Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Flat-Belly Foods (Diet & Fitness teacher)

If you have been wondering how to lose your stomach fat fast, then the best way is to start eating foods that burn belly fat along with regular exercise.
There are foods that have been shown to help people burn fat. How? some foods can burn more calories to digest than the food itself, which helps your body burn stored fat, other foods can speed up your metabolism so you can burn fat fast and some foods can make you feel full on fewer calories.
Here is a list of healthy belly fat burning foods
Organic apple cider vinegar
Drinking a small amount of organic apple cider vinegar before meals can help burn belly fat fast. Mix 1-2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar with a glass of water or with 1-2 teaspoon of honey and take it before every meal. It speeds up your metabolism, helps Control weight, helps lower bad cholesterol, helps lower blood sugar levels and cleanse the body of toxins.
Almonds
Eating a handful of six or more raw or roasted almonds everyday can help you lose belly fat. Almonds have high fiber content and low calories.
Almonds are loaded with protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E and other antioxidants.It can help reduce heart disease risk, help lower cholesterol levels and help the body to maintain a normal blood pressure.
Grapefruit
Eating grapefruit can help you burn belly fat.
Researchers at Scripps Clinic found that participants who ate half a grapefruit before each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds in 12 weeks
Grapefruit has a high fiber content, low-calorie fruit and it is loaded with vitamin C, It contains cancer-fighting compounds and it reduces insulin levels.
Green tea
Green tea is good for losing belly Fat. Researchers found that green tea antioxidants known as catechins raise the metabolism and help burn fat faster.
Other Studies have shown that drinking two to four cups of green tea every day can help you burn 17 percent more calories. It contains potent antioxidant properties that maintain LDL cholesterol levels and sugar levels in our blood, drinking green tea everyday promote your heart health as well.
Chilies or cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is one of the best fat burning spices; it contains capsaicin, that helps speed up the metabolism and therefore burn more calories after eating.

Monday, December 30, 2013

My Diet and Fitness Routine

Diet And Fitness Programs

Diet refers to the intake of food and nourishment for the growth and maintenance of the body. Dieticians or nutritionists consider a diet as a balanced meal that contains appropriate portions of all nutrients. A good diet helps a person to maintain good health. Fitness is the overall well being of the body. Diet is a therefore an important part of fitness.A good diet is one of the means to fitness and in turn, good health. Fitness programs include a combination of exercises and a balanced diet. Both these aspects go hand-in-hand and hence, fitness cannot be achieved by following only one of them.

A fitness program that is beneficial on a long-term basis always incorporates diet suggestions. Research has proved that by following a diet, the food a person ingests is burnt up only through exercise. With recent studies showing that most people lead an inactive life, fitness programs that include stretching and aerobic exercises can help the body keep its mobility. Programs that lay emphasis on weight loss also suggest routine workouts for faster results. "Low carb" diets are also popular with weight loss enthusiasts. However, doctors and medical practitioners indicate that weight loss can be maintained only if the person has sufficient exercise.
Increase in physical activity is of prime importance in any fitness program. If work schedules and lifestyle do not permit it, it is advisable to visit a fitness center at least thrice a week. Exercise helps the body to increase immunity levels. It also increases stamina for a more active life. For people suffering from chronic diseases such as arthritis, physical mobility is a must. Exercises help them minimize disability due to such disease.
Fitness programs that combine physical activity with diet are more advantageous for a lasting effect on health. These fitness programs have in house nutritionists, doctors and psychologist to help participants at each step. These fitness programs not only help in weight loss but also promote a healthier lifestyle.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Healthy Lifestyle

Here are 8 benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
This Article is written to reach the public with a simple and clear method to point out and to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle while reducing the risks of chronic diseases such as diabetes.
With the increased understanding of our bodies that we have gained from science over the past few decades, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are becoming more apparent, along with the reasons why we should detoxify the body at least once a year to remove harmful bacteria, and even worms, from our digestive system. For people of all ages, weights, and abilities the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are endless. But for now let's look at eight simple benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
1. Your Health:
Good Health is not something that you buy from a drug store or a department store, but can be achieved by practicing collective patterns of health-related behavior, based on choices made from available options. Following this logic, if you wish to realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, you have to repeat some healthy pattern as a part of your daily or weekly activities, some patterns like eating right and exercising. Other benefits includes: Reduced health care costs, reduced illness and injuries, reduced doctors visit, Keeps you employed and improved employee/employer relations.
2. Weight:
Managing your weight is the key to attaining all of the health benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle. A weight reduction of just 10 percent will significantly reduce risk of heart disease and other obesity-related illnesses. Obesity/overweight is the second leading contributing factor to many childhood diseases such as orthopedic disorders, sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, asthma, high blood pressure and cholesterol, skin disorders, emotional and psychosocial problems (Spigel, 2002), and many more. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking and strength training helps slow the onset of and/or prevent osteoporosis and some research shows that participating in such activities can actually build bone density and begin to reverse the disease. Other benefits are: Weight reduction, reduced tension and stress, improved well-being, Enhanced self-image and self-esteem and improved physical function.
3. Exercise:
Although drugs alone can often bring cholesterol down to normal levels, diet and exercise provide benefits that drugs don't. They'll lower blood pressure, reduce weight, and lower the risk of developing diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle is a dangerous risk factor for disease. Exercise and a healthy diet helps the body use insulin more efficiently and can help control, alleviate and prevent many diseases. Exercise, cessation of tobacco consumption, eating a high-fiber, low-fat diet, controlling body weight, and learning to cope with stress, reduce the risk of heart disease.
4. Medical:
We all want a trim and have healthy body for a variety of aesthetic, social and medical reasons. Healthy living is truly the best medicine. In a study conducted by Tufts University at the New England Medical Center, among patients with cardiovascular disease, an exercise program was shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol and other risk factors beyond what's provided by drug therapy. Even modest weight loss can help reduce medical and pharmacy costs, help avoid bariatric surgery, and co-morbidities such as asthma, hypertension, and diabetes.
5. Wellness:
Wellness is about being comfortable in your space: your body, your attitude, and your environment. A healthy lifestyle can greatly increase a person's longevity. And even though catching something contagious like a cold or flu is sometimes unavoidable, having the wisdom that feeling healthy is a better way to live should have you asking yourself why you are not taking action to live each day as beneficially as possible. The issue with a lot of people nowadays is that they are so busy working and/or taking care of everyone around them, that they neglect their own health and wellness. Make sure your heart is healthy and your bones are strong and Keep it that way to see the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
6. Care:
The best way to ensure good health is by taking care of yourself. The Care stakes are high but the potential rewards are great-preventing premature death, unnecessary illness, and disability, controlling health care cost, and maintaining a high quality of life into old age. With a healthy lifestyle, you are who you are and you don't have to be self-conscious about those things that you otherwise would be if you didn't care about your lifestyle
7. Control:
With a healthy lifestyle, you have more control of your life as you work with your body against those aspects of living which may work to hold you back if you would let them. With a healthy lifestyle, you have control over your sleep patterns so that you feel generally well rested throughout the day. With a healthy lifestyle, everything works together to help other aspects of your lifestyle make sense and benefit you. Science has proven that healthy weight loss, healthy eating and fitness routines make dramatic improvements in health, and help control common chronic illnesses like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, and general lack of stamina.
8. Strength:
Another benefit of a healthy lifestyle is a steady flow of stamina and strength; you can perform activities and exercises that will enhance your flexibility. With a healthy lifestyle, you have a balanced and varied diet that provides your body its needed nutrients and energy as well. You have strength to train to help build the muscle that supports the bones and joints; therefore decreasing the risk of falls and fractures. Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise, strengthens the heart muscle, therefore increases the heart's efficiency. As we age, our bones biologically begin to lose mass and strength. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking and strength training helps slow the onset of and/or prevent osteoporosis and some research shows that participating in such activities can actually build bone density and begin to reverse the disease.

Make Healthy Food Delicious

Nutrition counts especially when it comes to protecting the health of your visual system. For instance, It aids in the prevention of a series of vision conditions and eye diseases. An example of a vegetable that fits into this category is the Carrot. Carrots are an important part of your daily diet for healthier eyesight. From that point of view, if you are interested in foods that are good for your eyes, here are a variety of reasons why Carrots are a beneficial addition to your nutrition plan.
1. Protects Eyesight: Carrots are among the various foods for eyesight rich in Vitamin A, which according to scientific research, may prevent the age related vision disorder called macular degeneration. This particular vitamin helps the part of the eyes called the macular which is responsible for improving visual acuity (sharper eyesight). As we age the normal function of the macular begins to decline significantly. According to drvita.com, a deficiency in this vitamin may lead to blindness. The AMDF: The American Macular Degeneration Foundation states that macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the United States affecting more Americans than cataracts and glaucoma. Consumption of just 1 serving of Carrots per day can actually decrease your risk of developing this vision disorder by 40%.
2. Prevents Cataracts: Research suggests that the Carotenoids in Carrots especially Beta - Carotene, may aid in the prevention of cataracts. Cataracts are formed when the eye lens becomes cloudy. This causes a blockage of light entering the eyes which may lead to blindness. Eye surgery procedures can correct this problem. However, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than cure. The preventative nutrition that carrots supply the eyes helps you to avoid the expense and the risk associated with eye surgery. Carrots supply the eyes with the right nutrition that prevents cataracts from developing in the first place.
3. Prevents night blindness: This food for eye health consist of Vitamin A that helps improve night vision. A deficiency in Vitamin A causes night blindness. This negatively affects your ability to see clearly at night and in dim light. Even though your ability to see clearly at night diminishes with age, Vitamin A can help to either slow the progression of poor night vision or even prevent this vision loss. Always consult your eye care physician to determine both the correct dosage of Vitamin A needed to suit your individual needs, in addition to whether or not there are any underlying medical conditions affecting your eyesight.

Fitness & Nutrition : How to Prepare a Healthy Diet Food Plan

Many workout and fitness plans get derailed by some common mistakes and bad habits.
Be careful to avoid these...
Failing to fuel your body with sound nutrition -- Nutrients are key to the regeneration of muscles. Your body needs protein and vitamins... not excess fat and junk food. Make sure what you take in each meal furthers your fitness goals, rather than hamper them. Go with lean meat, fruits and vegetables over processed and fatty foods. Make sure you eat regularly to keep your metabolism moving and to maintain energy for those workouts. Plan your meals like you plan your workouts if possible. It matters just as much.
Being active only during workouts -- Most of us live sedentary lives. Workouts become harder to stick with when they're the only time you're physically active. Sitting around slows circulation and fat burning, counteracting your workouts. Do more outside the gym. Park the car and walk more. Play sports. Play with your kids or dog. Add hobbies and get out more. Or stay in, clean up the yard or pick up around the house. It's true what they say about bodies in motion -- tend to stay in motion, and that's a good thing.
Drinking sports drinks instead of water -- Sports drinks contain electrolytes. They also contain sugar, and not the good kind. Most sports drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, which sends your liver into overdrive to process the high sugar concentration, storing anything else as fat. Check the labels of sports drinks to avoid the extras that you don't need, and only drink sports drinks when you need them -- they're not meant to quench your everyday thirst. Unless your workout is intense -- and we're talking marathon-intense -- you probably don't need a sports drink. If you need some flavor, try a spritz of lemon or lime. You may also try infusing your water with fruit (berries, pineapple, cucumber, orange, etc) to add flavor but no calories to your drink. Give them a try.
Working out without focus and efficiency -- A good cardio session can take 20 to 30 minutes. Keep in mind that cardio doesn't only mean running, jogging or an exercise machine either. Dancing is a form of cardio also! A good weight workout can take 30 to 45 minutes. That 60-second rest period becomes 3 minutes if you don't watch the clock, making a 30-minute workout last more than an hour. Keep moving throughout the workout to completion. Too long of a rest period can decrease your workout's effectiveness.
Working out without a battle plan -- Some people walk into the gym and wing it -- with no sense of how well they're working out all their muscles, and then wonder why they don't make progress. Write down a workout plan: Map out all your workouts to the set. Figure out your goals and set a plan to get there. Read books for ideas if you must, or take advantage of the trainers the gym makes available. The trainers can advise you on proper form, the right machines for you, the frequency of your workouts and so much more. The cost of one or two sessions is well worth it when you consider the invaluable advice you'll get. Stick to your plan, and keep notes. A good plan allows you to monitor your progress.
Doing incomplete workouts -- Doing cardio alone doesn't develop fat-burning muscle like weights do. Focusing on chest exercises shortchanges other muscles that now have to compensate to balance an overdeveloped chest with your body. You don't have to work out every muscle group every day. Alternate upper and lower body workouts, and mix up heart-strengthening cardio with strength training. Stay balanced, and your body will show the results.
Failing to push yourself-- Pushing your body as reasonably far as possible is the key to making progress. An un-challenging 20-minute cardio session or easy sets don't test your body. Make sure once you start finding sets easy that you increase the weight to continue meeting your goals.
Failing to vary your routine -- Once your body accustoms itself to a routine, your growth slows, this is also referred to as a plateau. A workout strengthens your body by taking you beyond your comfort zone. Change exercises in your workout plan periodically. Switch your cardio from the treadmill to the exercise cycle. Use a barbell instead of dumbbells for those bicep curls. Take a class you've never tried --there's something for everyone offered in most gyms these days. Don't be afraid to take your workouts outside the gym also!
Trying to do too much at once -- Enthusiasm can push you into doing too many sets, lifting too much or running too long. At best, your body's extra soreness hampers future workouts, but injury is the true risk. If you push your body too far, it breaks.
Working out without stretching -- Stretching beforehand prevents muscle cramps and injuries by loosening up your ligaments and muscles. Stretching after workouts loosens up your muscles and ligaments, promoting healing.
You also want to get enough rest between workouts to let your body heal. Your body needs time to repair the damage a workout does. Alternate days of strength training -- do upper body one day, lower the next. This way, you'll be sure to minimize damage. A little soreness is OK. After all, the tiny tears in muscles that result from working out create mass as they're repaired. The most important thing to remember to do after a great workout is to nourish your body with protein, which helps to repair the muscles.
My name is Felicia Starks and I am a certified personal fitness trainer and lifestyle weight management specialist. My passion is optimum health & fitness as well as financial freedom and my mission is inspire and empower people to live a fit & healthy lifestyle while taking control of their own financial future. You've come to the right place if you need to lose belly fat and bring your sexy body back but you are...
Tired of working out hard and long yet seeing little to no results?
I'll provide practical fitness tips and recipes to help everyday women shrink fat effortlessly with or without a gym membership.
"You don't have to get it right, just get MOVING!"

Thursday, October 3, 2013

A HEALTHY FOOD PLATE

Take a look at your plate the next time you have a meal. It will most probably be more than half a plate of cereals - rice or chapathies-  along with rasam, buttermilk, pickles, pappads, chips and deep fried vegetables,a starchy vegetable, dhal, whole grams or maybe a few pieces of meat and a bowl of  something sweet. Eating this way will increase insulin resistance, lipid levels, and weight. It also becomes difficult for the body to control its blood sugar levels, and this increases the risk of diabetes complications. 
By changing the proportions of food on your plate,you can improve your health and trim your waistline. This will help you manage diabetes better.The American Diabetes Association recommends that half the plate should include non- starchy vegetables, one quarter should be filled with lean protein, and the other quarter should have some additional carbohydrates. This visual dietary control is called the ‘Plate Method’. You do not have to measure your food accurately. Just fill your plate to match the prescribed dietary proportions.
The Plate Method for healthy living and controlling diabetes has become quite popular. It is an easy and helpful way to plan meals for everyone, especially for those who wish to gain better control of their blood sugar levels, blood pressure and / or body weight. 
First:  You need to choose a plate. Plate sizes have grown over the years. An ideal size is 9 inches wide, no wider.
Second:  Fill half the plate with approximately 2 cups or more non – starchy vegetables An easy way to meet this requirement is to eat one bowl of salad along with your side vegetables.
Cabbage 
Broccoli
Carrots
Tomatoes 
Mushrooms
Cucumbers
Spinach
Greens (all varieties)
 Beans 
Cauliflower

Third:  Your plate should provide approximately 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrate, Choose whole grains over processed and refined grains. 
Whole Cereals
Rice 
Whole wheat Bread 
Potatoes
Yam
Tapioca
Fourth:  Fill the other quarter of the plate with protein such as :
Chicken
Fish
Egg
Lean meat
Dhal and whole grams,  nuts
Dairy products
Fifth: There are two more items. First, is a small glass of low fat or skim milk or small cup of yogurt  and next is a small piece of fruit 50 to 100 gms.

THE PLATE METHOD…
Strategies for changing eating habits in diabetes:

Avoid sugary drinks, added sugar (e.g., honey, brown and white sugar),  avoid high fat cooking methods ( i.e., shortening, butter, hydrogenated oil, margarine), use low fat oils ( e.g., olive, canola, safflower, etc.), eat less salt, eat lean cuts of meat, eat regularly. Use healthy cooking methods like steaming or boiling or stir- frying.
The Plate Method provides the following benefits:
An eating style that is nutritionally sound
A lower fat intake
Improved carbohydrates distribution
A greater intake of fiber
More fruits and vegetables (antioxidants and photochemical)
The Plate Method works anywhere:

This approach also works well when eating out. Just visualize how the foods would fill up your plate. If you are lacking in vegetables, order up a salad. And if the meat portion looks too large, share it with someone.
Your diet can improve your health 
With the plate method, your meals will be high infibercontent and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and carbohydrates. It will…
Maintain blood glucose and lipids as near normal as possible
Provide appropriate calories for weight loss or weight maintenance
Prevent or delay diabetes related complications through decreasing your risk of heart disease and    stroke
Improve overall health through optimal nutrition
Plan your plate with your dietitian.

A Look At Health Food Through Heritage

The belief that picking superior foods may help these wanting a healthier life-style has damaged many civilizations during history. The concept of health food draws from moral, strict and political guidelines, although it is widespread understanding that a specified number of nourishment is vital for one to keep to call home. The ingredients one selects could disclose a lot about his lifestyle and beliefs. Moreover, it discloses values concerning the romance of what one eats and well being. With the variety of healthy food vendors popping out nowadays, employing websites like OrganicFinder can certainly help a whole lot.
In many destinations in the world today, the concern is not with all the quality of nutrition, but finding enough to provide nutrition to permit one to endure. Generally in most of the globe, people challenge to get enough to eat. Nevertheless, in richer countries, there is more matter regarding quality-of products taken.
The matter for better-quality foods has sources from your Jewish and Christian scriptures, where Jewish dietary regulations were viewed as a a part of a covenant with lord. The nutritional constraints were implemented to set apart the Hebrew folks from these inside the lands where they existed. These limitations were quite step-by-step, but did not enable the person to take such foods as rabbit, pork or shellfish.
Comparable varieties of constraints are observed in lots of different communities as well. The Pythagoreans averted eating legumes. The Hindus continue steadily to avoid consumption of meat. Pork is averted by both the Jews and the Muslims. In certain offices of Catholicism, the Sisters declare to occur simply to the Sacraments of bread and wine. Health limitations present protection for your voter from spiritual as well as physical hurt.
As technology started to focus on diseases caused by nutrient insufficiency, there is a returned focus on the grade of meals one's consumed. This result in the development of supplements. Products, such as for instance cod liver oil were suggested to improve the health of children from the 1920s.
Later developing spiritual sects, including the Seventh Day Adventists and Mormons taught their followers to avoid products for-a better lifetime and well-being. These incorporated alcohol, tea, espresso and cigarette. The rules were trained to guard the temple of-the human body.
Outside strict communities, there's been an increasing interest in reducing meat in vegetarianism. Some have become part through consideration for animals and others for political causes. The others follow the practice to boost balanced eating. One of the very contemporary choices would be to minimize one's diet to cereal grains in addition to seasonal develop from the nearby spot as health-food. Click here to see the set of organic food firms in your area.