Fix a Flabby Chest

Sculpt a more masculine physique with this pectoral-strengthening routine.

By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Are you keeping your chest under cover because you have fleshy flab that feels, um, feminine? Have no fear: Your voluptuous endowment is not a genetic curse that you’re stuck with. In fact, beefing up your pecs while whittling off chest fat is easier than you might think.

The answer is not to simply pummel away at your pecs with grueling chest exercises. While a chest-blasting routine will make you stronger, it won’t do a thing to decrease the fat that is at the heart of the problem.

The secret to a more sculpted physique is to combine chest-building weight moves with fat-burning cardio. The pec-strengtheners will firm up flabby muscles. (We’ve also included one back exercise to help you avoid the concave look that so many chest-heavy workouts can produce.) The cardio will help you skim the excess fat that surrounds them. You can choose any kind of cardio; it does not have to involve arm movement. Cardio exercise burns fat from all over the body, including your chest and torso.

For fast results, cut calories in your diet by focusing on nutritious, portion-controlled meals. (And lay off the booze and sweetened beverages.) And for even faster results, throw in additional minutes of cardio into your week. In as few as six weeks, you can be flexing a brand new chest!

How to do it:

Choose a weight that is heavy enough to challenge your target muscles, but not so heavy that your joints feel strained. Start with dumbbells that are at least 5 to 10 pounds and gradually work up to using 10 to 25 pounds, depending on the exercise.

Start with the first Fatburner interval. Then perform one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of the first exercise. Proceed to the next Fatburner interval, followed by one to three sets of eight to 12 reps of the next exercise. Continue until you have completed all six exercises.

You can choose your own activity for each Fatburner cardio interval. Use cardio machines if you have access in a gym or at home. If you are doing a home workout with no extra equipment, you can step up and down while facing forwards on the first step of a staircase, or you can do combinations of marching and jogging in place with jumps and jumping jacks. (Or you can even turn on your favorite hip hop or Rolling Stones tunes and dance to burn off the fat.)

Always wear sneakers. If you are not used to high-impact cardio such as jogging or jumping jacks, start with low-impact cardio such as marching and insert five to 10 seconds of a higher-impact move. Work up to longer intervals gradually.

Do this workout two to three times a week, with a rest day in between.

Include 30 to 60 minutes of pure cardio, such as walking, cycling, the elliptical trainer, running, or other cardio activities on the days of the week that you do not do this routine.

Modify this workout to match your fitness level. Adapt the recommended moves as needed to make them easier or more challenging. If you feel out of breath, dizzy or nauseous during the cardio, slow down, or stop if needed.

What you need: weights, a stability ball and cardio equipment if you have access to it.

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Posted in: Muscle Building

Back Pain in Running

This a common problem for many runners and very often with no solution except for the unlikable one - to get off of running to get healed.

But your solution is inside running itself: you have to run proper. What exactly does it mean?

First and foremost: do not work against gravity.

• Do not pound the ground with your heels
• Do not push the ground off with your legs

The next important point is the body position in relation to support.

If your body is not aligned along the straight line going through the shoulders, hips, and forefoot on support, but is bent forward instead, then you are likely to have a torque (a rotating or twisting force) at the lower back level when landing on the heel or forefoot in front of the body.

This rotational force, when the position is repeated non-stop during a long run, eventually overstretches and overloads these lower back muscles. They become tense and painful.

How to avoid this problem?

• At least keep your trunk and hips aligned over the point of support
• Do not land on the heels
• Do not land in front of the body, but do that under the hips or general center of mass
• Strengthen your hip muscle system around 360 degrees by doing hip exercise
• Develop higher level of elasticity of your muscles by using jump exercises

Bring it all together in running. As you see, nothing fancy, but all geared to developing good relationship with gravity.

By: Nicholas Romanov

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Posted in: Back Pain

Yoga For Back Pain - Can Make Your Life Heaven

Yoga has been used for back pain from centuries. Yoga has been recommended for back pain since ancient times. Very often, a person may suffer from excruciating pain in the back which may lead him or her to ask for yoga for back pain that will help provides relief and lightening the condition. You may also be surprised to know that taking too much rest for such a condition may actually end up exacerbating the problem rather than provide relief. If you do take rest for a day or two, it should be followed by certain back pain exercises that are specific to helping a person recover from the condition.

In the past this problem was not much evident as it is today and our forefathers and generations before did not have such problems as they were not quite particular about their yoga sessions. Thus, for us modern day desk hands, having a computer screen in front of us with a baby grand to type on, there are certain methods to be employed if we are to stay free of back pain and yoga is the best option.

Yoga For Back Pain Can Do Wonders To Your Health:

Back Pain occur in a number of scale, and if you are unfortunate enough to have prickly back pain you would be well guided to verify yoga for back pain that will offer you with relief from back pain. With the increasingly fatalities of back pain there has providentially been a corresponding increase in the number of persons who move on to yoga for back pain. The question most people with back pain would be asking is just what the best and most effective way of getting back pain relief is. Obviously, there are many suitable yoga exercises to take though a simple and effective solution

Before recruiting for a yoga class, put together clear in your mind that you talk to your trainer about your back pain. Tell them that you're using yoga for back pain so that they won't cause you to screw up in customs you shouldn't. You should always initiate off trouble-free and you should withdraw from doing more sophisticated positions until you know you're capable and until you know that it won't exacerbate your pain.

Starting Position For Yoga For Back Pain:

Cobra is a good position to begin with. There are also methods that are prescribed by yoga instructor that include performing press ups, standing extensions as well as doing a number of other exercises. Employing yoga or a light stretching exercise routine to your daily activities won't only help to eliminate back problems, but it will help to keep them from coming back.

If you work behind a desk or computer all day long, chances are it contributes to your back pain. By going simple yoga exercises for back pain under supervision of an instructor, standing and stretching for just half an hour is the key for back pain remedies.

By: Judy Wellsworth

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Posted in: Back Pain

Bowflex FT vs XP - Which Bowflex is Right For You?

The decision to purchase a Bowflex should not be taken lightly. After all, a home gym is a fairly expensive investment - even with the introductory models. Two of the most popular models include the Bowflex FT and XP. Before making a purchase, several questions must be answered to find the one that is right for you. Factors to consider include your fitness level, home environment, workout habits, goals, and budget.

Before deciding to purchase a Bowflex, you need to assess the following:

Your Fitness Level

The Bowflex FT is a good machine for beginning and intermediate bodybuilders and weightlifters. It offers up to 280 lbs of upper body resistance and offers over 100 different exercises with 400 variations. This is the maximum amount of resistance offered by both machines. In terms of fitness levels, they are both targeted for the general public. Considering it takes most people 3-5 yrs of hard training to become an advanced bodybuilder, they offer more than enough weight for the average person. What they are not optimized for is strongman and hardcore weightlifters. For this a local gym would be the best solution since they offer unlimited weights.

The Right Home To Workout With A Bowflex

Size and space need to be considered when storing and using a Bowflex home gym. The FT is a slightly smaller and lighter version of the XP. Where as the XP measures 38" wide x 65" long x 73" tall (with lat tower), the FT measures in with a smaller height of 48 inches (due to lack of lat tower. makes the FT more suitable for low ceilings and lofts. The weight of the machines without weights is 337 lbs. The only difference in the dimensions of the two models is the FT is lacks the lat tower, thereby making it shorter.

Workout Habits and Motivation

As with any exercise program you must commit yourself to a consistent workout program. The Bowflex will not make you magically slimmer or buff if you don't adhere to a regular schedule. Do not look for excuses or distractions when working out at home. Both models offer a ton of exercises with the only difference being the XP offers a lat tower. If you feel you can't work out at home consistently, then find a workout partner to join you. This is a great way to motivate yourself and stay dedicated.

Workout Goals and Budget

The Bowflex XP and FT are targeted for beginner and intermediate weight lifters. In essence, the FT is a retail version of the XP and only differs in that it does not have a lat tower attachment. If this is a priority for your workouts then the XP maybe a better choice, However, the lower price of the FT makes it a better value. If you fall into the advanced fitness level, it would be more beneficial to join a local gym.

By: Mark Pommett
He is an LA resident and fitness enthusiast

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Posted in: Fitness

Natural Breast Enhancement Techniques

The natural breast enhancement techniques include:

1. Natural breast enhancement pills
2. Natural breast enhancement creams
3. Hypnotherapy

Many women swear by the natural breast enhancement pills. These pills help them to get bigger breasts without the associated pain of surgery and the added complications. The underlying ingredients of these creams are estrogen and HGH (human growth hormone).

These herbal supplements may also have natural ingredients like fennel seeds, dandelion and rhubarb. The pills do not cause any known side effects as they are completely natural.

These creams are also an effective way to increase breast size. These creams are made up of estrogen-based compounds that stimulate the mammary glands and increase the breast size.

However, a word of caution here, many manufacturers fail to warn patients of the precautions they need to take while on the pill or the cream. One of the most important precautions is the avoidance of caffeine.

Caffeine can actually cause an imbalance in the hormones and cause the natural breast enhancement creams or pills to be less effective or ineffective. It is also important to lessen the carbohydrate intake and increase the protein intake. By the way this has the added benefit of being good for you.

It is also important to stick to the schedule while taking pills, for example if the prescription suggests that you need to take two pills in the night and two in the morning at the same time, make sure you follow it. This will increase the effectiveness of the pills.

Hypnotherapy is another popular option with women who want to increase their breast size. Hypnotherapy works on the principle that mind can influence all the physical processes of the body. Many women have reported successes with this form of treatment.

Natural breast enhancement techniques may be a good alternative to enhancing breast size without surgery. It is also important to follow the guidelines mentioned on the pack of pills or cream to get maximum results.

However it is important to note that you need to check any supplements you order against the FDA's gras list of ingredients. Generally you want to ensure that the ingredients are safe to use and if you are on any medications make sure and consult with your doctor first before using any herbal supplements.

Learn what achieves results and What ingredients work and why - this way you can turn heads naturally when you walk into the room

By: Benjamin Wise

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Posted in: Women's Issues

How To Keep Your Breast Firm And Beautiful With Breast Exercise

Breast is the asset of the women and they are making every effort to make the breast look attractive to woo the men. There is no harm in the act of the women as long as they are not snatching the man of other girls. Well, some of the women are really worried as their asset is not really appealing and it is even dissuading their own man from them.

But you need not to worry too much about it and there are breast exercises which would go to make your breast look firm and beautiful. But, what are these breast exercises and how it can be done, we will let you know. But before that let's discuss that what problems women are having regarding their breast?

Having saggy breast is very common, especially in women who have large breasts and who are aged. Breast exercise can give some sort of relief from it.

But in certain cases the hormonal changes - both during pregnancy and in menopause - make the breast look sag. So, breast exercises also help in this case?

Breast exercises in case of hormonal imbalance cannot play the crucial role. Here the option of plastic surgery which is the best recourse in comparison to breast exercise. Apart from surgery, you can lift your breast up in a natural way. The best strategy to prevent sagging is to wear supportive sport bras.

Supportive bras with upward support and hold the breasts close to the chest. Strength exercises that target the pectoral muscles may provide some benefit in elevating overlaying breast tissue. Push-ups, dumbbell flies and weight machines helps in doing some breast exercise that may provide some aesthetic benefits.

It would be better that we focus on weight and continue regular breast exercise and healthy eating habits. So, for the breast exercise you require a three pound dumbbell. The steps are as under:

1. Lie down on a mat. Hold one weight in each hand and extend your arms out at shoulder level. Raise both arms straight up together above your body. Keeping your elbow slightly bent, so that the weights meet over your chest. Return the weights out to your sides at shoulder height. Repeat the exercise 13 to 15 times.

2. In the next breast exercise, lie down on a mat. Extend your arms and hold the weights up in the air over your chest. Bend your elbows and lower the weights toward your chest, wit your elbows out to the sides at shoulder level. Extend your arms straight back up over your chest. Repeat this breast exercise 13 to 15 times.

3. Take a weight in each hand, extend your arms out to each side and do 15 small, backward circles about a foot in diameter. Widen the circles slightly and do another 15, then repeat these two steps going forward.

By: Nisha Sharma

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Posted in: Women's Issues

Do You Have Them - Diet Plans To Lose Weight

Diet plans to lose weight are everywhere. Eat this. Don't eat that. Take diet pills. Don't take diet pills.

It makes your head spin, doesn't it?

Are there actually any good, healthy diet plans to lose weight? What makes a good dieting program?

Excluding Food Groups

Some diet plans have you excluding or severely limiting entire food groups. While it may be alright on a short-term basis, and diet that excludes or puts undue limits on a whole food group isn't healthy in the long run.

For example, the Atkins diet is extremely low carb, making it hard to get in adequate fruits and vegetables.

A diet plan that severely limits fats makes it hard to take in healthy amounts of heart-healthy fats, like flaxseed and olive oils. One example of this is the Ornish diet.

Diet plans to lose weight that exclude food groups aren't terribly healthy in the long run, nor are they easy to stay on if you have a lot of weight to lose.

The One "Food Group" You Can Safely Avoid

Pretty much all healthy diet plans to lose weight agree on one "food group" that you should avoid -- highly processed foods.

Highly refined foods such as white rice, white bread, heavily sweetened cereals, white sugar and regular pasta don't need to be in your diet -- they don't have any real nutritional value.

Instead, think brown or wild rice, bran cereals and whole-grain breads and pastas. You can leave off the sugar, though.

What to Look for in a Dieting Program

Moderation is the key for a successful, long-term dieting program. You want a good mix of the food groups, in healthy proportions.

Except for programs that count every single carb, most diet plans agree that fresh vegetables are a staple for any healthy diet.

Look for a plan that allows heart-healthy fats in moderate amounts.

Don't write off protein as being bad, either -- just make sure you're getting it lean, or from cold-water fish like salmon.

Carbohydrates such as whole grains and fruits can be enjoyed in moderate amounts. Many diet plans restrict these to some degree, because of their glycemic index numbers, but they should still be included.

By: Gail Nettles

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Posted in: Diet

Special Calorie Shifting Diet Plan - Shifting Calorie To Lose Weight

Calorie Shifting is a special diet plan that allows you to eat different foods that help you to lose weight. It uses the idea that different people will have different metabolism rate. Therefore, people will low metabolism rate will find difficulty when they want to lose weight by doing cardio exercises such as running and swimming. By undergoing the calorie shifting diet plan, you are required to learn foods with different calories that are needed to lose weight. This method has been circulating around the Internet for many years, and some professional nutritionists as well as bodybuilders are suggesting that Calorie Shifting is indeed the fastest way to lose weight for a person with low metabolism rate.

A general method to shift calorie is to eat foods with different calories. Even though some nutrition books are claiming that there is only one type of calorie and it is impossible to stimulate our body to increase our metabolism rate by shifting calorie, they do not have any concrete proof in stating so. In fact, the calorie shifting has been proven to be a workable method and can help one to achieve noticeable weight loss in a month. Therefore, the result beats the conventional myth set up by the traditional nutritionist.

Besides, the Calorie Shifting diet plan is different in such a way that it allows us to eat as many as we like because the basic concept is to allow us to take in different kind of calories. Hence, there is no cap or limit on the amount of food we can eat. Therefore, it is different from the conventional starving to lose weight. Instead, it is a eating to lose weight method.

By: Harrison Thomson

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Posted in: Diet

Cabbage Soup Diet - Getting To Know The Cabbage

The cabbage is a famous cruciferous vegetable, just like Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and Cauliflower, that is just commonly used for cooking. It is also popular for its discovered medicinal and therapeutic properties. It is even famous for its perceived "fat-burning" effects, thus the existence of the so-called Cabbage Soup Diet. But most especially, the vegetable was pretty well known because like any other cruciferous vegetables, it is believed to contain certain chemicals that can help prevent the deadly cancer.

The History of Cabbage

The cabbage, from the Brassica oleracea Capitata Group, is a plant that is a member of the Family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae. It was taken from a leafy wild mustard herb that is native to the Mediterranean region. The cabbage was recognized by the ancient Romans and Greeks. They praised this vegetable for its medicinal and healing properties.

The English name of the vegetable was derived from the Normanno-Picard "caboche", which means "head". Because of its ready availability, its being high in nutrients and because it is inexpensive, the cabbage is among those that top the list of healthy and nutritious foods.

The use of the cabbage was believed to have started during the Greek era. Back then, the Greeks used newly picked white cabbages and made juice out of them. The juice was used to relieve painful or infected eyes. The cabbage juice was also drunk by Romans and Egyptians because it was also believed that the juice can prevent intoxication.

The Health Benefits of Cabbage

We can have a lot of health benefits from the cabbage. Cabbage is anti-inflammatory vegetable, which either reduces, if not prevents, swelling and tenderness. It has lactic acid that helps in disinfecting the colon. Cabbage can also be utilized to lessen headaches. One more benefit that we can get from the cabbage is its anti-cancer properties. Cabbage is also believed to be effective in treating other skin conditions. Also, the cabbage juice when drunk from the stem can be a very good remedy for treating ulcers.

If you are suffering from gastritis, the fresh cabbage juice is very good for you. Drinking an amount of 25-50 ml cabbage juice daily is also very useful in dealing with headache, bronchitis, asthma, and other problems in digestion. Mouth ulcers will be healed faster when white cabbage juice is dabbed on the mouth ulcers.

The Varieties of Cabbages

Cabbages have several varieties according to its shape and maturity. There are Green and Red Cabbages. There is also the more delicate Bok Choy, which is a Chinese variety of cabbage. The "Early Jersey Wakefield" (cone-shaped), "Late Flat Dutch", and "Danish Ballhead" (late, round-headed) are the traditional varieties.

Raw cabbages are commonly shredded or are sliced into thin strips. These are used in salads, like that in coleslaw. Its leaves are softened by placing the whole head of cabbage inside the freezer or parboiling and then filled with chopped rice and/or meat. Cabbage often supplements to stews or soups. The Cabbage Soup Diet is exceptionally popular in both Eastern and Central Europe.

By: Darren T

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Posted in: Diet

Shocking Truth about penis enlargement

Penis enlargement is a serious issue and before you even think about enlarging your penis you must equip yourself with all the possible information just in case. You see you might end up making some deadly mistakes which might lead to devastating results therefore it is better safe than sorry. Read on to discover the truth about penis enlargement you must know...

It is not a quick process- If you thought penis enlargement is a real fast process and you would start seeing results within days than you are highly mistaken. You see penis enlargement is something which might take time depending on person to person therefore you need a lot of patience to see some definite long term results with it.

Always go natural- There are companies out there selling supplements claiming to make you grow several inches within a matter of a couple of days. Now there are no guarantees that such things work and even if they do work there are several side effects which might cause several misbalances in your body and system therefore you better be careful before you try anything like it.

Always consult a professional- Don't try to be your own doctor and get professional consultation before you go for any supplements for penis enlargement. You see no one can suggest you better than a professional who knows what it's all about and who can guide you in the right direction. You see if you don't know anything about a subject especially when it comes to your body it's extremely important to get advice other you might end up causing irreparable damage to your body and might regret it later.

By: Pushpa Pal Singh

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Posted in: Men's Issue

Does Size Matter To Girls? Discover Shocking Myths And Fact About Penis Size And Females

Can a bigger penis actually satisfy women in bed? Does a big penis mean being a better lover in bed? Do women actually give any important to a man's penis size? Well these are some questions every man wants an answer to. You see penis size is one topic which has had many arguments in the past but the facts are only known to a few. Now you are about to be introduced to these rare facts. Read on to discover true facts on penis size and whether it matters to women or not...

It is indeed a myth- Penis size does not matter to women and if you think it does than you should go ask women and you would always get mixed responses as size has a little or almost no relevance when it comes to forming relationships. Sex is not affected by one's size that much rather the techniques one uses.

They don't mind if you don't mind- The main problem is that most men are not comfortable with their size and this is what they reflect to the world. You see if you are insecure about yourself all the time that's going to reflect on your personality and your self esteem would be low which is what truly matters to women. You see it's not your size rather how comfortable you are with your size which actually makes the big difference.

Love is more important than anything else- You see this has been said time and again. If there is love in your relationship than she would still enjoy sex with you even when you are way below average. You see sex is not about your size rather several other things all combined.

By: Pushpa Pal Singh

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Posted in: Men's Issue

Body Building Techniques And Tips

To improve your physique you will have a number of different body building techniques to choose from including

Negatives
Pyramids and Drop sets
Giant steps as well as twenty-ones
Partial reps and
Even forced reps.

Know your requirements

You need to choose the body building technique that best suits your needs and you may even need to consider using constant tension without actually attaining a locking point which is a body building technique that is very effective in many an exercise.

In addition, it is also important to make full contraction along with full range of stretch exercises that will require you to perform each rep of each exercise at the fullest range of motion.

Technique - Giant step

In this technique known as giant step you will need to work on single muscle groups. This means performing three different exercises while laying emphasis on a particular muscle and though it may be used on each muscle in the body, when exercising the back you will need to be more selective and careful.

Drop sets

Drop sets are ideal for rounding off your workout on certain muscles and which will cause you to feel pumped up especially in your muscles and which will also drain off all of your remaining energy from your muscles.

Twenty-ones

Twenty-ones is another bodybuilding technique in which each and every area of your muscle is worked rather than any one range, and you should also think constantly about maintaining tension at the time when you increase tension on your muscle while performing your reps.

Super sets

In this technique you will exercise certain range of muscles which will totally exhaust your muscle fibers and which will also work on two separate muscle groups.

What is the simplest bodybuilding technique?

The simplest technique that you can use is to slow down your reps and repeating them in a slow manner makes the reps more effective since it improves the form and will also provide a fillip to development of muscles.

Body Building Tips

One of the best bodybuilding tips of all time is to avoid overtraining or excessive training. Excessive would generally be anything longer than one hour. Simple consistency of attending the gym 3 or 4 times a week and working out at a moderate to difficult pace would be enough to make nice gains. If one is working himself to the point that injuries are common then the entire process will be self defeating. Clearly, this is the best of all body building tips.

Another critical body building tip is that not only must one work hard one must also work smart!. If a person works himself too hard in the gym, the body simple will not grow muscle. In fact, the body might reject the additional stress. Clearly, this is not what you want. So it would be wise to avoid such excessive training.

By: Mark Robert

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Posted in: Body Builder,Muscle Building

The Fastest Way to Boost Your Bench Press

Everyone can agree that cut abs and big arms look great. But in the gym nothing impresses the way doing heavy bench presses does. There's just something about pushing massive weight off chest that turns heads. Here's the fastest way to add extra plates to your bench routine.

The bench press is a classic compound exercise. A compound move is defined as any exercise that involves more than one muscle. When you bench the primary muscles worked are the pectoral muscles, also known as your "pecs". But at the same time you also work the front deltoid, triceps and most of the muscles of the back. If you do a lot of benching all of these muscles should be fairly developed already so isolating can and will help, but there is one move that I have found to accelerate my max bench results more than any other.

Weighted dips, but with a twist.

This exercise assumes that you can do at least a couple full body weight dips on a dip station. If you are developed enough to add chained weight around your waist even better, but it's not necessary. When your doing dips the more upright your body position the more triceps work you are doing. As you lean forward it engages your chest. The further forward you lean, the more your chest works. We all know that the triceps is a short muscle that tires very quickly and completely (meaning when your tri fails, it fails, there is no squeezing a couple more reps). So here's the actual move.

Start your dips in a very straight, upright position. As you begin to tire, but before failing, start leaning forward and keep going. The closer you get to failing the further forward you should lean. By adjusting your body position you will isolate (in a manner of speaking) your tries in the beginning, with a lot more weight than doing it any other way, and gradually move into a "semi-push up" that works more chest and front delt. If your shoulders can handle the strain, as you lean forward the deeper you can dip the better. Be careful here though, this is really hard on the shoulder joint. Do as many sets and reps as you can.

By incorporating this move into your chest and/or triceps routine, you will find after a couple workouts that your flat bench will increase. Stop the "Dip with a Twist" move, work at the new bench number for a while, and then come back to it again in a couple sessions. You will almost always see a boost in bench with this pattern.

By: Steve R. Robbins

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Posted in: Body Builder,Muscle Building

Build Muscle Fast

1. Before you ever step foot in the weight room, whether it be at your house or in a gym somewhere, have a routine ready for each day that you lift. It does not have to be written on paper, but that would be even better! This way, you will not get easily distracted.

2. Motivation - Motivating yourself to lift will help with your consistencey, and will make you want to lift. You need to figure out what motivates you. Maybe you would like to get in better shape in general, or perhaps you are going on vacation and want to look good in a bathing suit. Whatever it is, find something to motivate you and stick with it.

3. Goals - Set strength goals. This will distract you from looking in the mirror. For instance, say you can bench press 150 lbs 5 times. For your next goal, tell yourself that you would like to bench 155 lbs 5 times within the next week. This is a very reasonable goal. If you continue to make new goals, time will fly by. You will be concentrating on these goals, and before you know it, you will see results.

4. Consistency - If you are consistant, you will see results. It's as simple as that.

5. Form - If you do not have good form when you lift, you will not work the right muscles. Or worse, you could get hurt, which will keep you from lifting. If you cannot lift due to injury, then you cannot be consistent, and you will not see results!

6. Rest - Fact: Your muscles grow while you are resting, not when you are lifting. During a workout, you tear your muscles, and they become weak. That is why you are tired after working out. When you rest, your muscles repair themselves, and grow larger in order to handle the new stress you are putting on them. You need to take at least 2 days off for every week that you lift.

7. Nutrition - If you want to build muscle, you should consume daily 1 - 1.5 times your body weight in grams of protein (i.e, if you weigh 150 lbs, consume 150 - 225 grams of protein each day). BUT, do not intake all of that protein via protein shakes. You can intake SOME protein with protein shakes, but intake the rest with other foods high in protein such as eggs, chicken, beef, and fish.

8. Supplements - Supplements are great for giving you that extra edge when lifting. Try 100% whey protein (which is all natural, and a great way to add more protein to your daily diet), or l-glutamine (the most abundant amino acid in your body - taking more of it will boost your immune system and give you more energy, while helping your muscles to grow more quickly). However, before buying any supplement, you should research it first. Asking your physician is also a great idea.

By: Charles E Johnson
If you have any questions at all, just email me at johnsoce18@yahoo.com

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Posted in: Body Builder,Muscle Building

Make The Most Of Joint Pain Relief

What does it take to get joint pain relief? To protect the structures where your bones come together requires care as you age. Just so you know wear and tear during your life time is the cause of action for joint pain relief. Please understand that this kind of damage is very real, and if untreated can lead to inflammation or joint pain.

I can remember my adolescence years and even into every adult hood, expressing a mass amount of stress on my joints by pushing, pulling and twisting from playing sports. What's interesting is that during that time period, my concerns were only on gaining recognition and popularity amongst my peers. I never took the time to think that because of my activity that would effect how I felt when I got older. There's an old saying: take care of your body when you're young and when you get old, it will take care of you. That's something that I'm going to teach my children.

With that said, what can we do? Continue to ignore all the signs and try to put off the awkward feeling until it gets worst? Why would anyone even consider that idea?

Ultimately from joint pain you probably have arthritis or know someone with the disease. That's ok, it's about the steps we take for joint pain relief that counts. I researched some steps to protect your joints from damage. Protecting your joints is one of the most effective ways to avoid or relieve pain and prevent further joint damage.

Fortunately, there is a lot of information that can help you with this serious issue. You can still live a long, productive and active life, with the proper treatment and strategy for joint pain relief. These steps are not only geared to protect your joints from pain, they can also be a part of your busy schedule. The focus is your lifestyle and how this information can give you a positive outlook.

Some of these steps include moving your joints around everyday to maintain freedom of motion. Learn to understand and respect your pain. You can avoid repeating stress or joint pain. Using good body mechanics affects how much strain you put on your joints. Keep constantly moving so your joints don't become stiff.

There are other steps that can help with overall health and happiness when reaching for joint pain relief. Be careful how you use your joints, there are easier ways to perform without a lot of stress.

These steps all have the research to prove how important joint pain relief is. Now you know what it takes to protect your joints from pain. Remember to think outside your situation, the cost might be to create a different routine, but the value of the cost is priceless.

By: Lamar Speller

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Posted in: Pain Management

L-Tyrosine - A Natural Supplement for Bodybuilding

If you are looking for a natural supplement to help you increase your muscle development and muscle mass look no further. L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that is a key component to just about each and every protein that our body has. The role that plays this natural supplement in the production of cells and the way our glands work is vital. L-Tyrosine helps to make sure that your thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands function efficiently and effectively.

Probably the most important factor is the L-Tyrosine is responsible for the release of the human growth hormone. This wonderful little hormone is responsible for muscle growth and body fat reduction it is important to note the American diet is poor in supplying the body with adequate proteins which can lead to numerous health problems and make it difficult to build muscle mass. However L-Tyrosine is a naturally occurring amino acid, it is a non essential amino acid, which means that our bodies make it on its own.

L-Tyrosine is produced from the synthesis of another amino acid called phenylalanine, but can also be received from food sources such as animal meats, seafood, oatmeal and wheat. Why is this important to the body builder? Well for a few reasons. Outside of the fact that, as we stated, it is responsible for the release of the human growth hormone which triggers muscle growth, it has other beneficial qualities because of its effects on other areas of the body.

For example, L-Tyrosine is a mood stimulator, and is wonderful in offsetting stress and fatigue. As a bodybuilder this is a benefit especially after a long intense workout. It also increases mental alertness which then helps prevent the mental fatigue that can also be associated with work outs. It also increases stamina which allows you to work out longer. A natural body building supplement that not only alleviates the fatigue associated with long work outs, it helps you maintain a longer work out.

To achieve these benefits you may want to consider using a natural supplement that contains L-Tyrosine. To do this you can add a protein powder drink to your day or increase your consumption of foods like cottage cheese, bananas, lima beans, turkey, avocados and such. A moment of caution, it is possible to get too much of an amino acid, which can result in adverse side effects.

If you are considering using a body building supplement and you want one that helps you increase the amount of L-Tyrosine you have in your body, read the labels. Make sure that you know what you are putting in your body. It is also recommended that you talk with your doctor, there are lab tests that can be performed that will tell you if you are deficient in L-Tyrosine and then they can recommend a diet for you to follow.

The proper way to take L-Tyrosine as a supplement comes with this recommendation, make sure that you are taking Creatine HSC as well as VP2 Whey Isolate approximately thirty minutes before you are ready to start your workout. Once you are ready to do your warm up routine you can take 2 grams of the L-Tyrosine with water. The purpose behind taking the supplement in this fashion is to increase the amount of the amino acid in your blood stream in time to offset the time before muscle fatigue would set in.

By: Chris Moheno

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Posted in: Body Builder,Muscle Building

The Truth About Cardio & Muscle Building - Part 3

Intervals

The good- intervals allow you to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time and keep your metabolism elevated long after you finish doing them.

The bad- if you are training legs two or even three times per week, you can not do intervals more than once a week without overtraining. Let me rephrase that; you can but eventually it will lead to overtraining or at the very least slow down your strength gains. You can negate this slightly by keeping your leg training volume extremely low and doing your intervals on the same day as your weight training. You can't do five to eight sets of legs two or three days a week and 30 minutes of intervals on top of it. That's a dead end road.

You also have to remember to do your intervals on your training days and not on off days like you might do with other forms of cardio exercise because that will lead to overtraining much quicker.

The ugly- if you choose sprinting as your form of interval training you could get hurt; it's an ugly truth that has to be faced. The thing that will lead to even more injuries is following faulty interval protocol advice. Normally it is recommended to do 30-60 second intervals when they are being performed on a stationary bike. A lot of people take these recommendations and apply them to sprinting. This is a huge mistake! Nobody can sprint for 30-60 seconds. Ok, not nobody; but most average people can't do it. World class athletes can sprint for that long, but not everyone else.

Don't believe me?

Go try it. Warm up thoroughly and try to sprint for 60 seconds straight. Let me know what happens. We have all seen the Olympics and how winded guys are after sprinting the 100 which happens to last all of ten seconds. Most of us have seen guys run the 40 and not be able to catch their breath for at least a few minutes afterwards. And that takes five seconds or less. Not only is sprinting for 30-60 seconds impossible for most people but it also greatly increases the risk of injury.

When you keep your sprint distances and times very short, you decrease the risk for injury because you never hit top speed and instead spend most of your time in the acceleration phase. This phase has the least potential for injury. For that reason, most people should be running 20-50 yard sprints. This keeps you at top speed for a very short period of time; usually little enough time to maintain form and not suffer an injury. When you run at top speed for too long the chance for a break down in form and thus an injury is greatly increased.

I would never recommend that a non athlete ever try to sprint for 30-60 seconds straight and you should never take that advice from anyone. It is faulty and dangerous. To further reduce your injury while sprinting, use adequate rest periods between sets. Also, running with a sled slows you down enough to avoid top speeds and makes sprinting much safer.

Bottom Line- Intervals are a great tool for getting ripped, however when your main goal is to get big and strong and just keep fat gain to a minimum, they should be used sparingly if at all. I would recommend sprints above intervals on a bike and even then I wouldn't do them in true interval fashion but more of a traditional speed workout with short sprints and adequate rest periods. This will still elevate your metabolism greatly and keep you lean. Just look at the physiques of Olympic sprinters for proof of this; that his how they train. Sprint, rest... no intervals.

By: Jason Ferruggia

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Posted in: Body Builder,Muscle Building

Bodybuilding Workout - 5 Factors For A Well Rounded Program

Your bodybuilding workout needs to be a well-rounded program so muscle groups in all parts of your body are placed under enough resistance to promote muscle growth. To do this it needs to include both weight training and a cardiovascular rotation exercises. There is no universal formula that fits every person but there are certain factors that everyone needs to consider in designing their own bodybuilding workout.

Health

Your current health is of great importance when you start to design your bodybuilding workout. You should consider your recoverability, susceptibility to injury, and any physical limitations. If you are just beginning bodybuilding to get fit, you will need to start slow. Trying to do too much in the beginning only leads to injury.

Goals

This is a factor that is often overlooked. Without setting some goals in the beginning, you cannot very well design an effective program. Your goal may be to lose weight or gain muscle mass or maybe simply to become stronger and more toned. Each of these goals may require a different program and series of routines depending upon your body style.

Know Your Body

You must have a basic knowledge of your body and the various muscles groups. Without this knowledge, you will not be able to design a workout program that effectively works your muscles to their full potential. I know it sounds basic, but you can only work a particular muscle group if you know where it is.

Frequency

Your bodybuilding workout will not be effective if you try to work every muscle group every day. In the beginning, you should be working out no more than four days a week. Plan on starting on Monday with rest days on Wednesday and on the weekend. Your muscles only build while they are at rest so do not skip the rest periods. A sample schedule might be:

• Day 1: Deltoids, Triceps
• Day 2: Back, Traps
• Day 3: OFF
• Day 4: Legs, Forearms
• Day 5: Chest, Biceps
• Day 6: OFF
• Day 7: OFF

As you start to progress, you can work each group more often but never two days in a row. This allows for maximum recovery time as well as maximum growth potential. You need recovery time due to the intensity of a strong bodybuilding workout.

Tracking

Keep a log of the exercises you are performing and note your progress regularly. You will be able to see the small changes add up in a big way or see that you need to alter your routine a bit. Unless you log and track your results you will have no way of gaging how effective your workout program is or of you strength potential.

Everyone Is Different

Bodybuilding workouts vary from person to person, but they all contain basic components that can help all body builders grow their muscles and tone their bodies. When putting together your bodybuilding workout, keep your personal goals in mind and then go for it!

By: Gerry Marsh

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Posted in: Body Builder,Muscle Building

Fad Diets - What's Wrong With Them?

If you go on a fad diet and it helps you lose weight fast and get results, what's wrong with that?

I'm sure you've seen many ads on the internet and in magazines promising you huge weight loss in only a few days time.

Is this type of weight loss really possible? Yes - but ... in almost every case the weight loss from a fad diet is temporary and usually due to loss of water weight. Our bodies are made up of a large percentage of water so as soon as your body rehydrates itself you'll put that quick weight loss right back on.

What are some of the reasons a fad diet is bad for you?

#1 A fad diet usually tells you to focus on a single food type and avoid all others. This means you miss out on the nutrition you really need and can get from a more balanced diet approach. Quite often these fad diets will even tell you to take vitamins and supplements to make up for all the nutritional deficiencies you experience while on that fad diet. However, your body will not be able to absorb the nutrients from the recommended supplements unless you take them with food. And many of the foods that help you absorb nutrients are banned on fad diets.

#2 Fad diets are usually so restrictive and unappetizing that, after as little as one day, you'll begin having overwhelming cravings for other foods and most likely you'll give up. This can also wreak havoc on your self esteem if you beat yourself up for not having enough willpower to stick it out with the diet.

#3 Fad diets are temporary solutions to your weight problems. Even if you do follow through to the end with a fad diet you have not made permanent, healthy changes to the way you handle food in your life. So fad dieters tend to be yo-yo dieters that go back and forth between extreme low-calorie fad diets to periods of bingeing on food groups that were missing from the fad diet. So fad dieters will inevitably end up on a roller coaster of gaining and losing the same pounds, over and over.

No matter what you see in the media about quick weight loss fad diets, realize that these diets will never work long term.

The best way to lose weight and sustain that weight loss (so you never have to diet again) is to eat a variety of healthy foods, avoid overeating, and do regular exercise. This simple formula works every time.

By: Keira Adams

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Posted in: Diet

Cleanse, Reboot and Nourish Mind & Body With a New Years Detox Program

The birth of a new lunar cycle affords the opportunity to reassess and reexamine our priorities, our desires and our attention to our physical and mental self. Usually at the top of the new years resolution list is some type of revised routine that includes exercise, losing weight, eating right and spending more time with friends, family and making more time for yourself. Such revised routines yield the perfect time to consider a detoxification program because detoxification is both a physical and spiritual process of cleansing, nourishing, and healing one's body and mind.

The concept and practice of detoxification has been around for centuries. It is the body's natural process of eliminating toxins from the body. Toxin exposure can vary from food additives, alcohol, drugs, environmental pollution, smoke, heavy metals, pesticides to ever day household cleansers.

A detox program not only helps eliminate these toxins; it also transcends to the cellular level of our bodies and minds by rebooting our patterns and getting us back on a healthy track. Toxin clearing and cleansing is necessary from our poor food choices, terrible habits and negative thoughts and internal talk; all of which are destructive and block the ability to bring about healthier, happier lives.

Physical detoxing and cleansing has become more mainstream. We now hear of celebrities and TV personalities conducting detox programs before big awards shows to shed a few extra pounds around their waists. Despite this growing trend, there is still a large population of non-believers and skeptics. Perhaps skepticism stems from the limitless choices in the arena of detoxing. Many herbal manufacturers like Enzymatic Therapy and Dr. Natura offer excellent 7, 14 and 30 day detox kits. Other more intense detox options include juice fasts, massages, infrared saunas, hydrocolonics, lymphatic drainage and ionized foot baths that remove toxins through the feet. Whatever the methodology, an effective detox is rooted in consistency, an organic diet of fruits and veggies, lots of water and should last anywhere from one to three months.

The results are truly transformative and life changing; from clarified skin, healthier lungs, livers and colons as well as increased energy levels. Through detox, the body is literally rebooted, recharged and changed into a system that operates better than before.

Mental detoxification is just as important, if not more important than a physical detox. Detoxification of the mind allows individuals to get rid of negative thoughts and give birth to healthier and more positive thoughts that yield positive, healthy choices and actions. It is through positively manifested thoughts that ultimately create the lives and health the individual wishes to lead.

Conscious, positive mindfulness is indeed much harder than taking an herbal pill routinely in the morning and night. This involves cleansing negativity and energy blockages through meditation, rest, reiki healing, spiritual healing, prayer and increased mindfulness in the awareness and reversal of negative thoughts. Stopping to listen to the multitude of thoughts is challenging, at first, but once we tap into all the little voices of doubt, mistrust, negativity and ill will; awareness and change begins.

Just as toxic as fat and alcohol, a negative thought literally manifests itself physically in our daily lives. From our jobs, our health to our relationships; we are what we think. Along the lines of The Secret, our thoughts create our reality and the best way to make positive changes is to adjust and realign our thoughts to showcase and pattern the desires we wish to occur.

In essence, detoxification is our way to not only usher in the 2008 new year, but to initiate a rebirth of our health and mental wellness. Anything is possible this year and with a healthy body and an aligned mind, we are more apt to achieve the goals we set forth on our 2008 New Years resolution lists.

By: Melissa Gallagher

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Posted in: Diet

Temporary Ways to Get Bigger Breasts

There are some women who have large breasts from adolescence, but more often than not, most women are worrying often how to get bigger breasts, even if it is only temporarily. Women believe that bigger breasts make them look more attractive and they strive to have that condition, even if it is only for a short time. If you are trying to get bigger breasts but do not want to get them through permanent means, or just want to have larger breast for a short time, here are a few things that you can try.

Gel Pads

On the market now are some wonderful gel pads that can help women to have the look of bigger breasts without having to go through any surgical procedure. These gel pads can range in price, from inexpensive to fairly expensive, and you have to make sure that you find the right size. Make sure, if you're ordering them from a company online, that the company has a return policy, because it's unlikely that you'll get the right size on the first try. If you are purchasing them in a store, ask if it is okay to try one on. Some stores will use a protective sheath so that everyone can try them on without having to worry about spreading germs or infections.

Exercises

Some women swear that exercising can help them to increase their breast mass. In reality, exercising your chest area doesn't make your breasts larger; it makes the muscles underneath your chest larger. This does, however, affect the look of your breasts and makes them seem larger. Some waitresses claim that their breasts get larger after a time because they constantly have to lift trays over their head.

Very Temporary Measures

Got a guy you're trying to impress? Want to look great for a photograph? Play with your breast. Honestly, this is a great way to make your breasts look larger for a short period of time. The more they are played with, the more they fill up and become swollen, which is why your breasts often feel larger after a sexual encounter. It is part of the arousal process and can make your breasts up to a cup size larger!

You can also purchase one of the new inventions on the market: the inflatable bra. This bra can make your breasts look larger using a small pump. The inflatable pieces are inside of the fabric on the bra and, when placed correctly, can make your breasts look quite a bit larger.

There are plenty of ways to get bigger breasts for a temporary amount of time, just make sure, if you're getting bigger breasts in order to try to impress a date, that you remove whatever device you've put in before your date tries to grab a feel!

By: Sally Miller

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Posted in: Women's Issues

Bra Shopping For A Bigger Bust

When you have a bigger bust, finding the right bra can be very difficult. You not only have to find something that supports you, but you want to find something that looks attractive. Finding bras when you have a bigger bust can truly be a disheartening experience, but if you know what to look for, you can find the bra that fits you and looks amazing as well.

How to Measure your Breast Size

One of the big problems when it comes to women buying bras is that many don't know how to measure their breast size correctly. Some women buy the same size bra their entire life when their breast size may have changed. Some clothing websites say that 80% of women wear the wrong bra size. Measuring for your bra size is quite simple, simply put a tape measure around you directly underneath your breast and write down the measurements in inches. You will want to make sure that it is a snug fit and that you take the measurement when your arms are down. Now take that number and round it to the closest even number, such as if your measurement tape says that it is 31 inches, you should use a band size of 32.

To measure the cup size, you first need to measure your bust. To do this, run the tape measure around the largest part of your bust. Make sure that the fit is a loose one and that you are standing straight. Now round the number you get up to the closest whole number. To get your cup size, simply subtract the band measurement from the measurement you got when you measured your bust. If there is an inch different, you're an A cup. Two inches difference means that you're a B cup, three inches means that you're a C cup, while four inches means that you're a D cup. You should go up one cup size for every inch that is different.

Go For More Expensive

There are cheap bras that will work for a day to day basis for women with a bigger bust, but if you want to find something that is more stylish and more sexy you will have to be willing to spend some money. This doesn't mean that you have to pay for the most expensive bras you can find, but they will probably cost more than you would imagine. A decent, supportive and sexy bra will probably run you anywhere from thirty to fifty dollars.

When you have a bigger bust, life can be frustrating. You may have to work to find a bra that suits you the best, but once you finally get the right measurement and find the right store, your bigger bust will become a benefit and not a hassle.

By: Sally Miller

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Posted in: Women's Issues

Great Results With The South Beach Diet

When you put on too much weight it can dramatically reduce the quality of your health and life in general. So when weight gain happens to most people, they seek out diets to get that weight down. And there are so many diets to choose from. Some want money to buy their special menus and others have requirements that cannot be consistently met. What is their result? They fail-simple as that. If you have to go to a specialty health food store to buy the proper food for a diet you will find it to be very expensive and unsustainable because it wrecks your budget. If you have to cut out carbohydrates or things you like to eat from your diet forever you will soon grow weary and go back to eating them-another diet failed. But there is a diet that gives you some balance and doctors recommend it quite often: The South Beach Diet.

The South Beach Diet was designed by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston who set out to create a diet that was both safe and effective. The diet is a solution to the problem of insulin resistance in a person who eats a lot of foods with what is called a high-glycemic index. Eating too much bread, potatoes, candy, and foods with processed sugar can create what is known as insulin resistance syndrome. This syndrome interferes with insulin's ability to process fat and sugars therefore the person puts on more weight.

So the starting point with this diet is a period of two weeks when these high-glycemic foods are cut out of the diet in an attempt to force the body to lose its insulin resistance. This reduction in insulin resistance should cause the body to start burning stored fat and the person will start to experience significant weight loss in a short time. This is phase one of the diet. The person in phase one will eat three normal meals a day consisting of meat, fish, cheese (low-fat), vegetables, and eggs. Snacks between the noon and evening meals are required and can consist of products like nuts or cheese sticks. It is estimated that a person will lose between 8 and 12 pounds during this phase.

This is probably the most difficult part of the diet as one can go through periods of feeling weak and dizzy as their body adjusts to the absence of carbohydrates. Also, because the person has to do without many fruits and vegetables, there may be some vitamin deficiencies. Plus, the absence of bread in the diet can result in fiber deficiencies. So you may have to take some vitamin and fiber supplements.

Phase two of the diet consists of introducing small amounts of the forbidden foods (like bread) back into the diet. Weight loss should continue during this phase and the goal is to keep losing 1 to 2 pounds per week until the dieter achieves the desired target weight.

Once the target weight is achieved, phase three or the maintenance phase begins and the dieter needs to maintain a balanced diet. Monitoring the weight is still important because if it starts to climb again the dieter returns to phase one.

By: Thomas Husnik

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Posted in: Diet

Atkins Diet Information

Atkins diets are very easy to find and are available almost everywhere. That atkins diet has many varieties to chose from, whether you want already packaged "low on carbs" diet foods or create your own meals. Regardless of how you wish to do the atkins plan, there is an answer out there for you.

When making food choices you must keep the Atkins food pyramid in mind. The Atkins pyramid is very different from the food pyramid we are taught in school. The bottom of the pyramid consists of protein sources such as eggs, fish, beef, chicken and tofu.Everyday, your meals should consist primarily of this group. The second segment has low sugar vegetables like salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and spinach.

The third segment is made up of berries and avocado. Fruits should be used only occasionally after the initial stages of the Atkins diet. Vegetable and seed oils, cheese, dairy, nuts and legumes are used sparingly and in appropriate portions. While the usual pyramid has oils and fats at the top peak, the Atkins pyramid places whole grain foods in this spot. Whole grain foods should be used very occasionally and don't make up the mainstay of the Atkins diet.

Upon starting the Atkins plan, You need to understand which foods are acceptable in the stage of the diet you are in. The Induction phase is the most restrictive, but it only lasts two weeks.

If you are to succeed in this diet you must stay within the acceptable food list. One of the best ways to do this is to follow the Atkins menu plans that are printed within the New Diet Revolution book. There are also Atkins cookbooks that are geared toward other low carb diets that are helpful in creating meal plans.

It's a helpful idea to use a cheat sheet of acceptable Atkins foods wherever you go. If you are out and around town and are hungry, the last thing you want to do is to try and remember what you can and can not eat. Carrying a list of acceptable foods with you will make finding a snack or meal while out on the run easy. You can't always rely on the product to tell you if it is diet friendly. Ever since the low carb raze hit, manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon to attract Atkins dieters. Some companies label their food low-carb and don't have you health in mind. Relying on foods that are on your list and you will succeed.

By: Henry Trammel

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Posted in: Diet

Testing the Cabbage Soup Diet - Day 1

Today, as promised, is my first day on the legendary cabbage soup diet. I've been meaning to try it for many years, but somehow the time was never right (translation: I was able to find excuses). It's a short-term crash diet, based on eating unlimited quantities of a cabbage-based soup which costs more calories to digest than it provides, so you can eat enough to feel full but keep losing weight rapidly.

The diet is augmented by different added foods on each day. You eat as much of the soup as you want, and as much as you want of the other foods for the day - in my case, Day 1: Fruit (except bananas). In theory the selection of additional foods is carefully chosen to maintain your levels of vital chemicals so you don't get sick. I'm told the diet was originally developed by doctors to cleanse the system and reduce weight before heart surgery, but I haven't been able to find evidence or a listing of the "original" diet. There are a whole bunch of variations floating around on the basic recipe and schedule.

So this morning I went down to my fantastic Italian greengrocers, and came back with a carrier bag stuffed full of green things. After a lot of chopping, peeling and simmering, here's what it looks like: The bulk of my diet for the next week.

Actually, it's not bad at all. With loads of onion, celery and tomato in, it's got the base of a good stock mixture (and some of my own vegetable stock cubes in for a boost), and it's well seasoned with thyme, basil, bay and black pepper. It's really pretty tasty, although I've quickly found myself adding a bit of salt to each bowl or it really is bland.

Obviously there's not much in the way of effects today, although I have felt a bit up and down energy-wise, particularly as I missed breakfast (since I didn't have anything allowed by the diet in the house to eat) and then ate a lot at lunchtime. With heavy-digesting foods like this, it's important to spread them out through the day rather than eating big meals, as anything hard to digest brings your energy levels down for a while (the reason why people get sluggish in the afternoon when they eat big lunches).

My brain is already at work trying to screw things up, and I keep imagining that I'm craving chocolate or meat, very unlikely since my last "normal" meal was last night and that's really not time for your body to feel deprived. I have been enjoying the fruit enormously, experiencing the intense flavours and sweetness much more than I normally would, but I think that's largely psychological too. I've been drinking a lot of water and green tea, and the digestive workout seems to be making me quite thirsty. Otherwise I feel as good as ever, really. I'm even looking forward to a supper of fruit tonight when I settle in to watch a new episode of House.

Obviously, a crash diet isn't a longterm solution to weight loss. Right now my normal diet is pretty good - I'm mostly off the overprocessed rubbish foods, I eat a fair bit of veg and fruit, very little out of the freezer (except things I've cooked and frozen myself) and I'm reasonably good about sweets. Week on week I am losing a little bit of weight. It's just that the mountainous task (and stomach) ahead of me are making me feel pretty demotivated. Hopefully this quick boost will help me feel more motivated to be strict with myself and stick with the exercise.

By: Mark Hewitt

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Posted in: Diet

The Many Faces of Vegan

VAY-gun, veggin', veg*n, VEE-gin: no matter how people say it, there's more variety than they think. Most long term vegans swear they eat a wider selection of food than they did prior to excluding animal products. Often mystifying cashiers with my produce items, I can personally confirm this experience! As vegans, we've all heard the question, "But, what do you eat?" usually followed by one or more of the following: "Rabbit food?" "You must be one of those health nuts" "Where do you get your protein?" "Are you one of those spray-painting animal rights activists?" "Seriously, what do you eat?" The answer depends on whom they ask. Vegan diets and lifestyles reach as far and wide as the individuals embracing them, with every combination imaginable. You'll find below some of the most common faces of vegan.

The Animal Lover: Who doesn't love animals? I'd venture to say that at least 80% of all vegans hold compassion for non-human friends as the major reason for eschewing meat, dairy, fish, eggs, honey and leather. Somewhere along the way they asked, "If I wouldn't eat my dog, then how can I eat or wear a pig?" Or cow? Or goose? They stopped drawing a line between "their" pet and other creatures. They realized that they love all animals and they invited this love into all aspects of life. They might adopt stray kitties, rescue animals from the pound, volunteer at Farm Sanctuary, become veterinarians, or find deep connections with animals in the wild. Famous animal lovers include: Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Jennifer McCann (The Vegan Lunchbox).

Animal Rights Activists: These people love animals, but they demonstrate that love through more aggressive, public action. They write letters to editors and representatives, picket restaurants that buy factory farmed animals, and expose pharmaceutical companies that engage in torturous animal testing. Some activists risk imprisonment for illegally infiltrating labs and farms, so they can film shocking footage later distributed by groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Others use celebrity status to garner attention. And yes, some activists do spray red paint on fur coats in order to remind wearers of unnecessary bloodshed in the name of fashion. Famous animal rights activists include: Alicia Silverstone, Pamela Anderson, Leonardo da Vinci, Pythagoras, Abraham Lincoln, and George Bernard Shaw.

Environmentalists: The term tree-hugger isn't so far off: economists estimate that one extra acre of trees survives each year when someone embraces a vegan diet. "Food grown directly for human consumption occupies 60 million acres. Food grown to feed livestock occupies 1.2 billion acres." "It takes 16 pounds of grain and 2,500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat. Yet 16 people can be fed on the grain it takes to produce that pound of meat. Growing that amount of grain requires only 250 gallons of water. Countries such as Ethiopia and some Central American countries use their farmland to supply the United States with cheap burgers instead of growing healthful grain foods for their own starving people. Every 2 seconds, a child starves to death somewhere in the world" (Robertson, Robin. Vegan Planet, The Harvard Common Press: 2003, p. 98). These and other statistics urge conservationists to follow a strict vegetarian diet. The most famous environmentalist vegan is John Robbins, author of Diet for a Small America.

The Health Nut: OK, some stereotypes offer a tiny whole grain of truth! This group loves how vegan food makes them look and/or feel. Nutritionally, they recognize the superiority of plant protein, and they get all the protein they need, thank you very much. They might follow a particular diet like Raw Foods or Macrobiotics (featured later), or they might just veganize whatever trendy diet hits the mainstream. I've actually read food diaries from vegan South Beach-ers, and I've seen smoothie directions to stay in the vegan "Zone." Think strong. Think energetic. Think beautiful. Think extra special ordering. Famous health nuts include: Robert Cheeke (a.k.a. "the world's most recognized vegan body builder"), Marie Oser (VegTV), Woody Harrelson, and Tracy Bingham (Baywatch).

Hipster Vegans: These folks are cool. They have that certain something that screams for attention-"in your face" like activists, but in a scene-stealing kind of way. The punk community features a lot of hipster vegans, as does Hollywood. Just because these chaps and gals got style, don't mean they ain't serious. They just know how to push the envelope in creative ways, wearing hairstyles or tattoos that demand a conversation, T-shirts emblazoned with "Beef: It's what's rotting in your colon," creating lasting artwork or screenplays, or hosting a "Fashion with Compassion" lingerie show. In the hipster hall of fame: The Vegan Vixens, Pink, and of course, Herbivore Magazine's "coolest vegan alive," Sarah Kramer.

Junk Food Vegans: Fruit Loops, Jolly Ranchers and Kool-Aid are vegan! So are Frito's, Sweet Tarts, and Duncan Hine's California Walnut Brownie mix. Keebler Vienna Fingers, Crisco, and Cocoa Puffs: yep, all vegan. Hey, folks, the saying "I don't love animals. I just really hate vegetables!" is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek. No hall of shame here: animals appreciate your effort, but a little kale won't kill you. Honest.

Macrobiotics: Made popular in the 1970's by Michio Kushi, macrobiotics draws upon ancient principles regarding the "yin" (expansive) or "yang" (contracting) energy of foods. The word "macrobiotic" means "big life"-the idea of creating a full, radiant life by balancing extremes. Whole grains, especially brown rice, play a starring role in the macrobiotic diet because they rest near the middle of a yin-yang continuum. Other must-haves include sea vegetables, umeboshi plums, miso soup, greens, tempeh and vegetables. Considered an extremely strict diet, macrobiotics does allow room for occasional "cheating." Some macrobiotic followers eat a little meat, fish, dairy or refined sugar, but the overall diet focuses on unprocessed, low-glycemic vegan foods with balanced energies and tastes. Gwyneth Paltrow and Christina Pirello are two macrobiotic celebrities.

Raw Fooders: Sometimes considered the strictest vegan expression, a Raw Foods Diet isn't always vegan. (Some followers consume raw fish, dairy, meat and eggs.) For the most part, though, Raw Fooders eat raw, sprouted, fermented and/or dehydrated plant-based foods. Proponents cite living enzymes and lack of the toxins produced by 105 degree-plus cooking as the secret to raw foods' healing power. Superfoods like raw cacao, spirulina, wheat grass juice, maca and goji berries find their way into smoothies, raw cakes, and dehydrated treats. Famous followers like David Wolfe, Shazzie and the Boutenko's (a.k.a. Raw Family) report vastly increased energy, cure of diseases, clearer thinking, weight loss and a fountain of youth effect. Although most vegans consume some raw food, Raw Fooders generally receive 80-100% of their calories from uncooked foods.

Spiritually Motivated Vegans: Following "a vegetarian diet for spiritual reasons," conjures images of Eastern traditions like Buddhism or Hinduism, with their emphasis on purity of mind, body, and spirit. Indeed, the first mock meats were created in Buddhist kitchens to support monks who had vowed ahimsa (non-harm) yet missed former diets of meat and fish. But other religions support veganism, too. A growing number of Christians interpret the phrase "Stewards of the Earth" as a call to environmental responsibility and non-cruelty to all of Earth's creatures. Salt Lake City offers a surprisingly vegan dining scene due to the many Mormons (Church of Latter Day Saints) believing no one ate meat in Eden. I know Jews who honor the original humane intent of kosher laws by celebrating Seder with a "Passover Yam." Healers, "psychics," and yoga and meditation instructors often find enhanced clarity by adopting a cleaner and more compassionate vegan lifestyle. Famous spiritually motivated vegans include David Life and Sharon Gannon (founders of Jivamukti Yoga School) and Erin Pavlina (former editor of VegFamily).

So, with all this diversity, what exactly does vegan mean? At the first Vegan Society Meeting on November 1, 1944, South Yorkshire's Donald Watson coined the term "vegan" and observed it was "the beginning and end of vegetarian." If you write a paragraph, keeping the initial and final letters of each word and scrambling everything in between, readers can still understand the message. Ancient Greeks referred to this phenomenon as the "alpha and omega," meaning the beginning and the end: that which makes sense of everything in between. Veganism takes vegetarianism to its logical conclusion. If we want to show compassion for animals, then let's avoid all forms of animal cruelty-including factory farms, animal testing, animal skinning and commercial bee hives. If we want lower cholesterol, then let's eat a cholesterol-free diet. If eating lower on the food chain can save this planet, then let's follow a completely plant-based diet. The many faces of vegan offer hope for a future in which we can all smile.

By: Laura Bruno

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Posted in: Diet

Testing the Cabbage Soup Diet - Day 2

Day 2 of the cabbage soup diet and today's been a little harder. I've been a bit tired on and off, quite lightheaded (especially early in the morning) and I've had a splitting headache which I've finally resorted to Ibuprofen to knock out.

First thing I also had a real wave of nausea, which I initially thought was going to keep me away from classes today, but it passed pretty quickly. Initially I thought "well, there you go, diet over", but I've since concluded that it was probably my zinc supplement, which has hit me the same way previously when I took it on an empty stomach - obviously my gulped bowl of soup wasn't enough to cushion it. I've just had my second bowl of the day, so we'll soon tell if it's the soup or not.

I must say by the end of yesterday I was pretty tired of the soup, and this morning it was a real effort to force it down. But on getting home I remembered that a couple of people had suggested pureeing it (the basic recipe is eaten like a chunky minestrone) to make it more palatable, so I blended the last bowl right down and it was actually very nice.

Today's supplementary food is vegetables of any kind, including a baked potato, so rather than muck about loading up a thermos with soup I took some celery sticks and two whole peeled carrots into university with me to munch on.

Again I was struck by how much I'm enjoying the flavours and natural sweetness of the vegetables - probably still just the contrast with the bland soup. I'm saving my baked potato as an evening treat (I really am starting to crave starchy foods, which probably is for real after two days, but it's not insurmountable).

By: Mark Hewitt

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Posted in: Diet

Does Calorie Shifting Work?

Calorie shifting is a weight loss method which is rapidly gaining momentum in the weight loss world. There are many people who have found the solution to their weight loss problems in this method. But still, the question persists: does calorie shifting work?

I understand the skepticism of people who wish to lose weight. There are a lot of scams in the diet world. But I don't think that calorie shifting is a scam. It may not be 100% foolproof, but it does work for a lot of people. I know, because I've corresponded with dozens and dozens of people who have used it and found it useful.

How does calorie shifting work?

The basic concept is simple: you rotate the types of calories you eat throughout the day and also between one day and the next. This has a positive effect on your metabolism. It helps to sustain its current metabolic rate which ensures that you continue to burn fat at a rapid pace. This is something which many other diets don't succeed in doing, and is what makes calorie shifting so potent for many people.

I have to admit that every once in a while, one of the people who corresponds with me and who uses this weight loss method writes to me and tells me that the diet doesn't work for him or for her. Often it begins to work for them a bit slowly. Some times it doesn't work for them at all. However, it does work for a great many people. I think it's worth a try.

By: John Davenport

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Posted in: Diet

The Best Female Enhancer for Sexual Pleasure - A Natural Choice

One of the great things about there being so many choices out there when it comes to picking the best female enhancer product for increased sexual pleasure is that you don't have to fear what ingredients you are using. Many of these products are all natural, using herbs and other natural ingredients to give you a powerful, yet safe and effective result.

In addition to this, when you do your search for which product is the best for you, you will find that some of the natural options will not only be used externally, but some come in pill and tablet form to be taken orally. And because the pills and tablets are all natural, there is no prescription needed.

What makes some of the best female enhancer products for greater sex work so well is the fact that the natural ingredients in them actually help to balance out hormonal issues that sometimes cause you to lose a desire for sex, or have vaginal dryness, or feel tense, or a combination of all of these things. These natural choices can assist you without any type of hormone related ingredients like estrogen or testostrone and yet still work wonders.

The best female enhancers will naturally increase your libido and help restore your sex drive, intensify your sensations during sex, speed up your arousal time, strengthen your orgasm, and create an overall greater enjoyment of sex. All of this can inspire you to desire sex more often.

Keep in mind that often times when using natural products, the benefits build over time. Therefore, you won't be disappointed, but to get the best results you will need to be consistent and allow the sparks to build over time. Keep in mind, the results will be well worth it! And what could be better than finding the best female enhancer product in a natural form that doesn't have any negative side effects AND having a great sex life to boot? Absolutely nothing!

By: Richard Hairston

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How To Cure A Yeast Infection The Right Way

One question people would like the answer to is how to cure a yeast infection. Anyone who has ever had this ailment knows how miserable they are. There are different types of this infection and places on or in the body where they can occur.

They can occur in any place that is moist, dark and has little to no airflow. These places include the intestines, the genital area (especially in women), the mouth (most commonly in infants though other can get it there when infections located elsewhere on the body are not treated soon enough) and the skin surfaces. Some infections can even be systemic, meaning throughout the entire body, though this usually happens due to an untreated, localized infection.

If you suspect you may have a yeast infection, you should go to your doctor to get a confirmed diagnosis rather than assume it is a yeast infection and self medicate. The reason for this is to make sure that the symptoms you have are in fact cause by an overgrowth of yeast and not some other condition that won't respond to treatment for yeast infection. Among the symptoms are itching, pain, yeasty odor that can be bread- or beer-like, a white or yellowish film (in skin folds) and a thick, white or yellowish discharge (vaginal yeast infection).

These infections are most common in the genital areas. This is especially true for the vaginal area. Men who are circumcised rarely get them but uncircumcised men do have a problem with it if the area is not kept properly clean and dry. With all yeast infections, especially in the genital area and groin area, proper cleaning and drying should be considered a vital part of treating and preventing them. Making sure there is good airflow as much as possible is also needed. This can mean changing the type of clothing worn on a day-to-day basis. Very snug clothing and certain synthetics block airflow to vulnerable areas and should be avoided on a regular basis.

There are many cures and treatments available, both from conventional medicine and more natural types. No matter which type of treatment you use, it is best to also use diet. Foods that feed yeast should be avoided to help speed up the cure by starving the yeast. This includes sugars of any kind and fungal foods such as mushrooms and yeast-containing baked items like bread.

The first step in curing this infection is in understanding what it is and how it can start. Yeast is part of the body's natural flora and when the naturally present bacteria that keeps its growth in check is nearly or completely killed out, the yeast grows out of control, resulting in an infection internally or, for women, vaginally. In this case, the use of antibiotics is the culprit. On skin surfaces, areas of skin that can retain moisture and don't get good airflow are prone to infection, often from lack of being kept clean and dry enough.

After you have a confirmed diagnosis, you can decide how to cure a yeast infection by using prescriptions, over the counter medications, or the less expensive, natural cures that can be found in your kitchen.

By: Blake Allen

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