Top Celebrity Diet Tricks that can work for you

These days a Hollywood actress and a healthy diet go hand in hand. Celebrity diet tricks seem to be the fad, whether its lean meats, cottage cheese, baby food, or sweet potatoes to satisfy their sweet tooth, these foods keep them looking healthier than ever and keep us as envious as ever. Every woman has the shape she wants in mind, is your idyllic body type more like Jennifer Lopez or Angelina Jolie? You still need to find those celebrity diet tricks that will work for you.

Which would you favor, cottage cheese on the legs or cottage cheese in your mouth? Cottage cheese is known as the “healthy cheese”, contrasting other cheeses it retains its whey content since it is not press dried, but drained. Compared to other cheeses out there, cottage cheese is low in fat with every 5 grams there are 3 grams of saturated fat, it is also low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Now, in regards to celebrity diet tricks, which famous actress gets that body by including cottage cheese into her diet? I’ll give you a hint; they didn’t call the movie honey that Jessica Alba starred in for nothing.

Of the more evident foods required in a healthy diet, lean meats are on top. The body has to work harder to break down lean meats that in turn speed up the metabolism and preserves lean muscle. A diet rich in protein will permit you to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, while contributing to the development of the bones in the body. Protein-rich diets kill off carbohydrates thereby reducing the fluid content in the body, this alone results in weight loss because it is reducing the amount of water that your body holds. Back to celebrity diet tricks, which actress uses protein-rich lean meats to terminate her weight? Although there seems to be no sign of meat on her own body, the answer is Angelina Jolie.

If you’re having difficulty controlling your portions, calories, or snacking I’ve got a solution for you. Uncontaminated and full of nutrients, baby food is a great snack to eat on the go. Plus, this is one of those celebrity diet tricks that is typically free of harmful chemicals and the majority is naturally and organically made. This snack seems to be all over the internet lately, linked to the diet plan of actress Reese Witherspoon.

If you’re anything like me you’re most likely wondering what to do about that sweet tooth. If you need some sort of dessert after every meal, I recommend potatoes. Not just any potatoes, but sweet potatoes. Rich in potassium and magnesium, they’re also a great source of healthy carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes also work to lower your blood sugar as well as fighting arthritis. This is one of the celebrity diet tricks of one of the world’s first supermodels, Christie Brinkley, includes sweet potatoes with a drop of olive oil into her diet plan.

It’s not to say we should eat these foods for the reason that the perfectly fit celebrities are including them in their diets, however if they look this good by eating these foods they must be doing something correct. And if there is one thing I cannot stress enough, to obtain the result you and I both know you can achieve, you have to push yourself to get into the gym. Celebrity diet tricks and other diets may result in the weight loss you have been striving for but they will not give you the toned perfection your body deserves. Every step towards a healthier diet and an active life will bring you that much closer to your goal.

10 Kickboxing Moves for Beginners

10 Kickboxing Moves for Beginners

 

If you weren’t born a kick boxer or know little about cardio kick boxing, have no fear, everyone had to start somewhere. With these 10 essential kickboxing moves for beginners you will feel like you already know what you’re doing before you hit the bag.

 

The first move is the basic kickboxing stance. Your legs should be more than a shoulder width apart, while your lead shoulder and trailing shoulder form a forty five degree angle to your target. Two well known stances to consider are the Muay Thai stance and the MMA stance.

 

The cross power punch is sometimes called a straight right. Presume your targets stance, shift the right side of your upper body forward while swiveling your left side back. Broaden your right arm towards the target and pivot on the ball of your rear foot at the same time. Bring your weight forward from the rear leg and as your shoulder rotates forward push your right fist out in a horizontal movement. You have just preformed a cross power punch. See, cardio kickboxing isn’t that hard!

 

 

To try out a Front leg kick, lift your knee and point to your targets midsection, and then simply implement a front kick. When kicking always remember to use maximum power, put your hips behind your kick, and use the ball of your foot as the striking surface. This is why they call it kickboxing.

 

Want to know how to move your feet during a fight? Start in a kickboxing stance, and then lead with the foot that is already in the direction that you’re going. Once you’ve moved, dip into the motion with your knees and rotate your hips towards the direction you’re moving. Now shuffle your feet by bouncing from foot to foot. Once you’ve got those basics down, attempt moving your feet forward and backward performing linear movements.

 

To throw a hook bring your right shoulder forward and as you go in for the hook bring your left arm to a 90 degree horizontal angle facing your elbow away from your body but keeping your arm equal to your shoulder. Now shift your weight to the front leg and pull your right shoulder back as you punch. The hook is usually aimed to the chin, striking with the palm toward your body. Cardio kickboxing not only helps with endurance and weight loss, but helps you to focus your energies as well.

 

The benefits of adding magnesium as a dietary supplement

The benefits of adding magnesium as a dietary supplement

While I’m always trying to strike a balance between good nutrition and plenty of exercise, I’ve been feeling a bit ‘off’ lately; a bit more sluggish throughout the day, erratic ups and downs in my appetite, muscle spasms and a few other little bothersome things I’d attributed to the aging process up to this point.  Realizing these symptoms were not going away on their own after a few weeks of having trouble sleeping at night and craving a nap during the day, I decided to research what natural supplements may be able to help.  I’ve always taken a women’s multivitamin every day, but let’s face the facts: unless you are eating 100% of your recommended daily allowances and drinking an adequate amount of water each day, your body will not be in the best possible position to absorb all the minerals in your daily vitamin.  So for those of you that think that you can eat poorly simply because you take a daily vitamin and are getting all you need there, think again.

 

In considering the way I’d been feeling lately, I came across an interesting article in a magazine about the many benefits of magnesium.  Since we hear a lot about how ginkgo biloba will help you focus and increase concentration, and we hear all about Echinacea and zinc helping ward off colds, seeing information about magnesium was news to me, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned, seeing as how I can say it has truly made a difference in my energy levels and muscle spasms in just the two weeks I’ve been adding it to my daily regimen.  What’s interesting is that a lack of magnesium in your system will present symptoms that are quite similar to what seems the “norm” when going through the aging process. This is all well and good if you’re 80 years old, but if you’re feeling like you may have an irregular heartbeat, or your doctor discusses your increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, predisposition to diabetes, etc., chances are you can REALLY benefit by adding magnesium to your dietary supplements.  It has been cited that over 75% of Americans don’t get near enough magnesium in their diets, thus we are essentially allowing our bodies to age faster than they should.

Those that should absolutely consider taking magnesium are people with diabetes, those that are alcoholics, those currently taking heart medications, people on low-calorie diets, those that are heavy exercisers and also those that have been diagnosed with a fat malabsorption problem.   Facts about the many benefits of magnesium are overwhelming; it aids in the prevention of hear t disease, protects against kidney stones and diabetes, as well as curtails the occurrence of chronic fatigue syndrome.  In addition to all this, magnesium actually helps keep our bodies young by protecting our cells in many ways.   Magnesium alone can strengthen muscles and when used in combination with a calcium supplement, ensures strong bones and helps ward off osteoporosis.   To gain maximum benefit, magnesium and calcium should really be taken in tandem, with the dose of magnesium measuring approximately half that of the calcium.

Magnesium is considered to be a very effective free-radical fighting antioxidant.  Those of you that are deficient in magnesium are most likely also deficient in vitamin E, which you need to maintain the proper speed of your aging process.  Not getting enough E will have you looking and feeling older than you are, long before your time.

While there are certainly notable foods that contain magnesium, the supplement itself is very affordable.  Like I said, I started taking it just two weeks ago and have noticed a substantial difference in my overall energy level, as well as a decrease in the number of muscle spasms I’d been previously experiencing relative to a car accident I was in a few years ago. 

As with any time you begin a new diet or health regimen, you should consult with your doctor to see if altering your current mineral intake could be beneficial for you.  In the meantime, there is a wealth of information on how magnesium can positively affect certain health issues; so if you have a health issue mentioned here, do your research and consider giving your body some extra magnesium.  I think you’ll be glad you did.

Why Cardio Boxing Classes may work for you!

Pump Up the Cardio

 

Everyone knows that having good cardiovascular health is critical to living a healthy life, but if you are someone that is just starting out on your own weight loss quest, ‘getting there’ can seem like a daunting task and the ‘how to do it’ can be confusing. Having a healthy heart and lungs means your body is getting the oxygen it needs to repair tissue and keep your organs working at their optimal capacity.  If you find yourself becoming winded by walking up the stairs or doing household tasks, a light cardio workout is a great place for you to begin your journey toward a healthier You in the New Year; you will actually discover you have MORE energy if you make the time to exercise your heart and lungs through some good heart-pumping exercise.  Depending on your fitness level, cardio kickboxing could be an ideal way for you to have some fun while strengthening your body and getting a good overall workout.

 

 

Cardio Kickboxing is a great way for those that deal with depression or stress to get some endorphins surging and not only will you find your stress level is reduced, but you will subsequently sleep better too!  Committing to a cardio workout like kickboxing is great because it requires very little in the way of gear.  Since most people start off in a traditional class setting, learning the moves and combinations that are used, all that is needed are the clothes on your back and the appropriate sneakers on your feet.  If you then find you really like it and want to move on to incorporate a heavy bag or a sparring partner in your workout, the investment in a decent pair of gloves is minimal compared to some workout routines that may require extensive equipment or machines.

 

Whether you are already regularly exercising and are looking for something to keep your attention through the New Year or you are just starting out, a good cardio workout will undoubtedly be addicting; you will see an increase in your stamina, you’ll find yourself feeling refreshed after a good nights’ sleep and over time, you will notice that you are firmer and stronger than ever. You might even make some great new friends!

 

The Ups and Downs of Weight Loss

On your road to pursuing better health, you have undoubtedly experienced (or will experience) many twists and turns in the road; being invited to go to dinner with friends, being tempted by the undeniable smell of ballpark franks at a sporting event, feeling pressured to have some cake at a birthday party. These are all examples of the unexpected obstacles that continuously test our willpower.  As if surviving all these challenges were not enough, the road to a healthier You is also paved with plenty of hills and valleys.

 

The main variance we dieters must face is the ever-fluctuating number on the bathroom scale. Some days it’s up, some days you hit a new all-time low. We’ve all heard it’s best to weigh yourself just once a week, but we also live in reality.  When you’re working hard on a fitness goal, whether it be to drop some weight, lose some inches or improve your BMI (Body Mass Index), we want to know that our hard work is paying off. Rather than trust the regimen we’ve followed, we find ourselves weighing and measuring ourselves, on average, far more than is necessary. Being obsessive about how much you weigh yourself will not only eventually lead to frustration as you feel the need to pick apart every little action you’ve taken since your last weigh-in, but it’s mentally tolling and unhealthy. If you find yourself unable to resist stepping on the scale each and every morning, you should consider moving it to a less conspicuous area; under the bathroom sink or in a closet is a good place… out of sight, out of mind. Mark your calendar to weigh-in and check on your progress no more than once a week, preferably at the same time of day.

 

Another area you may experience a fair share of ups and downs in is that of your energy level.  For the most part, as you eat healthier and exercise, your energy levels should be ‘up’, but of course, we all have ‘those days’. Whether you temporarily fall off the wagon and eat a big bag of chips for a late night snack, or you just haven’t been drinking all your water lately, you can expect that deviations to your fitness program can and WILL affect your energy level and perhaps even your mood. While things like this are certainly nothing to beat yourself up for, you should have a plan in mind on how to deal with it when it inevitably happens and you find it a struggle to get to the gym that day. Do you have a fitness partner you can call who will help motivate you to exercise, even if only for a walk around your neighborhood?  Have you been taking a multi-vitamin each day?  While there is nothing wrong with taking a ‘day off’ (sometimes our bodies tell us this is what is best), as long as you don’t allow it bog you down emotionally. Accept it for what it is, and reaffirm your commitment to fitness the next day when you can start over with a clean slate.

 

When we are working to improve ourselves, it is always so easy to focus on the low points.. those times that you ate a Snickers bar on the way home from the grocery store, the day you meant to go to the gym but ditched exercise so you could go out to lunch with friend, or the week you gained 5 pounds from overindulging at the holidays. Instead of committing these ‘downs’ to memory, make a concerted effort to remember the ‘ups’… those high points in your journey that you should be proud of!  What about the day you went to your child’s Valentine’s Party at school and graciously declined a cupcake? What about the day you finally were able to last more than 15 minutes on the elliptical with little effort? These are days to celebrate and are immediately forgotten, nearly negated in our minds, the minute we have a weak moment.  If you find that you are repeatedly focusing on your fitness failures rather than your success, institute the use of a fitness journal. A log like this need not be fancy and can be whatever you want to make it. Whether you grab a spiral notebook and a pen, or choose to utilize one of the many fitness tracking sites available online, record the information that is pertinent and useful to YOU and on those days when you’re feeling you’ve hit a plateau and are spinning your wheels, look back at your journal and celebrate all the successes you’ve actually had!  I have found it is very helpful to record your mood along with the other information you choose to document; there may be some correlation between what you’re doing/eating and how you are feeling.

 

Remember, no matter what stage of your fitness plan you are in, we all go through these ups and downs. When you are ‘up’, embrace that feeling of success and carry it with you into your next workout. When you are ‘down’, pick yourself back up and get back on track to being the best You, you can possibly be!

Eat Seafood Now!

Fish is Good For You!

 Seafood is good for you! According to the Harvard School of Public Health study on fish consumption “Seafood is likely the single most important food one can consume for good health. Not only is seafood delicious and versatile, but its also an excellent choice for good health. There are numerous scientific facts offering the benefits of seafood consumption. It is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids which may have defensive benefits against heart disease.  The American Heart Association says the “Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of, or have cardiovascular disease.”

 

Fish are generally low in fat depending of course which species you are consuming. There are several species that are very low in total and saturated fat, and many have less than 1g of fat per 3-oz serving. The fat in much seafood is predominantly heart healthy polyunsaturated fat.

 

Seafood is an excellent source of protein, on 3 oz serving provides 30-50% of your recommended daily allowance.  A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health (and supported by the National Institutes of Health) showed that eating even a modest amount of fish per week lowered the risk of death from coronary heart disease by 36%. Consuming fish or fish oil reduced total mortality (death by any cause) by 17%.  In addition, the Omega-3 fatty acids from seafood likely improve early brain development, and babies could benefit from the seafood consumed by mothers during pregnancy or nursing.

 

With so much evidence offering the benefits of eating seafood, and the numerous species of fish offering a variety of tastes to the discerning consumer, there should be no reason why seafood should not be a mainstay of your weekly diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is The Best Ab Exercise?

When you ask men what they want to change about their bodies, a lot will answer that they would want to have flat bellies. Not only that, they would want to have the six pack abs that weight lifters and sports buffs have. For women, especially those that have already given birth, a firm ab is definitely on the wish list, but is seldom accomplished because of the misconception that flat and firm abs can only be achieved in the gym.

There are actually ab exercises that can be done right at home. One of the best ab exercise is the bicycle exercise, where one lies flat on the floor, legs raised to mimic a bicycle ride movement, the two hands touching the sides of the head near the ear area. While the legs mimic the pedaling movement, the elbows should touch the other knee (right elbow touches the left knee, and so on). The shoulder blades should be off the ground, but the neck should be relaxed. One should feel the pressure on the abs while the raised legs move. Note that the legs should not be vertically raised, but should be raised around 45 degrees from the floor.

Another one that is listed as the best ab exercise make use of an exercise ball, where one lies on the exercise ball, in a way that one does not fall or slide off, with both feet on the ground, and do crunches in that position. While doing the crunches, one should not fall of or the ball should not roll.

Another of the best ab exercise is the long arm crunch, where one stretches his or her arms above the head, with the arms touching the ears. Lying on the floor or mat, with legs bent, one would contract his or her abs, lift the shoulder blades from the floor. One should feel the pressure on the abs.

Lying on the floor and raising the legs, outstretched, up to 45 degrees from the floor, is another of the best ab exercise. The legs should not bend while it is being raised, and should not touch the floor as it is brought down. Before the heel of the foot touches the floor, start raising the legs again. This one focuses on the lower abs. Leg raising up to 25 repetitions would be a good starting point.

Another variation is the reverse crunch, where the legs are bent, feet together, and is raised up. This time, the hips should be raised a few centimeters off the floor. For this technique, the movement should be controlled by the contraction of the abs, and not by the swinging up of the legs.

A combination of these techniques is a full vertical crunch, where both shoulder blades and hips are lifted up the floor by contracting the abs. The legs should be straight and are raised from a horizontal to a vertical position. The hands can support the head, making sure that the neck is relaxed.

Developing A Bodybuilding Nutrition Plan

While others worry about losing weight, there are some who aim for a bigger body – that with lean muscles of course! Men with skinny figures want to gain weight and build muscles. Most of them achieve this by undergoing a weight training program, supported by a body building nutrition plan. There are also women who want to gain weight and add more shape to their slim figures.

A good body building nutrition plan will focus on the schedule of meals, and the kind of foods that are taken. The most basic and important point is to eat small portions frequently throughout the day, preferably every four hours. It is because when one eats frequently in small portions, the body burns more fat, and build on lean muscles. But when the body gets hungry, usually after four hours of no food intake, the body starts to process and “eat up” the lean muscles, and store fat for energy. This is why even for weight loss programs, it is not advisable to starve one’s self.

The next aspect of a body building nutrition program is the nutrients one need, that should be present in all meals throughout the day. The foundation nutrients are carbohydrates, protein and fat. Carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle repair and growth, and fat for hormonal functions, metabolism and healthy joints. These should all be present in the diet, in these proportions: 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein, and 20% fat. It should be noted that if there is too much carbohydrates, the excess will be stored as body fat, plus one’s energy level will rise, then drop faster. If only protein is taken in, one will not have enough body energy, and protein will not be efficiently absorbed by the body without the presence of carbohydrates. It should also be noted that protein not only builds the muscles, but also make up the hair, nails and skin.

The best sources of carbohydrates include complex carbohydrate foods such as oatmeals, sweet potatoes, pasta, corn, rice, peas, green vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower. Other carbohydrate sources are fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pineapples and pears.

Fats are also very important for the proper function of the body. Some think only of fat being linked to bad cholesterol, but this is not the case. Fats help in the production of hormones. Limited fat intake will force the body to store more fats for the body’s daily needs, leading to unwanted body fats in the abdomen and other areas. Depriving the body of fatty foods will actually be more harmful. However, fats have different kinds, and only those that do good for the body should be taken. Polysaturated fats should be avoided, as these are the kind that is associated with high cholesterol. The healthy fats are monosaturated fats, such as fish oils, virgin olive oil and canola oil.

A body building nutrition guide should indicate the serving sized for each food item that would give the best amount of nutrition that is needed by the body. It will also depend on one’s body type, size, and daily activities.

Sharing Your Success Story

Not only do weight loss success stories bring hope to those who have risked everything just so they could get the body they wanted, they also remind everybody that whatever you allowed to accumulate in your body is not easy to lose, and they warn those who are starting the process of gaining to watch out or be sorry you ever wanted to indulge yourself too much.

Weight loss success stories are not just stories of other people. These stories are also about us; it is about how we live, our preferences, and our risks. Much about the characters in these stories started like some of us, lean or skinny. They went through stages until they realize that life became harder the moment they became bigger. Some of us are now experiencing the stage of difficulty. Sometimes the difficulty being experienced is aggravating. It becomes more than the physical difficulty we all know; it grows into a difficulty in self perception, a social difficulty resulting from the intimidation felt for being too large and not as fit as others, and the emotional difficulty of not being able to regain the confidence once exuded.

Weight loss success stories tell us about the flight of people from the past to the present. They are often entitled, “Before and after.” These stories are accounts of people whose exploits have been to battle against themselves, to lose the excess baggage in their body, and to look as fit and amazing as they want so that they can function positively.

Some who shared their weight loss success stories are able to lose a considerable pounds, are proud to display the pants they used to wear and how slim they have become. Their stories became sources of inspiration and information for other people. As great as the amount they lose is the extent of what they gained in themselves. Reading their stories is no different from reading novels and stories with heroes and villains. The only difference is that in these stories, the hero and the villain is the same person. The characters battle against themselves, their habits, and their lifestyles. It was a long battle, and they do not claim to have superpowers and magical tricks. But in the long run, they were able to weave their story of a happy ever after.

The Bean Exercise

Fitness is everybody’s dream. There are people who blessed with a naturally fit body and who do not have to work much in order to get the body everybody wants. They are the lucky few. However, there are people whose genes are not the kind they would ever wish to have if only given a chance to choose before being brought out in the world. There are some who started quite fit and fabulous with a perfectly sculpted body but because of the delicious temptations around every single minute they ended up looking like a behemoth. There are simply so many factors, that most of the time we could only point at something to be the culprit in our dilemma. But in the end, not achieving the body that you want boils down into one-our self.

The planning was good. You have given dieting a try. At first it was religiously followed then it comes to a halt. You find exercising quite time and energy consuming. You couldn’t get yourself to do the crunches and the sit-ups. You are bored and at the same time your body hurts. You think nothing happens anyway so why waste your time? And then you realize, you are getting bigger than you imagined you could. Friends start to notice the change in your size, and you are starting to become the butt of joke. You made a resolute plan, this time more determined to continue working out and go on dieting. And the cycle of a seemingly love and hate relationship goes on.

Well this is a natural process; trying to lose weight is a forward, backward, and forward again process for almost everybody who tried to do it. Enumerate the reason and you would end up with a long list. However, there are fitness exercises that will get you into shape nowadays without overly doing and driving yourself to exhaustion. These exercises would make you feel like you are actually resting or playing while you do the exercise so your mind is conditioned to do it all the time. Before you notice it, you are starting to get the body you wanted.

One of these exercises is the bean exercise. The bean exercise is nothing similar to other exercises. You can do your workout without straining your back and traumatizing your body with a bean exercise; it is perfect for beginners. The bean exercise helps you tone down thighs, and your abs by the rocking action it does. The focus in the bean exercise is on the belly and legs. It is the motion that gives you the crunch to have the abs you are dying to have. It can be used by all people of all ages, since it is safe to use. It is even practical and easy to have because it can be inflated and deflated anytime you want. Bean exercises can be browsed in the net, but an instructional DVD along with the bean can give you a better trial.

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