5 Exercise Myths That May Surprise You

We all know that exercising regularly is good for us. It’s good for the heart, it helps us maintain a healthy weight, and it is excellent at relieving stress. But there are many exercise myths that are presented as facts, either by those who are trying to sell us something or by those who mean well but haven’t gotten their facts straight. Here are five myths about physical fitness that you might be surprised to learn about:

Myth #1: You can reduce fat in specific areas of the body by doing exercises that target those areas.

It seems to make sense, but trying to burn fat in the precise spot where you want to lose it simply doesn’t work. The only way to burn fat is through aerobic exercises that get your heart pumping. And those exercises burn fat gradually and from all over the body, not just around the muscles you’re using. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t work the areas where you have extra fat, though. Doing so will build muscle there, and that will give you a more toned look when the fat over the muscle is reduced.

Myth #2: You must exercise regularly in order for it to benefit you.

There’s no doubt about it, getting fit takes many weeks of hard work. This leads many of us to believe that if we can’t or don’t have the willpower to exercise several times every week, there’s no point in it. But any amount of exercise is good for you.

Even if you only take a walk every now and then, it can help lower your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. It probably won’t cause you to lose weight or build muscle, but it’s certainly worthwhile. And sometimes when we start off exercising every now and then, we realize that it’s not so hard to make time for it and start doing so on a regular basis.

Myth #3: Strength training will make you too muscular.

Some people lift weights to develop large muscles. Others would like to do so in order to build strength and muscle tone, but they do not want to bulk up. But if you follow a sensible strength-training regimen, you won’t end up looking like a bodybuilder.

Most bodybuilders use supplements and special diets in their quest to build muscle, and they spend hours each day at the gym. If you’re looking to tone up and build strength, doing strength-training exercises that target a variety of muscles a couple of times a week will not create bulk.

Myth #4: Muscle turns into fat when you quit working out.

Muscle cannot magically transform into fat. So you don’t have to worry about your six-pack abs turning into Jell-O if your exercise routine is disrupted. Muscles will shrink when they’re not worked regularly, however, and this can create a flabby look if you discontinue your exercise routine. The missed exercise and reduced muscle will also cause reduced metabolism, making it easier for you to gain fat.

Myth #5: I’m too old to start exercising.

As we age, we often develop health problems. This leads many of us to believe that if we haven’t been exercising since we were young, starting now will be bad for us. But nothing could be further from the truth. Exercise can help manage many health problems common among the middle-aged and elderly. It’s always important to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program, but there are few people who shouldn’t exercise at all.

Exercise myths can hinder our efforts to stay fit. Knowing the truth behind them makes it easier to pursue a healthy lifestyle the right way.

A Better Way to Exercise

When it comes to getting healthy and losing weight, exercising on a consistent basis is key. However, not all exercise routines are created equal. To make sure that you maximize every moment that you put into your exercises, it is important to know the best way to exercise. There is no one exercise that will do everything that you need to lose weight and stay fit. The best way to exercise is to combine some basic exercises to maximize your fitness level.

The first part of a great exercise routine is a warm-up period. This is the time that you stretch out your muscles. By stretching your muscles before you exercise, you are getting the blood flowing through them. This period of stretching will also help you not to pull muscles later in the exercise routine.

Cardio training is one of the basic elements to an exercise routine. The most common form of cardio training is the treadmill. There is a way to make this basic workout even better and help you to burn more calories with the same amount of time on the machine. The way to do this is interval training.

Interval training is when you increase and decrease the intensity of your workout in quick bursts. The way to do this on the treadmill is to start out at a slow walk. Keep at this speed for two to three minutes. You will want to increase the speed of the treadmill up to the pace that you would not be able to talk to someone standing next to you. Work out at this pace for about seven minutes to get your heart pumping.

The best workout on the treadmill will alternate between the fast pace and the comfortable walking pace a few times to make your muscles work harder. You just need to remember to give yourself a few minutes on the treadmill at the end at a slow speed to cool down.

Resistance training is the part of the exercise routine that is going to help you to build muscle. Muscles burn more calories than fat. The easiest way to do resistance training is to do a workout circuit. Gyms have a workout circuit set up that will work all of your muscle groups. The machines are set up in a circle and you go from one machine to another working out.

Circuits are set up to be done in thirty minutes. There is usually a light that will tell you when to change workout stations. The stations alternate with weight machines and walking in place or up and down a step. It is an intense workout put into a nice thirty-minute bracket.

The final step to the best exercise routine for your body is the cool down. This is where you help your heart rate to slowly return to normal. A slow-down routine will consist of stretching out all of the muscles that you have been working out. Take your time and stretch out your muscles so that you will finish your great exercise routine the right way.

A 15-Minute Workout Routine

In the busy world we live in, it can be difficult to find time to do anything but eat, sleep and work. This is one of the reason that most of us do not get the exercise we need to stay healthy. But did you know that squeezing in a 15-minute workout as little as three times a week can have a positive impact on your health?

People tend to assume that they must spend hours at the gym each week if they want to see noticeable results. But that’s simply not true. Short but regular workouts can help us maintain a healthy weight and feel more energetic. In the time you spend taking a coffee break, you could be getting enough exercise to make a difference.

If you want to keep your workout short, simple exercises are the key. It’s best not to include ones that require special equipment or prolonged holding of positions. Easy exercises that can be done repetitively are key. Here’s a sample routine that requires no equipment except a clock or timer and a jump rope:

1. Go for a brisk 3-minute walk or jog. If possible, walk or jog up and down some stairs. This will get your heart pumping while providing an easy warm-up.

2. Do as many push-ups as you can do in 3 minutes.

3. Do as many sit-ups as you can in 3 minutes.

4. Do as many squats as you can in 3 minutes.

5. Jump rope for 3 minutes.

Feel free to take breaks when you need to, but try to keep moving as much as possible. This will help you pack as much punch into your short workout as possible.

Accomplishing Your Goals with a 15-Minute Workout

The above routine is a general workout that should work nicely for most people who are trying to stay fit. But short workouts can also produce results if you have specific goals in mind. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build core strength or tone certain muscle groups, you can benefit from a 15-minute workout.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll need to fill your workout with cardio exercises. You could start out with a jog up and down steps, then do some jumping jacks. Then do some squats or lunges (or both), and finish up by jumping rope.

You can also do strength training with a short workout and minimal equipment. For overall strength, you could include exercises that target different parts of the body such as push-ups, squats, sit-ups and calf raises. If you want to target specific muscle groups, include only exercises that work those groups.

It’s a myth that if you can’t work out for several hours each week, there’s no point in even trying. Getting in a quick workout as often as possible might not pump you up beyond recognition, but it will help you lose weight and build strength, and it will improve your health. Anyone can make time for a 15-minute workout a few times a week, no matter how busy his schedule.

Top 10 Diet Tips for the New Year

With the New Year comes many New Year’s resolutions. The number one resolution every year is to lose weight. Alas, many diets are started every year with the best of intentions. These diets soon fall to the side and the goal to lose weight is lost. Stop this vicious cycle in its tracks and make this the year that you stick to your diet. These ten tips will help you get started.

Tip One

Start your diet on a Monday. This may not seem like a tip that will have any impact on your success. However, the starting day of your diet can affect your mindset about the entire process. Mondays are a day when we are mentally rested and ready to take on new projects. Often this ready-to-get-to-work attitude is used for your job. Use this attitude to help you to take the first important steps to your weight-loss goals.

Tip Two

Start out by planning what you will make to eat during the week for your diet. With your list of meals in hand, write out what you will need to buy at the grocery store. By planning in advance you can make one trip to the grocery store to get all of your food needs for the week. By limiting your shopping time, you are less likely to buy junk food and other items that are not on your diet.

Tip Three

A great way to make sure that you stay on track with your diet is to pre-pack serving sizes of healthy snacks. When you have healthy choices on hand at all times, you will be less likely to pull into the fast food drive-thru.

Tip Four

When people are trying to lose weight, one of the biggest mistakes they often make is to skip meals. This actually sabotages any diet by lowering the person’s metabolism. To keep your metabolism running at its highest level to burn calories you need to avoid skipping meals.

Tip Five

The best diets include a plan that has you eating every two to three hours. By eating every two to three hours, you will not feel hungry while you are on your diet. It is easier to stick to any weight-loss plan when you feel full.

Tip Six

Include a small serving of protein and a carbohydrate for every meal to give you the energy to get through your day. During those midday slumps most people reach for sugary snacks to get them through the rest of the day. A healthy snack of protein and carbohydrates will give you the energy without the sugar crash of those other snacks.

Tip Seven

It is important to include cardio exercises into your diet plan to make sure that you are burning off the calories that you ingest. The recommendation is to get 45 minutes of cardio exercise at least three to four times a week.

Tip Eight

One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to burn calories more efficiently. To be able to do this throughout the day, you need to build your muscle tone. Resistance training can be the springboard to great muscle tone and burning calories.

Tip Nine

This diet tip may seem simple, but it works. Drink more water. Water is one of the most unused diet tools in your arsenal to lose weight. Drinking water helps to keep you hydrated and can help you to consume less food over the course of your day.

Tip Ten

A food journal is an important way to track the course of your diet. Inside this journal, you can write down what you eat each day. It is a great way to track your workouts too. You can also use this weight-loss tool to explore your feelings and thoughts about losing weight.

Diet to Increase Your Metabolism

The simplest equation to losing weight is to burn more calories then you take in. Many diets do not address this simple equation. These diets talk about cutting down on the food that you eat.

One of the ways that you can cut down on the calories that you eat is to skip meals. However, this is not the best way to lose weight. When you skip meals, your body enters starvation mode. Your body in starvation mode slows your metabolism to almost a halt. A slow metabolism means that you are not burning the calories that you take in. The key to losing weight is to have a diet which increases your metabolism so that you burn more calories.

On a metabolism-increasing diet you need to eat within thirty minutes of waking up in the morning. This is an important step. You need to jump-start your metabolism early to keep those fires burning calories throughout the day. You breakfast needs to include a variety of foods that your body will be able to burn as fuel throughout the day. The best breakfasts will include about a cup of complex carbohydrates, 3 oz of lean protein, and a glass of water.

Throughout the rest of the day you want to make sure that you do not go more then four hours between your small meals. The optimum time span for your small meals to increase your metabolism is between two to three hours. The reason that you need to eat this often is that you want to feed your body at the first signs of hunger. Most people wait too long and feel like they are starving by the time they sit down for their meal. This is the starvation mode that sabotages many diets.

Your small meals throughout the day should be single servings of healthy snacks. Some of the best healthy small snacks to keep your metabolism going at full speed include some form of protein. A cup of healthy granola with peanuts in it is an ideal quick snack idea.

The other two main meals that you consume during the day can have a larger variety of foods in them. 3 oz of lean protein is the starting point of all metabolism-increasing meals. Add a single serving size of a complex carbohydrate like brown rice and you are well on your way to a delicious and nutritious meal. You can fill the rest of your plate with as many vegetables as you like. This will give you a satisfying meal that will help you lose weight too.

By following this simple diet plan, your metabolism will be running at an increased level throughout the day. This increased level will allow your body to constantly burn the calories that you consume at maximum efficiency. With your body’s metabolism burning calories at full tilt and with all the healthy food that you are eating, the pounds will just melt away.

Sticking to a Diet Once and for All

It seems that everyone wants to lose weight these days. However, few people seem able to stick to their diets.

Here are a few things you can do to stick to your diet once and for all:

The first thing to do to stick to your diet is to look at it as a permanent lifestyle change. It is important to find a diet that you can follow for the long term. A very restrictive diet will make you count the days until you can eat what you did before the diet.

When you are counting the days until the resumption of what you consider as “normal” eating, it is much easier to cheat on your diet and eventually stop it early. However, when your mind looks at the changes that you are making as being permanent then you are more likely to stick to the diet.

The next step to sticking to a diet is holding yourself accountable every day. One of the best ways to do this is by keeping a food journal. A food journal is simply a book where you write down everything that you eat and the amounts.

To help you even more with sticking to your diet, you can expand on to a basic food journal. Writing about how you are feeling about your diet and if you were hungry during the day will help you to see the obstacles that you face when it comes to sticking to a diet.

The final part of the equation of keeping your diet on track is to give yourself small rewards on the way to your final weight-loss goal. Rewards are a great motivator no matter what you are trying to do.

You can base your rewards on the amount of weight that you lose. Another way would be to base them on how long you have followed your diet without fail. Make sure that the rewards that you choose for yourself have nothing to do with food.

Sticking to a diet is never easy – especially if you are a “serial” dieter, but the above tips will help you get started. If all else fails, remember to take things slowly. This isn’t a race and you will eventually get to your weight-loss goal.

The Best Life Diet for the New Year

Every year, millions of people make resolutions to lose weight. And every year, most of those people fail. They either lack the willpower to stick to a diet, or they lose weight on fad diets but end up gaining it back. But if they would make certain lifestyle changes that promote healthy weight instead of trying to lose it all at once, they would have a better chance of succeeding.

The Best Life Diet offers a more sensible approach to losing weight. Instead of relying on radical diet restrictions to produce quick weight loss, it provides a plan for gradually changing your eating and exercise habits. It doesn’t focus on including or eliminating specific types of foods, but rather replaces sugary, high-fat and otherwise unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives. This may not get rid of those extra pounds right away, but it will help you lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off.

The Best Life Diet for the New Year

The Best Life Diet works by introducing lifestyle changes in three phases. These phases are:

Phase One - This phase focuses on basic lifestyle and diet changes that require the least effort. It includes an increase in activity level, keeping yourself hydrated and taking dietary supplements. Eating habit changes include not eating for two hours before bedtime and eating three meals and one snack each day. This phase should last a maximum of four weeks.

Phase Two - This phase takes the first one a step further by asking participants to engage in even more physical activity. It introduces six problem foods that should be avoided, emphasizes portion control, and promotes weekly weigh-ins to monitor progress. This phase should last a minimum of four weeks.

Phase Three - This is the final phase of the program. It focuses on making the transition to healthy eating for life. The concept of “anything goes” calories is introduced, providing the opportunity for dieters to include small portions of their favorite treats while maintaining an overall healthy diet.

The concept of phases makes it easier for those who want to lose weight to implement the necessary changes. Instead of jumping right in and becoming overwhelmed, they can make some simple changes, get accustomed to them, and then move on to the more challenging changes. This makes success much more likely.

The Best Life Diet can help us lose weight at a healthy pace, without depriving ourselves or becoming malnourished. While the lack of quick weight loss sounds unappealing to some who are ready to lose those extra pounds, this diet can result in long-term weight loss. And isn’t that more appealing than losing lots of weight, only to regain it within a few weeks or months?

New Year Diet and Fitness: Change Your Mindset

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, the most common goal set every year is to lose weight. The majority of people who make the New Year resolution to lose weight give up on their weight-loss goals by March. The reason that they can not attain their New Year’s goals is that they have not changed their mindset when it comes to losing weight and getting in shape.

If you are one of millions that look at the coming year as the time that you want to do something about your diet and fitness, you are also going to need to change your mindset.

The first step to changing your mindset when it comes to diet, fitness, and weight loss, is that you need to know where your mind is on these topics to begin with. A good way to do this is to sit down with a notebook and do some free writing about your feelings.

Write down all your thoughts and feelings when it comes to fitness and diet. Many of these words and phrases that you write about will be negative. This is ok. By knowing the negative thoughts that you have about your New Year’s resolution you’ll be better able to make the necessary changes.

One of the things to realize about your New Year diet and fitness goals is that to be successful at them you have to stop thinking of them as short-term goals. To lose weight and to be healthy, it is necessary to keep the diet and fitness changes that you make throughout your life. It is by incorporating these changes into your life forever and not just for a set period of time that you’ll see results.

Once you’ve poured your thoughts onto paper, take another sheet of paper and change each phrase into a positive statement about the changes that you plan to make to your lifestyle. When you are done, make copies of the positive statement pages. Hang them around your house and work space so that you can see them on a daily basis.

These notes will serve as a positive reminder of what you are trying to improve things for yourself. It often helps to repeat these positive sayings every day to yourself to keep your mindset positive about what you are trying to accomplish.

With the correct mindset, you can accomplish anything. By placing your thoughts into the most positive light about the diet and fitness plans that you have for the New Year, you are setting yourself on the road to success.

Healthy Halloween Treats

It used to be that the healthy houses were the ones all the kids avoided at Halloween. You knew which houses had the Snickers bars that you had to hit twice, and the ones that were handing out apples that you could definitely skip.

Well nowadays, there are all kinds of healthy treats you can hand out while still enticing the kids to change costumes and make a second stop. Here are just a few great ideas that will keep the moms and the kids happy on Halloween.

1. Try handing out snack foods like mini bags of pretzels, cracker packs, trail mix, or even hot cocoa. Even if it’s not the healthiest option, it’s going to offset all the sugar they will be getting.

Many companies now make “snack size” bags of all kinds of goodies that are easy and convenient. Plus they can make parents feel safe since the bags are sealed so you know if they’ve been tampered with.

If you’re going to a party where everyone knows each other, or having a get-together yourself, you can save money by making your own snack-size baggies.

2. Why not hand out coupons for sugary snacks instead of actual sugar? This way parents can decide when the kids gets their Halloween treat and it controls portions a bit better.

Many restaurants and other stores are starting to catch on and sell coupon booklets for small treats. Just pick up a few booklets and you’ll be set for the night. Some companies even donate the proceeds to charity.

3. Some of the best Halloween treats don’t have to be treats at all. There are tons of non-food items that you can give out that will put a smile on kids’ faces. Just take a trip to your local party store or look in a party favor catalogue and you can find tons of fun ideas that will provide way more joy than a simple piece of candy.

You can use everything from small toys and games to little books and crossword puzzles. Most towns have a place where you can buy these in bulk if you are going to a large party or live in a high-traffic area. Just be sure to provide age-appropriate toys for smaller children that may stop by.

4. If you abide by the rule that it’s just not Halloween without the candy, there are still ways to be healthier. In addition to the sugar-free candy you find at your local grocery store, there’s also plenty of great finds at your local health food store or organic bakery. While it may still contain sugar, it’s generally natural, less processed, and better for you. If you go to one of the larger chains, they have plenty of great options including organic chocolate.

With a little extra thought and effort, you can keep Halloween healthier for your kids and everyone else in the neighborhood.

Good Eating Habits for Your Skin

We tend to spend a lot of money and time trying to make our skin look good. TV screens and magazine pages are filled with ads for thousands of products that claim to give you glowing, beautiful skin. There are creams, cleansers, and even some crazy machines. But if you really want great skin, start by focusing on the inside. If your body is healthy and well nourished, it will show with beautiful, radiant skin. Here are some tips on what to eat so you’ll look great.

The most important thing for your skin is actually not eating right, it’s drinking right. Getting enough water to drink is an essential part of keeping your skin looking great. If cells aren’t properly lubricated, they can’t easily get rid of waste. That means it all sits there and leaves your skin looking dull and lifeless. Plus, if cells are short on water, they will try to conserve leaving you puffy and bloated. Eventually, skin will dry out, leaving you with an itchy, flaky mess.

For healthy, glowing skin you need to take your vitamins. These are essential nutrients your body needs to work right and look good. The ones that benefit your skin the most are antioxidants including vitamins A, C, and E. They help neutralize free radicals, which are produced by your body and your environment that can damage your skin. While taking supplements may be helpful, the best way to nourish your skin is by eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, try to add more fiber to what you eat for an additional boost.

In addition to eating healthy food, also try to cut out certain bad foods that can harm your skin (and the rest of your body). Processed foods that are high in sugar and artificial ingredients can build up harmful chemicals in your system. These can slow your body down, making it less healthy, which shows in your skin. Substituting healthy home-cooked meals for fast food or pre-packaged meals will not only make your skin look better, it will leave you feeling better and more energized.

If you tend to get rashes, acne, or have eczema, you may have a mild food allergy that you’re unaware of. Keep a journal of everything you eat as well as the health and condition of your skin. You may find your skin problems are associated with a specific food or type of food. Cutting out this food may drastically improve the condition of your skin.

In addition to eating healthy foods, it is also important to remember to nourish your skin from the outside. This means using regular moisturizers and protecting it from the sun, wind, and extreme temperatures.

By taking a few extra steps, you can keep your skin looking and feeling great.