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Here is a hilarious video I spotted on youtube. I enjoyed this very much. Dry humor for sure but very funny! Hope you enjoy.
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This is my final post in the Healthy Eating Habits series. If you haven’t read the others then I suggest you do so, they are The Way to Healthy Eating Habits & Healthy Eating Habits Part 2. Now I have gone through a few different concepts that will help you on your way to healthy eating habits. None have been really hard, they just have to get done. Now I will share the final 2 factors and you can start using them all together and see the results for yourself.
Habits
Being able to break bad habits is another important part of starting to eat healthy. No I don’t mean habits like biting your nails or smoking, I mean bad meal, snack and drink habits. It is way easier to be unhealthy because everywhere you turn, there is another fast food restaurant being built. Now, the way you start to rid yourself of these, is to figure out what your unhealthy habits are. My worst habits were from snacking, any little snack I had was bad for me. I stopped buying unhealthy snacks, now anytime I snack; I am forced to eat good things. Once you figure out what the habits are, you can find out how to work on deleting them. If most of your habits are at home, only keep healthy things in the house. I have learnt by experience that if there is any type of junk food in the house it will get eaten before the healthy stuff, always.
It is all the automatic unhealthy choices you make that affect you the most. No matter what type of habit you have, you always have to be committed to breaking it. Say you eat lunch ‘out’ every day of the week. Well, not only is that very costly, but also usually always unhealthy. A very simple technique to interrupting eating out is packing your own lunch. It may take a bit more time to prepare and put together at first, but with time it gets easier then fast food.
Organization
Two little things called organization and preparation will help you out 10 fold when you start trying to eat healthy. Yes you read it right, Organization and Preparation. There are a few different aspects to it, but in the end of this you will be a wizard at all of them. See the thing about my mini course tips is that each one is as important and simple as the next. This makes your success rate that much better.
So when I say stay organized this is what I mean. If you have junk in the house it will get eaten right, well be prepared enough to have all the bad food gone and make sure all healthy food is on hand. The concept is very easy, but you have to be organized to pull it off. So you want to start making lunches instead of eating out, then you’ll need to organize your meals and be prepared enough to have all the food available. Like I said, very simple, you just have to put it into effect.
One thing that helped me out with this is, I would take one night on my day off, and write out what I was going to do each day for lunch. I would then make sure I had all the needed food at home ready to go. I would also pre-cook some things. If you are making a nice dinner, make a bit extra and use it as a lunch through the week.
As I was saying above, none of these concepts are hard to do but you actually have to do them to see the effects. I challenge you to see the results. If you want to start eating healthy then doing these will defiantly help you on your way.
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I find that in the past, when I started going to the gym or decided to run regularly, that if I didn’t set up specific times to take action then I would fail very early. The point I am trying to get across is that setting goals up and getting into a routine is what will help bring success and help you see the results.
Last summer I wanted to start going to the gym again so I asked a couple of friends if they wanted to join me (friends or partners help with getting into a routine and staying focused also but thats for a different post). Two of my good friends agreed to start going to the gym with me at least 3 times a week. I myself got organized and set out when specifically I was going to go to the gym. For me, I decided that after work through the week was the best fit for me. My friends on the other hand never really had a plan as to when they were going to work out. Big mistake. Withing 2 weeks they were pretty much unseen at the gym. Fortunately, my first week at the gym, I met with a friend that had already been going so I started joining up with him. We both were in the same workout time routine and this helped both of us very much.
When you don’t have set times to take action, it’s too easy to find unhealthy things to do. If you have set times and a routine, then you will find that it becomes automatic. When I would get home from work, I would automatically grab a little food and then go and workout. Once I was in the routine I never thought twice about doing anything other then working out. Try it and you will find out how much it helps.
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I am going to take this post to talk about staying positive and being patient. These two things don’t only pertain to weight loss or fitness, they pertain to everyday life! You will be surprised the difference that being positive will make in your life.
In most peoples life, things aren’t always 100% peachy, things can and do go wrong. It’s how you deal with those things that make your life what it is. Of course when something wrong happens it’s easy to think negative and maybe go eat some food and get drunk, but is that good? Nope! Try to really focus your thoughts and feelings on being positive. The next time something doesn’t go as planned, like losing that 2 lbs, gain a positive ground on the situation and really focus on the good things. There will be plenty of time to change things around and see all of the positive things come back to you.
Patience is another big thing people forget about. I find that patience goes right along with positive thinking. Although some things can be done instantly, others can take a bit of time. If something doesn’t happen on the time line that you have planned then make sure and stay positive and be patient. There will be more time to complete the task or goal and for some reason it wasn’t meant to be at that point in time.
I find that when I am put in a negative thought or situation, I will mentally take a step back from the situation and take a deep breath. This helps me collect myself and really give thought to the situation. This technique helps me stay positive and not jump to negative conclusions. I hope this post will be of use to you, not only for your weight loss, but also to your everyday life! Take Care.
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So I have already brought in a guest article for the new year. I got this article made up and thought all you female readers would enjoy it. It’s a good read for any woman wanting to form a nice flat stomach and have some sweet female abs.
The female body is capable of developing the much-desired “six pack” abs. But many women stay away from the thought of becoming the female version of Incredible Hulk. And so they never perform the exercises that are meant to develop the muscle abs. As time goes by, the once sexy female figure slowly becomes pear-shaped. They begin to realize that the development of the abdominal muscles is not just about having a sleek body but also a strong and healthy one. Strong abdominal muscles meant more energy to perform everyday tasks. But it’s never too late to work out the muscle abs. There won’t be waves of muscles on the abdomen, but there would certainly be flat female abs.
The key to having great flat female abs is to do the abdominal exercises right. A wrongly performed exercise would not work out the targeted group of muscles. Worse, wrongly performed exercises may lead to injury and lots of pain. To illustrate the right way of doing the abdominal exercises, here are tips for five of the most popular ones: hanging leg raise, hanging bent-knee raise, hanging side raise, bent-knee crunch, and alternating crunch.
In the Hanging Leg Raise, the cardinal rule is to never swing the body. When the body swings, its momentum is directed towards raising the legs, which defeats the whole purpose of the exercise. The legs should be raised by the efforts of the abdominal muscles. Thus, the legs are raised while the hips are being flexed until the knees reach the nearest point towards the shoulders. To avoid swinging, this exercise should be carried out slowly.
In the Hanging Bent-Knee Raise, the same restrictions about momentum and swinging are applied. These should never be used, especially in this particular exercise. The greatest benefit of the hanging bent-knee raise is the strengthening of the lower abdominal muscles. To carry this out while hanging on a pull bar, the legs must be pulled up using the power of the abs. To add force, rotate the pelvis forward, but keep the legs together. Then slowly release to the original position.
In the Hanging Side Raise, the aim is to exercise the sides of the abdomen together with the lower abdominal muscles. Starting from the position similar to the hanging leg raise, the knees are together lifted to one side. The knees should be lifted as high as possible. It can be done by curling the spine. Then hold and squeeze the abs before slowly releasing to the starting position. As usual, swinging is not allowed.
In the Bent-Knee Crunch, the starting position is lying flat on the floor, with the back resting comfortably. Bend the knees to about 60 degrees and outstretch the hands to the sides. Using the power of the abs, slowly move the pelvis back, raise the hips off the floor, and bring the knees close to the chest. Hold this position and squeeze the abs before slowly straightening up to the original position. To add challenge to this exercise, the ankle may have weights.
And in the Alternating Crunch, the body starts in the same position as the bent-knee crunch. This time, the hands are not outstretched. Instead, these are placed over the ears. Then, the upper body is raised and rolled towards the right, with the left elbow touching the right knee. After holding this position for a few seconds, the body goes back to its lying position. Then, the upper body is rolled again, but this time to the left side. The right elbow touches the left knee.
Most exercises can work wonders on female abs, even when the abs cannot be seen. The exercises need only to be done right and the burning of calories begins.
Hope you enjoyed the post and I hope this will motivate you all to get going on those abs workouts. Abs has been the biggest topic when it comes to problem areas on people.
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So if the city you live in looks anything like the one I am in then you have lots of snow. This type of weather tends to interrupt many types of popular cardio exercises. Really, any kind of bike riding, running or even walking is null and void in this kind of environment. After living here for some time now, I have learnt to try different things. I guess it makes you either think out of the box or try a new sport all together. I am going to outline some of the things I have enjoyed doing when there is too much snow on the ground. Please feel free to comment about any others that you may have in mind, I’m sure everyone would appreciate it.
First I will list of some of the regular and most common things that people do when the winter season comes around. Winter sports come to mind like down hill skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and skating. That is just a small list of cardio exercises too. Most of these are things that are full body workouts with cardio included. They also usually take some knowledge and experience. I think that cross country skiing is an amazing winter cardio alternative for running or walking. It can be enjoyed by the young and old. It’s also very popular because it’s easy to learn and fairly cheap for average equipment. Cross country skiing lets you get a full body workout while taking in all the surrounding scenery. It is at the top of my list for people to try for winter cardio exercises.
Now I still like to run and/or walk throughout the winter months, so I have found a few ways to continue doing this also. The regular places to keep doing this and other cardio exercises is obviously the gym. 99% of all gyms have 4 or more different types of machines that give different cardio exercises and workouts. The one downfall with a gym is the usual $30 or more per month fee. If you have the money then this is great, but what if your not able to make that $30 payment? Then you’ll need to improvise and figure out other means. So if you are a person that doesn’t have that extra money laying around then here are a few ideas I have used in the past. Hockey arenas for running, walking and doing stairs. Arenas will usually let public in when events aren’t on and they don’t charge a fee. It’s great because there is tons of room to use and not busy at all. For walking, the local mall can always work. A lot of room and scenery and, of course, no charge.
There are many different places you can get a fix of cardio, sometimes it just take a little creativity. Cardio exercises are all around us, it’s just finding something that will be fun and enjoyable. Make sure and post a comment if you have any other winter activities that I may have forgotten, I’m sure there are tons, :)!
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Again keeping with the new years appeal, here is another abs exercises post. This times it’s for beginners, so there are 3 of the most common and simple abs workouts.
Developing strong and good looking abs is always a healthy goal. Getting a six pack abs is not mere vanity. Aside from looking muscular, men with six packs are stronger and faster. Aside from having flat stomachs and appearing sexy in any kind of dress, women with well developed abs have greater energy and endurance. Some people realize the health benefits of strong abs and proper abs exercises early in their lives. Others find exercising attractive only when they reach middle age. But all enthusiasts of abs exercises begin at the same stage.
Beginners or newcomers to abs exercises need not immediately go to the strenuous positions followed by old timers. This is not the fastest way to develop abs. The more advanced exercises can overstretch the body and cause injuries. Beginners must carry out abs exercises that are easier. Beginners must also warm up before doing the abs exercises. In this manner, the body will be gradually introduced into the whole abs program. Here are the three simplest abs exercises that the beginner can perform.
The Upper Abs Crunch
The upper abs crunch is the simplest of all abs exercises. The starting position is lying down with the back and feet hugging the floor and the knees are bent, making an angle of about 45 degrees. The arms are either crossed on the chest or laced behind the head. The exercise begins by crunching the abdomen and lifting the upper body, which includes the chest, the shoulders, and the head. But there should be no strain on the neck. The neck and head should simply follow the movement of the shoulders. The goal is not to sit upright. The goal is to make the abs exert effort in lifting the torso. Hold this position for at least two seconds and then slowly release to go back to the starting position. This exercise can be performed for at least 10 counts.
The Lower Abs Crunch
The lower abs crunch is the second simplest of all abs exercises. The starting position is still lying down on the floor with the knees bent. But only the back hugs the floor. The feet are lifted off the floor and the knees make a 90 degrees angle. The exercise begins by crunching the abdomen again. This time the lower part of the body, from pelvis to the feet, is lifted. The movement brings the knees closer to the chest. But the legs should not swing. Only the abs should make the effort. Hold this particular position for at least two seconds and then slowly go back to the starting position. The feet should remain off the floor. It is recommended that this exercise is done for at least 10 counts.
The Side Abs Crunch
And finally, the side abs crunch is the third simplest exercise. It may be simple but it targets the development of the side muscles of the abs, which are called “obliques”. The starting position is the same as the upper abs crunch but it is recommended that the hands are placed behind the head with the elbows pointing outwards. This exercise begins by lifting the upper torso and the followed by two simultaneous moves. One is moving the right elbow (without releasing the hand’s hold on the head) towards the left knee. The other move is lifting the left knee so that it meets the elbow. The abs should be contracted once the elbow and knee are as near each other as possible. This position is held for two seconds and then the elbows and knees go back to the starting position. The exercise continues with the other side of the body. This time, the left elbow attempts to meet the right knee. The right and left cycle of crunching the abs is done for at least 10 cycles.
With these three simple abs exercises, the beginners can begin developing stronger abs.
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The 8 minute Abs is the famous work-out video that featured the instructor Jaime Brenkus. The major goal of the set of exercise is simple: to have tighter abs. Accompanied by two other exercisers, Brenkus demonstrates abdominal exercises that busy people can do within eight minutes. The video does not promise instant results. But certainly, there will be results towards achieving great-looking abs. For people who have shied away from exercising because of the complexity of the moves, the 8 minute Abs video provides very simple steps that neophytes can effortlessly follow. All steps are done while the exerciser is lying on his or her back. Here are the basic steps:
1. Upper Body Crunch – The hands are behind the ears and the abdomen pulls up the upper body, raising the shoulders halfway towards the sitting position. The exerciser does not make a full sit-up.
2. Diagonal Crunch, Right Side – In the same starting position as the upper body crunch, the right elbow is brought up towards the left knee as this knee is pulled in towards the right elbow. The elbow and knee almost meet each other right above the abdominal region.
3. Diagonal Crunch, Left Side – This step is similar to the above step but this time, it moves the left elbow and the right knee.
4. Leg Tap – In this step the hand is brought to the sides of the body while the knees are pulled in, raising the feet into the air. The abdomen crunches to pull up the upper body as the tips of hands reach out to tap the raised legs.
5. Lower Body Crunch – Beginning with the position of the upper body crunch, the abdomen pulls in the knees and the legs upward towards the body. This is similar to the upper body crunch except that the lower body is the one being moved.
6. Right-Hand Body Crunch – Resting the body on the left side, with the left hand on the stomach and the right placed under the head, the abdomen crunches by raising the right upper body.
7. Left-Hand Body Crunch – This is the same as the right-hand body crunch, except that the body is resting on the right side and the left upper body is being raised.
8. Center Pushes – Going back to the starting position of the upper body crunch, the position of the hands are changed and placed in front of the body, with palms facing the bent legs. Then the abdomen crunches to lift the upper body as the hands appear to push the air between the two legs.
9. Leg Thrusts – This step is similar to the lower body crunch but instead of pulling the knees in, the legs are kept straight up at right angles with the body. Then the legs are thrust into the air while the abdomen crunches.
10. Combined Diagonal Thrusts– This step is a combination of the Right and Left Diagonal Crunches, done alternately.
11. Combined Upper and Lower Body Crunches – This step is a combination of the upper body crunch and the lower body crunch, with one step being carried out after the other.
There seems to be a lot of steps that must be done in 8 minutes, but each of these steps is completed within 45 seconds. It is a good idea to see the actual video to know the exact position of the body during 8 minute abs. Brenkus emphasized that there should be no stress on either the back or the neck when doing these exercises. Beginners are also allowed to slack back and need not complete a step for the whole 45 seconds. The 8 minute abs is an awesome video to help start to flatten that stomach. Take a look at the whole 8 mintue abs workout below!
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Today I am going to lightly go through the process of picking out a routine from a variety of different workout plans. This time of year is the busiest for the weight loss and fitness industry so I thought I would help you better find the right workout plan.
Too many people will jump into different workout plans without doing the right research, this results in boredom and failure to succeed in any of the workout plans. Picking out the proper plan, that will fit your needs, isn’t a hard thing to do. It’s just learning what to look at that will help make that process a success. I will now skim through 3 different areas that I feel need to be taken into account when choosing the perfect routine for you.
Experience Level
The routine experience level is a very important aspect to look in to when deciding if a plan is right for you. All different workout plans have different levels of know how, it is vital that you choose one that is either in line with your current level or a little bit above. Many people don’t research this and either get into a program that is way to easy which will bore them, or get into a program that is way beyond there level which will frustrate them to failure.
Usually each program will have an experience level attached to it, so it’s just a matter of looking and being aware of it.
Plan Target
You will need to make sure and choose a routine that is related to your target goal. If you are trying to tone up and slim down your whole body then you want to look for a program that will best suit that target. If thats your goal, you won’t get into a routine that has you lifting a maximum weight will low reps and sets. Same goes for if you are wanting a program that will bring a stronger upper body, then find a program that really works your upper body, don’t find a program that has a lot of leg workout.
Researching this is also really easy to do, but you would be surprised how many people miss this area all together. People get themselves into programs that aren’t related to what their goal is. If you aren’t really sure what you want to gain out of a routine that look through the different workout plans and find one that is an all body type of routine and start light. This will give you a base and will help you learn what it is that you want to achieve and what you like doing.
Plan Frequency
This is a important part of a workout plan and one that can make or break success. Figuring out how much or how little you want to workout is a must. I suggest starting out doing a low number of workouts per week. Doing this will get you involved in whatever program you are doing, plus it makes the start up easier on your body. I constantly see people who start their program by going to the gym 5 or 6 days a week, many of these people don’t last because they burn themselves out and get exhausted. It’s always easier to start light and work your way up so choose one of the workout plans that work for your motivation.
Those are 3 very simple things to look at when deciding on one of the many workout plans out there. These will help you in reaching your goals and really following through with your workout plan.
There is a great Workout Plans Resource online is Workout Pass! It gives you access to 43 different sites and over 100000 workout plans. This is an amazing place to find any type of quality weight loss or fitness program you need. They will be able to help you find ANYTHING. They have unbelievable pricing too at a one time price of $99 and that gives you access to all off the different sites in their network. That is amazing because if you were to get a personal trainer to make you a program they will charge that per hour! Take a look at Workout Pass if you are looking for a quality workout plan.
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So over the holidays here I had the pleasure of finally trying out the Nintendo Wii, it is amazing. I played the Wii Boxing game and I am still feeling the effects in my muscles days later. It’s no mistake that the Wii has been the hottest ticket item this Christmas and the best part is the games are actually keeping the gamers active while playing.
So I played about a million rounds of boxing in the one day and it turned out to be a full boxing workout, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe how real the movements are while playing. After a single round I was huffing and puffing!!
After feeling the potential the Wii has for helping people stay active and even lose weight I started searching the internet too see what others were saying. All you have to do is google Nintendo Wii workouts and you’ll quickly see how many people are using the Wii for fitness activities and weight loss. I think this is brilliant. The boxing workout I had was unreal because I was working many different muscles but I was having a great time doing it. I didn’t even realize I was working my body out until the next day because I was having so much fun!
Below is a youtube video of what a boxing workout might look like. This ones shows a little girl taking on an adult.
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