Category : Article
Posted in Article on February 19, 2012
Now after working out your shoulders the next part of the body that needs extra care is your back. Many men would definitely agree to the fact that they hit the gym not just to lose all those extra pounds but to attain that perfect V-shape body. They strive really hard to get that perfect look. After all, bigger shoulders and a lean V-shape body is every man?s dream.
As read above, the key to real bodybuilding is adding muscle mass to your shoulders to make them look bigger than they really are. The broader the shoulder the leaner you look. Now that doesn?t mean that you just work on your shoulder to get the v shape body you always dreamt of. There are certain exercises that need to be practiced to attain the V-shape body you always wanted. One of the exercises that work on the arms, shoulder as well as back muscle is wider grip lat pull down exercise. When you do wide grip lat pull exercise, it exerts pressure on your biceps and middle back, especially the triangular muscles on either side of the back, thereby helping you build a stronger back and also improve your body posture.
Learn how to perform wide grip lat pull down exercise:
Be it beginners or advanced body builders it is always advisable to start with warm up exercises as it helps you loosen your body muscles and prepare yourself for your main exercises. A warm up exercise mainly includes very light aerobic exercise for 10 to 15 minutes.
Once you are done with the warm ups, sit on the cable station above, which will have a long bar attached, suspended from the cable. Make yourself comfortable by taking a steady position using the pads above your knees. This will help you when you apply effort to pull down the bar. Now grab the long bar attached to the cable, while your palms are facing away from you and while your hands are a little more apart than your usual shoulder width. This will be your starting position.
Now from the starting position pull the bar closer to your chest. Let your shoulders remain downward throughout the movement. When you pull the bar, raise your chest and slightly push your elbows a little forward, forming a curl on your back to separate your lats.
As you exhale, bring the bars close to your chest and press your lats.
Now inhale and slowly push the bar upward, leaving it in the former position, while you get back to your starting position.
Repeat this exercise until the sets are completed. Each set should involve a minimum of 10-12 reps
Benefits:
If this exercise is done properly, then it helps you get a stronger and a broader back and also improves your body posture. If you wish to get a perfect V-shape between your shoulders and your waist then this is the best exercise for you. But remember if done incorrectly then it may hit you very badly instead of helping you get the shape.
Posted in Article on February 18, 2012
The squat can be an effective exercise when it comes to working the lower part of your body. The great thing about it though is that it is very versatile and allows people to do it at any different skill and strength level. It is one of the most popular exercises that people do. The squat also works many different muscles of the lower part of your body, such as the quadriceps group, the gluteal muscles as well as the lower back. This can help to improve your posture and help to give you lean legs that you can be proud to show off.
How to do the squat
You will want to start off with your legs shoulder width apart and your back straight. You want your toes to be facing straight ahead so that they are perpendicular to your shins.
While holding in your abdomen and keeping your back straight, you will bend your knees as if you were sitting on an imaginary chair
3. Without arching your back you will then stand back up to return to the starting position to start the next repetition
Tips for getting the best results when using the squat
It is very important to remember to breathe while you are doing this exercise. You can exhale while you squat and inhale while you stand back up
There are many ways that you can challenge yourself with this exercise and you can get very creative in what you do for this, though adding dumbbells or wrist weights are a great way to increase the intensity of this workout and can be done while holding them at your side
One way to work your entire body all at once with this exercise is to include some sort of upper body exercise with this. You can do anything from bicep curls or overhead presses (which are actually cool because it is basically the same motion on the top and bottom of your body). The important thing is to make sure that you do not sway while you are doing these exercises and interfere with proper posture as this can cause significant injury to you
Also keep in mind that the lower you sit, the more you will be working all these muscles. This is great for getting beautifully sculpted butts and thighs, but make sure that you do not go past what you can do as this can also cause serious injury
Make sure to take your time while doing the squat in order to get the full effect. Do not try to rush this as it can also damage your muscles.
Another great way to add a little extra to this exercise is to do a jump after you squat and are on your way back up. This is a burst that is made in place and helps to get your heart pumping a little more and incorporate more of your calf muscles into the exercise
Posted in Article on February 13, 2012
We all know that fruits and vegetables are great food for people who are on weight loss programs. Our body fats accumulate as we keep on eating too much sweets and starchy food. Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, help in our digestion and increase our body metabolism. Drinking water combined with a healthy diet is the key to a healthier and sexier body.
A lot of doctors recommend at least 8 glasses of water a day and dieticians strongly advise fruit juices. Fruit juices are known to accelerate weight loss and keep common diseases away.
More people are now drinking fruit juices to lose weight. There are hundreds of fruit juices recipes for weight loss that anyone can try. You can also try experimenting and creating your own fruit juice recipes for weight loss or use any of the tried and tested recipes available.
It is advisable that you try to create your own fruit juice recipes for weight loss. In doing this, you can enjoy a weight reducing drink that suits your taste. The important thing to remember is to avoid putting sugar or fattening creams to the drink. Pick sweet fruits that can quench your thirst and have the wonderful flavors that appeal to your liking.
If you are new to this, here are some great fruit juice recipes for weight loss that have been proven to be effective and delicious, You may start with these and then experiment with your own recipes.
Make an apple-watermelon smoothie by cutting one whole unpeeled red or green apple into thumb-size pieces. Place apples in the juicer or blender. Slice about six pieces of two square inches of watermelon and add into the juicer. Mix with half a glass of crushed eyes, squeeze a bit of lemon to add to the flavor. Blend until you see a smooth concentration. This is a very nutritious and effective fruit juices recipes for weight loss that is easy to prepare.
Another one of the most popular fruit juice recipes for weight loss is the tomato juice. You may follow the preparation above and replace apple and watermelon with 3 pieces of regular sized ripe tomatoes. Choose the plump sweet tomatoes when preparing your tomato juice. Instead of squeezing in a lemon, drop a teaspoon full of honey into the blender. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A and citric acids that aid body metabolism. Tomato juice is a great fruit recipe to prepare and drink at night. The vitamin A in the tomatoes will work wonders when you sleep.
The advantages of fruit juices are endless! Try your own fruit juice recipes for weight loss now and start living healthier without the fats and calories that you get from ready made juices from the groceries. The good thing about fruit juices too is that you and your entire family can enjoy it. Try out different fruits everyday and find the flavors that you can enjoy. Share it with your friends during occasions or just make it a family affair.
Posted in Article on February 9, 2012
Okay, you have learnt about the ?Alternating Hammer Curls?, now let?s get started on the one arm dumbbell preacher curls. Yes, the words ?Preacher Curls? sound sort of ridiculous, but if you want to get that nice peak in your arms, then you should get your dumbbell and get each arm ready for the single arm dumbbell preacher curls.
The Preacher Curls happens to be the best isolating exercises, doing this exercise will help you isolate bicep muscles and makes sure that you pack weight on and achieve a really fast muscle growth in the most popular muscle group; and that is, the biceps.
What You Need to Do The One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls
You will require a preacher curl bench which you can find in most gyms. If you do not have the time to go to the gym as often as you would like, you can invest in one for your home?s fitness room. You will also need a dumbbell.
How to Do the One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls
Adjust the height of the preacher bench so that it is at a really comfortable level for you. If you have the bench too low, this will not give you adequate room to reach over and carryout the exercise. Adjust the height of the bench in such a way that you will be sitting comfortably with the back of your arm on the padded area which is right in front of you.
Take a dumbbell that you can successfully handle for 8 repetitions (at least). Use a lightweight dumbbell because this exercise is not so easy to perform ? just get used to the movement first before you switch to heavier dumbbells.
Position your arm (the one holding the dumbbell) stretched out and placed on the bench?s pad. Rest the other arm on top of the pad ? doing this will help stabilize your body during the process of carrying out the exercise.
Make sure you straighten your upper body and back and position your feet in a position that will lend you more stability.
Start the exercise by curling your arm upward till it?s a little bit above horizontal. The biceps should be the only muscles working with support from the forearm muscles. Ensure that your elbow does not slide or move and make sure you do not twist or tilt your upper body.
As soon as you have reached the top position, make sure that you hold for a second or two before you lower down the dumbbell to the starting position.
Important Note
For really big muscle growth, you will need to pack on more weight, but like it was mentioned earlier, start with lightweight dumbbells until you have complete control over the dumbbell.
You will of course work both arms in order to avoid one arm growing way bigger than the other. If you want to see quick results, you should make sure that you include the one arm dumbbell preacher curls in your regular exercise routine.
Posted in Article on February 6, 2012
Why is it that when exercising comes to mind everyone immediately thinks they have to join a gym? Maybe it is from watching all these weight loss and fitness shows on TV. Anyway getting fit doesn’t have to be expensive. If you look around your home and even your local community you can probably find ways to get fit without spending a ton of money.
To start with why not use the stairs in your home to get fit? If you have ever run up or down stairs you know how winded you can get. So why not start stair climbing on a daily basis. Aim to walk up and down the stairs five to ten times each day. Then once you have this mastered the next day add one more set. If you can do it once you can do it again, so there is no reason to do fewer repetitions.
If your stairs at home are really steep or you just want a change of venue, see where in your town you have lots of stairs. Is there a church, library or community building that has lots of stairs? How about your local mall? The mall is a great idea for rainy days plus you can walk around the mall as well as climb the stairs and get a great workout.
For those who live in a community with lots of parks or nearby trail walks you may find nature walks that incorporate stairs. These are the kind that are built right into the ground and are not as evenly spaced. This way you will have to adjust your steps to navigate the stairs.
If your child is in soccer, hockey or baseball you can walk the flight of stairs on the stands while your child is playing or practicing. This doesn’t allow you to have any excuse about not having time to exercise because of after school activities.
If you haven’t tried climbing stairs in a while you will be surprised at just how good of a workout this is. Your leg muscles will be burning afterwards and you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing. If you experience shin splints they will go away in about a week or two. This is just a sign of your muscles becoming adjusted to your new activity.
Stairs are available almost everywhere and you shouldn’t have any problem finding a set that you can use each day. It wasn’t that difficult to find a low cost exercise solution now was it?
Posted in Article on February 1, 2012
Also known as the ?Skull Crusher? or ?French Extensions?, this is another exercise aimed primarily at the tricep muscle, although it gives a good work out to the chest and shoulders also. This exercise will work out the complete range of tricep muscles in the upper arm, from the lattisimus dorsi through to the elbow.
This exercise can be performed either using one arm at a time, or if you are more experienced, using both arms simultaneously. Starting off with the one handed version may be best until you become more familiar and adept at the movements.
Before commencing this exercise, you will need to position a flat bench, and choose which weights you want to use. If no bench is available, then this exercise can be performed while lying on the floor on a suitable surface or floor mat.
As always, start off with low weights, and gradually build up to heavier ones once you are more confident in your capabilities.
Position yourself on your back on the flat bench or floor mat, and hold the dumbbells straight in front of you. Keep your palms facing away from your body, and hold the barbells in an overhand grip. You should be able to feel all of the weight on the tricep muscle.
Make sure your feet are flat on the floor, and keep your abs taut. If using a bench, ensure that your head hangs just off the edge of the bench, with the ?dent? between neck and head resting on the edge.
Extend your arms fully so that they are at a 90-degree angle from the floor and your torso.
Keep your elbows tucked into your body, and your palms facing inwards.
This will now become your starting position.
While inhaling, keep your elbows in and your upper arms static. Lower the weights slowly until they are level with your ears.
While exhaling, and once again keeping your elbows in and your upper arms static, push the weights back up to your starting position, making sure that you use your tricep muscle.
While performing this exercise, make sure to use slow fluid movements. Make a concerted effort to make no jerky movements during arm extensions.
If you find it difficult to keep your arm steady while doing this exercise, use your other arm to help keep the 90 degree angle needed. Try to keep your head, torso and spine steady but relaxed while performing this activity.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Another variation of the same exercise can be performed by touching the dumbbells to the forehead, followed by completely extending the arm. It is recommended that if this version is attempted, that you use the floor and not the bench.
This version is not always preferred, as there is more potential for accidents and injuries to occur. As always, try to ensure that there is help available.
Warning: If you suffer from any kind of elbow injury, be extremely cautious when performing this exercise, as it may possibly be too harsh for you.
Posted in Article on January 31, 2012
The dumbbell tricep extension is going to help build strength in your upper body. It will help in balancing the strength between your two arms.
The one arm dumbbell tricep extension will work one arm at a time. Choice a dumbbell that has the proper weight on it for you, then find a bench with back support. Sit on the bench with your back flat against the support. Place one leg on each side of the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
Once your back is flush and your feet are flat lift the dumbbell in the air. Then move your arm up in the air until it is straight up and down. Turn your wrist so it is pointed toward the wall in front of you. Your pinkie will be on top of the dumbbell towards the ceiling. Relax your other hand going straight down your side. You are now in the starting position for the dumbbell tricep extension.
While inhaling, lower the dumbbell behind your head only using the forearm. Bend your elbow as you lower the weight behind your head. As you are lowering the weight start turning your wrist so it is facing your head. Your elbow will be pointing at the wall across from you while your pinkie will be on top of the dumbbell towards the ceiling. Tighten your tricep for a second then start exhaling. While flexing your tricep pull the weight up and come back to the starting position. Complete the required repetitions then put the dumbbell in your other hand and repeat the steps.
The lying dumbbell tricep extension will build upper body strength also. You will need two dumbbells with weights on them that you can handle with ease. With the weights in hand sit on the bench and place your feet flat on the floor. Carefully lay back on the bench so your back is flat.
Slowly raise the dumbbells in the air until your arms are straight and in a 90 degree angle. The palms of your hands should be facing each other. This is going to be your starting position.
While inhaling, start lowering the dumbbells down to your ears. Bend your arms at your elbows and keep your upper arm straight. When the dumbbells have almost touched your ears then start exhaling. While exhaling bring the weights back up to the starting position. Make sure to complete the required amount of repetitions.
If you have any problems with your elbows then you might not want to proceed with this exercise. Since you are only using your forearms and triceps the exercise could put some unnecessary pressure on your elbows. Whenever you work with dumbbells you do not want more weight then you can handle with ease. If your weights are too heavy then you will not be able to control them. By not controlling the weights properly you could hurt your elbows rather badly. Do not over exceed your limits when you are working with the dumbbells.
Posted in Article on January 29, 2012
The diabetes obese naturist treatment that works best for losing weight and lowering blood sugar is controlled eating. Careful food choices combined with some exercise is the best natural way to fight back. A diabetes obese naturist treatment plan would include low-sugar and low-carb foods and a moderate exercise regimen.
The way of eating that works best as a diabetes obese naturist treatment is a very simple way of eating. Some say that it’s more expensive, but if you compare your grocery bills before and after there shouldn’t be much of a difference. Of course, this is only true if you’re not still buying lots of other processed foods for your family members.
The first thing to do in your new eating plan is to cut out most processed foods. Processed foods are any foods that have been processed far from their natural state. A cake, pie or any type of baked good you buy already made is highly processed, for instance.
Those types of foods are the worst kind for diabetes because not only are they processed and full of sugar, their ingredients are also processed. Flour is a processed food, made from wheat. You may not be able to eliminate all of it, but eliminating the obvious sources of flour can make a huge difference.
Baked goods like cakes, cookies, pies and breads are hard to give up. And you may not have to give up all of them for a diabetes obese naturist treatment. You can still enjoy certain baked goods occasionally that are made with whole grains and nut or soy flours instead of wheat flours. Sugar substitutes can make them palatable.
If you can give them up altogether, your recovery rate will be even faster. Other processed foods like canned foods, boxed foods, frozen foods and pre-made meals should be severely restricted or eliminated for the best results.
Even in “healthy” pre-packaged foods you’ll find flour, hidden sugars and other ingredients that are believed to contribute to weight gain, diabetes and other conditions. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and high-fructose corn syrup are the biggest offenders. MSG is in almost every pre-packaged food, and the corn syrup is used in place of sugar because it’s cheaper.
Focus on vegetables that you cook yourself. Steam them or cook them in healthy olive oil, and add a small amount of fresh grated parmesan cheese. Add lots of seasonings and soon you won’t miss the butter, sour cream and other fattening additions.
Another part of a diabetes obese naturist treatment is to drink plenty of water. You shouldn’t force yourself to drink 80 oz a day if you’re not thirsty, but getting in 64 oz per day isn’t that hard if you choose water instead of soda or other caloric drinks.
Finally, start exercising, even if it’s just a short walk in place three or four times a week. You can build up to the recommended amounts. The important thing in your diabetes obese naturist treatment is to start where you are and keep going.
Posted in Article on January 28, 2012
How much do you know about food? Lose weight by increasing your knowledge about what to eat. Only by educating yourself about the true nature of food will you be able to shed pounds. This article is going to talk about what you need to know about food to lose weight.
First of all, you need to know about calories. Calories are the fundamental item in any weight loss program. The basic rule is that to lose a pound, you need to burn 3500 calories than you eat. If you want to lose a pound a week, you need to burn 500 calories a day more than you take in.
Not all foods are created equal. While Twinkies are banned on every diet, some diets treat food lose weight differently. For instance, Adkins and the South Beach diets encourage you to restrict your carbohydrate intake while allowing you to eat as much protein and fat as you want. The Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, encourages you to eat complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting red meat and most kinds of fats. Both schools have their food lose weight fans.
The next thing you need to know about is that the time of day that you eat is important. The old saying “eat like a King at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner” is very true for people thinking about food to lose weight.
A big breakfast is a good way to start the day because it will keep you full through lunch. Having a moderate sized lunch and a light mid afternoon snack will keep you going through the afternoon. But how much energy do you really need in the evening? Most people watch television, read, or surf the internet after dinner. That’s why a light dinner is all you need. Also, close the kitchen after dinner and don’t eat for the four hours preceding bedtime.
The kinds of foods you have can also be a factor in food weight loss. Scrambled egg whites are a great breakfast base. For lunch, you can even eat out if you know what to choose. Any of the foods on the Subway “under 6″ menu are perfect. For dinner, try a broth based soup to start followed by a salad with low fat dressing. Have a small serving of meat with a larger serving of vegetables.
Of course, you are going to want snacks, and that’s okay provided that you know what is good to eat. Hagan Daas can even be on your diet, provided that it is their yummy sorbet. Chocolate Dream cookies can substitute for your favorite chocolate chip type. But otherwise, stick to fruit, pretzels, and vegetables.
Another issue to consider is how much sodium you have in your diet. Your body only needs about 500 grams of sodium, but most Americans have between 3000 to 6000 grams a day. All that extra salt leads to bloating and weight gain. Drinking 8 or more glasses of water a day can help to mitigate this problem by flushing some of the sodium out of your system.
The food lose weight connection is real. I encourage you to try to learn as much as possible about what foods really have in them including their calorie, carbohydrate, fat, protein, and sodium contents.
Posted in Article on January 27, 2012
How do you find the best lose weight recipes? Where do you turn to find good food to prepare on a diet? And, what ingredients should you look for – and avoid – when choosing a meal. This article will look at weight loss recipes.
First of all, let’s look at sources for lose weight recipes. The internet is full of recipes. WebMd, Epicurious, iVillage, and even BeliefNet all have low calorie recipes on them. You can also find recipes for just about any specific dish by typing “dish low calorie” into a search engine like Google.
You also have traditional sources such as low calorie cookbooks to find lose weight recipes. You can find lose weight recipes tied to specific diets such as Adkins or Mediterranean in these books.
Cooking shows on television often feature low calorie recipes. Food network provides details of their low calorie recipes online.
Another thing you can do is use a recipe you love, but swap out some of the ingredients for things that don’t change the texture or taste of the food but lower the calories. For instance, with pancakes, cut the oil and butter, switch to whole-wheat flour, use raspberry sauce instead of syrup, then add more fresh fruit on top. For pasta with red sauce, puree cauliflower and broccoli to mix into the sauce, and add whole vegetables as well to make it more filling and healthier.
But, it’s not enough to know how to make an individual recipe low calorie, you need to have a good idea of what ingredients make a dish off limits. That way, you can plan substitutes.
For instance, whole wheat bread (not reduced calorie) has 70 calories but a low fat bagel has 150. So, eating a “diet” brand isn’t necessarily a cure-all for dieting.
You should also start incorporating the so called “superfoods” into as many lose weight recipes as you can. The superfoods are: blueberries, black beans, spinach, yogurt, tomatoes, carrots, oats, and walnuts.
When a recipe for a baked product such as cake requires oil, substitute apple sauce. It will have no impact on the baking process or the taste, but save a whopping 15/16 of the calories! (1 tablespoon of oil is 120 calories. 1 tablespoon of apple sauce is 6.5 calories).
Other recipe substitutes include:
- Turkey bacon for bacon
- Cooking spray for butter
- Rolled oats for bread crumbs
- Ground turkey breast for ground beef
- Wine or fruit juice for oil based marinades
If you are looking for lose weight recipes, the good news is that you are not alone. There is a wealth of information out there for people wanting to cook healthy at home.
