Easy Health Plans if you want a healthy body

By Ahmed Hajouj.


The main reasons for this is that once we reach the age of 30, the muscles in our body begin to shrink because they are not being used correctly. Also our bones become much less dense over time. In some cases this may actually lead to a person suffering from osteoporosis. Unfortunately as our muscles begin to shrink so our metabolic rate also begins to slow down as well. its hard to keep the muscles and a flat body you had, However there are things a person can do when they reach the age of 40 which can help to prevent them losing muscle mass and keep their metabolic rate working at a good level. You have to follow the right kind of diet and use a good exercies.

below here you can find some tips wich are usefull.

Tip 1

It is important that you have a good well rounded set of exercises in your workout program. You need ones that are going to flex and stretch your body and also include some cardiovascular exercises as well. By including such a good set of exercises into your workout program the less likely you are to suffer from any kinds of injuries.

Tip 2

Never carry out the same routine each day, instead mix it up a bit. So one day go and do a session in the gym and another just go for a walk or bike ride instead. If you mix up your exercise regime more then the less likely you are to get bored with doing it and so the less likely you are to quit. Also by varying your workout routines the less likely you are to suffer any kind of injury because you are not overworking any sets of muscles too much.

Tip 3

Before you start any sort of workout it is vital that you carry out the right kinds of stretching exercises first. If you start working out whilst your muscles are still tight can spell disaster for you. Remember as you get older your muscles are not as elastic as they were when you were younger. Therefore by stretching before working out or just generally through out the day will help your muscles to regain and retain the elasticity in them.

These tips is the begin to getting fit again. and maintain that healthy body. But as I said this is just the basic

Lose Weight by Eating More -- Food that is Virtually Impossible to Store as Body Fat

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Certain foods are extremely difficult for the human body to convert into body fat – not impossible but damned near impossible. By consuming calories derived from these foods, the anabolic margin of error is extended dramatically, which means it will be easier to lose fat and gain muscle, if you choose.

Lean protein, protein devoid of saturated fat, has been the staple, the bedrock nutrient of elite athletes for 50 years. Why? You can eat a mountain of lean protein and not get fat – assuming you train with intensity sufficient enough to trigger muscle growth. Lean protein is difficult for the body to break down and digest. As a direct result of this digestive difficulty, the body kicks the metabolic thermostat upward to break protein down into subcomponent amino acids.

The human body wants to preserve stored body fat as a last line of defense against starvation. If overworked and under-fed, the body will preferentially eat muscle tissue to save precious body fat.

Obese people that go on crash diets, precipitously slashing calories, might lose 100-pounds of body weight, yet still appear fat. Despite losing from say 350-pounds to 250-pounds, they still appear fat because they still are fat. The body has cannibalized muscle tissue and saved the fat. Though they might weigh 100-pounds less, they still possess 25-40% body fat percentile.

Lean protein is the bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it supplies muscle tissue battered by a high intensity weight workout with the amino acids needed to heal, recover and construct new muscle tissue. Lean protein is a bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it causes the basal metabolic rate (BMR) to elevate; the metabolic thermostat, the rate at which our body consumes calories, increases when digesting protein. Lean protein is a bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it is damned near impossible for the body to convert it into body fat.

The other bedrock nutrient in the physical transformation process is fibrous carbohydrates: carrots, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, spinach, cauliflower, onions, asparagus, cabbage, salad greens, Brussels sprouts and the like. Fibrous carbohydrates, like lean protein, are nearly impossible for the body to convert into body fat. Fibrous carbohydrates require almost as many calories to digest as they contain. A green bean or carrot might contain 10-calories yet is so dense and difficult to break down that the body has to expend nearly as many calories to break down that bean or carrot as the vegetable contains.

Fibrous carbohydrates have a wonderful "Roto-Rooter" effect on the internal plumbing: as they work their way though the digestive passageways they scrape mucus and gunk off intestinal walls and help keep sludge buildup to a minimum. For this reason fibrous carbohydrates are the perfect compliment to a lean protein diet. Too much protein can cause bile buildup: fiber is the Yin to protein’s Yang. The two nutrients should be eaten together.

Both protein and fiber have a beneficial dampening effect on insulin secretions. It is no accident that professional bodybuilders, the world’s best dieters, capable of reducing body fat percentiles to 5% while maintaining incredible muscle mass, construct their eating regimen around protein and fiber.

The best way to eat is to eat often. If you eat 3,000 calories a day the best way is in five 600-calorie feeding or six 500-calorie feedings instead of a breakfast containing 400-calories, a lunch of 1000-calories and a late dinner of 1,600-calories. Avoid calories easily converted into body fat.

Eat multiple small meals in the 400-600 calorie range comprised exclusively of foods near impossible for the body to convert into body fat. Plus, these foods cause the metabolism, the BMR, the body thermostat to elevate in order to digest them. Optimally you should eat every three hours: in about the time the nutrients from the previous meal have dwindled, been expended and exhausted, in about the time the elevated metabolism is ‘settling back down to normal,’ eat another small protein/fiber meal. This reestablishes anabolism, kicks the metabolism upward once again and gives the body more practice at assimilating and distributing quality nutrients.

They say practice makes perfect and by eating small, power-packed, tough to digest meals every three hours, the metabolism is kept elevated, anabolism is established and maintained and the individual never feels hungry. A person who is not hungry is far less inclined to binge on sweets and treats, junk and trash then the crash diet/calorie cutters who always feel hungry, deprived, listless and lacking energy.

The small meal/protein/fiber approach has been used successfully by elite athletes for decades and is not some untried dietary abstraction – rather it is the proven method of choice, one that has withstood the test of time, one that has been used for decades and been proven effective time after time.

If a person is able to establish a multiple meal schedule comprised primarily of lean protein and fiber eaten every three hours, then adds to this eating schedule some serious weight training and a cardiovascular regimen, physical transformation is a biological certainty.

Excess Weight and Body Fats? Laugh Them All Off

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Have you ever heard of the truism “jokes are half meant”? If you have, do you believe in it? If you have not, then now, you have read of it and maybe if you read on, you’d be able to think of a joke of your own which could be half or full-meant. 

I gathered some of the most popular jokes on health and fitness over the Internet and after laughing about them, I thought maybe I could tell something that would prove that these jokes were born out of the sometimes painful and bitter realities of life.

It would really be nice to have a slim and really fit body but not everybody is blessed with such. There are some people, no matter how much food they take, including calories, fats and all, who never gain weight or grow fat. But to those who are blessed with tons of excesses in fats and weight, trimming down is one of the most difficult tasks in the world. Especially if “exercise” and “dieting” are alien terms for them, this humorous analysis of how the human body was arranged is just right:

I don't exercise at all. If God had wanted me to touch my toes He would have put them up higher on my body.

Sometimes, in the lowest point of your weight-loss campaign wherein only your weight doesn’t go down and the rest, most especially your ego, has dropped down beyond the base, you find ways to console your ultra-bruised and dying ego. And one is to consider that every shape is accepted in the society:

I'm in shape. Round is a shape.

And then there’s the matter of aging. To some, the question is: why change the course of time? A person’s age adds up and along with the increase of the age is the gradual decline of the body. It is just a normal process. Why put pressure on yourself and your failing body? Age, time and fats are ganging up on you, three to one: 

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat have become such inseparably good friends.

To choose whether to follow what you think or what you feel is another difficult task. It is an honorable and praiseworthy thought of working to get into shape. But, what would you do if the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak?

Every time I get the urge to exercise, I lie down till the feeling passes.

And then there are some people whose form of exercise is sharpening their wits. They could utter one-liner wisecracks that could make it to the funniest sitcom on TV:

The only exercise you get is jumping to conclusions.

And who said that only the adults are having a hard time being friendly with exercising? Take a trip to a school PE schedule and you might be surprised to hear some outrageous quips coming from the tots that you think are advocates of physical fitness:

My gym teacher told me to touch my toes. I said, "I don't have that kind of relationship with my feet. Can I just wave?"
Excuses are the most popular forms of escape from the campaign towards getting fit and healthy. Here are some excuses that you may have sheepishly used once, twice or maybe more than thrice:
• But it was my birthday, so I had to eat the whole cake.
• I had to get the bitter taste out of my mouth from eating the so-called dish, so I had an ice cream.
• If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.
• If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, the diet soda cancels out the calories in the candy bar.
• If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look thinner.
• Only eat things that have been broken into pieces; that way, all the calories fall out.
• Chocolate is a vegetable. How, you ask? Chocolate is derived from cacao beans. Bean = vegetable. Sugar is derived from either sugar CANE or sugar BEETS. Both are plants, which places them in the vegetable category. Thus, chocolate is a vegetable.
And there’s just the hardheaded approach, the I-really-don’t-care-whether-I’m-fat-or-slim attitude that you may pronounce as a hopeless case. It’s actually very easy to tell, once you hear this line, it’s it:
I'm not into working out. My philosophy is no pain, no pain.
Getting fit and staying healthy is not a laughable matter – or is it? One thing sure is that it isn’t an easy task. It involves determination, hard work and some light moments on the side. After all, laughing – for a long period – can help shake those excess fats off. And even the doctors agree it’s the world’s best medicine.

Your Thyroid and Weight loss – The Connection is Real

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Your thyroid dictates much of your metabolism, any malfunction or disease afflicting this area may cause you to have problems in metabolism leading to a drastic problem with your weight – you may either gain weight, lose weight, or may find that losing weight is harder than usual.

Those that plan diets do not take into consideration how their thyroids and metabolism may affect their weight loss program. Most experts and even the media pitch in and recommend that the best way to lose weight is cut calories. 

Those with a condition called hyperthyroidism suffer from an overactive thyroid leading to one having his or her metabolism skyrocket. If this is the case, then you will probably lose weight fast. This is a nice proposition for some who wish to lose weight. However, this is actually hazardous to the health. 

Aside from the medical difficulties such a disease brings, one will also notice weight problems as a result. These people have trouble keeping on weight and may notice weakness and bulging of the eyes. This disease may need special treatment from doctors.

Hypothyroidism on the other hand works in the other direction – slowing metabolism until the body gains weight at an incredible rate. Like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism causes a general weakness in the body. It too may need special treatment and may cause serious health problems if left unattended.

While cutting calories in itself can be very hard for most people – imagine, the people involved in life and death struggles at the supermarket regarding whether to buy that extra box of sweets, some have exactly the opposite problem. 

Instead of eating too much calories – which is a problem in itself, they eat too little calories instead. 

Problem? What Problem
The problem with some is that they believe that since the experts say that they have to cut calories, cutting calories to an inordinate amount will reap greater results. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. While cutting calories helps diets, consuming too little calories pushed the body into a hoard mode, the body’s metabolism slow to adapt to the lesser amount of available energy. 

If your body enters this mode, your body will work at such slow metabolism that losing weight becomes impossible.  The technique here should be to reduce calories without the body slowing its metabolism. Only then can losing weight become easier.

Another problem that can arise from decreased metabolism is that when your metabolism slows due to a drastic reduction in metabolism, and then you suddenly eat a good, hearty, calorie-filled meal, you are bound to gain more weight owing to the increased surplus of energy.

This is why an imbalanced meal is highly discouraged among those that seek to lose weight. The sudden loss and increase of calories will cause an imbalance in one’s energy consumption directly affecting fat deposit.

Here is a simple computation to help you get to the right amount of calories you will need per day so that you get your nutrients in the right balance.

First of all, multiply your weight in kilograms by 30. If you only know your weight in pounds, divide it by 2.2 to get to its English equivalent. We divide this number by 30 because that is the number of calories you need to maintain your weight per pound of weight. 

For example if your weight in pounds is 150, divide it by 2.2. That will give you a figure of 68.18. This is your weight in kilograms. Multiply this by 30 and you will arrive at the amount of calories you will need per day to maintain 150 lbs. 

You may consult a nutritionist to help you come lose weight. In the end it all comes down to math. If you consume more that your body needs, it stores it as fat. Now is probably a good time to start studying the back of those grocery cartons. 

Try to keep your diet at a 40% protein, 25% fat, and 35% carbohydrate meals at 300 calories per meal. Spread out these meals in a day for optimum results.

While it may be simple computation to get at numbers, do not forget the earlier mentioned fact that the body adapts to its condition. Expose it to extreme ones and you may find yourself getting results you never wanted. Consult a nutritionist for more advice.

Quick Tips to Boost Your Metabolism

By Ahmed Hajouj.


There are a lot of people who would give a lot to increase their metabolism. Having a high level of metabolism enables one to maintain burn fat and lose weight fast with the least amount of activity. Metabolism is the rate by which the body produces and consumes energy and calories to support life. 

There are several factors that affect the metabolism of a person, such as the amount of muscle tissue, the frequency of the meals one consumes, genetics, stress levels, personal diet and activity levels. Metabolism slows done due to the following: loss of muscle because of not enough physical activity, the tendency of the body to cannibalize its own tissue because there is not enough food energy to sustain it, and the decrease of physical activity that comes naturally with old age.

Here are several ways to fire up one's metabolism:

1. Build up on lean, mean body mass. It is only natural that metabolism decreases along with age, but it is possible to counter the effects. The amount of muscle a person has is a very strong determinant in the ability to burn calories and shed fat. So it goes without saying that exercise is essential. Build strength and resistance by working out at least twice a week, preferably with weights. Do easy exercises in between workouts. Simple tasks such as walking the dog and using the stairs in place of the elevator can already take off calories. The key is to match the amount of eating to the amount of activity one has. Here are some guidelines in getting the right exercise:

For strength training

-Increase the amount of repetitions of a particular exercise.
-Add the level of resistance
-Utilize advance exercise techniques if possible

For cardiovascular training

-Insert intervals between exercises
-Perform cross-training and combine the exercises
-Add up on resistance and speed


2. Eat breakfast. A lot of people are ignoring the fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Surprisingly, the ones who eat breakfast are thinner than the ones who do not. Metabolism can slow down considerably if breakfast is taken during mid-morning or if one waits until the afternoon to eat.

3. Avoid sugar. Sugar enables the body to store fat. It is recommended that a person consumes food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar. Additionally, progressive execerise 2-3 times a week should be in order to stabilize blood sugar.

4. Eat spicy foods. Hot cuisine with peppers can increase metabolism.

5. Sleep more. According to research, it is riskier for people who do not get enough sleep to gain weight. Also, muscles are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.

6. Increase water intake. Water flushes out toxins that are produced whenever the body burns fat. Majority of bodily functions involves water, and lack of water causes the body system's operations to decrease its speed, and produces unneeded stress as a result.

7. Eat smaller meals. It is advisable to consume 4 to 6 small meals that are timed 2 to 3 hours apart.

8. Never skip meals. People tend to skip meals in order to lose weight, which is a big mistake since it slows down metabolism.

9. Plan meals in detail. Always prepare the right amount of food to be consumed at the designated intervals. Do not commit the mistake of eating meals in sporadic patterns.

9. Ditch the stress! Stress, be it physical or emotional, triggers the release of a steroid called cortisol, which decreases metabolism. Also, people tend to eat excessively when stressed.

10. Guzzle up on green tea. It can be used as a substitute for coffee. Tea has the ability to stimulate metabolism, and unlike coffee, it has no undesirable side effects when too much is consumed.

11. Include more energy foods in the diet, such as fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains.

Achieving the desired body weight is never impossible if one has the determination and patience needed to stabilize the metabolism level, which plays an important role in weight loss. A person needs to realize that eating right and working out is not just a passing fancy, but a way of life.

Exercise for Everyone

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Walking is the easiest and safe and most natural form of exercise. Its an effective exercise for people of all ages and all levels of health.

Studies have shown that regular, brisk walking can lower cholesterol levels, stimulate circulation, strengthen the heart, and decrease high blood pressure.

It reduces the risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes, osteoporosis (brittle bones), and heart diseases.

Walking strengthens and tones the lower body especially when done on an inclined surface. It increases one's endurance particularly if there is progression of difficulty. It also reduces stress and depression and increases the sense of well being.

Walking contributes to effective weight control. Numerous studies show that a person who walks 10,000 steps a day can burn 2,000-3,500 (equivalent to 1 pound of fat) extra calories a week.

For weight loss, it is now recommended to complete 10,000 - 15,000 steps a day.

According to the book "The Fidget Factor" by Frank and Victor Katch, walking on the job for one hour at less than 3.2 kilometers per hour (slow pace) can burn 108 calories for a 110-pound person, 144 calories for a 150-pounder, and 192 calories for a 203-pounder. This is approximately equivalent to 40,000 steps, 3.2 kilometers.

The heavier the person is and the faster he/she walks, the more calories can be burned in one hour. The number of steps completed would depend on one's stride length.

Lifestyle walking is the most frequently performed type. It is what people do when they get up from bed and move, walk around, or take a stroll in the park.

This kind of walking is low-intensity. It is different from fitness walking that is designed to increase the heart rate and help burn extra calories.

The amount and duration of lifestyle walking that a person does might depend on several factor.

Occupation

A study by the American Council on Exercise examined on-the-job physical activities of 10 common occupations in the United States, Secretaries were shown to walk only an average of 4,327 steps per day (2.7 km) as compared to mail carriers at 18,904 steps (12 km).

Bases on lifestyle assessment, an average office worker, unaware of lifestyle walking recommendations, can only complete 1,000 - 4,000 steps/day.

If your job requires you to sit for eight hours, try to insert at least 30 minutes of accumulated or continuous walk within duty hours. You can further increase inside the mall or in you village. Purchase a pedometer to monitor your steps.

Economic Status

It is not surprising to find out that some well-off individuals with cars and drivers can just finish up to 1,000 steps/day. The effort to walk more for health has been replaced by confinience. But commuters can have an additional 2,000-5000 steps a day.

For those living in secure villages, try to walk early morning or at night outside your house and try to complete at least 5,000 steps/day.

Environment

Asians living in countries like Hong Kong and Singapore are known for their flavorful dishes. They love to eat, yet they do not get fat because they love to walk in a walk-friendly environment.

For office people, you can try to walk your way home.

Now is the time to explore your location and find the safest and most convenient places to walk.

Intention to Lose Weight

Usually, a person who is motivated to lose weight will intentionally increase daily target steps. Daily steps can even be doubled once educated about their effect on faster weight loss. But the amount of additional steps will be based on existing exercise programs and target calories to burn per week.

Identify you goals and set a distance or number of steps per day. An accumulated 5,000 - 8,000 steps during the day is good enough to improve or maintain health.

Its benefits will be more evident if you switch to fitness walking where there is progression in speed, intensity and duration.

You need to walk more to burn more!

Advice And Information To Help You To Lose Weight

By Ahmed Hajouj.


More and more people are looking into ways of losing weight. Obesity is an ever increasing problem and being over-weight can cause many different health problems. This article gives free advice to help people in their fight to lose weight.

There are many different diets out there which try to help people to lose their excess fat, these can be very difficult to follow as the whole reason we are over-weight is because of our love for food. The diets themselves normally recommend us to eat healthy but uninspiring foods. These diets have never really worked for me, mainly because I have possibly not got the right attitude but mainly because I find it hard to stick to them. A month maybe, six months certainly not.

In my opinion exercise is the best way to lose weight. Going to a gym is certainly not for everyone and is somewhere I feel out of place and exposed. I always feel that people are looking, talking and laughing at me behind my back. Maybe I am just too paranoid.

I personally would recommend hiring a personal trainer. Now you might think that only the rich and famous could possibly do this but you would be wrong. There are many personal fitness trainers who are either connected to a gym or who advertise locally in newspapers or magazines.

These are specially trained people who are willing to come to your house to show you how to correctly exercise and they do not cost an arm and a leg.

If you have attempted this route before but have had a negative experience do not despair. It may well be because you just did not hit it off with your personal trainer. I have been using a personal trainer for the last five months and only plumped for him after trying out four others first.

My personal trainer is very good for me. He keeps me on my toes, is very good at making me continue to work hard when all I want to do is quit. He is also very fair and seems to understand how far to push me. Together we have worked out and agreed a program which includes various goals for the future. He seems to also understand about the types of food which I should and should not be eating. I am happily still able to eat a lot of foods which I like and he has also introduced me to a number of other ideas which are healthy but also very tasty. 

Hiring a personal trainer was the best thing I have ever done with regards to losing weight and I would recommend it to other people. I have now lost the beer belly and still continue working hard, it is now more as a fitness thing rather than to lose even more weight.

The trainer has even stated that I am likely to actually gain weight in the future as certain muscles grow. I will not be fat though, I will be toned and a little but muscular. I look forward to the future and can also now for the first time in a number of years enjoy shopping for clothes.

Exercises For Busy Moms: 4 Quick, But Effective Exercises To Keep Busy Moms Strong

By AHmed Hajouj.


We all know how difficult it is to stay in shape and find time to exercise - but most especially for women with babies or small kids. There’s the sleep-deprivation factor, no time and priority changes. So what are the fitness options for busy Moms? 

The fact is, the more you can take of yourself and the better you feel, the stronger you will be physically and emotionally to take on the day with the “little ones” and all of life’s challenges.

Below are some quick, but effective, exercises - specifically designed for the busy Mom - for the back and shoulders to keep you strong and prevent future injuries that may occur with poor lifting biomechanics and poor posture. The heavy weight of not just the baby, but also all the fun gadgets you’re expected to lug around. It’s no surprise that our bodies need a little help to get through the day. 

Rotator Cuff Strengthener

For this workout you will need a light theraband. The beauty about this piece of equipment is that it’s small enough to carry in your bag or your stroller. Now you have no excuses - you can do these exercises on the go, at the park or when you have a few moments to spare.

You can do this exercise either seated or standing; hold the elbows close to the waist with palms facing the sky holding the theraband. Pulling the hands away from each other externally rotating the shoulders

Reps:
3 sets of 10-15 reps

Muscle focus:

Rotator cuff muscles are the small muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint. If these get weak from over use you could end up with bicep tendonitis or other potential injuries. This is very common with Moms as everything is usually done with one hand while holding the “little one” in the other. 

Tricep push-up extension

This is the one time in your life you are going to need arm strength, the biceps are going to get over worked from the motion of picking up the baby so it’s important to balance these out and keep the triceps strong as not to put unwanted strain on them.

Hands are directly under your shoulders and knees are on the ground in a modified push-up. The pelvis is slightly pressed forward creating work in the abdominals that stabilize the spine. Place the theraband under the right hand on the floor and extend opposite arm in a tricep extension. Whilst extending the working arm be careful to keep the wrist in line with the hand not to create any unwanted tension/strain.

Reps:
3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side

Muscle Focus:
• Drawing your shoulder blades down activating your upper back muscles, engaging abs at all times. Keeping your abs strong and being aware of contracting them is very important as they play an important role in stabilizing and protecting the back. 

• Translating this in to functional activities such as picking the baby up out of the crib will really save your back. 

Spine extension with pulses

Over time in pregnancy our posture completely changes due to the increased weight of the baby bringing our body forward and causing the spine to round forward with the shoulders. This causes the back muscles to become very stretched out and weak. 

Seated up right with legs in front of body shoulder width apart, hands over your head. Hinge forward from the hips leading with the sternum, biceps are by your ears. Hold this position and slightly pulse the arms behind the body mobilizing the shoulders and working the upper back. Return back to an upright position to repeat the movement again.

Reps:
3 sets of 10 Pulses

Muscle Focus:

Upper back and hamstring flexibility. This exercise will strengthen the mid upper back and open up the tight thoracic area of the spine, correcting bad habits that the body formed through pregnancy.


Butterfly ab curls

Keeping you abs strong is essential for keeping your whole body strong and restoring poor posture left over from pregnancy.

Lying on the floor with heals of feet together and knees bent to the side in a frog like position. Arms are straight over you head, circle arms around and lift the head neck shoulders off the floor exhaling pulling in the abs hold for 5 seconds and return back to starting position.

Reps:
3 sets of 10 reps

Muscle Focus:

As you exhale and bring the head neck and shoulders off the floor think of pulling your abdominals in up and back to the spine. Moms, this is a time you can practice doing your kegal on the contraction working the pelvic floor.

If You Had These 3 Habits, Your Weight Loss Would Be Effortless

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Would you like to know how to make losing weight, no matter how many pounds, as simple as brushing your teeth? When you wake up in the morning or go to bed at night, do you dread having to brush your teeth? I know when I was a little kid, I hated to have to brush my teeth, but now it is not something I even think about. I just do it. 

Imagine if your weight loss and weight management could be just something you do naturally. Not something that stresses you out, gets you upset, and makes you complain, Why are other people so lucky they dont have to deal with this?  

Lets face it, having to lose a couple of pounds whether its a few of pounds or in the three digits, the process is not, Yea, I won the lottery, what fun. Having to lose weight can easily become an overwhelming event that bothers you all the time, crumbles your self confidence, is dangerous to your health, and if that wasnt enough, it undermines your love life.  

So, back to when I was a little one and brushing my teeth. I hated to brush my teeth, but then something changed. It wasnt until I gave up fighting against brushing my teeth and accepted that is a very important thing for me to do, that it all changed. 

Very shortly after that decision, brushing my teeth became a habit that I did in the morning and at night without even thinking about it. The action of brushing my teeth didnt change, but my reaction to having to brush my teeth did and it made all the difference. 

So, how does this apply to losing weight? What if there are three actions you can take that once they are made into habits, your weight loss will become natural and you wouldnt even have to think about?  You will get to be the person that everyone else envies saying, Why is it so easy for him/her to look so great?

Would it be worth it to accept these three new actions into your life and make them habits, if they will guarantee effortless weight loss that you dont even have to think about?

How about if those actions also provide outstanding health?  

I must warn you that there will be a level of discomfort in making these actions into habits, only because you are in the habit of not doing them. Normally, people mislabel this as hard, when in reality, it just feels different because it is new.  

But feeling different is a good thing. That means you are changing and opening the doors to your new life. Are you ready to find out what those actions are? They are not earth shattering, but you can not get around them and until you accept them and turn them into habits, you will end up fighting natural laws and struggling the rest of your life. 

Finally, those three actions are; consistent exercise, eating healthy, and reduction of stress. Simple? Yes, but stay with me here. Imagine if you did consistently take these three actions and they became habits. We are talking about taking the above actions without thinking and without feeling that you are getting deprived. 

Its easy to say your weight loss would be effortless; however, the only real road blocks are turning those actions to habits. Unfortunately, we were not taught a systematic means to destroy old habits and build powerful new ones. 

I invite you to stop the struggle of fighting against the natural laws of the human body. One way or another, it will all come back to consistent exercise, eating healthy and reduction of stress, to achieve lasting results. Turn those simple actions into habits and you will end your weight loss struggles forever.

Womens exercise: The 5 Rs Principle

By Ahmed Hajouj.


This week, my gym is flooded with new faces. It's that post-New Years craze that sends everyone to the gyms to try and fulfill that elusive but always primary goal of the New Year: lose weight and get into shape. I watched one new member make her way around through the jungle of strength training equipment last night. She moved from machine to machine doing one set here, two sets there, five repetitions here, twenty there. No rhyme or reason to it, no paper and pencil in hand, it just appeared another random attempt at a workout. What if there was a simple, straightforward way of taking a workout and figuring out exactly what should be in it? There is it's called the 5 Rs principle. 

The 5 Rs Principle can  help beginning exercisers figure out what exactly goes into an effective workout.  Each `R'focuses on an important element of an exercise routine that forces the beginner to look at their workouts in a holistic fashion. 

RANGE of motion  

Range of motion refers to how the capability of a joint to move through a prescribed set of movements. In order for a beginner to see results, each exercise should be performed from a fully stretched position of the muscle to a fully contracted position. An example: I see a lot of beginners (and people who have been around the gym long enough to know better) load up the EZ-curl bar for preacher curls and perform the exercise only lowering the bar halfway down on the eccentric portion of the exercise. Not only can this cause injury to the bicep muscle, it also doesn't work the muscle the best way possible and limits the results of the exercise.

You'll hear the term `range of motion' often in reference to joint health and mobility. This is no exception in the gym. Your joints are supported by large and small muscles. In order to optimize your joint health, all the muscles surrounding the joints must be worked as well. 

RESISTANCE  

When you're just starting to lift weights, how much weight to use is a huge issue. It's unfortunate that many personal trainers will tell women to use a lighter weight so that they will "tone up" and not get bulky. This is probably the biggest myth in all of weight lifting? women who lift heavy weights will not get bulky. Don't believe anyone who tells you this! Choose a weight that allows you to complete the exercise without sacrificing proper form but that is heavy enough that you cannot possibly perform another repetition at the end of your prescribed set of repetitions. 

REPETITIONS 

Another huge variable for beginning exercisers is how many repetitions to perform. Performing certain repetitions will indeed produce highly specific results. In general, low repetitions (3-8) produce greater absolute strength, medium repetitions (10-20) produce anaerobic strength endurance, and high repetitions (20-40) produce aerobic strength endurance. 


Now, an ideal beginner routine will probably include sets of medium repetitions, just to allow the exerciser to learn to perform the exercise correctly, with proper form and technique and to allow her to experiment with experiencing muscle fatigue at 12-15 repetitions. As she progresses, she can experiment with different set/rep schemes customized to individual goals.

An important note is that in order to achieve the results desired from performing a certain number of repetitions is that muscular failure must be achieved within the repetition ranges above. Muscular failure means that you can't possibly push out one more repetition no matter how hard you're trying to do it.

REST  


In general, your body needs between two to four minutes of rest between sets to prepare itself to perform another set at maximum capacity. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PC) are used by your muscle cells to contract during a weight lifting exercise. Your body needs time to regenerate these two compounds before it is ready to go again.

Unless you're trying to develop all-out absolute strength by performing low repetitions with very heavy weight, you're probably not going to need to wait that long between sets. Most beginners will be working within a medium repetition range and therefore do not need to wait that long between sets. One to two minutes is fine.


RECOVERY

You will not see faster or better results by working the same muscle groups day after day. As important as hard work is, recovery between workouts is even more important. Beginners should work the same muscle groups no more than two times per week, with at least forty- eight hours break between sessions. As an exerciser becomes more advanced, she will probably cut back to working each muscle group once every seven days or so.

Weight Loss, Diet, Health, Fitness, And Eating Disorders: 7 Steps To Taking Control Of It All

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Reprogramming the Overweight Mind: 7 Steps to Taking Control of Your Subconscious has become the definitive book for behavior change. It is the ultimate self help book because all of the documents necessary to perform a clinical study are contained within an included Audio/Data CD. When psychologists, physicians, or psychiatrists ask me to prove my book is the definitive document for behavior change, I am happy to accommodate.

Since its introduction into psychiatric care in 1990 Burris MIND/FITNESS has established itself as the only clinically proven process for behavior change and has been endorsed by all psychologists, physicians, and psychiatrists who have evaluated it.

7 Steps to Taking Full Control of all Behaviors, not just Weight Loss, Diet, Health, Fitness, & Eating Disorders

Step 1 - The Emotional Checklist
Burris MIND/FITNESS is based on the reality that all behavior is emotionally driven. The Emotional Checklist establishes a baseline by which you can measure your results from day to day, week to week, month to month or year to year.

Step 2 - Subconscious Perspective & Empowering Questions
On the first page of the program process you will literally put your subconscious on paper and discover what brings about a behavior at the deepest level of the subconscious. It is imperative that you know what the subconscious is doing because the subconscious mind runs approximately four times faster than the conscious mind and right now you have virtually no idea what the subconscious is doing. All responses from the Subconscious Perspective are turned into Empowering Questions.

Step 3 - Subconscious Self-Image
If you set a goal that has to do with a change of your physical image without restructuring the image in your subconscious, your chances of success are at best remote. It is like wearing clothes that do not fit, you are never comfortable. This discomfort will lead you back to where you began. There will never be a more important image you have in your subconscious mind or a more important image that you will need to change than the image you have of yourself right now.

Step 4 - The Stop & Replace System
This is the most powerful part of the program. The Stop and Replace System will allow you to make an assault on any subconscious programming you wish to change and make dramatic changes in your emotional state and behavior. All the elements from the first three pages of the program are used on this page to help you Recognize, Access and Change subconscious programming that simply does not work.

Step 5 - The Heart of MIND/FITNESS
The Heart of MIND/FITNESS consists of your Love, Health, Wealth, and Self Image. Once you understand how to take control of your emotional state and behavior, it is necessary that you use these skills on a daily basis. The way you process information can be dramatically changed in a short period of time, simply by consistently implementing The Heart of MIND/FITNESS.

Step 6 - Food & Fitness Planner
Getting consistent control of your emotional state includes consistent control of what you eat, drink, and the type and amount of exercise you get. It is important to plan your food and fitness schedule because the process of an unconscious assault on the body with food, alcohol, or drugs can start a day or even days before you indulge in a behavior that will throw you completely off course and out of control. Planning your food and fitness schedule is a big part of reprogramming these behaviors, and you need to plan them until it becomes automatic.

Step 7 - The Trance-Formation
The most powerful guided meditation you will ever experience is on an Audio/Data CD that is included with the book. The dialogue used during the meditation is specific to you based on the first six steps of the program. What you say to yourself is more important than anything anyone will ever say to you or about you. Once you have learned the dialogue of the induction, you can use this to put yourself in a relaxed state that will allow you greater control over all your subconscious processes.

Jogging - Health Benefits and How to Do it

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Performing regular jogging gives better physical condition and other health benefits. Jogging also gives physical and mental pleasure.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF JOGGING

Jogging on a regular basis give a distinct good effect upon the general health, provided it is not over-done. The effects are:
* Jogging makes the heart stronger. It increases the capacity of the blood circulation and of the respiratory system.
* It speeds up the digestive system and helps you get rid of digestive trouble.
* It counteracts depression.
* It increases the capacity to work and lead an active life.
* Jogging makes you burn fat and thereby helps against over-weight. 
* If you suffer from poor appetite, jogging will improve your appetite.
* Jogging will strengthens the muscles of your legs, hips and back. However you will not get very big muscles from jogging.
* Jogging makes you sleep better.

THE PLEASURE OF JOGGING

Jogging gives you physical and mental joy, provided you do not exhaust yourself. When jogging is done correctly, you will actually feel less tired when you have finished a tour than before you began. You get nice feelings in your muscles during the jogging and afterwards.

You will feel the wind blowing around your body. You will hear the birds singing, the music of running water in the streams, or the sound of waves dashing towards the seashore. During the jogging you will also get a euphoric mental feeling after some time.

CLOTHES AND SHOES

The type of clothes you were must be suited to the weather conditions. In warm weather, shorts and a t-shirt is enough. However, it may be useful to carry along an extra piece of clothe in a light back-pack if you run out on a long route, in case the weather aggravates.  In colder weather you must add more layers of clothes. In either case, the requirements for the clothes are:

You should use light and soft clothes without any sharp sutures, hard edges or massive folds. They should sit fairly close to your body, but not so close that you feel squeezed, trapped, or so that your movements are hindered.

The clothes should give good ventilation for moisture and sweat and perspiration through the fabric. The fabric should ideally hold water totally out from the outside, but this requirement is difficult to achieve together with the requirement of good ventilation.

You should use fairly soft shoes, but with a good shape fitting the anatomical shape of your feet. The soles should easily bend during the normal movements of your feet, but support well against the ground. The underside of the sole should give friction against any type of grounds, so that you do not slide during jogging. The soles should buffer well against each impact from the ground.

JOGGING ROUTES AND SESSIONS

Jogging may be performed in a lot of ways
* Long distance jogging 6-20 km in a moderate speed on even roads or paths.
* Short distance jogging 3-6 km in a high speed.
* Jogging upwards in a steep terrain 3-4 km, in a speed adjusted to the steepness
* Jogging in a hilly terrain with paths going both up an down 4-8 km

It is advisable to vary the type of jogging from day to day. Then the jogging gets funnier and you get a variable type of training.

HOW TO PERFORM A JOGGING SESSION

You should move slowly with little efforts the first few hundred meters to warm up your muscles. Then you gradually increase your muscular work and speed. When you have done half the route, you can take a speedy spurt using most of your capacity. If the route is long enough, you can take two or three spurts using nearly full capacity.The last hundred meters you gradually slow down again.

STRETCHING YOUR BODY BEFORE AND AFTER EACH SESSION

It is advisable to stretch out both before and after each jogging session, and not only the muscles in your feet, but your whole body 2 minutes before and 3-4 minutes after the session. When stretching out do the following movements: 
* Bend forward and touch your toes. 
* Kneel down on one of your feet, and stretch the other out backwards. 
* Bend your body to both sides. 
* Stretch out an arm, grab something, and turn your body round so that your arm is bent backwards. 
* Shoot your abdomen foreword, so that your spinal column is stretched into a bow.
* Place your hands behind your neck and stretch your arms backwards. Then twist your body to left and right, also bend to each side.

After the jogging it is sometimes best to wait for some minutes before you stretch out, so that the worst tiredness has gone away first.

WHEN AND HOW OFTEN

If jogging is the only sport activity done, a jogging session every second day is ideal. This is enough to give all the health benefits and increase your condition and endurance gradually, but without wearing yourself out. If you combine jogging by other types of sport activities, 2 times a week may be enough.
You should not be too hungry before jogging, but it is not advisable to take a jogging session straight after a big meal. The time of the day does not matter, but your jogging should not be the first thing you do in the morning.

HOW TO BEGIN

If you are not accustomed to physical activity before you start jogging, it is advisable to consult a doctor before you start. You may have health issues that is not compatible with jogging activities, or that you must consider when doing your jogging.

The first times, you should only jog on plain ground and only for 10 minutes. Then you can increase the time, distance and speed, and choose steeper and more difficult paths.

8 Ways To Create Balance To Achieve Lasting Weight Loss

Need to lose weight? Dreading the thought of another diet program? You don’t have to follow diets to lose weight. There are many people discovering this for themselves and they are the ones who are finding long term weight loss apposed to short term fixes. The key to weight loss is finding the right balance of what you eat, what you think, and what activity you do. It is not about following a perfect plan. It is impossible to be perfect every day! Finding the right balance helps you to decrease your calorie intake, increase your metabolism and keeps the self-sabotage at bay. Here are 8 steps to bring more balance into all corners of your life so you too can find weight loss success.

1. Eat more frequently during the day-
Skipping meals or waiting too long between meals can have a negative impact on your metabolism and results in overeating later in the day. It’s best to have 3 small meals and 1-2 snacks throughout the day. You will feel more satisfied and eat less. Plan to have a snack or meal every 4-5 hours.

2. Watch portion sizes-
Appropriate portion sizes are still quite misunderstood. Most Americans are eating 2-3 times the recommended portion sizes. Limit your grains, cereals, pastas, and rice to ½ - 1 cup serving sizes. Keep meat, poultry and fish to 4-ounce portion sizes. Restaurants are notorious for giving extremely large servings of food. Keep this in mind when eating out. Eat half of the food on your plate or take the rest home for lunch the next day. Studies show that when people are given large portion sizes, they eat up to 56% more calories without realizing it. To add insult to injury, our portion sizes are larger than they have ever been. Start to become more aware of the portions you are served wherever you are.

3. Eat the right fats-
Yes some fat is important. Omega 3 fatty acids are an important strategy for weight loss success and yet most Americans are not eating enough of these healthy fats. Some reports show these fatty acids may be helpful in increasing your metabolism. They are also shown to be a wonderful mood supporter and people report significantly less food cravings and triggers to eat when they incorporate omega 3 fatty acids on a daily basis. This is especially important for any emotional eaters out there. Omega 3’s are found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod; they are also found in canola oil, walnuts, and ground flax seeds. 

4. Increase fruits and vegetables-
Fruits and vegetables are not only packed with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they are also loaded in fiber and low in calories. Include 5-8 fruits and vegetables every day. This is one of the most important diet changes you can make. When you fill your plate up with fruits and vegetables you eat less of the higher calorie foods. For example, let’s take a sample steak dinner.

Original meal:
8 ounce steak 
Whole baked potato with fixings 
½ cup steamed broccoli 

Meal Makeover:
4 ounce steak
½ baked potato with fixings
½ cup steamed broccoli
Side salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, and 1 tbsp light vinaigrette dressing

By changing the balance of this meal to include more vegetables while decreasing the steak and potato we saved approximately 350 calories. Saving 350 calories daily can result in almost a 1 pound weight loss per week. Small changes are the key.

5. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full-
Our bodies have an innate weight management mechanism. It performs this task by making you feel full when it is time to stop eating. Every time you eat past full you are taking in more calories than your body needs which will result in weight gain. Start to become more aware of your internal cues for hunger and satiety (fullness). You will be amazed how many times you wait too long to eat and how often you eat past full and enter into stuffed. It’s common for all of us to do this from time to time. However, it’s time to check in with yourself and see how often you are falling into these food patterns. Listen to your body, it will tell you when you are physically ready for food and when you are ready to stop.

6. Exercise regularly-
I know, this isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but it is a crucial part of weight management. It is important to engage in regular aerobic and weight bearing activity. The aerobic exercise helps you to burn the fat and weight bearing activity increases your metabolic rate. Muscle burns up to 90% more calories than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn in a day. By adding three to five pounds of muscle you could actually burn 100 - 250 additional calories a day. This combination of aerobic and weight bearing activity is what really kicks weight loss into gear.

7. Limit sugar-
Sugar becomes a major issue for many people wanting to lose weight. Not only does it add calories, it also causes insulin spikes leading you to store more calories as fat, it stimulates your appetite, and is a major food trigger for emotional eaters. However, it doesn’t mean you need to go all or nothing. When people try to omit all sugar from their diet they can become obsessed about sugary foods and end up in a binge. Find the right balance for sugar. Avoid daily use of sugar and instead have some guiltless treats once in awhile. A little cake at a birthday party or some ice-cream with friends is a good way to incorporate sugar once in awhile to avoid the negative outcomes. 

8. Pamper yourself regularly-
Who wants to argue with that?! The reality is many people eat for emotional reasons. Food makes us feel good on many levels. The problem occurs when eating becomes the only coping mechanism your subconscious knows of. This is why that pesky urge to emotionally eat is so strong. It is hard to reason your way out of it. For many people food is the only thing they know that makes them feel better. When you start to do other things that make you feel good on a regular basis such as taking a hot bath, going for a walk, having a hot cup of tea; then your subconscious starts to register these activities as coping mechanisms as well. Over time this will decrease the constant urge to use food. You can’t expect to have a bad day, go take a bath and not have an urge to eat. It is something you need to do regularly and something you truly enjoy so your subconscious starts to recognize it as a new choice.

© 2005, Meri Raffetto

10 Killer Tips For Rapid Weight Loss

By Ahmed Hajouj.


In order to make the most of your weight loss program, finding the most effective ways to burn fat will maximize your results and minimize your waistline! Follow these 10 tips for fat burning if you want to lose weight and lead a healthier way of life.

1.) Drink More Water

One of the best weight loss secrets is to ditch the sodas and stick to water! Experts say you should drink approximately eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and healthy. Instead of turning to calorie-laden or sugar-rich drinks, grab a refreshing glass of water. In addition to flushing toxins out of your system, drinking water encourages you to build muscle.

2.) Eat More Meals

A traditional three-meals-a-day plan just will not cut it if you are in the market to burn fat. Your body is not able to metabolize large meals and will quickly turn any excess into fat. Many experts believe you should eat six small meals a day. Be sure you cut back on your food consumption at each meal, or else you will be doubling your intake—and doubling your fat storage!

3.) Work Out with Weights

One great way to maximize the amount of fat you are burning is to add a weight program to your work out routine. Weight training will not only tone your physique, but will strengthen your body and improve your general health. Lifting weights will also burn calories and fat more quickly than traditional exercising, and it will also boost your metabolism.

4.) Choose Protein

Choose protein-laden foods for boosting your metabolism and enabling your body to burn fat rapidly. In addition to burning fat, consuming a protein-enriched diet will help you rebuild muscle after work outs and maintain leanness of that muscle. Wisely choose proteins for your diet. Take great care to pick proteins low in fat so you do not consume extra calories.

5.) Cut Calories Wisely

It may be tempting to drastically cut your calorie intake when starting a healthy lifestyle. Instead, use a step method when cutting your calorie intake to minimize risk. Reducing calories too quickly results in your body rapidly burning all available calories, which will lower your metabolism. Furthermore, you are more likely to maintain your healthy lifestyle through this step method. 

6.) Reward Yourself

When it comes to successfully dieting to burn the most fat, be sure to reward yourself. Everyone has temptations and favorite treats—so allow indulgence. You will be less likely to cheat on your new diet if you grant yourself small rewards. If you are a chocolate lover, treat yourself to a small square of chocolate or single chocolate kiss each evening. 

7.) Avoid Marathon Work Outs

The biggest mistake people make when looking to burn fat and lose weight is to have one long, extensive work out session. Instead, break up your work out plan into small chunks throughout the day. Take a brisk walk in the morning, enjoy a work out at lunch, and then exercise more in the evening. In addition to staying active all day long, breaking up your work out will better maintain your metabolism.

8.) Mix It Up

Choosing to engage in a variety of quality exercises will keep your interest and best allow you to maintain your goal of burning fat. Instead of doing the same exercises each day—mix it up! Opt to swim laps one day, jog another, and bike the next. Rotating your activities will not only allow you to experience a variety of athletics, it will also allow you to better tone your body.

9.) Skip Happy Hour

For those individuals who want to burn fat quickly, avoid alcohol. Rich in sugars and carbohydrates, alcohol is a calorie-rich substance. These empty calories can add up quickly and take away from necessary nutrients that should be included in your daily diet. Furthermore, alcohol acts as an inhibitor for burning fat, allowing your body to store it more quickly.

10.) Try a Low GI Diet

A low GI diet is an excellent method of burning fat quickly. This diet encourages individuals to consume high amounts of foods with low rankings on the Glycemic Index. These foods are nutritious and will aid your body in burning fats and calories at a quicker pace. This diet includes many of your favorite fruits, vegetable, meats, dairy, and grain products.

9 Ways To Feed Your Soul By Simply Walking

By Ahmed Hajouj.


We live in a culture that honors Type A, driven behaviors. That includes exercise and for many people, it’s taken away the joy out of simply walking. Instead of seeing walking as something you must do to get in shape, see it as a gift of being alive and let yourself fully enjoy the experience.


1) Walk with deep awareness of how it feels to move your body.
2) Experience the act of walking as if you've never, ever done it before.
3) Be aware. Be present in the moment. Really feel your body as you're moving.
4) Pay attention to how your feet feel with each rolling step on the earth. 
5) Notice the strength and power in your muscles. 
6) Feel yourself moving in space. 
7) Observe the wind on your skin and the temperature of the air. 
8) Have a beauty feast while you're out. Notice the light coming through the leaves. See the flowers with fresh eyes.
9) Take a fresh look at the world as you move through it. Assume nothing. Experience the wonder of life as if you've never seen anything before. Watch the people as if you'd never seen a human before.

Let walking become a cherished and enriching part of your life. Turn it into something wonderful that you look forward to with both body and soul.