working out regularly

Trouble working out regularly Well, this is one problem that a lot of people have and the truth is that various individuals handle it differently. Most of them will simply not go to the gym regularly but let us not do that as we all know going to the gym is both health and has a lot of positive impacts on our lives.The simplest way to go more often to the gym is to actually go more often to the gym. Drive up to your desired workout facility and walk in. It is not actually important if you do 20 minutes or 2 hours of weight lifting or whatever routine you are into. The important thing is being there and with time passing you will notice that your motivation and workout intensity will continuously increase. Next we recommend that you plan a schedule. Lay out how long your workouts will be and what exercises you will do. To put it simple, write down what body parts you will work out in what days.One thing that few people do not realize is that watching movies or various shows is a great motivation. For instance, I always start getting back my will to workout when I play a fighting game on my PS2 or when I watch a professional wrestling match on TV or Internet. Find what motivates you and makes you want to go to the gym. Commit yourself to getting better about making your gym going days more regular. You will first need a commitment towards yourself in order to be successful in everything.

Reduce Weight Naturally

Reduce Weight Naturally
In ayurveda, Charak Samhita describes eight different types of bodies that are disease prone. Out of these, the obese body is described as the one afflicted with the most diseases and troubles. Obesity is the condition or physical state of the body when excessive deposition of fat takes place in the adipose tissue. Extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys, liver
and the joints such as the hips, knees and ankles and thus, overweight people are susceptible to several diseases like coronary thrombosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout, liver and gall bladder disorders. Chief cause of obesity is overeating, irregular eating habits and not following the rules of eating or mixing non-compatible food items in one meal. To decrease weight and get rid of obesity three things must be kept in mind:
Controlling eating habits.
Regular exercise.
Avoiding the causes of weight gain Diet recommended to lose weight
Early morningJuice of half a lemon mixed in a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of honey.
BreakfastWheat or Mung bean sprouts and a cup of skimmed milk.
MidmorningA glass of orange, pineapple or carrot juice.
Lunch
Salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beet, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes. Steamed or boiled vegetables
Whole grain bread or whole wheat chapatis (Indian bread) and a glass of buttermilk.
Roasted cumin seeds, green coriander leaves, a little salt and some grated ginger mixed in the buttermilk.
Mid-afternoon
Coconut water
Dry fruits
Lemon tea
Fresh vegetable soup
Dinner
Whole grain bread or chapatis
Steamed vegetables
Seasonal fruits except banana and apple. Home Remedies for Losing Weight
Increase the quantity of fruits and vegetables and low calorie foods.
Avoid intake of too much salt as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.
Milk products like cheese, butter etc. and non-vegetarian foods should be avoided as they are rich in fat.
Mint is very beneficial in losing weight. A chutney of green mint with some simple spices can be taken with meals. Mint tea also helps.
Spices like dry ginger, cinnamon, black pepper etc. are good for loosing weight and can be used in a number of ways.
Regular intake of carrot juice.
Avoid rice and potato, which contain a lot of carbohydrates. Among cereals wheat is good.
Vegetables like bitter gourd (Karela), and bitter variety of drumstick are useful in loosing weight.
Honey is an excellent home remedy for obesity. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions.Dosage: One should start with small quantity of about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning. A teaspoonful of fresh lemon juice may also be added.
Fasting on honey and lime- juice is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss of energy and appetite. For this, mix one teaspoon of fresh honey with the juice of half a lime in a glass of lukewarm water.Dosage: Take several times a day at regular intervals.
Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.
Exercise is an important part of any weight reduction plan. It helps to use up calories stored in body as fat.
Walking is the best exercise to begin with and may be followed by running, swimming or rowing.
The gum of Commiphora Mukul called 'guggulu' is the drug of choice for the treatment of obesity. Preparation of Home RemediesAccording to ayurveda home remedies are prepared in the same way and with the same purpose as other ayurvedic medicines. The main aim is to obtain the maximum therapeutic benefit while making it palatable.Some common methods of preparing home remedies are:
JuiceThe juice may be taken from the fresh leaves, flowers or stems of the herb. The part of the herb used should be crushed or ground in a mortar and pestle, to make a paste. This paste should be put in a piece of cloth and squeezed to take out the juice.Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.
PowderDried herbs are used for powders. The herbs are usually dried in a cool, shady and well-ventilated place, although some herbs are dried in direct sunlight. The herbs are then ground into a fine powder and stored in a dry, airtight bottle. The powder may be taken with water, or if specified, with milk or honey.Dosage: Half to one teaspoon twice a day
DecoctionA decoction is prepared by boiling the herb in water (ratio: 1 part herb to 16 parts water). The herbs are broken into pieces and soaked in water overnight. This mixture is then boiled until it reduces to one quarter of the original volume. It is then filtered and stored in a glass bottle.Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.
InfusionHerbs are soaked in water to make an infusion (ratio: 1 part herb to 8 parts water). Hot infusions result from adding herbs to hot water, or gently heating but not boiling the mixture. This is strained and taken internally. Herbal teas are forms of hot infusions. Cold infusions are made from soaking the herb overnight. Honey can be added.Dosage: half to one cup once or twice day.
PasteA paste can be made from either fresh or dried herbs. The flowers, roots, stems, leaves or bark are ground and mixed with water. Pastes are mainly used for external application, in cases of cuts, burns and swellings. The paste should be thick enough to be applied in a layer to the skin.
TabletsThe herbs should be first dried separately and then mixed together in a powder form, in fixed proportions. Water or herbal juice can be added to this powder to make a paste, from which tablets of a specific size or weight are made. Tablets remain potent longer than juices, powders, pastes or decoctions.

Dosage: 1 or 2 tablets twice a day.
Medicated ghee and oilGhee is cooked with herbal juices, decoctions or pastes. The ghee should be heated with the herbal mixture at a moderate, controlled temperature. High temperatures can easily burn the ghee or oil, destroying its effectiveness. Medicated ghee and oils are either used internally or massaged externally

.Dosage: Half to one tablespoon.

my 15 days to fitness

I woke up this morning and decided..it was time. I have been neglected myself and my fitness goals for over a month now. I have been so wrapped up in all my businesses and my online product, I have really let myself go. But I made the decision, NO MORE! I need to come first, I DESERVE to come first and now is the time.There are 15 days until Christmas and I am setting some goals and be very specific.1. I will track all my meals on sparkspeople and will plan my meals the night before OR at least post my meals on my blog.2. I will keep my calories above 1600 calories every day.3. I will do 2 days of intervals on the treadmill, 2 days of boot camp and 2 days of my own strength training routine each week.4. I will only allow myself a cheat meal after I have eaten 100% clean for 4 days!5. I will not let my work get in the way of my meals or workouts.6. I will achieve 18.5% body fat by Christmas!When I reach this goal of 18.5% body fat, I will reward myself with an hour long massage! (This is the most important!!!)Do you want to join me? What better way to stay motivated than setting some specific goals, and giving your self a reward! I hope that you will all join me! Feel free to join WDF Forums, where you can keep your own blog and get the support of others!

Get a Grip

You've most likely seen—and played around with—a number of different types of handles for cable exercises. But you're probably still not sure what they were designed for and which exercises they work best on. That's why we asked MF training adviser Jason Ferruggia to give us a primer on the most important attachments, and how to put them to work for maximum gains and safety.
1. SINGLE D HANDLE Uses: Single-limb exercises such as rows and rear-delt flys, and ab moves like cable chops.
Advantage: Allows your wrists to move in a very natural range of motion, twisting and turning in ways that may help you work around injuries.
How to use it: If you're doing single-arm rows or pulldowns, start with your palm facing away and rotate your wrist to face you as you pull downward.
2. EZ BAR Uses: Curls, wrist curls, and pulldowns.
Advantage: It's a good substitute for a straight bar, which can stress the wrists.
How to use it: Grab the angled part of the bar with hands shoulder-width apart or slightly closer. This should place your hands at a 45-degree angle to your arms. "Be sure to squeeze the bar extremely tightly to avoid any excessive wrist rotation as you perform your reps," says Ferruggia.
3. ROPE HANDLE Uses: Triceps moves such as pushdowns and extensions, but also cable pull-throughs and cable curls.
Advantage: The flexibility of the rope allows you to rotate your wrists outward as you perform various triceps exercises, activating more of your tri's.
How to use it: For triceps exercises, hold the rope with palms facing each other, the heels of your hands touching the knobs.
4. STRAIGHT BAR Uses: A wide range of pulldown and cable-row variations.
Advantage: The straight bar allows you to use more weight than any other handle.
How to use it: Most lifts should be done with your arms shoulder-width apart. "Palms-down exercises should be done with a thumbless grip," says Ferruggia, "and palms-up exercises should be done with your thumbs around the bar."

DUMBBELLS

DUMBBELLS
Better for beginners. Having to stabilize the weight you're holding in each hand improves coordination and activates more muscle fibers over all.
Help to even out strength imbalances between limbs (this is a problem especially common in beginners).
Safer than a barbell. If you can't complete a rep, you can drop the weights. You won't get pinned under them during a bench press or squat like you would a bar.
BARBELLS
Allow you to go much heavier. Because of this, barbell exercises should always be done before dumbbell moves.
Better for working legs. You can do squats and deadlifts with dumbbells, but eventually the weight you use will get too heavy or cumbersome to hold. A barbell lets you use a big weight more comfortably.
Necessary for explosive exercises such as power cleans and snatches. You won't be able to generate the same power with a dumbbell.

2A Three-Point Dumbbell Row

2A Three-Point Dumbbell Row
Sets: 2 Reps: 12 (each arm) Rest: 30 sec

Grab a dumbbell in your left hand and rest the other hand on a flat bench for support. Keeping your back straight and your shoulders level with the floor [1], row the weight up to your chest [2]. Lower the dumbbell to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Complete 8-10 reps with the left arm, and then switch sides.

1 Front Squat for Beginner's Workout

Perform the workout three days a week for four weeks, resting at least one day between each session. On the weight exercises, choose a load that allows you to complete a few more reps than the prescribed number (you may need to adjust this load between sets as you discover your strength levels). For instance, if an exercise calls for 12 reps, choose a load that you estimate you can perform 15 reps with before having to stop (but complete only 12).
Perform the (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 60 seconds between sets. You'll complete one set of exercise A and rest; then one set of B and rest again; and repeat until you've completed all sets for that pair. On your very first training day, perform only one set for each exercise. Progress to two or more sets (as the set prescriptions below dictate) from your second workout on.
1 Front Squat
Sets: 2 - 3 Reps: 8 Rest: 60 sec.

vegetarians findbuild muscles

The myth that vegetarians find it tough to build muscles, stems from the lesser known fact that humans digest animal protein far more than plant protein. "If you are a veggie, simply up your take of high quality protein," says Sunita Pant Bansal, dietician, MH contributor, and author of Healing Power of Food.
"Milk and milk products are easiest to assimilate as their protein content is very high, as have milk, cheese, cottage cheese, and dahi." And sprouts are another great way to get protein into your body. In fact, sprouting dals and beans breaks their proteins down. "It makes it easier for the body to digest them," says Bansal. Best time to have proteins? Before 6pm, after which the body's metabolism decreases.

Even if your lip balm is crawling with cold bugs, it is unlikely that you will re-infect yourself. "When you have a cold from one particular virus, your body builds antibodies for that particular virus," says Charles Zugerman, an associate professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University. The same thing applies to your toothbrush. But if someone else uses your lip balm or, heaven forbid, your toothbrush or tongue-cleaner, there's a slim chance that person could become infected. Viruses don't survive very long on an inanimate surface. They dry out and die as the moisture on the lip-balm evaporates.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that frequent daily cigar smoking may double the risk of throat, laryngeal, nose, oesophageal and lung cancers. Even a few puffs can up heart rate and BP, as well as breathing trouble if you have a lung condition, such as asthma, says study author Carlos Iribarren, MD, PhD. Plus, brains at University of Texas at Austin found that men who chewed 6mg worth of nicotine in gum form for 40 minutes had 23 per cent weaker erections than those who took a placebo-and your average cigar has about 25 times more nicotine than that.

To get bigger arms, you need variety in your workout. Try this triceps kickback on the cable machine. The muscle won't be overloaded through the whole range of motion as it is with a dumbbell, says Michael Mejia, CSCS, trainer and MH advisor. Stand inside the cable station, holding one of the low handles with your left hand. Lean over at the waist so that your torso is almost parallel to the floor, keeping your right knee bent in front and your left leg straight behind.
With your right arm supported on your right knee, start with your left arm tucked in next to your rib cage (A). Keeping your left upper arm parallel to the floor, exhale, and extend your arm until your elbow is straight (B). After pausing momentarily, return the handle to the starting position. Tip: You can use either one end of a rope handle or an underhand grip with a regular handle to stress different segments of the triceps. Do two or three sets of 10 repetitions with each arm.We never argue with history. Spas and saunas have been used for centuries throughout the world-from Himalayan hot springs to Russian banyas- for good reason. "The heat relieves any aches and pains caused by muscle soreness," says Mark Liponis, MD, medical director at Canyon Ranch Spas. Both promote sweating which helps leach toxins like mercury and pesticides from your body. It gets better: Japanese doctors found that 15 minutes of sauna once a day can prevent atherosclerosis by decreasing levels of oxidants known to harden arteries. The heat can also cause your veins to dilate, lowering your BP.

HOW TO BREAKE A WEIGHT PLATEU

No matter how eAfficient your diet & workout plan, you are bound to face a weight-loss plateau at one point or another. But this does not mean your weight-loss trend has ended, it just means that you need to revise your tactics and fitness routine to overcome the plateau and march ahead! Plateaus are common to anybody who's been on the same diet and exercise plan for a while, which is the reason why you don't see the same results you saw at the beginning. But its not as scary or difficult to break a weight-loss plateau. I've done it myself, and I hope my ideas help you achieve similar results too!If you've been eating right and exercising often, you've probably been losing weight at a rate of one or two pounds a week. However, as you get closer to your optimum weight, it usually gets harder to lose those last few pounds. You know you've hit a weight-loss plateau when more than two weeks have gone by without any further change in your weight, while you still follow the same regimen! So the first thing you do is review your exercise and diet program, find out what's wrong and make amendments. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started!Calorie Intake & Diet PlanAs you probably know by now, weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume. A healthy diet plan is the key, so take a quick look at your food diary, or calorie intake.Are you still keeping track of your portion sizes, even when you are dining out?Are you spacing your meals 5 times a day, dividing daily calories between them?have you recently sneaked in a few desserts or carbs thinking a piece won't hurt much?Did you switch to sodas instead of smoothies and juices?Are you drinking enough water?It's easy to increase your calorie intake accidentally, without realizing how its hurting your diet plan. Remember, a baked potato is not the same as a baked potato with gravy and butter! So evaluate your calorie consumption; maintain a diet hhournal if you like; if you are well above the 1200(for women) or 1500 (for men) daily intake level, you can try cutting down a couple hundred calories to break the plateau. However, if you are consuming less than 1,200 calories a day (1,500 for a man), your body may react by slowing down as a self-preservation measure. This means your metabolism rate falls, and you actually store fat even if you're working out consistently.Eat 5-6 Times a DayEating frequently stabilizes your blood sugar, controls appetite, and keeps your energy up. Ideally, you shouldn't go more than three or four hours without eating something. Doing so slows down your metabolism and makes your body burn fat at a slower rate. Its also very important to eat as soon as you feel hungry - a feeling of hunger indicates your blood sugar is going down, which makes you prone to craving simple sugars. If you're eating three times a day, eat five. If you're already eating five times, upgrade to six or seven. This doesn't necessarily mean you'll be eating more food; just divide your calories into 6 meals per day.Change Your Workout Routine"Variety is the spice of life" - and this phrase has never been so fitting to a scenario! It takes your body only four weeks to get used to a workout. Once something becomes a routine for your metabolism, plateaus are likely. The most efficient way to break a plateau is to shake up your fitness routine. Join an online weight loss program to find tips and ideas. If you are used to 30 mins on the treadmill, switch to cycling or kick-boxing instead. Instead of the stationary bike, switch to a Stepper or a StairMaster. Instead of running in the morning, try playing tennis or do some swimming. Use Interval Training to your advantage; short bursts (30-60 sec)of higher-intensity movement, such as sprint, followed by 2-3 mins of less intense exercise like walking. Adding variety to your routine brings revs up your metabolism as the body has to start adapting again.Add More Strength TrainingIf you are not doing so already, start lifting weights now to boost your metabolism and burn fat! When you lift weights, your muscle fibers suffer tiny tears which causes you to experience soreness for a couple days; but that's normal. Changing the intensity of the workout helps a lot. Try to increase the amount of weights you lift, or try changing the number of repetitions. Whenever you change a workout routine your body responds by burning fat. Do not under-estimate the power of strength-training; in fact, lifting weights is the best way to conquer that plateau! Challenge your muscles with harder exercises or heavier weights (every 6 to 8 weeks), adding a set of risers during your step class, increasing the incline on the treadmill, the duration of your run/walk, etc… It might seem tough at first as your newly challenged muscles will have to work harder but you will burn more calories and build more lean muscle mass in the process. its always a good idea to do a combination of resistance machines and free-weights, as the latter can increase metabolic rate as high as 10% in one session!Avoid Alc0hol & Drink WaterThirst is often mistaken for hunger. Every time you feel the urge to snack, drink a glass of water first and see if the urge goes away. Coffee, tea or any other juices count as liquids, but add an extra glass of pure water for each cup of coffee you drink, as caffeine tends to dehydrate the body. Research has shown that BMR increase by 30%, not to mention flushing out all toxins from your body, thereby contributing to a healthy weight-loss. As for Alcohol, it is a known fact that it contains a large amount of calories, but hardly any other nutrients, and some of these are also high in sugars and fat. Alc0hol consumption slows down the fat burning capabilities of the body, as the body focuses on using the alcohol (a toxin) as fuel, rather than burning fat for energy. Alc0hol also dehydrates, which in turn, makes you hungry. So avoid Alc0hol, and start drinking more Water instead!Losing weight requires exercise or controlled caloric intake . While its important to maintain a healthy weight, do not get obsessed by it! And plateaus in weight loss are very common; it only means you've successfully lost a lot of weight, and now you need to re-evaluate your regimen to overcome the weight-loss plateaus. Just follow the simple steps above, and you'll be ready to drop a couple more sizes the next time you buy yourself a new dress!

PHYSICAL FITNESS

PHYSICAL FITNESS
[Photo]Physical fitness is used in two close meanings: general fitness (a state of health and well-being) and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations). APhysical fitness is the functioning of the heart, blood Avessels, lungs, and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. In previous years, fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day’s activities without undue fatigue. Automation increased leisure time, and changes in lifestyles following the industrial revolution meant this criterion was no longer sufficient. Optimum efficiency is the key. Physical fitness is now defined as the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations. Fitness can also be divided into five categories: aerobic fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.