Reducing Carbs can keep you looking young

Insulin has been labelled as the main culprit to invite ageing early. Eating too much of carbohydrates results in high insulin levels. Increased insulin levels tell the body to store carbohydrates as fat. They also tell it not to release any stored fat. It makes sure that you stay fat. Even worse, high insulin levels also suppress the growth hormone that is responsible for remaining young.

High levels of insulin can cause major health problems like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, high levels of cholesterol, heart disease, kidney disease, female infertility and neuro-degeneration. Greasy fast-food, nutrient-deprived processed foods and over-cooked vegetables are the junk food. Polished grains, sweets, soft drinks, and high-starch foods like potatoes, burgers and pizzas lead to overweight, and give you the looks and feeling of being older. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, chances are that the excess carbohydrates in your body are, in part or whole, to blame:

* Excess weight
* Fatigue and frequent sleepiness
* Depression
* Brain fogginess
* Bloating
* Low blood sugar and high blood pressure
* High triglycerides

One of the most important things you can do for preventing old age and its diseases is to decrease the intake of carbohydrates, especially those drawn from foods grown below the surface of earth.

Comment! (1) | Recommend! | Categories: diabetes [t], hypertension [t], obesity [t], cholesterol [t], heart disease [t], kidney disease [t], female infertility [t], fast-food [t], junk food [t], ageing [t], insulin [t], depression [t], bloating [t], low blood sugar [t], triglycerides [t], health [t], fitness [t]

BEFORE YOU START LIFTING YOU SHOULD KNOW THE BASICS. YOU CAN COPY AND PRINT THE INFO ON MY BLOG IF YOU WISH. I WANT A TONE BOD. HOW ABOUT YOU?

Weight Training 101

The Basics

If you're setting up your own program, you'll need to know some basic strength training principles. These principles will teach you how to make sure you're using enough weight, determine your sets and reps and insure you're always progressing in your workouts.

Overload: If you want to get stronger, you need to use more resistance than your muscles are used to. This is important because the more you do, the more your body is capable of doing, so you should increase your workload to avoid adaptation. In plain language, this means you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. You should be able to finish your last rep with difficulty but also with good form.
Progression. In order to avoid plateaus (or adaptation), you need to increase your intensity. With strength training, you can do this by increasing the amount of weight lifted, increasing the sets/reps, increasing or changing the exercises you're doing and/or change the rest intervals between sets. You can also change the order of your exercises. This means increasing your intensity every week.

Specificity. This principle states that the way your body adapts to exercise depends on the type of exercise you're doing. That means, if you want to increase your strength, your program should be designed around that goal. To gain strength and mass, you want to train with heavier weights closer to your 1 RM (1 rep max). If you want to build endurance and strength, you'll want to stick with lighter weights and a rep range of 8-12.
Rest and Recovery. Rest days are just as important as workout days. It is during these rest periods that your muscles grow and change, so make sure you're not working the same muscle groups 2 days in a row.

Before you get started on setting up your routine, keep a few key points in mind:

Always warm up before you start lifting weights. This helps get your muscles warm and prevent injury. You can warm up with light cardio or by doing a light set of each exercise before going to heavier weights.
Lift and lower your weights slowly. Don't use momentum to lift the weight. If you have to swing to get the weight up, chances are you're using too much weight.
Breathe. Don't hold your breath and make sure you're using full range of motion throughout the movement.

Stand up straight! If your mother could see you now, she'd probably slap a book on your head. Pay attention to your posture and keep everything straight. Engage your abs in every movement you're doing to keep your balance and protect your spine.

Comment! (5) | Recommend! | Categories: weight training [t], lifting [t], gym [t], fitness [t], basics [t], workouts [t]

7 bad habits of overweight people

My weight keeps going up and down like a yoyo and it is so frustrating. For my height I am considered overweight by... too many pounds to mention. I work out at 24 hr. fitness and these are some of the bad habits of overweight people:

1. They don't exercise regularly.

Dylan Gautreaux, fitness manager for 24 Hour Fitness in Carrollton, Texas, recommends two to three cardio sessions per week of 20 to 45 minutes and two to three resistance training sessions per week of 30 to 45 minutes. He says resistance training will build muscle that helps burn fat.

2. They eat most of their meals out.

"Restaurant portions are enormous and most of us were brought up to belong to the clean plate club," says LouAnn Frisch, a dietitian in Portland, Oregon. She says that Mexican and Chinese restaurants probably have the highest calorie meals, but if you must eat out: "Thai and Vietnamese foods are better. Pho soups and won-ton soups are great choices." [Pho, pronounced "fa," is a Vietnamese soup that's usually made with beef.]

3. They always eat a second portion.

"It really does take 20 minutes for your brain to catch up with your stomach. But most people consume high amounts of food in 20 minutes," says Frisch. She acknowledges that it's difficult to slow down, but suggests putting less food on your plate and skipping seconds.

4. They avoid even light activity.

"There are little things that you can do to lead a more active lifestyle," says Gautreaux. "Take breaks and get some fresh air instead of sitting at your desk all day. There are even stability balls made to sit behind a desk instead of a chair. These cause you to sit up straight, hold your back up and burn more calories."

5. They never turn down sweets.

Frisch doesn't recommend cutting out sweets completely, just cutting down on them: "If you need chocolate, have some. Not a lot, just some. But savor it and be happy with a small portion."

6. They eat even when they're not hungry.

"Eating is a physiologically and psychologically satisfying, mood-altering experience. Most people eat, not because they are hungry, but for other reasons," says Frisch. Learn what triggers you to eat and healthier ways to reward yourself or brighten your mood.

7. They skip meals.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that skipping meals can play a role in obesity. Eating fewer, larger meals may cause insulin to spike, which triggers hunger and could cause more blood sugar to be stored as fat. The study found that people who eat several, smaller meals were less likely to be obese. Overweight people may find it difficult initially to overcome their bad habits, but the results of better eating and exercise habits are very rewarding.

Well I know that I am guilty of numbers 2, 5 and 7. Eating out and skipping meals I can work on.... but take away my chocolate and the world will be sorry. ha ha ha...

Comment! (11) | Recommend! | Categories: overweight [t], 24 hour fitness [t], diet [t], exercise [t]