Posted in Recipe on January 27, 2012
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups shelled pepitas
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg white, beaten until frothy
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350
Posted in Article on January 26, 2012
If you travel a lot then it can be difficult to fit in an exercise routine. If you are on a business trip you are most likely working long days and don’t want to visit the hotel gym. It may be more convenient to go for a swim or do some simple exercises in your hotel room.
Hotel rooms are famous for having large telephone directories, so why not take advantage of this! Simply use these large books as a weight and do some repetitions with them. You could even balance the book on your lower legs while doing some leg raises. Or how about sitting on a chair with the phone book between your knees and squeezing to stop the book from falling!
The phone book can be used to lift up and over your head and even to hold while doing side twists with your body. You could get very creative with just this one item!
See, there are some simple ways to keep fit when travelling that don’t involve the hotel gym. Another very simple solution is to simply take the stairs as much as possible during the day. By doing this you won’t even need to do a separate workout after dinner.
If your business trip is leaving you feeling stressed out then go for a nice evening stroll after dinner. This gets you away from the hustle and bustle of the hotel and allows you time to regroup. Walking any time is a great de-stressor.
Your bed can be used to do push ups against and a sturdy chair will allow you to perform knee bends and squats. Even sitting on the edge of the bed and performing shadowing boxing movements is a good workout in itself. This is also ideal if you are dealing with any type of lower body injury.
Lunges, calf raises, leg raises, arm circles, side leg lifts, sit ups, push ups and walking on the spot can all be done in a hotel room. You could also pack resistance bands in your suitcase and use these for resistance exercises while away.
Even though it is hard on your body to travel, whether you are away on business or on vacation there really isn’t any need to forgo your exercise routine. Most hotels have some type of exercise room and many today have a pool. Don’t forget there is always those dreaded stairs to help you burn off those extra calories you may have consumed during your visit.
Posted in Video on January 25, 2012
Video: A trainer shows how to do arm swings as a warmup to your exercise routine.
Posted in Article on January 24, 2012
“How to lose lower belly fat?” It is a cry heard around the western world as people become fatter. Men, especially worry about pot bellies and having stomachs hanging over the belt line. As washboard abs are a sign of sexiness, many men look for solutions to How do I lose lower belly fat?
The key is that you need to do a variety of kinds of exercises. The best strategy is to do an hour of cardio exercises every other day and 45 minutes to an hour of strength training every other day.
Walking, running, cycling, and working out on cardio equipment at the gym all qualify as aerobic exercises.
To deal specifically with the question of how to lose lower belly fat, you need to realize that lower stomach fat is different than the rest of your abs. Sit ups and ab workouts can help, but they will not get rid of it. You need to do cardio in combination with your ab workouts. You may not see results right away, but keep at it.
Besides sit ups, Hata Yoga can help with lower belly fat. Vajrasana exercises involve you bending to the front of your knees which provides a great workout. This kind of yoga should be done under the guidance of an instructor if you are a beginner.
In addition to normal “stomach exercises,” work with your legs. Do exercises that require your legs to come level with or above your lower waist line. This causes your lower abdominal muscles to work in order for you to keep your balance. Kickboxing is a great example of a type of exercise that can keep your stomach completely flat.
Vigorous dancing can provide this kind of leg exercises. In addition to helping you lose weight, it tones your legs and helps you to lose belly fat. Belly dancing in particular will work to rid you of belly fat. You can either join a class or get videos to teach you the movements.
But cardio-type exercise alone will not answer the question “How to get rid of lower belly fat?” Indeed, you must involve some weight training at least three times a week.
Remember that muscle mass burns fat. When you put on muscle, your body is burning fat all day, not just when you exercise. So, don’t neglect this aspect of losing your lower belly fat.
You have to get close to your ideal body weight in order to have the firm, flat stomach you desire. Your lower belly fat will be among the last fat you lose. If you are 50 pounds overweight, getting in shape should be your first goal, because your long term goal of losing lower belly fat will only happen when most of your other fat is gone. So, if you are a pretty fit person who just has a little pouch, some specific types of exercises will work. But, if you are overweight, it is going to take some long term work.
And that’s the answer to the question, “How to lose lower belly fat?”
Posted in Recipe on January 23, 2012
Ingredients
1 cup chocolate milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese (2
2 tbsp natural omega-3 peanut butter
2 cup ice
Preparation
Add chocolate milk, peanut butter and cottage cheese to blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Add the ice and continue to blend on high for another 1-2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Posted in Video on January 22, 2012
Video: Good for the shoulders and triceps, a personal trainer shows a bent arm to straight arm plank.
Posted in Recipe on January 21, 2012
Ingredients
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 pound seedless green grapes, halved
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 – 8 ounce container nonfat strawberry or lemon yogurt
Directions
In a large bowl, toss together strawberries, grapes, bananas, and strawberry yogurt. Serve immediately.
Posted in Article on January 20, 2012
Obesity is a rising metabolic disorder that affects the entire world. Obesity is closely related to heart disease and other health issues. It is the condition based on the body mass index (BMI), calculating the fat ratio from a formula using the height and weight of the individuals.
The formula is weight in pounds divided by the height in inches squared divided by 703. The total of that calculation then is used against the chart to determine if the individual is underweight (18.5 or lower), healthy weight (18.5 24.9), overweight (25 29), or obese (30 +).
Obesity and coronary heart disease are closely related based on clinical studies. Obese people tend to have a higher risk of heart disease due to their other health related factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. The one contributing factor with heart disease is directly connected to the high cholesterol, which also has issues with clogging of the arteries; increasing the risks of heart disease in every individual, but is extremely higher in obese people.
People with high risks of heart disease; generally have other health issues that once were thought to contribute to the disease. Yet in recent studies it has been discovered those that are obese have a higher risk of heart disease; even without the other factors. Obesity causes heart disease since the obese person is not as active as the healthy weight individual is. The amounts of exercise play a role in heart disease.
Other contributing factors include the diet of the individual. Obese individuals tend to have a high caloric and carbohydrate diet, which blocks the blood vessels and can lead to heart muscle damage.
When the individuals limit their amounts of fat, sodium and starch, which are turned into fat when not burned up by the body with physical activity and exercise, the individuals can reduce their weight and risks of heart disease. Learning to eat a healthy diet will help with the levels of risks, while not completely removing the risks, if damage to the vessels and heart muscles has previously occurred; prior to the weight loss.
Medication is available for heart disease to help with the complications. Other methods are extensive such as surgery for heart bypass and heart transplants in extreme cases.
The fact of learning to take care of the heart and blood vessels, prior to any damage, is the most important factor, many need to realize. As once the damage is done to the cardio system, it is not possible to repair the damage; short of surgery and transplants.
Several methods are available to reduce the risks of heart disease including eating a healthy diet, avoid smoking, add a daily exercise regimen to the life style, and avoiding stress when possible.
Posted in Article on January 19, 2012
Exercising doesn’t have to be expensive and being short on funds shouldn’t be an excuse for not getting enough daily exercise. With a little thought and determination it is possible to exercise almost for free every day!
Walking – This is of course one of the cheapest and easiest exercises to do. All that you really require is a pair of walking shoes, which you probably have anyway. All that is left is to put on your shoes and walk for 20 to 30 minutes each day.
Crunches – Crunches are a great way to strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Aim to perform one to two sets a day of about 10 to 20 crunches in each set. As you improve you can either increase the number of sets or increase the number of repetitions.
Cycling – Most people have access to a bike and cycling is a wonderful exercise. It improves and strengthens your muscles and your cardiovascular system. Going on a bike ride is a great way to de-stress yourself after a hard day at work. It is also enjoyable by yourself or with a group of people.
Dancing – What’s to stop you from putting on your favourite music and dancing? This is a great form of exercise that requires no new clothing or shoes. You can dance around the house with your kids or alone while doing your housework.
Playing Ball – Get outside with your spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend or kids and play some type of ball game. This could be soccer, baseball, volleyball or just having a good old game of catch. This is a great way to have fun and brings back memories of your childhood.
Swimming – If you are lucky enough to live near a lake or river you can enjoy going for a swim all summer long. This normally costs nothing unless you have to pay for parking at a beach area. Memberships at local swimming pools can be relatively inexpensive and a good way for a family to spend some quality time together.
Hiking – Grab your hiking boots and head out to a local walking trail. This is a fantastic way to visit local scenic areas and get some fresh air into your lungs. It also makes for a wonderful day out with the family. Why not take a picnic lunch and really enjoy your outing.
So there you have some inexpensive ideas on how to fit exercise into your lifestyle. You really have no excuses left anymore, it’s time to start exercising and living healthier.
Posted in Recipe on January 18, 2012
Ingredients
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp minced garlic, divided
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 pound raw shrimp (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp salt, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
2/3 cup water
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
Directions
Combine chicken broth, cornstarch and half the garlic in a bowl; whisk until smooth.
Heat 1-1/2 tsp oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
Add remaining garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook while stirring for about 30 seconds. Add shrimp. Saut until shrimp are pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add remaining oil to the pan. Add broccoli and a pinch of salt. Cook for 1 minute.
Add water, cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with shrimp.
Add chicken stock mixture to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until thickened, 3-4 minutes.
Stir in basil and season with lemon juice and pepper. Add shrimp and broccoli; heat through. Serve with lemon wedges.
(Makes 4 Servings)
