Omega 3 with moderate exercise boosts weight loss

Omega 3 combined with moderate exercise boosts weight loss

Taking fish oil supplements on a daily basis along with some moderate exercise three times a week can help you lose weight according to the results of a study conducted by The University of South Australia and presented at the ISSFAL (International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids & Lipids) Congress in Cairns, Australia, in 2006.

The intervention study was conducted by PhD student Allison Hill and involved 75 overweight or obese men and women between the ages of 25 and 65 who had risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of symptoms linked to obesity that includes high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides in the blood and a resistance to insulin or increased levels of insulin, and together these increase the risk of developing heart disease and type two diabetes.

The Study
Those taking part in the study were split into two groups and given either fish oil (containing 2gr of Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of EPA and DHA), or sunflower oil, for a period of twelve weeks. No one participating in the study knew which group they were in. Half of the fish oil group and half of the sunflower oil group were then asked to take moderate exercise by walking or running for 45 minutes three times a week, the other half continued to take either fish oil or sunflower oil but with no exercise.

There was no difference in weight for those taking only fish oil or only sunflower oil, neither was there any difference in the group taking sunflower oil combined with exercise, however, those taking fish oil combined with exercise lost an average of 2 kg (4.5lb) over the course of the trial without making any modifications to their diet at all, they basically continued to eat what they wanted to eat. Furthermore, using Dual Energy X-ray Absoptiometry (DEXA), which is often used to measure body composition as it can differentiate between fat, muscle and bone, showed that those in the fish oil and exercise group, had a significant reduction in body fat.
It is not understood exactly why taking fish oil combined with exercise appears to make a difference to weight loss but a combination of factors is thought to be involved such as helping the blood to flow more efficiently throughout the body and to the muscles, and initiating metabolic changes involving the enzymes responsible for transporting the fat required by the body for energy.

Eicosapentaenoic acid
The Omega 3 fatty acid EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) in particular has hit the headlines many times in recent years due to its reported ability to combat inflammation in the body and for the profound effect it can have on mood, mental function and behaviour. Consequently, it has been cited as being beneficial for everything from heart disease, arthritis, asthma, and allergies to anxiety, depression, ADHD, and Alzheimer's disease, to mention but a few. It seems there is hardly an area of health where EPA does not show some benefit, indicating the importance of having enough of this Omega 3 fatty acid in our daily diet.

How important is Omega 3?
Everyone knows that excess weight and obesity can lead to health problems and most of us already know that Omega 3 is good for health, but how many of us understand just how important the Omega 3 fatty acids actually are? The truth is, most of us don't get anywhere near enough EPA in our diet to make a difference to our health and nutritionists believe that the reason we are seeing a rise in health problems like heart disease, arthritis, depression, skin problems and even excess weight, is because over the past few decades we have drastically reduced our consumption of fish sources of Omega 3 and yet at the same time we have massively increased our intake of the pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6 is abundant in our diets, it can be found in vegetable oils, processed foods, and meat and dairy products, whereas EPA can only be found in any real quantities in oily fish and fish oil.
The indication that fish oil and moderate exercise can result in weight loss without altering the diet in any way is good news in itself, particularly for those who are struggling to lose weight, however, the most exciting prospect is that even better results might be obtained by controlling the diet and participating in more vigorous exercise.

Conclusion
There is no substitute for a healthy diet as part of any weight loss plan and anyone can achieve weight loss by restricting calories and increasing the amount of exercise they do provided they are burning off more energy than they are taking in. The evidence would seem to suggest that fish oil can help this process along so not only do you lose weight; you can boost your health and your mood at the same time.

Build Muscle, Burn Fat and Stop Aging

Build Muscle, Burn Fat and Stop Aging

Wouldn't be amazing if you could build lean muscle - burn fat and stop aging ?

For sometime Pro athletes, movie stars, regular men believe that they will become stronger and stay young by taking H.G.H ( human growth hormone ) and they could be risking their lives.
People will spends thousands of dollars to get stronger and younger no matter the cost they don't care- and they could pay with their lives.

H.G.H is produced by the pituitary gland and as we get older we simply don't produce a lot of H.G.H and we tend to lose muscle mass and put on more fat, but there is an answer.

Without spending money on drugs their is a effective way to produce H.G.H naturally with no side effects, and that is with short but intense bodyweight workouts, it has been know that one of best H.G.H boosters is short intense sprints and better yet, is hill sprints- and this is supported by research.

A better way to build even more H.G.H is combining bodyweight exercise with short but intense sprints, vigorous exercise pushes the body to release a surge of growth hormone; eating foods that keep your blood sugar stable and getting a good night sleep H.G.H is secreted most actively at night.

As you become more fit you will still produce H.G.H even when you don't exercise.

1. Short and Intense workouts.

2. Eat low glycemic foods.

3. A good nights sleep.

Look at a sprinter- almost all sprinters have a low percent of body fat and are very lean and muscular; distance runners are usually thin and don't have much muscle.

If we look at how the sprinter trains, he trains doing sprints he doesn't run long distances and the distance runner doesn't usually run sprints.

Try it for yourself:

Find a place you can run for 15 to 20 seconds, a soccer field, football field or a track.

1. Sprint for 15 to 20 seconds- then drop down and do 10 pushups as explosive as possible then 10 mountain climbers.

2. Walk for 15 to 20 seconds- repeat over for 15 to 20 minutes.

Do the best you can with this simple and basic workout, it will work wonders!

Burpees for Great Fat Loss

Burpees for Great Fat Loss

Burpees can be great for fat loss because in the end they are just another form of aerobic exercise.

If you're reading this and wonder what the heck is a burpee, here is the basic routine.

1. You start in a squat position with your hands on the ground in front of you.
2. Then you kick your feet backwards to a push-up position.
3. You then immediately return your feet to their original squat position.
4. Without pause, you then leap up as high as you can from the squat position.

You are using a lot of muscles with you going down to the ground, kicking your feet back, and then leaping into the air.

More importantly, you are employing your quads and butt muscles that make up a large percentage of your muscle mass.
That exercise increases your heart rate and causes your body to burn calories so that it can supply energy to those muscles.

When doing burpees for fat loss you need to keep doing them for between 12 to 20 minutes.
Your body only really kicks into fat burn mode after roughly ten to twelve minutes of exercise.

Since burpees are quite strenuous activity, close monitor how you feel after a few minutes. Stop immediately if you feel light-headed or experience any discomfort or pain.

Doing burpees for longer than 20 minutes at a time could also put your knees at risk. You put a lot of strain on your knees when you leap up into the air and land back on your feet.
Like any aerobic exercise, burpees can be great for fat loss as long as you do them sensibly and do them regularly.

The Grapefruit Diet Plan Reload

The Grapefruit Diet Plan Reload

Ever tried the grapefruit diet?

Turns out there may be some good research to back up grapefruit's reputation as a fat fighter.

In a recent study at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California, researchers studied the effect of grapefruit on weight loss and found that eating half a grapefruit before a meal can actually help people drop weight.

The researchers studied the effect of grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice and real grapefruit. All three seemed to help, but the folks eating the real grapefruit got the best results.

The mechanism isn't completely understood, but the results speak for themselves.

As an added benefit, grapefruit contains cancer-fighting compounds like liminoids and lycopene, and red grapefruit has been shown to help lower triglycerides. And half a grapefruit has only 39 calories.

The Scripps Clinic Study

The 2004 study led by Dr. Ken Fujioka at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found in a 12-week pilot study that on average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds and those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. Additionally, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds.

Dr. Fujioka found that grapefruit diet appears to reduce insulin levels and thus, affects blood sugar regulation. Bear in mind that pancreas secretes insulin in response to the amount of carbohydrate ingested (also affected by the glycemic index and glycemic load of a food or meal) and that grapefruit by itself is considered by some to be low glycemic.

Another theory is that the fruit's low glycemic index is able to help the body's metabolism burn fat.

The Grapefruit Diet Menu

Whenever 'grapefruit' is mentioned below, the dieter has the choice of eating 1/2 a grapefruit or drinking 8 ounces of unsweetened grapefruit juice.

Breakfast: grapefruit + 2 eggs prepared any way you choose + 2 slices of ham

Lunch: grapefruit + salad with the dressing of your choice + all the meat you want

Dinner: grapefruit + salad with the dressing of your choice OR a red or green veggie prepared with butter/spices + meat or fish + 1 cup of coffee or tea

Bedtime Snack: 1 skimmed yogurt

Workouts for the Time-Crunched Woman

Workouts for the Time-Crunched Woman

Warning: this style of workout is WAY different than anything you've ever tried before and may result in a dramatically leaner, stronger body so that your friends no longer recognize you in a matter of weeks!

This workout is great for busy women that always use the excuse that they don't have time to go to the gym, or even for the normal gym rat to try out for a few weeks to break out of a plateau.

The program will consist of only bodyweight exercises done for about 2-3 minutes, 8-10 times per day, throughout each day. Now obviously if you work a normal office job, you are going to have to not be shy about doing a few exercises in your office and having your cube-mates watch you. Actually, I've found that some people that have tried this have actually gotten their co-workers to join them!

If you have a private office, then you don't have to worry about anybody watching you. If you work from home, or are a stay at home mom, there's no reason you can't fit these in throughout the day while at home. If you end up having a busy day with meetings and so forth, and can only fit a couple of these 2-minute workouts in, then so be it, but try to get as many done each day as you can.

I recommend doing your 2-minute workouts every hour, on the hour

Some of the exercises that are the best to focus on are:

• Bodyweight squats (and variations)
• Pushups (and variations)
• Forward, reverse, or walking lunges
• Up & down a staircase if one is available
• Floor planks (holding plank position from forearms and feet)
• Floor abs exercises such as lying leg thrusts, ab bicycles, etc.
• One-legged bodyweight squat

If you know other good bodyweight exercises, you can add those to your routine also. If you want to keep it real simple and don't want to get down on the floor for anything, you can stick to squats, lunges, and pushups and still get great results.

The good thing about these workouts is that you do enough in 2-3 minutes to get your blood pumping, heart rate up a bit, a large portion of your body's muscles worked, and body temperature raised.

Here's an example routine (adjust the reps up or down based on your capabilities):

Mon/Wed/Fri

- 10 pushups/15 bodyweight squats, repeat 1X for 2 sets

- Plank holds (hold the planks as long as you can taking short rest breaks for a total of 3 minutes)

- 5 pushups/10 bodyweight squats, repeat for 4 sets

- Plank holds (hold as long as possible in 3 minutes)

- 8 pushups/12 bodyweight squats, repeat for 3 sets

- Plank holds (hold as long as possible in 3 minutes)

- Max pushups/max bodyweight squats in one set (no repeat)

Tues/Thurs

- 6 fwd lunges each leg/6 rev lunges, repeat 1X for 2 sets

- One legged squat 10 each leg/floor abs for 20 sec, repeat 1X for 2 sets

- 3 fwd lunges each leg/3 rev lunges, repeat for 4 sets

- One legged squat 3 each leg/floor abs for 20 sec, repeat for 4 sets

- 5 fwd lunges each leg/5 rev lunges, repeat for 3 sets

- One legged squat 10 each leg/floor abs for 30 sec (no repeat)

- Max fwd lunges each leg/max rev lunges in one set (no repeat)

In order to progress on these workouts, you could either add 1 or 2 reps to each set per week, or you could progress to more difficult versions of each exercise each week (for example, close grip pushups, one leg raised pushups, squats with arms raised straight over head, etc.).

The above routines are just a couple examples of how you can use this very unique style of training. Use your creativity and come up with your own.

Think about what you've accomplished with these "mini" workouts completed throughout each day... You've increased your heart rate and pumped up your muscles 8-10 different times throughout each day, burning a lot of extra calories and stimulating your metabolism.

Even though each "mini" workout was a very short duration, you've accumulated lots of repetitions for almost every muscle throughout your entire body, and you didn't even have to break a sweat during any of the "mini" workouts.

And there's hardly any excuse for not being able to take a 2-minute break once per hour and do a couple of exercises.

Another benefit of this style of training is that now you don't have to devote any time before or after work to going to the gym because you already got your workouts little by little throughout the day. You've now got some extra free time on your hands!

The Best Exercise for a Thighter Sexier Butt and Thighs

The Best Exercise for a Tighter Sexier Butt and Thighs

The answer to your quest for the best buttocks exercise is not in some fancy machine or butt blaster. In fact, most of your best butt exercises are simply done with bodyweight or free weights. I'll cover one of the most effective exercises for tightening the old buttocks in this article.

It's called the single-legged Squat. It's a great exercise for firming both the buttocks and the back of the thighs. Also, because this is a single-legged exercise, it really helps strengthen your ankles and other stabilizer muscles throughout your legs.

Once you get this down and practice this killer butt and thigh exercise regularly, you'll be well on your way to showing off a tighter, sexier butt!

Single leg squat exercises

Muscles involved: gluteus, hamstrings, quadriceps and core (back and stomach muscles).

Joint motion: hip extension, knee extension.

Sports applicability: All sports, particularly running.

Conditioning benefits

General.

The single leg squat makes a useful alternative to the barbell squat. Indeed, it could be argued that the emphasis between the two exercises should be the other way round, with the barbell squat being a great alternative to the single leg squat. Even without added weight, the exercise develops real strength. And if weight is added, because this does not have to be supported through the back, there is little danger of back injury (see variation, below)

Sport specific.

This is one of the most effective sport specific resistance conditioning exercises available. Most sport skills are performed with an alternate/independent leg action – running being the obvious example – and the single leg squat develops this independent strength. This will:

* Permit the development of more symmetrical leg strength;

* Integrate the core (abdominal and back muscles) into the movement in a way that is highly complimentary to sport performance. During the execution of many sport skills (as with the single leg squat) the core muscles act to ‘brace’ performers to hold them firm, allowing for the optimum expression of power without wasteful lateral movements;

* Develop balance (because the movement is performed from one leg)

Start position

• Stand straight, with your body weight supported on your right foot, which should be flat on the floor. Tuck your left heel up behind you, with your lower leg roughly parallel to the ground and your left knee aligned with the right. Balance;



• Look straight ahead and don’t arch or curve your back but maintain neutral spine position;



• Keep arms by your sides.

Action

• Flex your knees and hips to ‘drop’ your butt towards the floor. Keep your chest lifted;



• Lower to the point where it becomes difficult to maintain your balance, pause and flex your knees and hips to return to the start position. Make sure you do this in a controlled fashion;



• To prevent knee injury:

* Ensure that your knee hinges in a straight line, with lateral movement kept to a minimum;

* Make sure your knee does not travel beyond your toes when lowering and rising;

* Don’t lock your knee out – ie completely straighten it – at the top of the movement.

Training tips

To aid balance you may ‘dab’ the floor with your unsupported foot. Fixing your gaze straight ahead and really focusing on the dynamics of the exercise will serve a similar purpose. Start with 3 x 10 reps, to a one-up, two-down count, with a one-minute recovery between sets. Once you can perform this number of reps with little wobbling from either leg, you are ready to progress to the following exercise variation.

Variation

Single leg squat with hold. Assume the same starting position as above, but this time lower only to a three quarter squat position (with your upper thigh at an angle of about 45° to the ground). Hold your balance for 10 seconds and then push back up to the starting position. The interim (hopefully!) static position will really focus your mind and muscles on stabilisation, and this will strengthen your muscles and joints in a way that will help to prevent sports injuries as well as improve performance. Perform three sets of 10 reps on each leg, alternating between right and left leg. Once you can perform these two single leg squat exercises with ease, you can add to their difficulty in numerous ways. For example, you could hold a medicine ball on your chest, or over your head, or hold dumbbells by your sides while performing the exercises.

Front Squat: Gain Muscle Mass, Lose Body Fat

Front Squat: Gain Muscle Mass, Lose Body Fat

As you may have already discovered, the squat is at the top of the heap (along with deadlifts) as one of the most effective overall exercises for stimulating body composition changes (muscle gain and fat loss).

This is because exercises like squats and deadlifts use more muscle groups under a heavy load than almost any other weight bearing exercises known to man.

Hence, these exercises stimulate the greatest hormonal responses (growth hormone, testosterone, etc.) of all exercises.

In fact, university research studies have even proven that inclusion of squats into a training program increases upper body development, in addition to lower body development, even though upper body specific joint movements are not performed during the squat.

Whether your goal is gaining muscle mass, losing body fat, building a strong and functional body, or improving athletic performance, the basic squat and deadlift (and their variations) are the ultimate solution.

Squats can be done with any free weighted objects such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, or even just body weight.

Squats should only be done with free weights – NEVER with a Smith machine or any other squat machines! Machines do not allow your body to follow natural, biomechanically-correct movement paths.

You also perform less work because the machine stabilizes the weight for you. Therefore, you get weaker results.

The type of squat that people are most familiar with is the barbell back squat where the bar is resting on the trapezius muscles of the upper back. Many professional strength coaches believe that front squats (where the bar rests on the shoulders in front of the head) and overhead squats (where the bar is locked out in a snatch grip overhead throughout the squat) are more functional to athletic performance than back squats with less risk of lower back injury.

I feel that a combination of all three (not necessarily during the same phase of your workouts) will yield the best results for overall muscular development, body fat loss, and athletic performance.

Front squats are moderately more difficult than back squats, while overhead squats are considerably more difficult than either back squats or front squats.

If you are only accustomed to performing back squats, it will take you a few sessions to become comfortable with front squats, so start out light.

After a couple sessions of practice, you will start to feel the groove and be able to increase the poundage.

To perform front squats:

The front squat recruits the abdominals to a much higher degree for stability due to the more upright position compared with back squats.

It is mostly a lower body exercise, but is great for functionally incorporating core strength and stability into the squatting movement.

It can also be slightly difficult to learn how to properly rest the bar on your shoulders. There are two ways to rest the bar on the front of the shoulders.

In the first method, you step under the bar and cross your forearms into an “X” position while resting the bar on the dimple that is created by the shoulder muscle near the bone, keeping your elbows up high so that your upper arms are parallel to the ground. You then hold the bar in place by pressing the thumb side of your fists against the bar for support.

Alternatively, you can hold the bar by placing your palms face up and the bar resting on your fingers against your shoulders.

For both methods, your elbows must stay up high to prevent the weight from falling.

Your upper arms should stay parallel to the ground throughout the squat.

Find out which bar support method is more comfortable for you.

Then, initiate the squat from your hips by sitting back and down, keeping the weight on your heels as opposed to the balls of your feet.

Squat down to a position where your thighs are approximately parallel to the ground, then press back up to the starting position.

Keeping your weight more towards your heels is the key factor in squatting to protect your knees from injury and develop strong injury-resistant knee joints.

Keep in mind – squats done correctly actually strengthen the knees; squats done incorrectly can damage the knees.

Practice first with an un-weighted bar or a relatively light weight to learn the movement. Most people are surprised how hard this exercise works your abs once you learn the correct form. This is due to the more upright posture compared with back squats.

Weight Loss with Green Tea

Weight Loss with Green Tea

Losing weight has been a worldwide concern today that many are in search for the most reliable and safest ways of shredding body fats and thereby achieving optimum health and great physical conditions.

But since most of the faster commercial ways of losing weight has had known adverse side effects, many individuals are relying more and more on the more natural and safer methods of losing weight.

Drinking green tea is among those tried and tested way, whereby individual dieters can opt to do to achieve their weight loss objective.

Green tea extracts have been found to be an effective agent for reducing weight. Despite its caffeine content, the good polyphenol content of green tea balances the effect of too much caffeine intake due to frequent green tea intake.

Researches conducted about the benefits of green tea tea intake have been carried on worldwide but most specifically in China and Japan. Among the findings of these researches conducted through the years, the beneficial effect of green tea on weight loss has been greatly highlighted.

This weight loss benefits was attribute to the polyphenol contents of most tea leaves. Polyphenol are substance that serve as antioxidants, anticancer and antiviral. In the case of green tea leaves, there is a predominant existence of a polyphenol called catechins, a good substance which triggers the body to burn calories faster which in turn promotes faster reduction of body fats. This weight loss reduction benefits are manifested in various ways and means.

One of the ways by which green tea affects weight loss is by speeding up metabolism. By boosting metabolism, calories are easily burned and most of these calories are not stored in the body as retained fat, hence preventing weight gain.

So even if a person eat high calorie food, and drink green tea afterward, most of these calories can be burned by green tea, hence making sure that ample supply of calories is retained in the body.

Another way by which green tea promotes weight loss is by regulating glucose intake after eating. When glucose intake shoots up after meal, this promotes fat storage. But with green tea intake after meal, fat storage is effectively reduced by regulating the movement of glucose into fat cells. Green tea slows down the action of the enzyme called amylase which is aids in breaking down starches or carbs. Once this starches are active. Blood sugar after meal rises.

Also, green tea affects weight loss by reducing appetite. Since blood sugar is regulated when eating, a person's appetite is greatly reduced because of this. Lastly, many drinkers may have not noticed it, but substituting green tea for their regular caffeine dose through regular coffee, they are reducing their sugar intake and hence freeing their body system with a good amount of calories which are later on converted into body fats.

Aside from these ways by which green tea affects weight loss, it should also be emphasized that green tea is natural product and contains no artificial ingredients. Because of this, our body system will have no problem digesting it and utilizing its nutritional value. The antioxidant characteristics of green tea make it a very beneficial drink for everyone.

Despite these benefits, there are still other non-believers who are worried of the caffeine contents of green tea and think that too much of green tea might lead to caffeine overdose. Luckily for these non-believers, green tea, if taken in moderation and in regular intervals has no side effects on the body, whatsoever. The caffeine content of green tea is offset by its nutritional value and antioxidant characteristics.

So, green tea is a proven safe way and that should be incorporated into everyone's diet. It is good for both the diet and health conscious individuals. Green tea can either be taken in its natural form or through variants such such green tea patches and ready made green tea drinks. But then of course, green tea should just be used as a supplemental aid in achieving diet loss. Proper and controlled diet, coupled with a good regular exercise plan should also be practiced in order to achieve that unreachable weight loss goal.

Health Benefits of Green Tea - The following healthy benefits may be gained from a daily dose of green tea:

Circulatory & Blood Benefits from Green Tea:

Green tea may lower blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Green tea may also reduce the risk of blood clots, strokes, heart disease, and heart attack.

Physical, Muscular & Skeletal Benefits of Green Tea:

Green tea may help prevent arthritis. May increase metabolism and accelerate weight loss. It may also slow the aging process and boost immunity. Green tea may also be useful in fighting infections.

Oral Health Benefits from Green Tea:

Green tea may help reduce cavities and prevent tooth decay. Gargling with green tea may help ward off flu viruses.
Green tea may also help prevent some types of cancers, as well as prevent certain diseases. It truly is one of the superheroes in the Beverage World as we know it.

Finally, green tea - as well as all teas, are natural, calorie free, fat free - as long as you don't add milk, sugar, honey, cream, artificial flavorings - etc. Tea is delicious and makes a great beverage whether hot or cold. And green tea, as well as oolong tea, just might help boost metabolism, burn fat and assist you in dropping pounds

Sandbag Training: Strength, Endurance, Fitness

Sandbag Training: Strenght, Endurance, Fitness

Why sandbag Training?

Sandbags are extremely versatile, and sandbag training is easy to learn and challenges the whole body.

Sandbags are bulky, not always symmetrical, the sand can shift and become unbalanced, and they can be challenging just to pick up. Sounds like real life, doesn’t it?
No matter what movement you are doing with a sandbag, you will challenge multiple muscle groups in your body simultaneously.

If you are doing a squat with a sandbag on your shoulder, the first challenge is simply to get that sandbag off of the floor and onto your shoulder. That will take strength, technique, and coordination, unlike standard squats which require you to simply walk under a barbell on a rack.

Also, with a heavy sandbag on one shoulder, your trunk, or core, has to work extra hard to keep your upper body straight while you perform the squat movement. Squatting, walking, pressing, pulling, lunging, etc. while holding sandbags in a variety of positions will challenge your core muscles like no other workout. This will force your body to work as a unit and expend more energy, burning more calories in less time. And, since you will be building serious muscle, you'll continue to burn more calories throughout the day, long after your workout is done.

Why Use Sandbags?

The most obvious seems to be the simplicity of their use. One does not need to invest hundreds of dollars into coaching (although I am available for those who are interested) or have to read any complicated books. Grasp, rip, and lift. You definitely want to pay attention to your lifting posture, but outside of that most of the fun is trying to figure out how to lift the bag.

Sandbag lifting shares a lot in common with kettlebells with regard to their ability to challenge not only strength, but endurance as well. A good bag will force the lifter to maneuver and adjust to the awkward weight. This definitely causes the body to use more muscles and expend greater energy as it is hard to get into one consistent groove. Increasing grip strength is another great reason to use sandbags. There is no piece of equipment that frustrates people as much as sandbags. Why? When using sandbags there is no convenient place to grab. You have to constantly search for an open spot and then crush grip.

However, unlike most pieces of equipment, I find that not only is your crushing grip challenged, but your pinching grip is as well. For those who are into grip training, you will appreciate the distinct difference between the two.

Versatility is important when choosing any form of equipment. With common concerns about money and time it is often silly to invest a great amount of money into something that has limited use. Not only are sandbags cheap, but they can be used for any movement that you can think of from common gym exercises like squats, clean & jerks, to jogging, climbing, dragging, and throwing. With such variety it is hard to get bored. Along with the various exercises come the many holding positions one can use with sandbags. If squatting is getting too easy with the bag on both shoulders go to one shoulder, hold it overhead, hold it in your arms like a Zercher, bear hug, etc. You are really only limited by your imagination.

Sandbags easily lend themselves to team or group training. Because of their cost and transportability, they are easy to set up for small or large groups. This is great for those who wish to combine strength and field work and are concerned about time issues. Coaches can concentrate on full-body lifts and challenge various motor qualities such as maximal strength, endurance, and power development.

Finally, the immense amount of trunk training that occurs with sandbag training alone is almost a good enough reason to use them. Try to squat, run, lunge, jump, or any other movement while holding the sandbag/s in various positions. Doing so challenges all of the trunk muscles.

How to Implement Sandbags

As with any other form of training, sandbags training really comes down to one’s goals. If maximal strength, endurance, or speed are your specific goals, then the program has to be designed according to good training principles. However, one can try to improve several components if the program is designed appropriately.

Circuits: Since fatigue can be somewhat specific, creating a program that emphasizes strength on a lift such as a squat can be followed with relatively short rest by an exercise like an overhead press, and so on.

Density Training: Several great coaches like Ethan Reeve and Charles Staley have written extensively about the benefits of density work. There are several variants such as Charles Staley’s EDT program. Using Coach Staley’s program, we can set up a sandbag routine using a squat with the bag over both shoulders and power clean and jerk. Use a weight you can hit ten repetitions with, but you are only going to be performing sets of five. Set a time frame, approximately fifteen minutes, and alternate between these two exercises using only as much rest as needed.

Another option is to use sandbags as a form of active recovery. You can easily change the load to enhance a motor skill and keep mobility without excessively taxing the body. Using a lighter load for your squat will allow you to enhance the groove of the lift and maintaining flexibility without draining the body from the core routines. Odd lifts such as squatting with the bag on one shoulder can increase core strength that may compliment your squatting routine. Some lifts are just a great overall new challenge such as the Turkish get-up bear hugging a bag. While as sick as this may sound, it can definitely stimulate the fun factor that may help training once again. With so many options sandbags are a simple and easy method and tool to implement. It isn’t a miracle technique but will challenge you in new ways and again don’t underestimate the fact fun while training can bring a world of new progress!

Lots of ideas, most of which sound easy until you try them!

Pick up the sandbag and put it down. Try 3 sets of 10 reps of picking-up-putting-down with a heavy sandbag. To pick up the bag, squat down and bear hug it, then stand up with it. Squat back down to put it down.

Carry the sandbag around. Pick up the sandbag in a bear hug and carry it around your backyard. Try to do a few laps or a few minutes. Rest a bit, then try again. You can also try to carry it while holding the sandbag by the handles of the bag (a little suitcase full of sand would be useful here... get one in each hand, even).

Roll the bag end-over-end.
Pick up the bag and press it overhead, or try to bench press it.
If it's a knapsack, try putting it on your back and squatting with it, or doing calf raises. You can also try to squat/calf raise while bear-hugging the bag, or with the bag on one shoulder.

I use a slight lunge stance to squat with the bag but you can also use a regular squat stance - have some fun with it and experiment to see what you like. The weight of the bag will also determine what feels best.

Grab the bag by the handles and try to row it towards you like a bent-over row. Try it with your arms around the bag too, if the bag is not too big.

Deadlift the bag by the handles. Or, if it's a suitcase or duffel bag type, try one-handed deadlifts with the bag to your side.

Sprint Workout: Antiaging Fitness

Sprint Workout: Antiaging Fitness

If you are over 30, you are likely experiencing somatopause!
Somatopause is the medical term for the weight gain, loss of muscle, energy decline and wrinkled skin you experience when you hit middle age.
To combat somatopause, medical researchers say people must incorporate anaerobic exercise into their weekly fitness routine.
Anaerobic exercise programs, such as SPRINT WORKOUT, help you release your fitness hormone

Researchers show that high-intensity, anaerobic fitness training makes the body produce anti-aging, anti-MIDDLE-aging, athletic performance improving growth hormone NATURALLY.(Impact of acute exercise intensity on pulsatile growth hormone release in men, 2000, Pritzlaff).

This workout is perfect for time-crunched adults because it only takes 20-minutes.
In the truest form, the Sprint Workout means you progressively run 10 sprints for 60 meters (70 yards) in 8 – 15 seconds with a 1.5 to 2 minute walk-back recovery between the sprints.

Running is just one of the ways you can perform the Sprint Workout.

You can do SPRINT WORKOUT with any aerobic activity: swimming, running, rowing, cycling—you name it. After a three-minute warm-up, start a series of eight 30-second intervals.
Prep your muscles for the pace with the first three, then push yourself as hard as possible through the rest.
"If you can keep charging past 30 seconds, you aren't trying hard enough," says Sprint Workout trainer Phil Campbell.

Between each sprint, slow to an easy pace for 90 seconds, to fully recover for the next one. Finish with a couple minutes of easy work.
For the best results, do a series every other day so your body has time off.
If you don't currently have an exercise routine, Campbell suggests you start with at least three weeks of moderate sprints to strengthen your joints' connective tissue and to prep the muscles for full-bore exertion.

Injury Prevention

It's important to spend at least 6 to 8 weeks progressively building up to the Sprint Workout, and warm-up before every workout. And it's always a good idea to obtain physician clearance prior to beginning a fitness program.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS to accomplish the Sprint Workout.

Dr. Steve Kail and many others, report that the recumbent bike is a great way for those with bad knees to do the Sprint Workout.
It’s a good idea to pedal for 2 minutes to get your rhythm and warm-up prior to the first sprint. Then sprint/pedal hard for 20 - 30 seconds with 1.5 – 2 minutes slow-pedal recovery between the 10 sprints.

Swimming, biking, XC skiing, even power-walking up an elevated driveway will do the job, if it will get you winded. There are many ways to perform the Sprint Workout.

Be creative!

The SPRINT WORKOUT program consists of FIVE minutes of sprint intervals* - broken out into TEN, quick 30-second segments - and 20 minutes of "active rest."

The program includes the following phases:
The warm-up period gradually increases your heart rate, respiration and the blood flow to working muscles. The warm-up is controlled by the user to meet their specific needs.

Interval training starts immediately after the warm-up with a 30-second sprint interval. Nine recovery intervals of one minute and 30 seconds will alternate with the ten 30-second sprint intervals.

The cool-down period helps return your body's systems to resting levels.
Less demand is placed on your heart during recovery if an appropriate cool-down takes place following the exercise.

Fiber for a Healthy New You

Fiber for a Healthy New You

Grandma called it "roughage" and today we may call it Fiber, but it is the simple path to regularity, gastrointestinal health and so much more.

It is now medically accepted that people who consume more Fiber have fewer weight problems, along with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and most cancers.

And when it comes to heart health, Fiber is a real superstar.

Unfortunately, the typical American diet is sadly lacking in Fiber.

In fact, Fiber is perhaps our most glaring dietary deficiency. Our diets are based on highly processed and refined foods that offer little nutrition and even less Fiber. We love our fast-food burgers, pizza, pasta and other processed fare. As a result, most of us average just over 10 grams of Fiber a day - considerably less than the World Health Organization's recommendation of 25 to 40 grams.

In fact, of all the ways you can alter your eating habits, no single change will make more of a difference to your health than eating more fiber-rich foods. That's because it forces you to eat healthier.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are not just high in Fiber, but they are also rich in antioxidants, essential oils, phytosterols, phytonutrients and many other heart healthy nutrients.

The Many Ways Fiber Helps Your Body - Especially Your Heart

Fiber plays a number of roles in supporting cardiovascular health and protecting against heart disease.

Eating foods high in Fiber can help balance blood sugar, lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels. In fact, of all the ways to reduce your risk of heart disease, the simplest and most effective is to have a high Fiber diet help you achieve the benefits above.

But how does Fiber have an impact on cholesterol levels?

Actually, it is related to the mechanism of the natural Phytosterols. When you consume Fiber, it forms a gel that traps both the cholesterol from your diet and the recyclable cholesterol found in our body's bile salts.

Instead of being absorbed into the bloodstream, this trapped cholesterol is excreted out of the body, thereby lowering your cholesterol levels.

Better yet, research shows that when you combine a high-Fiber diet with Phytosterol supplements, you can reduce your cholesterol levels by more than 35%, which is comparable to the results you would get by taking one of the popular cholesterol-lowering Statin drugs.

But unlike Statins, Phytosterols and Fiber are 100% natural, and unequivocally safe.

What Happens If You Don't Get Enough Fiber?

Beyond the effects on regularity and your digestive system, consuming insufficient amounts of Fiber can impact heart health. Foods that are dense with Fiber can have a moderating effect on carbohydrate absorption, which in turn helps balance blood sugar levels.

Fluctuating blood sugar can cause the body to fall into a vicious cycle of cholesterol synthesis. And, when the body produces more cholesterol than it needs, the coronary arteries suffer damage, which can lead to heart disease.

How Can You Include More Fiber In Your Diet?

By far the best way to achieve the World Health Organization's recommended daily Fiber intake of 25-40 grams is by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Beans, legumes, seeds and nuts are particularly high in Fiber.

Insulin, the key to weight loss

Insulin, the key to weight loss

Insulin - "The fat maker"

There are certain foods that cause blood sugar levels to rise considerably. The body responds by releasing a significant amount of a hormone called insulin.
It is responsible for keeping our blood sugar levels stabilized and storing the foods we eat into all the appropriate cells in the body. Picture insulin as a wheelbarrow carrying the foods you eat and placing them all in the appropriate places.

If you eat the wrong foods at the wrong times insulin can be your worst enemy by storing the foods you eat in fat cells. When this occurs you will gain weight.

The PRIMARY foods that are most hindering when it comes to losing weight are listed below.

Forbidden Foods:

1. ALL breads
2. Potato
3. Pastas
4. Any food or drink that contains more than 10 grams of sugars per serving. (2 teaspoons)

MOST meats are okay to eat considering they are not fried. If and when you do eat fried foods and/or foods high in fat eat them in small portions and make sure you do not eat ANY of the forbidden foods in the same meal.

Why? Because the forbidden foods cause insulin spikes and if you eat foods that contain fat - pork, hamburger meat, most red meats depending on preparation, fried foods, butters, cooking oils, etc. your body will store most of what you eat in fat cells. Remember, if fat cells increase in size so will you.

Important Technique: For optimal results try not to eat ANY of the forbidden foods a minimum of 4 hours before sleep or exercise.

Why is it best to not eat any of the forbidden foods before exercise? Because they will increase the glycogen levels in the muscles and liver which in turn causes the body to release insulin. This is bad for two reasons.

1. Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate which is used by the muscles as it's primary source of energy. If your muscles are full of glycogen from eating the forbidden foods NO stored fat will be utilized for energy.

2. Insulin prevents the body from breaking down and utilizing stored fat for energy.
The key to weight loss is to deplete glycogen levels in the muscles which in turn will decrease insulin levels. This makes your body capable of utilizing stored fat for energy before, during, and after exercise. For that matter all times of the day and night. This is why we recommend not eating any of the forbidden foods a minimum of 4 hours before sleep. By eating as we described above your body will be forced to revert to stored fat for energy even while you sleep. Fat is only used by the body for energy when it detects that everything is working well and it is being fed properly. If you starve yourself or go on a strict diet your body will revert to muscle proteins for energy and you will lose weight, however, most of the weight will come from muscle tissue. If this happens your body will become less firm and your metabolism will decrease and you will more than likely gain more weight in the form of fat when the diet is stopped. How many times have you heard of people going on diets and then after they stop the diet they gain all the weight back and then some?

AFTER exercise and/or early in the day ANY foods including the forbidden ones can be eaten because the body will utilize most of what you eat to replenish glycogen stores (Energy) in the muscles.

What To Eat

The easiest way to determine what to eat is to choose 1 serving of a PROTEIN FOOD - lean chicken breast, grilled lean steak, lean turkey breast, tuna, grilled or baked fish, etc. combined with a small serving of a STARCH FOOD such as - small red potato, rice, beans, corn, etc. Combined with a serving of ANY GREEN or colored VEGETABLE.

Remember, 1 protein food, 1 small starch food, and 1 green or colored vegetable.

Again, when eating a minimum of 4 hours before exercise and/or sleep you simply eliminate ANY forbidden foods and replace them with another green or colored vegetable, so now you have 1 protein food and 2 green or colored vegetables.

Remember, the key is to have your blood sugar and insulin levels stabilized before exercise so your body will use stored fat for energy.

One thing to remember is that sugars and white carbohydrate foods PREVENT the body from utilizing stored fat for energy therefore preventing weight loss. Protein foods on the other hand HELP the body to burn stored fat.

A good weight loss program will include a sufficient amount of lean protein foods, whole grains, green and colored vegetables, and a minimal amount of white colored foods with the exception of white protein foods (egg whites for example).

Circuit Training: Shortcut to Fitness

Circuit Training: Shortcut to Fitness

Circuit training is short bursts of resistance exercise using moderate weights and frequent repetitions, followed quickly by another burst of exercise targeting a different muscle group.

Because the exerciser switches between muscle groups, no rest is needed between exercises. This gets the heart rate up, which usually doesn't happen during resistance exercise.

Sometimes, to up heart rate further, aerobics are sprinkled between the resistance exercises.

"Ideally," says Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA, in Quincy, Mass., "you get to 40% to 60% of maximum heart rate."

Why Circuit Training Works

Westcott cites the "classic" Cooper Clinic study done in 1982, which studied the effects of doing a circuit workout three times a week. The study had 77 participants, who were divided into three groups.

"One group did not train at all," Westcott says. "One group just did the weights. And the third group jogged in between the weight sessions."

Not surprisingly, the group that didn't train saw no improvement in its cardiovascular fitness. The weights group improved cardio fitness by 12%. And the weights-and-jogging group improved 17%. (The weights group also improved strength by 17% and the weights-and-jogging group improved strength by 22%.)

According to Westcott, a circuit workout improves both strength and endurance, and jump-starts metabolism.

"When those women leave the gym, they are still burning a third more calories than they did in the workout -- and this goes on for hours!" he says. "Once you build muscle, muscle burns more calories [than fat], so you continue to burn more."

Although weight training has traditionally been a male pastime, it's important for women, who tend to lose muscle mass at the rate of 1% per year in their late 30s and 40s. This muscle often gets replaced by fat.

But you need muscles to cushion joints and help protect against osteoporosis, among other benefits. That's not to mention the trimmer, tighter appearance you'll gain by toning up.

Circuit training works because it's short and sweet and people actually do it.

"It's brief, it's basic, it's consistent; no frills, over quickly" is how Westcott puts it.

Is Circuit Training Enough?

But is a 30-minute workout enough? "I hate that question," says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, chief exercise physiologist of the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.

"Speaking purely scientifically, 30 minutes is probably not enough to maintain normal weight over a lifetime."

The Institute of Medicine recently recommended an hour of exercise a day.
"However," Bryant continues, "circuit is often done by people who weren't exercising before." And he sees why many people are drawn to Circuit Training in particular.

"The environment is conducive to comfort -- there is no intimidation factor," he says. "You are not surrounded by so-called beautiful people and figure you're so far from the norm, why bother?"

Even if your circuit workouts include jogging intervals, Bryant recommends adding some brisk walking or other aerobic activity to your day.

"Do things you enjoy!" he urges.

Circuit Training at Home

If driving to the gym (much less working out in front of God and everybody) is a deterrent, Westcott recommends setting up a modified circuit at home.

This way, you can also tailor your circuit to your fitness level.

Beginners, for example, might use 5-pound weights and move up as their strength improves.

Your home circuit could go like this:

30 seconds of squats
30 seconds on a stationary bike, or jogging in place or on a treadmill
30 seconds of lunges (watch those knees!)
30 seconds of cycling or jogging
30 seconds of chest presses on a weight bench or sturdy table
30 seconds of cycling or jogging
30 seconds of bent-over rows on a weight bench or sturdy table
30 seconds of cycling or jogging
30 seconds of shoulder presses (push your arms straight overhead with palms facing out)
30 seconds of cycling or jogging
30 seconds of biceps curls
30 seconds of cycling or jogging
Repeat the whole cycle at least three times.

And you don't even need to invest in weights, at least not at first. Bryant says you can fill gallon milk jugs with sand or water to make a weight.

The important thing, Bryant says, is to make an effort.

"Exercise is cumulative. Each time you do it, the benefits add to the last," he says. "I say it's like loose change. It adds up."

And to make sure you keep at it, choose an activity that fits into your schedule -- and that you enjoy.

Cinnamon Can Lower Blood Sugar

Cinnamon Can Lower Blood Sugar


What It Is

Cinnamomum cassia is the dried bark of evergreen trees cultivated throughout Asia, though we know it best as the powder that flavors apple pie and other goodies.

What Traditional Medicine Says

As early as 2700 BC, Chinese herbalists treated diarrhea and kidney disorders with cinnamon. Later, Greek healers and practitioners of Indian Ayurvedic medicine valued it as a remedy for digestive problems.

What We Know

Cinnamon may help lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Pakistani researchers gave 60 type 2 diabetics with borderline-high lipid levels a daily placebo pill or one with 1 to 6 g of cinnamon. After 40 days, those in the cinnamon group saw their cholesterol levels fall by at least 13% and their triglyceride levels by at least 23%. The placebo had no effect.

Cinnamon's unique healing abilities come from three basic types of components in the essential oils found in its bark. These oils contain active components called cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, and cinnamyl alcohol, plus a wide range of other volatile substances.

Anti-Clotting Actions

Cinnamaldehyde (also called cinnamic aldehyde) has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. Platelets are constituents of blood that are meant to clump together under emergency circumstances (like physical injury) as a way to stop bleeding, but under normal circumstances, they can make blood flow inadequate if they clump together too much.

The cinnaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets. (The way it accomplishes this health-protective act is by inhibiting the release of an inflammatory fatty acid called arachidonic acid from platelet membranes and reducing the formation of an inflammatory messaging molecule called thromboxane A2.)

Cinnamon's ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes also puts it in the category of an "anti-inflammatory" food that can be helpful in lessening inflammation.

Anti-Microbial Activity

Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida. In laboratory tests, growth of yeasts that were resistant to the commonly used anti-fungal medication fluconazole was often (though not always) stopped by cinnamon extracts.

Cinnamon's antimicrobial properties are so effective that recent research demonstrates this spice can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives. In a study, published in the August 2003 issue of the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the addition of just a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to 100 ml (approximately 3 ounces) of carrot broth, which was then refrigerated, inhibited the growth of the foodborne pathogenic Bacillus cereus for at least 60 days.

When the broth was refrigerated without the addition of cinnamon oil, the pathogenic B. cereus flourished despite the cold temperature. In addition, researchers noted that the addition of cinnamon not only acted as an effective preservative but improved the flavor of the broth.(October 1, 2003)

What New Research Shows

Cinnamon can help rein in blood sugar. German researchers collected blood from 65 adults with type 2 diabetes who then took a capsule containing the equivalent of 1 g of cinnamon powder or a placebo three times a day for 4 months. By the end, cinnamon reduced blood sugar by about 10%; the placebo users improved by only 4%. Compounds in cinnamon may activate enzymes that stimulate insulin receptors.

Spice your Weight Loss!

Spice your Weight Loss!

A number of factors can contribute to the development of obesity. These take effect through a range of different mechanisms but, in all cases, the consequence is the storage of surplus energy as excessive quantities of body fat. Spices such as chilies, garlic and fenugreek can help to check weight gain and reduce obesity.

Fat deposition is a defensive mechanism that enables the storage of energy when food is abundant, thereby increasing the chances of survival during times of food scarcity and famine. In earlier times those individuals who were efficient at storing fat were more likely to survive food shortages. Unfortunately, during times of plenty we retain this innate capacity to store fat and what was once an advantage for the efficient energy accumulators has now become a health risk for them.

Viewed simplistically, obesity is caused by too much energy intake, in the form of food, and not enough energy output, in the form of basic metabolic processes and exercise. However, the reasons that so many of us become overweight or obese are a little more complex than this straightforward equation suggests. Although a sedentary lifestyle and the availability of cheap, high-energy carbohydrate and fat-laden foods are the principal causes of obesity, there are sometimes other aggravating factors. These are diverse and include a genetic predisposition; lifestyle-related factors such as stress and sleep deprivation; psychological problems that manifest themselves as eating disorders; underlying illness; certain medications; a diet dominated by high glycaemic index foods; and habitual dieting with its attendant weight cycling. It has been suggested recently that certain virus infections can increase a tendency to put on weight.

In many cases these factors work by interfering with our appetite control mechanisms, which are partially responsible for the maintenance of normal weight. The failure of appetite (satiety) control is often directly responsible for obesity and can exacerbate and entrench the condition once it has developed. Satiety control mechanisms may also be dampened as a consequence of obesity which has been caused by other factors. A number of mechanisms are involved in this complex regulatory system, and a malfunction of any one of these may result in the consumption of excess food.

The senses of smell and taste are two of the most important of the appetite control mechanisms. When we smell or eat food, receptors in the nose are stimulated by food odor molecules and convey these signals to the satiety centre in the brain. By monitoring the intensity of these signals, the satiety centre is able to gauge when we have had enough to eat. As a result, individuals who have a poor sense of smell or who suffer from a complete loss of the sense of smell tend to eat more than those with a normal sense of smell. Unsurprisingly, strongly flavored and seasoned foods - which often owe this property to spices - stimulate the satiety centre far more effectively than bland foods, and we tend to eat less of the former as a result.

Distention of the stomach by food also induces the release of hormones that act as appetite suppressants and some foods, particularly the spices, have the same effects, even in the absence of stomach distention. A group of hormones, one of which is leptin, are produced by fat tissue and are thought to play an important role in appetite regulation.
Spices have a number of properties that make them effective agents to help prevent and treat obesity. In their role as appetite suppressants, spices are known to work in three principal ways.

1. Appetite suppression:

The strong odors and flavors common to all spices rapidly stimulate the satiety center in the brain, thereby diminishing feelings of hunger. Certain spices, such as chilies, act by simulating the release of appetite suppressing hormones in the intestine. Garlic meanwhile reduces the appetite by increasing the brain's sensitivity to leptin.

2. Increase metabolic rate:

Some spices stimulate the nervous system to release hormones like adrenalin. These hormones speed up the metabolic rate which, in turn, helps "burn off" surplus fat. Capsicums (including chilies and red peppers) and garlic have both been shown to increase the metabolic rate, in some cases by up to 10 percent. Clinical trials have demonstrated that these spices can be effective both in protecting against weight gain and assisting in weight loss. In the capsicum family, more than one phytochemical is known to be responsible for this effect: capsaicin (found in high amounts in chilies) and the less spicy capsiate (found in the milder paprika and red peppers) both increase metabolic rate.

Capsaicin, the compound that gives red pepper its heat, could inhibit the growth of fat cells, says a new laboratory study.

"The results of this study clearly showed that capsaicin could inhibit the population growth and the induction of apoptosis [programmed cell death] in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes [cells that can be stimulated to form fat cells]," wrote Gow-Chin Yen and Chin-Lin Hsu in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The researchers, from the National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan, note that previous studies have suggested that obesity may be reduced by preventing immature fat cells (adipocytes) from developing into mature cells, and other studies have shown that capsaicin can decrease the amount of fat tissue and decrease fat levels in the blood.

3. Reduce fat absorption:

Ginger, fenugreek and garlic all have the ability to reduce the absorption of fat from the intestines.

The diverse ways in which spices act provide the ideal combination of tools to help with the natural treatment of obesity.

In conjunction with a sensible weight loss program, they are useful natural treatments for obesity and overweight.

Interval Training: Fast Fat Loss!

Interval Training: Fast Fat Loss!

Lack of time and lack of results are two reasons people give for not exercising.

Interval training is a great solution to these two common problems!

Interval training involves short bursts of intense activity with what is called active recovery, which is typically a less-intense form of the original activity.

Interval training can help you avoid injury that often accompanies non-stop, repetitive activity. It also provides you the opportunity to increase your intensity without burning yourself out in a matter of minutes.

Interval training should be based on the needs and perceptions of the participant. In other words, how you feel determines the length and speed of each interval.
The advantages of interval training are many. It utilizes the body’s two energy production systems: the aerobic and the anaerobic.

The aerobic system is the one that allows you to walk or run for several miles. It uses oxygen to convert carbohydrates from various sources throughout the body into energy.

The anaerobic system, on the other hand, draws energy from carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) stored in muscles for short bursts of activity such as sprinting, jumping, or lifting heavy objects.

This system does not require oxygen, nor does it provide enough energy for more than the most brief of activities. And its byproduct, lactic acid, is responsible for that achy, burning sensation in your muscles that you feel after, say, running up several flights of stairs.

Interval training allows you to enjoy the benefits of anaerobic activities without having to endure those burning muscles.

In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout.

The intensity of each interval is up to how you feel and what you are trying to achieve. The same is true for the length of time of each interval. For example, if your habit is to walk 2 miles per day in 30 minutes, you can easily increase the intensity of your walk (as well as its calorie-burning potential) by picking up the pace every few minutes and then returning to your usual speed.

When you first start interval training, each interval can be a negotiation with yourself depending on how strong or energetic you happen to feel during that particular workout.

Don’t forget the endorphins kick in at about 5 minutes into your workout, so how you feel when you start may be different once the endorphins kick in!

Interval training also helps break up the boredom that often comes with doing the same thing day after day.

Be sure to consider these four variables when designing an interval training program:

1. Intensity (speed) of work interval

2. Duration (distance or time) of work interval

3. Duration of rest or recovery interval

4. Number of repetitions of each interval

When you first begin interval training you may only be able to do ONE interval throughout your entire thirty minute workout. That’s ok, we will work up to more.

Interval training is proven to work. Most important it does increase calorie-burning potential.

The Low Glycemic Index Diet

The Low Glycemic Index Diet

The Low Glycemic Index Diet has become quite popular because it provides numerous advantages. While the diet was first developed as a way for individuals who with diabetes to better manage their condition it quickly evolved into a weight to lose weight and even as a lifestyle change to effectively maintain weight loss.

One of the main reasons why people switch to a low GI diet is that they want to lose weight and this diet has proven to be effective in helping people to lose weight.

There are also many other advantages; however. For example, research indicates that diets that are based on low GI foods can also help to reduce the risk of developing many health conditions such as diabetes and cancer as well as heart disease.

Some research suggests that you can even cut the risk of developing these diseases in half by following the Low Glycemic Index Diet.

Another major benefit is the ability to lower blood pressure as well as lower cholesterol levels.
Additionally, individuals who have followed the diet have been found to have their body's ability to fight disease boosted. This is accomplished by strengthening the immune system, providing numerous other overall health benefits.

-Low GI diets help people lose and control weight
-Low GI diets increase the body's sensitivity to insulin
-Low GI carbs improve diabetes control
-Low GI carbs reduce the risk of heart disease
-Low GI carbs reduce blood cholesterol levels
-Low GI carbs can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS
-Low GI carbs reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer
-Low GI carbs prolong physical endurance

The Low Glycemic Index Diet is able to bring about these benefits because it is based on consuming foods that are relatively low on the glycemic index and restriction consumption or avoiding foods that are high on the index.

The glycemic index itself ranks foods according to how fast the body is able to digest them. Those foods which are digest more slowly by the body and therefore do not raise the body's blood sugar levels as high rank low on the scale and are acceptable.

Other foods are digested slightly more quickly and dieters are therefore advised to proceed with caution regarding those foods; however, they are not restricted.

These foods rank from 56 to 69 on the glycemic index.

The final category consists of foods that are digested very quickly by the body, rapidly raising the body's blood sugar levels. These foods score between 70 and 110 on the glycemic index. For the most part, these foods consist of highly processed and refined foods such as sugary foods.

Most vegetables, as long as they are not starchy vegetables, are quite allowable on the Low Glycemic Index Diet. Fruits are also encouraged, unlike may other diets which warn against the consumption of too much fruit because they are considered to be high in natural sugars.

While the advantages of this diet are quite obvious it should be understood that this is not a diet which can be followed for a short period of time and then abandoned with the expectation of keeping the weight off. One of the important considerations of this diet is that it is more of a lifestyle change rather than a short term diet.

Moderate exercise is required in order to assure weight loss and continued weight loss maintenance.

Failure to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle can result in failure to lose weight or gaining weight back.
If you're ready to take advantage of a healthier lifestyle, reduce your chance of developing serious health conditions and lose weigh the Low Glycemic Index Diet may be just right for you.

More information in www.glycemicindex.com (University of Sydney)

Abs Routine: The Fantastic Three

Abs Routine: The Fantastic Three

You need to know three aspects that make your abs visible.

These three significant aspects will cause the coveted six pack condition.

#1 Fat Loss -- reveal your abs

#2 Build your ab muscles -- like biceps you build peaks to your six packs.

#3 Ab muscle tone -- the degree of involuntary flex of your abs when at rest.

Any of the above aspects when pursued vigorously will create a washboard waist. Now if you combine all three to a moderate level you will have outstanding abs.

Let us look at real life examples.

To illustrate fat loss, we can look at dancers, long distance runners, or fast growing teens. Each of these examples in many cases are extremely thin with body fat percentages around 2 or 3 percent.

To illustrate developed ab muscle we can look at heavily muscled body builders, strong men or power lifters. These athletes have built tremendously muscled abs with high peaks. Most of the above have considerable body fat when compared to the first group. They may have broad waists but when they flex for a pose or for a lift, magically the abs pop out! Even the smoothest body builder with no sign of ab separation can make them appear with a flex. Now pumping iron for 10 years and gaining 50 or 100 lbs. of muscle as many of these athletes have done is impractical for most.

To illustrate ab muscle tone we can look at athletes, gymnasts, martial arts, and boxers. These athletes spent countless hours flexing their abs with medicine ball work and absorbing punches. That muscle tone acts like a shield of armor for a fighter in the match. Have you ever watched a non title fight particularly in the heavier divisions. Many of these boxers may seem smooth and some are down right fat. Although this may be the case you can almost always see two or four blocks of abs.

This tone or partially flexed condition is a result of many hours of work. It is not uncommon for fighters to sequester themselves for months to train away from home and family.

So there we have the examples of three extremes. How do us regular people adopt these three aspects of ab development?

A moderate program of fat loss coupled with ab development and tone will yield fabulous results.

Here is the Fantastic Three program in capsule form:

Fat loss

3 mornings a week on an empty stomach except for a glass of water and a cup of coffee, do three 5 minute rounds of sprinting.

Between the 5 minute rounds stretch your calves and rotate your feet.

After sprinting put on a dry shirt and take a 20 minute walk.

After that its your six minute ab routine, half undressed and heading for the shower.

Fat loss analysis of above protocol:

#1 Highest fat burning in morning after eight hour fast.

#2 Water prevents dehydration and coffee aids in fat burning as well as acting as a stimulant for intense workout.

#3 Short intense aerobics followed by longer less intense aerobics promotes fat loss without losing muscle.

Ab Development:

Vacuum exercise performed in front of a mirror. It is three sets of vacuum exercise followed by three sets of squeeze exercise. Squeeze and vacuum and concentrate on your abs.

Ab Development, analysis of above protocol:

#1 Performing ab exercises that limit you rep range to under ten promotes muscle growth , more pronounced peaks and valleys.

#2 Flexing and visual feedback from mirror guarantee total ab involvement.

#3 Slowly squeezing your abs causes greater growth stimulation.

Muscle tone

During the 3 days of ab work and aerobics incorporate 3 forty five seconds of ab flexing in front of a mirror. These are done afternoon, evening or just before bed. The 45 second ab flexing looks like a posing routine for abs. Looking in the mirror as flex and try to show as much separation in your abs by twisting and flexing hard.

Ab Muscle tone, analysis of above protocol:

#1 Twice a day ab training is most effective for growth and recovery.

#2 Teaching your ab muscles to flex for 45 seconds develops the abs automatic responses to other body moves.

#3 Three 45 second intense ab squeezes stimulate and develop more ab muscle tone then 100 crunches.

There you have it. Efficient targeted routine to show off your abs.

Easy Effective Tips for Narrowing your Waist

Easy Effective tips for Narrowing your Waist.

#1 The Vacuum
This can be performed sitting, standing or walking. Performed 2 or 3 times a day for noticeable results. This is how it is done. First stand with your hands behind your head. Now exhale all the air from your lungs as you bend forward slightly. Without allowing any air back into your lungs suck your diaphragm up into your lungs as you’re straightened up. Hold for 2 seconds then breath. This sucking in technique takes some practice. After awhile you can perform the vacuum without the help of any bending or arm movement.

#2 The Squeeze
Flexing the abs as if posing for an ab photo. A mirror will help, so will placing one or both arms overhead. Static flexing is another do anywhere, anytime technique for firming and flattening the abdominal wall.

#3 Eat smaller more frequent meals
If the above two techniques narrow your waist then overeating will stretch your abdomen even if there is minimal fat on it. By eating small, frequent meals your waist remains narrow.

#4 Eat roughage
Small meals keep from stretching your abs while roughage eliminates the meals. Elimination (bowel movements) should occur 2 to 3 times a day. One big meal or 3 small meals that are not moved equal the same result, abdominal stretching. Roughage is found in whole grain, raw and cook vegetables.

The Ab flexing part of this routine
Now all of the above can easily be incorporated into your daily routine. Within 2 weeks you should see appreciable results. Small measures added together then multiplied equal large results.

Add techniques
#1 + #2 + #3 + #4 , 3 times a day, 7 days a week = narrow waist