fitness and health from a Generation X|Y point of view...
Showing posts with label guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guide. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
5 TIPS TO REACH SINGLE DIGIT BODY FAT
Water is the medium in which most cellular activities take place, including the transport and burning of fat. Drink at least 1 ounce of water per 2 pounds of body weight a day (that's 100 ounces for a 200-pound person). Keep a 20-ounce water bottle at your desk, fill it five times a day, and you're set.
INCREASE VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION
Vegetables are nutrient-dense, meaning they pack maximum nutrition value with minimal calories, leaving you more full on fewer calories. You should aim to consume five servings a day of veggies, whether as a snack, on a sandwich or on the side of a chicken breast.
EAT 5-6 MEALS A DAY
Dieters often decrease the number of daily meals in an attempt to reduce calories—a big no-no. If you eat six meals a day versus three with the same total calories, you can lose more fat because more meals burn more calories. An efficient way to implement this into your routine is to calculate how many calories you want to consume per day, and spread them evenly across 5-6 meals.
INCORPORATE HIIT TRAINING
Spend at least three days a week doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Apply this to any form of cardio that you like, such as running, spinning, stair-climbing, jumping rope, elliptical training or rowing. Start your workouts with a light five-minute warm-up, then alternate back and forth from high to low intensity. Finish with a light five-minute cool-down.
HAVE A BREAK
When you’ve been dieting for an extensive period of time, some sort of metabolic decline is inevitable. Leptin and various hormones including testosterone will decrease and as a result affect your results.
Adhering to a strict diet becomes increasingly difficult and fat loss always seems to be slower than expected. Not to mention, the psychological component of continued dieting becomes a serious burden. The solution is to take 2 weeks to eat at roughly maintenance. Leptin and testosterone will skyrocket. In addition, you will get that psychological relief. Finally, when you go back to your diet it will feel easier than before and fat loss will resume as expected.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Monday, December 31, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
10 WAYS MORE SEX CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH
From burning calories to cancer prevention, the benefits of an active love life go beyond the obvious. Ready to get some?
Not only can it help your general mood (thereby reducing stress), but studies show there are tangible ways sex slows down the aging process, fights disease and even heals wounds. Here, a full breakdown of the ways getting it on can save you a trip to the ER.
1. Sex promotes heart health
A study in the American Journal of Cardiology suggests that men who have sex twice a week have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than men who have less frequent sex. And this was true even after researchers adjusted for erectile dysfunction. Analyzing the health records of 1,165 men who were monitored for 16 years as part of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, epidemiologists at the New England Research Institutes found that men who had sexual activity once a month or less were at 50 percent greater risk of cardiovascular disease than the men who had sex more than once a week.
"Our research found that a low frequency of sexual activity predicted new cardiovascular events," says Susan Hall, PhD. Hall says a number of possible factors could have contributed to the study's finding: The psychical capacity to have sex might be a marker for overall health, or the physical exercise from sex might directly protect against CVD. Or it might be that men who have regular sex enjoy improved health through stress reduction from a supportive relationship. Whatever the reason, it appears that sex is good for your ticker.
2. Doing it burns calories.
Due to its brevity, having an orgasm fries only two or three calories. But the prelude can burn quite a bit more, depending on your weight and the length and vigor of the lovemaking session. For example, a raucous romp uses about 5 METs (metabolic equivalents), a system for gauging the intensity of physical activity. (Sitting quietly, for comparison, is equal to 1 MET.) So, a 190-pound man would burn 413 calories in an hour of vigorous sexual activity. But since the average lovemaking session is about 20 minutes, you're talking about only around 150 calories. Still, that's more than double the caloric expenditure of sitting alone on the couch.
3. Sex is a natural sleeping pill.
As I personally know all too well, orgasm is a rather effective sleep aid for most men.
4. Sex stifles stress.
Research at the University of the West of Scotland shows that sex, like exercise, releases anxiety, lowers stress hormones, and can help people cope with mental pressure for at least a week. In the study, 46 men and women were put in a stressful situation involving speaking and working math problems in front of a tough audience. Participants were also asked to keep a diary of their sexual activity for two weeks prior to the test. Those who had sex were the least stressed out, and their blood pressures returned to normal faster after the public speaking test. "People who had penile-vaginal intercourse did twice as well as people who only masturbated or had no sex at all," says psychologist and lead researcher Stuart Brody.
5. A roll in the hay keeps the doctor away.
People who have sex once or twice weekly have stronger immune systems than people who have sex less than once a week, according to a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania by psychologists Carl J. Charnetski, PhD, and Francis X. Brennan Jr., PhD. In their book, Feeling Good is Good for You: How Pleasure Can Boost Your Immune System and Lengthen Your Life, they describe their study in which they took saliva samples from 111 college students and asked them about their frequency of sex over the course of a month. Analysis showed that the saliva of the students who had sex once or twice a week had 30 percent more of the antigen immunoglobulin A (IgA) than the saliva of students who had sex less often. "IgA is the body's first line of defense against colds and flu," says Charnetski. Other studies show that happy relationships are good for health. In one experiment reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh scientists shot live cold viruses up the noses of volunteers. Those who reported having strong ties with lovers, friends, and family were the least likely to catch a cold.
6. Good love is better than a bandage.
Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center inflicted minor blister wounds on the arms of 45 married couples during 24-hour visits on two different occasions. On the first visit, the couples were prompted to engage in a positive, supportive discussion. Two months later they returned and new wounds were administered, the couples were prompted to argue. Results showed that wounds healed nearly two times faster after the positive interaction.
7. More sex may turn back the clock.
Can having sex keep wrinkles away? British neuropsychologist David Weeks, MD, of Royal Edinburgh Hospital believes so. In a 10-year-long study, he interviewed 3,500 adults in England and the United States, and found that people who reported having sex four times a week looked about 10 years younger than they actually were. Pleasure derived from having loving sex releases hormones, including human growth hormone, that are crucial in preserving youth, he says.
8. Frequent orgasms may protect against cancer.
Several studies have suggested that frequent ejaculation over many years may decrease risk of prostate cancer. In one US study, 29,000 men, ages 46 to 81, were asked their history of sexual intercourse and masturbation between the ages of 20 and 49. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed the data and determined that the group of men who reported 21 orgasms per month was much less likely to have prostate cancer than men who averaged seven or fewer ejaculations per month. The researchers speculated that several protective factors may contribute: ejaculation may clear the prostate of carcinogenic secretions and the stress-reduction benefit from orgasm may limit potential harmful substances that could trigger cancer.
9. Love longer, live longer.
An Irish study published in the British Medical Journal in 1997 tracked the mortality of 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade and concluded that sexual activity may have a protective effect on health. By comparing men according to age and health, researchers found that men who had the highest frequency of orgasms had a death rate 50-percent lower than men who did not ejaculate frequently.
10. Men who have more sex are—surprise—happier!
An Australian survey of 5,000 people showed that married men are 135 percent more likely to report happiness than single men, while only 52 percent of married women are happier than unmarried women. Could it have something to do with the fact that sex is easier for cohabiting couples? According to a national sex survey conducted by the University of Chicago, sexual activity is 25 percent to 300 percent greater for married couples compared to non-married people, depending on age.
SOURCE:
It won't take much convincing to follow this general rule, but you should be sure you know it anyway:
the more sex you have, the healthier you'll be.
Not only can it help your general mood (thereby reducing stress), but studies show there are tangible ways sex slows down the aging process, fights disease and even heals wounds. Here, a full breakdown of the ways getting it on can save you a trip to the ER.
A study in the American Journal of Cardiology suggests that men who have sex twice a week have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than men who have less frequent sex. And this was true even after researchers adjusted for erectile dysfunction. Analyzing the health records of 1,165 men who were monitored for 16 years as part of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, epidemiologists at the New England Research Institutes found that men who had sexual activity once a month or less were at 50 percent greater risk of cardiovascular disease than the men who had sex more than once a week.
"Our research found that a low frequency of sexual activity predicted new cardiovascular events," says Susan Hall, PhD. Hall says a number of possible factors could have contributed to the study's finding: The psychical capacity to have sex might be a marker for overall health, or the physical exercise from sex might directly protect against CVD. Or it might be that men who have regular sex enjoy improved health through stress reduction from a supportive relationship. Whatever the reason, it appears that sex is good for your ticker.
2. Doing it burns calories.
Due to its brevity, having an orgasm fries only two or three calories. But the prelude can burn quite a bit more, depending on your weight and the length and vigor of the lovemaking session. For example, a raucous romp uses about 5 METs (metabolic equivalents), a system for gauging the intensity of physical activity. (Sitting quietly, for comparison, is equal to 1 MET.) So, a 190-pound man would burn 413 calories in an hour of vigorous sexual activity. But since the average lovemaking session is about 20 minutes, you're talking about only around 150 calories. Still, that's more than double the caloric expenditure of sitting alone on the couch.
3. Sex is a natural sleeping pill.
As I personally know all too well, orgasm is a rather effective sleep aid for most men.
4. Sex stifles stress.
Research at the University of the West of Scotland shows that sex, like exercise, releases anxiety, lowers stress hormones, and can help people cope with mental pressure for at least a week. In the study, 46 men and women were put in a stressful situation involving speaking and working math problems in front of a tough audience. Participants were also asked to keep a diary of their sexual activity for two weeks prior to the test. Those who had sex were the least stressed out, and their blood pressures returned to normal faster after the public speaking test. "People who had penile-vaginal intercourse did twice as well as people who only masturbated or had no sex at all," says psychologist and lead researcher Stuart Brody.
5. A roll in the hay keeps the doctor away.
People who have sex once or twice weekly have stronger immune systems than people who have sex less than once a week, according to a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania by psychologists Carl J. Charnetski, PhD, and Francis X. Brennan Jr., PhD. In their book, Feeling Good is Good for You: How Pleasure Can Boost Your Immune System and Lengthen Your Life, they describe their study in which they took saliva samples from 111 college students and asked them about their frequency of sex over the course of a month. Analysis showed that the saliva of the students who had sex once or twice a week had 30 percent more of the antigen immunoglobulin A (IgA) than the saliva of students who had sex less often. "IgA is the body's first line of defense against colds and flu," says Charnetski. Other studies show that happy relationships are good for health. In one experiment reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh scientists shot live cold viruses up the noses of volunteers. Those who reported having strong ties with lovers, friends, and family were the least likely to catch a cold.
6. Good love is better than a bandage.
Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center inflicted minor blister wounds on the arms of 45 married couples during 24-hour visits on two different occasions. On the first visit, the couples were prompted to engage in a positive, supportive discussion. Two months later they returned and new wounds were administered, the couples were prompted to argue. Results showed that wounds healed nearly two times faster after the positive interaction.
7. More sex may turn back the clock.
Can having sex keep wrinkles away? British neuropsychologist David Weeks, MD, of Royal Edinburgh Hospital believes so. In a 10-year-long study, he interviewed 3,500 adults in England and the United States, and found that people who reported having sex four times a week looked about 10 years younger than they actually were. Pleasure derived from having loving sex releases hormones, including human growth hormone, that are crucial in preserving youth, he says.
8. Frequent orgasms may protect against cancer.
Several studies have suggested that frequent ejaculation over many years may decrease risk of prostate cancer. In one US study, 29,000 men, ages 46 to 81, were asked their history of sexual intercourse and masturbation between the ages of 20 and 49. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed the data and determined that the group of men who reported 21 orgasms per month was much less likely to have prostate cancer than men who averaged seven or fewer ejaculations per month. The researchers speculated that several protective factors may contribute: ejaculation may clear the prostate of carcinogenic secretions and the stress-reduction benefit from orgasm may limit potential harmful substances that could trigger cancer.
9. Love longer, live longer.
An Irish study published in the British Medical Journal in 1997 tracked the mortality of 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade and concluded that sexual activity may have a protective effect on health. By comparing men according to age and health, researchers found that men who had the highest frequency of orgasms had a death rate 50-percent lower than men who did not ejaculate frequently.
10. Men who have more sex are—surprise—happier!
An Australian survey of 5,000 people showed that married men are 135 percent more likely to report happiness than single men, while only 52 percent of married women are happier than unmarried women. Could it have something to do with the fact that sex is easier for cohabiting couples? According to a national sex survey conducted by the University of Chicago, sexual activity is 25 percent to 300 percent greater for married couples compared to non-married people, depending on age.
SOURCE:
http://www.menshealth.com/sex-md/sex-health-benefits?cm_mmc=DailyDoseNL-_-1093540-_-11022012-_-ImproveHealth-body#ixzz2BQDfg2aS
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Power up your brain w/ these 5 Steps for a better breakfast
Does every morning start like a scene out of Zombieland—and you’re the zombie? Skipping breakfast may be to blame.
A review of 134 breakfast studies conducted by the University of Leeds in the UK found that your memory, problem-solving skills, verbal fluency, and several other measures of cognitive ability all suffer when you miss the most important meal of the day.
New research provides a road map that can help you get the most from your breakfast and your brain every morning.
5 Steps for a better breakfast
- Protein power. Eating a protein-rich breakfast resulted in a nearly 20 percent boost in brain activity compared to either no breakfast or a breakfast high in sugar, Japanese research shows. That’s because protein, unlike sugar, provides your brain with a consistent energy source, the study says. Eggs are a great source of hunger-quelling protein, not to mention a lot of other good stuff.
- A "better" source of caffeine. A recent study from the University of Bristol in the UK found that just 20 to 30 milligrams (mg) of caffeine boosts brainpower—regardless of how alert the subjects felt. That’s about 100 mg less than your average cup of coffee. Higher doses didn't provide any additional brain boost. So have a small amount of dark chocolate in the morning. Research has shown dark chocolate improves blood flow and cholesterol levels, and may even help you lose weight. One ounce—or about two 1-inch squares—containing 70 to 85 percent cocoa packs roughly 25 mg of caffeine. (For more great food choices, hit me up and I'll be happy to help)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
7 TIPS on what you can do today to get that beach body you've always wanted
1. Supplement your diet with krill oil, whey protein, and a greens booster
This is the magic combination to stoke your metabolic fire. Krill oil helps increase your fat burning powers, whey protein builds lean, sexy muscle, and the greens supplement will keep everything nice and balanced.
2. Train with resistance
Training for strength, either with weights or your own body weight is one of the absolute best ways to transform your body. Lean muscle is what gives your body that sexy shape. Plus, muscle tissue raises your metabolism so that you will burn fat even while you're asleep!
3. Use intervals
Traditional cardiovascular training has been shown to be ineffective for fat loss. Much better is to train with intervals. Intervals are simply periods of higher intensity activity alternated with lower intensity periods. For instance, if you use a spin bike, an interval workout could be 30 seconds pedaling as hard as you can mixed with 30 seconds of easy spinning.
4. Eat breakfast every day
Having a nutritious breakfast each and every day is one of the very first things my fat loss clients focus on. It is THAT important for fat loss. Breakfast is your chance to get your day going right, make the most of it.
5. Make sure at least a third of your calories come from fat
It might sound strange, but you can't lose fat unless you eat fat. Your body won't release its fat stores until it is sure it will have enough fuel coming in. As a bonus, healthy fats will keep your skin supple, smooth, and glowing. THAT sure helps you look great naked!
6. Hire an expert
Fitness professionals are experts at blasting fat off of their clients as fast as possible. Whatever your situation, they've seen it before and can help you overcome all of your obstacles to success.
7. Get plenty of sleep
A full night's sleep every night will fast-track you on your path of looking great naked! Your body produces fat burning hormones while you sleep, especially if you've been following the 6 previous tips mentioned in this posting.
Get started today and be lean and sexy this summer!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)