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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Easy Diets To Lose Weight Fast - The Shocking Truth About Which Type of Diet Works The Best!

What are the easy diets to lose weight fast? There are probably a thousand ways to lose all that extra fat, if you have had the time to notice all of them in the Internet. However, you would be surprised to know that almost half of them either contain false information or are made to promote a certain product or exercise apparatus. This is one of the main reasons why I tell most of my friends to not believe everything that they read on the Internet. As for easy diets to lose weight fast they do exist; the only problem is that these techniques and tips are already right before your eyes, but people just take them for granted because either they are not serious in losing weight or they are too lazy to do so! How far are you willing to lose all those extra weight? That should be the first question that you should ask yourself before you even attempt to do any type of diet.

One of the easiest diets that you can start would be a protein-rich diet. Start your day with milk and bread; if you want some rice for your breakfast, then one cup of rice should be sufficient enough for you. Eat lean meat, like turkey, chicken, or fish; avoid eating pork or any type of meat that is deep-fried as these types are filled with cholesterol, which is bad for your heart. Avoid over-eating as this will only fill you with more calories that will turn into body fat. Start doing exercises in order to increase your body's metabolism rate, thus increasing the chance of slimming down your body at a much faster rate. Do this and you should lose weight in no time at all!

So, if you want to Burn Fat FAST and drop 9 pounds EVERY 11 DAYS, then I highly recommend the "calorie shifting diet". I lost an amazing 57 lbs. of fat in 2 months using this popular online diet plan... and it all stayed off FOR GOOD! This diet works really well because it is based on boosting your metabolism by eating REAL foods. NO starving yourself, NO cravings, NO dangerous diet pills... just 100% natural and very EASY dieting!

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Article by: Allyson Meyers

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Slash Belly Fat With These 10 Tips and Tricks

Losing belly fat is one of the hardest and annoying things to do in life. Well, that and taxes. But it does not have to be that hard as long as you have a great mindset and strategy in place. If you have both, you will succeed. But if your missing just one of these elements, your chances of success are decreased. The biggest key that I see when it comes to successful weight loss is the mental element of it all. The brain controls your thoughts and your body. If you have a weak mindset, you will be hindering your results like I've said before. So, without further ado, I wanted to give you 10 tricks that you can use right away to start losing belly fat.

Tip 1: Have a workout buddy. Having a gym buddy is a great way to make yourself stay accountable and to get to the gym everyday during the week. By having a gym buddy, they are able to push you through your exercise routine and vice versa. It also helps to make exercise fun for all. A lot of people don't like to exercise, but having a buddy to go with you to the gym takes care of most of that boredom. Just make sure not to talk all the time while your at the gym.

Tip 2: Have a competition amongst friends or co-workers. For a lot of people, their jobs offer gym memberships or even have a corporate gym in the basement of the building that they work in. Start off by getting 5 to 10 friends or co-workers. Lay out a timetable for the competition and see who can lose the most weight within a 3 month or 6 month period. However, one thing you must note is you should go by relative amount of weight lost, not absolute because a heavier person who is just starting out will lose more weight than a smaller person. You should also have some type of prize at the end of the competition. Chip in some money and buy a vacation for the winner or a great night out on the town. This will help fuel motivation all the way through.

Tip 3: Use visualization. Visualization is one of the most underated mental exercises to accomplish something. It works wonders in whatever you want to do. If you truly concentrate on the end result of what you want to look like, you just increased your chances of getting there. You see, you can actually re-program your sub conscious mind. It's like a mold of clay and it can be shaped into anything you want it to. For 5 minutes every night, focus on what you want your body to look like. Truly visualize it. Feel it, smell the air, make it as real as possible.

Tip 4: Record all of your progress down in the gym. Whatever weights you use and exercises you perform, record down the number of times you performed each set. Make sure each week to try and beat the number from the previous week. It doesn't matter if you only beat it by 1 repetition. You still made progress. You can do the same for cardiovascular exercise. Record your incline, speed and time and try to increase either or each week by a small degree. Remember, small increases lead to bigger increases over time, which will get you to your end goal.

Tip 5: Keep a food diary. By keeping a food diary, you can keep track of everything that you ingest each day. Many people underestimate the amount of calories they take in each day as well as their portions. Big portions are a problem in this country. For example, a serving of pasta is 1 cup. But most people eat 2 to 4 cups in a sitting. That can be anywhere from 100 to 200 grams of refined carbohydrates that you just consumed and did not need. All those extra calories will be turned into the annoying belly fat that we try to avoid.

Now I want to get into the exercise portion of this article.

Tip 6: Keep your heart rate elevated through out the workout. By keeping your heart rate elevated through out the workout and limiting your breaks, you will be burning more total calories through out the session and through out the day. You don't realize it but you can still have a great workout, keep your heart rate and not feel like you are going to pass out. You just have to keep it at a constant level, especially when you are weight training. And this brings me into my seventh tip.

Tip 7: Do some type of resistance training. Working out with weights is going help you build muscle and burn more calories at rest as compared to cardiovascular exercise. Building muscle is also going to give you that nice, lean and toned look that everyone admires. The more muscle that you build, the more calories you will be burning at rest because muscle is metabolically active tissue. It needs calories to survive, unlike fat.  Principles and Practice of Resistance Training

Tip 8: Do cardiovascular interval training instead of regular boring cardio that you usually do on the treadmill or elliptical. By performing interval training, you will be burning more calories though out your workout. Also, your metabolism will be significantly raised for the rest of the day so you can be burning more total calories. When you are jogging and stop, your metabolism automatically goes back to baseline levels so you don't get that coveted after burn as you would with interval training.

Tip 9: Mix it up. By mixing up your workouts with different exercises, reps, sets, and programs, you are keeping your body guessing. Your body wants to stay where it is. It loves homeostasis. By tricking your body and keeping it out of homeostasis, you will be burning more calories and forcing your body to change at a faster than normal pace. Plus it keeps you from being bored, especially if you don't like to exercise.

Tip 10: Have fun. Don't get too serious with yourself. You will fall off the bandwagon at some point in your journey to losing belly fat. And that's okay. It's normal. Have fun with it all and document your transformation so you can look back and be proud of what you accomplished.  


Article by: Jared DiCarmine

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Gastric Band Surgery Verses Gastric Band Hypnosis

So you're thinking of really getting serious about your weight problem. You feel really out of shape and you want to start slimming down. You are so serious, in fact, that you are now even considering a surgical procedure to assist you in taking the weight off. Now that we know that you are serious, let's go over your options.

Weight loss is a matter of taking in less calories than you consume. If you eat 3500 calories in a week than you normally would, that would translate into you losing 1 pound of weight. That means that you will want to eliminate 500 calories a day to make that happen. Over the course of a year you will have lost 50 pounds. Increase the amount of calories you eliminate from your daily or weekly diet and you will increase the number of pounds you lose over time. Those are the basics of weight loss, and those basics do not change even when you choose surgery to assist you in your weight loss journey.

Your surgery options include several different procedures and the one that this article is focusing on is the gastric band surgery. With gastric band surgery you will be wheeled into the operating room where you will be sedated and a team of surgeons will perform a laparoscopic surgery. This requires that a number of small incisions will be made in your chest and stomach area. Into these incisions the doctors will insert very small cameras and surgical instruments. While watching their progress on a TV screen the surgeons will be able to cut away sections of fat and push aside the organs surrounding your stomach. This is so they can create a tunnel underneath your stomach sack.

Once that tunnel is made the surgeon will then install a band around the top of your stomach. This band is similar to a twist closure for your trash bag. The purpose of this closure is to isolate the top part of your stomach and use that to create a smaller reservoir to capture the food that you eat. It will then enter the rest of your stomach slowly as it is broken down and able to flow through that now very small opening created by the gastric band.

After your gastric band is installed you will still need to eat smaller amounts of food in order for you to lose weight. Remember that the formula for losing a pound a week is to eat 500 less calories a day. That has not changed. What has changed is that your stomach is now unable to handle very much food at one time. Your stomach has physically changed to be the size of a golf ball. Eating more than 4 or 5 mouthfuls of food will now put a major stress on your digestive system and you will have a really bad physical response to eating too much food. This is called dumping by the doctors.

Gastric bandhypnosis is a way of using your imagination in a very profound way. When you use the gastric band hypnosis method, you will have a mental gastric band installed and you will be guided to follow the smaller portions program that the surgical patients would follow. Some virtual gastric band participants find that after the virtual gastric band is installed they feel a tightness in their stomach. They find the same type of feelings as if they actually had the real surgical operation performed. When that happens for you, you will then be influenced to follow an eating program that consists of less food, and you will lose weight.

And I invite you to join one of my free gastric band hypnosis groups for weight loss. These groups are actively testing to see how effective this process can be. It has been getting between 90-95% success rate with attendees losing weight. There are also reduced price individual sessions available for the virtual gastric band in New York, and you can take advantage of these free and low cost offers for the remainder of 2010.

You can find more info at VirtualGastricBandNewYork.com and see how the initial volunteers have done with the virtual gastric band.

Marc Carlin is also the co-author of the book, Real World Hypnosis, Insider Tips From The World's Leading Hypnotists that can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers worldwide.  Check out Weight Loss Hypnosis.

Article by: Marc Carlin

Friday, September 24, 2010

Weight Loss Foods - Top 4 Recommendations

Weight loss foods are not necessarily foods that will make you lose weight as you eat them! That would be fantastic, but that's just not the case. Weight loss foods are types of foods - beans, lean meats, vegetables - that will promote overall health, naturally speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight. To get the most from these types of foods, they should be part of a healthy overall food plan that will help you get the most of what they have to offer.


Vegetables and fruits have to make the top of the weight loss food list. While some vegetables will be high in fat - think avocados - they will help you feel full longer, and contain very little calories, compared to their volume. Contrary to popular belief, vegetables are actually quite difficult to digest, so you will burn many calories just through the act of digesting them. On top of being full of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, vegetables and fruits are actually delicious - at least in most cases! Just make sure not to drown them in butter when you eat them!

Lean cuts of meat are an essential part of a healthy array of weight loss foods. Try to limit yourself to poultry, always without the skin, as well as fish and very lean cuts of pork and beef - no bacon! Fish should always be baked, never fried, and the fat allowed to drain away as it cooks. Animal proteins are considered by many to be an essential part of a healthy human diet, and very often the tastiest!

Foods that will accelerate your metabolism, helping to burn calories and fat should also be considered as part of a weight loss food diets. Cayenne pepper - yes, the one that makes your eyes water - is an excellent metabolism enhancer, and will add flavor and adventure to your meals.

To conclude your feast, how about some green tea? Green tea has been shown to not only enhance and accelerate your metabolism, but also boosts your immune system, helps lower your cholesterol and may prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It also seems to help with digestion!  All Natural Foojoy Wuyi Oolong (Wu Long) Weight Loss Tea 100 Tea Bags

Article by: Cecil Murphy

Friday, September 17, 2010

Counting Calories - Best Way to Lose Weight

One of the best and most reliable ways to lose weight is by counting the calories in the foods you consume. A calorie is a unit of energy measuring how much energy the foods we consume provide to our bodies. A certain amount of calories are necessary for the body to function properly. As you eat food, your body turns that food into fuel and burns it, producing calories, or energy.

As we all know, there are three different types of foods, all of which have different caloric amounts: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. One gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories. One gram of protein contains 4 calories. However, one gram of fat has 9 calories, more than twice the amount found in protein or carbohydrates. This may be part of the reason fatty foods seem to fill us up so quickly. Unfortunately, it's also the reason fatty foods make us gain weight faster.

The full name for calories are "kilocalories." When calorie calculations are made, it is assumed that everyone knows that calories = kilocalories. For example, if something on a menu is listed as having 500 calories, it really has 500 kilocalories. A calorie is the amount of energy it takes to increase the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. It takes 3500 calories to equal one pound of body weight.

All of these numbers and calculations may be making your head spin. Just remember, all you really need to know is in the last sentence of the last paragraph. If you want to lose one pound of stored body fat, you must burn off 3500 calories. When you're relaxing, doing absolutely nothing at all, scientists say that most people burn just 50 calories an hour. So it naturally follows, then, that to make a real dent into your body fat, you must combine counting your daily calorie intake with exercise.

Some people eat different types of foods on a diet, thinking that will help them to lose weight faster. Low carbohydrate diets are popular, as taking in less carbs will cause the body to burn more protein by converting protein to carbohydrates in the liver. This can also cause more fluid to be lost from the body, however, faking dieters into thinking they're losing massive amounts of weight when, in actuality, they are just losing fluid and not making a noticeable, permanent reduction of all of their stored body fat. This is why diets that restrict only certain types of foods usually don't work.

Experts say that the only way to lose weight is to increase one's basal metabolic rate, usually through aerobic exercise. When a body is at rest, the body's oxygen supply is sufficient to burn up to 90% of its energy as fat.Therefore, if you increase your resting metabolic rate, you will actually burn more calories at rest than the person next to you. This will help you to dramatically increase your fat loss and you should see the numbers on the scale decrease as well.

If you want more help counting calories try Rocketech Count Down to Slim Calorie, Carb and Fat Counting System .



If you need more information, please visit: http://lose-fat-fast.net

Article by: John Cleric

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Looking at Using Body Building for Weight Loss

Using body building for weight loss can have a great results, but be prepared to work hard! Body building can have weight loss results, and can be a healthy way to get in shape. There are useful properties that can be used for weight loss from both the diets and the exercises involved in body building. Muscle gain involves a lot of time and dedication though, so make sure you have the time and will power to stick with it!

Body workout for muscle gain involves following a strict eating regimen. Most body builders stick to a strict diet of foods that are high in lean protein. They often take several types of dietary supplements to help their body keep up with strict exercise regimens. Since this diet is usually free of sugars and starchy foods, this can be a good diet for weight loss as well. Most body builders look to food items like fish, chicken and turkey to get their lean protein. They normally avoid baked goods and fruits that are high in natural sugar. Sometimes, body building diets can be low in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, so you want to make sure and add some of these into your meals, or take some supplements. Using diets from muscle gain for weight loss can be a great way to achieve your goals.

You can also look to using the body weight exercises from body building for weight loss. The exercises designed for body building involves heavy weights, with low amounts of repetition. Most body builders will work out five or more times a week to keep their physiques up. If you are only looking to lose weight quick you might could cut your workouts down to four times a week. You will definitely build muscle mass, so don't expect your number on the scale to go down. Muscle weighs more than fat, so the number on the scale may actually go up a little. This is why it is actually important to gauge your weight loss by measuring your waist, to get a true measurement. If you want to avoid bulking altogether, you can keep the exercises, but lessen the weight but up the number of repetitions. Exercises from muscle gain for weight loss can help you, but you may have to modify them a bit to get the results you are looking for.

So, as you can see using tricks from body building for weight loss can be very helpful. The diet and exercise plans that body builders follow can be very beneficial to those looking to lose weight. These plans may be too extreme for some people though. If you feel like these weight training program might be too extreme for you, or might cause you to get too bulky, you can modify them to achieve the results you are looking to get. Since many body builders are in great shape, it is no wonder that using ideas from best exercise plans for weight loss purpose works so well.

If you would like to discover how to build muscle and want learn best body building workouts go to my site http://www.bestwaytoloseweight-exercisestoloseweightquickly.com now to get FREE 7 truths about easy body building to lose weight.

Article By: Armando Johnhill

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Why Do I Over Eat? The Scoop on Emotional-Compensatory Eating

Every human being has basic emotional and intellectual needs. You are no exception. There are four needs that your mind strives to fulfill on a very consistent basis: certainty/security, significance, variety, and love/connection. Your mind views these needs as necessities; they are not optional. When a need goes unmet, an over eater's mind uses food to compensate for that need.

The Need for Certainty/Security
Everyone needs to feel in control of their lives; facing the unknown can be very unsettling for many people. When a person loses the feeling of being in control, the mind will strive to regain control by employing whatever habits and behaviors it has been programmed with.

For stress eaters, this is a weakness. Stress often happens when the feeling of control has been lost. Stress eaters seek control through consuming food because, although they cannot control their outer circumstances causing stress, they are able to control what they eat.

Pay close attention to those stressful times and notice if your immediate reaction is to run to the fridge. You could be compensating a feeling of losing control with the consumption of food.

The Need for Significance
Another basic human need is the need to feel important. No one wants to live a life where their presence hasn't made the least bit of impact in the lives of others. We want people to remember us when we are gone, or it will be as if we never existed at all.

But there does need to be balance. Ever hear of the saying "It is lonely at the top"? Being significant requires a certain amount of responsibility; maybe too much for one person to handle.

Maybe food is giving you that "special feeling" that significance emits. Maybe you feel you are too significant and you are feeding your face as some sort of distraction from the responsibility that comes along with being significant. Next time you are feeling like you are being pulled in many different directions, pay attention to your response.

The Need for Variety
Sometimes life can become so certain that it becomes boring! Everyone has the need for variety in their lives. For some people, variety comes in the form of food. For good reason! With so many different kinds of foods out there, the choices seem endless! Plus, food is relatively cheap compared to other forms of "entertainment". So instead of going out to a movie with your spouse or friends and blowing well over $20 on a movie ticket, some popcorn, and a drink; you head to your favorite restaurant or right to your refrigerator, and ease your boredom with your favorite junk food.

Does this sound like you? Pay attention to your actions when you find yourself getting bored. Is your first reaction to head for the pantry or the fridge? Chances are there are many other things you could think of to ease your boredom (like dishes, laundry, a project, etc.); but nothing says "fun" like a brownie fudge sundae!

The Need for Love/Connection
Ah yes...the need for love and connection. This is by far the deepest need. Everyone wants to be and feel loved; everyone wants to feel connected. The most damaging emotions someone can experience are rejection and loneliness; and when rejection and loneliness are experienced, our minds work overtime to compensate. For some people, compensation comes in the form of "comfort food".

Food may be the one variable a rejected person feels they can rely on-it will never say "no" or "not now" or "maybe later". Food is always there to serve its purpose; and if its purpose for you is to comfort you, your mind knows that it will always be there. So your mind quickly employs the habit of seeking comfort from food; and you end up easing your feelings of rejection and/or loneliness with a box of dough nuts or a pint of ice cream.

Examine Your Needs
Take a quick inventory of your needs and identify the ones that are falling short of being fulfilled. This is a major key to obtaining your freedom. Unless you know the problem, you will not be able to find the solution. 


Article by: Michelle Casey

Thursday, September 9, 2010

5 Reasons Why You Don't Lose Weight

Losing weight can be a difficult proposition for most of us. There are many factors that contribute to making a difficult situation even harder: physical factors, such as injuries; lifestyle issues, like a demanding job or school schedule; family issues, like having children or caring for a relative. Or even mental issues, such as depression, can keep you from achieving your weight loss desires.

These issues need to be addressed before you begin any weight loss program. Reach out to others, such as your doctor or relatives, to help you get started. But once you are on a program, don't let the following 5 things sabotage your success:

1) You Eat Too Much
Old habits are hard to break. And temptation is all around us! Most of us who are overweight got there simply by consuming more calories than we burn in a day. Conversely, if we burn more calories than we consume, we'll shed the excess pounds. Skip the extra slice of pie. Don't go to the buffet at lunch. Your body will love you for it!!

2) You Eat The Wrong Kinds Of Food
Get plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are digested slowly, so they leave you feeling satisfied longer. Heart-healthy fats, like those in olive oil, nuts, and fish, are doctor recommended. So is calcium from green, leafy vegetables and dairy products. Stay away from foods high in sodium and sugar. And soda needs to be cut back on, if not eliminated, for you to be successful.

3)You Don't Get Any Exercise
Though it's possible to lose weight without exercise, it will take a lot longer. Cardiovascular exercise, in combination with some form of strength training, is the quickest way to boost your metabolism and burn fat. See your doctor or a personal trainer before you start any exercise program. You want to avoid injury.

4) You Are Not Getting Quality Sleep
Research has shown that many overweight people don't sleep well. If you're not getting regular, good sleep, you will feel sluggish, and your body will crave high carb, high sugar foods for energy. If insomnia is an issue, ask your doctor if a melatonin supplement might benefit you. Also, check your mattress. Is it time to replace it?

5) You Are Not Setting Goals
Goal-setting may be the most important factor in successful weight loss. Use the SMART acronym for setting your goals--make them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Bound. With out setting a goal, you will remain mired in the "wish" stage, and never get started on true progress. Make sure to write down your goals.

By avoiding the 5 pitfalls above, you will give yourself a real boost in achieving lasting weight loss.

To see other helpful information, product reviews, and resources on weight loss, including how to burn belly fat and how to quickly lose weight, visit Jillian Michaels

Article by: Brad Schuh

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

What a Treadmill Can Do For You

In today's technologically advanced society, plenty of machines have been made to help us cope and perform our tasks easier and faster. Health wise, a lot of machines are currently out today that provide us opportunities to improve our fitness. One of the popular exercising equipments that have been of great use today is the treadmill. This machine is relatively very user friendly and has a lot of significant health benefits to offer, even for a person who makes use of it at home.

Athlete and runners train on a treadmill because they want to keep track of their pace as well as upgrade the road challenges they face, without having to change locations. With a treadmill, the incline of the machine can be increased in order to build leg muscle. Serious trainers also make use of treadmills to monitor their vital statistics in connection to improvements in their speed and workout intensity.

However, the most popular application of the treadmills has always been for the plain purpose of weight loss. See, treadmill exercises actually burns out around 700 calories per hour - which is significantly higher compared to using a stair-stepper, rowing machine or a stationary bicycle. With a regular routine of 2 hours daily treadmill workout, a drop of 2 pound can be expected by the end of the week. Two of the best cardiovascular exercises, which is running and walking, can be done on a treadmill. The advantage for this is that the running surface on this machine absorbs the impact and is very gentle on the joints, thus preventing injuries.

There are different types of treadmills that can offer convenience for any user. You can purchase foldable ones that do not take up much space or big bulky treadmill that are more durable. The typical dimensions of a regular treadmill are 77 inches long, 30 inches wide and 53 inches high. The length of its belt should be long enough for an ample stride which is around 58 to 60 inches for a runner.

When you purchase a treadmill, make sure that it feels stable whenever you walk or run on it and that it has enough power to stand up to a good workout. It is important to find a treadmill that you will be able to use frequently so that it does not become just another expensive equipment that takes up space and collects dust.

Article by: Ada Dowell

Friday, September 3, 2010

How Hypnosis For Weight Loss Works

Diet, exercise, and weight loss can be some of the most dreaded works in the English vocabulary, and some of the hardest things for most people to do. Once you are out of shape, getting back into shape becomes a difficult challenge. Hypnosis for weight loss is one tool that people are using more and more to try and get back into a healthy lifestyle. For many people this sounds like a great idea, but they are not even sure how something like this would work. Here is a brief overview on how hypnosis for weight loss works.

Like all hypnosis plans, the goal is to change how the subconscious works. Training your subconscious will make changes to the way you think and the way you act, catapulting you to making positive changes in your life. I think most people are familiar with using hypnosis for quitting bad habits like drinking and smoking. By changing the subconscious, the desire and the need to those things lessen, making you able to control your urges. The same basic principals from those procedures are being used for weight loss hypnosis.

The goal of weight loss hypnosis is to change you over time; this is not an instant solution that is going to shed pounds in the first week. Instead, over time you stop eating fast food and it does not taste nearly as good, you stop ordering pizzas, you stop eating because you are nervous or excited, and you stop eating out of habit. This is a tool to teach you to change to a healthier diet, and to stop eating bad foods by replacing them with good foods.

It is the learning to eat healthy, and the learning to spend 20 minutes of your lunch break walking, that will increase the healthiness of your life. It is not going to lose weight instantly, or change your life right away. There are many different choices on how you can have this hypnosis procedure done, including professional people, CDs, and even self hypnosis. Choosing between these different options is something you are going to have to research to determine what is best for you personally.

But over time, people claim that doing hypnosis for weight loss will make the changes you always wanted, and you will become the person you always wanted. These changes will make you a very happy person, and hopefully a much healthier person.

Article By: Johnny Tepp

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

2 Unusual Inner Thigh Exercises For Women That Burn Fat and Tone the Legs

When looking to tone and tighten the inner thigh area many ladies will opt to use the machines in the gym. Now this is ok but I think you are missing a great opportunity to not only tone your legs but also burn body fat and flatten your stomach.


To do this you need to focus on inner thigh exercises that include movement and resistance. This is because free movement leg exercises involve many more muscles apart from those in your leg. This makes you work much harder creates a stronger tighter body and burns lots more energy in the form of body fat. A great combination in my book!

That said here are 2 fantastic exercises for inner thighs that can be done at the gym or at home that will work wonders not just for your legs but your whole body.

Lateral lunges with touchdowns 10-15 reps each leg
As this can be quite a tricky exercise to perform I would advise starting just your bodyweight then progress to medicine balls or dumbbells. Word of warning these will work your butt hard and have you sweating in no time.

From a standing position take a large step to one side and then bend your knee and try to touch the toe of your outstretched foot. Then return to the start position.Your back and stationary leg should be as straight as possible and your head up throughout the movement. If doing this for the first time there is a good chance you won't be able to get low enough to touch your toes so just go as far as you can. Over time you will be able to get lower as your flexibility and strength improve. Once you can touch your foot with your hand for ten to fifteen reps on each leg try holding a medicine ball or dumbbell for more intensity.

Wide Stance Squats - 10 -15 reps 
In my opinion to make this a more effective inner thigh exercise I would hold a dumbbell, kettlebell or medicine ball.  NB: Never let your knees go past your toes.

To perform this movement correctly stand up straight with your legs wide apart and your toes pointing sideways. Your body weight should be evenly distributed between both feet. Hold the dumbbell or whatever you are using below your waist with arms straight and relaxed. Breathe in then bend your knees and lower the weight if possible so it almost touches the floor. As you do this push the hips backwards and try to keep your back straight and your head up looking forward.

Then breathe out slowly and return to the starting position taking care to maintain the same form throughout the movement.

To ensure you don't incur any injuries please ensure that you have done a thorough warm up before doing these exercises.

For maximum results I like to do these inner thigh exercises as part of total body resistance workout followed high intensity interval training. This will not only ensure your legs look amazing but the rest of your body does too

As this can be quite a tricky exercise to perform I would advise starting just your bodyweight then progress to medicine balls or dumbbells. Word of warning this will give your butt a great workout as well.

I am Howard Standring a Personal Trainer who lives in Southern Spain. I coach and advice men and women of all ages to help them achieve a lean attractive body that lasts for life.

For more workouts, advanced fat loss tips and muscle building advice to look like a Hollywood star or fashion model visit my blog http://www.energiafitness.com/.


Article By: Howard Standring

Friday, August 27, 2010

Amazing Fitness Training Tip Burns Fat Fast

If you've been trying to exercise to lose weight and the results just are not coming, than this will be the most important article you've ever read.

Here's why. I'm going to share with you an amazing fitness training tip that works like gangbusters.  It will literally "kick-start" your result the very second you begin applying it.  And don't worry, it's very simple to use. Anyone can do it.

I have used this fitness training tip with my clients for a long long time and they report phenomenal results from following it. So you can rest assured that it works.
Plus... Its really really easy.

OK. So let's begin.
Typically, what most people do when they are trying to lose weight is either walk or jog around the block or on a treadmill.  I can tell you that this is not the optimal way to get results.  The reason is because there is no intensity.  The keyword for getting great results when you exercise is intensity.

Get this...
A workout that is shorter, but has far more intensity, is almost always going to give you better results then just walking or doing something similar to that.  Basically, here's what you want to do.

Take whatever exercise you are currently doing and simply ratchet up the intensity. You want to be sweating and breathing heavy.  Now, the best way that I've found to do this is by using what is called interval training. This really helps with the intensity.

Let me explain...
Most people will simple do steady state training... this means they perform their exercise at a steady, consistent speed.  Well, interval training is the exact opposite. Basically you will get on the treadmill and exercise super intense for like a minute. Then take a minute break. Then get back on and do it again. You can repeat that cycle as many times as you like.

Now, the time delays can vary. The most important thing to remember is that interval training is short bursts of intense exercise followed by short rest periods.

I can tell you, that when you follow this fitness training tip you will be really sweating and breathing heavy. And this is good because you'll burn way more fat.

Now, like I said, you can apply this interval training to practically any exercise you are currently doing. So it's very very simple and I know if you do it you should get some dynamite results quick.

Article by: Jason Clemens

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Relation Between Thyroid and Menopause

First, we need to understand the role of hormones in our body. Hormones are what keep the systems in our body function properly. Any deficiency or excess in the number of hormones in the body will affect our health. That is why it needs to be balanced at all times. The thyroid is a gland located inside the neck that produces hormones needed for the body. It helps regulate the metabolism and other systems in the body. If there is a problem with the thyroid glands, it can result to several signs and symptoms. These symptoms are actually similar with menopausal indications. This is why most women who are starting with their menopausal stage often mistakes thyroid problems with normal menopausal problems. We need to know the difference in the relation between thyroid and menopause in order to know how to cure it.


When women reach the age of 50 an up, they will eventually enter their menopausal stage. During this phase, they will end up their ovarian cycle as well as their menstruation. This will create a huge imbalance in the body because of the hormones that the ovaries produce will end. Along with this, women will develop a lot of health problems which are typically normal. They will often feel irritated, dizzy; have sleeping problems, hot flashes, cold sweats and palpitations. These symptoms are actually the same with the indications of thyroidal disease.
That is why some women are not aware that they are actually beginning to ignore their thyroidal problems. If you mistake thyroid problems with menopause symptoms, it can be very risky to your health. For you to know more about this, listed below are the relation between thyroid and menopause:

1. Menopausal symptoms are almost the same with thyroid symptoms. This actually confuses women. In some point, it is not easily determined whether you have problems with the thyroid during the menopausal stage because you feel the same indications. The doctor might also say that what you are having is just a normal phenomenon.

2. For women, thyroid problems actually occur during their older years. That is why menopause and thyroid will always be related. This is if you are a woman.

3. For women who already have thyroidal problems earlier even before they have their menopause, it will eventually get worse when they reach this stage.

4. You can determine their differences in some other cases. For example, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and night sweats can occur during menopause but not with thyroid disease. That will be your indication whether you have one of each.

5. Also, with the thyroid you will experience weight change, neck pain, visual disturbances, and an uncontrollable change in lifestyle. These are not commonly associated with menopause. So if you are having these problems that mean you have a thyroidal disease.

6. If women are younger than 35, then it is obviously not menopause yet. That feeling of weakness, fatigue, depression and other health changes will possibly due to a problem with the thyroid.

7. Another relation between thyroid and menopause is the loss of hormones. This however can be considered in two ways. Thyroid problems are of two kinds: one is the hyperthyroid and the other is hypothyroid. With the hyperthyroid, there is an excessive production of hormones in the glands. This will trigger the health of our body because there are too much hormones activating the system. On the other hand, the hypothyroidism is when the gland is not producing enough hormones. This will weaken the whole body.

8. The two thyroid problems have almost the same symptoms as well. But we can determine that if we consult our doctor about it.

If you are having health problems, consult your doctor right away. Especially if you are entering menopause, there will be a drastic change in your entire health well being. Knowing the relation between thyroid and menopause is very important for you to understand your health situation.


Article by: Ryan English

Monday, August 23, 2010

More on Magnesium

In 1618, a farmer on Epsom Common noticed that his cows refused to drink from a certain well, even when the weather was hot and dry. The water had a bitter taste, but the farmer found that it helped to heal the scratches on his skin. ‘Taking the water’ from this source soon became fashionable and Epsom thrived as a popular spa town. Soon it was discovered that Epsom Salt is simply magnesium sulphate and has a variety of therapeutic benefits for both plant and animal life.

Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body and of crucial importance for the production and transfer of energy, for the transmission of nerve and muscle impulses, protein formation, blood clotting and sugar regulation. The body also uses magnesium as a co-factor in numerous chemical reactions and it’s essential for the absorption of calcium into bones and teeth. Magnesium is named after the district of Magnesia in Thessaly, Greece, where large deposits of magnesium carbonate were first discovered.

Magnesium is part of the chlorophyll molecule in plants and found in green vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, but it only occurs in small amounts. Our intake over the last century has declined sharply due to the over-refining and processing of food. Refined wheat, sugar and fat contain almost no magnesium. Losses during cooking and the consumption of fizzy drinks also contribute to a deficiency. Other magnesium robbers are alcohol, prescribed diuretics and excess calcium.

It comes as no great surprise to hear that 70% of women and over 40% of men are deficient in this vital mineral. In teenagers and the elderly population, these statistics are even more alarming, 89% fall short of the recommended amounts. Symptoms of deficiency include depression, irritability and nervousness, PMS and menstrual cramps, constipation, muscle tremors and rapid heartbeat. The list goes on. As magnesium works on so many different levels, some of its effects can be difficult to diagnose. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, chronic fatigue and muscle pain, insomnia and hyperactivity.

Adults should take at least 300 mg and children 170 mg per day, although individual requirements may be affected by a variety of factors. Some doctors believe that taking multivitamin and mineral supplements is unnecessary. However, this is an increasingly old-fashioned view because few of us are able to obtain sufficient nutrients from our diet. Magnesium is completely safe, although excessive amounts of the mineral may lead to diarrhea (milk of magnesia is commonly used as a laxative).

Excerpt from "The Bottom Line"

Friday, August 20, 2010

How To Think Yourself Thin

If we could think ourselves thin, the weight loss industry would be out of business, right? Maybe, maybe not. While it's true that losing weight takes more than the power of positive thought, there are several ways you can use your brain to enhance your results.

Here are four theories that have been applied - successfully - to weight loss:

The Law of Attraction
Also known as "The Secret", has been applied to everything from financial success to finding true love. It's not surprising, then, that many dieters have taken this theory and applied it to their weight loss efforts.  The concept is simple: the more you believe in something, the more it will manifest in your life. If you believe that you are taking good care of yourself and getting fit, then you will start to lose weight and enjoy better health.

Think about it: if you spend most of your time thinking about how you'll never lose weight, chances are good that you never will. Our beliefs become a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.  Instead of beating yourself up about where you are now, visualize the person you want to become. Is that person active? Muscular? Thin? Do they take their health seriously and make nutrition and exercise top priorities in their life?

The Law of Attraction says that you can meet your goals by willing them into existence. Start living like the person you want to be, and before long, you will be that person.



Mindful Eating
Sometimes called "gentle eating", urges the dieter to sit back, relax, and be mindful of their food and their hunger. By taking their time and eating only what they truly hunger for, these dieters are able to get in touch with their bodies.  Many forms of yoga emphasize a mindful approach to life and food. The philosophy is that if you can get in touch with your body, you will respect it and nourish it without the need for gluttony or starvation. 

You can start practicing mindful eating today. When you feel hunger, ask yourself if you are truly hungry, or if you are eating to soothe your emotions. If your hunger is actually boredom or sadness, take steps to alleviate the underlying causes.  If your hunger is genuine, feed your body slowly with healthy foods. Don't read a book, watch television, or surf the Internet while you eat.

Focus all of your attention on your food, its flavor and texture. Pause after each forkful and decide if you are hungry enough to continue eating.  Dieters who practice mindful eating are often surprised by how little food it takes to satisfy them. They also tend to enjoy their meals more and experience less stress at mealtime.

The Logical Approach
Some people remove emotions from the weight loss equation by taking a completely logical approach to losing weight. If this sounds more your style, a healthy dose of logic could be just the thing to get you closer to your goal.  Instead of struggling with themselves when they don't feel like eating smart or working out, logical dieters use an "IF/THEN" approach. "If I want to lose weight, then I must work out today." "If I gorge myself at dinner, then I will gain weight."  It might sound overly simplistic, but some dieters enjoy doing away with the guilt and emotional turmoil that often comes with new weight loss regimens. They simply do what they have to do to reach their goal, and they don't stress out about it.

Behavior Analysis
Sometimes it pays to take a good, hard look at the behaviors that keep us from meeting our weight loss goals. Bad habits and emotional triggers can sabotage our efforts, especially if we overeat in response to feelings, stress, or boredom.  By tracking your food intake, you will have a visible record of times when you overindulged. Then you can ask yourself why the binge occurred.

Maybe you were feeling rebellious after following a too-strict diet for weeks. Maybe it was a special occasion, and your celebrating got a little out of hand. Or maybe you were eating for the rush of endorphins that accompanies comfort-food binges.  By analyzing your behavior, you can learn to detect patterns and get at the root causes of overeating. That will help you anticipate future binges and head them off before they happen.

As you can see, there are many ways to think yourself thin. Combine them with a healthy diet and exercise, and you'll be sprinting toward your goal in no time!

By Adam Weisgerber

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Fish Oil: Hope for Cardiovascular Disease

There are a lot of people who suffer from cardiovascular disease in this country. It’s not a new thing, and many people have gone on cholesterol-lowering drugs or decided to take aspirin on a long-term basis in an attempt to stave off heart troubles and strokes.


Unfortunately, these are not positive solutions, because they’re just covering up the symptoms and forcing your body to do something it’s not wanting to do. If you want to be healthy, you need to figure out how to make your body naturally alleviate those symptoms that are causing your heart cardiovascular disease. For all of you, fish oil means hope for cardiovascular disease.

There are a lot of people out there who have used it now, and the reason fish oil hasn’t stopped being praised is because it’s not a gimmicky drug or treatment for symptoms. While you will indeed feel better with it, this is not because it’s forcing your body to stop doing what it naturally does; it’s because it’s giving your body vital nutrients called Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids.

Briefly, let’s look at what these Essential Fatty Acids are. There are two in fish oil: EPA and DHA. DHA in particular is a godsend for people, because that is what sixty percent of your brain is made of. You’ll reduce your risk of diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and clinical depression and anxiety, just by taking some fish oil each day. This is one of the big benefits of it.

But when it comes to cardiovascular disease in particular, fish oil works because it has a number of effects that directly improve the situation. First of all, it clears out the clots and blockages in your arteries, which is one of the main causes of any heart attack or stroke (since it restricts blood flow until you suddenly don’t have enough for your critical body functions). In addition, fish oil does an excellent job of lowering your bad cholesterol and raising your good cholesterol. It also fights inflammation, which is another cause of not only heart disease, but a number of other chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

Even more than all of that, fish oil does something that is a blessing for cardiovascular disease sufferers. Instead of having to resort to dangerous drugs to thin the blood, people can take a fish oil capsule and get the same result, without any of the possible side effects that come with aspirin. That’s right, it makes the blood thinner! For obvious reasons, you’re much less likely to have a stroke or heart attack if your blood is thin. Just make sure you consult with your doctor before taking any aspirin or other blood thinners in addition to your fish oil, or you might risk bleeding out.

It is also believed to reduce the risk of death from cardiac arrest and cut the risk of sudden death from a heart attack by half. It might be too strong a statement to conclude that it is hope for cardiovascular disease victims, but then again, with all of its positive effects, there’s no reason not to appreciate what it can do for people with all types of health.

Article By: Emile Jarreau






 

Thursday, August 12, 2010

How To Lose Weight Permanently Without Dieting

Losing weight doesn't have to be a scary or intimidating thing. Once you know how your body works, it will no longer seem like something that is out of reach. You can actually lose pounds and get down to your natural weight without even going on a "diet." Here's how...


You've probably heard of low-carb diets or low-fat diets, maybe you've even tried some of them before, but have you ever heard about anyone having long term results with them? No way!

This is because when you starve your body of a certain macro-nutrient, whether it's carbs, protein, or fat, your body will not respond favorably. Instead, you'll find that you feel sick or starved or just plain out of energy. This is because your body cannot properly run off just 2 of these macro nutrients, it needs all 3 to function properly.

So instead of going on one of these crash diets, all you have to do learn how to eat healthier. Don't bother restricting your calories too much. Counting calories is mostly just stressful and doesn't produce great results.

Instead pay attention to your body. When you're hungry, eat. When you're satisfied (not quite full) stop eating. It's that simple!

Obviously what you put in your body can make a huge difference too. The more natural the foods you eat the better off you'll be. Our bodies are amazingly designed, showed by the fact that we can live off so much processed junk for so long. But when you start to feed your body natural fruits, veggies, and meat you'll notice a huge difference in your energy level.

By making a few minor changes you'll see the weight slowly slip off your body and you'll start feeling better and better, instead of more and more starved. Plus there won't be any rebound effect since you will have no reason to stop eating healthy.

By: Katie L. Faulkner Katie L. Faulkner

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Acai Berry and Your Weight Loss

In a world that is filled with weight loss products where options are available in plenty, there are a plethora of supplements that can be procured from the market so as to cater to the whims and fancies of a number of people around the world. With so many options to opt from, it can be a daunting task to opt for the best ones. This is where the Acai Cleanse steps in. Over the past few years, the Acai Cleanse has managed to gain significant accreditations from the healthcare industry where it has been able to help individuals from every possible demographic attain the results that they have always desired.

Since the inception of acai berry products, the small Amazon rainforest fruit has managed to help medical practitioners from around the world find the best of means via which they can get the best of results in their pursuit of creating the best weight loss supplement. The Acai Cleanse in this regard has managed to emerge itself as the latest and all new colon cleansing supplement which has proven without doubt its capabilities of offering natural and organic weight loss. The Acai Cleanse supplement works on the principle of colon cleansing where the nutrients and extracts of the acai berry break down the fat molecules of the body and help in flushing out the waste matter. Over a period of time and along with consistent colon cleansing, users tend to lose weight naturally and organically.

Those individuals seeking to purchase the Acai Cleanse will be happy to know that there are a number of online stores via which they can make their procurement. If you are one of the many individuals around the world that seeks to get slim by using the Acai Cleanse supplements, it is highly recommended that you seek to make your purchase from a reputed online store. 




Article by: Corey_T_Bruhn

Friday, August 6, 2010

Five Phrases That Changed My Life and How They Can Change Yours Too!

Do you believe that a phrase can change your life?  Well I am here to tell you that 5 phrases changed my life and I am sure that they can change yours too.  Words are very powerful things indeed, whenever I want to show someone the power of words I have them watch or listen to the Reverend Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.  That speech was given 47 years ago, and it is as powerful now as it was then, that is the power of words.

I would like to share with you the 5 phrases that have changed my life.

I am
I am, is a powerful phrase that if used correctly can make you into an unstoppable force. The phrase works on your mind on a conscious and subconscious level, your mind will believe anything that you say after the phrase I am, Mohammed Ali was forever saying "I am The Greatest" and he believed it, and even now so many years later he is still known as the greatest boxer of all time.

I can
The power of the phrase I can, lies in the fact that it is a command, I can, takes all the doubt out of a situation, it leaves no room for error, when the whole world thought it was impossible to run a sub 4 minute mile, one man said I can and that man's name was Roger Bannister. Roger Bannister was the first man to break the 4minute barrier for the mile, all because he said to himself I can.

I will
I will, is a powerful phrase that commands your brain to make you take action, it opens up your brains neural pathways and opens up the opportunity for you to accomplish whatever you want, I will, is a phrase that tells your brain that you can accomplish anything, and when you think that you can accomplish something your brain will work relentlessly to find a way for you to accomplish it.

I must
I must, is a power phrase that I use all the time.  If you want to achieve something then you have a 50-50 chance of accomplishing it, you will make an attempt and if you do not succeed then you will quit and move onto the next thing that you want to do, however when you say I must, you are setting the deed in stone, you are drawing a line in the sand, you are saying that no matter what you will do what you set out to do, every great achievement that you have ever had or will ever have will start with the words I must.

I refuse
I refuse is another of my favourite power phrases.  The power of I refuse, lies in the fact that it is a "back against the wall" phrase. When you say I refuse, you are standing your ground, you are refusing to back down to anything or anyone. When you say I refuse to give up, then you have activated an inner strength that will make it impossible for you to say, I quit.

These five phrases have had a profound effect on my life and I am sure that if you adopt them they will have just as a profound effect on yours too.

Sean is a Life Coach and Master NLP Practitioner specializing in helping clients who are feeling "STUCK" to get "UNSTUCK" and to achieve more in less time than they ever thought possible with the power of goal setting and self empowerment.  Download your FREE report on the benefits of group coaching, and how you can get better results in less time and save money into the bargain, download a copy here. Or you can contact Sean direct for a free 30 minute "Design your Destiny" consultation. You can email Sean at: sean@letsgetcoached.com, please forward Sean's email address to anyone who you think could benefit from his service.

Article Source: Sean_M_Mantack

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Sneaky Sugars

Even if you don't have a sweet tooth, chances are you take in more than your fair share of sugar each day. Added sugars can be found in everything from soda to salad dressing and even in otherwise healthy foods like yogurt.

The World Health Association recommends cutting back on refined sugar to reduce your risk of obesity. The added sugar in our diets seems to be adding up to extra pounds on American waistlines. The amount of added sugars in products is on the rise. According to the American Dietetic Association, the average American consumed about 123 pounds of added sugar per year in 1980. By 1999, that number had risen to 158 pounds. Why? We eat out more often, and we're eating more and more packaged foods and drinking more and more beverage.

The Sugar Bowl
You don't need to have a sugar-free diet, but reducing the amount of sugar you consume is a wise decision. Look for the following items on the ingredients label — they're all forms of sugar:

Corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup

Molasses

Honey

Fruit juice concentrate or fructose

Sugar — white, brown, raw or cane

Look for the amount of sugar listed on the "Nutrition Facts" panel of the foods you buy. It will be listed in grams. Remember: No matter what the source is, be it the natural fructose in strawberries or the added sweetness of corn syrup, it all winds up in the same place on the nutrition facts label. If a product only lists fresh or dried fruit in the ingredients list, you know that the sugar is derived from these sources. However, if cane sugar and corn syrup are listed in addition to the strawberries, you know that sugars have been added.

Cutting down on sugar:
Avoid heavily sweetened breakfast cereals. Go for ones that have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving.

Energy bars and drinks are a common source of hidden sugar. Look for ones that have less than 12-15 grams of sugar per serving.

Watch out for reduced fat and fat-free products. Sugars are often added to mask the loss of flavor when fat is removed. You may be cutting out fat, but not necessarily calories.

Limit sweetened beverages like milkshakes and coffee drinks, which are deceptively full of sugar and calories.

Buy juices that are 100 percent fruit juice. Be careful about products that say "100 percent natural." That doesn't mean they're not loaded with added sugars. Avoid products that call themselves "juice cocktails" and "juice beverages."

Mix fresh or dried fruit into plain yogurt. Many fruity yogurts are loaded with added sugar.

Learn to appreciate the natural tartness of fruits like grapefruit, strawberries and other berries. Choose fruit when it's in season and it shouldn't need any added sweetness.
 
Article by Frances Largeman, R.D.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

An Easy Yet Extremely Effective Diet For Perfect Abdominals

There's an approach to consume tasty foods while accelerating a fat reduction. Depriving yourself of food is the undesirable thing you want to do, which is apparently the method of the fad diets. But if you wish to lose weight quick and look much better, then adhere to these guidelines for an easy yet extremely effective diet to obtain 6-pack abs.


1) Consume healthy natural foods almost all the time. Some good options are apples, natural peanut butter, and whole eggs. These are foods, which are in their most natural state, which means you understand that you won't get fat. Get some good protein in what you eat so you'll have no issue developing 6-pack abs.

2) Keep yourself hydrated. Make an effort to have about 1-2 cups with every meal to assist your digestive system and burn off fat. Drinking water is a good replacement for any kind of sweet energy drink.

3) Consume five - six meals each day. Aim to consume every three hours beginning with breakfast every day. Bring healthy snack foods along with you to work. Something such as peanut butter and an apple is definitely a good option. By consuming regularly, you won't just stay full, but you'll keep your stomach fat down to help you to expose your hard six pack abs.

Mentioned above are some guidelines you are able to stick with to expose your stomach muscles, and truly enhance your physical appearance. You may also discover some good recipes to make tasty but healthy servings.

Do you know that some foods (that you thought were unhealthy) will actually assist the fat-burning process in your body? Do you know that there are 3 Foods marketed as "healthy" that actually increase your stomach fat, and you should stay FAR away from these?

Article by:  Jackie Tay

Monday, August 2, 2010

No Confidence? How to Have a Happy, Confident Mind

Want to improve your confidence? Even the most outwardly successful person can lack confidence in themselves in particular situations. How can you learn to be a more confident person? Read these essential self-esteem and confidence-building tips.

WHAT IS CONFIDENCE?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines confidence as "a feeling or consciousness of one's powers" or "the quality or state of being certain". Confidence is also a trust in a person or being.

YOUR INNER VOICE: YOU AND ONLY YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE CONFIDENT
Confidence is essentially an attitude. Having a confident state of mind and secure self-esteem is something that comes from within YOU and ONLY YOU. Many people consider confidence as a result of a particular achievement or status. For example, they think "when I'm slim and beautiful, I'll be more confident", or "when I've made a success of myself and I'm driving a Ferrari, I'll have all the confidence in the world" or "if I weren't such a loser, I would be more confident". People who lack confidence and self-esteem often feel that they have no control over their lives, that they were born ugly, or poor or stupid. You have to realize that self-confidence is not dependent on your achievements or status (or perceived lack thereof). And that confidence can be learned and developed with practice and the right techniques.

Remember too that a lack of self-confidence is an extremely common worry for many and you are not only in your fears.

GETTING INTO A CONFIDENT STATE
Remember the last time you felt truly confident and happy. Perhaps you received a prize at school, or your father once praised you for a particular achievement. It does not matter how big or small the actual achievement was: you are simply trying to replicate the emotion of feeling totally confident. Close your eyes and recall that emotion in as much detail as possible. Remember your physical feeling, your emotions, the sounds around you, the colors, the smells and environment. It does not matter if you don't recall every detail straight away, with practice you will develop a clearer mental picture. Practice bringing that feeling of confidence back again and again until you can summon that confident state almost immediately. Now, whenever you are in a stressful state or need a confidence boost, bring back that feeling. It might take some practice at first. Do not worry if you don't get it the first few times. Try to practice it everyday for about one month. If you require a certain trigger to help you recall that feeling then use it. I find that if I attach a song to that emotion, then all I need to do is play it loudly on my earphones, and I can immediately recall it.

SMILE AND WALK TALL
Look in the mirror and give a big, deep smile. Straighten your shoulders, put your head up and walk tall. If you act confident, you will feel more confident. Your mind and body are capable of incredible things.

BE AWARE OF YOUR BREATHING
If you need to, slow down your breathing. During stressful moments, be aware of your breathing. Focus on making each breath deeper and slower and you will gradually feel more calm and confident.

USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE
Use positive language as much as possible. Avoid phrases such as
- "I'm not good at"
- "I can't"
- "I shouldn't"
- "I have to"
- "But..."
- "Alright for some"

BE POSITIVE TOWARDS OTHERS
If we are positive towards others, they are more likely to be positive towards you. Try to be positive, polite and as nice as possible to people around you. Focus on them, listening and empathizing with their situation and you are likely to receive a similar response back.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT PEOPLE WHO CONSTANTLY BATTER YOUR CONFIDENCE
Remember that self-confidence comes from you and not from others. If you have someone who is constantly putting you down, you could try and avoid contact with them, but you could also try to turn their words into a positive. You might have a parent who is always telling you to save more money, get a girlfriend, lose weight, work harder, be more like someone else. Whenever you hear these words just say to yourself "they are only saying these things because they love me and want the best for me. I love mom and her comments because she only wants the best for me".

CONFIDENCE WILL COME
Like many things in life, having confidence takes practice. Do not expect it to come overnight. If you are shy in public places, the more practice you have meeting people, the better you will become at confident, social interactions. Just keep working at your confidence and self-esteem little by little and the results will come.

Article by: Gemma_Swansburg

Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Importance of Exercising

If you're more of a couch potato than a gym junkie, then you might not realise just how important exercise is. Alternatively, you might know that you should do more exercise, but currently don't.


Here's what you need to know.

1. Exercise can help to keep you healthy. Because so many people are overweight, it's important that people get as much exercise as they can, to avoid being obese and to reduce the risk of serious health problems later in life.

2. Exercise burns off excess calories, so that you maintain your current weight or lose weight. You might be looking to lose weight, or perhaps you're exercising in order to build muscle and gain weight.

3. No matter what sort of exercise you do, you can make it exciting and enjoyable. Instead of thinking that you have to go to a boring aerobics class, why not see what other exercise classes are available near you? You might be surprised to learn that you can learn yoga, spinning, tai chi and much more.

4. Exercise can also help you to learn new skills. You might want to learn martial arts, or perhaps you never learnt to swim. You don't have to stick with running or weight training in order to exercise.

5. If you go to the gym, take an exercise class, or join a fitness club, you'll meet new people, and are bound to make new friends, with common interests. You might find people to train with, and they can help you to reach your health and fitness goals too. Exercise doesn't have to be done on your own, so if you're not exercising because you haven't got the inclination, why not see about joining a gym?

6. Being fit and healthy sets a good example to your children. If you spend all of your time on the computer, in front of the TV, or playing games, then they're likely to emulate you. Why not take them swimming, or kick a football around the park, or play tennis in the garn with them once in a while? You'll be helping their development, and reducing the risk of them being overweight too.

7. Exercising can help you to set, and achieve personal challenges, and better yourself. Perhaps you'd never have thought that you could learn to swim, run a 10k race, or be flexible enough to perform yoga. Maybe you want to reach your healthy weight loss goal, or become stronger, or change your lifestyle to become healthier and fitter, through exercise.

8. Regular exercise can prevent or reduce the risk of some medical conditions, especially when combined with healthy eating. If you want to reduce the risk of diabetes, through being overweight, or just don't want to have joint problems or back problems from sitting at a desk in an office all day, then you'll want to make sure that you get some exercise.

9. There are lots of ways to exercise, from doing the gardening, to running a marathon. You might want to go for walks, or run 5k races, you might want to go swimming regularly, you might want to go to exercise classes, or you might want to go to the gym, or get out on your bike. No matter what you do, the important thing is that you're doing some sort of exercise.

10. If you've changed your diet, and been going to the gym for a while, but are not making the progress you want to, then perhaps you'd benefit from a personal trainer. They're not just for the celebs, and can help those new to exercise and gyms. No matter what you health and fitness goals, your personal trainer will be on hand to help you reach them.

Now you know more about exercise, and how important it is, what's stopping you from getting fit and healthy?

Article by: M. James

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Weight Loss Technique Eliminates Emotional Overeating: Halts Need for Comfort Foods

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) -- Most diet and exercise plans require will power - and that's why they fail. But a simple "emotional acupressure" technique eliminates the need for will power along with the underlying causes of emotional overeating.


"The real drivers in weight loss cases are emotional issues such as self-worth and anxiety," explains The Editors, the Stanford-trained engineer who developed EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). "Until these emotions are properly resolved, will power will take a back seat and the need for 'comfort foods' will win out every time."

New York City therapist Carol Look, LCSW, DCH, agrees. "When you use sugar or overeating as a way to numb your feelings," says Dr. Look, "no diet in the world can help you. Even the latest surgery does nothing to correct underlying emotional imbalances that trigger overeating. EFT doesn't focus on calorie restriction. Instead, it targets emotions that lead to immediate cravings, hunger pangs, and poor eating habits, such as emotions triggered by daily stress, issues from the past, a family history of obesity, limiting beliefs about ones ability to lose weight, fear of the future, and other factors that trigger binges."

EFT addresses these issues by combining focused thought with gentle fingertip tapping on key acupressure points. Dr. Look and other EFT practitioners worldwide report a 50- to 80-percent success rate for most who try it for weight loss, and the results, especially for specific cravings, are often immediate.

"Clients soon notice that they begin to 'forget" about eating binges," she says, "and they become engaged in activities other than secretive eating or food shopping. Their weight comes off as the underlying issues are addressed and the basics of symptomatic behavior are tapped away."

As word about EFT spreads, a growing number of medical doctors and other health care practitioners are teaching it to patients.

"Some day the medical profession will wake up and realize that unresolved emotional issues are the main cause of not only compulsive overeating but all illnesses," says Eric Robins, MD, a Los Angeles urologist. "When that happens, EFT will be one of medicine's primary healing tools. It already is for me."

"America is in the throes of an obesity epidemic," says Craig. "Public health officials are concerned because people of all ages, including children, are at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. These are preventable tragedies. EFT is a new technique, but it already has an impressive track record in helping people lose weight, get in shape, stay active, and improve their overall health."

To Schedule an Appt. for an EFT session. Call 425-299-2990 

Exerpt from: EFT Newsletter