Stretching: It’s Not Just a Girly Thing

Who said that stretching is just for women? The truth of the matter is that stretching before any form of exercise, even walking to the corner store, is important for both men and women. Why? Here’s an example.

A recent trip to the doctor reveals that you need to lose weight. Asked if you are exercising you reply, “No.” After you are instructed to begin an exercise routine, you decide to go for the recommended 20-minute walk. Halfway through the walk, you feel the muscles in your legs start to ache as well as your back. If stretching for 10 minutes beforehand had been done, your muscles would have warmed up and there would be less aches and pains as a result.

Specific to weight training for men, one professional advises a 5-10 minute cool down encompassing these stretching exercises: Sit on the floor with legs spread apart. Place your hands in front of you slowly, and inhale and exhale. Take hold of your right foot and grab the toes; do the same with your left foot all the time placing your head down. Finally, slowly sit up.

Of course, for free-form exercise such as walking, another stretching routine can be utilized. Place your hands against a wall, and place your right leg as far back as possible while your foot is flat against the floor surface and hold the position for 30 seconds. Repeat the same exercise with the left foot. In addition, lifting each leg behind you and holding it with one hand against your back for 30 seconds should also be implemented.

Stretching is important to keep the muscles flexible, decrease soreness, and diminish the chances of injury. Studies have shown that “long-term stretching can provide overall flexibility.”

 Can Sleep Promote More Weight Loss?

Have you been struggling to lose weight?  Have you tried diet, exercise, and even weight loss pills, but nothing seems to be doing the trick?  The trouble may not be with the things you’re doing while you’re awake, but rather the simple fact that you are awake.  Studies have shown that getting more sleep and better quality sleep can help you shed pounds without expensive fad diets.  So if you really want to get rid of those excess pounds once and for all, why not spend less time counting calories and more time in bed?

The first reason that sleeping more causes you to lose less weight is probably the most obvious.  The more hours you spend sleeping, the fewer hours you have to eat.  We all have cravings for certain foods that aren’t good for us, and the longer we’re awake, the longer we have to fight those cravings.  Plus, sleep deprivation reduces deductive reasoning skills, so we have less will power to resist. 

Getting a good night’s rest makes you feel energized and awake the next day.  If you sleep well the night before, you’re more likely to be able to get up and go work out.  Sufficient sleep can give you the energy to work out harder and for longer periods of time, further fueling your weight loss efforts.

We used to believe that you we hungry when your stomach was empty and full when your stomach had no room left, but we know better than that now.  We now know more about hormones and other chemicals in the body and how they affect hunger.  One of these chemicals is cortisol.  Excess cortisol not only causes us to feel hungry when we’ve had enough to eat; it can also affect the amount of fat we store.  On top of this, cortisol decreases memory retention along with other stress inducing side effects.  Getting sufficient sleep helps return the cortisol balance to normal. 

Two other chemicals that have recently been shown to be affected by the amount of sleep your get are the hormones leptin, which makes you feel hungry, and ghrelin, which makes you feel full.  Reduced amounts of sleep can reduce ghrelin levels and increase leptin levels, causing you to feel you need to eat more when you’ve actually had enough.

Another side effect of sleep deprivation is a change in the way the body metabolizes carbohydrates.  Most individuals have problems fully digesting carbs without sufficient sleep. This means that instead of being burned for energy; these calories are being stored as fat.  Plus, excess carbs in your system can cause a rise in blood sugar levels, along with insulin resistance; these are both symptoms of type II diabetes. 

And if all these reasons aren’t good enough for you, lack of sleep also drops the level of human growth hormone in your system.  While HGH helps children grow bigger, it affects the percentage of fat in proportion to muscle in adults.  Decreased levels of this hormone send even more of the food you eat to be stored as fat reserves, further hindering your weight loss.

So if you’re really serious about losing weight, make it a goal to get a full night’s sleep every night.  You’ll likely start seeing those pounds fly off in no time. 

Diet and exercise.  You hear on TV, in magazines, from friends and family, and from your doctor.  You hear it all the time.  If you want to lose weight or just lead a healthy life, you need to combine diet and exercise.  Well, the reason you hear it all the time is because it’s absolutely true.  It’s important to do a lot of things to stay healthy, but the most important steps for good healthy weight loss are diet and exercise.

You may think, “Just why do I need diet AND exercise, isn’t one enough?”  Well, it might be, but think about it this way.  What would happen if a boxer went into the ring with one hand tied behind his back?  If he’s really good, he may still win, but he’s definitely at a disadvantage.  Most of us aren’t pro’s at dieting or exercising.  You should take all the steps possible to give yourself the best chance at success.

If your goal is weight loss, you’d have to cut out 3,500 calories from your diet to lose a pound.  That’s 500 calories per day.  That doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you actually put it into practice, it’s harder than you think.  Plus, eating less can make some people’s metabolism slow down so they still don’t lose weight.  In comparison, jogging at a moderate pace can burn 740 calories per hour!  Plus, working out builds muscle mass and burns up more calories while you’re just sitting around.

So, if exercise is so effective, why not just work out and skip the dieting?  Well, dieting isn’t just about eating less food; it’s also about eating the right foods.  If you get the proper nutrients, your body will work better and your exercising will be more efficient.  You’ll feel stronger, and be able to work out longer. 

When starting a diet and exercise plan, remember to start with small steps.  Tell yourself that you’ll work out 3 days a week, or eat fruit instead of a fatty snack once a day.  Be sure to concentrate on what you are accomplishing and not focus so much on what you’re not.  If you do more gradually, you’re sure to be lean and healthy in no time. 

___________________

Get in shape at home, with no equipment needed! Three full-body, resistance training workouts on DVD. Also includes two bonus abs workouts and a FREE membership to Mr. Gym’s Fitness Member Site.

We all know the importance of eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Unfortunately, with our busy lifestyles it’s not always so easy.  That’s where smoothies come in.  Delicious and nutritious smoothies can be a mom’s secret weapon to ensuring your kids get enough fruit in their diets.

Here are some yummy smoothie combinations that are great for breakfast or any time of the day.  Simply throw all ingredients in the blender and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Bananarama – 1 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, dash of milk

Mango Mania – 1 mango (cut and pitted), 1/4 cup orange juice

Peach Medley – 1 peach (cut and pitted), 1 banana, 1/4 cup orange juice

Berry Surprise – 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup raspberries, ¼ cup of milk

Strawberry Ice – 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup orange juice, I cup crushed ice

Honey melon – 1 cup chopped honey dew lemon pieces, 1/4 cup apple juice, tablespoon honey. 

Banana Boost – 1 banana, 1/4 shredded wheat cereal (or other high fiber cereal), 1/4 cup milk.  A great way to get extra fiber and vitamins into your child’s diet.

And if it’s hot outside why not try smoothie popsicles.  They may a great alternative to sugary ice cream and are a delicious summer treat.  For a creamier consistency try adding 1/4 cup yogurt of your choice to the recipes above and pour the smoothie mixture into popsicle molds.  If you don’t have popsicle molds you can use paper cups or even ice cube trays.  Fill cups or tray and when half frozen and slushy like insert popsicle stick and leave until fully frozen.

You don’t have to stick the recipes above, just about any of your favorite fruit combinations will taste delicious in a homemade smoothie.  It’s also a great way to let kids get involved in the kitchen.  Let them choose their favorite fruits and let them help you peel and chop them up (according to their age of course).  They can also pour liquid ingredients into measuring cups.

Smoothies are not only a great way to get your kids to eat more fruit.  They’re also easy to prepare and best of all delicious.

It’s dreaded by every woman on a diet—the holidays! Holidays are filled with tons of food, the nemesis of every dieter on the planet. If you’re worried about how your diet will suffer during the holidays, try these tips for coping:

- Get Active.  Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t be active.  Organize a group and go on a winter hike or ice skating.  Even caroling can help take the focus off food while giving you some mild exercise too.  Or go for a long walk to look at the Christmas lights.  Think of small ways to stay active rather than constantly sitting around indoors.

- Snack Light. Don’t be afraid to have a few snacks at a party. But beware of snacking during the entire 3-5 hours! Allow yourself a small plate of snacks and stop there.  Remember, even among enticing party foods you can usually find some healthy picks.  Many times a vegetable tray is offered.  By placing only a small amount of dip on your plate, you’ll also get a little bit of that delicious taste without over doing it.

- Eat before you leave. If you’re really worried about eating too much at a party, have a light, healthy meal before you leave. Eat something nutritious and filling, but leave enough room for a light dessert.

- Forget about the Diet.  Well, don’t dump your diet altogether or you may regret in the New Year…just don’t over focus on it.  If you become over obessed with food you’ll be likely to eat more. If you see something unresistable…endulge yourself by dividng a portion in half if you can and place the smallest half on your plate.  You’ll find that you will satisfy your craving with just a small piece.  Usually, it’s just that your tastebuds are craving for a taste…and that will be enough to calm the urge. Instead of lingering around the serving area  concentrate on the wonderful company you are sharing and stop worrying so much about overeating.  You’ll enjoy the holidays alot more and worry alot less.

Junk food might include items like: potato chips, candy, chocolate, artificially flavoured drinks, etc. Junk food is appealing to kids because of the taste, color and appearance. Some junk food companies regularly target children with enticing ad campaigns for fast food.

Parents can easily get sucked into the junk food routine because it’s so much quicker and easier than preparing a full, well-balanced meal. While junk food is faster to grab and go, it can lead to a variety of health issues, such as: tooth decay and cavities, stomach problems, and more.

Here are some ways to curb the junk food monster in your house and create a healthier lifestyle:

1. Family meals – Busy families find it especially difficult to make time for family meals. With soccer practice, track meets and band rehearsals filling nearly every week day, families are spread thin. Schedule a special day once per week for a family dinner. During dinner, take turns talking about your day. Slow down and enjoy your meal and this time together.

2. Involve the family – Get the entire family involved in planning and cooking your family dinner. Homemade pizza is always a fun meal to make with kids. Tacos are another quick and easy meal to make with kids. Put each family member in charge of a certain aspect of the meal, from setting the table to preparing the dinner.

3. Be creative – Create fun healthy snacks and meals. Your imagination is your only limitation. Invent new names for vegetables and fruits. You might call carrots “dynamite sticks” or instead of giving your child baby tomatoes call them “mini bombs.” Pay attention to what your child’s favorite toys or movies, and then rename fruits and veggies with fun, similar names.

4. Variety – Most young children will only eat the foods they are familiar with. Very few are willing to try foods that are different. However, variety is important. Try introducing one new food per week. If you attempt to present too many new foods at once, your child may refuse them all. Give them one new vegetable at dinner time every day for one week. If they refuse to eat it for the week, introduce a new food the following week.

5. Start the day off right – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Jumpstart your kids’ day with a healthy breakfast. Include sweet fruits, like honeydew and cantaloupe, to make this meal more appealing. Even adding something as simple as a whole fruit juice can give your child a better jumpstart to their day.