Archive for January, 2010

by Katherine Crawford M.S.

If you want to tone arms and eat out regularly, be very careful. Eating at restaurants is a flabby arm slippery slope. And you will eat at restaurants because they play an important role in how we socialize.

This happens because a restaurant’s main goal is to stuff you with so much tasty food that you are compelled to come back for more again and again. And the tasty food usually has the most calories.

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are a perfect example here. Found in so many restaurant items, Harvard researchers have proven that they’re lethal.

Having said the above, I do NOT recommend becoming an anti-restaurant martyr. This is simply too restrictive in this day and age. Instead, minimize, and if possible, eliminate the damage. And here are 4 strategies to tone arms even while eating out:

1. Avoid protein sources high in fat. More fat translates into more taste, just what the restaurant wants. So try to stay away from pork, beef and lamb. And definitely stay away from hot dogs and ribs-they have the highest amounts of fat. If possible stick to items like chicken and tofu for best results.

2. Stay clear of all the refined carbs. I know you love digging into that massive loaf of bread the waiter brings out, but we’re on an arm toning mission here. And that bread isn’t going to do us any good! Instead, stick to whole grains, and if possible, legumes ONLY. Now if you don’t have enough self control with the bread, have a salad before the waiter brings it out.

3. Avoid calorie bomb salads. All that dressing and cheese can make your salad an arm-toning nightmare. Some of the most unhealthy salads can easily reach the 1000 calorie mark. So only have one tablespoon of cheese and make sure the dressing is on the side.

4. Eat half of what’s on your plate. A full course meal at a restaurant can have an entire days worth of calories-I’m not exaggerating here. This is why your jiggly arm fat loves restaurant food. Request a to-go box before your meal arrives, and once it does, shove half of it in. Alternatively, you could share a plate with the person you are with.

Now I would like to point out that if eating at a restaurant is a rare occasion for you, then most of this really doesn’t apply. The occasional pig out will not hinder your mission to tone arms. These tips become more relevant for those women who eat out more than once per week.

And the key here is application because information that is not applied quickly will be forgotten. So make sure you take action on this information today, not tomorrow!

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by Katherine Crawford M.S.

The question remains: is cardiovascular exercise necessary for maximum fat loss?

Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of different opinions here. And if the so called gurus can’t provide a definitive answer, how are you supposed to decide whether or not to take action?

Well, if you look at the research there is no doubt that cardiovascular work can increase fat loss. Here are five ways that cardiovascular work can help you lose more fat:

1. A bigger heart. If your heart is bigger, you can do more exercise without getting as tired. And a bigger heart will pump more oxygen throughout your body which will give you more energy.

2. More blood in your body. Blood is the liquid of life because it transports all the vital nutrients necessary for work to the different tissues in your body. And if you have more of it, you can get a lot more physical work done.

3. Higher capillary density. Capillaries are like little tubes that actually deliver blood right into the muscle. So not only do you get more blood, but you also get better transport and delivery.

4. A higher percentage of mitochondria. Mitochondria are responsible for breaking down ATP and converting it into energy. By increasing their numbers with cardiovascular work, you will increase your ability to produce more energy on demand.

5. Higher enzymatic concentration. In order to make energy, your body needs enzymes to start the process. When you do lots of cardio, you get a higher concentration of said enzymes. This will really speed up your energy making process.

The research seems to indicate that cardiovascular exercise is a good way to lose weight at a faster rate. So it’s probably in your best interest to start including it in your program.

The tricky part is figuring out how much cardio is optimal. After all, if you do too little you won’t see any difference and if you do too much, you will not be able to recover from your workouts. I propose that you should do as much as you can while still retaining the ability to recover.

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How To Break A Weight Loss Plateau

by Trevor Johnson

Anyone who has been on a diet for any amount of time reaches a place where the weight loss either stops or slows down a great deal. You may even gain a pound or two. When you reach this point, be encouraged that there are ways to break weight loss plateau.

Take a look at the diet plan you have been using. Are you still doing all the things you did when you began the program? If you find that some old habits are slipping back in, just go back to what you were doing to begin with. You may need to take an honest look at your portions to make sure you’re not eating more than you should be.

It is also possible that you are not eating enough. When you are in a hurry to get some extra pounds off, you may be tempted to cut your calorie intake too much. Your body will react by starting to stockpile fat because it believes it is starving. You will find that you are more successful if you lose pounds slowly and make lifestyle changes that will stay with you after you lose the weight.

If you are eating the amount of calories that you need to lose weight, try mixing up your eating style. Instead of eating three regular meals, try eating 5 smaller meals. You can also vary your calorie intake. Eat more calories one day and less the next. If your body knows what is coming every day, it will adjust and your metabolism may slow.

When your diet is in order, take a look at your exercise routine. If you don’t have an exercise routine, now is the time to add one. If you have been exercising, but you are still walking the same amount of time that you did when you started, try adding 15 minutes. It may be time to increase your intensity level. Take your measurements if you have been exercising regularly. It may be that you have lost inches but not pounds. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. The scale may not show that you have lost any weight, but you may have gained muscle.

Remember that reaching a plateau when dieting is normal. Even though you may be frustrated, make a few revisions in your diet plan and stick with it. You will soon be losing weight again.

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by Lee Reid

Have you Tried several diets to no avail? Maybe you need to lose all that fat to look good for a special occasion or perhaps you are just sick and tired of being overweight. You haven t tried it all until you try the fat smash diet! Every woman would love to look slim and maintain a good body. The fat smash diet is assured to make you shed those extra pounds without you having to undergo too much, so you can put all those worries to rest and allow us to introduce you to this wonderful diet!

Dr Iam Smiths’ fat smash diet is different from other diets because it looks to provide a long term plan. It not only helps you lose those pounds, but also assists you in keeping them away! The fat smash diet generally consists of four phases, firstly the detox phase, which last for 9 days and you are allowed to eat only fruits, vegetables and sometimes egg whites.

Secondly, the foundation phase which lasts 3 weeks and you can take in more food. Thirdly, the construction phase which lasts 2 weeks and includes small portions of desserts and other good food, and lastly, the temple phase where you are expected to continue maintaining your eating habits. All 4 phases are accompanied by various exercises for varying periods of time.

Most recipes that are found for the fat smash diet are ones that are easy to make and usually come with a list of calories that it contains so that you can keep a watch on your food intake. Most of the wonderful recipes available for the fat smash diet are low fat recipes and are very nutritious.If you are worried that the diet will be too strict and comprise of salad, soup or sandwiches, stop your thoughts right there! You can have various other kinds of food such as grilled chicken and pizza, provided you ve got yourself a good fat smash diet recipe.

Keep in mind however that in addition to a controlled diet, there are other things that need to change as well. Stress is known to cause you to want to eat more, therefore it’s essential that you steer away from stressful situations. In order to increase your metabolism you would need to keep yourself physically active and try out various exercises. Keep drinking lots of water throughout your fat smash diet so as to flush your body.

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The Weight Loss Perfect Plan

by Michael Page

New Year’s resolutions fly this time of year and often they simply hit a wall or drop to the floor, DOA. Mostly this is because there is no plan for the real achievement of the resolution or goal. Without a plan, it’s only a wish.

I want you to know that if you had a bad plan and you followed it perfectly and you didn’t reach your goal, it’s not your fault. You simply need a better plan. One that you can follow with confidence, one that makes complete sense. In losing weight, nothing is more important than understanding the principles.

But where do you turn for the missing pieces to a great plan? Often the memory of failed attempts stops you from taking action. Who wants to do the same old thing over again and fail for the millionth time? But you do need a plan — well, it’s your lucky day. I’m going to unveil to you the perfect weight loss plan.

The Diet Solution Made Easy Plan is exactly as promised, the perfect weight loss plan. Without it, you may try again, start a weight loss program by eating those things you think are OK, exercising the way you think is OK, and then checking the scales to see yet again another failure. And that’s not what you’re looking for.

The Diet Solution Made Easy Program or Plan is a complete system which emphasizes exactly the principles needed to lose weight and lose it permanently. The cause of weight gain is really quite simple. and when understood, can be completely annihilated.

The first and main cause of weight gain is the over consumption of empty carbohydrates. This plan is not a low carb diet plan, but rather a smart carb diet plan. You need to know that you are living on a planet called earth. And, you are a naturally occurring life form here. There are many other naturally occurring life forms here too which are here to allow you to survive. You must eat those things which naturally are here and you will lose weight, feel better, and be permanently rid of your weight problem.

Obviously, there are a few other specifics which you’ll need in order to complete the plan, but those are really quite easy. Once you understand the over-arching principles involved in the Diet Solution Made Easy Plan, you’ll be able to follow it easily.

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