.
Why Weight Lifting Is An Exercise That Delivers Top Health Benefits
While some individuals are strictly interested in obtaining muscle for aesthetics, for most people, this isn’t an interest. Instead, you’re more interested in knowing what health benefits weight lifting will have for you…
Far too many people overlook the many health and fitness benefits that weight training has to offer, and because of this, experience problems down the road with their body such as decreased bone density, a slowed metabolic rate, increased stress levels and other negative consequences that are associated with constant stress.
Increased Bone Density
Weight lifting, being one of the best weight bearing exercises you can do, will increase your bone density and help ward off osteoporosis or stress fractures in the future.
Many people think running is the best exercise for increasing bone density, but this isn’t necessarily true. If the truth is told, running actually promotes muscle breakdown in the body, while weight lifting, being an anabolic process, helps to promote the building of tissues.
Therefore, weight lifting is going to be much better at preserving your bone mass, not to mention it’s far less impact than going for an hour run.
Decreased Frequency of Injuries
When you strength train, not only are your muscles going to get stronger, but you’ll also work the ligaments and tendons that are connecting bones, muscles, and other tissues, thus reducing the chance they become injured when participating in other physical activities.
If you’ve ever been injured, you know just how frustrating this can be. In about 80% of all injury cases, the injury is a direct result of a tendon, ligament, or muscle not being strong enough when a stressful force is applied.
Since weight training will really hit all those deep tendons and ligaments, it’s the best injury prevention out there.
Reduction of Health Related Risks
Numerous studies have demonstrated that regular weight training can have a positive effect on health by showing reductions in the rate of insulin resistance, blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
If you couple a solid weight training program then with a well-thought out diet, you’ll be putting your best foot forward at warding off these chronic problems
Prevention of Fat Gain
The more you weight lift, the higher your metabolism will be, thus the more food you can eat while maintaining your weight. If that isn’t good news for your future and the fight against body fat, I’m not sure what is.
Now, with all of this said, one big problem many people run into is the thinking pattern that using a muscle building program will make you big and bulky.
This is most certainly not the case.
Let’s look at an analogy to gain an understanding of this.
Pretend you have two teams and each are going to try and build a house using the exact same building technique.
One team is given 10,000 bricks to construct this house, and the second team is given only 1,000 bricks.
Who’s going to build the bigger house?
The choice should be obvious – team one since they have more bricks to build it with.
Now, think of those bricks as being the calories you put into your body. Unless you’re supplying enough calories, you aren’t going to build really big muscles. This is precisely what makes bodybuilders look like bodybuilders.
It’s not just about the way they train, but more about the way they eat (if you’ve ever had a teenage son in the growing process in your house, you likely know just how much food must be consumed when growing at rapid rates).
Whether it’s growing in height during puberty or trying to build bigger muscles later on, calories must be supplied for this growth process to take place.
You can’t build a house out of nothing. Likewise, you can workout all you want, but if those building blocks – in the form of amino acids, carbohydrates, and dietary fats are not there, you aren’t going to see too much muscle growth.
So, don’t get caught thinking that just because you add weight lifting to your workouts, you’re going to develop large bulky muscles. If you control your diet, this simply will not happen.
So, hopefully it is clear now that just because you’re weight lifting, it does not mean you will end up with bulky muscles as a result. Many people make this incorrect assumption – but it really is the diet that makes all the difference in how this weight lifting will shape your body.
When you make the decision to work with me using my 6-Pack Ab Quest program, I’ll take you through the weight lifting and ab techniques that will provide maximum results with minimal effort on your part (why spend more time in the gym than you have to?), as well as provide you with meal plans that are custom designed to ensure you get the best results from your training without the muscle bulk – in fact, the plans are formulated to help you shed the fat so you look leaner and more defined.
Not choosing to include weight training as part of your current workout program is without-a-doubt the biggest mistake you could make as far as your long-term health and fitness level is concerned. Don’t let this exercise pass you by any longer.
Far too many people overlook the many health and fitness benefits that weight training has to offer, and because of this, experience problems down the road with their body such as decreased bone density, a slowed metabolic rate, increased stress levels and other negative consequences that are associated with constant stress.
Increased Bone Density
Weight lifting, being one of the best weight bearing exercises you can do, will increase your bone density and help ward off osteoporosis or stress fractures in the future.
Many people think running is the best exercise for increasing bone density, but this isn’t necessarily true. If the truth is told, running actually promotes muscle breakdown in the body, while weight lifting, being an anabolic process, helps to promote the building of tissues.
Therefore, weight lifting is going to be much better at preserving your bone mass, not to mention it’s far less impact than going for an hour run.
Decreased Frequency of Injuries
When you strength train, not only are your muscles going to get stronger, but you’ll also work the ligaments and tendons that are connecting bones, muscles, and other tissues, thus reducing the chance they become injured when participating in other physical activities.
If you’ve ever been injured, you know just how frustrating this can be. In about 80% of all injury cases, the injury is a direct result of a tendon, ligament, or muscle not being strong enough when a stressful force is applied.
Since weight training will really hit all those deep tendons and ligaments, it’s the best injury prevention out there.
Reduction of Health Related Risks
Numerous studies have demonstrated that regular weight training can have a positive effect on health by showing reductions in the rate of insulin resistance, blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
If you couple a solid weight training program then with a well-thought out diet, you’ll be putting your best foot forward at warding off these chronic problems
Prevention of Fat Gain
The more you weight lift, the higher your metabolism will be, thus the more food you can eat while maintaining your weight. If that isn’t good news for your future and the fight against body fat, I’m not sure what is.
Now, with all of this said, one big problem many people run into is the thinking pattern that using a muscle building program will make you big and bulky.
This is most certainly not the case.
Let’s look at an analogy to gain an understanding of this.
Pretend you have two teams and each are going to try and build a house using the exact same building technique.
One team is given 10,000 bricks to construct this house, and the second team is given only 1,000 bricks.
Who’s going to build the bigger house?
The choice should be obvious – team one since they have more bricks to build it with.
Now, think of those bricks as being the calories you put into your body. Unless you’re supplying enough calories, you aren’t going to build really big muscles. This is precisely what makes bodybuilders look like bodybuilders.
It’s not just about the way they train, but more about the way they eat (if you’ve ever had a teenage son in the growing process in your house, you likely know just how much food must be consumed when growing at rapid rates).
Whether it’s growing in height during puberty or trying to build bigger muscles later on, calories must be supplied for this growth process to take place.
You can’t build a house out of nothing. Likewise, you can workout all you want, but if those building blocks – in the form of amino acids, carbohydrates, and dietary fats are not there, you aren’t going to see too much muscle growth.
So, don’t get caught thinking that just because you add weight lifting to your workouts, you’re going to develop large bulky muscles. If you control your diet, this simply will not happen.
So, hopefully it is clear now that just because you’re weight lifting, it does not mean you will end up with bulky muscles as a result. Many people make this incorrect assumption – but it really is the diet that makes all the difference in how this weight lifting will shape your body.
When you make the decision to work with me using my 6-Pack Ab Quest program, I’ll take you through the weight lifting and ab techniques that will provide maximum results with minimal effort on your part (why spend more time in the gym than you have to?), as well as provide you with meal plans that are custom designed to ensure you get the best results from your training without the muscle bulk – in fact, the plans are formulated to help you shed the fat so you look leaner and more defined.
Not choosing to include weight training as part of your current workout program is without-a-doubt the biggest mistake you could make as far as your long-term health and fitness level is concerned. Don’t let this exercise pass you by any longer.
Sunday, 16 November 2008
5 Cardio Workouts to Burn Fat
Everything you know about cardio is about to change. You're about to discover the truth about 5 cardio workouts to burn fat and lose more belly fat in less workout time. Let's start by looking at the old, outdated way of burning fat.
Cardio Workout #1 to burn fat: Slow cardio
The first cardio workout to burn fat is "Old School Cardio". For years, we've been fooled into thinking that we need long, slow, boring cardio workouts to burn fat. However, too many men and women slave away on the cardio machines for 40, 60 and even 90 minutes per workout without burning fat. How is this possible?
To be honest, I don't know exactly why it doesn't work, but two recent research studies found that women doing 40-60 minutes of low intensity cardio, 3-5 days per week, did not lose belly fat after at least 12 weeks of cardio. Based on those results, slow cardio is not one of the best cardio workouts to burn fat.
In fact, in one of those studies, researchers tested high-intensity cardio, and found that high-intensity cardio was able to burn fat.
Cardio Workout #2 to burn fat: High-intensity cardio
The only problem is that high-intensity cardio requires you to work as hard as you can until you burn at least 400 calories in a workout. That will take you at least 40 minutes - so while this is one of the better cardio workouts to burn fat, it's still not the best.
A better approach is to use interval training. This is the third cardio workout to burn fat.
Cardio Workout #3 to burn fat: Interval training cardio
In a study from Australia that compared 2 cardio workouts to burn fat, subjects doing 3 interval training workouts per week lost a significant amount of belly fat while another group doing 40 minutes of slow cardio per week did not burn belly fat.
So interval training is a much better workout choice for fat loss. To do interval training, you do a normal warm-up, and then you alternate between hard exercise and easy exercise, then you follow with a cool down. This routine only takes twenty minutes.
Here's a sample of the interval cardio workouts to burn fat. Do a 5 minute warm-up, and then exercise for 1 minute at a pace that is 10-20% harder than your normal cardio intensity. After that 1 minute, decrease your exercise pace all the way down to cool-down level. Repeat that hard-easy cycle 5 more times. Finish with 3 minutes of cool-down.
Cardio Workout #4 to burn fat: Tabata Interval cardio
Since interval training became popular, personal trainers have been looking for other short cardio workouts to burn fat. A study from Japan used something that is known as the "Tabata Protocol", and many trainers believe this is even better than cardio and regular intervals. The fourth cardio workout to burn fat is the Tabata Interval program.
I'm not convinced it is better than regular intervals, but it is a heck of a hard way to do a fat burning workout. After a warm-up, you 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of recovery. Repeat that 8 times. This fat burning workout takes only 4 minutes!
Cardio Workout #5 to burn fat: Bodyweight circuit cardio
Finally, the fifth cardio workout for fat burning is bodyweight circuit training. Like intervals and the Tabata workouts, bodyweight circuit training is not really "cardio", however, these are the three better cardio workouts to burn fat.
Whatever you want to call bodyweight cardio, here's how it works.
First, you start with a quick, easy bodyweight exercise, such as Jumping Jacks.
After that, alternate between 3 lower-body and 3 upper-body bodyweight exercises, using squats, pushups, lunges, pulling exercises like rows or chinups, split squats, and total body ab exercises like mountain climbers.
Finally, finish off the 8 exercise circuit with a tough total body exercise like jumps, burpees, or running in place. Now that's fat burning cardio!
Those are 5 cardio workouts to burn fat. Only two are "traditional", but those 2 are the longest, and least effective. The shorter fat burning cardio workouts are the best way to burn belly fat fast.
Click here for a sample interval cardio fat burning program that has helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning.
The Turbulence Training fat burning workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.
Craig Ballantyne is an expert trainer for Men's Health magazine and Oxygen magazine, and his fat burning bodyweight workouts help you lose fat without any equipment at all.
You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.
Cardio Workout #1 to burn fat: Slow cardio
The first cardio workout to burn fat is "Old School Cardio". For years, we've been fooled into thinking that we need long, slow, boring cardio workouts to burn fat. However, too many men and women slave away on the cardio machines for 40, 60 and even 90 minutes per workout without burning fat. How is this possible?
To be honest, I don't know exactly why it doesn't work, but two recent research studies found that women doing 40-60 minutes of low intensity cardio, 3-5 days per week, did not lose belly fat after at least 12 weeks of cardio. Based on those results, slow cardio is not one of the best cardio workouts to burn fat.
In fact, in one of those studies, researchers tested high-intensity cardio, and found that high-intensity cardio was able to burn fat.
Cardio Workout #2 to burn fat: High-intensity cardio
The only problem is that high-intensity cardio requires you to work as hard as you can until you burn at least 400 calories in a workout. That will take you at least 40 minutes - so while this is one of the better cardio workouts to burn fat, it's still not the best.
A better approach is to use interval training. This is the third cardio workout to burn fat.
Cardio Workout #3 to burn fat: Interval training cardio
In a study from Australia that compared 2 cardio workouts to burn fat, subjects doing 3 interval training workouts per week lost a significant amount of belly fat while another group doing 40 minutes of slow cardio per week did not burn belly fat.
So interval training is a much better workout choice for fat loss. To do interval training, you do a normal warm-up, and then you alternate between hard exercise and easy exercise, then you follow with a cool down. This routine only takes twenty minutes.
Here's a sample of the interval cardio workouts to burn fat. Do a 5 minute warm-up, and then exercise for 1 minute at a pace that is 10-20% harder than your normal cardio intensity. After that 1 minute, decrease your exercise pace all the way down to cool-down level. Repeat that hard-easy cycle 5 more times. Finish with 3 minutes of cool-down.
Cardio Workout #4 to burn fat: Tabata Interval cardio
Since interval training became popular, personal trainers have been looking for other short cardio workouts to burn fat. A study from Japan used something that is known as the "Tabata Protocol", and many trainers believe this is even better than cardio and regular intervals. The fourth cardio workout to burn fat is the Tabata Interval program.
I'm not convinced it is better than regular intervals, but it is a heck of a hard way to do a fat burning workout. After a warm-up, you 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of recovery. Repeat that 8 times. This fat burning workout takes only 4 minutes!
Cardio Workout #5 to burn fat: Bodyweight circuit cardio
Finally, the fifth cardio workout for fat burning is bodyweight circuit training. Like intervals and the Tabata workouts, bodyweight circuit training is not really "cardio", however, these are the three better cardio workouts to burn fat.
Whatever you want to call bodyweight cardio, here's how it works.
First, you start with a quick, easy bodyweight exercise, such as Jumping Jacks.
After that, alternate between 3 lower-body and 3 upper-body bodyweight exercises, using squats, pushups, lunges, pulling exercises like rows or chinups, split squats, and total body ab exercises like mountain climbers.
Finally, finish off the 8 exercise circuit with a tough total body exercise like jumps, burpees, or running in place. Now that's fat burning cardio!
Those are 5 cardio workouts to burn fat. Only two are "traditional", but those 2 are the longest, and least effective. The shorter fat burning cardio workouts are the best way to burn belly fat fast.
Click here for a sample interval cardio fat burning program that has helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning.
The Turbulence Training fat burning workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.
Craig Ballantyne is an expert trainer for Men's Health magazine and Oxygen magazine, and his fat burning bodyweight workouts help you lose fat without any equipment at all.
You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercise does not necessarily mean all heavy exercises. In fact, some forms of strenuous exercise is anaerobic and affects the body in a different way. If you are starting out on a new exercise regimen, it would be a good idea to find out the difference between aerobic exercise and what is anaerobic. Such knowledge will help you with what exercises to do and how to do them properly. By aerobic exercise, it means "with oxygen", whereas anaerobic means otherwise-"without oxygen". With anaerobic exercise, cellular tissues generate energy without relying on oxygen availability. The distinction between aerobic exercise and anaerobic is that aerobic exercise needs significant production of oxygen supply while anaerobic does not.
Aerobic exercise is more prolonged that's why it requires considerable amounts of oxygen. Oxygen is utilized by the muscles to burn fat and glucose is necessary for the manufacturing of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the fundamental transport of all body cells. Initially during aerobic exercise, glycogen is changed into glucose, and as glucose is diminished, fat is metabolized as fuel. Endorphins are released in the brain during the "runner's high" which happens when the muscles depend only on oxygen as the glycogen in the muscles have been used up. Anaerobic exercise doesn't have time to depend on oxygen, that's why it is brief and quick.
The muscles being used rely on energy- producing means that don't significantly need oxygen in anaerobic activities. To produce stamina, the body metabolizes glycogen in the muscles instead. Blood sugar in the body provides glycogen. Aerobic exercise tones body muscle and eliminates fat. Aerobic exercise doesn't merely make you look trim and toned, but would also give you several health benefits:
- strengthening of the heart, thereby increasing pumping efficiency and lowering heart rate resting
- improving circulation and decreasing blood pressure
- strengthening respiratory muscles thereby boosting lung capacity
- increasing red blood cell count making them deliver oxygen more effectively all throughout the body
- reducing the risk of heart diseases Anaerobic exercise, however, gives the body more power and stamina.
This may be helpful in sports like sprint, football or basketball. Anaerobically conditioned muscles develop in another way, boosting power in sudden, high-intensity moments. Other benefits are:
- strengthening of the the bones
- increasing muscle strength and mass
- reducing muscle atrophy that goes with age
- increasing speed and power
Exercises like cycling, swimming, running, walking, rowing and cross-country skiing are some forms of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise requires a sustained heart rate and moderate effort.Other home exercises such as using the treadmill and exercise bike or going with a home video are also aerobic. For the outdoors, you may do snow-shoeing, hiking or kayaking.
Tennis, weight lifting, sprinting and jumping, on the other hand are anaerobic in nature. To achieve a total balanced fitness, it is best to combine doing both anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic activities is a good complement to aerobic exercise as it will add definition and tone to the physical result of aerobic exercise. It is wise to check with your physician before starting an exercise program. Do your exercises gradually over time with increasing intensity. Don't overdo it as you might injure yourself. Most importantly, a daily exercise routine must be coupled with a balanced diet and sufficient amounts of sleep for optimum health.
The author of this article Rose Windale is a Health and Wellness Coach who has been successful with several natural health programs for many years. Rose decided to share her knowledge and tips through her website http://www.healthzine.org You can sign up for her free newsletter and enjoy a healthy and happy life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rose_Windale
Aerobic exercise is more prolonged that's why it requires considerable amounts of oxygen. Oxygen is utilized by the muscles to burn fat and glucose is necessary for the manufacturing of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the fundamental transport of all body cells. Initially during aerobic exercise, glycogen is changed into glucose, and as glucose is diminished, fat is metabolized as fuel. Endorphins are released in the brain during the "runner's high" which happens when the muscles depend only on oxygen as the glycogen in the muscles have been used up. Anaerobic exercise doesn't have time to depend on oxygen, that's why it is brief and quick.
The muscles being used rely on energy- producing means that don't significantly need oxygen in anaerobic activities. To produce stamina, the body metabolizes glycogen in the muscles instead. Blood sugar in the body provides glycogen. Aerobic exercise tones body muscle and eliminates fat. Aerobic exercise doesn't merely make you look trim and toned, but would also give you several health benefits:
- strengthening of the heart, thereby increasing pumping efficiency and lowering heart rate resting
- improving circulation and decreasing blood pressure
- strengthening respiratory muscles thereby boosting lung capacity
- increasing red blood cell count making them deliver oxygen more effectively all throughout the body
- reducing the risk of heart diseases Anaerobic exercise, however, gives the body more power and stamina.
This may be helpful in sports like sprint, football or basketball. Anaerobically conditioned muscles develop in another way, boosting power in sudden, high-intensity moments. Other benefits are:
- strengthening of the the bones
- increasing muscle strength and mass
- reducing muscle atrophy that goes with age
- increasing speed and power
Exercises like cycling, swimming, running, walking, rowing and cross-country skiing are some forms of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise requires a sustained heart rate and moderate effort.Other home exercises such as using the treadmill and exercise bike or going with a home video are also aerobic. For the outdoors, you may do snow-shoeing, hiking or kayaking.
Tennis, weight lifting, sprinting and jumping, on the other hand are anaerobic in nature. To achieve a total balanced fitness, it is best to combine doing both anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic activities is a good complement to aerobic exercise as it will add definition and tone to the physical result of aerobic exercise. It is wise to check with your physician before starting an exercise program. Do your exercises gradually over time with increasing intensity. Don't overdo it as you might injure yourself. Most importantly, a daily exercise routine must be coupled with a balanced diet and sufficient amounts of sleep for optimum health.
The author of this article Rose Windale is a Health and Wellness Coach who has been successful with several natural health programs for many years. Rose decided to share her knowledge and tips through her website http://www.healthzine.org You can sign up for her free newsletter and enjoy a healthy and happy life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rose_Windale
Monday, 10 November 2008
Children and Vitamins - An Unnecessary Combination
With all the talk about vitamins, deficiencies, and malnutrition, many parents have become worried about the required amounts of vitamins, and children not getting enough. Ideally, though, if your child is following a healthy, balanced diet, there should be no need for any supplemental vitamins.
There are, however, exceptions to every rule. Some children simply refuse to eat certain foods containing essential vitamins and minerals, leaving themselves vulnerable to deficiencies. If you cannot find an "acceptable" replacement food substance containing the required vitamin, the shortage will have to be addressed. There are also some cases where illness causes temporary loss of appetite in children, and vitamins have to be supplemented temporarily, to keep the body functioning optimally, and keep recovery on track.
Another, very real threat, is the over-indulgence in junk food. Because it was meant to appeal to the senses, most children would prefer it to normal food if given a choice. The result is a trend towards obesity and vitamin deficiencies.
Fortunately, the marketing efforts of manufacturers, even incorporating cartoon characters into the packaging, has made it more appealing to children, and vitamins can now be associated with "fun". As a precaution to children who may be taking extra dosages unnoticed, or as part of a game, care has been taken to develop supplements that cannot easily be overdosed.
On the whole, children should not need to take vitamin supplements. As a parent, you are advised to simply provide a balanced diet to your children, and vitamins contained in the fruits and vegetables consumed should be enough.
Are you becoming confused among all the vitamin supplements being promoted? You can make sense of it all by visiting our website on Vitamin Benefits.
Contrary to what manufacturers would like you to believe, taking vitamins in unbalanced combinations may be detrimental, as you will see by reading this article on Combination Vitamins A and D.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Doynes
There are, however, exceptions to every rule. Some children simply refuse to eat certain foods containing essential vitamins and minerals, leaving themselves vulnerable to deficiencies. If you cannot find an "acceptable" replacement food substance containing the required vitamin, the shortage will have to be addressed. There are also some cases where illness causes temporary loss of appetite in children, and vitamins have to be supplemented temporarily, to keep the body functioning optimally, and keep recovery on track.
Another, very real threat, is the over-indulgence in junk food. Because it was meant to appeal to the senses, most children would prefer it to normal food if given a choice. The result is a trend towards obesity and vitamin deficiencies.
Fortunately, the marketing efforts of manufacturers, even incorporating cartoon characters into the packaging, has made it more appealing to children, and vitamins can now be associated with "fun". As a precaution to children who may be taking extra dosages unnoticed, or as part of a game, care has been taken to develop supplements that cannot easily be overdosed.
On the whole, children should not need to take vitamin supplements. As a parent, you are advised to simply provide a balanced diet to your children, and vitamins contained in the fruits and vegetables consumed should be enough.
Are you becoming confused among all the vitamin supplements being promoted? You can make sense of it all by visiting our website on Vitamin Benefits.
Contrary to what manufacturers would like you to believe, taking vitamins in unbalanced combinations may be detrimental, as you will see by reading this article on Combination Vitamins A and D.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Doynes
Wider Cholesterol Drug Use May Save Lives
Cholesterol drug Crestor cuts deaths, heart attacks in healthy people; could see wider use
People with low cholesterol and no big risk for heart disease had dramatically lower rates of heart attacks, death and stroke if they took the cholesterol pill Crestor, a large study found.
The results, reported Sunday at an American Heart Association conference, were hailed as a watershed event in heart disease prevention. Doctors said the study might lead as many as 7 million more Americans to consider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, sold as Crestor, Lipitor, Zocor or in generic form.
"This takes prevention to a whole new level, because it applies to patients who we now wouldn't have any evidence to treat," said Dr. W. Douglas Weaver, a Detroit cardiologist and president of the American College of Cardiology.
The study also gives the best evidence yet for using a new test to identify people who may need treatment, according to a statement from Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The new research will be considered by experts reviewing current guidelines.
However, some doctors urged caution. Crestor gave clear benefit in the study, but so few heart attacks and deaths occurred among these low-risk people that treating everyone like them in the United States could cost up to $9 billion a year — "a difficult sell," one expert said.
About 120 people would have to take Crestor for two years to prevent a single heart attack, stroke or death, said Stanford University cardiologist Dr. Mark Hlatky. He wrote an editorial accompanying the study published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Everybody likes the idea of prevention. We need to slow down and ask how many people are we going to be treating with drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent heart disease, versus a lot of other things we're not doing" to improve health, Hlatky said.
Statins are the world's top-selling drugs. Until this study, all but Crestor have already been shown to cut the risk of heart attacks and death in people with high LDL, or bad cholesterol.
Learn More.
People with low cholesterol and no big risk for heart disease had dramatically lower rates of heart attacks, death and stroke if they took the cholesterol pill Crestor, a large study found.
The results, reported Sunday at an American Heart Association conference, were hailed as a watershed event in heart disease prevention. Doctors said the study might lead as many as 7 million more Americans to consider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, sold as Crestor, Lipitor, Zocor or in generic form.
"This takes prevention to a whole new level, because it applies to patients who we now wouldn't have any evidence to treat," said Dr. W. Douglas Weaver, a Detroit cardiologist and president of the American College of Cardiology.
The study also gives the best evidence yet for using a new test to identify people who may need treatment, according to a statement from Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The new research will be considered by experts reviewing current guidelines.
However, some doctors urged caution. Crestor gave clear benefit in the study, but so few heart attacks and deaths occurred among these low-risk people that treating everyone like them in the United States could cost up to $9 billion a year — "a difficult sell," one expert said.
About 120 people would have to take Crestor for two years to prevent a single heart attack, stroke or death, said Stanford University cardiologist Dr. Mark Hlatky. He wrote an editorial accompanying the study published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Everybody likes the idea of prevention. We need to slow down and ask how many people are we going to be treating with drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent heart disease, versus a lot of other things we're not doing" to improve health, Hlatky said.
Statins are the world's top-selling drugs. Until this study, all but Crestor have already been shown to cut the risk of heart attacks and death in people with high LDL, or bad cholesterol.
Learn More.
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Lose Belly Fat, Gain Life - 4 Easy Ways to Start Doing it at Home This Week
Beer belly, spare tire, and pot belly are some of the terms associated with unsightly fats store around the midsection of the human body. All lot of people nowadays wants to lose belly fat for obvious reason like looking better and living longer. It is a constant battle to lose the bulge since most us today are in a stressful work environment, living a sedentary lifestyle and having bad eating habit. This article will explore some of the easy ways that can be done to lose belly fat and to gain a healthy life.
If you are an avid drinker then reduce or stop alcohol consumption is one of the ways to start lose belly fat. Beer and wine and other hard liquor are packed with as much calories as their soft drinks brother. On average there are 100 calories per 12oz can and 6 cans of beers and you will need to run 5.5 miles to burn of those 600 calories. Replace your alcohol consumption with fruit juices or just plain clean water. It helps to flush out body toxin and keep your body hydrated throughout the day while reducing the stress on the body.
Stress is quite well known at work or at home and it is necessary that it be dealt in proper way and not thru emotional eating which will aggravate the condition. Stress is good in certain situation as it lead to an alert state of mind and body. However, constant stress needs to be reduced in order for the body to recuperate from the effect of cortisol hormone release during stress. High level of cortisol can lead to higher level insulin and subsequently food cravings. Expert have recommended to include active activity into our daily life such as exercises, meditation and relaxation technique which are some of the best ways to reduce stress and eventually to lose belly fat. Other than keeping cortisol level check it is also helps in burning off those excess calories.
Well some might think that spot exercises such as crunches or abs workout may to lose belly fat but in fact these exercises only strengthen the abs muscle and the core body only. In truth it is recommended to do a whole body workout which includes major muscle group like chest, backs and legs and doing it 2-3 times a week. Once this is done properly and complemented by a proper diet, the fats will start to melt easily.
Eating correctly or having the proper diet will supplement the body with proper nutrition and increase metabolism. Proper diet does not mean starving because it actually stimulates fat accumulation as it tells the body that it is lacking of energy source. The trick is to eat small portions and eating frequently throughout the days. Do consider the choice of foods that will help as well such as fruits, vegetables and whole grain meals. It is suggested that choosing healthy foods that are preferred and adding variety helps to keep the diet on track and helps to lose belly fat.
Conclusively, these are some of easy areas that most of us can start engaging in the quest to rid the bulge. While source of stress may not be controllable, eating habits and active lifestyle can be easily cultivated and inculcated into our life. All this can be thought out carefully and initiated with detailed planning and a positive mindset. This will certainly in the end leads to belly fat loss and a healthy body.
Click Here to Learn How You Can Lose 2+ Pounds of Pure Fat Each Week!
Does gain weight make you want to pull your hair out? It is it making you insane? Well, here is the definition of insanity... Trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Isn't it time to try something different and really get different results? Discover how at http://www.desperate2losefat.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Liong
If you are an avid drinker then reduce or stop alcohol consumption is one of the ways to start lose belly fat. Beer and wine and other hard liquor are packed with as much calories as their soft drinks brother. On average there are 100 calories per 12oz can and 6 cans of beers and you will need to run 5.5 miles to burn of those 600 calories. Replace your alcohol consumption with fruit juices or just plain clean water. It helps to flush out body toxin and keep your body hydrated throughout the day while reducing the stress on the body.
Stress is quite well known at work or at home and it is necessary that it be dealt in proper way and not thru emotional eating which will aggravate the condition. Stress is good in certain situation as it lead to an alert state of mind and body. However, constant stress needs to be reduced in order for the body to recuperate from the effect of cortisol hormone release during stress. High level of cortisol can lead to higher level insulin and subsequently food cravings. Expert have recommended to include active activity into our daily life such as exercises, meditation and relaxation technique which are some of the best ways to reduce stress and eventually to lose belly fat. Other than keeping cortisol level check it is also helps in burning off those excess calories.
Well some might think that spot exercises such as crunches or abs workout may to lose belly fat but in fact these exercises only strengthen the abs muscle and the core body only. In truth it is recommended to do a whole body workout which includes major muscle group like chest, backs and legs and doing it 2-3 times a week. Once this is done properly and complemented by a proper diet, the fats will start to melt easily.
Eating correctly or having the proper diet will supplement the body with proper nutrition and increase metabolism. Proper diet does not mean starving because it actually stimulates fat accumulation as it tells the body that it is lacking of energy source. The trick is to eat small portions and eating frequently throughout the days. Do consider the choice of foods that will help as well such as fruits, vegetables and whole grain meals. It is suggested that choosing healthy foods that are preferred and adding variety helps to keep the diet on track and helps to lose belly fat.
Conclusively, these are some of easy areas that most of us can start engaging in the quest to rid the bulge. While source of stress may not be controllable, eating habits and active lifestyle can be easily cultivated and inculcated into our life. All this can be thought out carefully and initiated with detailed planning and a positive mindset. This will certainly in the end leads to belly fat loss and a healthy body.
Click Here to Learn How You Can Lose 2+ Pounds of Pure Fat Each Week!
Does gain weight make you want to pull your hair out? It is it making you insane? Well, here is the definition of insanity... Trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Isn't it time to try something different and really get different results? Discover how at http://www.desperate2losefat.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Liong
How to Lose Belly Fat - Make it Easy For Yourself With an Easy System
Are you wondering how to lose belly fat? You've probably heard that sit-ups and crunches are the way to go. After all, these are the exercises work the abdominal muscles. While it is correct that sit-ups will strengthen the abdominal muscles and make them stronger, they're better able to hold in the fat. Sit ups do nothing to help you lose belly fat.
For the best way to lose belly fat, think of this. To burn fat from any part of your body, you will need to exercise. When you don't get enough exercise or overeat frequently, the body stores fat around the midsection for later use. So as soon as you begin to exercise regularly, you will quickly lose belly fat.
The good news is, no special belly exercises are needed. Only regular exercise is required. Squats, dumb-bell arm raises, push-ups, and a brisk daily wlk will work magic to help lose belly fat.
Diet is important too. You can exercise every day and still gain weight if you are eating too much of the wrong foods. All you need to do is adjust your eating so your burning more calories then your consuming. This way your body will consume the calories stored around your midsection.
There's no big mystery to losing belly fat. Exercise more, eat less, and eat foods that make you strong. Try eating several smaller meals throughout the day, eat nutritionally dense foods, and take some physical activity. Do this and lose belly fat quick and easy.
I know the secret to Lose Belly Fat. You see, I used to be a big fat tub of guts. Basically I had given up hope of ever looking and feeling good again.
One evening at the mall, I ran into a friend of mine. He used to be fat too, but now he looked great. He said he lost almost 70 pounds and had more energy then ever before.
He truly is a friend, as he showed me exactly how lose belly fat right with almost no effort. At first I thought It would be too hard. You see, I like to eat, and knew that strenuous exercise wasn't for me. Believe it or not, I was able to eat all I wanted (even more then before I began to lose the fat off my belly). No sit-ups, no crunches, no jogging. I do jog now, because I like it and am fit.
Well anyway, I put together a lot of FREE information on How to Lose Belly Fat - Quick and Easy. Click the Link NOW!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Fisher
For the best way to lose belly fat, think of this. To burn fat from any part of your body, you will need to exercise. When you don't get enough exercise or overeat frequently, the body stores fat around the midsection for later use. So as soon as you begin to exercise regularly, you will quickly lose belly fat.
The good news is, no special belly exercises are needed. Only regular exercise is required. Squats, dumb-bell arm raises, push-ups, and a brisk daily wlk will work magic to help lose belly fat.
Diet is important too. You can exercise every day and still gain weight if you are eating too much of the wrong foods. All you need to do is adjust your eating so your burning more calories then your consuming. This way your body will consume the calories stored around your midsection.
There's no big mystery to losing belly fat. Exercise more, eat less, and eat foods that make you strong. Try eating several smaller meals throughout the day, eat nutritionally dense foods, and take some physical activity. Do this and lose belly fat quick and easy.
I know the secret to Lose Belly Fat. You see, I used to be a big fat tub of guts. Basically I had given up hope of ever looking and feeling good again.
One evening at the mall, I ran into a friend of mine. He used to be fat too, but now he looked great. He said he lost almost 70 pounds and had more energy then ever before.
He truly is a friend, as he showed me exactly how lose belly fat right with almost no effort. At first I thought It would be too hard. You see, I like to eat, and knew that strenuous exercise wasn't for me. Believe it or not, I was able to eat all I wanted (even more then before I began to lose the fat off my belly). No sit-ups, no crunches, no jogging. I do jog now, because I like it and am fit.
Well anyway, I put together a lot of FREE information on How to Lose Belly Fat - Quick and Easy. Click the Link NOW!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Fisher
Saturday, 8 November 2008
Diet Help For Overweight Women
I'm going to give some diet help for overweight women here. These pointers and tips will help you to organize your weight loss to make it much more effective than it currently is. I can't guarantee you 100% success, but I can promise you that these tips I'm about to share with you will move you closer to your weight loss goals. Take your first step to true weight loss, read this now.
Diet Help for Overweight Women
1. Eat with your NON-dominant hand
So if you are right-handed, eat with your left hand. And vice-versa. So why does this help you with weight loss? Well, because you're forced to eat slower. And why does that help? Well, because your body kinda has a timer when it's eating. It doesn't sense it's full when it truly is full. It's a delayed timer. So if you eat slower, you in effect eat less when that timer finally does go off and signals you that you're full. Basically, this is a strange, BUT PROVEN, way to eat slower.
2. Eat on a smaller plate
Eat on a salad plate if necessary. Fill up the plate with your side dish vegetables. Make the vegetables the star of the plate. We as humans are kinda weird. If you fill up a smaller plate, you're subconscious mind will usually accept that as the full meal... even if it's less than you normally eat. It's a visual thing since a lot of overweight women eat food to comfort themselves without even realizing it. Try this out for a week or 2, you'll see how effective it is.
This diet help for overweight is incomplete and basic, but I seriously hope you give it a try because these 2 small things will make a BIG BIG difference and you'll see that within 1 month.
If you're SICK and TIRED of getting the same old boring weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, and Blah Blah Blah", then...
Click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your FREE EBOOK "How SPINNING Around Like a Child TRIPLES your Weight Loss". A strange, but true, way to LOSE 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks. I'm giving away this ebook today and tomorrow ONLY to anyone who visits my website! So get it before tomorrow night.
If you're truly serious about losing weight, then go to the link below to get your free ebook now. If you don't Lose 10 Pounds... I'd be QUITE surprised! http://www.weightlossguide4women.com
Jennifer Jolan
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Jolan
Diet Help for Overweight Women
1. Eat with your NON-dominant hand
So if you are right-handed, eat with your left hand. And vice-versa. So why does this help you with weight loss? Well, because you're forced to eat slower. And why does that help? Well, because your body kinda has a timer when it's eating. It doesn't sense it's full when it truly is full. It's a delayed timer. So if you eat slower, you in effect eat less when that timer finally does go off and signals you that you're full. Basically, this is a strange, BUT PROVEN, way to eat slower.
2. Eat on a smaller plate
Eat on a salad plate if necessary. Fill up the plate with your side dish vegetables. Make the vegetables the star of the plate. We as humans are kinda weird. If you fill up a smaller plate, you're subconscious mind will usually accept that as the full meal... even if it's less than you normally eat. It's a visual thing since a lot of overweight women eat food to comfort themselves without even realizing it. Try this out for a week or 2, you'll see how effective it is.
This diet help for overweight is incomplete and basic, but I seriously hope you give it a try because these 2 small things will make a BIG BIG difference and you'll see that within 1 month.
If you're SICK and TIRED of getting the same old boring weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, and Blah Blah Blah", then...
Click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your FREE EBOOK "How SPINNING Around Like a Child TRIPLES your Weight Loss". A strange, but true, way to LOSE 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks. I'm giving away this ebook today and tomorrow ONLY to anyone who visits my website! So get it before tomorrow night.
If you're truly serious about losing weight, then go to the link below to get your free ebook now. If you don't Lose 10 Pounds... I'd be QUITE surprised! http://www.weightlossguide4women.com
Jennifer Jolan
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Jolan
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