Healthy living today is focused on the importance of a healthy diet, physical activity, exercise, nutrition, weight loss, vitamins and minerals. Find information and tips on which diet, exercise routine or workout program and diet pill or weight loss supplement is best for you to get healthy, gain muscle mass and lose weight fast.
Yoga and pilates have both became very popular over the last decade. You are constantly hearing about them all over the media and in magazines. The question is, are they interchangeable? Are they the same thing? The answer is NO. Both exercises utilize the mind but they are very different. The difference between yoga and pilates is both physical and philosophical. The correct choice for which is a better exercise completely depends on your goals and what you want for your body.
Yoga is an ancient Easter-based exercise approach that is dated back more than 5,000 years ago. Yoga involves integrating the body, mind and spirit. Yoga encourages individuals to seek balance in their lives. This balanced is achieved and maintained through exercise, breathing and meditation. The focus of Yoga is to keep the body strong through controlled strengthening of all muscles and stretching. A yoga exercise routine involves stationary movements, flexibility and breathing techniques to calm the mind while strengthening the body. While performing this exercise you will only need a yoga mat and sometimes bands. Yoga requires no specific workout equipment, only a mat. Yoga is a very relaxing and peaceful exercise. It is a great stress reliever! Yoga is much more relaxing and calming than pilates.
Pilates was created in 1920’s by Joseph Pilates, who created the exercise to help World War I soldiers recover from injuries. Pilates is a Western-based approach that concentrates specifically on building the strength of the body’s core muscle group, which includes the abdominal area and muscles surrounding the spine. Pilates unlike Yoga can be done on specific pilates workout equipment or as a series of mat exercises. Pilates main goal is toning your muscles effectively and improving your core strength. It is a great exercise to improve posture and a great way to get long lean muscles. During a pilates workout routine there is not as much emphasis on flexibility as there is on toning your muscles. That is one of the major differences between yoga and pilates.
To find out which is a better exercise for you, research each exercise routine and decide what goals you have and what you would like to accomplish for your body and mind.
The great thing about strength training and intervals for fat burning is “efficiency”. Because you are working harder, the signal to your body to change is stronger. You cut time when you increase intensity and you burn fat faster.
Now don’t worry, I won’t be asking you to do hill sprints tomorrow if you aren’t exercising today. For a beginner, we just do some slightly faster than normal walking intervals. For intermediate fitness levels, we’ll pick up the pace about 20% compared to their normal cardio levels, but again, the work periods are much shorter.
The key is, you must shift to a slightly higher intensity in order to cut time from your workout. But the workout also goes faster, and much more importantly, you will get more results and better fitness from these methods.
It’s easy to do these workouts first thing in the AM, at lunch, or after the kids go to bed. Plus, you can get a great workout at home with only a bench, dumbells, and an exercise ball. You don’t need fancy machines or an expensive gym membership.
And another bonus, you only need three hard fat burning workouts per week. You don’t have to be in the gym six days per week.
On your off days, it’s important to stay active for at least 30 minutes, but these days should be unstructured and revolve around being active with your family or hobbies. Don’t think of them as workout days, think of them as fat burning, stress reducing activity days.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Do you find yourself overeating when you eat at your favorite restaurant? Do you find it tempting to eat the bread, an appetizer and a meal? Is it hard not to indulge on over sized and fattening meals at restaurants? Eating out is inedible. You are going to do it. Who wants to cook every night? Eating out is fun and can be a pleasure. It is possible to eat out and eat out healthy too. You can make eating out healthier but it requires some effort on your part. Next time you decide to eat out use some of these tips and suggestions.
• Never go out to eat while hungry or starving. You will overeat-almost guaranteed. You will want to eat everything that is at the table and it will be extremely hard for you to say “no†to the bread and appetizers. Eat an apple, protein bar or a handful of nuts before going out to eat.
• If you are going to eat an appetizer eat a healthy one such as a salad. Some appetizers have over 1,000. You do not want to consume 1,000 calories before you even eat your main meal.
• If they bring out bread before your meal, SKIP it. Do not eat it. If you can, tell the server not to bring bread to the table.
• Foods that are grilled, baked, steamed, poached or broiled are healthier choices. Ask your server how the meals are prepared to make sure it is not covered in butter.
• Avoid all fried foods and high sodium foods.
• Choose a marinara sauce, if you must eat pasta. Stay away from thick, white and creamy sauces.
• Do not clean your plate. Ask for a to go box as soon as your meal arrives and put half of your meal in the box or share a meal with another person.
• Eat slowly! You will get full faster.
• Water is the best beverage choice. If you are not going to drink water than order diet soda or tea. Use artificial sweetener.
• Have dressings, sour cream, butter and heavy sauces served on the side. Only use a little of these on your food.
• Beware of alcohol! It is loaded with calories and it is easy to consume hundreds even thousands of calories when you drink alcoholic drinks. Many alcoholic drinks are loaded with sugar.
Vitamins are organic compounds in food that are needed in your body in very small amounts for growth and to maintain good health. Vitamins and minerals are essential in regulating various body activities. Vitamins are required in our diets in only small amounts. Taking more than a recommended dose of a vitamin or mineral is not better for you. It can actually harmful for your body.
Vitamin A Function: Vitamin A helps fight infections and is essential for healthy skin. It aids in the formation of teeth and bones. Vitamin A also promotes growth and repair of body tissue and helps to maintain good eyesight. Which Foods Contain Vitamin A: Carrots, cantaloupe, peaches, tomatoes, dairy products, fish liver oils Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume 800mcg and men should consume 1000mcg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Function: Vitamin B1 helps promote growth and muscle tone and it aids in the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and nervous system. * New research has shown that taking vitamin B1 supplements may prevent or slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. * Which Foods Contain Vitamin B1: Potatoes, peas, egg yolk, oranges and some breakfast cereals Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume 1.1mcg and women should consume 1.2mcg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Function: Vitamin B2 helps maintain good vision and healthy hair, skin and nails. It also assists in the formation of antibodies and red blood cells. Also plays a role in metabolism.
Which Foods Contain Vitamin B2: Dark green, leafy vegetables, diary products and meat Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume no more than 1.2mg and men should not consume more than 1.3mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Function: Vitamin B3 reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. It helps to maintain healthy skin and digestive system. It also helps improve circulation and energy levels. Which Foods Contain Vitamin B3: Lean meats, poultry, fish, peanuts and yeast Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume 14mg and men should consume 16mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) Function: Vitamin B5 helps ensure the body’s growth and helps fight infection. It also helps the body’s resistance to stress and it builds cells Which Foods Contain Vitamin B5: Peanuts, pecan nuts, walnuts and dried fruit Recommended Daily Intake: Adults should consume 10mg daily
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Function: Vitamin B6 supports the central nervous system and helps maintain healthy skin Which Foods Contain Vitamin B6: Meats, whole grains, bananas, eggs, milk, green leafy vegetables Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume 1.6mg and men should consume 2mg of Vitamin B6 daily.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Function: Vitamin B12 helps prevent anemia by regenerating red blood cells and it helps maintain a healthy nervous system Which Foods Contain Vitamin B12: Muscle meats fish, diary products, liver and kidneys Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume 1.6mg while men need 2mg of Vitamin B12 daily.
Folic Acid Function: It promotes the reproduction of body cells and aids in formation of red blood cells and bone marrow. Which Foods Contain Folic Acid: Beans, green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals Recommended Daily Intake: Adults should consume 200mcg daily. Pregnant women or women who are trying to get pregnant should take 400mcg in supplement form daily.
Vitamin C Function: Vitamin C is essential for healthy teeth, gums and bones. It helps heal wounds, fractures and scare tissue. It also helps build resistance to infections and assists in the prevention and treatment of the common cold. Which Foods Contain Vitamin C: Papaya, guava, berries, rose hips, broccoli, kiwi fruit, citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons, strawberries, cabbage, green peppers and cauliflower. Recommended Daily Intake: Women should consume 1.6mg and men should consume 2mg
Vitamin D
Function: Vitamin D is important in helping the body use and absorb calcium and phosphorous. It promotes strong bones and teeth and supports the nervous system. *Some studies have found that it helps prevent osteoporosis.* Which Foods Contain Vitamin D: Fatty fish, tuna, trout, eggs and cheese Recommended Daily Intake: Adults 10mcg
Vitamin E Function: Vitamin E helps supply oxygen to the blood and prevents blood clots and slows down cellular aging. Some studies have some that it decreases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and certain types of breast decease. Which Foods Contain Vitamin E: Sunflower oil, sunflower seeds, nuts, sweet potatoes and dark green vegetables Recommended Daily Intake: For optimal health 80 mg daily is recommended, but you only need 24mg
**** The decision to take a supplement should not be made randomly. It is best to seek advice from your physician or consult with a registered dietitian ****
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alli is not an average diet pill. The pill has been designed to absorb fat as part of a plan that includes a healthy diet and exercise. The pill works by preventing your body from absorbing some of the fat you eat. alli actually blocks 25% of the fat you consume. alli can help you lose up to 50% more weight, than dieting alone. That basically means if you could lose 10 pounds through dieting, you could lose 15 pounds with alli.
It also has something else other weight loss pills do not have. Alli has developed a support program, called myalliplan. The myalliplan is a support plan based on sound and clinical practices and designed by nutrition and weight loss experts. It is FREE with the purchase of alli.
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