0 Votes You may be aware that there are certain chemicals that make up part of the environment and food supply today that can generate more estrogen inside our bodies. Some examples of these are pesticides, herbicides and petrochemicals.
You may or may not know that these can cause an increase in stomach fat for both Men and Women. This is something that everyone should know, especially if you are trying to lose stomach fat.
The name of these chemincals are xenoestrogens (they even have a horrible name, don't they?), and when you are exposed to them through the food supply, water supply or the environment, they will stop your body from getting rid of stomach fat.
"No problem" - I hear you say. You can just stay away from the offending foods and that's it, right? Wrong.
Although you may be careful with what you eat and stick to organic food, it is very hard not to get some amount of daily exposure to xenoestrogens. They are found all over the place - even in the perfume you wear and the cleaning products you use in your house.
So, what can be done to battle the impact of the xenoestrogens in causing you to retain unwelcome stomach fat?
The great news is that there are certain types of vegetables that will assist you in your aim of losing stomach fat.
There are many types of vegetables, teas, spices, etc that have compounds which can help to fight the negative effects of xenoestrogens. Possibly the most effectual are cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.
These vegetables have very special and unique compounds (such as indole-3-carbinol - if you are interested) that can help to fight against the negative impact of of xenoestrogens on your body, and therefore, can assist you to burn off belly fat more effectively.
There are already loads of terrific reasons for consuming broccoli and cauliflower - now you can add losing stomach fat to the list!
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Sunday, 12 December 2010
Healthy Foods That Help Burn Fat
0 Votes Have you woken up one morning realizing you are overweight and as hard as you try, you can't recall how you came to this state? You can't seem to track it back to any particular event or series of events, because its something that over years from eating poorly and leading sedentary lives. Because this is something that has built up over many years, its also something that won't go away over night.
Fortunately the reverse is true if you were to start eating healthy and getting some regular exercise. The situation is not out of your hands yet.
Anyone who wants to lose weight needs to watch their intake of food. It's important to eat healthy, because you are what you eat.
If you are going to watch what you eat, you need to focus on the key foods that will not only promote fat loss but are also helpful for your good health.
When you make the decision to start eating healthier, its better not to quit cold turkey as this can be a very stressful change, and stress isn't good for us. So start by making a few changes at a time, replacing some of the junk foods with the foods below slowly.
Soy Protein
As omnivores, we eat both plant and animal, and from these food sources we get protein. Protein is vital in building and repairing our bodily tissues (Muscles and Organs). Because many of the animal based proteins carry some unnecessary fats (some fats are good, and some are bad), and through the growing, feeding and slaughtering process may come in contact with chemicals or biologicals that we do not want, there is a growing push for the tiny but powerful soy bean. The soy bean is a complete protein which is not that common for plants or vegetables, and its protein is not as high quality as the whey or animal proteins, it comes about as close to a magic weight loss pill as we can get.
Proteins require a great deal of calories just to digest so by eating a clean light source of protein such as soy we are gaining a double benefit.
Whole Grains
You have a whole grain when you have bran, germ and endosperm present. Whole grains are a great source of key nutrients. They are one of the top sources of vitamin B, E, iron, magnesium and fibre.
Here is a list of some good whole grain foods...
Whole Wheat
Wild Rice
Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Whole Oats
Whole Rye
Barley
Popcorn (no salt or butter)
Not only do whole grains provide the benefit of decreasing the chance for heart disease, and the potential for blood clots, they are also good for fat loss.
The Grapefruit
You may remember the grapefruit diet, its remarkable fat loss properties being attributed to crazy and mythological qualities of the grapefruit, well crazy as all that sounds...the grapefruit is a great fat loss food, but for more realistic reasons.
The grapefruit has been shown to reduce insulin levels in the body by a very small amount, and this means that you will store less sugar as fat, not to mention lower insulin levels lower your appetite.
The grapefruit is also a highly fibrous food and low in calories and it actually takes more calories to digest it than there exist in the fruit itself. As a result the grapefruit is a great food to add to your morning breakfast or any meal.
Apples
Water rich fruits like apples contain pectin and this can limit how much fat your cells will absorb. There are other benefits to apples and small berries as they contain considerable antioxidants and are just plain good for you. The age old saying.
View the Original article
Fortunately the reverse is true if you were to start eating healthy and getting some regular exercise. The situation is not out of your hands yet.
Anyone who wants to lose weight needs to watch their intake of food. It's important to eat healthy, because you are what you eat.
If you are going to watch what you eat, you need to focus on the key foods that will not only promote fat loss but are also helpful for your good health.
When you make the decision to start eating healthier, its better not to quit cold turkey as this can be a very stressful change, and stress isn't good for us. So start by making a few changes at a time, replacing some of the junk foods with the foods below slowly.
Soy Protein
As omnivores, we eat both plant and animal, and from these food sources we get protein. Protein is vital in building and repairing our bodily tissues (Muscles and Organs). Because many of the animal based proteins carry some unnecessary fats (some fats are good, and some are bad), and through the growing, feeding and slaughtering process may come in contact with chemicals or biologicals that we do not want, there is a growing push for the tiny but powerful soy bean. The soy bean is a complete protein which is not that common for plants or vegetables, and its protein is not as high quality as the whey or animal proteins, it comes about as close to a magic weight loss pill as we can get.
Proteins require a great deal of calories just to digest so by eating a clean light source of protein such as soy we are gaining a double benefit.
Whole Grains
You have a whole grain when you have bran, germ and endosperm present. Whole grains are a great source of key nutrients. They are one of the top sources of vitamin B, E, iron, magnesium and fibre.
Here is a list of some good whole grain foods...
Whole Wheat
Wild Rice
Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Whole Oats
Whole Rye
Barley
Popcorn (no salt or butter)
Not only do whole grains provide the benefit of decreasing the chance for heart disease, and the potential for blood clots, they are also good for fat loss.
The Grapefruit
You may remember the grapefruit diet, its remarkable fat loss properties being attributed to crazy and mythological qualities of the grapefruit, well crazy as all that sounds...the grapefruit is a great fat loss food, but for more realistic reasons.
The grapefruit has been shown to reduce insulin levels in the body by a very small amount, and this means that you will store less sugar as fat, not to mention lower insulin levels lower your appetite.
The grapefruit is also a highly fibrous food and low in calories and it actually takes more calories to digest it than there exist in the fruit itself. As a result the grapefruit is a great food to add to your morning breakfast or any meal.
Apples
Water rich fruits like apples contain pectin and this can limit how much fat your cells will absorb. There are other benefits to apples and small berries as they contain considerable antioxidants and are just plain good for you. The age old saying.
View the Original article
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Top 7 Tips To Stretch Your Back, Hip And Leg Flexibility
1 Votes How much time should you spend stretching? This is up to you. To do all the repetitions of all exercises in the following would take at least 30 minutes. It is encouraged to try all the stretches and then decide what works best for you. You may choose to do only a few exercises that seem most helpful for your back condition. Or you may decide to do fewer repetitions of each exercise. Or you may do everything. You are the best person to decide what works for you. The exercises do not all have to be done at once. You can do a little here and there over the course of your day. Here are some of the tips that you can consider to adopt.
1. Trunk Rotation
Lie on your back with your arms out to your sides. Bend your knees and either place your feet flat on the floor or pull your knees up toward your chest. Roll your legs to one side and then the other. Experiment with leg positions to find the one that is most comfortable for you. Move from side to side 20 times. Hold the last stretch to each side for 20 seconds while you relax and breathe easily.
2. Knees To Chest
While lying on your back, pull one leg at a time up to your chest. Then raise your knees and pull both toward your chest at the same time. Do 20 repetitions of each motion, holding the last repetition for 20 seconds.
3. Hamstring Stretch
Lie flat on your back in the neutral position. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right leg, at a 90-degree angle so that the lower right leg is parallel to the ground. Clasp your hands behind your right knee, and begin to straighten your right leg. Do a gradual stretch three to five times, holding it for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat the stretch with the opposite leg.
4. Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel down on your right knee. Make sure that your upper body is straight and that your left leg is bent a 90-degree angle. Keeping your hips square and your upper body perpendicular to the ground, drive your hips forward. As you move forward, you should feel the stretch in your right hip. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the other leg.
5. Quadriceps Stretch
While standing, reach back and grab your right foot or ankle with your right hand. Pull your foot up toward your buttock to stretch the muscles on the front of your thigh. Keep your knee pointing down and next to the other knee. Be sure to stand up straight and avoid twisting. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the opposite leg.
6. Calf Stretch
Stand with one foot in front of the other or with your feet together. Keep your toes pointing forward and your heels on the floor. Lean forward to feel a stretch at the back of your ankle and calf. Hold it for 20 to 30 seconds. Relax and repeat three to five times.
7. Gluteal Stretch
Lie on your back with both legs flat on the floor. Grab your knee and ankle with your hands and pull it toward the opposite shoulder. Hold it for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the other leg.Back To Articles
View the Original article
1. Trunk Rotation
Lie on your back with your arms out to your sides. Bend your knees and either place your feet flat on the floor or pull your knees up toward your chest. Roll your legs to one side and then the other. Experiment with leg positions to find the one that is most comfortable for you. Move from side to side 20 times. Hold the last stretch to each side for 20 seconds while you relax and breathe easily.
2. Knees To Chest
While lying on your back, pull one leg at a time up to your chest. Then raise your knees and pull both toward your chest at the same time. Do 20 repetitions of each motion, holding the last repetition for 20 seconds.
3. Hamstring Stretch
Lie flat on your back in the neutral position. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right leg, at a 90-degree angle so that the lower right leg is parallel to the ground. Clasp your hands behind your right knee, and begin to straighten your right leg. Do a gradual stretch three to five times, holding it for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat the stretch with the opposite leg.
4. Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel down on your right knee. Make sure that your upper body is straight and that your left leg is bent a 90-degree angle. Keeping your hips square and your upper body perpendicular to the ground, drive your hips forward. As you move forward, you should feel the stretch in your right hip. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the other leg.
5. Quadriceps Stretch
While standing, reach back and grab your right foot or ankle with your right hand. Pull your foot up toward your buttock to stretch the muscles on the front of your thigh. Keep your knee pointing down and next to the other knee. Be sure to stand up straight and avoid twisting. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the opposite leg.
6. Calf Stretch
Stand with one foot in front of the other or with your feet together. Keep your toes pointing forward and your heels on the floor. Lean forward to feel a stretch at the back of your ankle and calf. Hold it for 20 to 30 seconds. Relax and repeat three to five times.
7. Gluteal Stretch
Lie on your back with both legs flat on the floor. Grab your knee and ankle with your hands and pull it toward the opposite shoulder. Hold it for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the other leg.Back To Articles
View the Original article
A Treadmill Exercise Routine Provides Advantages for Your Health
0 Votes Studies have shown that walking is the premiere exercise. It can be done by almost anyone at anytime. Walking on a regular basis helps one live longer and healthier.
There are many people who do not exercise simply because they don't know what to do or exercise is inconvenient. A simple treadmill exercise routine is the answer for many people as it is convenient, readily can fit into one's schedule, offers healthy benefits anc can be fun too. Taking control of the exercise is important for a good treadmill exercise routine.
Treadmill exercise routines provide the typical benefits of a cardio exercise. A person walking on a treadmill can strengthen the heart and improve their cardiovascular fitness. This will improve one's blood circulation and maintain good heart blood pressure.
Of course using this exercise machine does not guarantee a longer life but the fitness benefits gained will provide a healthier and better overall quality of life. Additionally this exercise tends to play on a person's genetic traits and in this respect may prolong one's life.
The use of a treadmill exercise routine does not take a great deal of time to provide beneficial results. Many people are able to do their routines over a lunch break. Experts can recommend a complete series of plans for routines to do on different days to keep your exercise from becoming too routine and mundane.
A typical routine usually provides a mix of hill climbs, long slow easy walks, brisk power walks, and speed intervals. One can also add unique strength moves and perhaps use hand weights to create a cumulative effect for overall fitness.
One idea for a treadmill exercise routine is to create a 3 month plan. During each week within this plan create different routines and goals for each week. If you are just starting week one might just be slower walks to get comfortable on the treadmill. Then for the next few weeks you might designate some days of the week as cardio days, some as strength days etc. Then craft a plan so that each Monday you will be doing a particular routine until you get everyday planned for you 3 months.
You will want to have some days for inclines and some for intervals. You may choose to have one day that has a little bit of each technique. Write your plan down and keep a journal of your progress. At the end of your 3 months, evaluate your treadmill exercise routine and use your notes to create a new plan or just tweak your existing plan for use for another 3 months.
While this is just an example to get you thinking, remember there are internet resources and books that give additional ideas that you can use to create your own treadmill exercise routine. Back To Articles
View the Original article
There are many people who do not exercise simply because they don't know what to do or exercise is inconvenient. A simple treadmill exercise routine is the answer for many people as it is convenient, readily can fit into one's schedule, offers healthy benefits anc can be fun too. Taking control of the exercise is important for a good treadmill exercise routine.
Treadmill exercise routines provide the typical benefits of a cardio exercise. A person walking on a treadmill can strengthen the heart and improve their cardiovascular fitness. This will improve one's blood circulation and maintain good heart blood pressure.
Of course using this exercise machine does not guarantee a longer life but the fitness benefits gained will provide a healthier and better overall quality of life. Additionally this exercise tends to play on a person's genetic traits and in this respect may prolong one's life.
The use of a treadmill exercise routine does not take a great deal of time to provide beneficial results. Many people are able to do their routines over a lunch break. Experts can recommend a complete series of plans for routines to do on different days to keep your exercise from becoming too routine and mundane.
A typical routine usually provides a mix of hill climbs, long slow easy walks, brisk power walks, and speed intervals. One can also add unique strength moves and perhaps use hand weights to create a cumulative effect for overall fitness.
One idea for a treadmill exercise routine is to create a 3 month plan. During each week within this plan create different routines and goals for each week. If you are just starting week one might just be slower walks to get comfortable on the treadmill. Then for the next few weeks you might designate some days of the week as cardio days, some as strength days etc. Then craft a plan so that each Monday you will be doing a particular routine until you get everyday planned for you 3 months.
You will want to have some days for inclines and some for intervals. You may choose to have one day that has a little bit of each technique. Write your plan down and keep a journal of your progress. At the end of your 3 months, evaluate your treadmill exercise routine and use your notes to create a new plan or just tweak your existing plan for use for another 3 months.
While this is just an example to get you thinking, remember there are internet resources and books that give additional ideas that you can use to create your own treadmill exercise routine. Back To Articles
View the Original article
Friday, 10 December 2010
The Top 5 Worst Halloween Treats
0 Votes Sometimes it can be hard to avoid the delicious temptation of Halloween candy and chocolate when the month of October comes around. Although most Halloween treats come in respectable individual sizes, they are also sold in high quantities, which can lead you back to the box for another.
Although we are not saying to do away with all the possible Halloween treats to be shared; here is a list of the worst treats out there for you and your loved ones to avoid.
1. Toffy Candy: these gooey delights are quite popular at Halloween and tend to be more affordable then your average box of chocolate bars. But any kind of sticky toffee candy is a nightmare for your dentist. Toffy can cause major cavities, not to mention other damage to your pearly whites.
2. Powdery Goodness: any types of powder candy including the ever so popular "fun dip", are 100% sugar. You may as well hand your kid a jar of sugar with a spoon in it and tell them to dig in. Not to mention this type of treat although very appealing to children, are usually jam packed with artificial flavors and coloring.
3. Large Gum balls: gum balls look fun, especially when they have creepy eyeballs on them, or other scary designs for Halloween. But these sweets are as dangerous as they look! They are a major choking hazard for children. Why anyone would give a child one of these is beyond me!
4. Dare Devil Candy: any candy that is overly sour, sweet, hot, or extreme in some flavoring or taste, usually means that it is more of a trick then a treat. These popular candies can be hard on the digestive system, and dangerous to the mouth, throat, and stomach.
5. Normal Sized Candy Bars: Although the average household cannot put down the pennies to spend on the normal sized candy bars, they are doing the trick or treaters a huge favor. Average sized candy bars are about 300 calories, where as the mini ones usually come in around 80 or 90 calories. Children really have no idea about portion control, but parents do.
Finally, here are some ideas for healthier treats around Halloween. Instead of the sugary treats mentioned above, give out some healthier alternatives like the ones below.
Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Raisins/Peanuts, Yogurt covered raisins/peanuts, sugar free bubble gum, cocoa dusted almonds, trail mix with chocolate chips, pretzels.
Happy Halloween from fitness.com! Back To Articles
View the Original article
Although we are not saying to do away with all the possible Halloween treats to be shared; here is a list of the worst treats out there for you and your loved ones to avoid.
1. Toffy Candy: these gooey delights are quite popular at Halloween and tend to be more affordable then your average box of chocolate bars. But any kind of sticky toffee candy is a nightmare for your dentist. Toffy can cause major cavities, not to mention other damage to your pearly whites.
2. Powdery Goodness: any types of powder candy including the ever so popular "fun dip", are 100% sugar. You may as well hand your kid a jar of sugar with a spoon in it and tell them to dig in. Not to mention this type of treat although very appealing to children, are usually jam packed with artificial flavors and coloring.
3. Large Gum balls: gum balls look fun, especially when they have creepy eyeballs on them, or other scary designs for Halloween. But these sweets are as dangerous as they look! They are a major choking hazard for children. Why anyone would give a child one of these is beyond me!
4. Dare Devil Candy: any candy that is overly sour, sweet, hot, or extreme in some flavoring or taste, usually means that it is more of a trick then a treat. These popular candies can be hard on the digestive system, and dangerous to the mouth, throat, and stomach.
5. Normal Sized Candy Bars: Although the average household cannot put down the pennies to spend on the normal sized candy bars, they are doing the trick or treaters a huge favor. Average sized candy bars are about 300 calories, where as the mini ones usually come in around 80 or 90 calories. Children really have no idea about portion control, but parents do.
Finally, here are some ideas for healthier treats around Halloween. Instead of the sugary treats mentioned above, give out some healthier alternatives like the ones below.
Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Raisins/Peanuts, Yogurt covered raisins/peanuts, sugar free bubble gum, cocoa dusted almonds, trail mix with chocolate chips, pretzels.
Happy Halloween from fitness.com! Back To Articles
View the Original article
Squats and deadlifts after 40: Don't do it
0 Votes I am one of those persons who think that squats and dead lifts, two compound movements, should ideally be used as the foundation of any high-intensity resistance training program. Compound movements combine several large muscle groups as opposed to isolation movements (such as arm curls) which concentrate on a single muscle (or part thereof). For those of you who are not familiar with these two very popular exercises, you can refer to these Wikipedia articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadlift
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_%28exercise%29
UNIQUE BENEFITS OF WEIGHT-BEARING EXERCISES
Many believe that the benefits of squats and dead lifts go beyond developing the muscle groups specifically targeted by these movements, i.e. quadriceps (front leg muscles), gluteus (buttock muscles) and hamstrings (back leg muscles). The theory is that because these movements are the most intense of all resistance training exercises they induce the most hormonal response from the body, especially in the form of increased production of growth hormone. I would add that such movements provide the most intense workout in the least time and can therefore be considered as the most efficient of all exercises.
Finally, movements that put direct downward pressure on the spine, such as squats and dead lifts, are proved to be effective in preventing osteoporosis. When pressured is consistently applied top down on a bone like the
femur, this bone will react by creating additional mass. By the same token, swimming and riding a bicycle, while excellent aerobic exercises are not weight-bearing activities (very little pressure is applied downwards on the spine) and thus are not efficient in preventing osteoporosis.
As an avid biker, I am very aware of this limitation and have thus included weight-bearing exercises (leg press, see below) in my weekly training routine.
UNBEARABLE RISKS
In an ideal world then, everybody should include dead lifts and squats in their weekly resistance training routine.
I WOULD HOWEVER RECOMMEND NOT TO USE SQUATS OR DEADLIFTS if you are a typical reader of fitandwise. There are two reasons to this:
First and foremost, for even the youngest and most proficient resistance athlete these two movements are the most dangerous of any resistant training exercises I know. They demand an extreme degree of accuracy in their execution to avoid serious injury risk. I have stopped counting the number of times I have seen even experienced body-builders destroying their spine in front of my eyes by incorrectly executing these movements. They would typically bend too far over, creating a deadly (no pun intended) lever between their upper and lower body, thus exerting a huge pressure on their lumbar region.
Second, around the age of about 40, physiological changes appear that make conjunctive tissues more vulnerable to injuries. If you sprain your ankle in your 40's or 50's (which I did last year) your body will therefore take a longer time to heal and the healing may be less complete than when you were younger.
The only (relative) exception I can see to this recommendation of not using dead lifts and squats would be a life-long athlete (typically a competitive weight lifter) using a flawless technique who would still accept to reduce the weight lifted compared to when he was younger. I doubt this kind of person is a typical reader of fitandwise.
THE SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO SQUATS AND DEAD LIFTS
So is there an alternative to these two sacrosanct movements for the over-40 crowd? Yes there is. Since the 1970's Fitness equipment manufacturers have developed machines that mimic the squat exercise while greatly reducing the risk. These are called leg presses of which there are several variants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leg_press
To be perfectly honest I do not believe that a leg press exercise is 100% as efficient as its equivalent using a barbell because it does not involve stabilizer muscles (also called "core" muscles). Having said that, the choice is a no-brainer for me: I much prefer getting 80% of the benefits of a squat movement with 10% of the risk. So I never squat. I use a bench press once a week (among other leg exercises).
If you start using a bench press, be very careful though in using good form as incorrect exercise technique may also lead to injury. Never use a leg press if you have existing back pain and always consult a physician first if you are over 45. Back To Articles
View the Original article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadlift
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_%28exercise%29
UNIQUE BENEFITS OF WEIGHT-BEARING EXERCISES
Many believe that the benefits of squats and dead lifts go beyond developing the muscle groups specifically targeted by these movements, i.e. quadriceps (front leg muscles), gluteus (buttock muscles) and hamstrings (back leg muscles). The theory is that because these movements are the most intense of all resistance training exercises they induce the most hormonal response from the body, especially in the form of increased production of growth hormone. I would add that such movements provide the most intense workout in the least time and can therefore be considered as the most efficient of all exercises.
Finally, movements that put direct downward pressure on the spine, such as squats and dead lifts, are proved to be effective in preventing osteoporosis. When pressured is consistently applied top down on a bone like the
femur, this bone will react by creating additional mass. By the same token, swimming and riding a bicycle, while excellent aerobic exercises are not weight-bearing activities (very little pressure is applied downwards on the spine) and thus are not efficient in preventing osteoporosis.
As an avid biker, I am very aware of this limitation and have thus included weight-bearing exercises (leg press, see below) in my weekly training routine.
UNBEARABLE RISKS
In an ideal world then, everybody should include dead lifts and squats in their weekly resistance training routine.
I WOULD HOWEVER RECOMMEND NOT TO USE SQUATS OR DEADLIFTS if you are a typical reader of fitandwise. There are two reasons to this:
First and foremost, for even the youngest and most proficient resistance athlete these two movements are the most dangerous of any resistant training exercises I know. They demand an extreme degree of accuracy in their execution to avoid serious injury risk. I have stopped counting the number of times I have seen even experienced body-builders destroying their spine in front of my eyes by incorrectly executing these movements. They would typically bend too far over, creating a deadly (no pun intended) lever between their upper and lower body, thus exerting a huge pressure on their lumbar region.
Second, around the age of about 40, physiological changes appear that make conjunctive tissues more vulnerable to injuries. If you sprain your ankle in your 40's or 50's (which I did last year) your body will therefore take a longer time to heal and the healing may be less complete than when you were younger.
The only (relative) exception I can see to this recommendation of not using dead lifts and squats would be a life-long athlete (typically a competitive weight lifter) using a flawless technique who would still accept to reduce the weight lifted compared to when he was younger. I doubt this kind of person is a typical reader of fitandwise.
THE SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO SQUATS AND DEAD LIFTS
So is there an alternative to these two sacrosanct movements for the over-40 crowd? Yes there is. Since the 1970's Fitness equipment manufacturers have developed machines that mimic the squat exercise while greatly reducing the risk. These are called leg presses of which there are several variants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leg_press
To be perfectly honest I do not believe that a leg press exercise is 100% as efficient as its equivalent using a barbell because it does not involve stabilizer muscles (also called "core" muscles). Having said that, the choice is a no-brainer for me: I much prefer getting 80% of the benefits of a squat movement with 10% of the risk. So I never squat. I use a bench press once a week (among other leg exercises).
If you start using a bench press, be very careful though in using good form as incorrect exercise technique may also lead to injury. Never use a leg press if you have existing back pain and always consult a physician first if you are over 45. Back To Articles
View the Original article
Thursday, 9 December 2010
The Top 3 Ways Exercise Boosts Your Sex Drive
.we feel sexier, more confident, and our sex drive starts roaring. Is it in our minds? No. Several studies have in fact shown that exercise causes a psychological as well as physiological improvement to our sex life. Here are the facts.
Facts for Men
Several studies have shown that exercise has a positive effect on the sex drive of men. Separate studies has have shown, for example, that men who participate in exercise one hour per day, three to five days a week achieved a significantly greater sex life. The frequency of sex, sexual function, and the percentage of satisfying orgasms all increased. Overall, the participants were happier with their sex lives. In general the studies have shown that the more regular the exercise regime, the higher the sex drive.
Facts for Women
Exercise has a positive effect on the sex drive of women as well. Studies have shown that women who frequently exercise become aroused more quickly and are able to reach an orgasm faster and more intensely. The studies have shown that the effect is both physiological as well as psychological. Moreover, there is an effect even after a single intense short-duration (20 minute) exercise.
How does Exercise boost our sex life?
1. Better Sexual Performance
Sex itself is an intense physical activity requiring strength and endurance. As you exercise, both your strength and endurance will increase, opening the possibility for more varied sexual positions that require greater physical control. Physiologically your sexual performance improves because of the following:
View the Original article
Facts for Men
Several studies have shown that exercise has a positive effect on the sex drive of men. Separate studies has have shown, for example, that men who participate in exercise one hour per day, three to five days a week achieved a significantly greater sex life. The frequency of sex, sexual function, and the percentage of satisfying orgasms all increased. Overall, the participants were happier with their sex lives. In general the studies have shown that the more regular the exercise regime, the higher the sex drive.
Facts for Women
Exercise has a positive effect on the sex drive of women as well. Studies have shown that women who frequently exercise become aroused more quickly and are able to reach an orgasm faster and more intensely. The studies have shown that the effect is both physiological as well as psychological. Moreover, there is an effect even after a single intense short-duration (20 minute) exercise.
How does Exercise boost our sex life?
1. Better Sexual Performance
Sex itself is an intense physical activity requiring strength and endurance. As you exercise, both your strength and endurance will increase, opening the possibility for more varied sexual positions that require greater physical control. Physiologically your sexual performance improves because of the following:
View the Original article
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