Posts Tagged ‘Fitness’

Cellulite Cream and Treatment for the Perfect Body

Monday, January 5th, 2009
by Ila Moave

One of the most popular cellulite treatments is a cellulite cream. There are hundreds of different creams available that will help dissolve the cellulite and will make the skin firmer and smoother. The main advantage of using a lotion or cream is that you can avoid using a surgical option.

If you have ever suffered from cellulite then you know that it is when the skin gets a dimpled look. Often it is seen on the stomach, thighs, hips or buttocks. However, others areas on the body can be affected by it. The condition is embarrassing for many women who tend to avoid swimsuits or short clothing to cover up their affected areas.

There is a thin layer of fat underneath the skin which consists of honeycomb like pockets of fat. Sometimes this honeycomb structure weakens and the fat bulges from the pockets. The dimpling of the skin above - called cellulite - starts. As fluid and toxins continue to build the cellulite becomes increasingly worst.

A genetic predisposition is one of the main reasons for the occurrence of cellulite. Other factors include aging, smoking, alcohol, a bad diet or too much fat. Dehydration can worsen the condition because the skin will lose is strength and therefore dimpling is more likely. Also, if you are overweight you are more likely to have cellulite because there if more fat inside your body.

A good cellulite treatment will help target the cause of the condition. That is, it will aid the body to dissolve the fat from underneath the skin, increase the collage and elastic strength of the skin while increasing the skin’s hydration and firmness.

When examining the ingredient of a particular cream you will want to make sure that they are known to help the condition. Coffee, green tea and seaweed are well known to help reduce cellulite fat deposits. Emu oil is known to improve the firmness and smoothness of the skin and has been used by Australian aboriginals for centuries to improve skin health.

Aloe Vera and Aloe leaf are well known natural ingredients which have anti-cellulite properties. Made made ingredients can include hyaluronic and matrixyl. Both are know to moisturize and strengthen the skin.

It is important that you fully investigate the ingredients of a cream to ensure that you are getting value for money. If you are unsure there are many resources on the internet that can help you.

Cellulite cream is only just one treatment which is available to treat this condition. Other treatments can include massage, laser therapy, radio waves and wraps. These may also be worth a look.

About the Author:

How To Get Strong, Build Muscle and Lose Fat With Only A Barbell

Monday, January 5th, 2009
by Caleb Lee

I had a subscriber who inquired:

“Is it possible to build strength, put on muscle and burn off fat if I don’t have a power rack and I only have access to a barbell? Not even an Olympic barbell, but one of those old crappy cement filled barbell sets”

I know exactly the weights this guy is talking about. I think most of us grew up with them right? They were basically cement weights covered in plastic, and over time the plastic busted up and the cement started to get busted underneath remember?

I believe I’m showing my age :)
To cut a long story short…

Of course! Why not?! You can absolutely build strength and power with an outdated equipment!

You just need someone to show you how. Luckily you met me. And luckily I just read most of Dan John’s awesome “From the Ground Up”.

In this brilliant little ebook Dan John defines the “Rapid Ascent Program”, which made up of three exercises:

1. Power Clean

2. Military Press

3. Squat Move

And here’s how you did the program (from his book):

“The program was very simple. First, groups of four boys were given a bar. The bars were weighted from very lightmaybe 25 poundsup to perhaps close to 100 pounds. Each cohort of boys would lift one at a time, put the bar down, then the next boy would lift. The four would constantly move from lifter to watcherthe bar never stopped. The three sets (explained in just a moment) would not take very longin fact, sometimes it was hard to catch your breath in time for your next set.

The repetitions were very easy

* First set: 8 repetitions

* Set #2: 6 reps

* Set #3: 4 reps

The goal was simple: once you got all 18 reps (8+6+4), you added weight. If you started with a bar that was excessively light, the succeeding workout, you would be bumped up to the next weight and a stronger group. (Needless to say, actual variations could include making a whole new group with more weight, tooor whatever necessary to make the group work together).”

Seems easy doesn’t it?

That’s the advantage of this program!

You don’t need lots of equipment to build a hard body with muscles of steel… all while increasing your cardiovascular fitness and knocking out fat.

What you DO need is a little “do or die” point of view. You should make a decision you certainly WANT to attain your fitness goals, then you’ll find a way to make use of whatever equipment you have available to make it happen.

I love program in view of the fact that it follows the DoubleYourGains’ philosophy of training movement patterns rather than a bunch of exercises. The Rapid Ascent program has a press move (military press), a pull move (power clean), a squat move (front squat) and an explosive/hamstring move (power clean).

How to carry out the “Rapid Ascent” program for cardio and fat loss:

Coach Dan highlights that you could also acquire a great cardio workout and nuke some fat:

“To “hurry up” the trainingas if it was required, there were times when Mr. Freeman advised bringing together the Power Clean and Military Pressesone clean and one press, repeated for a total of eight reps. This was completed with a lighter weight. One could also execute the Front Squats after the clean and presses, too. I have only done this onceand it was an incredible cardiovascular exercise.”

So if you think you don’t have enough equipment to get into great shape and achieve your fitness goals you are wrong. You are wrong. You are wrong.

In fact, you don’t even need a barbell. You can get underway with the DoubleYourGains’ bodyweight program. You can do pullups on your door frame (for extra strong fingers) or just grab the top of a door and go to town (or a tree limb, anything you can hang from, etc) Have faith in me, if THAT workout gets easy for you - you will be a certified STUD.

And, the minute you gain access to a good Olympic barbell set you can start the DoubleYourGains’ 3-5 Program.

About the Author:

Makeup Tips for the Cold Weather Season

Sunday, January 4th, 2009
by Makeup Girl

Have you ever noticed how much more difficult it is to apply your mascara and eyeliner when the winter chill starts to set in? Your mascara might be just a little stiffer coming out of the tube which makes a clean application near impossible. Or perhaps your eyeliner is much harder than usual and doesn’t even seem to leave any color on your eye lid. It’s because the cold of winter can pose a few problems with makeup application, especially when it comes to eye makeup. I have a few makeup tips that I use on a regular basis that I hope will make your life a little easier.

The key to a smooth eyeliner application is to have it be the right temperature. It is so frustrating when eyeliner is too cold and hard and doesn’t seem to want to go on. The exciting thing is that each of us has a secret weapon; our bodies. Your body heat has just the right effect on your eye makeup to get it to the perfect temperature without over warming it. If you just stick your eyeliner right next to your hip letting the elastic on your pants hold it to your body, after a few minutes, it will be ready. I always do my hair while my eye liner warms up.

This same tip is great for your mascara. When it’s too cold, mascara is often more difficult to deal with than eyeliner. When it’s cold, your lashes end up looking clumped together and stiff. Using your body heat works great to avoid letting your mascara ruin your makeup look. I’ve found that it takes a little bit longer to warm up than the eyeliner, so you’ll want to give it a few extra minutes. You’ll find that the time is worth it when your mascara then goes on smoothly.

I never apply mascara without curling my lashes first. With that in mind, I have one final tip to help your lashes look their best. To get the best curl from your lashes, you can warm up your eyelash curler. Think about it, you use a warm curling iron to curl your hair, why wouldn’t your eyelashes curl better if the eyelash curler were warm. I will use my body heat to help warm my eye lash curler.

Sometimes, when I am in a time crunch, I use my blow dryer on low heat just for a few seconds. If you use your blow dryer to warm up your lash curler, make sure you test it first with your finger to make sure it’s not too hot since your eye is such a sensitive area. Hopefully, with these tips, the cold of winter won’t make a difference; you’ll still look your best.

About the Author:

Two Fast Ways To Eliminate Thigh Fat

Sunday, January 4th, 2009
by Luke Rutledge

I’m sure you want to lose that uncomfortable, depressing flab on your thigh, right? It is definitely possible, but if you think that you can lose thigh fat fast by using weight loss pills or miracle diet supplements, well you’re wrong! And if you’ve been told that there is some special workout to do in order to specifically target thigh fat, whoever told you that was wrong as well.

As a matter of fact, whether you want to lose thigh fat, belly fat, arm fat, or any other fat, there is no way for you to spot reduce certain areas of your body. You have to lose fat in all areas of your body. You can’t pick and choose where you want to burn fat; your body will decide where to start for you!

On that note, it only makes sense for you to invest your time in things that will help you burn fat from every part of your body. Simply put, you want to follow a healthy diet and include resistance training and cardio workouts into your schedule! This is the only definite way to lose thigh fat fast!

1. The diet: The diet you choose to follow for the purpose of weight loss is very crucial. If you choose low-calorie or low-fat diets, they won’t help you burn fat because these diets don’t boost your metabolic rate!

Far from boosting your metabolic rate, these diets actually slow down your metabolism! Here is how: with a low-calorie or low-fat diet, your body doesn’t get enough nutrition. Consequently it believes that it is going to die out of starvation. It immediately stops the fat burning process by slowing down your metabolic rate, and stores the fat deposits so that it could survive during starvation.

With low-calorie, low-fat, and starvation diets, you will most likely lose some weight, but as soon as you stop following that diet and return to your prior eating habits, you will gain back all of the weight that you lost, if not more!

So what types of diets should you choose? You should choose a diet which suggests eating green vegetables and fruits. Natural fruits and vegetables are not only great for boosting your metabolic rate but also suppressing your hunger effectively!

But choosing a healthy diet for every day of the week isn’t always enough; you should also choose a diet which allows you to cheat at least once a week. On this cheating day, you are free to eat whatever you want. Now don’t think that taking a short break from your diet will make you gain weight; far from it, it will actually help you lose fat by increasing your metabolism by confusing it!

Apart from an improved metabolism, cheat days will also improve your dedication to your diet plan for the rest of the week by extremely reducing cravings for forbidden foods.

2. Exercises: Diet plans play a big role in weight loss, but they are not they only solution. Many people incorporate exercises into their routine, which can dramatically increase weight loss! Strength training and cardio exercises are the best ways speed up weight loss. Strength training has a double advantage, you will not only burn fat fast, but you will tone up your body by increasing lean muscle!

Lean muscle is really important to overall health. It makes your body stronger and also helps you burn fat, even while you’re resting. As a matter of fact, you can easily burn around fifty more calories per day for every pound of muscle! This is because muscles need more calories in order to sustain themselves.

Follow these two tips and see how easily you get rid of thigh fat!

About the Author:

PC Dieting Software Can Help You Lose Weight

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009
by Harry Jonsonap George Johsonap Sally Johsonap William Johnsonap Laurence Johnsonap

Dieting is a multi-billion dollar business. Even most obesity researchers are funded by the diet industry. Dieting is the same thing. Here is the one big difference. Dieting is at an all time low. NPD said recently that just 26% of women are dieting - along with 16% of men.

There’s many ways to diet but what is the best dieting approach? One popular approach today is using PC dieting software. One of the most effective dieting programs on the market today is called Diet Power because the program can be used based on any of the popular dieting programs- or not using any og those programs at all.

One of Diet Power’s strong points is that it keeps track of nutrients so you can get the right nutrients to fight various diseases including heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other ailments.

The way Diet Power works is that it looks at your personal metabolism and tailors your calorie budget to that metabolism. It “watches” your recorded weight over time and provides advice to make sure you reach your target wright on schedule.

By metabolism we mean the number of calories your body needs for maintaining your current weight. For an average 150-pound person, this might be 2000 calories per day. Your metabolism may differ by as much as 30 percent from the norm, however. If youre on the low end of the range, eating those 2000 calories will make you gain 63 pounds a year.

Even worse, everyone’s metabolism changes often. Metabolism climbs or lowers as you gain or you lose weight, change your diet, take certain prescription drugs, vary your exercise approach, or if you get sick. For women, matabolism changes occur related to your menstrual cycle.

Despite these fluctuations, all weight-loss programs assume that your metabolism is average”except for Diet Power.

About the Author:

Can consuming acai berries cause side effects?

Friday, January 2nd, 2009
by Mark Goodman

Acai berry, the fruit of the Brazilian palm tree has recently been heavily promoted as a diet supplement. Since people often wonder about the potential side effects of such products when they first hear about them, of course they will probably wonder if the supplementation of acai berry will cause any problems. Perhaps they will think this because of the extract form acai berry so often comes in. There must be a similarity drawn between acai berry and something like ephedra in the individuals mind.

Have you ever heard of someone having a negative reaction to a blueberry? Probably not. Considering that an acai berry is not too different from a blueberry, you most likely do not need to worry about any negative effects. Similarly, no study has ever proven that acai berry causes side effects in non-allergic individuals. Even if the extract form of acai you’re taking is more potent than a puree or the whole berry, you should only experience beneficial effects.

Many who wonder about the potential for side effects may also be wondering if acai berry supplementation could cause an interaction with a drug they are taking. The answer is most likely no. The only fruit which has frequently been shown to cause interactions with certain drugs, namely statins, is grapefruit. If you’re worried about drug interactions, consider that an acai berry is essentially about the same as a blueberry, so consider if you would be similarly worried about blueberries causing an interaction or side effects.

You will find the potential benefits outweigh the risk of any unlikely side effects. The acai berry contains the highest levels of antioxidants found in almost any fruit. The most common purple variety contains the highest concentration while the white variety contains the lowest. It is unlikely that you will find the white variety in North America however. Acai berries contain more free radical-scavenging antioxidants than either cranberries or black cherries.

A very interesting benefit of acai berry supplementation is the potential for reduced inflammation. Inflammation has many negative effects on the body, so this potential is very interesting. A study done by AIMBR Life Sciences has shown that acai berry is a potential COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor.[1] COX-1 and COX-2 are enzymes which are responsible for inflammation and pain, so anything which can inhibit it’s activity is good news for those suffering from pain and inflammation.

There are many other benefits of consuming acai berry, but the objective of this article is to clarify that no study has yet proven any risks of eating acai. With all of the hyper surrounding this supplement, one could easily assume that eating it could cause side effects, but that is not the case. Acai berry truly has no negatives unless you happen to not like the taste which is also unlikely!

Reference:

1. Schauss A, Xianli W, Prior R, Ou B, Huang D, Owens J, Agarwal A, Jensen G, Hart A, Shanbrom E. Antioxidant Capacity and Other Bioactivities of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai). J Agric Food Chem 2006 Nov 1;54(22):8604-10. PMID: 17061840

About the Author:

Try a Real Smoothie

Friday, January 2nd, 2009
by Nick Jaggs

Have you any idea of what is going into that smoothie you are drinking? In recent years this type of drink has become big business and many companies will use words like “healthy” and “natural” to describe theirs. However, what you may not realize is that the smoothie you purchased from your local grocery store is not all that it seems. Although the label may show a sunny outdoor scene or lots of fruit in a blender to show you that they contain lots of living ingredients. What you will soon discover that these have been produced on a mass scale using fruit puree that has been pasteurized to help extend its shelf life.

Not every juice and smoothie bar set up offers completely natural products to you either. In some cases they use frozen fruit purees high in sugar that have been supplied to them by the company that supplies the juice and smoothie making equipment. Certainly these types of professional blenders are very expensive to purchase and juice bars will often be provided them for free as long as they use the companies frozen fruit portions to create their smoothies.

However, there are now a few juice bars where to simplify their operations and save money actually make their own frozen fruit products. Again some will produce good drinks, but a few others load theirs with sugar. Don’t think that for one minute the company that create these are trying to prevent us from getting natural ingredients, they just use this as a way to help streamline their business to ensure that they make a profit. Although there may be times when we as the consumer lose out because of this.

The concept behind a real smoothie is simple. It is a blended health drink that was made popular in the USA. There is no specific definition for what this type of drink is other than it is fruit based and must be thick and smooth, and will often be made using frozen fruit and/or ice. A lot of the independent juice bars today are focused on health and will offer you a freshly prepared first class natural product. Also in some of the better juice bars they provide super foods and boosters to enhance the smoothies of health enthusiasts.

If you are lucky enough to have such a great juice bar close to you then you should really be using it. However, if your only real contact with smoothies is the bottled variety, you are missing out on some great flavours and goodness from the freshly prepared kind.

A great way of trying a smoothie to see if you like it is to make your own at home. However, there has been some confusion caused by a few of the blender manufacturers regarding smoothie makers. When we talk about smoothie makers we actually do mean a blender which has for many years been a vital piece of equipment in many kitchens. That was until some bright spark in some marketing company thought it would be a good idea to call them smoothie makers so that a company could target those people wanting to make their own smoothies. It is for this reason alone that we think blenders and smoothie makers are two different machines, when in fact they are not.

To make a smoothie is very simple you just put the ingredients into the blender jug and then press the button. It only takes a few seconds to turn the whole fruit into pulp and juice and cost per smoothie you make at home is much less than those you buy on the high street. Homemade smoothies not only taste great by contain lots of essential nutrients that your body needs. You can either make smoothies using frozen fruit or fresh fruit mixed with ice. Plus to further enhance the flavour and make the smoothie creamier you can add some yoghurt. Plus experimenting with other ingredients you could further enhance the health benefits of the smoothies you make.

First off you need a blender or smoothie maker! If you are looking for one that will do the work effectively and is able to cope with frozen ingredients then avoid the cheaper models you find in the bigger electrical outlets. Mixing ice can be very demanding on a blender so by the best you can. One type that is worth considering as it can also mill dry ingredients is the “Mill Blender” from American Health Brand L’Equip. Using this machine you can mill up some flax to provide you with essential fatty acids and then add this to your healthy smoothie.

Many health enthusiasts demand much out of their kitchen equipment and some will spend several hundred pounds on purchasing commercial blenders like the Blendtec Total Blender. But you don’t need to although you will get many years of good service out of such a model spending more than 60 on yours will be sufficient, especially if you intend to use ice in your smoothies. If you are looking for a good quality smoothie maker there are plenty of online sites such as www.ukjuicers.com who have available what you may need.

About the Author:

Detox your Body with a Pleasant Foot Spa Treatment

Thursday, January 1st, 2009
by Virginia Pipolini

Gravity works. While our body circulates blood and lymphatic fluids throughout the body, our feet tend to get the short end of the deal, and some of us show this through pain and foot odor.

A foot spa treatment is relaxing and easy to use, taking only about 30 minutes. This is more than just a little Epsom Salts in a bucket of water. A quality spa system gives you ionic action that helps draw toxins through your skin, much as we release salts water and toxins through our sweat.

You would think that a foot spa would only affect your feet. While many of us would be happy to reduce our foot pain or odor, the use of a foot spa goes a lot deeper. Foot spa treatments give you a full body detox, helping to release the toxins that cause immune system overload and symptoms such as brain fog.

How does this full body detox take place? Those who have studied Chinese medicine or reflexology know that the energy meridian system has points in the feet that connect to every part and system in the body. The electrical impulses of the meridian system can actually be measured. The foot spa treatments and ionic action help support this full body electrical system.

Foot spa treatment also draws heavy metals from the body. Heavy metals can be consumed through our water and foot, absorbed into our skin, inhaled, or leech out of mercury fillings.

By clearing toxins from our body, as well as parasites, fungi and bacteria, we improve our overall health. Our energy level increases, and our sleep improves. Mood can be altered by ill health, and many report that their mood lifts after their foot spa treatment.

When dealing with injuries you can speed up the healing process by continuing to use your foot spa treatments. Any assistance we give the body to release the waste products and toxins will help us during healing.

Using a foot spa is about the easiest way to promote better health. If you are receiving any treatment for an ailment or medical condition you should talk with your care provider before beginning a detox process. Use your foot spa, follow the directions, and smile ” you are taking a great step toward a healthier lifestyle!

About the Author:

What You Need To Know About Aromatherapy

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
by Ferdinand Mekinsy

Recently, the field of aromatherapy has extended to the manufacturing of different products for the general household freshening or as bug repellent elements. Currently, essential oils are also widely used in the design of cosmetic products such as perfumes, soaps, facial toners and lotions; the natural components make the products a lot more reliable and safer to use.

Aromatherapy candles are suitable for the soothing of headaches, the calming of the irritated sinus or in the treatment of asthma and allergy symptoms. Moreover, natural fragrances have great tension and anxiety releasing properties with applications in every day life. The blends of essential oils are not restricted to the making of aromatherapy candles, they are also included in the composition of soaps, sprays, body lotions and bath salts. Simple natural treatments, this is the motto that best describes the extensive application of aromatherapy candles by people all over the world. How do aromatherapy candles work and how good are they for one’s health?

The best applications for aromatherapy remedies are those that target the improvement of nervous conditions like high irritability, sleeplessness, concentration deficiencies and the like. Depending on how severe the problem is, more or less intense aromatherapy remedies can be used but only at the recommendation of an expert. Thus, candles and herbal bath salts can improve the mood and allow one to develop the relaxation state necessary for a good night’ rest. More severe conditions involve the controlled exposure to more complex aromatherapy remedies preferably in a therapeutic professional environment.

Mention must be made that aromatherapy for depression is very often misunderstood and conducted improperly or superficially. Using essential oils at home could be a true relief, but you should also consider the instructions or the recommendations of the therapist; the best results in the use of aromatherapy for depression treatment have been registered with the practice in an organized professional environment. Thus, the therapist has a direct control of the session and the exposure to more concentrated doses of volatile oils triggers a better response on the part of the nervous system. The inhalation of the extracts is often gradual and closely supervised so that no side effects may appear.

Aromatherapy soy candles are made of one hundred percent pure soy wax that ensures a clean-burning period without any dripping or soot formation. Quality aromatherapy soy candles include only herbal colorants, which implies that the shades of green, rose, yellow or blue are the result of mixing natural pigments extracted from various herbs. Nevertheless, the element that distinguishes these candles from scented products is the all natural presence of essential oils in the composition. Here are a few features of aromatherapy soy candles that you should consider before making a purchase; yet, the products will very much speak for themselves once you try them for yourself.

The processes for procuring essential oils are closely connected with the variety of aromatherapy recipes. Even when made from the same plant, the oils vary in terms of concentration and properties. To start from a basic example, keep in mind the fact that the essential oils can be extracted from blossoms, roots, wood or from the entire plant. The creation of the aromatherapy recipes is just the beginning of a process that starts with the distillation, the maceration, the pressing or the solvent extraction of the essential oils. The specificity of one recipe or another will therefore depend on the manufacturing of the essential oils too.

About the Author:

Age is Not an Excuse

Monday, December 29th, 2008
by Ike Lowe

Factually speaking, as we age, our bodies change. As the change to our bodies become more apparent, we now have to worry about places of stored fat that we didn’t have to worry about before.

Your digestive system efficiency changes when your metabolic rate slows.

Hormonal changes in the body can also affect the shape that you are in but there is one thing that always remains the same at all ages - If you eat too much food and drink too much alcohol you will gain weight.

Many people use their age as an excuse for being over weight but this is not acceptable. Consider how many elderly people there are who are still slim, fit and healthy and you will see that age is not an excuse.

We abuse our bodies with the poor lifestyle choices we make. As we age, the poor lifestyle choices multiply and the end results are; overweight and other related health problem brought on by poor nutrition.

Throughout your life, you should maintain your fat percentage at an optimum level. By doing so, the health benefits are large like; a better quality of life, reduced dependence on medications and save money on costly medications and avoiding other health related problems as you age.

Anyone at any age can benefit from improved nutrition and exercise.

You will live longer and happier by reducing the excess levels in your body fat.

You can turn back your body clock by beginning an exercise program coupled with an improvement in your nutritional intake. The most important part is getting started and the sooner you start the better.

About the Author: