Diet articles online

By: dave

We all workout for our own reasons. Some people want to trim down and shed a few pounds, while others workout to compliment a sport such as baseball or hockey. However to get the full benefit of your workouts you need to also focus on your diet. Here are just a few tips to help improve your diet and help you reach your goals.

1.) Fruit with an excellent Thermogenic/Carbohydrate Ratio include: Apples, Blueberries, Grapefruit, Peaches, Strawberries vs. Inferior Thermogenic Effect Fruits: Bananas, Dried Fruit, Raisins, etc., Watermelon.

2.) Good sources of insoluble Fiber:
Whole wheat products
What oat
Corn Bran
Flax seed
Vegetables such as green beans, cauliflowers, and potato skins
Fruit Skins and root vegetable skins.

3.) you should have planned cheat meals and you should cycle carbs. Because if you stay on a to restrictive diet your metabolism slows. You’re body is a furnace and food is the coal. More food means your metabolism goes up (i.e. furnace heats up) but too much “coal” and it starts to collect. So essentially you need to eat to lose weight.
4.) Do not work out on a empty stomach first thing in the morning. Rather eat a piece of fruit. Since a piece of fruit reglycongenates your liver which helps in fat utilization. here is a link about it: http://www.parentsurf.com/p/article…_22/ai_n6170379
5.) Adaptation is your worst enemy when you are cutting as such you should cycle everything including conditioning, lifting, and food by varying intensity, duration, and quantity.
6.) Do not be insanely restrictive, if you are the odds are you will binge and gain the weight right back. the idea is to change your life style.
7.) If you are going to use fat burners do not use them in the beginning. Use them after you have plataued or stopped losing weight this way you got something up your sleeve for later.
8.) Stay away from sweets and sugars including soda.
9.) Fructose in high amounts can hinder fat and does not get transformed to glycogen, thus doesn’t affect the muscles.
10.) You will want to maintain a high protein intake at a level of one gram per pound of lean body mass. Your carb intake should be reduced and come from complex sources.
11.) When cycling your carbs and calories you should be either +/ 900 from your BMR. Adult Male: BMR = 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) (6.8 x age in years). So M F you get 2,000cals then on sat sun around 2,900 no more though.
12.) 1g of protein= 4 cals, 1 g of carbs= 4 cals, 1g fat= 9 cals, 1g alcohol= 7 cals.
13.) Most people can only lose 1lb 1.5 lbs a week without losing muscle.
14.) In the beginning, you should keep a diet log of what you eat so you can see where you need to improve
15.) Workout wise, you should have reps from 6 10 with about 30 to 1min rest between sets.

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By: Zach Bashore

Make Your Cardio Fun
Zach Bashore
April 23, 2006

Being bored is not fun and it`s even worse when you know that you have another thirty minutes left on the treadmill. The minutes seem to go by like seconds and you hit the stop button because you simply cannot go on any longer. So what happened? Why does the cardio have to be so boring? This article is going to give you alternatives to the good ole treadmill and hopefully give you enough inspiration to finish your workout.

The first alternative to simple cardio is by the use of workout videos. Workout videos are perfect for those who don`t have a gym membership and are acceptable because of their workout in your own living room. Workout videos are also perfect for motivation because the instructor pushes you all the way to completion. Another benefit of having this instructor on your TV is that you get expert guidance in helping you achieve your goals.

Another great alternative to cardio is by the use of a jump rope. The cardio benefits of jumping rope are tremendous because of its calorie burning effect in such a short amount of time. Jump roping can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour, making it one of the most effecient workouts possible. Jump roping is fun, easy to learn, inexpensive, great for kids, portable, and in my opinion, the best way to make your cardio workout fun.

Heavy bag training is not just for boxers anymore. On top of the great cardio workout that you are getting, heavy bag training also improves your self-defense skills. Heavy bag training also reduces stress, works your muscles, and helps improve hand-eye-coordination. Fitness manufacturers continue to develop new products aimed towards the fighting athlete. As new products are being developed, old training equipment such as the heavy bag are often forgotten.

Now that you`ve learned three great alternatives to dull cardio routines, you should now be able to achieve your fat loss goals much easier. Don`t over-do your cardio and never go over an hour of continuous work due to chances of overtraining. Take things one day at a time and reap the benefits at a later time. Until next time, later!

*http://www.advancingwomen.com/balancing/weight/Boring_Ol_Cardio.html
*http://exercise.about.com/od/exercisevideos/
*http://www.ropesport.com/benefits.htm
*http://www.protectivestrategies.com/heavybag.html
*http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym24.htm

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By: Nick Irons

Think of your body as a giant scale. That scale is a perfect analogy for gaining and losing weight. Think of putting “calories you burn” on one side and “calories you eat” on the other side.

To maintain your current weight, the scale needs to be balanced. If you eat more calories than your body needs, you tip the scale. These extra calories are stored as fat — on your hips, butt, stomach, chest, face, etc., etc. etc. (feel free to add your personal trouble spot here).

To loose weight, you want to tip the scale in the other direction, so that there is a calorie deficit, not a calorie surplus. To lose one pound of body fat, you have to burn (or not eat) 3500 calories.

There are three ways to lose weight:

1) Increase your metabolism. One way to do this is to gain lean muscle (through strength training). For every pound of muscle you gain, your body burns 50 more calories a day. This means that with more muscle you can eat the same amount and still lose some weight.

2) Eat less. To lose one pound of fat a week, you need to cut 500 calories a day from your diet. With 1000 fewer calories a day you will lose two pounds a week. This may sound like a lot of calories. It’s important to know that it is.

3) Workout more. If you just exercise, you would have to walk on a treadmill at 4 MPH for 1.5 hours a day, seven days a week, to lose two pounds of fat a week.

The perfect way to lose weight is to do all three.

If you increase your metabolism, eat less, and workout more, you will lose weight. It will be easier and less painful than drastically cutting back on your calories or becoming a slave to the treadmill.

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By: Sharon Hopkins

Vaginal Yeast infection in women is very common. Yeasts or Candida fungus are minute organisms that live in small numbers on human body. Yeast infection occurs when the number of these organisms increases beyond a certain level.

Typically, the acidity in the vagina keeps the level of yeast low. But with the drop in the acidity level due to various conditions like menstruation period, pregnancy, diabetes or birth control pills, yeast grows and causes the infection.

Symptoms - Mild to intense bouts of itching and burning in the vagina, vulva - the skin surrounding the vagina becomes tender, itchy, burns and sensitive to even the lightest of contact. White, thick and odorless vaginal discharge, burning sensation in and around vagina during and after urination. Pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse.

Causes - Reduced body immunity levels, use of strong antibiotics, physical and mental stress, use of birth control pills, menstrual periods and diabetes are some of the common causes for vaginal yeast infection.

Wear loose fitting undergarments and panties as it allows for air circulation, avoid being in wet clothes for a long time. Dry your affected body parts before changing into fresh dry clothes.

Stay away from deodorant sanitary pads and tampons, sprays such as deos, perfumes, bubble baths, coloured toilet papers that could cause irritation to the vaginal tissues

Take a tampon and dip it into yoghurt. Insert in the vagina at least twice a day and continue a day or two more after your symptoms have gone away.

Few drops of tea tree oil poured on tampon and inserted in the vagina, provides relief.

Eat plenty of foods that are high in vitamin C, such as potatoes, citrus fruits and broccoli.

Fill a bathtub with warm water enough to cover the affected area. Add ½ cup or so salt, enough to make the water really salty and ½ cup vinegar. Immerse your self into the bath tub for approx 20 - 30 minutes. This is easy cleansing solution for your vaginal area.

Mix 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in 2 cups of water with 1 clove of garlic. Let it stand for sometime and use it for douching.

Insert 1 or 2 boric acid capsules in the vagina, keeping it overnight for several days. Boric acid may cause burning and discomfort, but will also bring relief.

Peel a fresh clove of garlic, wrap it in cheesecloth and tie it with unwaxed dental floss and insert into the infected area. Leave it for several hours say overnight and remove it in the morning. If vaginal yeast infection is of a severe kind, do this twice a day. Repeat for day or two more after the symptoms disappear.

Dissolve a tbsp of potassium sorbate in 1 cup of water. Insert a tampon in the vagina and pour this solution inside to be absorbed by the tampon. Let it stay for overnight. Repeat this for several nights until the symptoms have resolved.

Mix olive leaf extract, grapefruit seed extract in a glass of water. This is a good curative tonic for this infection.

The reader of this article should exercise all precautions while following instructions on the recipes from this article. Avoid using if you are allergic to something. The responsibility lies with the reader, not the site, and the writer.

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By: Willie Jones

There is a common misconception that you have to starve yourself to lose weight. This is simply not true! On the contrary, you must eat to lose weight. It is the Glycemic index that can help you determines what happens in your body. Let me explain.

Your body needs glucose, which is a form of sugar, and is the main fuel for the body. The body is constantly trying to maintain blood sugar levels and it is the carbohydrates we eat that turns into glucose which goes directly into the blood stream to feed all the cells of the body. Glucose is the only fuel your brain uses and it is the brain that uses more energy than any other part of your body. If your blood sugar goes down, it starves the brain and a wide variety of symptoms can occur such as feeling weak and sluggish, drowsy, dizzy, confused, headache, irritability, trembling, rapid heart beat, and even anxiety and panic attacks.

Carbohydrates alone do not make a healthy body. We need a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, water and exercise to maintain health. The biggest difficulty that we have with weight problems is over indulging in high glycemic foods. These are the foods that contain too much sugar or foods that are refined carbohydrates. If you over indulge in carbohydrates, (which produce insulin) then the excess glucose gets stored as fat. You can counter that by eating protein with it, (which produces glucagons). Glucagons promote the utilization of fat to be used for energy. Insulin and glucagons in balance maintain normal blood sugar levels. A body in a high insulin state promotes excess stored fat and disease.

The foods that are high on the glycemic index are foods such as the root family, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, yams etc. If you want to eat potatoes then I’d opt for the yams or sweet potato (without the honey and brown sugar). They are the lowest on the glycemic scale. Also rice, pasta, corn, most breads are high on the scale as well as some fruits like bananas, apricots and pineapple.

Some low index foods are vegetables such as broccoli, the lettuce and cabbage family, various beans, dairy and soy.

I would also like to make a mention about fat. Fat in it self is not the bad guy. Our diets require fat to remain healthy. Fat provides fuel for the body plus it helps in the development of cell membranes and hormones and also helps to insulate our bodies. Fat in our foods is what gives us that satisfied feeling. You don’t need very much fat intake. Stick with good fats like olive oil and stay away from saturated or trans fats.

Portion size is very important. The rule to remember is; if you have approximately 3 oz. of protein and you have a high index carb. then eat only 3oz of that carb. It is a one to one ratio. A protein and a low index carb. would be 3 oz of protein and 6 oz of carb. It is a 1 to 2 ratio.

If you eat 6 small meals per day in the correct ratio then you should easily be able to lose weight.

Enjoy!

“Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

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By: Elizabeth McDonnell

Adding more phytonutrients to your diet might just seem like a prescription for more food, more confusion, more to worry about. But in reality, making sure you get enough of the phytonutrient benefit is as easy as adding color, freshness and variety.

Phytonutrients are found naturally in a variety of foods, such as legumes, nuts, teas, fruits, vegetables and grains, but are not considered necessary to sustain life (as are fats, protein, vitamins and minerals). Many people choose to increase phytonutrients in their diet by improved diet as well as nutritional supplementation.

Phytonutrients are thought to have a variety of beneficial and significant benefits to our health. Eating more whole foods in the form of fruits and vegetables and the like can benefit you by protecting you from cancer and certain diseases. In addition, it’s believed that phytonutrients can improve cell-to-cell communication within the body, possibly repair DNA damage from smoking and other toxic substances, and strengthen the immune system.

So how do you add more phytonutrients to your diet? It’s as easy as adding color, variety and freshness.

Color – When you think of phytonutrients, think color. Think of the bright red of a perfectly ripe tomato, or the rich redness of a summer grape. Although fruits and vegetables are the best source of nutrient-dense phytonutrients, most Americans get woefully low amounts of fresh produce in their diets. According to the USDA, while it’s recommended we get at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, most Americans get little more than 3 servings. Of that, deep yellow and dark green vegetables account for only 0.2 daily servings on average.

Yet it’s the richly colored vegetables and fruits that provide the best sources of phytonutrients. If your grocery cart isn’t full of color (and that doesn’t include colored Goldfish crackers), add some next time you’re shopping.

Variety — Although fruits and vegetables are the best sources of phytonutrients, they aren’t the only source. So while you want to add a lot of color to your diet in the form of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables like berries, grapes, tomatoes, peppers, spinach and the like, think about adding other sources of phytonutrients as well. Consider adding a glass of tea at lunch or dinner or some chopped pecans or slivered almonds to your oatmeal in the morning.

Freshness – There is much debate on the value of fresh vegetables versus frozen. It’s fair to say everyone agrees that canned holds little nutritional content, so adding can of veggies to your cart isn’t the best plan (this excludes canned tomatoes which retain the freshness and nutrient value of fresh). But in a pinch, or in the off season, frozen vegetables can certainly be included in your daily diet. Frozen fruits are always fine, as long as they are whole, unprocessed and without added sugar.

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By: Elizabeth McDonnell

It’s no secret that antioxidants are incredibly beneficial to good health. It’s believed the antioxidants in food can help prevent cancer, reverse or slow aging, enhance your immune system, increase your energy and improve heart and other organ health.

Given all we know about antioxidants and their beneficial properties, it’s amazing more people don’t get enough fruits and vegetables, the primary sources of antioxidants. Experts recommend a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, but say getting 7-10 servings is best.

There are 10 steps to getting more antioxidants into your diet.

1.Breakfast

Breakfast doesn’t have to be a hurried toaster tart on the way out the door. Throw some strawberries, 100% juice and yogurt into a blender; pour your delicious mixture into a cup and head out the door. You’ve just added one to three servings of fruits to your daily intake. Or throw some berries onto your cold or hot cereal.

Say you truly have no time in the morning and usually grab something on the run. Even the Golden Arches can be some help here. Order a fruit and yogurt parfait and some apple slices. For about $2, you have a breakfast providing one to two servings of fruit.

2.Snacks

Here’s an easy way to get more antioxidants in your diet. How about a handful of raisins for a snack, or some fresh red grapes? Dip some strawberries in yogurt. You’ll feel decadent, but the berries provide the color you’re looking for. Need crunch? How about some baby carrots dipped in hummus? Consider a handful of pecans for crunch and a nice antioxidant boost.

3.Lunch and dinner

It might sound trite, but adding a salad to each of your main daily meals can add loads to your overall health and well-being. They don’t have to be boring, and they don’t have to be just salad greens. If you’re going classic, add some red pepper slices to your green salad, some tomatoes to the Greek salad, or tart cranberries to your field greens. Whip up a broccoli salad for lunch, or be adventurous and mix up a rice salad with a mיlange of fresh vegetables like string beans, tomatoes, peppers and red onions.

4.Dessert

Berries, with or without whipped cream or chocolate are a wonderful way to end your day of healthy, antioxidant-rich eating.

5.Beverages

Replace your soda with tea or coffee, both of which boast antioxidant compounds. Have a glass of wine with dinner, or for a real change of pace, pour a glass of chai tea.

6.Think outside the box

We know we can get our antioxidant fix from berries, salads and the like, but researchers say powerful antioxidants can also be found in a variety of unexpected foods, like russet potatoes, artichokes, and small red beans. The beans, in fact, may have more antioxidant power than blueberries, experts say. So to your rice salad full of vegetables, add some beans for even more antioxidants.

7.Cook lightly

You think you’re being good, preparing vegetables each night for your family’s dinner. But if you’re overcooking the vegetables, you’re cooking out a lot of the beneficial properties of the antioxidants. Steam (don’t boil) vegetables, and stop cooking them when they will have all of their bright color and most of their bite.

8.Plant a garden

Experts believe that people who plant and harvest vegetables from their own yards are far more likely to eat more vegetables and fruits than people who buy their produce from the store. So plant a garden, watch it grow and eat the fruits (literally) of your labor.

9.Take your healthy diet on vacation

Too many of us consider going on vacation an opportunity to take a vacation from everything, including healthy eating. Think of vacation as a way to be introduced to new foods. Order an interesting vegetable dish in a restaurant and then pay attention to how the chef prepared the dish.

10.Learn to cook

If you’re cooking, you’re not opening bags and boxes. Cooking involves scrubbing and peeling vegetables, preparing whole foods and paying attention to how things are cooked. If you’re ordering out every night, you’re far less likely to be eating the whole foods and natural fruits and vegetables that provide the base for our antioxidant intake.

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By: Charlene J. Nuble

According to the medical dictionary of Medline Plus, liposuction is the removal of excess body fat by suction with specialized surgical equipments, typically performed by a plastic surgeon.

With the removal of excess body fat, the body appearance improves and evens out distorted body parts. Breasts, buttocks, abdomen, and the face area are some of the most popular body parts that undergo liposuction.

Foremost reason why people resort to liposuction is for cosmetic reasons. They want to eradicate “love handles”, unsightly fat bulges, an abnormal chin line, etc.

Liposuction also helps improve sexual function by reducing fat deposits on the inner thighs, thus allowing easier access to the vagina.

Another reason for undergoing liposuction is body shaping that cannot be achieved by diet and/or exercise.

A note of caution, liposuction is not a cure for generalized obesity.

Liposuction is not as easy as just going to the doctor and telling him or her, “I want a liposuction right now.” People who want to have liposuction must meet certain criteria:

1) There should be a preliminary consultation. This includes history of the patient, a comprehensive physical examination, and a psychological health examination;

2) There should be a second consultation to give time for the patient to think over the planned liposuction surgery;

3) If the patient is married, the spouse’s presence may be required during the consultation;

4) The patient should ask questions about liposuction, express the reasons for the consultation, and must feel satisfied with the answers to their questions;

5) The patient must fully understand the pre-operative liposuction preparations, the liposuction procedures, and the precise post-operative liposuction care to avoid lethal complications;

6) The patient must have realistic expectations. Liposuction enhances the body appearance and boost self-confidence but it will never result to a perfect body.

Because liposuction is a medical procedure, there are risks involved. Some of the complications that may happen upon having liposuction are:

* Fluid imbalance due to the removal of a lot of liquid during liposuction and/or injection of large amounts of liquid during liposuction which can result to shock, heart problems, or kidney problems.

* Infections happen after any surgery and some physicians prescribe an antibiotic to patients having liposuction so it is important to keep the wound clean. Infections may be life threatening such as necrotizing fasciitis (bacteria eating away the tissue) or the toxic shock syndrome caused by bacteria associated with surgery.

* Embolism occurs when tiny globules of fat trapped in the blood stream blocks the blood flow to the tissue. This may cause permanent disability. Signs of pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath or difficulty of breathing.

* Drug reactions or overdose from lidocaine is fatal. Lidocaine is a drug that numbs the skin and large doses of this is used during liposuction. The effects of lidocaine are lightheadedness, restlessness, drowsiness, slurred speech, muscle twitching, and convulsions. Overdose of this drug may cause the heart to stop which is naturally fatal.

* Burns caused by the ultrasound probe during ultrasound assisted liposuction.

* Visceral perforations or puncture wounds in the organs may require another surgery and can be fatal. During liposuction, the physician does not see where the probe (canula) is, so it is possible to harm internal organs.

* Skin death (skin necrosis) occurs when skin changes color and fall off. This may also cause infection.

* Paresthesias is an altered sensation at the site of liposuction. This may be in the form of increased sensitivity in the area or loss of feeling. Some cases of this are permanent.

* Swelling

* Death

Given that the surgery had no major complications, recovery from liposuction can still be difficult.

The liposuctioned area appears larger than before because of swelling.

Special compression garments must be worn for two to three weeks to reduce swelling, bleeding, and to help contour the new body. The patient starts to feel better after a week or two after liposuction.

Walking is recommended after liposuction to prevent blood clots forming in the legs. Finally, exercise and diet will help keep your new shape.

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By: kael

Breast augmentation is the surgical enhancement of breast size using a silicone bag implanted in the breast. This silicone bag is filled with saline and it expands the breast to give fullness, better contour, and more cleavage. In 2004, over 300,000 breast augmentation surgeries were performed in the United States alone. While breast augmentation might have been once considered an act of the vain, it is now a common procedure and can help women to improve their image.

If you are considering breast augmentation surgery, the first thing you should do is find a surgeon that comes highly recommended to you. You can do this by checking with friends or anyone you know who has surgery, as well as asking your regular physician. Before making a decision on which surgeon will perform your breast augmentation, interview several and make sure you are comfortable with them doing the procedure. It is also recommended that you ask for their credentials and call the state medical board to find out if there have been any complaints or disciplinary action taken against the surgeon.

Once you have found the surgeon you wish to have perform your breast augmentation, your surgeon will sit down and explain what the procedure involves. One of the first things they will discuss with you is your implant size. This is a personal decision and the more you can describe the size you would like to be, the better your surgeon will be able to help you. A great way to get an accurate preferred measurement is to take a plastic bag and fill with water that you have measured. Place these in your preferred bra size. This will give your surgeon a better idea of your ideal size. You and your surgeon will also discuss the shape of your implant, whether round for a rounded appearance or a more contoured shape to enhance the slope of your breast.

You will also have choices in what type of implants you wish to have. There are smooth surface and textured implants and there are options of where you wish to have them placed. The smooth implant has less chance of rippling or wrinkling, however, it must be placed in a larger pocket. This has more chance, however, of the implant becoming hard or firm. The textured implant has less chance of hardening but it has a greater chance of rippling.
When it comes to placement, the best possible position for the implants is under the chest muscle. This placement has a less occurrence for both ripple and hardening, but it is a more difficult surgery. The easiest placement is under the breast tissue, but there is more of a chance of hardening and rippling. Your surgeon will provide you with all the necessary information regarding these options to help assist you in your decision making.

While the surgery itself has been deemed as safe and relatively easy to perform, as with any surgery, it has its risks. The main risk is possible infection and while this is rare, it is possible that the implant would need to be removed to allow healing. Other risks are possible bleeding of the implant pocket, hardening of the breast, the slipping of an implant causing distortion of the breast, and leakage of the implant bag.
As for new developments in breast augmentation, it has come a long way since the first procedure was performed in 1962. Silicone breast implants were used in the beginning, however, due to the suspicion that the silicone was causing health issues, there was a moratorium placed on their use. After much research, the general consensus is that silicone breast implants had nothing to do with the health issues of women who reported silicone leakage. However, silicone breast implants are now under limited distribution by physicians who are part of an INAMED/INAMED Medical Clinical Study. All other implants are filled with saline.

Women who have had breast augmentation highly recommend it to others. They state they feel better about themselves and there is a vast improvement in their self-confidence. They also state that it should be done for yourself and not because someone wants you to have it done. Not only can it change the way you look, breast augmentation can change the way you feel.

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By: Linda Geyer

I often get clients coming in who have been exercising with machine circuit training and are frustrated with the lack of results. What happens too often is we repeat the same exercise routine for a particular body part or muscle group until the muscles adapt. As a rule of thumb, I always change my exercise routine every month to keep it progressive and making gains. Every once in a while I will do a “special” workout. I’ll do all my favorite exercises and not the ones I’ve designed into a specific fitness training program. I do this because it is beneficial to mix up exercises and equipment on occasion. If you keep repeating the same things and have done so over time, you have done a good job at maintaining your fitness level and muscles. You certainly have not challenged them and will not get them to make any gains. Even if you exercise for maintenance, I still recommend changing up your exercise routine.

Another way to vary your fitness routine is by changing from exercise machines to free weights / dumbbells or visa versa. For cardio exercise, move from the treadmill to the stepper, elliptical or bike. With cardio workouts, I like interval training because it does just that, it varies the workout each time. Instead of always walking on the treadmill at the same speed and incline or grade, change up your speed and increase your grade. This will keep your exercise dynamic and prevent boredom. More importantly it will challenge your muscles, heart, and lunges to work at different levels.

There are many ways to change your exercise routine. Be creative. Try creating a simple six-week training cycle in which you alternate between heavy, medium and light training sessions for each body part. Each time you try a heavy day, push your limit, leaving your medium and light days for building tendon and ligament strength as well as muscle endurance. At the end of your six-week cycle, take 2 – 4 days off and allow your body to rest. This prevents overtraining and will help your body with improved performance when you start up again. The cycling approach will be particularly effective for preventing injuries to muscle groups and connective tissue down the road.

Your goal will determine the number of reps you typically use. Different numbers of reps serve different purposes. First, know what your goals are in your training. What are you trying to accomplish? The standards are as follows: for strength train at 6 to 8 reps; endurance at 15 to 20 reps; toning at 10 to 15 reps; mass and size 6 to 20 reps.

There are also other factors to training in addition to reps. The number of sets is how many times you do the exercise with rest in between. Intensity is the level of difficulty in performing the exercise usually stated in a percentage of a 1 to 10 rep maximum. Rest, is the amount of time you wait until you do another set. All of these factors are controlled variables in an exercise program. Knowing your fitness goals will help you or your trainer determine what the best mix is for you in designing your exercise program. For more information and tips on exercise, go to http://www.easyexercisetips.com

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