Fat Loss 4 Idiots Secret

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Tips For Best Way To Gain Muscle

By Greg Correll

If you think the best way to gain muscle is just by performing unlimited reps of weights, overwhelming amount of food intake as well as lifting weights that your are not ready for, then you might be setting yourself up for a major disappointment for gaining muscle mass.

If the above is what you've been doing, you might get severely overweight and having a higher body fat instead of getting leaner. More importantly, you might also leave yourself in a state of over training, and wasting every effort so far! What's more important for you is to actually have a well designed fitness plans just for you.

With a goal in sight, you'll know exactly just how much you want to put in a week. If you goal is to get 15 pounds in about 4 months, you'll know that by just gaining a pound a week will get you there, and therefore you can devised a weight gaining plan that can get there!

Here are some more tips for gaining muscle mass:

1 - Dedication - When you have a realistic goal in terms of gaining muscle, you'll know that it doesn't just happen overnight. Therefore you'll need dedication and consistency when coming to gaining muscle. Pick up a good muscle program and stick to it, because jumping from one to another will not get you nearer to what you want.

2 - Training techniques - Poor technique can put you at risk of getting injured. You do not want that to happen because once you're injured, you might be out for a couple of weeks if it's severe! And therefore you might just give up your plan altogether.

3 - Eating right - Eating will make or break your muscle mass gaining goals. When you're trying to gain weight and gain muscle, eat balance meals that includes carbohydrates, proteins and fats. You should aim at eating about 45% carbohydrates, 35% proteins and 20% of fats. Also, try to eat around 5-7 times a day to fully utilize your metabolism potential.

4 - Natural progress - When it comes to building muscle mass, it is important to do it naturally, and progressing naturally. Pushing your body limits and lifting weights that are out of your league can have severe negative consequences to your goal. Therefore approach each workout session to try to better your previous session, but in a smaller increase! - 17274

About the Author:

The Authorities Tackled By Georgetown Weight Loss Expert

By Josef Brandenburg

A lot has been written about this common war on obesity. It is a war for sure as people who want to loose weight are always in a dilemma and are unable to get hold of the correct method to loose weight. One might question the reason for this predicament. We all know that there have been numerous exercise and diet programs which have been designed over all these years. However all these programs are often far from the basic concepts. Hence it is best to get back to the core fundamentals rather than adopting a B.S approach towards weight loss. It is quiet sad to see that there are so many myths that need to be cleared out.

People who are basically looking to lose weight effectively should be careful of the popular myths which can misguide them.

To begin with, aerobic activity is not the most effective method to burn calories. Although it is a fact that aerobics burns calories, it is equally a fact that it does not burn as many calories as we think it does. Hence aerobics workout sessions tend not to yield the desired results.

It is also not necessary to work out with an aerobics session 60 - 90 minutes per day in order to drop a great deal of weight. There are many reasons why this is not a good idea and the most common reason would be that it is simply not practical. Really, who can dedicate that kind of time to aerobic activity? Worst of all, as we previously mentioned, aerobics are not the best way to drop weight in the first place. So, consider this strategy a whole lot of very little!

The concept that a person might not loose weight due to genetic limitations is another myth. This could be such a morale buster as it may lead people to believe that they will never loose weight irrespective of the efforts them put in. This misconception needs to be dropped immediately as it is not at all true.

Weight training raises the body metabolism automatically, is another myth that needs to be addressed. Muscle mass can generally raise metabolism only if you are already ripped. If on the other hand, you are a beginner who has just started the weight training then it is impossible for you to experience increased metabolism due to muscle mass. People should be aware of this, so that they do not carry any false hopes.

The following fact may upset a few people in the weight loss community of Georgetown, but it doesn't make it any less true that almost all the Georgetown nutritionists and the registered nurses are incapable of giving you a proper diet plan. They might be knowledgeable but their skill set is inadequate to give to exactly what you need. Therefore you should not take their advice too seriously.

If you wish to save yourself a lot of time and aggravation, it would be best to look for a qualified Georgetown weight loss personal trainer to help you with your journey. Such individuals know their material and can certainly help you reach your goals better than those who perpetually promote myths. - 17274

About the Author:

Does Acai Berry Fruit Work?

By Miles Vitnar

The acai berry (ah-sigh-ee) grows in the Amazon Rainforest and looks a bit like a purple grape. The acai fruit is 90% seed pit and 10% acai pulp and must be carefully handled before it can be eaten. During the process the acai fruit berries and water are put into a machine and are agitated. This process separates the pulp from the seed to produce a thick acai fruit pulp puree.

OK I hear you say, but does acai berry work on a nutritional and weight loss level? If anyone can answer that with 100% positivity, they would be a very rich person!

Acai fruit puree has a unique tropical fruit flavour and provides a high level of nutritional benefits. The acai berry contains high levels of antioxidants, omega fatty acids (healthy fats), amino acids, fibre, iron, along with many other vitamins and minerals.

The Amazonian natives from the river region of Northern Brazil have included the acai fruit as part of their diet for many years purely for its nutritional value. So on the nutritional level, does the acai berry work? I would think on that count, it is sound. In addition, it is claimed by many to have healing and wellness powers as it contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic properties as well as benefiting the cardiovascular system.

Acai berries contain very high amounts of essential fatty acid & omegas proven to lower LDL & maintain HDL cholesterol levels. They also have a remarkable concentration of antioxidants to help combat free radicals and premature aging. In fact there are 10 times the antioxidants in acai fruit than can be found in grapes. The ORAC value of acai fruit is higher than any other edible berry in the world so acai is also an excellent source of dietary fibre!

Besides its outstanding content of protein and unsaturated lipids, acai is also rich in carbohydrates that provide your body with the necessary energy while working or practicing any kind of sport. This is why acai is served in most gyms, sport clubs and beaches all over Brazil.

Apart from the energy and fluid replacement, Acai Berries provide a nutrition profile complete with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) and it ranks low on the glycemic index and has just 247 calories per 100 grams.

Does acai berry work? It should. Acai is high in essential fatty acids, essential for a healthy nervous system and necessary to combat heart disease by increasing healthy cell development. They also help rapidly repair and rejuvenate muscles after intense exercise.

The amino acids in acai are vital for proper muscle contraction and regeneration and for endurance, strength, sustained energy and muscle development. Natural vitamin E and anti-oxidants help protect against premature aging. Theobromine helps keep air passages open in the lungs thereby increasing endurance, strength, and athletic performance. Photosterols are used to treat benign prostate hyperplasia and also help promote a healthy cardiovascular system and contributes to a healthy digestive tract.

Does acai berry work? Based on the nutrients it should! Does it help with weight loss is another question. As it is low on the glycemic index and calories it should not hamper weight loss. Celebrities have claimed to kick-start their diets with acai and it is possible that because it improves the feeling of well being, it would decrease the inclination to overeat but that's a personal opinion.

In conclusion, it is believed that acai fruit is at least worth a try. Given the properties it contains it should at least be able to provide your body with what it needs. - 17274

About the Author:

Anyone For Sea Food?.

By Anastacia Sampson

Although shellfish is not for everyone sea foods are common. Shellfish is taboo for some or allergy causing and deadly for others. The term sea foods cover all foods from the sea, from fish to shellfish to seaweed. It has been recommended that fish is healthier than red meats generally. Fish is more easily digested while providing high levels of protein. Fish in cold current waters have more essential fatty acids. When it comes to essential fatty acids; fish deliver polished wooden furniture to our bodies, with plant sources delivering unpolished wooden furniture to us. Essential fatty acids from plants include sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, their oils, safflower oil, nuts and leafy vegetables. It is from fish and shellfish that we derive types of fatty acids that are more easily used by the body and brain. Beware of the fishy smell as this signifies it is not fresh and has rancid essential fatty acids.

Do be aware that with high amounts of minerals in shellfish this is always healthy, but occasionally eating it may be a great benefit. There are types of shellfish eaten, from crabs to lobsters to oysters.

It is not all white meat and there is the vegetarian seafood of seaweed. We often picture seaweed as a slimy green, brown or reddish algae found floating in the sea waters. It is not purely plant when seaweed contains plantain; which are minor sea-animals. We can purchase seaweed in dried form and eaten (after soaking) or added to flavour soups or used in other ways. There are types of seaweed which are known to be fine to consume, with some types that are more suitable for consumption. Seaweed may be in cosmetic-make-up products and certain carbohydrate sections of it can be incorporated in some processed foods. Fortunately seaweed with its high mineral levels can also be a fertilizer and this is relevant for land plants.

The kelp supplement of iodine is from seaweed. Land plants near sea spray and seafood have iodine. Why do we need iodine? It is needed by our thyroid glands, in our necks, to make thyroid hormones to regulate our metabolism. This maintains our health.

As there is potential that they can carry excess toxic metals or minerals, sea foods can be adverse. The reports of tuna fish having high levels of mercury that caused problems have been known. It was due to polluted sea waters where those fish were caught! There have been high levels of arsenic, another poisonous substance, shown in shell fish. It is generally not a problem unless we eat shell fish excessively. Due to absorption of surrounding minerals in the sea, sea foods reflect what the sea has within. Whenever we eat sea foods occasionally they can be healthy. There are international government measures to support safety in quality and quantity of sea foods which ultimately serves our health. - 17274

About the Author:

An Effective Weight Lifting Program You Can Use Today

By Emmanuel Palmer

Creating a body worthy of an Olympic champion is the offshoot of a solid weight lifting program that transforms the body's weight to massive muscles and strength. What makes the bodybuilding workouts that comprise it effective? These workouts are always intense, progressive and specific to your body type.

A high-intensity workout is great for those who are planning to add on a lot of body mass in a relatively short period of time. Other people prefer to build up over a span of two to three months. The best approach is to combine both methods and find the blocks that work best for your own body specifically. The most important thing in this is that you give each session your best effort.

Usually when somebody strives to pack on muscles, the first instinct is to work out most days for a few weeks. Doing so is actually detrimental to your body's physical development. Give sufficient amount of time for your body to rest so that the tears in the muscle tissues are sufficiently mended and become even stronger. Splitting the weight lifting program into muscle groups and assigning them on certain days is an effective strategy used by many professional bodybuilders and trainers.

This is an example of a three day split workout: Day one - chest, arms and abs Day two - back, shoulders and abs Day three - legs Another example is a five day split workout: Day one - legs Day two - shoulders Day three - back and abs Day four - shoulders and arms Day five - chest and abs Make sure you get a lot of good food and rest especially in the days between your training.

There are a number of workout regimens you can do and for the most part, you don't really need to have fancy workout machines to do them. All you need are the basics: several dumbbells of varying weights, cables and a bench. You have these and you can do arm curls (bicep and triceps), dumbbell shrugs, lat pull downs and triceps kickbacks for the muscle groups in the upper body; lunges, calf raises, leg raises and squats for your lower body workout. Crunches are always a reliable abdominal muscles workout but as with the rest of the drills mentioned, modify your program every few weeks so your body remains consistently pushed to higher levels.

When you begin to train, you will be starting with lesser weights and perhaps a higher number of repetitions. Gradually increase the weights so the muscle is stressed and stimulates accelerated growth. If you are training for bodybuilding purposes, use weights that give you a maximum of 7 to 12 reps until failure.

Finally, always remember to stretch properly before, during and after workout sessions. Doing so raises your body's temperature and makes you more limber to perform your exercises better.

Bodybuilding workouts work only as well as the dedication and tenacity of the individual undertaking it. Practice safety and care while you train; and give it your all in each session. The winner in you will take nothing less. - 17274

About the Author:

Body Building Tips, How To Have Your Own Gym In Your House

By Ricardo Daryans

Is it possible to build a strong, muscular body working out in my own house? Or joining a gym is the only way to achieve it. That's the question a lot of folks do and I got and answer for that. Of course you can do it and it doesn't matters if it's your house or a gym where you are training.

Maybe you can't afford a gym membership due to your financial situation. Maybe you lead a busy lifestyle and would prefer to save time by training at home. Maybe you're simply too embarrassed or uncomfortable to train in a regular gym setting at the moment. Whatever your reason, don't worry!

There are guys who like a lot doing the workout in their own house. They have their gym just down (or up) the stairs waiting for them. And they don't spend their time trying to go there and back.

And working out in your own place have some extra benefits. You can grunt and scream through your sets if you are in the mood without disturbing anyone, the music you hear is the music you want and you can focus in yourself and your training.

The best is, when you finished the hard work, you don't have to spend more time driving home. That's the last thing you want after all the effort your workout needed.

Of course, there are also bad news. You can purchase certain machines if you have the money to spend and plan on training at home over the long term, but for the majority of people this simply won't be possible. So, your exercise selection will decrease because you won't have access to certain pieces of machinery.

Even so, that's no bad at all. Ok, that machinery makes your workout easier, but if you don't have that equipment there are still forms to perform similar routines (freeweight substitutions). A proper bodybuilding routine does not require the use of any fancy equipment.

Here is the basic equipment that your home gym should contain: 1) An adjustable barbell with freeweight plates. 2) Adjustable dumbbells. 3) A bench with incline adjustments. 4) A chin-up bar. 5) A squat rack.

If you can't afford a squat rack then you'll have to be creative. Don't ever squat without a safe place to drop the bar! Most full squat racks will also provide a chin-up bar on top, so you can kill 2 birds with one stone if you decide to purchase one. - 17274

About the Author:

This is Why Weight Loss is NOT Important

By Josh Owen

Have you ever attempted to lose weight before? If so, it's a safe bet that you wanted to look better or feel better. Am I right?

Weight Loss. Why is everyone so fascinated with weight loss? When are people going to realize that weight loss is NOT important. What??? Let me say it again -- Weight Loss is not important.

When you attempt to lose weight with most weight loss programs, you're going to be losing a combination of muscle mass, body fat, and water weight. Most programs cause you to lose tons of muscle mass, which is very bad. But people believe they were successful because they lost weight and they're really not.

I've got news for you. The number on the scale is NOT IMPORTANT...

The numbers that show up on your scale are not important. You should not be focusing on decreasing that number as quickly as possible. Why? Because you do not want to lose your precious muscle mass. You should focus on losing body fat and not muscle mass.

Muscle loss is bad. When you lose muscle, your metabolism slows and you must eat less food to simply maintain your current body weight. When you start to eat more food, you'll gain weight fast and that weight will come in the form of body fat. Lose muscle mass and in order to lose more weight, you'll have to eat less food.

You then begin to eat smaller amounts of food in order to lose more weight -- because that's what everyone tells you to do. When you do this, you have a greater chance of triggering the starvation response from your body. When the starvation response is triggered, the body holds onto body fat stores and burns muscle for energy. Why? Because it has nothing else to turn to for energy because you aren't giving your body enough food!

Don't threaten your body -- your body will win.

The human body is amazing. It's job is to help you survive, and that's exactly what it does. When you start eating less, your body will hold onto fat stores because it has been threatened. More body fat will allow you to survive for longer periods of time. So when you attempt to lose weight on a low calorie diet, you are only losing muscle and keeping all that unwanted body fat.

When you decide to lose weight with some low calorie diet program, you've told your body that it's okay to burn your precious muscle mass and eventually replace it with more body fat. You end up in worse shape than ever before. You feel bad and look bad all due to some weight loss program that was supposed to help you -- instead it did the exact opposite.

Weight loss diets do not work. They cause you to lose muscle mass and eventually gain body fat. Yes, the number on the scale decreases, but your body doesn't look any better. Really. You might think you were successful, but in reality, you weren't.

So what are you supposed to do to lose body fat and get REAL results?

Focus on building muscle and burning body fat and STOP worrying about weight loss and that stupid and useless number that shows up on the scale. No one cares how much you weigh except you and your doctor. Even doctors have no idea any more. Doctors should be measuring body composition and stop reading some ignorant chart that's supposed to fit every single person throughout the world -- NEWS FLASH -- everyone is built differently. We're all different... Stop trying to use a chart invented 100 years ago to tell people they need to lose weight.

The simple solution -- Start lifting weights, eating healthy ALL THE TIME, and doing cardiovascular exercise. Those are the keys to burning body fat and building muscle, and that should be your real goal if you want to look better and feel better. - 17274

About the Author:

Butt Exercise Myths to Confuse

By Ryan Parker

Butt exercise is by no means easy. It is in the context of the whole human body, it is probably the hardest part of the body to workout effectively. Most of the time the effort that has to be put into to make a noticeable impact on the strength and look of your butt is disproportional to the results you get. It is only when you fully understand this statement that you can appreciate the monumental work that is necessary to build a butt that you want.

This situation of unrealistic expectations is made worst by the disinformation that is supplied through health and fitness magazines and even sometimes health journals. Most of the information that you will get out there will tell you that if you some lotion or some specialized exercise machine that you will be able to get the butt shape that you always wanted. You can safely consider all this information as crap and lies. Below we will go through a few myths that we think is important for you to know so you can safely judge what might work and what is just plain lying in your face.

As you can appreciate, the greatest myth is that out there is that butt exercise is easy. People seem to think that it is easy to sculpt the butt muscles into a shape that you want and that you can follow some sort of magical routine or even apply some heavenly cream which will take all the fat away. There is no such thing. The truth is that the butt is one of the places on your body that is notoriously hard to work out and gain substantial results. This is mostly down to the inherent strength and durability of the muscle in the human physique design. The muscles in the butt are used for most of our mobility and also for our ability to stand up right. As such it is extremely resilient and hard to train. We must first understand this very important premise about butt exercise so that we aren't disappointed with the results we obtain.

Another terrible myth that has been propagated by many magazines and even health professionals is that you can use lighter weights to "tone" your butt muscles into something that is beautiful. The main purpose of weights is to add resistance to your muscles so that they can break-down their micro strands and be rebuilt by the body bigger and stronger. Using light weights will only benefit those that have underutilized their butt muscles for many years. The development will stop after the butt muscles get accustomed to the weights and the point of the butt exercise will be lost. No amount of extra reps will build your muscles further as they are not apt in carrying the weights. The only way to increase the bulk and strength of the muscles is to increase the weights that you subject your butt muscles too.

An extension to the above myth is that you can spot reduce the fat that is on your butt. Again there are so many advertisements and products that claim to be able to do this but the science of it is simply flawed. There is no way that you can do a butt exercise which will then draw all its energy from the fat around the butt, the human body simply doesn't function that way. The only way to reduce is to keep your body functioning under a strict calorie restriction. The body will then decide to take the fat from wherever it is genetically predisposed to do so. There is no way you can tell your body to loose fat in a certain area even if you work the muscles there to fatique everyday. Exercises around the butt will only result in muscle tone improvement and never help with the reduction of fat.

To combine the two myths above, doing light weights in the hope to tone your muscles will almost always result in sub-par results from the exercise at best. The light weights that you use for resistance will only build your muscles to a certain degree then stop after a while. The increased reps will only help with your aerobic workout but because of the short amount of time spent per set, it is also very inefficient at best. Ultimately, you will gain very little from your efforts and waste your time.

Very simply, butt exercise to build strength and muscle tone isn't easy. If there are any publication or magazines that tell you it is if you purchase a certain product or two then you should do your best to not listen to them. We suggest that you visit our site listed in the resource box below so you can get a better understanding on what is required for the different shapes and end result that you are looking for in the your butt exercise routines. - 17274

About the Author:

Consider Diets To Lose Weight Options for Top Notch Health

By Brad Johnson

In a span of 5 years nearly 100 million USA citizens go on a weight reduction diet and almost 95% of them still regain the weight they lost. Unfortunately, a 3rd will gain back more weight than they lost, just because of yo-yo dieting from a well known diet to another. Physical appearance seems to be the top motivation to stay thin even as we grow fatter. Several diseases such as cancer, coronary disease, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and gallbladder illness are associated to obesity.

The common approach to weight concerns, being particular on fad weight reduction diets or weight reduction drugs, usually leaves you with just as much weight and encourage the growth of unwell health. Nevertheless, proper combination of the healthy foods, supplements and exercise can put you on the path to wellness. For instance supplements like Lipo 6. Since Obesity contributes to over quarter of a million deaths annually. In addition, the general public expense for obesity are amazing.

Obesity is an essential part in 19% of all cases of coronary disease with annual health costs at 30 bn. bucks, which is also an element in 57% of diabetes cases, with health expense of $9 bill yearly, according to analysts at a top Ivy League University. Have realistic goals, most likely you have fallen for a number of the weight reduction diet schemes over time, promising fast and pain free weight reduction.

Lipo 6 is a liquid capsule, a liquid cap used to lose body fat fast, effortlessly and safely. Assisted with scientific experimentation and research, it is said that Lipo 6 improves the overall fat burning process and is an excellent part of weight lost diets.

Health aids like ephedra or hydroxycut usually a part of diet for weight loss which could be seen in places like GNC. The best fat burners and aids whether it be lio, ephedra, hydroxycut or any of the other top brands are usually competing in the market. But the truth is that when you are looking for diets to lose weight you have to combine a healthy mix of the right supplements and aids with the proper meal plans and exercise as well. The best natural fat burner is the ideal combination of all three.

Whatever you do, what's important is to play is safe. Fad or fast weight reduction dieting plans usually emphasize one kind of food. They deny the basic principle of proper nourishment - to stay healthy one must consume a nutritious diet, which includes a selection of foods.

Safe, healthy, and permanent weight reduction is what's actually lost among the thousands of preferred diet schemes. Some of the weight reduction diet schemes reign ultimate temporarily, only to vanish out. Examples of such fad diets include the South Beach Diet, Atkins diet, the Grapefruit diet, Cabbage Soup diet, the Revolution diet, Beverly Hills diet, the list grows and on.

These trend diets advocate a particular strategy (like getting shot of a certain food, or eating only certain mixes of foods) together with the basic concept the body makes up the difference in energy by breaking down and employing some part of itself, essentially changing matter into energy. - 17274

About the Author:

7 Reasons Why You Should Not Deprive Yourself Of Food To Tone Arms

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

Tons of women would like to tone arms, and they would like to tone them immediately. We have come to expect results on demand. Anything less would be unacceptable.

The sad truth is that many women have fallen under the false belief that extreme caloric restriction produces the fastest results. Perhaps you 're considering going on a very low calorie diet because you're fed up with having flabby arms. But before you do, consider the following 7 pitfalls of extreme caloric restriction to tone arms:

1. Malnutrition. Many women who eat an EXCESS of calories are malnourished because their food lacks nutrient density. Put yourself in a massive deficit of calories and your risk for malnourishment is even higher.

2. Weak bones. Bone density is very very important for the female body. As levels of estrogen change with aging so does the risk for fractures. And not getting enough calories also increases the risk of bone related issues.

3. Metabolism dips. A decrease in metabolism is the main reason why women on ultra low calorie diets reach a point when they can no longer lose weight. The amount of muscle mass loss associated with crash dieting will make it extremely hard to get toned arms.

4. Decreased secretion of arm-fat-burning hormones. Hormones are the most powerful substances in your body. If they are not working for you, you're missing out big time. Decrease calories by more than 20% and expect a suppressed hormonal output.

5. Reduced immune response. Nobody likes to get sick. Getting sick will set back your flabby arms mission by many steps. And rest assured that if you cut calories too much, you'll get sick very often.

6. Decreased fertility. Ever hear how gymnasts regularly lose their period? That's because they eat so few calories to make their weight class. Tons of exercise with minimal caloric intake shuts down the female reproductive system.

7. Emotional roller coasters. The female body needs a steady and sufficient stream of calories in order to produce feel good substances. Without them, the risk of depression increases. Just hang around a fitness professional whenever they're going on a low-carb diet to see what I'm talking about.

Crash dieting is simply not worth it. There are too many risks associated with excessive caloric restriction. Furthermore, you're more likely to gain all the weight back once you start eating normal again. If you want to tone arms, do it the right way not the quick and unhealthy way. - 17274

About the Author:

5 Tips To Make Your Recipes Healthy

By Chris Lee

Making your recipes healthier may seem difficult. You can find many healthier versions of nearly every recipe in the world if you look. The first tip for you is to always choose healthy ingredients for your recipes. The worst thing that you can do if you are attempting to make healthy recipes is to add unhealthy ingredients. To ensure that you are choosing the right ingredients, make a list of what you will need before heading off to the grocery store.

Second, you need to understand the importance of timing. If you find that you have time on your hands, then you can prepare some healthy meals ahead of time. Simply prepare your recipes and then freeze them. This will ensure that you always have a healthy meal handy that you can heat up quickly. You can use them when you just do not have the time to prepare a healthy meal. These will be like your own healthy TV dinners whenever you need them.

The third tip is to always use the freshest ingredients possible. Dishes taste much better and are healthier when the ingredients are fresh. Using fresh herbs and spices will improve the flavor of your dishes. Fresh ingredients ensure that you are getting more health benefits in each bite. You should always use fresh vegetables when possible.

Cooking or canning vegetables strips away some of the nutrients. Tip number four concerns your choice of meats. Not necessarily the type of meat that you choose, but the actual cut of meat. Although everyone knows chicken and fish are healthy, you can find good choices of other meats as well. Sometimes it is simply not feasible to substitute lean meats for other choices. For those recipes, you should strive to find the leanest possible cut of the meat that you are using.

Many people believe that ground beef is all the same. This could not be further from the truth. Many cuts of ground chuck contain less fat than ground beef. If you read the label, you should be able to determine how lean the cut is. If you are confused, then simply ask someone in the meat department for help in choosing a lean cut of meat. Finally, the fifth thing to keep in mind to make your recipes healthy is to avoid heavy creams and sauces when you can. Check for substitution possibilities when creams, sauces and gravies are concerned. Read up on healthier recipes and learn what healthy foods and be substituted for not so healthy ones. - 17274

About the Author:

Exercises to Build the Chest Muscles Fast

By Josh Hartlett

You will find that chest exercises are one of the most frequent exercises performed down the gym and are very important if you are trying to get rid of your man boobs. The chest muscles basically are made up of two muscles which lie on top of the ribs on the chest wall. The smaller muscle, of the two, that lies close to the chest wall is called the pectoralis minor while the bigger muscle that lies on top of the smaller muscle and which gives the chest its size and appearance is called the pectoralis major.

The chest is one of the main big muscle groups within the body and is frequently thought of as a good sign of masculinity. Good strong pectoral muscles will often provide good overall upper body strength and fitness which is also important in a variety of sports.

Although most chest exercises work the pectoral muscles they also give a good workout to the triceps muscles at the backs of the arms and the shoulders. This makes them good at developing the overall upper body shape.

Before performing these workouts it is vital to warm up by stretching and doing some light aerobic work. A particularly effective aerobic exercise is rowing on an indoor machine. This will not only stretch those upper body muscles but will also promote the blood flow to the muscles getting them ready for the workouts thereby lowering the risk of injury.

One of the most simple yet effective exercises for the chest is the push up. To start with, lis face down on the floor and place your hands about shoulder width apart. Then, keeping your toes on the ground and body straight, slowly lift yourself up. When you reach the top you can then, again slowly, lower yourself down and then repeat the whole process over again.

At first, for some people, this exercise might be a little difficult and so you can keep your knees in contact with the floor rather than the knees. One of the important aspects of this exercise is to lower yourself down slowly so that you continue to exercise those important muscle groups. As you improve, one way to ,make this exercise more difficult is to move your hands slightly wider than shoulder width.

A common and great exercise, often seen at the gym, is the bench press. It is very important to have someone present, like a training partner, to help you with the weight. You basically have to lie on your back with a barbel in your hands stretched out at arms length. When doing this for the first time it is advisable to use a light weight. You then lower the barbel down to the chest wall slowly until it reaches the chest and then do not stop but smoothly and again slowly start to push it back upwards, until your arms are again in the outstretched position.

It is vital to not perform any jerky movements or bounce the weights off the chest wall. Doing around three sets of about eight repetitions once to twice a week will soon develop your chest muscles and you will quickly notice a difference.

Whether you are trying to get rid of those man boobs or embarking on a bodybuilding program these are two great exercises to start out with. - 17274

About the Author: