Tips To Lose Weight

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Skip the Exercise by Skipping the Sugar

Skip the Exercise by Skipping the Sugar

I don't know about you but I really hate to exercise on a regular basis.  That doesn't mean that I am anti-exercise, it simply means that I find the effort that is needed to really get physically fit is usually very inconvenient at best.  I work a lot in order to be able to support my family and taking the time to exercise regularly is not necessarily something that I can do.  Believe it or not, I am actually in the best shape of my life and it doesn't have anything to do with exercising at all.  If you make smart choices along the way, you can get physically fit and stay healthy, even without an official exercise regime.

One of the easiest ways to do so is to totally cut sugar out of your life.  Although this is impractical to a certain extent, you cannot imagine the benefits that you can get by doing so.  The easiest way for you to be able to do this is to eat according to the glycemic index.  This is a list of carbohydrate foods that are arranged according to how quickly the sugars that are contained within them are dumped into our bloodstream.  As long as you are eating foods that are on the low end of the glycemic index, you will be able to eat about as much as you possibly want.  You will stay full in the process and you will not have the highs and lows that are experienced whenever you eat sugar.

Along with making sure that you are eating the low on the glycemic index, you should be eating a protein and a legume at every meal.  Vegetables are notoriously low in calories and in order for us to keep our metabolism running strong, we need to eat calories.  The protein will help you to maintain your muscle mass, even if you are losing weight and the legumes will make up for any calories that are lost as a result of you eating a lot of vegetables.

Of course, it always helps to do a little bit of exercise along with eating the proper way.  You don't need to hit the gym on a regular basis in order to experience these benefits.  Just make sure that you're moving around and try to stay as active as possible in your everyday life.  The benefits of doing so will be evident whenever you look in the mirror.

How to Park Your Car for Fitness

How to Park Your Car for Fitness

Very few of us have the time anymore to exercise on a regular basis.  Although we may go to the gym from time to time, many of us are looking for a way that we can incorporate exercise into our everyday activities.  This is certainly possible but it is going to take an effort on your part to a certain extent.  Although it may not seem much like exercise, any activity that you do is considered exercise, whether you are going to do it regularly or not.  A good example of this is choosing how to park your car properly.

A car is certainly one of the more convenient things that we own.  Because of the rising price of gas, it has also become one of the more expensive things that we own.  Many of us have stopped driving whenever it is unnecessary in order to save money on gas.  Did you realize that this can not only save you money but it may actually help you to get in shape?  After all, if you live close enough to the places where you work and shop, you may be able to leave your car sit in the driveway and walk to wherever you're going.

One thing that you don't want to do is to take off on a very long walk if you are not up to the challenge.  For example, if you live 10 miles away from work you should not attempt to walk to and from work on a daily basis if you have never walked before.  That doesn't mean that you cannot get some exercise in, in the meantime.  Instead of walking to work, why not get your bicycle out and ride your bike to work on a daily basis?  Bike riding is an enjoyable pastime, you will get there relatively quickly along with getting plenty of exercise in the process.

You may also make smarter choices when it comes to parking your car when you do go out.  Instead of driving around for a few minutes looking for the spot that is closest to the store, park as far out in the parking lot as possible and walk there.  It may not seem like much but it is not necessary for you to do all of your walking at one time for it to benefit you.  Take 12 five-minute walks during the week and you will have an hour under your belt.  It is really that simple.

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Hiking Your Way Healthy

Hiking Your Way Healthy

It is not always necessary for you to do boring exercises in order to stay fit.  As a matter of fact, most of us will not be able to stick with something that we do not enjoy long enough to see long term benefits.  I know that for myself, I really hate walking on a treadmill and I find it to be one of life's most boring activities.

Although I have walked on a treadmill from time to time in order to stay in shape, doing so on a long-term basis is something that simply is not going to happen.  The funny thing about it is that I do enjoy walking but while doing so, I like to go someplace.

One of the most interesting and enjoyable activities that you can do is to take up hiking.  This is more than simply walking around the block or perhaps strolling through the mall, it is a strenuous exercise that you would need to build up to in order to be efficient at it.  Although it is not effortless, you would be surprised with how enjoyable it is and how quickly the time passes as you are doing it.  I don't consider hiking to be exercise at all, I consider it to be a hobby that I am dedicated to and will continue to do as long as my legs allow me to do so.

What would happen if you were not someplace that was conducive to hiking?  Not all of us live in a mountainous area that would allow us to get in a good hike without having to travel too far to get to the location.  Believe it or not, most communities have an area that would suffice for such an activity.  You would probably be surprised to find out that one is right in your backyard, even if it isn't exactly what you are looking for.  As long as you're getting out in nature and walking around enjoying the things that are nearby, this is exercise and it is hiking.

You might enjoy hiking so much that you decide to make a trip out of it.  Many individuals end up going away in order to hike someplace special.  You can't imagine how many calories you will be burning and how physically fit you will be as a result of this activity.  Take the time to do it on a regular basis and you will love the way you look.

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Monday, February 14, 2011

"Correct Your Acid / Alkaline Balance with the Water You Drink: What the Experts Say"

In health circles there has been much recent talk about acid /alkaline imbalance. Let's see if we can clarify how experts recommend we correct this imbalance.

The problem

Your body functions best when neither too acid nor too alkaline. Unfortunately almost all of us have become acidic due to diet, drinks and stress -- both psychological and from pollution. Acids can build up in our body, causing systems  to be out of balance.

The effects

According to Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky, "Acid wastes build up in the body in the form of cholesterol, gallstones, kidney stones, arterial plaque, urates, phosphates and sulfates. These acidic waste products are the direct cause of premature aging and the onset of chronic disease."

When this occurs, the body will restore its optimal pH balance by depleting certain minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, from organs and bones. In addition, your immune system may become fatigued from dealing with an excess of acid. Your body then stores acidic wastes in 'hiding places' such as muscles etc. rather than releasing the acids into the bloodstream.

As Dr.Robert Atkins, the well-known author, health and diet expert, notes: "Just about every condition I can think of, from arthritis to diabetes to cancer, is associated with acidity."

"The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter is that they all come from the same root cause...too much tissue acid waste in the body!" Theodore A. Baroody, ND, Ph.D.

What can be done?

A vast body of research reveals that you can help neutralize acid build-up in the  blood and maintain a balanced pH, by taking some simple steps, such as:

-- Exercise
-- Avoiding highly acid-forming food and drink
-- Drinking the right water

What is the "right" water?

"International studies show that populations with little or no history of illness, such as cancer, drink higher pH (alkaline) waters. After all potential risk factors were considered and factored out, it became evident that they had been drinking waters with a pH of 9.0 to 10.0."

 Dr. Leonard Horowitz in "Aids and Ebola"

Alkaline ionized water "first came to notice in Japan, where researchers noted that people drinking water that came from certain fast- moving rocky mountain streams enjoyed extraordinarily good health. It turned out that this naturally occurring water was alkaline and had a different structure and electrical properties."

 Larry Clapp, PhD. in "Prostate Health in 90 days"

Alkaline water is produced at home with a small kitchen appliance called a water ionizer (long in use in Japan and Korea).  As water ionizers have become  popular in North America, more health professionals have had the opportunity to evaluate their effects on clients:

Sue Pollock, N.D. writes, we can "assist the body in being more alkaline with ...drinking alkaline water."
"I believe that the best water is water that is alkaline (reduced) and purified using a small device known as a water ionizer." (Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky)

"It is my opinion that ionized water will change the way in which all health practitioners and the public approach their health in the coming years." Dr. T. Baroody in "Alkalize or Die."

Why not just rely on a change of diet?

According to Sang Whang, researcher and author of "Reverse Aging", the danger is that we might omit important foods:

"Since the waste products that we are trying to discharge are acidic, the right kind of water is alkaline water...My personal recommendation is to enjoy the foods that we like, but do not over-eat or exclude any food. Eat in moderation following the professional dieticians' "balanced diet" concept, and let alkaline water do the job of acidic wastes body cleanse."

Raw Food Diet

Eating raw foods is natural. Our bodies thrive on all that is fresh and vital. A raw food diet (or increasing the amount of raw food that you eat) is bound to bring a feeling of increased wellbeing.

Raw food diets are based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, preferably organic, such as a variety of fresh fruits and vegies, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, fresh juices and purified water.

Why Raw Foods?

Basically a vegetarian diet, the raw food diet promotes eating and drinking ‘living’ foods. Living foods and juices contain the maximum amount of fibre found in raw produce, fibre that can be lost in processing. Such foods are easily metabolised and tend to be lower in calories than the average diet.

Heating food above 116°F destroys enzymes in food that aid in digestion and in absorption of food, diminishing its nutritional value.

Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

A diet of at least 75% raw food offers numerous health benefits, such as increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss and reduced risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

A raw food diet contains little or no saturated fats, is low in sodium, high in potassium, magnesium, folate and fibre.

Raw food diets are also excellent body cleanse diets. Different combinations of raw, living foods and juices can be used for colon cleansing, liver cleansing, kidney cleansing and skin cleansing.

The Basics of a Raw Food Diet

Any fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, nuts, legumes, young coconut milk – even seaweed – can be menu items of a raw food diet. Your choice of foods may depend on your reasons for dieting, for example:

- sprouted brown rice slows glucose absorption and improves the metabolism

- cabbage supports healthy cellular function; radish leaves act as an anti-oxidant, as does Shitake mushroom

-carrots are a great source of vitamin A as well as encouraging healthy vision and a healthy cardio-vascular system

You can use a sprouter such as the Easy Green automatic sprouter to sprout seeds, grains, beans – even wheatgrass. Sprouts could be called a ‘super food’ – organic sprouts contain enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll pigments and enzymes, and are the ideal natural supplement.

Sprouts can be used in salads and soups, or can be juiced. Fresh juices are a great ready energy supply and a good quality juicer, such as the Kempo Greenpower juicer, produces living juices that are full of essential nutrients.

A great juicing recipe to complement a raw food diet is carrot juice with potato, fennel and apple. Simply juice 4 medium carrots, 2 apples, 1 small potato and 1 small stalk of fennel.

Fennel has been shown to reduce and control inflammation of arthritis, it evens mood fluctuation and depressive states and has the rare nutrient called manganese, plus zinc and vitamin B complex.

The nutritional value of grains and seeds is impressive. They contain most of the vitamins – particularly A, B, and E. They’re also fantastic natural sources of unsaturated fatty acids and lecithin, and an excellent source of proteins.

You can even use soy milk makers (such as SoyQuick) to make non-dairy drinks from different beans, rice, nuts, seeds and grains to have with breakfast. If you want something a little more substantial than soy milk you can make your tofu (or, of course, visit a good health food shop).

Essentially, the idea of a raw food diet is to eat unprocessed foods for at least 75% of the time. If the idea of raw food isn’t very appetising to you, you can warm the food a little as long as the food isn’t heated above 116°F.

Cautionary Note

As with any major change in diet, it’s wise idea to consult your doctor before beginning a special diet. This is especially true for children, pregnant women, anyone with anemia and anyone with a pre-existing medical condition.

Even natural foods can conflict with certain medications, so please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any medication.

Because a raw food diet is detoxifying some people suffer a mild detox reaction including mild headaches, nausea and cravings. These symptoms may last for several days and you’ll get more enjoyment out of your raw food diet if you cut down on things like meat, sugar and caffeine a week or so before commencing the diet.

Last But Not Least…

A raw food diet is certainly a good way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Like anything worthwhile it takes time, energy and commitment. Because many of the foods for this particular type of diet are made from scratch there is some preparation time involved. There are many great products on the market that can help you prepare your own living food and save you some time as well.

Combined with regular exercise, a raw food diet is also an excellent fat loss system. If you’ve been feeling ‘a little off’, or just need a pick-me-up and some extra energy, then a raw food diet is certainly a good way to go.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Double up Your Workouts Effortlessly

Double up Your Workouts Effortlessly

How frustrating is it to you to step on a treadmill and walk without actually going anywhere? Have you ever seen somebody that is constantly on a treadmill? They are really in shape, more than likely, and they seem to enjoy being there. I don't know about you but I find it extremely boring to do exercises such as this. I would much rather get out in the fresh air in order to do my walking than to end up spending all of my time making a belt go around in a circle. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do either.

If you find yourself in a situation where you want to get physically fit but you do not think you have the time to do so, you may have to double up some activities in order to achieve your goal. Putting effort into exercise is something that is almost always necessary but that doesn't mean that we need to be inconvenienced as a result of the exercise that we are doing. If you have time to sit and watch TV on a daily basis, you have time to make sure that you are getting in your exercise so that your health can improve. The real trick is making sure that you are able to do both without giving up one or the other.

One of the easiest ways for you to be able to do this is by putting a treadmill or stationary bike in your TV room. All you really need to do is get up from the couch and go over to do a little bit of exercise while you're watching TV. After all, riding an exercise bike or walking on a treadmill is not going to hurt your ability to watch TV at all. The only thing that you may need to do is adjust the volume to a certain extent and you don't even need to walk over to the TV to do that.

Another thing that you can do is to get a mini trampoline in order to do rebounding exercises. This is an almost effortless way of exercising because all you really need to do is bounce up and down on the trampoline for about 10 to 15 minutes every day. This helps to realign your organs and to burn additional calories while you are doing something that is actually pretty fun to do.

Breathe Your Weight Trim

Breathe Your Weight Trim

What if I told you that it would not be necessary for you to go to the gym or to exercise at all in order for you to remain healthy? Although it certainly is a good idea for you to exercise to a certain extent, you may be able to receive some of the same benefits without effort by just breathing in the proper way. After all, the breath that we have is a large part of what makes up our life and if we are breathing improperly we may be hurting our health. Let's take a look at some deep breathing exercises and what they can do for us.

One of the problems that many of us tend to have is that we are shallow breathers. Do this test for yourself to see how good your breathing is but you're going to have to do so whenever you are not really paying attention to it. Whenever you are breathing properly, you are doing more than just filling your lungs with air. Your diaphragm is also moving, allowing your lungs to expand to capacity. Whenever your diaphragm moves up and down as a result of your breathing, your stomach will go in and out. Check this and see for yourself. You may need to ask somebody else to watch you breathe whenever you are not thinking about it to see if you're actually breathing deeply or not.

Whenever we breathe, we bring oxygen into our lungs and it is picked up by the blood and carried directly into the heart. This oxygen is what helps to feed and fuel our body in a lot of different ways. If we are oxygen deprived, our body will not be functioning properly and we will have a difficult time staying in shape. By concentrating on our breathing and the learning how to breathe properly all of the time, your health will be corrected and improved. How can this be done?

One of the easiest ways to make sure that you are breathing properly is to take a little bit of time every day to do some deep breathing exercises. Not only will this help to retrain us but it will also bring a lot of oxygen into our body, something that will boost our metabolism. By doing this on a regular basis and teaching yourself how to breathe whenever you're not doing the exercises, you will be helping yourself to be healthy in mind and body.