Small Changes

Whats the best way to change your health? ie diet exercise.

Do it in small increments.

Want to go on a Diet? Dont diet, change the way you eat. When you
diet you make drastic changes to the way you eat to lose a few
pounds. Once those pounds are gone you go back to eating the way
you did before you went on your diet.

So go the healthier more permanent route. Instead of making drastic
changes to accomodate your diet, make small changes to accomodate a
new healthier lifestyle.

How can you do that? below is a list of simple small changes that will
turn your diet into a lifestyle.

1. If you drink lots of soda replace that with diet soda.

2. Cut back on soda, if you drink 6 or more glasses of soda a day,
substitute two to three glasses with water. Do that for a week
then substitue another glass of water to replace a glass of soda.

3. Substitue sugar with a more healthier sweetner.

4. If you eat pasta, replace your white pasta with wheat pasta.
There are wheat pastas that taste like regular pasta.

5. Replace your white rice with brown rice. If the brown rice is
cooked correctly you will hardly notice the difference.

6 Cut back on the Mc Donalds. Plus you will save a whole lot
more money. If you eat lunch at work, prepare your meals
before hand.

7 Eat more nuts, almonds, fruits, and vegatables

8 Cut out your potato chips and unhealthy snacks. You can
replace your potato chips with vegetable chips. You can find
these at your local health food store. Replace you sweets
with trail mix. Some of the trail mix will have small amounts
of chocolate in them.

9 Start eating smaller meals, replace your big plates with
smaller saucers this will trick your mind into thinking you
have a full plate.

10 Eat more smaller meals a day until you are eating a small
meal every three hours. The 3 hour diet explained
http://www.james-woods.ws/3hourDiet

By doing small simple changes to your new healthy way of eating
your diet is no longer a diet but a lifestyle. These small changes
will add up and before you know it you will start dropping the
pounds and losing the inches. However with this new lifestyle
you should be exercising.

The next blog will be making small changes to your exercise
program if you are not exercising.

stay tuned

to Your Health

Operation motivation

a set of short lessons in ebook and
special report format, that explains all the psychological
skills (the stuff that goes on in your head), that you
need to learn in order to make permanent changes to your
behavior and your lifestyle.

7 courses in all:

* MOTIVATIONAL PROPULSION SYSTEMS:

How to program your mind to automatically and habitually exercise your
body (If this doesn't light a FIRE under your butt, nothing will)

* THE NEW VISUALIZATION BREAKTHROUGH:

Take advantage of the mind-body connection with the techniques sports
psychologists have been teaching for decades, along with 1 new twist.

* SUCCESS SEMANTICS:

The psychological explanation for how words can enhance or destroy
your health and how to turn failure talk into success talk

* THE GOAL ACHIEVER'S SECRET WEAPON:

How a cheap little "tool" can install positive success programming
into your mind

* END EMOTIONAL EATING:

Eating to cope with stress, depression or other feelings, or eating for
the wrong reasons can totally undermine the best nutrition plan. Learn the 5-step
formula to stop it once and for all

* SELF IMAGE SECRETS:

How the hidden image you hold of yourself in your mind is the prime reason for diet sabotage (and the same reason that 90% of lottery winners blow their winnings).

Maybe you're an emotional eater, maybe you have trouble getting
started on a workout program, maybe you've started a dozen diets
before and could never stick with any of them.

Regardless of your personal challenges, there's something in
this package for everyone, as each person struggles with unique
issues in his or her journey to get in shape and make the
lifestyle changes last.

Operation Motivation

Beware of new diet Scam.

I am all about health and fitness and finding new products to assist our busy hectic lives. But when I come across a scam I need to rant and rave about it.

The Ad I found on a popular list founded by criag was lose weight and feel great. Now many of you know that to be true. The enticing part of this was "we pay 1200 dollars for you to participate in our 30 day study."

Now who is not game for 1200 bucks to participate in a 30 day study and lose weight. The study was for a diet pill that just came out on the market. They only accept the first 100 people.

So now I am curious to what the pill is and what the study entailed so I responded to the ad.

This is the email reply I recieved.

"Hello,

Thank you for your interest, you are indeed one of the first 100 people to contact me, so you could certainly reserve the spot.

As stated in the CraigsList AD, we need 100 participates that are willing to take a popular diet pill on a daily basis for thirty days. Everyday we will be recording any differences, and finish the study at the 30th day. If you don't want your name used publicly in the study, then please say so.
At the same time, we will compensate you $1200 for your participation. This will be paid in check, on the last day.

We will meet a total of four times, and the times will depend on your availability time. Meeting places will be at a local gym of your choice.
This weight loss product has seen and promoted on many T.V stations. We were lucky enough to have them offer a free trial for us.

If you plan to participate then the following needs to be done:

1) You must fill out the following short form and receive your diet pills. FORM . Please be patient while the page loads. Depending on your location, there may be a slight S&H fee. If you are selected for the study, this charge will be reimbursed.
2) After you submitted your order for the free trial, please email us back with your name, confirmation number, phone number and your address. You will then wait to receive the free trial.
3) Once you have received the free trial, and you’re one of the first, we will then contact you and set up a meeting with you.

Requirements

1) Must be above 100 pounds

2) Must be motivated to lose weight

3) Must not be taking more than 6 medication at the same time

* Spots are filling up quickly, so to reserve your spot, get your trial ASAP. We are literally being contacted by a dozen people each hour. You must be the first 100 people to receive your free trial to be eligible for the study. If you are not, then we will not be able to have you participate.

Please do not call the diet company asking any questions regarding this weight study, because their employee personnel will not know of this study. We are simply testing their products on free will.


Thanks,

Christina Sana
Diet Search, Inc"

There is link in the letter that pointed to Acai Berry product for a free trial that I had to buy. Then with this product you are automatically signed up for auto ship. Also the reply letter says if you are selected for this study. That is a red flag right there.

If the study was real the participant would not have to buy the product. And definately would not be on a autoshipped program that is paid through your bank card automatically every month.

Well I am flagging this as a scam. Not the product but the Diet Search Inc. Do not fall for such program scams. After reading the email getting no reply back from such company through there email. And being told not to contact the product company. This in my book is a scam.

If you are the company that is holding this "Study" and want to dispute this argument be my guest. If you are reading this and thought about doing this, in my advice "dont"

To your Health

Meeting your Daily Fiber?

Importance of Fiber.. Read more at http://james-woods.ws/Fiber
-Relieving constipation and hemorrhoids
-Staying regular
-Preventing certain diseases
-Keeping weight under control

To the chase:

Eating 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day is recommeneded, it is also easy to
acheive. It can be done with a fiber drink; metamucil, benefiber, konsyl
or citrucel etc. There are many to choose from and often recommeded by
doctors. The downside to many,they are not the tastiest and or easy to drink.

Why not eat the daily recommneded fiber?

1. Eat the skin: most fruits and vegetables store most of the fiber in
the skin.

2. Read the labels: look for 8 grams of fiber or more.

3. Choose breads ad crackers that are full of fiber.

4. Eat your vegetables raw or cook briefly. The longer you cook vegetables
the more fiber they lose.

For those who want more of a life map to follow. The research is done and
all is needed is a trip to the market.

Breakfast:

1 1/4 cup of whole wheat cereal bisquits. (bite-size Shreaded wheat) = 5 grams
of fiber
2 tablespoons of raisins = 1 gram of fiber
1 medium banana or 1/2 of a large banana = 4 grams of fiber

Lunch:

2 cups mix green salad = 2 grams of fiber
1/4 cup cooked artichoke hearts = 2 grams of fiber
3 tablespoons of chick peas (garbanzo beans)= 2 grams of fiber
1 tablespoon of slivered almonds = 1 gram of fiber

Snack:

1 medium pear = 4 grams of fiber

Dinner side:

1 cup of steamed broccoli = 5 grams of fiber
1 baked sweet potato with skin (4 ounces) = 5 grams of fiber

This is a total of 31 grams of fiber just in this small menu above. That is
not adding the extra fiber that is consumed through out the day and with dinner.
The recommended daily intake of 25 to 35 can be easily consumed.

Below is a list of high fiber foods: thanks to Moss Green
Bellas online nutrition editor.

FRUIT AMOUNT TOTAL FIBER (grams)
Apples with skin 1 medium 5.00
Apricot 3 medium 0.98
Apricots, dried 5 pieces 2.89
Banana 1 medium 3.92
Blueberries 1 cup 4.18
Cantaloupe, cubes 1 cup 1.28
Figs, dried 2 medium 3.74
Grapefruit 1/2 medium 6.12
Orange, navel 1 medium 3.40
Peach 1 medium 2.00
Peaches, dried 3 pieces 3.18
Pear 1 medium 5.08
Plum 1 medium 1.00
Raisins 1.5 oz box 1.60
Raspberries 1 cup 8.34
Strawberries 1 cup 3.98



VEGETABLES AMOUNT TOTAL FIBER (grams)
Avocado (fruit) 1 medium 11.84
Beets, cooked 1 cup 2.85
Beet greens 1 cup 4.20
Bok choy, cooked 1 cup 2.76
Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 4.5
Brussels sprouts 1 cup 2.84
Cabbage, cooked 1 cup 4.20
Carrot 1 medium 2.00
Carrot, cooked 1 cup 5.22
Cauliflower, cooked 1 cup 3.43
Cole slaw 1 cup 4.00
Collard greens, cooked 1 cup 2.58
Corn, sweet 1 cup 4.66
Green beans 1 cup 3.95
Celery 1 stalk 1.02
Kale, cooked 1 cup 7.20
Onions, raw 1 cup 2.88
Peas, cooked 1 cup 8.84
Peppers, sweet 1 cup 2.62
Pop corn, air-popped 3 cups 3.60
Potato, baked w/skin 1 medium 4.80
Spinach, cooked 1 cup 4.32
Summer squash, cooked 1 cup 2.52
Sweet potato, cooked 1 cup 5.94
Swiss chard, cooked 1 cup 3.68
Tomato 1 medium 1.00
Winter squash, cooked 1 cup 5.74
Zucchini, cooked 1 cup 2.63

CEREAL, GRAINS, PASTA AMOUNT TOTAL FIBER (grams)
Bran cereal 1 cup 19.94
Bread, whole wheat 1 slice 2.00
Oats, rolled dry 1 cup 12.00
Pasta, whole wheat 1 cup 6.34
Rice, dry brown 1 cup 7.98

BEANS, NUTS, SEEDS AMOUNT TOTAL FIBER (grams)
Almonds 1 oz 4.22
Black beans, cooked 1 cup 14.92
Cashews 1 oz 1.00
Flax seeds 3 tbs 6.97
Garbanzo beans, cooked 1 cup 5.80
Kidney beans, cooked 1 cup 13.33
Lentils, red cooked 1 cup 15.64
Lima beans, cooked 1 cup 13.16
Peanuts 1 oz 2.30
Pistachio nuts 1 oz 3.10
Pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup 4.12
Soybeans, cooked 1 cup 7.62
Sunflower seeds 1/4 cup 3.00
Walnuts 1 oz 3.08

To your Health..
http://james-woods.ws/Fiber
Health nut, exercise freak, your online advisor

Early morning exercise programs.

Have you ever been channel surfing, in the a.m. on the tube, and came across the 80s style morning aerobics? And maybe you wondered why are they on this early? Maybe asked who actually watches these things, better yet participates in them?

The answer is, there are actual people who benefit from those. There are people who get up early in the morning before work and exercise along with the program. There are people who are getting in shape, and people who are in shape because of these shows.

My all time favorite we all like to laugh at is dancing to the oldies by Richard Simmons. But as annoying as we may think he is, he has helped many men and women. So I must applaud him for that. But todays dancing to the oldies have matured and grown. There are now so many hip and stylish workout programs we can benefit from.

The question is how can these programs help you? You get up in the morning get the kids ready for school, get yourself ready for work, and so does your significant other. You rush everyone out the door and you are off to start your day. Now your morning is done and your day has started. Around about 10ish you maybe tired sluggish just not ready for the next half. A large cup of mojo and you think you are ready. By 3o'clock you are yawning tired and dreading the ride back home.

Start over-

You get up early in the morning about 30 minutes before everyone else. You pop in a exercise tape and for 30 minutes you dance to the 2000's, so to speak. You shower, get the kids ready, you are out the door and off to start the day. About 10ish you are wide awake feeling great full of energy and ready for the rest of the day. 3 weeks later you notice you are getting firm, toned, cut, and losing weight. Wow who would have thought. All that from 30 minutes in the morning before everyone gets up.

You dont have to dance to the oldies, you can do some yoga. Maybe some pilates, taebo, kaibae, beach body dance any number of videos, ie Denise Austin videos• Kathy Smith videos• Gilad videos• Stability ball videos• Aerobics videos• Kickboxing videos• Bellydance videos• Step aerobics videos• Ballet videos• Bootcamp videos etc etc.

The thought is just pick one, get up in the morning and do 30 minutes.

To your Health..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also suggest-

-Learn alot from Tom Venuto in his 6 pack abs

-Want to start working out and strength training http://james-woods.ws/Strength.Training

-My number one suggestion is my own 7 steps to Healthy Living

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lets Stop the Swine Flu

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

-Stay informed.
-Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
-Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
-Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
-Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
-Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
-Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
-Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
-Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
-Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.

HerbaGreen, Green Tea Concentrate

Archeological evidence suggests that people consumed tea leaves steeped in boiling water as many as 500,000 years ago. Botanical evidence indicates that India and China were among the first countries to cultivate tea. Today, hundreds of millions of people drink tea around the world, and studies are now suggesting that green tea has many health benefits.

CONCENTRATED HERBAGREEN TEA VS. "TEA BAG" TEA SOURCE:
Scientific documentation has shown that the majority of the therapeutic benefits of green tea are due to the polyphenols. Steeping a tea bag in hot water is a very inefficient means of extracting these polyphenols. HerbaGreen Tea contains concentrated extracts, with over 90% polyphenols. One serving provides 115 mg of plyphenols, the equivalent of more than 15 cups of brewed "tea bag" green tea.

Furthermore, a lot of green tea from tea bags contains caffeine, which many people want to avoid. HerbaGreen Tea has only caffeine-free green tea extracts. You get ALL the benefits of green tea polyphenols with HerbaGreen Tea!

BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA POLYPHENOLS:

* Maintains healthy cells, cell growth and development.

* Supports a healthy cardiovascular system.

* Promotes healthy weight control by blocking carbohydrate absorption.

* Fights damaging free-radicals, which attack healthy cells and promote aging.

* Supports the immune system.

* Helps the body maintain its toxin-free condition.

* Promotes healthy blood sugar balance.

* Supports dental and optimal gum health.

HerbaGreen Original

Naturally sweetened with lo han fruit extract--which promotes fat burning and soothes the digestion process--HerbaGreen Teas also contain lotus leaf (rich in isoflavones), kudzu (for promoting circulation), and 100mg of polyphenols, equivalent to at least 15 cups of the strongest brewed green tea. PLUS - HerbaGreen Teas contain NO calories or caffeine.

Each bottle equals 60 servings. Choose from among Original flavor, Heavenly Honey Lemon, or Mandarin Mango Swirl. Then, simply add a dropper full to hot, warm, or cold water and stir for a naturally delicious, wonderfully healthy drink!

INGREDIENTS PER SERVING:

Green Tea extract (leaf) - 100 mg
Lotus extract (leaf) - 24 mg
Lo Han extract (fruit) - 16 mg
Stevia extract (leaf) - 15 mg
Kudzu extract (root) - 10 mg
Chinese Licorice extract (root) - 2 mg

Other ingredients: Purified water, natural glycerin, natural flavors

1 bottle of HerbaGreen Tea = 2 fl. oz; 60 servings

Digestive Enzymes

What are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are protein molecules, which function to aid in the breakdown of food. They are catalysts, meaning the accelerate the rate of chemical reactions. Enzymes are involved in the breakdown of food from complex molecules to simple molecules, so they can be absorbed into the blood.

Why take a digestive ensyme supplement?

Enzymes enhance the digestive process. Nearly every person will benefit from Digestive Enzyme Aid Supplementation. Vitamins, minerals, hormones cannot perform their vital roles without enzymes. People may see improvement in their absorption and utilization of nutrients. Benefits will vary depending upon the diet of each individual and general health. Most people will feel LESS FULLNESS after meals and experience increased energy levels. Changes in bowel habits also occur with decreased gas and more regular bowel movements being common. Anecdotally, people have noticed being able to lose weight more easily as they feel "full quicker". Since the body is utilizing the nutrients in the foods more completely, the hypothalamus (in the brain) gets the signal from the digestive tract, it is full.

The more enzymes you get, the longer and healthier you live.

The key is to remember that food enzymes are destroyed at temperatures above 118 °F. This means that cooked and processed foods contain few, if any, enzymes, and that the typical diet found in industrialized countries is enzyme-deficient. When we eat cooked and processed foods, we could well be eating for a shorter and less-than-healthy life.

This points back to the importance of eating raw fruits and vegetables because they are "live foods"; that is, foods in which the enzymes are active. The more enzymes you get, the healthier you are. And the more raw foods you eat, the more enzymes you get.

Not every one likes raw vegetables and fruits. So this leads to less enzymes consumed. Because when we cook foods we kill the enzymes. So the question is why take a digestive enzyme supplement? The more enzymes you get, the longer and healthier you live.

There are many digestive enzyme aids on the market today.

So if you want to improves digestion and absorption of essential nutrients. If you need more stamina, more energy, and want to utilizing vitamins and minerals. I suggest taking a digestive enzyme supplement. If you suffer from indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, acid reflux, flatulence(gas), bloating, and hemorrhoids. Then I definately suggest you trying a supplement.

If you are not sure which one to try then Try Veriuni's Peak Nutrition Digestive Enzyme Aid.

Thermogenesis and weight loss

Why thermogenesis? Thermogenesis is the natural process by which the body generates heat, or energy, by increasing the metabolic rate above normal. This rise in metabolic rate is referred to as the thermogenic effect, thermogenic response, or specific dynamic action (SDA).

This themogenic effect can be activated by a few different mechanisms, including supplements, nutrition, exercise, and exposure to cold. Unless you live in Alaska, Russia, or Anartica then we are going to discuss the supplemental side of themogenesis. Or what the supplemental world calls thremogenics.

I am a believer in thermogenic supplements. The problem for a long time was you could not find one that did not have ephedra in it. Now that the US has band many products that contain ephedra you can find more supplements that increase thermogenesis with out this harmful additive.

With the help of thermogenic products your body sweats more, burns more fat, and you do get an energy push with out the crash.

Now for the plug. I dont advertise many products I dont use myself or have not tried. Veriuni makes a pure thermoburn This product contain more than most products today on the market for the thermogenic burn.

INGREDIENTS:

Guarana - Guarana contains a high amount of guaranine, a chemical substance with the same characteristics as caffeine. It may quicken perception, delay sleep and help with endurance based activities.

Uva ursi - This promotes water loss, especially around the stomach area, to look leaner and has been used to help with urinary tract infections.

White Willow Bark - This herb helps drive the fat out of your body faster by dilating your veins, similar to aspirin.

Gugulipid - Helps stimulate the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormones and will help lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.

Green Tea Extract - Helps with thermogenesis and aids in metabolism of fat, also known as a powerful antioxidant.

Citrus Aurantium - Helps break down fat, by increasing metabolism and helps suppress the appetite.

Forslean - Helps lower blood pressure and helps regulate insulin levels.

Chromium Polynicotinate - Helps control insulin levels and blood sugar.

Niacin and Cayenne - Natural ingredients that help increase metabolism and burn fat.

l-tyrosine - This amino acid helps keep muscles from breaking down during dieting and exercise.

l-carnitine, Vitamin B5, Calcium Pantothenate - helps with fat loss and energy. Increased calcium helps to reduce cramping.

DOSAGE:

Take 2 tablets before breakfast and lunch.
Take 1 tablet mid afternoon.
Take with 8 oz of water.

Cycle 5 days on, 2 days off.

I have been taking this product for a month now and I have noticed a drop in my body fat. Which is good, Working out and staying fit gets harder as you get older and some of us need all the help we can get. Is this a shameless plug? not at all I use thermo burn and it works. I take thermoburn with the liquid nutrition and I will discuss more products that are helping me in the next post.

Products I need to tell you about. Liquid Nutrition from Veriuni

The first product on my list is a liquid vitamin supplement. I believe in todays lifestyles we need all the help we can get. I was at one time taking 6 different sets of vitamin supplements. One pill after another choking each one down until all 10 pills were swallowed. Then I found a company Veriuni that makes a liquid vitamin with 77 plant derived minerals, 13 vitamins, 18 amino acids, 12 herb and 7 other nutrients. All these in a easy to swallow 1 ounce serving.

Sounds like a sales pitch right? Well I would love to sell you on this, absorption is the key. Veriuni's study with their liquid nutrition is 98% absorbable. "Compare that to the less effective 5-10% absorption rate for capsules or hard-to-swallow compressed "horse pills" with unfavorable vitamin aftertastes."

The other thing I love about this product is I can give it to my daughter and she loves the taste. So basically the whole family can take this liquid vitamin. And benefit a healthier life.

So if you are taking pill after pill after pill for your vitamin and mineral needs STOP!!!! Order your Liquid Nutrition today I promise you will love it...

Next 3 post will be CLA (weightloss) Thermoburn (weightloss) and whey protien for you body builders.

Stop wasting your time on pointless re-written 6 pack ab books.

One of my all time favorite fitness gurus is Tom Venuto. The author of "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle."

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, The #1 best-selling diet ebook on the Internet (as rated by clickbank.com), is completely unique and different from other programs on the diet market because it's not a weight loss program - it's a fat loss program. Once you've read just the first three chapters, there will be no doubt in your mind that pursuing weight loss is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason why you've failed to reach and maintain your ideal body weight

Burn The fat shows you exactly why it's fat you must lose, not weight, why you cannot succeed with starvation diets, and then shows you exactly how to burn off fat, step by step, in one of the most detailed fat loss nutrition books ever written.

If you're interested in learning exactly what to eat to lose fat the natural way - without supplements, without drugs and without slowing down your metabolism - while also learning the why behind it all, then this program could truly change your life.

Get more information at:

"Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle."

How Liquid Calories May Be Making You Fat... Even Your Favorite Protein Drinks!

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.BurnTheFat.com


At least 7 scientific studies have provided strong evidence that energy containing beverages (i.e., “liquid calories”) do not properly activate the satiety mechanisms in the body and brain and do not satisfy the appetite as well as food in solid form.

Epidemiological research also supports a positive association between calorie-containing beverage consumption and increased body weight or body mass index. New research now suggests that soda may not be the only culprit…


The primary source of liquid calories in the United States Diet is carbohydrate, namely soda. Now running a close second are specialty and dessert coffees. Did you know that a 16 ounce Frappucino can contain 500 calories or even more! That’s one-third of a typical female’s daily calorie intake while on a fat loss program.

A recent study at Purdue University published in the International Journal of Obesity set out to learn even more about this bodyfat - liquid calories relationship.

Researchers compared solid and beverage forms of foods composed primarily of carbohydrate, fat or protein in order to document the independent effect of food form in foods with different dominant macronutrient sources.

Based on previous research, some experts have recommended targeting specific beverages as being “worse” than others. High fructose corn syrup and soda has been singled out the most and you’ve probably seen that yourself in the news.

There’s no question that soda has been on top of the “hit list” for some time now, by virtue of the amounts and frequency of consumption alone.

However, this recent study says that from a pure energy balance perspective, we should be cautious about ALL liquid calories, not just soda and not just carbohydrates!

Fruit juice for example, appears to be an obvious improvement over soda, so many people have swapped out their soda for fruit juice. However, when fruit juice is compared to an equal amount of calories from whole fruit, the whole fruit satisfies appetite better (largely due to the bulk and fiber content), and so you tend to eat fewer calories for the day.

[On an interesting side note, soup does not seem to apply; soup has higher satiety value than calorie containing beverages, possibly for mere cognitive reasons.]

If you were to meticulously track your calories from beverages and you made sure that your calories remained the same for the day, whether liquid or solid, there would probably be little or no difference in your body composition.

But that’s not what usually happens in free-living humans. Most people do not accurately track or report their caloric intake. Our mistake is that we tend to drink calories IN ADDITION TO our usual food intake, not instead of it.

Men are especially guilty of this when they drink alcohol - Men tend to drink AND eat, while women tend to drink INSTEAD OF eating.

This new research found that with all three macronutrients - protein, carbs or fat - daily calorie intake was significantly greater when the beverage form was consumed as compared to the solid.

Yes, it’s true! Even protein drinks did not satisfy the appetite the way that protein foods did!

While you would think that protein drinks are purely a good thing, because protein foods have been proven to reduce appetite and increase satiety, if you turn a solid protein food into a protein drink, it loses it’s appetite suppressive properties in the same way that happens when you turn fruit into fruit juice.

[NOTE: After weight training workouts, liquid nutrition may have benefits that outweigh any downside, especially on muscle-gaining programs]

Why do liquid calories fail to elicit the same response as whole foods? reasons include:

-high calorie density
-lower satiety value
-more calories ingested in short period of time
-lower demand for oral processing
-shorter gastrointestinal transit times
-energy in beverages has greater bioaccessibility and bioavailability
mechanisms may include cognitive, orosensory, digestive, metabolic, endocrine and neural influences (human appetite is a complex thing!!!)
-last but not least, nowhere in our history have our ancestors had access to large amounts of liquid calories. Alcohol may have been around as far back as several thousand years BC, but even that is a blip on the evolutionary calendar of humanity.
As a result, our genetic code has never developed the physiological mechanisms to properly register the caloric content in liquids the way it does when you eat, chew and swallow whole foods.

Bottom line: This study suggests that we shouldn’t just target one type of liquid calories such as soda. If you’re trying to beat body fat, it’s wise to limit all types of liquid calories and eat whole foods as much as possible.

Start by ditching the soda. Then ditch the high calorie dessert coffees. Then cut back on the alcohol. From there, be cautious even about milk, juice and protein drinks.

Drink water or tea instead, or limited amounts of black coffee - without all the high calorie extras.

If you do consume any beverages that contain calories, such as protein shakes, be sure to account for those calories meticulously and be sure you don’t drink them in addition to your usual food intake, but in place of an equal amount of food calories.

Remember, those protein shakes you might be drinking are called “meal replacements” not “free calories!”

For many years I have suggested focusing primarily on whole foods rather than liquids, even protein shakes. Unlike so many other fat reduction programs, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle does not require any kind of liquid meal replacement or protein drinks and our company does not exist to sell supplements; we are here to educate you and millions of others about the realities of body fat loss.

We now have even more scientific data that confirms what Burn The Fat has been teaching all along.

I hope you found this helpful. You can learn more about “Burn The Fat” at www.BurnTheFat.com

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

Reference: Effects of food form on appetite and energy intake in lean and obese young adults. International Journal of Obesity. 2007 Nov (11):1688-95. Mourao DM, Bressan J, Campbell WW, Mattes RD. Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059, USA.



About the Author:


Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

8 Reasons Why You Keep Falling Off The Diet Wagon By Tom Venuto

Clearly, we have an obesity problem in America and many other countries across our planet. Yet, I propose that we do not have a weight loss problem today. In case you’re confused at this apparent contradiction, consider these statistics:

According to a study from Oxford University published in the International Journal of Obesity, within 3 to 5 years, about 80 percent of all ‘weight losers’ have regained the lost weight, and often gained back a little extra.

According to research by the National Weight Control Registry, that relapse rate may be as high as 95 percent.

For comparison, relapse rates for drug, alcohol and tobacco dependency have been reported in the range of 50-90%.

This means that lots and lots of people have “successfully” lost weight. But not many have kept it off. Therefore, we don’t have a weight loss problem, we have a weight-relapse problem; we have a “not sticking with it” problem. Wouldn’t you agree?

In fact, the fall and subsequent weight-regain usually doesn’t take years. Many people have abandoned their new year’s resolutions within weeks. By the time the Super Bowl party rolls around, their diet is history!

If this is true, then shouldn’t we put more of our attention onto figuring out why you haven’t been sticking with your program, and what you should do about it?

I put together this new list (below) of the top 8 reasons why you fall off the wagon.

Rather than worrying about the minutiae of your diet plan, like whether you should be on low carb or high carb, Mediterranean or Okinawan, vegetarian or meat eater, I propose that if you simply focus on these 8 issues, you’ll start getting more lasting results.

How? By being able to stick with whichever plan you decided was best for you! After all, even if you have the best nutrition program in the world - on paper - it doesn’t do you much good if you can’t stick with it in practice!

THE 8 REASONS

1. No focus: you didn’t set goals, you didn’t put your goals in writing, and/or you didn’t stay focused on your goals daily (by reading them, affirming them, looking at a vision board, etc.)

2. No priorities: you may have set a goal, but you didn’t put it on or near the top of your priorities list. For example, your goal is six pack abs, but drinking beer and eating fast food on the weekend is higher on your priorities list than having a flat stomach.

3. No support system: you tried to go at it alone; no buddy system, training partners, family, spouse, friends, mentors or coaches to turn to for information and emotional support when the going got tough.

4. No Accountability: you didn’t keep score for your own accountability – with a progress chart, weight record, measurements, food journal, training journal, and you didn’t set up external accountability (ie, report to someone else or show your results to someone else)

5. No patience: you were only thinking short term and had unrealistic expectations. You expected 10 pounds a week or 5 pounds a week or 3 pounds a week, so the first week you lost “only” 1 or 2 pounds or hit a plateau, you gave up.

6. No planning: you winged it. You walked into the gym without having a workout in hand, on paper, you didn’t plan your workouts into your weekly schedule; you didn’t have a menu on paper, you didn’t make time (so instead you made excuses, like “I’m too busy”)

7. No balance: your diet or training program was too extreme. You went the all or nothing, “I want it now” route instead of the moderate, slow-and-steady wins the race route.

8. No personalization: your nutrition or training program was the wrong one for you. It might have worked for someone else, but it didn’t suit your schedule, personality, lifestyle, disposition or body type.

So there you have it – 8 reasons why most people fall off the wagon! Have you been making these mistakes? If so, the solutions are clear and simple: focus, prioritize, get support, be accountable, be patient, plan, balance and personalize.

Train hard and expect success,
Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com



About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

The Little Thing in Your Head That's Keeping You Fat by Tom Venuto

I have no doubt that a scientist somewhere just read the title of this article and said out loud, “YES! Venuto is right! That little thing in your head – the hypothalamus – it IS the thing that is keeping you fat! By George, that Venuto guy isn’t a dumb bodybuilder after all – he’s been doing his research!” At which moment, I will be shaking my head and thinking, “you need to get out of the laboratory and into the real world, with real people, buddy.” Okay, okay, to be fair, Neuro-endocrine control of appetite and body fat really is quite fascinating. But today, I’m talking about PSYCH-ology, not PHYSI-ology. The little thing in your head that’s keeping you fat is actually just a….

Limiting belief!

Self-limiting beliefs are among the biggest problems that people deal with in their struggles to achieve a healthy ideal weight. They’re also one of the reasons that so many people start to falter or fall off the diet and exercise wagon as early as late January or early February in their New Year’s goal pursuits.

If you’re that science guy I spoke of and you’re about to bail because you’re thinking, “Here we go again… another psycho-babble, self help article,” then think again. A belief is the force behind the placebo effect, which is well known by every scientist and medical professional. A respected doctor gives a patient a pill and is told it’s a powerful drug. The patient gets well immediately, not knowing that the “miraculous” substance was a dummy pill. Inert. Sugar. The miracle was in the mind.

But beliefs are not only involved in the mind-body connection, they are unconscious programs that control your behavior. The most important factor in whether you achieve the body and the health you want is NOT what diet or training program you follow. It’s what makes you follow your diet and training program. And guess what? What you believe controls your behavior - whether you will stick with your program or sabotage it with cheating, bingeing or inconsistency.

What to do about limiting beliefs

Ok, so now you agree that beliefs are psychological factors that affect you physically by controlling your behavior, including your eating, exercising and lifestyle. What now? 3 steps. 2 questions.

STEP 1: IDENTIFY LIMITING BELIEFS

You are fully aware of many of your beliefs. For example, beliefs about spirituality or politics are usually in the front of your conscious mind.

But the beliefs that hold back your health and physical development the most are usually the ones you don’t even know you have. They are like unconscious “brain software,” running silently in the background.

So the first step is to bring those unconscious and potentially damaging beliefs up to the surface so you are aware of them. You can’t fix a problem if you don’t know you have one.

2 Quick Questions That Will Help Draw Out Your Beliefs

Beliefs can go back to childhood, but don’t worry, you don’t have to go to a psychotherapist and be regressed back to kindergarten. It’s simpler than that. But it does pay to do this questioning process as a formal “exercise” with serious quiet time, with pen and paper (instead of just thinking about it).

Question #1: What causes me to be overweight (or unhealthy, or not having the body I want)?

Question #2: What’s preventing me from getting leaner? (or healthier?)

Spend some time with it and see how big of a list you can create. Ask yourself whether each belief helps or hurts you. Does it move you forward or backward. Does it empower or disempower you? The ones that hurt you or hold you back will be obvious. You may come up with beliefs such as:

“I’m overweight and I can’t get leaner because”:

I have no time
I’m too old
I can’t stop eating
I hate exercise
You just can’t do it when you have 4 kids
It’s impossible after having a hip replacement

But the million dollar question is: are these beliefs actually true?

Beliefs are not facts. You may hold your beliefs as absolute reality, but when you deconstruct them and challenge them, you may see that they don’t hold any water.

Self limiting beliefs are false interpretations (negative thought patterns) that hold you back. And you keep holding on to them because making excuses and staying the same is a lot more convenient than changing, isn’t it? Change requires hard work, effort and leaving your comfort zone.

Your mission now: weaken the limiting beliefs and get rid of them

STEP 2: CHALLENGE THOSE BELIEFS

How do you challenge a belief? 4 ways:

(A) Challenge it directly: Is the belief even valid at all? See if you can find a “counter example” that disproves your belief. For example; if you think that after you’ve had 3 or 4 kids, it’s impossible to get a nice flat stomach, what will you say after I introduce you to a dozen of my clients and readers who had 3 or 4 kids and went from bulging belly to rock-hard flat stomach? If they did it, then how could your belief be valid? Answer: It WASN’T! You believed something false and inaccurate and it was holding you back!

(B) Challenge the source: Is it your belief, or have you been living what your parents, peers or culture handed down to you? Just the realization that a belief wasn’t yours to begin with is enough to shatter it.

(C) Challenge the usefulness of the belief: Ok, so you believed something when you were younger. Does still believing it has any usefulness today? Does it help you move closer to what you want in your life today? If not, then wouldn't today be a good time to get rid of it?

(D) Challenging the belief by weighing the consequences: If you keep this belief, what is it going to cost you? What will the pain be like? What will you miss? And what will these consequences be if you don’t change it NOW?

STEP 3: INSTALL A NEW BELIEF

Nature abhors a vacuum, as Spinoza once said. You don’t simply get rid of a belief, you must also replace it. What things would you want and need to believe instead that would create positive behaviors that would move you toward your goal? Write them down, then massage them into an affirmation. For example, if you’ve hung your hat on the belief that you didn’t have time to exercise, could you write a new affirmation of belief similar to this?

“I’m a very busy person, so that means I must set clear priorities and I must keep my health and body on the top of my priority list. I always schedule time for my most important priorities, I am efficient with my training, and I use every minute of my day wisely. And if Barack Obama, the busiest person in the world, can train for 45 minutes a day 6 days a week, there’s no excuse for me. I can do it too.”

Write down your new belief affirmations and read them, right along with your goals, every day.
Then “activate” this affirmation by doing what Olympic and professional athletes do: engaging in mental rehearsal. Visualize yourself carrying out the behaviors that this belief would generate. Think about and feel what it would be like to take those positive actions steps and play mental movies of how your life would change by doing so. Involve all your senses: see it, hear it, feel it.

Keep it up until you start to see your behavior change and your habitual actions come into alignment with your goals/intentions. If you’re diligent, you’ll see changes in attitude and behavior with 21-30 days. It may happen sooner. It may take longer if you’ve carried deep, lifelong limiting beliefs. But in less than a month, the roots of the new belief pattern will be formed.

Then you can update your goals and affirmations to reflect your current priorities and move on to the next goal you want to achieve or the next limiting belief you want to change. Keep THAT up, and pretty soon, you will be LIMIT-LESS!

BELIEVE ME, spending quality time understanding and working on your beliefs is a lot more productive than spending time in forums arguing about whether a low carb program is better than a high carb program… or even whether the cure for obesity is found in the arcuate nucleus of the lower hypothalamus. It’s in your head all right… but most people have been looking in the wrong place.

Train hard and expect success,
Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com



About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

Does your desk job have you down in the dumps?

A few tips to get you through the day and feel good while doing it. Who says that you have to just sit there for eight hours a day? While you are there why not do something that is going to benefit you.

Tip 1- Replace your desk chair with a Pilates ball. This will help with your posture and help with your abs.

Tip 2- Buy a stress ball to squeeze through out the day. This will strengthen your grip and help fight carpal tunnel. Or you can buy a wrist builder, they are about 5 bucks and the same movement as the grip ball.

Tip 3- Buy or build a platform to put under your toes, while working do calf raises, raising just enough to work your calves.

Tip 4- Buy Pilates bands or strength bands. This will allow you to work out while at work. By running the bands under you chair you can do shoulders, biceps, triceps and some chest as well. This can also be accomplished with small dumbbells as well. If you get an ankle strap you can work legs as well with the strength bands.

Tip 5- Push your chair back, lean forward, grab the edge of the desk and do a push up. Put your hands about 6 inches apart and push up for inner chest. Put your hands wider, about shoulder width or farther then push up for outer chest muscles. This will work triceps as well.

Tip 6- While sitting straight in your chair tighten your stomach muscles and do a sitting crunch for abs. Same posture and muscles tight do a sideways crunch for obliques.

These are just a few examples of how to break the boring day sitting at your desk. While breaking the boredom you can also get a workout. As simple as these workouts are they can be very productive. So next time you are playing desk job at work get a workout.

Away with the stress.. exercise.

Many people handle stress well, and there are those who just cant. Now there are many opportunities out there to help with stress. You can garden, paint, draw, play an instrument, and even read a book. For those of you that have not tried, exercise.

Yes exercising can get rid of stress, and allow you to drop a size or two. A study done by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association listed the top two benefits of exercise as improving emotional well-being as well as reducing stress.

Have you ever heard of the runners high? The benefits of exercise and stress.

1- Exercise provides an outlet for negative emotions such as frustration, anger, and irritability, thereby promoting a more positive mood and outlook.

2- Exercise improves mood by producing positive biochemical changes in the body and brain.

3- Regular exercise reduces the amount of adrenal hormones your body releases in response to stress.

4- With exercise, your body releases greater amounts of endorphins, the powerful, pain-relieving, mood-elevating chemicals in the brain.

Endorphins are natural pain killers and also help lift your mood. The runner's high is a result of the increased endorphins in the body.

5- Exercise will keep your body functioning properly and will keep you feeling both relaxed, refreshed and promote deep, restful sleep.

Basically exercise is a gateway from reality; job overload, school, family problems, bills, basically anything that is bothering you. Yes exercise is a way to feel better and clear your mind. When you do a daily or weekly exercise routine the stressful days are long behind you. Then your body becomes accustomed to this, and next time you have a long stressful day go hit the gym. There is nothing that feels better then a runners high.

Do you really need an expensive Ab machine?

Lets get to the point why pay 60 70 or even 80 dollars and more for something you can do at home on the floor. You dont have to be on the floor; you can be sitting at your kitchen table, at your desk, driving in your car, and even laying in your bed. What am I talking about your steps to six pack abs or smaller stomach.

Ok first with all those expensive ab machines comes a leaflet, booklet or a video. The first thing these tell you is to diet, eat healthy. Then they may tell you to do atleast 30 to 45 minutes of cardio a day. Which they are correct. If you spend all that money on a machine and not diet properly and get your recommended dose of cardio you are wasting your money. You can do crunches and situps all day long. Butt if you dont cut your fat intake and exercise your six pack abs will remain a keg.

So this is your steps to a perfect set of six pack abs, and it will not be easy.

Step one:
Eat Healthy and cut back your fats. Do not go on a fad diet, all 7 nutrients are as important as the next. (read more on nutrients here) The best diet and the only diet I will recommend is the 3 Hour Diet

Step two:
Get plenty of Exercise and Cardio.

Step three:
Do crunches until your stomach begs you to stop. When you wake in the morning before you get out of bed knock out about 60 crunches. Legs bent, feet flat on the bed, arms crossed over your chest, and raise your shoulders up enough to feel your stomach muscles working.

When you get up and head to work as you are driving tighten your stomach muscles. Yes you can drive like this. While at work if you are at a desk while sitting tighten your stomach and do 60 crunches real quick, yea while no one is looking. Then do this through out the day, 60 80 100 crunches every hour. Oh and make it habit. When you get up to use the restroom or run an errand tighten your stomach muscles while you are walking.

Then on your drive back home tighten your stomach muscles while you drive. Once you get home knock out another 60 real quick. Oh you dont have to lay down stand with you back against the wall and do a standing crunch. See the possibilities and opportunities are endless.

When you start your exercise routine I suggest taking about 45 minutes to an hour doing stomach exercises. Do atleast 4 sets of crunches, reverse crunches, oblique side crunches, and do atleast 60 to 100 hundred reps. At first do 40 to 60then raise the bar and go for broke.

I dont care what they tell you, getting a six pack is not easy. It takes a strict diet, cardio, and stomach exercise till it hurts.

Caution What ever you do, do not use weights to get rid of belly fat. The reason is when you add weights to your stomach routine it makes your stomach muscles get pump. This will then push your belly fat out making your belly look bigger. Then and only when your belly fat is gone I suggest using weight.

Finally my New Website

A few post back I mentioned I was building a new website. Well I finally published it. I am however still adding pages and things to help in your healthy living journey. I wanted to get what I had done published before the new year, 2010. The link is http://www.james-woods.ws/. The service I am paying is inexpensive and I have alot of space, I only have 1% of my space used.

I hope you guys like it and there will be more coming. I still got to put bodyfat calculators, calorie counters, and the such. Still I am happy so far with it..

To your Health..

Situps? Please dont.

This post is from my Marine Corps experience. Every year in the military troops have to do a PFT. That stands for Physical Fitness Test. The PFT consisted of pullups, 20 was the max, situps (timed and you pumped out as many as you can in a minute) and a three mile run. If you did not make the three miles in 26 minutes you failed.

Well half way through my career the situps were changed to a crunch. You cross your arms over your chest, and bend your knees with feet flat on the ground. When the whistle was blown you raise enough until your elbows or forearms touched your thigh. In my opinion this was a little harder to do, because there were no room to kip. Kipping in a situp, was raising your lower back slamming it on the ground to bring your upper body up to complete another situp. Kipping was a way of pumping out a few more when you were tired.

When the situp was changed to basically a high crunch every one thought it was to make the PFT harder. In reality it was to take strain off of the neck and spine. One the kipping was not healthy with the slamming down, and two when doing the sit up we put our hands behind our head and basically pulled. This was putting a strain on our neck as well.

So an improper sit up is putting your hands behind your head and basically pulling your way up to a sit up. This pull is pulling your neck and the pull follows like dominos, from your neck to your back bone (spine).

If you must do a situp cross you arms over your chest, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground. If you keep your legs straight on the ground you are now putting strain on your lower back. Once you start raise enough that your forearms or elbows touch your thigh. That is a proper situp that does not strain your neck, or back.

If you prefer not to do a sit up then do crunches. If you do crunches do not put your hands behind your head or on the side of your head. Even with a crunch you will be tempted to pull for one more crunch.

To your Health.

Jaw Wiring for Weight Loss???

I was watching a movie called "Sasquatch Dumpling Gang" and one of the caracters Sophie played by Addie Land got her jaw wired for weight loss purposes. I thought that cant be happening. To my surprise as I did the research it is happening. So for those of you reading let me entertain you.

Guide To Jaw Wiring

Jaw wiring for weight loss is a simple dental procedure to help treat obesity. It is not a surgical procedure, but it faintly resembles certain types of oral surgery, in that it aims to fix the position of the teeth and jaws but via a bonding method, rather than invasive surgery. Orthodontic jaw wiring is a quick, painless procedure, so no anesthesia is needed. By comparison, a main stream oral surgery procedure such as Inter-Maxillary Fixation is performed under general anesthesia in a hospital operating room.

Liquid Diet Provides Calories And Nutrition

Patients who undergo jaw wiring cannot eat solid foods, therefore they require a liquid diet. This must be carefully designed to provide adequate nutrition - including, macronutrients like carbs, protein and fat, as well as micronutrients like vitamins and minerals - and a sufficient calorie intake. Unless followed under medical supervision, the level of calories consumed should not fall below 1,000 per day.

The Cost Of Jaw Wiring

The costs of orthodontic jaw wiring vary according to the orthodontist. Expect to pay around $3,000 for the entire procedure, including check-ups.up to praAnswer: Initial bracket placement and wiring is $2385 then $95-135/ visit to remove the wire, clean the teeth and replace the wire. At present an additional refundable surcharge of $125 is made for a kit of instruments and supplies you will need if you cannot return to my office for follow up. The kit can also be given to your dentist or orthodontist to do the rewiring. If necessary you (or some significant other) can do it for you.

Now I have read and seen my fair share of fad diets. I have to ask why? Why put yourself through such mental torture?

On the upside (if there really is one) it is safer then stomach stapling, or the new stomach band. Oh It is about $22,000 dollars cheaper. I guess if you have tried every fad diet or magic pill you can find, still believe there is a quick magic solution, and cant yet afford the expensive stomach surgery then by all means go for it.

If you really want to lose weight the healthy way. Then do your research, learn about nutrition, learn about your body, eat right, and exercise.

Building New Website

Since I have been online I have been using blogs, and free websites for my health and exercise ideas tips and advice. Well I am now using a professional host and builder to build a new Health website. Blogging is cool and I am enjoying it, but I wanted something easier for my readers to navigate and find the information they need. I have 12 pages made so far, and still working the seo. I am taking some of the information from this blog. After all most of my better info is on this blog.

The hosting company that I am using is the .ws. It is not the cheapest out there but the best I have looked at so far. Plus they have a great affiliate program. I figured if I am going to build a great website about health and fitness, why not get into the affiliate side as well and make a few extra bucks.

With my new professional website I can add a calorie calculator, bmi calculators, calorie burn calculators. You name it I can add it. The problem with this I have so many ideas for my new website my mind is just going crazy. Yea blogging is simpler but I can create more. When my new health and fitness website is done I will put the link on this blog for every one to see and book mark (wink wink).

My new website as mentioned above will have the calculators, advice and tips with easier navigation, healthy recipes, some videos, pictures for illustrations, and qoutes for motivation, and reviews for products and books I feel are rates 5 stars.

I am excited about this I do hope I dont let you guys down.

7 Steps to Healthy Living

Step One: go to your doctor and get a physical. If your doctor does not do it, ask for a complete blood work. This will check your cholestrol, thyroid levels, nutrion levels, blood count, basically the works.

Step Two: change the way you eat. The 3 hour diet (not a fad diet) will explain in detail. With this diet make sure you are eating a well balanced diet. Eat a variety of foods. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups. Explained in the new USDA food guide pyramid.

Step Three: exercise, there are many activities you can do to get plenty of exercise. You do not have to do the same thing every day, exercise can get boring, especially if you do the same thing over and over again. If you are short of time visit this post about "To Busy To Exercise?" If you have 30 minutes to an hour a day then start an exercise routine.

Adults should accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week, and to improve cardiovascular endurance, 20 to 60 minutes on three to five days per week.

Step Four: Most people find this hard to start. You should also add working out (strength training)to your weekly routines. You can do this by machine weight, also called free weight stations, or weighted dumbells and bars with plates. Just because you "lift weigths" does not mean you will get buffed or huge. You can lift weights to tone and add definition, or get ripped.

Step Five: get plenty of rest and sleep. Atleast 8 hours a night. Some Dr's say between 6 to 8, but if you get 8 then you will notice the difference. This lets you rest your body as well as you mind.

Step Six: This is the most important of all... Believe in yourself. If you think you cant then you will not. Self esteem, self motivation, self assurance, Be the Change you Want to See in the World not sure of author.

Step Seven: This is almost important as Step Six, when in doubt ask, get help, get advice. If you are not sure of something then get help. The only stupid question is the one not asked.

The seven steps to living healthy is not an unrealistic goal. Nor is it the easiest thing you will ever do. I promise you that if you start the steps the climb will only get easier as you go.

to your Health

Gluten Free Diets?

If you have celiac disease.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms.

If you do not have celiac disease should you go on a gluten free diet. The down side to a gluten free diet :

• Some people diagnosing themselves with gluten intolerance really have it — but, by going on an unsupervised gluten-free diet, are masking the signs that would allow a doctor to get an exact diagnosis and look for related problems, such as fragile bones, says Peter Green, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University in New York.

• Gluten avoiders may end up short on vitamins.

• Gluten-free specialty foods are expensive.

• A poorly planned gluten-free diet also can be fattening. Manufacturers aiming for a yummy wheat-free bagel or bread often rely on fat to replace gluten


What are the benefits to a gluten free diet?

You do not eat processed foods, and eat more healthier foods. As with any diet consult your doctor.

The question on the table is, is a gluten free diet another fad diet. If you feel that the low carb diet was a fad, then yes Gluten Free diets are a fad if you do not have celiac disease. If not planned correctly gluten free diets like any other diet can do more harm than good. If you have celiac disease then you have to avoid gluten. Then you need a gluten free diet.

If you do not have celiac disease, stop jumping from diet to diet. Eat right, eat healthy, there is no magic formula that is going to make you drop 100 pounds over night.

If you want to eat correctly then read the article on the 3 hour Diet No special secret formula, no surgery, no magic diet pill, just eating the way your metabolism will agree.

The Banana Diet...?

Yes so true, there is a big deal going around about the banana diet. SO what is the banana diet, Eat 1 banana before breakfast, eat 1 banana before lunch, and eat 1 banana before dinner. It does not take much to figure this out. There is no special ingredient in a banana that helps you to lose weight. There is no secret formula in the banana diet. So why would the banana diet help you lose weight? The same way a glass of milk before each meal, or a glass of water before each meal would help you lose weight.

What happens when you normally eat a banana? You feel full. The key to the banana diet is simply feeling full before you eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This feeling then allows you to eat less of each meal.

This can be acheived with a glass of milk before each meal. Milk when consumed allows you to feel full, this helps you eat less.

The banana diet does not have to be a banana. You can eat an apple, or some other large fruit. How about eating a bowl of grapes before each meal, or a bowl of mixed fruit. There is some evidence that suggest stawberries when digested burns more calories during the digestion process. So eat a bowl of strawberries before each meal. One feeling full and not eating as much, and two burning more calories during the digestive process.

So there is no magic formula of the banana diet. There is no magic ingredient in a banana that helps you lose weight. The key is just feeling full before eating each meal.

What Exercises Should You Do for Strength Training?

If you don't know much about weight training, consider hiring a personal trainer to help you set up your program. You should work all of your muscle groups each week so that you avoid muscle imbalances, which could lead to injury.

Below is a list of muscle groups along with sample exercises. If you're a beginner, you only need to choose 1-2 exercises for each muscle group in the upper body and 3-4 moves for the lower body.

-Chest: bench press, chest press machine, pushups, pec deck machine
-Back: seated row machine, back extensions, lat pulldowns
-Shoulders: overhead press, lateral raise, front raise
-Biceps: bicep curls, hammer curls, concentration curls
-Triceps: tricep extensions, dips, kickbacks
-Lower Body: Squats, lunges, leg press machines, deadlifts, calf raises
-Abdominals: crunches, reverse crunches, oblique twists, pelvic tilts

Strength Training Principles:

For Your Information:

Overload: To see gains in strength you must always stimulate the muscle more than it is accustomed to.

Progression: The active muscle must continue to work against a gradually increasing resistance in order to meet overload.

Specificity: Gains you receive are dependent on the muscle group used, and movement pattern performed.

-Strength (maximal force): If you are interested in strength gains you want to train with higher weights and closer to your 1 RM.

-Endurance (submaximal force that is repeated): If you are interested in gains in endurance, you should concentrate on lifting lower weights and higher repetitions.

Arrangement:
-Warm-up - the warm-up should be "sport specific". In other words, if you are performing the bench press, begin your warm-up with a light intensity and perform 8-10 reps.
-Stretch - it is important to stretch to promote increased blood flow to the muscles, and to increase flexibility, range of motion and decrease the risk of injury.
-Workout - work larger muscle groups first, then smaller muscle groups.
-Cool-down - keeps the body active and prevents pooling of blood in the extremities. The cool-down is done at a lower intensity.

Breathing: When lifting weight or working muscles against resistance, exhale through the mouth as you are performing the work. Caution: Failure to breathe correctly during heavy weight lifting may cause drastic increases in blood pressure that may be harmful.

Most people who work out with weights typically use two different kinds: free weights (including barbells, dumbbells, and hand weights) and weight machines. Free weights usually work a group of muscles at the same time; weight machines typically are designed to help you isolate and work on a specific muscle.

Whenever starting a new exercise program please see your physician or family doctor....

10 Quick Tips To Help You Get Started Working Out

1. Remember to warm up. Warming up gives the body a chance to deliver plenty of nutrient rich blood to areas about to be exercised, to actually warm the muscles and lubricate the joints.

2. Stretch - Increases or maintains muscle flexibility.

3. During the first week of starting an exercise program keep it light. Work on technique-good body mechanics and slowly work up to heavier weights.

4. Quick tips to maintain good body mechanics: go through the complete range of motion, move slowly and with control, breathe, and maintain a neutral spine. Never sacrifice form just to add more weight or repetitions.

5. The intensity of your workout depends on a number of factors, including the number of sets and repetitions, the overall weight lifted, and the rest between sets. You can vary the intensity of your workout to fit your activity level and goals.

6. Listen to your body. Heart rate is not a good way to determine your intensity when lifting weights, it is important to listen to your body based on an overall sense of feeling of exertion.

7. The MINIMUM amount of strength training recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine is eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises, at a moderate intensity, two days a week. You will get more overall gains with more days per week, sets and resistance, but the progression is one in which you must listen to your body.

8. Strength training session are recommended to last one hour or less.

9. As a general rule, each muscle that you train should be rested one to two days before being exercised further in order for the fatigued muscles to rebuild.

10."No pain, no gain." This statement is not only false, but can be dangerous. Your body will adapt to strength training, and will reduce in body soreness each time you workout.

High Intensity Cardio workouts

For those High Intensity Cardio workouts

1. Jumping Rope - This is one of the simplest, yet most effective exercises one can do. In just 15 to 20 minutes, jumping rope will give you an unparalleled total body workout. Jumping rope is ideal for cardiovascular endurance and enhances performance in virtually any sport - tennis, basketball, football, skiing, volleyball and more. This simple exercise is also great for eye-hand coordination, lateral movement, foot and hand speed and agility.

2. Sprinting - Sprinting not only burns HUGE amounts of calories while sprinting, it also keeps your metabolism flying for days after. Sprinting combined with running / jogging can bring amazing results

3. Spinning - These high-intensity workouts to music simulate a challenging bike ride, complete with hills, valleys and varying speeds, all dictated by the group instructor.


Fun Facts

-It's easy to get hooked on cardiovascular exercise after the initial training effect takes place because of the increases in endorphins and mood enhancing hormones.

-While there are complicated treadmill tests to objectively measure maximum heart rate, most people will use a simple calculation to estimate maximum heart rate. The easiest formula is simply to subtract your age from 220.

-A new method, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, estimates maximum heart rate with the following formula: 0.7 times age subtract from 208.

-Here are some estimated calories burned per hour for a 150-pound person:

-- Accordion playing — 122

-- Assembly work, sitting — 102

-- Bobsledding — 476

-- Bookbinding — 156

-- Chambermaid work — 170

-- Cleaning rain gutters — 340

-- Computer work — 102

-- Digging worms — 272

-- Firefighting — 816

-- Jack hammering — 408

-- Light kissing — 68

-- Lugeing — 476

-- Napping — 61

-- Office work at the desk — 122

-- Sexual activity, active — 102

-- Sexual activity, moderate — 88

-- Shoveling coal — 476

-- Taking a shower — 136

-- Tap dancing — 327

-- Walking with crutches — 340

-- Washing the dog — 238

-- Watching TV — 68



Now you see no matter what you are doing you are burning calories, whether it is cardio exercise or daily task. I am sure that we all agree that exercise is always the best way to burn calories. So get off the computer and go cardio….

Top 10 Cardio Exercises With The Most Calorie Burns.

1. Step Aerobics - one of the most favorite cardio exercises preferred by women. Step Aerobics mainly target your legs, hips and glutes, and can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.

2. Bicycling - stationary or outdoors is a great cardio exercises, depending on resistance and speed can but 250 to 500 calories in 30 minutes.

3. Swimming - like cross-country skiing is an excellent cardio exercises as it is a full body exercises. Swimming is a great cross-training for other cardio activities. Doing the breast stroke can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.

4. Racquetball - side to side sprinting makes racquetball and excellent cardio exercises. A 145-lb person burns over 400 calories in 30 minutes.

5. Rock Climbing - is not only a cardio exercises, but also uses arm and leg strength and power. Rock Climbing can burn up to 380 calories in 30 minutes.

6. Cross-Country Skiing - whether on a machine or outdoors on snow, is an incredible cardio exercises as it involves both upper and lower body. A 145 lb person can burn approx 330 calories in 30 minutes.

7. Running - Running is an excellent cardio exercises because all you need is a pair of quality running shoes. Running burns serious calories. A 145 LB person can easily burn 300 calories in 30 minutes.

8. Elliptical Trainer - is an excellent cardio exercises and a great way to build endurance. A 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

9. Rowing - is both a cardio exercises as well as giving your arms an incredible workout. 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

10. Walking - Brisk walking is a less strenuous form of cardio exercises. Walking can burn up to 180 calories in 30 minutes. Sprinting, adding hills or an incline can increase amount of calories burned.

If you are exercising and want to burn more calories try some of the top ten cardio for burning more calories.

Strength Training and Fat Burning

Want to look good — and feel even better? Try strength training. You'll build strength, improve your muscle tone and boost your self-esteem.

Strength Training is when you perform exercises with resistance to build muscle mass and strength. Strength training is not running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or using an elliptical machine. Although those types of aerobic machines use "resistance" to increase your workout intensity, it's not the same as strength training. The most common form of strength training is lifting weights. Weight lifting can include free weights, machines, elastic bands, body weight or any other form of resistance.

Why is strength training the real key to burning off body fat? The reason is because muscle tissue is the most metabolically active tissue in the body and burns up to 50 calories per pound! That means if you can add 5 extra pounds of solid muscle to your body, you will burn an extra 250 calories every day just sitting around! In a recent study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. Use strength training to turn your body into a fat burning, muscle building machine!